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PUREBLOODS in Muggle London. That was what they were as they passed through the bustling streets, laughter and shrieks filling the air as the girls opened their hair from their tight updos and had to pull up their gowns to catch up with the boys.

Dorian Nott pulled out multiple bottles of firewhiskey from a bag that hadn't even been on him before they left the ballroom.

Noticing their confused faces, he explained, "The bag is charmed to be bigger on the inside." as if it was obvious.

Abraxas rolled his eyes and accepted a bottle just like everyone else. He turned around to give it to Dolohov, then frowned. "Where's Dolohov?" He asked, turning to Cygnus Black.

Black, who was helping his betrothed pull up her gown and had resorted to holding it up enough for her instead, glanced at him. "He said he wouldn't join us. Said something about going to St. Mungo's," he replied, looking back at Druella and mumbling something.

Druella let out a small gasp of disbelief, shaking her head in denial at what her betrothed just told her. Already, she felt pity for Antonin Dolohov, the boy that acted like the world turned its back on him.

Now, she knew why.

Athena accepted a bottle from a grinning-Dorian. "However shall I repay you?" she asked sarcastically, a grin overtaking her own face as she popped the bottle of alcohol open.

"I know a few ways." Dorian winked, earning a slap to the head from Abraxas not even a second later. He rubbed his head, glaring half-heartedly at Abraxas and ignoring Athena's laugh.

Athena shook her head fondly, a smile gracing her lips as she looked at them. Never had she thought that one day, she would be in Muggle London, holding her ballgown up so she could walk through the streets with none other than Abraxas, Cygnus Black, Dorian Nott, Lucinda, and Druella.

Her smile slowly faded away, her thoughts moving back to Riddle and their waltz.

She put the bottle to her lips and drank straight from it, the burning sensation down her throat distracting her from the one in her mind.

"Let's sit down over there," said Cygnus, pointing to an empty field a bit further down the street. The top button of his shirt was opened, showing a sense of ease that had never been seen on him before—same with the two other boys.

They all nodded and agreed.

Soon enough, they were all sitting on a field, bottles of firewhiskey in each of their hands. The air had a slight summer chill to it, but nothing too bad.

Still, Cygnus Black took off his suit jacket and put it around Druella's shoulders.

Athena, catching the movement, glanced at Lucinda.

Lucinda's eyes were on the jacket now around Druella's shoulders. Her face betrayed nothing of her emotions as she put her bottle of firewhiskey to her lips and merely sipped from it—yet her eyes showed a small emotion.

Relief.

And her lips turned up into a small, understanding smile when she put the firewhiskey down and continued to look at the jacket.

Lucinda was relieved she no longer felt anything.

And Athena was glad and proud to see it. Catching the girl's eye, she gave her a soft smile and elbowed her, "I'm starting to enjoy Muggle London. We should come here more often."

Lucinda grinned at Athena's words, nodding vigorously. "Next summer, maybe," she replied before taking another sip from her firewhiskey.

Dorian laid down, portraying an air of non-pureblood ease as his head fell onto a scowling-Abraxas' lap, giving him a grin. "Come on, Brax, my presence should not be so hated."

"It is." Abraxas glared at him with no real intensity behind him. He snatched the opened firewhiskey out of Dorian's hand—ignoring the one in his own—and drank straight from it, earning a groan from the boy whose head was on his lap.

Satisfied, Abraxas put the bottle down and gave him the drank-bottle of firewhiskey, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

The two boys immediately started bickering.

Athena shook her head at their antics.

She looked down at the opened bottle in her hand, tuning her friends out and biting the inside of her cheek when her thoughts drifted away.

"Why do you look disappointed, Ravena? Here I thought you missed me."

She hadn't missed him. She had way too much to deal with back at Malfoy Manor to even give Riddle a thought.

But she knew, deep down, how much she wished to know his O.W.l results the way he wanted to know hers. To know which one of them got higher results—knowing it would be near impossible to tie in these results as well.

Her obsession with wanting to be better than him—needing to prove to everyone she was better than them all—it might have been getting out of hand.

Truthfully, she had no plans for her future.

She knew she wanted something big... something that could change the world.

But what?

There was nothing that could make the world see her greatness—her strength, her power.

No, there was nothing.

But she needed to make something of it. She needed to find out what she wanted to be in the future, and fast.

Graduation was two years away, and right after that, she would be thrust into a marriage or betrothal she did not want. She was sure of that part.

But if she had enough power...

Then maybe her parents, more specifically: her mother, would fail to control her.

At that moment, her eyes went back onto Abraxas, who was busy bickering with Dorian.

No, she would not be thrust into a betrothal or marriage. Not when she had her brother, who had shown her that he'd have her back.

Always.

"Are you alright?" Lucinda elbowed her, looking at her with a concern frown on her face.

Athena snapped out of it, glancing down at her bottle of firewhiskey. She took a gulp of it, then nodded. "Yes," she lied, glancing at her friend's bottle of now-empty firewhiskey. "You finished your whole bottle? Lucinda, you can't go back home drunk. Edward will kill us all."

Lucinda giggled uncaringly, shaking her head. "He won't know. I've mastered the art of looking sober years ago." She waved a hand in dismissal.

Druella joined in, wrinkling her nose at the smell. "Honestly, they ought to use charms on these drinks to make them at least smell better. It reeks," she complained.

Cygnus Black frowned, sniffing his own bottle of firewhiskey. He merely shrugged and replied, "I'll put in a word about that for you." before drinking from it.

Athena could not help but smile at her friend, who rolled her eyes fondly at her betrothed's generosity.

Maybe Druella hadn't been in a love-betrothal at first, but hopefully, she would be in a love-marriage.

"—Abraxas Octavius Malfoy!" gasped Dorian, standing up and glaring at the boy. His clothes reeked of alcohol, and were drenched.

Athena could not help but gasp, while Lucinda burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as her shoulders shook.

Druella's eyes were wide, hands covering her mouth in shock, while Cygnus merely scowled at his immature friends.

"That firewhiskey was worth twenty galleons!" complained Dorian with another glare, looking down at his drenched clothes.

Lucinda's laugh died out, shaking her head in confusion. "Nott, a firewhiskey costs seven sickles. There's no way these bottles cost twenty galleons each—"

Dorian threw his arms up in an exasperated gesture. "They're from France!" he exclaimed, eyes straying to the opened bottle of firewhiskey in Athena's hand.

Athena shook her head rapidly, pulling the bottle to her chest and covering it as if it were a baby. "No way. You won't be pouring my bottle over my brother."

Abraxas grinned, delight in his eyes. "Sorry, Nott. My sister has my back," he said, looking his friend up and down.

He had been the one to pour firewhiskey over his friend in the first place—and yes, maybe that hadn't been such a good idea now that he thought of it—but it had been an accident.

He had wanted to drink from his friend's bottle again, but Dorian had snatched the bottle straight from his hands—and as they fought over it, it spilled all over Dorian's clothes.

It was not Abraxas's fault.

Dorian, fueled by the thrill of the chase and the need for revenge, seized the bottle from Cygnus, ignoring his disapproving scowl. He bolted toward Abraxas, who was already sprinting away, laughter spilling from him like the finest champagne.

"Come back here!" Dorian shouted, his annoyance melting into amusement as he ran after his friend, trying not to spill the firewhiskey in his hand and waste another bottle—as if it wouldn't be gone to waste once he spilled it over Abraxas.

"Honestly, they're impossible," Lucinda muttered beside her, a bemused smile on her face.

Druella, her arms crossed, looked more amused than annoyed as she leaned against a nearby tree, her betrothed's jacket still around her shoulders.

Cygnus, standing a bit apart, scowled at the pair like they were misbehaving first-years.

"Should we really let them run wild like this?" Cygnus asked, his voice tinged with concern. "What if they attract attention? You know how Muggles can be."

"Oh, come off it, Cygnus! It's just a bit of fun," Druella replied, rolling her eyes. "Besides, they can handle themselves. Just look at them!"

Athena couldn't suppress a smile as she turned her gaze back to the boys.

"Are they seriously going to try and jump that fence?" Lucinda said, her eyes widening as Dorian and Abraxas approached a rickety wooden fence marking the edge of the field.

"Looks like it," Athena replied, biting her lip. "Do you think they'll hurt themselves? They have had a little too much to drink."

"We all have," pointed out Cygnus with a curl of his lip, eyes still on the two boys.

Before anyone could respond, Dorian launched himself over the fence, landing with a triumphant laugh on the other side. Abraxas followed suit, his laughter ringing out like music.

The boys were so alive, so unrestrained, and Athena felt a thrill of excitement ripple through her.

"Fine, let's go after them," she said, glancing at her friends. "They're going to get into mischief, and I don't want to miss it."

Lucinda nodded, her expression shifting from concern to adventure. "Alright, but if they get into real trouble, we don't know them. I don't care, I have a reputation here in Muggle London and I'm not tainting it."

"Nobody knows you, Cindy," Athena pointed out, amused.

Druella grinned, pushing off the tree and leading the charge. Cygnus sighed but eventually joined them, his protective instincts kicking in despite his reluctance.

As they raced after the boys, their gowns flew behind them, while Cygnus held onto Druella's—helping her run faster and easier.

Athena felt the thrill of the chase coursing through her, the laughter of her friends blending with the joyful shouts of Dorian and Abraxas.

It was moments like these that made her feel truly alive, part of something bigger than just the worries of her future, her rival, and her family.

She had her friends by her side through it all.