Hera

{Chapter Nineteen}

Hera-Cassiopeia Lestrange II made her way to the Great Hall with Elena Huang by her side, pushing past several other students who were taking their sweet time, walking to their house tables. It was early in the evening, just before supper, and Hera was feeling tired from her escapade to Hogsmeade with Elena and Draco. Although she had eaten a few of her treats from Honeydukes, her stomach growled, yearning for the savoury dishes that would soon be laid out on the Slytherin table.

The black-haired girl sat down next to her cousin, Draco Malfoy, who was going through his daily boast, talking about the new quidditch equipment he had bought, nothing that peaked any interest in Hera. Looking through her peripheral vision, she couldn't find Blaise sitting anywhere near Draco or any of his goons, which sparked her curiosity.

Where would he be?

Elena brought her out of her thoughts, by asking if she had done her charms homework yet. Hera shook her head, and dished a spoonful of vegetables onto her platter, accompanied by a small amount of rice and gravy that made her mouth water. She was careful not to fill her plate, not wanting to go any more sizes bigger than she was. She had to maintain her physique, to keep up with Aunt Narcissa's perfect image she had for her.

The Asian girl that sat next to her, eyed her plate, a hint of disapproval glazed over her eyes for a moment before she took her attention away and filled her plate with almost everything she could reach. In terms of their stature, the two girls contrasted each other. Hera was the taller and skinnier of the duo, with her pale skin and straightened black and white hair, she looked menacing, much like her mother, whilst Elena, was more hearty, her baby-fat refusing to let go of her skeleton, she was shorter and either had a small smile gracing her chubby cheeks, or the stoic pokerface, she was so accustomed to giving everyone else but Hera.

Elena placed a few potatoes onto Hera's plate, "A few potatoes won't hurt, you know. You're looking a bit more sticky than usual."

Elena was physically different, compared to her relatives. Her own father, Tao Huang, was tall and lanky, with pale skin and a stern expression hardening his face, making him look decades older than he actually was. Elena, she was more olive-toned, with lighter eyes and fuller in comparison to her father. No one knew Elena's late mother. Hera had heard from Aunt Narcissa, that Elena was probably born out of wedlock, to a woman who was lowerclass. Despite this, the Huang Family was held in high regards by most pureblood families as they were one of the oldest pure blood lines.

The only reason why Narcissa permitted Hera to stay friends with Elena, was due to her father's power and influence, he had in the wizarding world, despite all speculation. No one dared questioned Elena's parentage, because the Huang family was one of the most powerful pureblood wizarding families in the world.

Hera peered at her best friend, after knowing the girl for more than two years, it felt like something else was amiss.

♧

There was murmur going around the Slytherin common room, all of its members assembled in the area, unsure of what was going on. Everyone was hastily ordered to return to their houses, and Professor Snape had just left the common room, to assist the other professors.

"It can't be-"
"Hogwarts isn't as safe as you think-"
"-inside job..."
"...Black, in Hogwarts?"
"You're kidding me-"

Hera could only hope the rumours weren't true, as she sat on the love seat next to Elena, who seemed to fumble with her sleeve. The prefects were taking into account each and every house member into the common room, before sending them off into their respective dorm rooms. Hera had gotten up to leave, but Elena seemed to be out of it, as she sat on the loveseat, oblivious to the outside world.