Toujours Pur | Euphemia Black

Chapter 25 | Under Pressure

Has anyone watched the new Queen movie, Bohemian Rhapsody, yet? I saw it last Monday and I've been obsessed with Queen ever since aha (as you can probably tell by the chapter title).

Pomona was completely and utterly confused as she held a shaking and wild eyed Euphemia in her arms as tears poured out of her friend's eyes. "Who knows? What do they know? Mia, what's happened?" Pomona asked her frantically, knowing full well that she wasn't meant to be panicking when others were, you were meant to keep calm and put up a relaxed facade no matter how much you may be screaming on the inside.

But she couldn't help it, she'd come across one of her best friends unconscious in the library, caused from an obvious severe panic attack that had sent her to breaking point which had resulted in Mia having a blackout. Not only that, but Euphemia was now still visibly terrified and wouldn't tell her what was wrong....Pomona had a right to be confused and frightened for her friend.

"My family," Mia whispered hoarsely to Pomona, looking haunted by something and Pomona couldn't help but realise how deathly pale Euphemia was and on top of that, she was trembling uncontrollably which really unnerved Pomona. It must've been something really bad that had triggered such an episode like this to occur, Pomona didn't even really know the slightest thing about what Mia went through at home.

She knew that the Blacks were a dark wizarding family that had been on Grindelward's side in the war and that they had a tendency to be vicious, bitchy, cruel and controlling - from what she had seen of them around school. But Pomona also knew that Euphemia was nothing like her family and the Hufflepuff immediately became concerned for her friend.

"What about your family?" Pomona asked gently, setting a calming hand on Mia's shoulder and the girl turned to her with wide eyes, her breathing coming in raspy outtakes. "They know....they know that I'm friends with you all!" Euphemia said frantically to Pomona and the latter couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows in confusion. She was sure that Mia's family already knew that she was friends with herself and the others because of the times they had seen Euphemia with them all and she also knew that they weren't happy with it because of the times they had ganged up on her. So why was Mia acting like they had only just found out, like it had been a dark secret beforehand?

Pomona could remember the moment that Mia had informed the group that Eileen had snitched on her and had revealed her friendship with the gang and she had been visibly upset and angry at the time, which was understandable, but not as terrified and panicked that she was now.

Florean had immediately jumped up, threatening to thump Eileen and Minerva had looked enraged, her lips thinner than Pomona had ever seen them but Euphemia had not seemed that worried at the time. Now, however, she looked positively terrified and Pomona didn't know what to say or do.

"Didn't they already know?" Pomona questioned and Mia looked at her as if she was stupid, "Only Walburga - she wasn't going to do anything too bad," Euphemia scoffed and Pomona relaxed a little upon seeing that she had calmed down a bit now. "But now Druella knows..." she shivered and Pomona grimaced - Druella Rosier's ruthless reign was known throughout the school and everyone knew she did not take grudges or enmities lightheartedly, especially if it was her family that betrayed the traditions of the Noble House of Black.

"And what's going to stop her telling my parents? My parents want me to be perfect, they don't accept anyone who isn't pure blood, they hate muggles and anyone associated with them! They'll hate me, they'll disown me, they'll-" Mia broke off, not wanting to tell Pomona about what her parents did when she disobeyed their orders. In her mind, she could imagine the fury on her father's face as he tortured her and the cold, chilling disappointment that would lace her mother's insults.