Back to Black | Golden Trio Era

LXVIII

SIXTY-EIGHT

Dumbledore was gone. He had lied to Fudge about being the creator of Dumbledore's Army and disappeared with a flap of Fawkes' wing. Cho Chang's friend Marietta Edgecomb snitched to Umbridge about the army but before Harry, Alfie and Mia could admit anything to the High Inquisitor and Ministry of Magic, Dumbeldore took the blame. Mia was walking out of the Headmaster's office with her brother and cousin when she heard someone's footsteps behind her on the spiral staircase,

"Duchess!" Theo shouted and the girl rolled her eyes, holding her head high and carrying on. "Duchess, come on! Talk to me please!" Theo sounded like he was right behind her but Mia took a deep breath and clenched her jaw, quickening her pace. Alfie threw his sister a cautious look over his shoulder as he slowed down slightly but she shook her head at him, gesturing with her hand for him to go on. "Mia!" the Slytherin sounded desperate and the girl finally stopped.

"I don't want to talk to you, Nott." she crossed her arms and continued to face away from him, not being able to see his flinch at her addressing him by his last name.

"Come on, Duchess! Let me explain at least." he begged and Mia whipped around, narrowing her icy blue eyes at him and snarling slightly,

"Explain what, Nott? Explain how you're working with the single worst woman in the world to bring down the only thing that is getting tens of people through this awful school year!?" she cocked her head and Theo looked away from her, raking a hand through his hair,

"How was I supposed to know what the fuck it was, Mia?!" he threw his hands in the air and Mia's lip curled,

"You're working with Umbridge, Theo!" she laughed humorlessly, "Have you noticed that the members of her Inquisitorial Squad are only pureblood Slytherins whose families are directly linked to Voldemort?" she spat but her eyes widened as soon as she realised what she said. Theo's head reared back, a face like thunder,

"I see."

"Theo-"

"What, Black? Are you going to apologise to me so I don't set good old Uncle Voldie on you?" his eyes had turned a dark blue with anger and Mia's furious expression had softened as she looked at him with regret,

"That's not what I meant." she said softly and Theo took a step towards her, breathing sharply through his nose,

"I'm surprised you still want to be seen with me." he growled and Mia shuffled backwards slightly, "Wouldn't want your perfect reputation to be tarnished by a future Death Eater."

"Don't turn this on me. You know Umbridge is a manipulative cow but you still run around doing whatever she says with the rest of your snakes, no matter how many people you hurt in the process!" Mia got up into his face challengingly, raising her voice.

"What do you want me to do, Mia?! Challenge the woman from the Ministry and risk the wrath of my father?!" he stepped back and placed the heel of his hand to his forehead, "You're right. My family has direct ties to the Dark Lord! How do you think I'll be treated if I stand up for Dumbledore and muggleborns!" Theo turned to stare at the wide-eyed Mia, the anger leaving his face and being replaced by unmistakeable fear, "It doesn't matter what I want, Mia." he shook his head and Mia's hands raised to her mouth, "I don't particularly like having to be prejudiced towards everyone! I don't like everyone in the other houses hating me and I especially don't like having you hate me, Mia. But I don't have a choice."

"You do, though! You can-"

"No! You don't get it, Mia!" he walked up to her again and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Your parents love and support you. You have the same beliefs as your family and you have a brother who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect you. I don't have that." his eyes glistened, "I've never had that!" Theo's voice cracked and Mia could help but wrap her arms around him, holding him tightly,

"I'm sorry." she whispered and his arms slowly fastened around her waist, his forehead resting on her shoulder,

"I don't have a choice, Mia." he said thickly and Mia squeezed her eyes shut, "I'm not brave."

~~~

Alfie laughed loudly as he looked at the corridor Fred and George had transformed into a swamp. Alfie knew that the twins were planning on leaving Hogwarts a year early to start their joke shop and had even asked him to join them - considering he designed pretty much all of the sweets with them - but Alfie had declined, knowing he should salvage his mother's sanity and at least finish school. As the redheads jumped onto their brooms and shouted their farewells, they turned to their best friend,

"You know where to come as soon as you graduate, Alf." Fred saluted at hm and he nodded his head,

"We can't wait for you to join us as co-owners of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." George winked with a wave as the two of them flew off, throwing fireworks in the air to drown out Umbridge's indignant screams. Alfie cupped his hands around his mouth and cheered, relishing in the small bit of light that had shone through. He knew that in a matter of days Umbridge would become Headmaster and she would finally have all the power she needed to control the school and all of the students in it. He was going to have to talk to his parents and get their advice on what to do - along with Remus' because he knew he couldn't let anything happen to Mia and Harry who were both, annoyingly, very outspoken. Being the oldest, Alfie knew he would have to take charge. Whether that meant defending his family and friends or telling them to lay low and avoid punishment, he wasn't sure. But he would do whatever it took. That cardigan-wearing, foul-smelling, weird-looking toad of a woman was not getting her stubby hands on his Mimi or Hazza, and that was a promise.

my docs is being really laggy and weird rn so if there are any spelling mistakes or typos im v sorry, this was a hassle to write