Aionios

Chapter 15

August- 30, 1994
Diagon Alley

"Who do you think this year's DADA professor will be?", Ace asks as he strolls down the crowded brick road with Isabelle right beside him. Both young Aurors were eating their own cone of Florean Fortesque's ice cream; Caramel Swirl for Isabelle and Chocolate Paradise for Ace.

Isabelle groans. "I went to the Ministry yesterday and heard rumors about Alastor Moody taking up the position", she says in a displeased tone.

"Mad-Eye Moody?!", Ace exclaims, almost choking on his ice cream, "Are they for real?".

"I honestly have no idea", Isabelle shakes her head as they finish off their ice cream and enter Flourish and Blotts, "It's like the DADA position is cursed. Always a new professor every year even before we came to Hogwarts".

"Tell me about it", Ace chuckles, grabbing a few of his core books off a random shelf, "Kingsley says the Ministry's having a hard time finding replacements each year. Maybe Mad-Eye was their last resort".

"Still", Isabelle scans the row of books on the Magical Creatures section, "Alastor Moody's a bit... jumpy. I get the idea of constant vigilance, but the guy's always acting like someone's out to kill him".

"Kingsley says that's a good thing", Ace shrugs, "Makes it harder for actual enemies to get to him".

"Well... Fair point... I just don't think that's a good trait for someone who's going to be teaching students", Isabelle says.

"Who knows?", Ace smirks, "Maybe Mad-Eye's loosened up a bit since we last saw him".

"I highly doubt that", Isabelle rolls her eyes with a smile tugging at her lips, "Gonna go over there to look for the other books I need", she says while walking towards the farther sections of Flourish and Blotts.

"I'll meet you at the counter then", Ace waves her off.

The most secluded section of Flourish and Blotts was filled with old books that were already covered with thick layers of dust. The area was abandoned except for Isabelle and two witches who looked just as old - if not older- than Professor McGonagall, scanning over the rows of ancient potion books.

Isabelle ventured to the shelves of Ancient Dark Arts, emerald eyes going over the spines of each book in search for a particular one that Kingsley had told her about once before. She traces her fingers down the row of hardbound covers, stopping at one that had gold calligraphy against dark leather. She pulls the thick book from the shelf, coughing away the debris that came with it. She takes a deep breath and blows away the remaining dust that obscured the book's cover, revealing the bright golden letterings against the hard leather bound.

Darkest Arts of the Centuries:
Gruesome Spells and Demonic Enchantments
Vilemont Frodo

"I would expect that kind of book preference from Ace Pirtine"

Isabelle hides the book behind her back, swiveling around to face her familiar foe with eyes narrowed in hate.

"What are you doing here?", she hisses, eyes flashing acid green for a moment.

Draco smirks, pushing himself off the shelf he was leaning against and swaggering towards her with a look of amusement that greatly annoyed Isabelle to her very core.

"Never knew you were one for the Dark Arts, Potter", he murmurs, circling around her like a predator would, "Not as innocent as I thought you were", he breathes into her ear.