ð¥ð²ð¬ðœðžð²ð»ð® ðŠð®ðªðŒðµð®ð â ððœð¶ð ððð ð¹ððð
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ââââââââââââââââââââââ .:ã»Â° â °ã»:. ââââââââââââââââââââââ
âââââââââââââââ â âââââââââââââââ
ââââââââââââââââââââââ
ð¥ð²ð¬ðœðžð²ð»ð® ðŠð®ðªðŒðµð®ð
ð®ðð ðððð·ðð ð¯ðððð»ððœðð·ð¬ðµðŸðð®ð
áŽáŽáŽÇ«áŽáŽÊɪɎáŽ, ê°áŽÊÊɪÊáŽ, áŽÉŽáŽ áŽáŽ ᎡáŽÊáŽ
ðð®ð·ðœð²ðžð·ð®ð
áŽáŽáŽáŽê± áŽÉŽáŽ ê°ÊáŽáŽ
ð¢ð®ðœ â ðð»ð®ð¿ð²ðžðŸðŒ ðð±ðªð¹ðœð®ð» â ðð®ððœ ðð±ðªð¹ðœð®ð»ââââââââââââââââââââââ .:ã»Â° â °ã»:. ââââââââââââââââââââââ
â â â â James Potter's "flawless" welcoming party? Yeah, there's no way that was going unbusted. Anyone still there come 2 am { ððð ð¡ ðð ðŠðð¢ ð¢ððððð¡ððð¢ð, ð¢ð ðððð ð ððð ðððð , ðð ð¹ðððâ ððððððð } is now paying the price twice: one for that killer hangover you had and another for an entire evening's detention. So many kids were in trouble that the professors took days to plan a suitable day for it. So if you found yourself losing house points on the fateful September 7th, be prepared for the worst. Students have been assigned groups and locations all across campus. Just pray the professor in charge of yours has some sort of mercy because you'll be working under them for at least eight hours . . .
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ððððððð ð ððð
â â â â âI hope your indignity was worth it,â Filch growls as he hands Victoire her detention assignment. He normally likes her more than the average student. She does get on famously with Mrs. Norris, after all, and her track record of good behavior is in stark contrast to the others that share her last name. But perhaps it is her fall from grace that stings even more than the disruption by the typical rabble-rousers. ððªðŒ ð±ð® ðµðžðŒðœ ðªð·ðžðœð±ð®ð» ðŠð®ðªðŒðµð®ð ðœðž ðª ðµð²ð¯ð® ðžð¯ ð²ð·ðð®ð¬ð®ð·ð¬ð ðªð·ð ðð®ðµð²ð·ðºðŸð®ð·ð¬ð?
â â â â âIâm sorry for what happened,â Victoire reassures, yet she does not promise to refrain from doing so again either. âBut perhaps I could ask you . . . â she continues, drawing his attention forward. Anything to keep him from turning to see Farhiya carefully crafting a spell to get their little friend group in the same detention assignment. The other Gryffindor gives a gleeful thumbs-up as soon as the deed is easily completed. âOh, never mind. It seems I forgot,â hums Vic. Though a small tinge of guilt tells her that Filch deserves better, it feels worth it in the moment. She quickly disappears from his malicious gaze, lest he realize the mix-up she has choreographed.
â â â â âSo what is our punishment, then?â Jackie asks, catching up to the two other girls. Farhiya takes stride as the leader. Though the two have a tendency to follow Victoire around like little lambs, they are not without their wolvesâ teeth underneath. And now that Farie has dumped yet another boy, her confidence is glowing. She feels unstoppable.
â â â â âI gave us the greenhouse,â she explains. It takes everything in Victoire not to stop in her tracks. ððžðœ ðœð±ð®ð»ð® ðªð°ðªð²ð·. ððžðœ ðŒðž ðŒðžðžð·. âWe are supposed to clean all the windows without magic, and our advisor is also Professor Longbottom. We all know heâs a softie who wonât care.â
â â â â But Victoire is not so sure of her friendâs conviction. Her familyâs dear friend is a man of strong conviction. Though calm and collected, Neville Longbottom is far from one that allows others to walk all over him. However, she keeps her thoughts silent. She had learned long ago that correcting Farhiya only causes them all torment. Better to pretend the tall, proud girl is always right.
â â â â The walk to the herbology area is long and winding, one that Victoire is still all-too-familiar with. Shame weighs down her pace. âWhat is taking you so long?â Jacqueline squeaks. The Hufflepuff only half-remembers to keep track of her. Victoire hadnât noticed that she has fallen behind the two of them. âIs it too long for your princess legs to walk without apparating?â Farhiya teases.
â â â â âHow do you know ââ
â â â â She stops herself from continuing.
â â â â âKnow what?â the girls sing in unison. Despite the endless pestering, Victoire has not shared any of the information about why she disappeared for ð·ð®ðªð»ðµð ðªð· ð®ð·ðœð²ð»ð® ð±ðžðŸð» from Jamesâ party ðªð¯ðœð®ð» ðª ðœðžðœðªðµ ð¶ð®ðµðœððžðð·. ðŠð²ðœð± ðð»ðžð¯ð®ðŒðŒðžð» ððŸð¹ð²ð· ðžð¯ ðªðµðµ ð¹ð®ðžð¹ðµð®! Victoire has already paid the price with a scathing, and mostly untrue, post on ð£ð±ð® ð ðŸð²ð«ð«ðµð®ð». As if anyone had missed how she nearly hexed Godric to oblivion. At least most students are too afraid to address things like that with her, now more than ever. But have they finally broken down her walls of ice? Maybe she should tell them. Maybe they will understand. She opens her mouth to reply, to finally get this weight off her chest . . .
â â â â âBecause yes, I do know how you used to apparate into work sometimes even though it was twenty feet from your apartment!â Farie continues. The anxiety constricting Victoire suddenly vanishes. No, they still know nothing of her trip to the greenhouses with Teddy. How his hands had tangled in her hair. How she, shamefully, went to kiss him. A moment she will regret for all eternity. And itâs probably better that they never do.
â â â â ðððð¡ðððð, ðŠðð¢ ððð ððð£ð . . . ðŠðð¢ ððð ððð£ð ð¡âð ððð ð¡ ð¡âðððð . ðµðððð¢ð ð ðŠðð¢âðð ð¡âð ððð ð¡ ððð ððððð¢ð ð ð¡âðð¡âð ðð¢ð ð¡ ð€âð ðŠðð¢ ððð.
â â â â He probably doesnât think that now, after she tried to hit on him even knowing there was a girl â no, a woman â at home waiting for him. Maybe even because she knew.
â â â â âYou caught me,â she sighs. Anything to get the attention away from her. âI deserve the worst.â
â â â â âDonât we know it,â Farhiya purrs with a sultry wink. And though Sinistra-Shacklebolt is always one for sarcastic humor, there is something so dark when she spins it towards Victoireâs direction. Like she just might mean every little thing she says.
ââââââââââââââââââââââ .:ã»Â° â °ã»:. ââââââââââââââââââââââ
â â â â âWeâve finished, Professor!â
â â â â Longbottom steps away from the plant he is lovingly tending to in order to inspect the trioâs work. âIt appears you have completed everything quite early.â His compliment is not without suspicion. âVictoire and Jacqueline, Iâm afraid your eight hours of punishment have not ended. Anyone finishing early must report to Professor Lupinâs classroom for final supervision.â Farhiya gloats over his shoulder, thinking she is off the hook.
â â â â âAs for you, Miss Sinistra-Shacklebolt,â he spins on his heel to face her. âI do not take kindly to those who charm their rags against the rules. You can use your time to remain here with me, taking care of all the Mandrakes.â
â â â â Her bottom lip immediately pouts in defiance. She is too-often used to getting her way without consequence. âProfessor! I swear! I didnât!â
â â â â âSo if I perform Appare Vestigium, there will be no traces of magic on your supplies?â
â â â â The heavy silence answers the question for him.
â â â â âShe will be catching up with the both of you another time,â Longbottom deadpans. Victoire tries to convey an apology to Farhiya with her expression, but a small part of her also wants to mouth, ð ðœðžðµð ððžðŸ ðŒðž.
â â â â She turns to leave even though the next part of the detention sounds far worse than physical labor. Victoire hasnât seen Teddy . . . Edward . . . Lupin . . . what in Merlinâs beard does she call him now? She hasnât seen ðœð±ðªðœ ð¶ðªð· since their moment at the greenhouses.
â â â â âThis is the best detention ever!!â
â â â â Jacqueline is already halfway out of the greenhouse. If there is an excuse to simply stare at a certain graduated Hufflepuff for hours without consequence, she is the first to capitalize on it. When they pass through the exit, the memories of Jamesâ party crystalize over Vicâs senses. Itâs like she can feel his hands on her once more. ðŠð±ð ððžð®ðŒ ðŒð±ð® ððªð·ðœ ð±ð²ð¶ ðŒðž ð«ðªððµð? ððžð ð¬ðªð· ð±ð® ð±ðð¹ð·ðžðœð²ðð® ð±ð®ð», ðð±ð®ð· ðŒð±ð® ð²ðŒ ðœð±ð® ð¥ð®ð®ðµðª?
â â â â As if on cue, Jackie gushes the moment theyâre out of the other professorâs earshot. Victoire is jarred to reality by her revelry, but discussing Teddy further doesnât exactly help her stay in it.
â â â â âWhat do you think heâs wearing? Still one of those to-die-for suits he seems to have in endless supply? Or, galloping gorgons, perhaps heâs in something casual! Do you think he fancies grey sweatpants on the weekend?â
â â â â âJackie!â
â â â â âWhat?!â the Hufflepuff bursts into laughter. âI saw him in them once when he was still a student. But he was so scrawny back them. I mean, wow, America really did him some goooooooddddd. Have you seen those muscles now?â
â â â â Victoire fights the rising blush on her cheeks. She had very-much noticed his chiseled physique when it was pressed up against her, but she does not need the memory of it making her light-headed, flushed, overwhelmed . . . At least not ð±ð®ð»ð®. Not ð·ðžð. Not ðªð°ðªð²ð·.
â â â â âCan we please talk about anything else? Heâs a professor now, Jack. We need to have some boundaries.â But Vic says it to convince herself more than anything.
â â â â âOh, fine!â she huffs. The Hogwarts front doors open to their touch, and the pair turns to find the moving staircases. âTell me youâve at least caught up on that fabulous love letter from ð£ð±ð® ð ðŸð²ð«ð«ðµð®ð»!â Though she tries to avoid that cursed information as much as possible, Vic could not resist peaking when some small rumors about it had come her way. âI skimmed it,â she half-lies.
â â â â âMerlin, let me pull it up! You have to see it!â
â â â â ð£ð±ð® ð¬ðªðŒðŸðªðµ ð²ð·ðð²ð¯ð¯ð®ð»ð®ð·ð¬ð® ð«ðªð¬ðŽð¯ð²ð»ð®ðŒ, Vic thinks in defeat. Considering the disastrous state of her own love life, the last thing she wants is to hear the happiness someone else is having. But Jackie doesnât pick up on the reluctance as she takes on the dramatic monologue.
ðð®ðªð» ð§,
â â â â ðŒð'ð ð¥ ð¶ð ð¶ðð¹ ðŒ ðžð¶ð'ð ðððð ððœðŸðððŸðð ð¶ð·ððð ððð; ðððð ðœð¶ðŸð; ðððð ðœð¶ðð¹ð... ðððð ððŸð ð. ðŽðð ðð¶ðð ðð ð»ððð... ðððð¶ððð.
â â â â ððð¹ ððð, ððœð¶ððð ðð ððð ðŒ ðððð ððœð¶ð ð¶ð¹ð¹ðŸðžððŸðð ð»ðððð ððŸðð. ðŽðð ððð, ðŒ'ðð ðð ððð ð¶ðð ððœððð ððð¶ðð ððœðŸðððŸðð ðŒ ðððð, ð·ðð ððœð ðððððœ ðŸð ðŒ ð¹ðŸð¹ð'ð.
â â â â ðŒ ðžð¶ð'ð.
â â â â ðŒ ðžð¶ð'ð ðððð ðððððð» ð»ððð ððœðŸðððŸðð ð¶ð·ððð ðððð ððŸð ð. ðŒ ð¹ðŸð¹ð'ð ðððð ðœðð ðððžðœ ððœðð ððððð¹ ð¶ð»ð»ððžð ðð. ðŒ ð¹ðŸð¹ð'ð ðððð ðœðð ðððžðœ ðŒ ðððð¹ðð¹ ð»ðð ððð ðð ððŸðð ðð ððððŸð ððð ð¶ðžððð¶ððð ðð¶ð¹ð ðŸð ðœð¶ð ð ðð.
â â â â ðŽðð ððŸðððð¹ ðð. ðŒð ðð¶ðð'ð ð¶ ð¹ððð¶ð. ðŒð ð»ðððð ððŸðð ðŸð ðð¶ð ð·ððžð¶ððð ðŒ'ðð ðð ððð ðð ðð¶ðð ððð¶ðð ð¹ð¶ðð¹ððð¶ððŸðð ð¶ð·ððð ððœð¶ð ððŸðððŸðð ððð ððððð¹ ð»ððð ððŸðð. ððð¹ ððð, ððœð¶ð ðŸð ðœð¶ð ð ðððð¹ - ððœð ððœððððœð ðð» ðððð ððŸð ð ð¶ðð¶ðŸððð ððŸðð ððŸðð ðœð¶ððð ðð ð»ðððððð.â â â â Too much of it reminds her of her own shame. Her lips brushing against Teddyâs cheek. ðð®ð·ð²ð®ð. The kiss they shared all those years ago. ðð«ðªð·ððžð·ð®ð. Is she, too, haunted by a certain pair of lips forever? She hopes, at least, this author found the happy ending that she had not. ðð·ð ð¹ð»ðžð«ðªð«ðµð ð·ð®ð¿ð®ð» ðð²ðµðµ.
â â â â âYes, itâs very nice,â Victoire laments as it becomes clear that Jacqueline is expecting some praise for her performance. âJust nice?!â But striding into Professor Lupinâs classroom saves her from having to talk any further.
â â â â He is there, sitting watchfully behind his desk. Some other students have already completed their tasks and waste their hours listlessly stuck in the drafty room.
â â â â âTake a seat,â he says. Victoire tries not to notice how aggressively avoidant his eye contact is. She wants to take a spot in the back, but Jacqueline drags her to the front. Anything to be closer to ðð»ðžð¯ð®ðŒðŒðžð» ððŸð·ðŽ, as ð£ð±ð® ð ðŸð²ð«ð«ðµð®ð» had convinced some students to begin saying.
â â â â âItâs jeans,â she mumbles playfully in Victoireâs ear. The Gryffindor knows her friend is dissecting every article that Teddy wears, but she refuses to acknowledge it.
â â â â Though the classroom drifts in silence for some time, boredom eventually eats away at the calm afternoon. Especially as some of the rowdier students shuffle in. Once James and Fred are united, small whispers expand into full conversations. Even when annoyance flashes across Teddyâs face, he is not exactly one to enforce a perfectly quiet detention. Especially since they all know he was at the busted party in question anyway.
â â â â The volume from the raucous group in the back increases. It seems another performance about the absurd letters from ð£ð±ð® ð ðŸð²ð«ð«ðµð®ð» is underway. Does everyone care except her?
â â â â âPotter!â
â â â â The professorâs voice rings with an authority Victoire did not know that he was capable of. All heads, save for the one he was addressing, snap to attention in an equally surprised manner. âNot you Albus. Youâre fine.â
â â â â She refuses to watch Lupin stride to the back of the classroom. He can deal with the interruption without her. For once, she is grateful for Jacquelineâs loud whisper that keeps her from hanging onto his every word. Vic robotically stares straight ahead. The less she knows about Teddy
and his mannerisms and his alarmingly sexy authority and how his butt looks, the better.â â â â But her gaze is pulled back to him, who is, in fact, wearing some too-well-fitting jeans, when he returns to the front of his room. âI want each and every one of you to drop your phones in that bin over there,â he commands calmly. âYou can get them back after detention is over.â
â â â â Forced silence descends with welcomed peace. But without idle chatter to occupy her mind, Victoire finds herself wandering down a forbidden field of thoughts. A time before she knew bitterness. A time where there was just the shore of the Great Lake and a boy whose hair flushed pink. Perhaps Vic knows what addiction feels like too. Perhaps she has more in common with ð£ð±ð® ð ðŸð²ð«ð«ðµð®ð»âs poor victim than she wants to admit.
â â â â She tries to avoid it, but she canât resist the gravity of his presence. Her eyes devour every inch of Teddy as he, too, sits in dim stillness. He seems so worried. It softens her resolve.
â â â â ðŒð ðððð¡âðð ðððð, ð âð ð€ðð¢ðð ðððð€ ð¡âð ðððð ðð ððâððð âðð ðð¢ðððð ðððð€ð ððð ð€ððððððð ððððâððð. ð»ð ð€ðð¢ðð ð¡ððð âðð ððð ðððð¢ð¡ ð¡âðð ð€âððð ðððŠððð ðð âðð ðððð ðð¡ ð¡âð ððð ðð ð ðððð ðððŠ ððððð¡. ðŽðð ð¡âððŠ ð€ðð¢ðð ð ððð¡ðð ð¢ðððð âðð ð¡ðð¢ðâ. ðµðððð¢ð ð ðð¡ ððððâð¡ ððð¡ð¡ðð ððð€: ð¡âððŠ ð€ðð¢ðð ðð ð¡ðððð¡âðð ððð ðððâð¡. ðâð ð€ðð¢ðð ðâðð ð ð¡âð ð€ðððððð ðð€ððŠ ð€ðð¡â ð ð€ððð¡ ððð¡âðððð . ð»ð ð€ðð¢ðð ðððððð¡ âðð ð ððð¡ ððð ð ðð , ðð¢ð¡ ðð¡ ð€ðð¢ðð ððð¡ ð¡ððð ðððð ððð âðð âð¢ðððð ð¡ð ðððð£ð ðððð. ððððððð ð€ðð¢ðð ðððð¡ ðððð ð¡âð âððð¡ ðð ð¡âððð ðððð. ðððð ð¡âððð ð€ðð¢ðð ðð ððð¡âððð ðð¢ð¡ð ððð ðð ð¡âððð ð¡ð€ð ðððððð ðð ððððððð¡ âððððððŠ. ð»ð ð€ðð¢ðð âðð£ð ðð ðððð ð¡ð ðð ð€ðððððð ðððð ð âð âðð âðð ð€ððŠ ð€ðð¡â âðð.
â â â â He catches her staring, and the warmth throughout her body collapses into shame.
â â â â âIâm sorry,â Vic mouths, but he has already looked away. When it comes to Teddy, she seems to always be too late.