Toujours Pur | Euphemia Black

Chapter 96 | Captain Minerva

It was truly incredible how the absence of Orion Black at Hogwarts made Euphemia's school experience so much better than it had been when her dreaded cousin had been in attendance. Mia had known that she would've felt much more relaxed without Orion's eagle eyes watching her every move but she hadn't realised just how much better she would feel.

It was like an entire weight had been lifted off Euphemia's shoulders - she felt so much lighter and she came to the conclusion that the permanent knot in her stomach, that had always been there for as long as she could remember, was actually loosening and, by the end of the third week of sixth year, it was completely gone.

The start of sixth year had been great for Mia and Charlus because, as well as the fact that Orion was no longer at Hogwarts, Druella was also gone and so that meant that Euphemia could actually act affectionate with her boyfriend in public without worrying about being physically harmed for her actions.

Druella had been in seventh year, just like Orion, so she had graduated already and she obviously now had little Bellatrix to look after as well so it wouldn't have made any sense even if she had returned. Mia couldn't help but find it absolutely crazy that Druella's situation could've been her own reality, if it hadn't have been for Henry and Charlus saving her from the fateful wedding.

Euphemia hadn't really wanted to think about it too much during the first month of sixth year but the thought couldn't help but cross her mind every now and again - it was an incredibly serious issue, after all. Mia found it really hard to imagine her being married to Orion with children in the same way that Druella was united with Cygnus but it could've been her future. That idea was not only scary but also downright disgusting as well.

However, Euphemia still wasn't completely free because Heather and Walburga were still very much present at Hogwarts. And, seeing as they were in Mia's dormitory and all of her classes, she couldn't really avoid them and she had to put up with all of their icy glares and venomous mutters. They never actually did anything though and Euphemia didn't know whether to be thankful for that or not.

On one hand, it was a relief because she didn't have to deal with any of their bullshit but, at the same time, it made Mia anxious because she didn't know whether they were simply being quiet because they were waiting, lurking in the shadows before pouncing. For the first week of sixth year, Euphemia was convinced that they were just waiting for the opportunity to strike but, when nothing happened, she found herself relaxing even more.

Charis had been a massive help as well and Mia had to thank her lucky stars that she had such an amazing cousin because Charis was there if Euphemia needed someone, seeing as they were both in Slytherin. Charis looked after Mia in the common room and in the places where her friends couldn't escort her (they had been walking with her to classes to try and settle some of her worries about Walburga and Heather). That had definitely helped her.

All in all, September was a rather uneventful month. Workload on the students got much harsher than it had been during fifth year because Euphemia and her friends were now moving onto N.E.W.T. level which meant that the teachers expected way more attention and a lot more work to be completed. Mia was swarmed in homework for the first month and she hardly got any time with Charlus because of it, though sometimes they did their homework together in the library which often turned into rather heated make out sessions in the back section, behind the bookshelves.

It was very pleasant that they could do simple things like that now without having to worry about being caught. Euphemia enjoyed spending time with her boyfriend in the public eye, even if the 'study' sessions usually ended up with Charlus dragging her out from behind the bookshelves, off to some secret passageway so that they could make out much more heatedly. That probably wasn't a logical solution because Mia's homework never got completed but she would never complain about the kissing.