TRAINING WHEELS

PROFESSOR BUCKLEY

4th March 1997

It had been two weeks since the article had come out. Most chatter about it had died right down. Amora only fell victim to a few stares, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. She wasn't completely sure what was going on outside of Hogwarts though, specifically in the Pureblood community. She dreaded thinking about it.

Her mother, however, was a whole other story. Whilst Amora had learned to deal with people talking behind her back from being in a relationship with Draco Malfoy, her mother had yet to emerge from her bedchambers. It had Amora in a bad mood a lot of the time, for she worried about the woman who had raised her - the woman who was wasting away in the Hufflepuff basement.

Amora gave her daily knock on the door. "Mother? It's me."

She pushed it open, not waiting for a response. Immediately, Amora found herself sighing. Professor Buckley was staring blankly at the bed sheets beneath her, her dark hair a knotted mess and her skin pale and sunken. She placed the food she'd brought her mother on the desk and then sat on the edge of her bed.

"You can't stay in here forever, mum," Amora said softly, "You gave your word, you've let it sit, and now you have to go out there and own it. The only reason people are talking now is because it's as if you disappeared off the face of the planet."

Professor Buckley sighed. "You don't understand."

Amora frowned. "As if I haven't had to deal with your article too?" She said, "Or the time my relationship with Draco was exposed and I was kicked out of Dumbledore's Army and everybody turned on me overnight. Or the time Umbridge gave me Veritaserum and everybody thought I ratted them out on purpose. Mum, I know what it feels like to feel like everybody hates you. It will only get worse if you let them talk behind your back."

"This is on a much larger scale, Amora," her mother replied.

"Maybe outside of Hogwarts, but not within these walls," Amora said, "The news is practically dead by now. People are too busy talking about what happened to Ron Weasley, or how McLaggen hit Harry in the head with a bludger the other day and caused Gryffindor to lose their match."

"Don't degrade this issue to petty secondary school drama. That is not what this is."

Amora stood up and ran a hand through her hair. She was really starting to lose her patience with the woman. She understood her mother was clearly going through a depressive spell, but it was hard for the sixteen year old to manage.

"Look, I'm only telling you how I see it," the brown-eyed girl replied hastily, "I wouldn't lie to you."

"Well, none of it matters because I'm not staying until the end of the year," Professor Buckley said, "I'm resigning earlier than planned. I can't handle it here anymore."

"Mum," Amora took a deep breath to stop herself from exploding. "You don't even know if you can handle it or not yet. You haven't even attempted to go out there -"

"I know my limits!"

"Then push them!" Amora suddenly yelled back, surprising them both. "Look, I'm sorry, I don't want to scream and shout at you, but mum, you've got to help yourself. You can't just leave Hogwarts because you're scared. What - what kind of example are you setting?"

"Enough."

"No, mum, please just listen to me. Please. This article is not the end of the world. Not by a long shot. People are forgetting already -"

"Amora, what did I say?" Professor Buckley bellowed, "I said that was enough. I appreciate your concern, but my mind has already been made up. Dumbledore has agreed and I'll be staying in the safe house with your father, where you will join us in the summer. I am done here. I've done enough."

Amora tried to wipe the scowl off of her face, but it felt impossible. She felt so infuriated. Her mother was so headstrong and passionate, and now she was just leaving! This was the last thing Amora had expected from her.

"You're safest at Hogwarts!" Amora protested.

"I seriously misjudged myself and my work, Amora. I am not fit to teach here anymore. I've put you in danger, and I've put any students around me in danger too. It's a wonder Dumbledore didn't send me packing as soon as the article was published," her mother replied, "Believe it or not, I am doing the responsible thing. I am trying to fix this."

"Mum," Amora whispered, crestfallen. "Won't you spend a little longer thinking about this? How needed you are as Muggle Studies teacher?"

"I leave next Friday evening. If you wish to say goodbye to me, then you know where to find me. If not, I understand," Professor Buckley said.

That was eight days away.

In a fit of rage and frustration, Amora said nothing but stood abruptly from the bed and stormed out of the room, slamming the door hard behind her. She felt like her mother was giving up too easily - being pushed out far too quick.

Amora headed for the Room of Requirement, hoping Draco would be there so she could let off some steam.

D.M + A.B

7th March 1997

"Miss Buckley? Do you think you could answer the question?"

The brunette jumped up, her head sliding off of her palm. Professor McGonagall stared at her with raised eyebrows and only then did Amora realise that she had completely zoned out whilst staring at a blank spot on her desk. She'd not been sleeping properly since the argument with her mother, and this was not the first time that lesson that she had been caught out on slacking off.

"Um -" Amora glanced up at the blackboard, hoping to see something helpful there, but it was no use.

McGongall sighed heavily. "I think you would benefit from a little more sleep, Miss Buckley. Who else knows - yes, Miss Granger?"

Amora felt herself zoning out again as soon as Hermione began to ramble the answer from the other side of the room. Some part of her brain scolded herself for immediately continuing what she had just been told off for doing, but the larger part of her couldn't even bring herself to care. She sighed quietly to herself, nestling her head deeper against her hand.

She pretended to take notes and made sure to nod along a little bit whenever McGonagall spoke, just so the professor didn't pick on her again. McGongall was nice, but she was strict - especially when it came to her own lessons.

It felt like it was going on forever, and then they had to do partner work. Amora inwardly groaned, glancing around the room. None of her Slytherin friends were in that class, and Kathy was ill today. Of all days, why did Kathy have to be sick today? It was like the universe knew there would be partner work and wanted to make Amora suffer even worse.

She winced when she saw Leon heading over to her. However, before he could make it to her desk, someone blocked her vision, placing their hand down on her books. Amora glanced up, her eyebrows raising at the sight of Harry there.

"Be my partner?"

Amora glanced over and saw Ron and Hermione working with one another. She supposed they had made up after Ron and Lavender had broken up with one another. The only reason Amora knew was because Lavender wouldn't stop crying in Herbology that morning.

Yet Amora was confused as to why Harry would want to go with her. After all, nobody in the room was likely to protest being partners with the Chosen One, and she was pretty sure he got along with Ernie pretty well, who was wandering around looking for someone. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Leon headed over to the fellow Hufflepuff.

"Okay," Amora accepted, a hint of uncertainty in her tone. "Just so you know, I've not really been listening..." She admitted, "I'm kind of having an off-day. Or week, rather."

"Is it about the article your mother published?" Harry asked as they stood in their own space in the classroom. "I read it. It was quite..."

"I know," Amora exhaled, "Yeah, it has some to do with that. It's kind of weird right now. I don't know if she wants me talking about it, sorry."

"No worries," Harry shrugged simply.

"What are we doing?"

"Er, we're supposed to be changing the colour of each other's hair, I think," Harry said.

The two of them glanced around the room and found others casting charms that made their partners' hair turn different colours. Amora's eyes widened when she saw Terry Boot's hair practically explode, becoming a frazzled mess.

"Please don't do that to me," Amora joked softly, holding her wand ready.

"I'll try not to," Harry returned, "Just so you know, I've not been paying much attention either. So no promises."

Amora smiled a little. "You thinking too much about something too?"

"Something like that, yeah," Harry said, and Amora automatically detected the lack of humour present in his voice now. "I've just had... a lot on my mind."

"Oh?" Amora replied, casting a spell that turned his hair green. "It worked."

His hand reached up to ruffle his hair, though it was too short for him to see. He lifted the mirror they were allowed to use when they did transfigurations on their faces, chuckling a little bit at it. It seemed like he was only amused for a few seconds.

"You turn," Amora said.

Harry pointed his wand at Amora. She felt a warm feeling at her scalp and then glanced down to see her hair had become a soft pink colour. Smiling, her fingers moved through it.

They turned each others' hair to other colours for a few more minutes before they began to grow bored. McGongall was on the other side of the classroom trying to help Seamus who seemed useless at it. Harry and Amora took the opportunity to stop casting spells on each other's hair, instead choosing to stand beside each other awkwardly.

"So, this thing that I've been thinking about -" Harry began, only to be cut off by their teacher.

"That's all we have time for today, everybody," Professor McGonagall said, students automatically diving to pack their bags. "Remember I would like your essays on my table first thing Friday morning, failure to hand a completed one in will result in detention!"

"See you later," Amora said quickly to Harry as she pulled her bag over her shoulder and left the classroom.

The hallways were crawling with students, people everywhere. Amora wanted to get to the Hufflepuff dorms so she could change into something comfier and then head to the fifth common room. Sometimes the only distraction that worked was being around her friends. Even if they knew she wasn't in a talkative mood, they let her sit there and listen without poking and prodding at her, and she really loved them for it.

"Amora!" Harry's voice yelled somewhere behind her.

She glanced behind her, barely seeing anyone in the sea of students. Amora tried to stop, but some seventh year shoved her by the back of the shoulder to keep her moving. Huffing, Amora continued on, supposing that whatever Harry had to say could wait.

D.M + A.B

10th March 1997

Amora could feel the resentment she held for her mother growing. She wished she could understand her mother and support her choice to leave Hogwarts, but it felt like as the days passed and Professor Buckley made no move to reach out to her, Amora fell further and further down into a spiral of thinking that her mother was, to simply put it, a coward.

She was safest at Hogwarts. She could stay here until summer, at least. She could stand up and own the comments that she made, or try to get something new out to defend herself, and yet all she did was sit in her room and wallow in her own self pity. It was getting harder and harder to feel sorry for her.

Draco pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "How are you feeling today?"

"Like I really miss you," Amora whispered, watching his eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"I'm right here," he told her.

"No, like, I want to walk into the Great Hall with your hand in mine, and I want our friends and everybody else to know that..." Amora's words died in her throat. "I miss being your girlfriend."

"You basically are," Draco said, "Just without the title."

"I want the title back."

"Are you about to cry?" Draco panicked slightly, adjusting her head so he could see her eyes clearer, which were sparkling with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry," Amora whispered, "I'm on my period and I'm really sleep-deprived and worried about my mum and you and -"

"Hey, it's okay," Draco cut her off gently. "Don't worry about me. And, you know, I think your mother may be safer outside of Hogwarts - in this safe house or whatever. She'll be with your father too. That might be good for her."

"Are you forgetting the part where they're not even in love with one another?" Amora huffed, "He's about as emotional as that wooden broom right there. The last time he hugged me was, like, four years ago or something."

Draco frowned.

"Sorry," Amora breathed, "I don't mean to snap or - or push all my problems onto you. I'm so, so sorry. I appreciate you, really - I just feel like shit right now."

"I wish I could make it all stop," Draco murmured, "I'd do it in a heartbeat for you."

The brunette took a step forward and buried her face into his chest. He wrapped an arm around her to keep her as close as possible.

"You're the best not-boyfriend ever," Amora muttered, her voice muffled against the material of his school robes.

Rather than feeling gleeful at the compliment, Draco felt his heart clench painfully. "I'm really not," he whispered, thinking of all the things he was keeping hidden from her.

Amora must have not heard his whisper, for she didn't say anything. Once she was done, she pulled away from him and gave him a soft smile.

"Who wants to leave first?" She asked.

Draco checked his wrist watch. "I'm furthest away from my next class," he said.

"Okay, you go," Amora said and squeezed his hand.

Draco squeezed it back and planted a final chaste kiss on her lips. Without another word, he slipped out of the cupboard, leaving Amora by herself in the dark space. She took a deep breath and it already felt like her body, heart and mind missed and craved Draco. Their hug wasn't enough. She felt the need to be nuzzled against him for hours.

When Amora was sure about half a minute had gone by, she peeled open the door. However, as soon as it was shut behind her, somebody appeared right there. Amora jumped, her eyes widening at the sight of Harry.

"Broken up, yeah?"

Amora's eyes were practically bulging out of her sockets as she glanced around, slightly relieved to find Harry was the only one in the corridor.

"We're not together," Amora replied hastily, "And it's none of your business."

"You remember the map I showed you in the third year?" Harry said, "I've been watching you sneak around with him for the past two weeks."

Amora crinkled her nose. "So what?" She spat, "Get off my back, Harry."

"Amora he's a Death -"

"I mean, seriously?" She cut him off, her tone defensive and angry to mask her nerves. "You need to just shove off, Harry. Your obsession with my relationship with Draco, which doesn't even exist by the way, is actually unsettling. Not to mention you're with Ginny now so this creepy crush you've had on me should be long gone -"

"I don't like you anymore," Harry spat, his face red. "And if you're not in a relationship, then why are your names always together on the map? In broom cupboards, the prefects' bathroom -"

"Let's say we're recreating the scene you saw on the train," Amora cut him off, watching him immediately become flustered, a taken aback look on his face. "Just because I have no romantic feelings for him doesn't mean we can't mess around -"

"Look, I'm not here for that, not really," Harry snapped, "I want to know where you go when your names go missing and how you're doing it."

Amora's eyebrows immediately furrowed. "What?"

"Every now and then, your names go missing. Sometimes just Malfoy's. So where do you go? Are you helping him with something?" Harry pressed.

"No!" Amora cried, "I have no idea what you're on about, Harry. I don't know why your stupid map doesn't show our names, but in case you haven't noticed, it's impossible to leave the castle's grounds right now."

She quickly realised that this was why he had wanted to partner up with her in Transfiguration earlier in the week. Amora felt herself growing angrier and angrier with him.

"You're not a bad person, Amora," Harry said gravely, "But you should stay away from him before it's too late. He'll ruin your life."

"You know what, Harry?" Amora swallowed, her eyes flickering up and down him. "I'll take my chances."

Harry watched her walk away. As soon as Amora turned the corner, she stopped heading in the direction of her class and headed up the stairs to where Draco's was. He was on the other side of the castle so she hoped she would catch him in time if she was fast enough. Amora spotted him about to head into his class.

"Draco!" She called, dodging a group of second years.

Luckily, not many people were about, and the people who did hear her call his name didn't care. Draco turned, his eyes widening on her a little. He moved away from the classroom door and back to her.

"What's wrong?" He demanded.

"Harry saw us," Amora told him, "But I think he's really onto you, Draco. You remember that map I told you he had one time? He said he's seen our names disappear off of it. I don't know what that means, do you? But I'm worried about it."

"I'll figure it out," Draco replied with a clenched jaw. "But you stay out of it, remember? If he asks you questions, ignore him. You don't have to lie for me anymore. Not if it stresses you out like last time."

Amora parted her lips and then immediately remembered the Unbreakable Vow she had made with Dumbledore. She didn't feel so bad about lying to Harry now that she knew Dumbledore had it under his control, now that she knew even Dumbledore didn't want Harry working it out just yet. She couldn't tell Draco that though, and so she just nodded.

"I just thought I would warn you," Amora said, "I don't know where we could possibly be going that causes us to vanish on that map, but it seems to really be irking him. I think it's why he wanted to be my partner in Transfiguration on Monday."

"He's obsessed," Draco muttered in acknowledgement. "I don't think Potter's going to stop until he knows the truth."

"Just be careful, okay?" Amora exhaled worriedly.

"I can defend myself against Potter," Draco scoffed.

"He's just... impulsive. Gryffindors are dangerous when they're angry. They're all... fight first, think later," Amora replied, "You're more calculated and stuff."

"I'll be fine," Draco told her, glancing around at the empty corridors and then planting a kiss to her forehead. "Hurry. You're late to class, and so am I."

Amora nodded quickly. "I'll see you later."

D.M + A.B

12 March 1997

When Friday rolled around, Amora woke up in the worst mood that she had been in so far. Kathy and Pansy barely spoke a word to her at the breakfast table when they realised how down she was, and Blaise stopped making jokes with her in Herbology when Amora shot him a fierce glare. She immediately felt bad, but she couldn't even find it in herself to apologise.

Classes droned, feeling like days rather than hours, and eventually the time came where Amora had to go and bid her mother farewell. She changed out of her school robes first and into one of her slip dresses and a shirt underneath. Amora took nothing but her wand with her as she headed for her mother's designated bedchambers.

When she entered, she found a trunk beside the door, most likely charmed to fit all of her things in, for the rest of the room was bare aside from furniture. Her mother was folding up what appeared to be her last jumper, glancing over her shoulder when she saw Amora.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said.

"Hi," Amora replied, glancing around and exhaling. Deep down, perhaps part of her hadn't really expected her mother to actually leave.

"Don't frown. I'll see you as soon as summer starts back up again, but we don't want our goodbyes to be all sad, do we?" Professor Buckley spoke as she put the folded jumper into her trunk.

Amora swallowed thickly. "Mum, do you really have to go?"

Professor Buckley sighed loudly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Amora, I thought we went over this."

"You did. I never got to say much," Amora said, "And I have a lot to say."

"I'm sure you do," Professor Buckley replied, "You take after me - very opinionated. Except, right now, Amora, my mind is made up. I'll be staying with your father in one of the Order's safe houses. It's owned by the Weasleys. Funnily enough, it's a cottage on the beach. It's further west from us, in Cornwall. Some of your stuff is already there for when you come in the summer. Isn't that great? It will feel like a home away from home, until we can return again."

Amora glanced away from her mother. "Mum, can you, like, stop pretending that this is a good thing for a minute? You don't have to go yet, mum. You can stay and stand your ground and carry on teaching Muggle Studies to everybody that needs it."

"Amora," she warned, "Don't. I won't warn you again."

"You're not supposed to run away, mum," Amora burst, "You're meant to be teaching an example to me and the rest of the students here. You can't just let all those Death Eaters win after all of this."

"I'll be doing some smaller Order work instead," Amora's mother replied hastily, "I am not giving up like you are insinuating I am. Don't you dare think of me as some sort of coward."

"Too late," Amora muttered before she could stop herself.

Her mother glanced at her, clearly stung. "I know you are just young and that you don't understand, but you should watch what you say, Amora."

"People will laugh once you're gone. All of the prejudiced Purebloods in this school will just grow cockier and more hateful. They'll realise that they can push us out if they try hard enough," Amora carried on.

Professor Buckley clenched her jaw. "Get out. You're lucky your father isn't here to hear your disrespectfulness -"

"Oh yeah?" Amora dared, "What would he do? Try and hit me again? I lost all respect for him too, mother."

Her mother looked pale. "Just leave. I'll see you as soon as summer starts."

Amora had to gulp to stop herself from crying and turned away hastily. She made sure to slam the door behind her, her heart pounding as she sped down the corridor. All she wanted was to get to her room so she could have a good cry, maybe with a heated water bottle and the Muggle chocolate Kathy's mother always sent her.

"Crying because your mother's leaving, Buckley?"

Amora froze in her spot and slowly turned to face Montague. He was also changed out of his usual Slytherin robes, his palette all black, his gaze cold. She swallowed yet again, not out of fear, but to ground herself.

"That's right. News spreads fast," Montague said, "It's a shame, really. I was looking forward to seeing her in the Great Hall again so I could give her a hex or two."

Amora's hand subtly reached for her wand.

"I guess you'll have to do instead," Montague finished, raising his wand.

Before he could hex her, Amora had already spat out an incantation, "Expelliarmus!"

Montague was in shock as his wand was disarmed, flinging across the corridor and smacking the wall further down. Amora's eyes widened a little, slightly shocked by her success, and then she waved her wand at him one more time.

"Locomotor Wibbly," she snapped, thinking about what Draco had said about him being physically tougher than her.

Montague collapsed to the ground, his legs no longer working beneath him, and he let out a furious grunt as he smacked his fist down on the ground.

"You bitch!" Montague seethed, "You blood-traitorous Mudblood-loving cunt. Your family will fucking pay for this. I'll wipe that fucking smirk off of your face."

Amora was slightly shaken by his words, but refused to allow him to see it. Her eyes and face gave nothing away as she moved closer towards him. Montague glared up at her, but before he could say anything, Amora spat furiously on his face.

Montague yelled out, wiping it away. "Disgusting bi -"

"You live a sad existence, Montague," Amora said quietly, knowing she had all his attention. "One day you'll wake up and realise how sad and lonely you really are, but until then keep on kissing your Dark Lord's arse. Maybe one day he'll pick you - or maybe not, considering a blood-traitorous Mudblood-loving Hufflepuff in the year below was able to bring you to your knees so quickly."

"Your mother's first, and then you, Buckley!" He roared as she began to walk away.

"Mr Montague," McGongall came around the corner, gasping at the sight of him on the ground. "Miss Buckley!" Amora winced and turned around. "What happened?"

"Well, professor," Amora said, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth. "Montague insisted that my mother and I would be murdered by Death Eaters, and he used a few nasty words I didn't appreciate very much."

Professor McGongall glared at Montague. "Fifty points from Slytherin," she said immediately. "Although I have a feeling house points don't matter to many students nowadays, so that will also be a detention with me every Saturday until I deem you apologetic enough."

"Wha -" Montague gaped, "Professor, she's -"

"I am no fool, Mr Montague," Professor McGongall warned him, "Do not even try to make me out to be one. Miss Buckley, you may be on your way."

"Thank you, professor." The teenage girl sent the older woman a firm nod and then hurried off away from the scene.

She glanced behind her, watching McGonagall pick up Montague's wand, her back to Amora. When Montague's eyes met hers, Amora grinned widely and lifted her middle finger up, watching his face drop even further from his slumped position on the floor. She giggled at his expression, turning back to watch where she was going when she collided with someone.

"Sorry -" Amora froze at the sight of Draco. "Oh Merlin, you'll never guess what -"

"Did he hurt you?" Draco demanded, clasping her wrist in one of his hands.

"No, he didn't even get the chance to!" Amora grinned in delight, "You were wrong, Malfoy! I can defend myself - pretty easily, too. I'd say he came off both more physically and mentally injured. I mean, you should have seen his face too, he was so cocky and then I just..."

She faded off. Draco didn't look as amused as she did. He sent a bitter look in the direction that McGonagall was aiding Montague in, and then he pulled her further away so they could keep to themselves.

"Would you at least say 'well done' or something?" Amora huffed, "What happened to 'he's a whole foot taller than you, you could never win against him, yada yada...'"

"I'm sorry I'm not finding it as amusing that you were very nearly hurt," Draco replied sarcastically, "If I'm being honest, it's taking every single fucking thing inside of me to not storm over there and hex him myself right now."

Amora rolled her eyes. "No need. He's not what I'm wasting my energy thinking about, anyway. My goodbye to my mother went shit."

"It couldn't have been as bad as you think," Draco said, his face finally softening from how furious it had been previously.

The teenage girl released a dry chuckle. "I ended up calling her a coward and she basically kicked me out of her room."

Draco's face didn't shift. "Oh."

"Yeah," Amora scoffed, "I mean, do you think I'm in the wrong for being mad at her? It just feels like she's done this to me, her, and dad, and now she's just... giving up. Like it was all for nothing."

"You're not in the wrong," Draco replied, "But maybe she's better off outside Hogwarts anyway."

"That's the second time you've said that now," Amora frowned.

Draco stiffened slightly. "I just think... I just think that this school isn't as safe as Dumbledore promises. I mean, there was the bloody Basilisk in the second year, Sirius Black got into the castle in the third year, and the list only goes on from there."

Amora gave a short nod. "Oh, don't get me started," she said, "I could write a twenty inch essay on everything Dumbledore has ever failed at whilst we've been here."

Including the fact that he knew Draco was a Death Eater and offered no help. That almost boiled Amora's blood as much as the fact that he hadn't checked the Triwizard Cup which would have prevented Cedric's death.

"I'll miss her," Amora hummed, "But there's nothing I can do now."

...

not proofread.

this is actually like my least favourite chapter ever and that's why it took me over a week to write it, i'm sorry. it's also bc i'm working on my jj maybank fic a bit more, but the next chapter of this book should be more interesting so hopefully it will be out sooner!! i'm so excited to write it :)

word count: 5.0k

thanks so much for reading <333

dyiansobrien.