iii. parties of curiosity

The morning was strangely silent. Harry'd been gone for a while by the time Matilda had finally been made to roll out of bed. For the better too, thought Matilda. She knew that if she'd been awake when Harry was leaving for the Ministry there'd be no one who she'd let stop her from going with him.

She'd wanted to talk about. Matilda wanted to talk about all the possibilities that could from Harry's hearing. She'd taken the seat across Sirius, at the dusty dining room table. He was tired. Looking as if he hadn't slept a drop in the last few years. Angry too. Just like her, Sirius wanted to be there for Harry. His blue eyes dropped to his scarred hands. Dark hair hanging thick around his face. He wrung them dry, his hands, twisting them together. Matilda knew this gesture too well. Sirius was trying to keep his composure. To keep his anger in check. She knew this well because Matilda would often mock these movements in the same manner.

Matilda watched him for a few seconds. Waiting for him to look at her. To acknowledge her existence. But just as his sharp, blue eyes rose to meet her matching pair, Molly Weasley stepped into the quiet room. Before either Sirius or Matilda had the chance to even greet the other, Molly opened her mouth and ushered Matilda out of the old room. Again, she'd been pulled into housework.

It was tedious work. All of it. But the cleaning kept Matilda's mind occupied. Her hands were kept busy by the work. Because not was she dusting old shelves or folding throw blankets. Instead, Matilda was clearing the darkest and most forgotten corners of the home and cleaning it of creatures that should only be allowed to roam in the darkest of nightmares.

"Harry's been gone quite a while now. And there's been no word of anything," a nervous whisper sounded through the otherwise silent room. "What'd you reckon is happening?"

Ron and Hermione had been whispering amongst one another in a corner of their own. Ron was worried. Obviously so, as he watched each passing minute on the large grandfather clock.

"I'm not sure, Ron," said Hermione with a sigh. She couldn't hide it either. Her nerves were getting the best of her as well. But she was putting all the negative energy into cleaning. Similar to Matilda. "These things take time though. We'll know something soon."

Matilda too was worried. She knew what could come of this hearing. Harry's expulsion. Which these days the Ministry will do in a blink of an eye. It doesn't matter if Harry was justified in whatever crime he committed. They'd expel him for dropping his wand at this point. He was a threat to the false sense of security they'd built around the Wizarding World. Harry was a threat to Cornelius Fudge's credibility.

"Hermione's right," said Matilda. In an attempt more to comfort herself than Ron or Hermione. "If Harry had been expelled he'd been home by now."

"Right," swallowed Ron as beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead. "No news is good news."

Things were good between them when they'd left Hogwarts. And they were fine throughout most of the summer holiday. Their letters were enough communication to keep them afloat. But since arriving here, Matilda and Ron hardly spoke. They could easily blame it on their busy days and a constant full house. But they both knew it was something else. Neither of them wanted to be the first to ask the dreaded question. What are we? Neither of them knew how. Or where to go from where they'd left off.

So, Matilda turned back to her previous work. Away from Ron. And away from the lingering unanswered questions.

She thought about this house instead. She could feel it ─ feel the evil. The history enveloped her in a tight hold that sometimes made it hard for her to take a breath. But Matilda wasn't afraid. The darkness of the home invited her instead of shunning her away. In a way, it spoke to her. Like this morning, upon leaving her room, a glass sat before her door on the carpeted floor, filled with steaming white tea. Her favorite morning tea, with a lemon on the platter beside it.

Matilda didn't drink the tea. Not wishing to be poisoned. But it was an odd sight. And it stayed with her throughout the afternoon.

Harry was also a constant, lingering thought. Matilda spent most of her day worrying about him. Wishing she was with him. Or at least near enough to know what was going on. She hated not knowing. Especially when it came to Harry. But she knew he was alright ─ unharmed. Somehow, Matilda thinks she'd feel if he wasn't. Never has she been able to, or tried to explain the connection she had to Harry Potter. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to. All she knew now is that she needed Harry in her life. For as long as she could have him.

Matilda needed Harry to be alright.

"I knew it!" yelled Ron, punching the air. "You always get away with stuff!"

Everyone stood in the kitchen. After hearing the slight rustle that had come from there everyone knew Harry had finally returned. Matilda, who'd managed to sneak to her bed raced with the others down the narrow halls, ignoring the calls from the many portraits. She stopped just before the kitchen, standing beneath a wooden archway that separated the dimly lit dining room from the kitchen. Behind Matilda stood Sirius. Both of them wearing eerily similar expressions.

"They were bound to clear you," said Hermione, who had looked positively faint with anxiety when Harry had entered the kitchen ad was now holding a shaking hand over her eyes. "There was no case against you, none at all..."

"What about you?" Harry's green eyes turned with his body as he stopped when they landed upon Matilda who rested a shoulder against the wooden frame. "What'd you think?"

Matilda grinned. Not a moment later she stepped before Harry and enveloped him into a hug. Her shaking hand cupped the back of his cold neck and bending down to meet her height, Harry comfortably rested his chin on Matilda's sweater-covered shoulder.

"I hadn't the slightest worry" she whispered.

When Harry stepped back he looked over and past Matilda. His eyes widened and his smile broadened at the sight. Packed into one room everyone stood looking at him. All relieved and happy.

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering they all knew nothing would happen," said Harry, smiling.

Mrs. Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George, and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance to a chant that went "He won, he won, he won —"

"That's enough, settle down!" shouted Mr. Weasley, though he too was smiling. "Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry —"

"What?" said Sirius sharply.

"He won, he won, he won —"

"Be quiet, you three! Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on level nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know."

"Absolutely," said Sirius. "We'll tell him, don't worry."

"Well, I'd better get going, there's a vomiting toilet in BethnalGreen waiting for me. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner —"

"He won, he won, he won —"

"That's enough, Fred, George, Ginny!" said Mrs. Weasley, as Mr. Weasley left the kitchen. "Harry dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast..."

Harry motioned for Matilda to follow him to the table. Across from them Hermione and Ron sat, looking happier than they had done since Matilda arrived, and Harry too with his giddy smile, which had been somewhat dented by the mention of Lucius Malfoy.

The gloomy house seemed warmer and more welcoming all of a sudden; even Kreacher looked less ugly as he poked his snoutlike nose into the kitchen to investigate the source of all the noise.

"I heard Dumbledore turned up for you," said Matilda curiously, now dishing a scoop of mashed potatoes onto her plate. "I'm sure there was no way you'd get a conviction with him there."

"Yeah, he swung it for me," said Harry quietly with a long sigh. It wasn't the reaction Matilda had expected he'd have. "I wish he'd talked to me, though. Or even looked at me."

Matilda opened her mouth to question Harry on Dumbledore's behavior, but before she could get a word out he clapped a hand to his forehead, covering the scar etched into his skin.

"Harry?" asked Matilda, eyes wide.

"What's up?" said Hermione, looking alarmed.

"Scar," Harry mumbled. "But it's nothing. It happens all the time now..."

None of the others had noticed a thing; all of them were now helping themselves to food while gloating over Harry's narrow escape; Fred, George, and Ginny were still singing. Matilda and Hermione shared anxious glances, but before either of them could say anything, Ron said happily, "I bet Dumbledore turns up this evening to celebrate with us, you know."

"I don't think he'll be able to, Ron," said Mrs. Weasley, setting a huge plate of roast chicken down in front of Harry. "He's really very busy at the moment."

"HE WON, HE WON, HE WON —"

"SHUT UP!" roared Mrs. Weasley.

The sun shone bright around white fluffy clouds that spotted the evergrowing blue sky. The room warmed under the heat of the scorching rays as the cobweb-infested curtains had been ripped open to greet the early morning.

Today had snuck up on Matilda. She'd lost track of her days while living in the endless loop of the Black estate. Falling into bed last night, Matilda had been exhausted, barely able to form a coherent thought before drifting off into a dreamless sleep. But as the warm sun crept into the room she woke with a sudden realization.

It was the morning of August 26th. The Morgenstern's party was this evening. And she's already informed Daisy that she'd make an appearance. She couldn't back out now. Matilda was a lot of things, but a flake was not one of them.

Rueban saved the morning. Matilda had begun to panic when she realized in her rush to get out of her house she'd forgotten about the dress she'd sent to be tailored for her. She'd sent her measurements in months ago, as well as the hefty payment for such labor. Her dad scolded her for costing him so much money but became so busy with work a few days later that he forgot about it.

"Dad!" exclaimed Matilda excitedly, leaping so suddenly from her chair that it clattered to the floor below. She ran toward Rueban who had just turned into the dining room. "You've got my dress!"

A smile spread across her tired face as she reached for hidden fabric tossed over her dad's shoulder. Matilda shifted her balance when the garment was in her arms as it was heavier than she thought it'd be.

"Dress?" Hermione questioned curiously with her eyebrows pulled together. "What for?"

She watched as Matilda carefully hung the covered gown onto the coatrack near the archway that led into the dining room. Matilda returned to her seat, lifting her chair off the ground before settling back into it.

"The Morgensterns have an annual ball to celebrate the beginning of another school year," she informed with ease as she bit into a piece of her toast. "I've been invited to attend."

The room fell silent as its occupants shared looks of surprise and concern. It was no secret to those around the table that the Morgenstern's loyalties lie elsewhere.

"Don't ─ don't be absurd," Molly Weasley began to laugh nervously from her end of the breakfast table. She wiped the sides of her mouth with a napkin as she looked between Rueban and Matilda. It was as if she expected this to be some kind of joke ─ a prank even. "You've been invited into Morgenstern Manor?"

Matilda failed to see the reason behind the surprise in Molly's tone. She looked between her and her father, eyebrows pulled together in confusion, "Well, it won't be the first time I've been there."

This time Sirius let out a chuckle. It was low and made of disbelief, "You've been inside Morgenstern Manor?"

"Yes, I have," sighed Matilda, still not understanding why this was being made into such a big deal. "I borrowed my Yule ball dress from Daisy Morgenstern. She and I are friends..." Matilda paused briefly, "I think."

Sirius' head snapped toward Rueban. His bright blue eyes darkened as they narrowed in before the man standing before the table.

"You knew about this?" he asked, voice low and almost threatening.

"I trust her, Sirius," the darkness in Sirius' tone didn't seem to affect Rueban in the slightest as he sat down in the open chair beside him. He sighed before continuing, "Tilly makes her own friends. She trusts the people she wants. I can't dictate that ─ I won't dictate that part of her life."

Matilda thanked her dad with a smile. He returned the sentiment with one of his own as well as an added wink.

"Well, she can't go now," sighed Sirius, shaking his head, dark locks of hair falling out from behind his ears. "It's far too dangerous. It could be a trap. We're well aware of Lawton Morgenstern's history."

Matilda was well aware of what kind of person Lawton Morgenstern is. She's known long before today. Even before Harry told her that he'd been there, in the maze, standing with Voldemort. The moment his cold hand grasped Matilda's in their first meeting she could feel it. The cold shadows leaked off him and onto her. It was a dreadful sensation. But he didn't scare her. She wouldn't allow him to.

"Yeah, well, I'm not asking for your permission," Matilda snorted a sarcastic laugh that matched the roll of her eyes.

"I am just saying ─"

"You're not my father!" Matilda's agitated tone silenced the murmuring around the table. "I respect your opinion, Sirius, but you can't tell me what I can and cannot do."

The air grew thick with tension. The silence had become deafening. They were suffocating. No one dared say a word. Especially not Sirius, whose eyes had gone wide, so blue they almost lit up the entire room. His fist was clenched around the silverware in his hands, so tight that his knuckles had turned white. From beside Matilda, Harry had dropped his silverware onto the table and sat far back into his chair. Rueban too had gone quiet. His eyes had gone to Sirius. Sorrow filled inside them as he reached a hand up to rest on Sirius' shoulder, trying to ease the tension in his muscles.

Matilda knew that she'd been rude. She'd been condescending in her tone with him. And she knew Rueban would be making her apologize before the end of the night. But she couldn't stop herself. She'd become so agitated with everyone around the table deciding that their opinion held weight in her life choices. And she snapped on Sirius. When it wasn't solely his fault.

"You're right," Sirius sucked in a sharp breath, finally, his shoulders fell, and he cleared his throat finally interrupting the silence, "I didn't raise you. I'm not your dad, Matilda. I'm sorry I overstepped my boundaries."

Her demeanor softened. As did his own. And Matilda went to accept his apology but before she could get a word out Molly's voice once again sounded over everyone.

"But Sirius is right," she attempted to get through to Matilda. "You going to Morgenstern Manor could put everyone in danger."

"Molly," Rueban addressed the hysterical woman calmly. "I have already talked through this with Tilly. She knows the rules and she knows what I expect of her. I trust her to make the right choices. She's a very smart girl."

With a small, hmmph, Molly went back to her plate of breakfast.

"Wonderful, so I am going to the party and that's final," sighed Matilda, looking around the table at all the other faces. "Does anyone else have something to add before I end this topic of conversation?"

"Yeah, I have something," everyone sighed when Ron's voice sounded from the other end of the table. He cleared his throat as he straightened his shoulder and adjusted his posture while under the gaze of everyone. "Why wasn't I invited?"

Morgenstern Manor was exquisite as ever. Even more so than she last remembered it being. Fuller and livelier too. Guests lined the stone pathway leading into the large double doors. From the inside of the lightened room, Matilda could hear the sounds of live music playing. Above it was the mumblings of hundreds of guests. Golds, silvers, and precisely placed flowers decorated the entryway. Enchanted butterflies swirled the garden leaving trails of glowing glitter in their wake. A grin spread on Matilda's face as she watched the small, colorful wings flap, remembering that she'd once shown Daisy the same enchantment.

She lingered at the back of the line. Matilda had been close to last to arrive. Thanks to the endless interrogations and warnings from her newfound housemates. They all had something to say to her. Even if just a favor to bring home snacks. For Ron though, she might sneak a few on her way out.

Hermione and Ginny helped in getting Matilda ready. They too bombarded her with questions of the what-if nature.

"What if it's a trap?" Hermione had asked her, eyes wide with worry as she brushed through Matilda's long, dark hair.

"It's not a trap. Daisy wouldn't do that," Matilda had to assure Hermione countless times before pushing herself out of the dusty bedroom.

Rueban apparated her onto the grounds. Parting with words of warning himself. But it was nothing she hadn't heard already. Trust none of them.

Matilda finally stepped into the light of the foyer. The warm air blanketed her chilled arms. The once familiar room seemed to have changed completely from its former use. No more was the velvet couches and heavy curtains hung on the high-rising windows. All furniture had been removed, replaced now with streams of silver and gold, as well as walls of flowers.

Standing at the bottom of the winding staircase where the sounds of party floated down from was Daisy. The dark maroon dress stood out amongst her light hair and eyes. Her hair had been braided back into a low bun with a few curls strategically framing her face. The dress differed from Daisy's usual pastel look. The netted high-neckline showed more skin than usual. And the makeup on her face was darker than usual. Something had changed in Daisy.

Beside her stood a familiar blonde that made a sneer appear on Matilda's glossed lips.

Draco Malfoy cursed when Matilda stepped into the foyer of Morgenstern Manor.

"I know it's rude to show up so late to a formal event," said Matilda as she straightened out the skirt of her dress. "But they do save the best for last."

"Lovely to see the narcissism will never go away," Malfoy grumbled under his breath, watching Daisy break out into a grin and greet Matilda.

She stepped forward complimenting Matilda's dress. It was an elegant, short dress that was very much on the high-fashioned side. Flowers of all colors and vines were layered throughout the blush-colored tulle of the dress. Flowers adorned the waistline belt and below the skirt flared outward as tulle layered tulle lay atop one another. And Matilda, knowingly petite, gained a few inches of height from the strappy nude heels worn on her feet.

The three teens walked up the stairs, Draco straggling behind slightly as the two girls talked. Matilda had expected nothing less of the Morgenstern's when she reached the ballroom. The large crowds, classic band, an assortment of foods, and over-priced decor were all very Morgenstern-like. Though Matilda would admit that it was all very stylish, it was still a bit much for a claimed back-to-school party.

Matilda could point out several familiar faces of fellow students of Hogwarts students. Of all houses, but mainly Slytherin. And also amongst the crowd many Ministry Officials, all being well-known, upper-class families. Matilda was beginning to feel very out of place and just a tad bit uncomfortable. Perhaps everyone was right... perhaps she shouldn't have come.

"Can't say I expected any less," she expressed, continuing to look amongst the large and lively room.

Daisy nodded, going to respond when Clair Morgenstern, her older sister, approached them with a smile on her face. The blonde watched her sister curiously as Claire greeted Matilda without any distaste present in her tone. Matilda gave a very confused look in Daisy's direction.

"Good evening, Matilda," Claire greeted. "I'm pleased that you made it. Your dress is very pretty!"

Matilda blinked a couple of times, taken aback by the politeness Claire Morgenstern was displaying. "Likewise."

Claire stole a glance at her younger sister, who was busy chatting with Draco, before looking back at Matilda, "I'm sorry, that came off a bit over welcoming."

"Terribly so," Matilda agreed quickly. "I have to say though," she paused, also stealing a look at Daisy before bringing her attention forward, back to Claire. "What you're doing with Daisy ─ to help her, is incredibly admirable. I don't believe Daisy would have chosen that look without some guidance."

The red-headed Morgenstern gave Matilda a shocked look before quickly masking it with what seemed to be a genuine smile, "Thank you, Matilda."

Claire excused herself seconds later, having seen Roger Davies in the crowd talking to her older brothers. Matilda regrouped with Daisy and Draco, her light eyes scanning over the crowd as the two blondes talked. Daisy soon turned her attention back to Matilda, talking to her about each other's summer. Which, of course, Matilda withheld most of the truth. Draco took Daisy's averted attention as a sign to wander off in search of other company, finding Crabbe and Goyle near the neverending buffet.

The dancing soon started. And Asher Morgenstern, who'd been sneaking glances at Matilda since her arrival finally made his move and approached the two girls. His cheeks were already burning a light pink as he greeted Matilda as a gentleman should. Daisy's eyes danced with amusement as she watched Matilda's eyes scan over Asher and his attire before giving him a small nod.

"Would you like to dance, Tilly?" the sandy-blonde boy asked, keeping his voice from shaking.

Matilda shrugged after only a moment of hesitation, not minding a dance, "Sure."

Asher extended his arm, guiding Matilda onto the dance floor. He snuck a glance back at Daisy, which Matilda noticed, looking delighted. She sent him a quick thumb's up, continuing to watch as they readied themselves into a formal dance position and began to elegantly glide amongst the other couples on the floor.

Matilda was impressed with Asher. He moved confidently and elegantly at the same time. He knew what he was doing. Even leading Matilda, an experienced dancer, through the song. It was much different than her experience with Ron at the Yule Ball, with him stepping on her toes every other beat. But no matter how bruised her feet had been the next day, she wouldn't have changed it.

"You look beautiful this evening, by the way," said Asher, his head high and chin pointed. He was a dashing sight. Matilda couldn't deny it as she stared up at his tall frame. He had all the best genes of his parents.

She smiled, squeezing his hand, "Thank you, Asher."

After a few songs spent gliding and twirling on the floor, Matilda finally caught sight of Daisy again. She stood by the buffet, talking with Draco. He was nervous, fidgeting. Was he going to ask her to dance?

Matilda finally caught sight of Daisy again. Two songs later she noticed her at the buffet behind Asher. She was standing with Draco. They were talking though neither of them looked to caught up in whatever the topic of conversation was. Matilda refrained from rolling her eyes at the two of them, as well as the want to scream at them to ask the other to dance already.

They chatted for a few minutes longer before Daisy casually slipped away from Draco and toward the stairs leading back to the foyer. Matilda furrowed her eyebrows and looked away. Perhaps she's going to the loo. Matilda thought to herself, allowing Asher to lead her into yet another dance. But Matilda knew there were restrooms on this very floor. Daisy didn't need to go downstairs.

"Asher, I'm feeling quite parched," said Matilda, pulling away from him mid-dance. "Mind getting me a refreshment?"

She looked back at the line to the punch bowl. Long. It would buy her time to slip out of sight. Matilda knew this was a bad idea and something her dad would consider a dumb idea, but she had to know what the blonde was up to.

Asher nodded, "Of course, I'll be right back."

But when he would return, Matilda would be long gone.

Once Asher was out of sight Matilda followed in Daisy's footsteps. Quickly and carelessly pushing past other, nameless guests. She was careful to be quiet in her pursuit. Knowing that if caught, Daisy would quickly retreat her steps and lead Matilda back to the party without so much as an explanation of what she's doing sneaking about her own house.

The click of Daisy's heels made it easy for Matilda to know where to go.

Daisy's heels clicked through the silent corridor of the first floor as she rounded into the familiar dining room. The echo made it easy for Matilda to know where to follow. Considering that the house-elves would likely all be upstairs working for the party, being used as servants, and everyone else in the Morgenstern family was distracted by the party and fellow guests, Matilda's pursuit was made quite easy.

Quietly, Matilda watched as Daisy unlatched the pantry door and stepped inside the darkened room. Her eyes widened with curiosity and shock when she dared to step closer. Matilda watched as Daisy struggled to open the heavy door covering the staircase, but she got it and entered the stone-built storage room. Matilda stayed close behind her.

The blonde took her time snooping throughout the seemingly numerous nooks and crannies in the room, careful to not miss anything in her mission in searching for, well, Matilda didn't know quite yet. Daisy had even sifted through the elves' shared room but seemed to find nothing as through her sounded a defeated sigh.

It wasn't until Daisy had crossed over into the smaller, connected room that her demeanor changed. Even Matilda noticed the difference in the room. There were two locked chests neatly stacked on the top of each other in the nearest corner and an enchanted field blocking anyone from crossing into the old tunnel system that looked to travel beneath Morgenstern Manor. It was just now that Matilda was realizing what kind of fortress she was standing inside.

But everything else was bare. Which made little sense to Matilda. There had to be something else. For a moment Matilda's attention left Daisy. Instead, focusing on the small room they stood in. She studied every nook, cranny, and corner, trying to find something else. There was something else to this place. Matilda could feel it calling to her.

Daisy had now pulled out her wand from where the inside of her sleeve and pointed it at the padlock keeping the top chest sealed shut, "Alohmora."

The lock popped open with ease. And with shaking hands, Daisy removed it, pushing the lid up not caring to pause for suspense. Matilda couldn't see what was inside. Even when standing on her tiptoes. Because of the wall, she stood behind, Matilda only got to see what was in the trunk when Daisy took it out.

She began to sift through piles of old parchment, books, and photographs that she pulled from the trunk. Everything was incredibly aged. Wrinkled, ripped, and stained with the passing years. But still, Matilda couldn't make out what Daisy was looking at, or why it was important.

Needing to know more Matilda gave in. She needed to make her presence known. So, she finally stepped out from behind the wall she'd been using to shield herself.

"Daisy? Psst, Daisy? Psst..."

Daisy jumped upon hearing Matilda's whispers as she stepped out from behind the stone wall. The two girls made eye contact, Matilda's face one of amusement and growing curiosity upon seeing Daisy's anxious expression. She stepped closer much to the obvious dismay of the Slytherin before her.

"I see you've made it a habit now to run away from parties," joked Matilda, remembering her dramatic exit from the Yule Ball. "What in the world are you doing down here, anyway?"

Daisy shrugged, averting her eyes towards the stack of boxes next to the stairs. "I ─ uh ─ nothing."

"So, you have your wand drawn for nothing, then?" Matilda motioned toward the wand she clutched so tight that her hand shook. "You're a horrible liar, Daisy."

"I'm snooping through my father's things," Dasiy admitted without much interrogation at all before turning on her heel and entering the adjacent room once again.

Matilda shrugged, offering no judgment or argument, "Well, this has already proven to be more interesting than what's going on upstairs. What exactly are you looking for though?"

"Something he doesn't want me to find," Daisy began looking around the room again.

Matilda hummed curiously observant eyes once again scanning over the bare brick walls, "If it's something he doesn't want you to find he won't just be hiding it behind a lock."

Daisy's eyes stayed on Matilda as she approached the grey, brick wall, placing a hand against it, keeping her gaze fixed. Her hands ran over the rough and jagged rock. Fingers tracing down the lines where the concrete had been purposefully put.

She'd found it.

Abruptly Matilda made it known that there was an abstraction in the pattern of bricks. Daisy walked behind her and looked for herself. She studied it carefully for a moment. She'd seen it too. By just a few centimeters the pattern was delayed toward the righthand side. Quickly, the two girls began trying to find a loose brick, or trigger of some sort to reveal a possible secret passageway.

They pushed and prodded almost every brick in reach on that wall, but to no avail. After a moment of contemplation, Daisy ran from the bordering room and began pulling on unlit torch rests while Matilda continued pushing in on the bricks, making sure none were missed. There was no way she'd been wrong about this. There was something near. She could feel it.

With a sigh, Matilda turned her back to the wall and rested against it.

The last thing she heard was a 'click' before the wall behind her disappeared and sent her falling back into another, hidden, room. She landed on the hard, cold ground, with a loud, 'oomph!' as the air had been temporarily knocked out of her chest.

"Might want to try to warn a girl next time!" Matilda called out.

Daisy peeked around the corner to find the opened wall and an annoyed-looking Matilda laying on the ground, "Oops..."

The blonde assisted Matilda in getting up from the ground, Matilda studied the room around them as she dramatically dusted the fabric of her dress off. Daisy stepped through the narrow doorway, her jade eyes widening with horror at what the room held. Matilda watched the girl in pity, seeing Daisy's face falter, but she couldn't deny that she'd been expecting any less.

This just proved everything she's known from the very beginning.

It was a fairly large room, decorated as a meeting space and office of sorts. It was still made of concrete floor and stone walls, but the large table, desk, and corresponding chairs were a dark oak. There were boards of photos and Daily Prophet clippings about Voldemort's return hung on the walls, many candid photos containing Daisy, Draco, fellow Slytherins, Harry Potter, and one even of Matilda. On a coat rack next to the large, disorganized desk hung a long black cloak and a silver-painted mask.

Daisy had seized the mask in an instant. Matilda could feel the rage pouring off her. Understandably so. The worst fear of her's ─ of anyone's had been brought to light. Now there was no question, no underlying fears about it. Lawton Morgenstern was evil, more so than his daughter knew. She'd been hidden from the truth for so long. And easily done so. Matilda had read all the books and reports on the First Wizarding War. Lawton Morgenstern had never been mentioned as a Death Eater. Sometimes speculated, but nothing further. But it was in the light now. Matilda had known for months. Daisy knows now.

"Bastard that man," she whispered aloud to herself. "How could I be so blind?"

"As anyone would be," Matilda spoke carefully from her spot a few feet from behind Daisy. "He's your father. Cruel or not, you love him. You didn't want to believe he could be this person."

Matilda knew there was truth in her words. Daisy lived in a fairytale. The books she reads filling her head with fantasies of a perfect life. It's a dangerous veil to have pulled over your eyes, but she did, and it gave her hope and optimism. But the veil has now been ripped away, violently so, and she was blinded by this horrific light of imperfection and reality.

Beginning to feel the tension building within the room, Matilda turned to look at the sloppy collage of papers and photographs on the right wall, "Why the bloody hell am I on your father's wall?"

"I don't know, but I'm hellbent on finding out."

Daisy kept the make in her hand as she abruptly exited the room, storming up the wooden stairs, paying no mind that she was still in heels. Although skilled in dance and tended to be graceful, Matilda struggled to run after the Morgenstern girl in her platforms. After calling out her name repeatedly, Matilda finally caught ahold of Daisy's wrist at the top of the stairs and pulled her to a stop. It threw her slightly off guard as Daisy snapped her head back wearing a deep scowl. Matilda had seen the girl angry, on the level of being mad at Draco, but never like this.

"Oi, do you really think that this is such a good idea?" Matilda asked, dropping Daisy's wrist as soon as she knew the girl would not continue her tirade. "You realize you're planning to confront your father about being a Death Eater in front of a whole mass of accused and expected Death Eaters, right?"

Matilda took Daisy's silence as that her plan had been fueled by anger and instinct, making her let out a sigh, "Look, I know you're angry, but a spontaneous attack like this might not be the best idea. Take a low blow and get him by surprise. Don't be so hasty, you'll only look like a fool."

Daisy reluctantly agreed and hid her wand and mask in the closeted area where they stood so that they could be easily found once everyone had gone home. Matilda nodded in approval and encouraged Daisy to return upstairs to the ballroom with her. When they finally returned, it was like the only people who had noticed their prolonged absence were Asher and Draco. Draco had tried to question the pair's whereabouts, but Matilda shrugged him off with a taunt. Not even Asher managed a word from her. Even when the guests started to disband, and Matilda was to meet her father outside, the girls still refused to tell where they had vanished for that long period of time.

Matilda slumped tiredly against the wall adorned with stained paper. The night sky that blanketed the evening sky darkened Grimmauld Place even more than usual. Matilda was careful to avoid the untouched corners of the house as they creaked and growled in the dark. Her heels dangled in her hands as she crept quietly up the old stairs, as well as the flower-speckled choker Ginny had made her wear.

She didn't tell her dad any of what she and Daisy had discovered hidden in the deep tunnels of Morgenstern Manor. And she didn't plan on telling anyone. Not when she knew Daisy would do the same for her. It was a small friendship between the two girls. They rarely talked. Hardley kept in touch when they weren't in school. But they had an understanding. And they trusted one another.

So, Matilda wouldn't tell a soul of the horrors of Lawton Morgenstern. Not until Daisy knew what she was going to do about it.

Over the next few days, Matilda noticed that there was one person within the house that did not seem wholly overjoyed that Harry would be returning to Hogwarts. Sirius had put up a very good show of happiness on first hearing the news, wringing Harry's hand and beaming just like the rest of them; soon, however, he was moodier and surlier than before, talking less to everybody, even Harry and The Order, and spending increasing amount of time shut up in his mother's room with Buckbeak.

"Don't you go feeling guilty, Harry!" said Hermione, sternly, after Matilda had told Harry of this new theory of hers while they scrubbed out a moldy cupboard on the third floor. "You belong at Hogwarts and Sirius knows it. Personally, I think he's being selfish."

"But I get it," confessed Matilda, tossing her ruined scrub brush aside. "He's been alone for so long. Harry is a piece of a life he lost. Who wouldn't want to hold onto that?"

"Yeah, don't be so harsh, Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he attempted to pry off a bit of mold that had attached itself firmly to his finger. "You wouldn't want to be stuck inside this house without company, would you?"

"Sirius will have company!" said Hermione. "It's headquarters to the order of the Phoenix, isn't it? He just got his hopes up that Harry would be coming to live here with him."

"I don't think that's true," said Harry, wringing out his cloth. "He wouldn't give me a straight answer when I asked him if I could."

"He would've let you. I think he just didn't want to get his own hopes up," said Matilda with a sigh, sitting on a counter as the other three with her continued their cleaning. "He probably felt a bit guilty because a part of him was maybe hoping you'd be expelled. Then you'd both be outcasts together."

"Matilda!"

Ron gasped at her in a scolding manner, sounding scarily like his mother.

She merely shrugged, "Not saying it's a bad thing. Sirius is still adjusting ─ healing from what he went through." Matilda attempted to explain. "And healing is not linear."

"Matilda's right. And I sometimes think Ron's mum is right, and Sirius sometimes gets confused about whether you're you or your father, Harry."

It was a bold claim but Matilda agreed with it.

"So the two of you think he's touched in the head?" said Harry heatedly.

Matilda scoffed, "Easily so."

Except Hermione disagreed, "No, I just think he's been very lonely for a long time,"

"I literally just said that," whispered Matilda with furrowed eyebrows.

At this point, Mrs. Weasley entered the bedroom behind them.

"Still not finished?" she said, poking her head into the cupboard.

"I thought you might be here to tell us to have a break!" said Ron bitterly. "D'you know how much mold we've got rid of since we arrived here?"

"You were so keen to help the Order," said Mrs. Weasley, "you can do your bit by making headquarters fit to live in."

Matilda scowled as she jumped from the counter she'd taken rest on.

"This is abhorrent," she mumbled angrily as she took up another scrub brush from the cleaning bin and started at her cupboard again. "Brightest witch to ever grace Hogwarts and here I am scrubbing mold off countertops."

"I feel like a house-elf," grumbled Ron.

"Well, now that you understand what dreadful lives they lead, perhaps you'll be a bit more active in S.P.E.W.!" said Hermione hopefully, as Mrs. Weasley left them to it again. "You know, maybe it wouldn't a bad idea to show people exactly how horrible it is to clean all the time — we could do a sponsored scrub of Gryffindor common room, all proceeds to S.P.E.W., it would raise awareness as well as funds —"

"I'll sponsor you to shut up about spew," Ron muttered irritably but was ignored.

Matilda found herself daydreaming about Hogwarts more and more as the end of the holiday approached. She could not wait to see Luna again, to be back in a classroom, even to stroll across the vegetable patches to the Herbology greenhouses. It would be a treat just to leave this dusty, musty house, where half the cupboards were still bolted shut and Kreacher followed Matilda down the darkened corridors. And Matilda made it all known, to everyone, how she couldn't wait to be rid of this place.

The fact was that living at the headquarters of the anti-Voldemort movement was not nearly as interesting or exciting as Matilda would have expected before she'd experienced it. Though members of the Order of the Phoenix came and went regularly, sometimes staying for meals, sometimes only for a few minutes of whispered conversation, Mrs. Weasley made sure that Matilda and the others were kept well out of earshot, whether Extendable or not, and nobody, not even Sirius, seemed to feel that they needed to know anything more than they had on the night of Matilda's arrival.

Matilda had busied herself with packing away her things on the last day of the holiday when Pluto swooped in through the open window with enveloped clutched in her small beak. She thanked the small owl with a treat and began sifting through her mail.

Finally, they'd mailed out the new booklist. Though after scanning the piece of parchment Matilda found that she'd already had most of what was required. The only one that stood out to her as unrecognizable was Defensive Magical Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard.

Mail, mail, and more mail, Matilda read through. Some letters from Luna and Padma that she didn't go about replying to just yet. She'd finally come to the last piece of parchment, tearing through the seal as she unfolded the letter.

Slowly the corners of her lips twitched upward.

Dear Miss Winters,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to serve as Prefect for Ravenclaw House. Your school record shows that you have exhibited creativity, the ability to lead others, and the wit that Ravenclaws have long been known for.

We are confident that you will continue to be a model for your peers and will take your new responsibilities seriously. Enclosed, please find your Prefects Badge, which should be worn on your school robes at all times. Congratulations!

Sincerely,

Filius Flitwick

This letter had been something she's dreamt about since arriving at Hogwarts and nothing more than an unrelenting eleven-year-old who clutched her wand so tight that it nearly broke in half. This was that small girl's dream. Everything she wanted. And Matilda had forgotten about it. Allowed her dream to become clouded. In the midst of all the chaos, the fog came in quite easily. She's changed so much since her first day as a Hogwarts student. But the dreams of that little girl were still quite alive. And Matilda didn't want to let her down.

And so, needing to brag about her newest accomplishment Matilda quickly put away her other mail and hurried to the room above hers to congratulate Harry on his inevitable position as well.

But the room had already become crowded. Already occupying the small space where Fred and George, talking to Harry as Ron sifted through his own mail.

"I wasn't aware there'd be a party in here," said Matilda, letting herself into the room.

"We were just wondering who assigned the Slinkhard book," said Fred conversationally.

"Because it means Dumbledore's found a new Defense Against the dark Arts teacher," said George.

"And about time too," said Matilda.

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked, jumping down off his bed.

"Well, we overheard Mum and Dad talking on the Extendable Ears a few weeks back," Fred told Harry, "and from what they were saying, Dumbledore was having real trouble finding anyone to do the job this year."

"Though, is it that hard to believe considering what's all happened to the last four?" Matilda pointed out, sitting on an empty desk chair.

"One sacked, one dead, one's memory removed, and one locked in a trunk for nine months," said Harry, counting them off on his fingers. "Yeah, I see what you mean."

"What's up with you, Ron?" asked Fred.

Ron did not answer. Matilda looked around. Ron was standing very still with his mouth slightly open, gaping at his letter from Hogwarts.

"What's the matter?" said Fred impatiently, moving around Ron to look over his shoulder at the parchment.

Fred's mouth fell open too.

"Prefect?" he said, staring incredulously at the letter. "Prefect?"

George leaped forward, seized the envelope in Ron's other hand, and turned it upside down. Matilda saw something scarlet and gold fall into George's palm.

"No way," said George in a hushed voice.

"There's been a mistake," said Fred, snatching the letter out of Ron's grasp and holding it up to the light as though checking for a watermark. "No one in their right mind would make Ron a prefect..."

Matilda's head turned to Harry, her expression one of utter confusion. The twins followed her gaze and both of them stared at Harry.

"We thought you were a cert!" said Fred in a tone that suggested array had tricked them in some way.

"We thought Dumbledore was bound to pick you!" said Georgeindignantly.

"Winning the Triwizard and everything!" said Fred.

"I suppose all the mad stuff must've counted against him," said George to Fred.

"Yeah," said Fred slowly. "Yeah, you've caused too much trouble, mate. Well, at least one of you's got their priorities right."

He strode over to Harry and clapped him on the back while giving Ron a scathing look.

"Prefect. . . ickle Ronnie the prefect. . ."

"Oh, Mum's going to be revolting," groaned George, thrusting the prefect badge back at Ron as though it might contaminate him.

Ron, who still had not said a word, took the badge, stared at it for a moment, and then held it out to Harry and Matilda, as though asking mutely for confirmation that it was genuine. Matilda watched, still dumbfounded, as Harry took it. Sure enough, a large P was superimposed on the Gryffindor lion.

The door banged open. Hermione came tearing into the room, her cheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand.

"Did you — did you get — ?"

She spotted the badge in Harry's hand and let out a shriek.

"I knew it!" she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. "Me too, Harry, me too!"

Matilda coughed in an attempt to draw Hermione's attention. And with wide eyes and a scolding expression, she motioned for Hermione to shut up. But Hermione would not look her way.

"Hermione!" said Matilda, her tone brash and loud. She swallowed, taming her tone. "It's Ron."

"It — what?"

"Ron's prefect, not me," Harry said.

"Ron?" said Hermione, her jaw-dropping. "But. . . are you sure? I mean —"

She turned red as Ron looked around at her with a defiant expression on his face.

"It's my name on the letter," he said.

"I. . ." said Hermione, looking thoroughly bewildered. "I. . . well. . . wow! Well done, Ron! That's really —"

Matilda nodded, giving Hermione a sarcastic thumbs up. Really, could she be any more unconvincing?

"Unexpected," said George, nodding.

"No," Matilda shook her head, attempting to cut through the thick tension that had grown over the small room. "No, it's not. Ron has done so much for the Gryffindor House. He exemplifies what a Gryffindor truly is."

Fred scoffed. He stood beside Matilda, towering over her, even while leaning back against the wooden desk beside Harry's bed, "Tilly, you once told Fred and me that the Gryffindor House was full of careless morons."

Matilda bit the inside of her cheek. Dammit, Fred was right. She'd told him and George that when they attempted to con her out of money from a fixed bet. Granted, she said it out of annoyance, but she felt it was true.

"Gee, thank you so much, Fred," sarcasm poured from Matilda's tone as she turned her head upward toward one-half of the Weasley twins. "How lucky that you remembered that just now."

The door behind Hermione opened a little wider and Mrs. Weasleybacked into the room carrying a pile of freshly laundered robes.

"Ginny said the booklists had come at last," she said, glancing around at all the envelopes as she made her way over to the bed and started sorting the robes into two piles. "If you give them to me I'll take them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pajamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing. . .what color would you like?"

"Get him red and gold to match his badge," said George, smirking.

"Match his what?" said Mrs. Weasley absently, rolling up a pair of maroon socks and placing them on Ron's pile.

"His badge," said Fred, with the air of getting the worst over quickly. "His lovely shiny new prefect's badge."

Fred's words took a moment to penetrate Mrs. Weasley's preoccupation about pajamas.

"His . . . but. . . Ron, you're not. . ?"

Ron held up his badge.

Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek just like Hermione's.

"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"

"What?" cackled Matilda.

Fred and George were certainly never badged as Prefects.

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?" said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around her youngest son.

"Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this worry, I'm just thrilled, oh Ronnie —"

Fred and George were both making loud retching noises behind her back but Mrs. Weasley did not notice; arms tight around Ron'sneck, she was kissing him all over his face, which had turned a brighter scarlet than his badge.

"Mum. . . don't. . . Mum, get a grip. . ." he muttered, trying to push her away.

She let go of him and said breathlessly, "Well, what will it be? We gave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course."

"W-what do you mean?" said Ron, looking as though he did not dare believe his ears.

"You've got to have a reward for this!" said Mrs. Weasley fondly."How about a nice new set of dress robes?"

"We've already bought him some," said Fred sourly, who looked as though he sincerely regretted this generosity.

"Or a new cauldron, Charlie's old one's rusting through, or a new rat, you always liked Scabbers —"

"Oh, Mrs. Weasley, not another rat," Matilda interjected quickly, still a bit traumatized from the last.

"Mum," said Ron hopefully, "can I have a new broom?"

Mrs. Weasley's face fell slightly; broomsticks were expensive.

"Not a really good one!" Ron hastened to add. "Just — just a new one for a change. . ."

Mrs. Weasley hesitated, then smiled.

"Of course you can... Well, I'd better get going if I've got a broom to buy too. I'll see you all later... Little Ronnie, a prefect! And do not forget to pack your trunks... A prefect...Oh, I'm all of a dither!"

She gave Ron yet another kiss on the cheek, sniffed loudly, and bustled from the room.

Fred and George exchanged looks.

"You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?" said Fred in a falsely anxious voice.

"We could curtsy if you like," said George.

"Oh, shut up," said Ron, scowling at them.

"Or what?" said Fred, an evil grin spreading across his face. "Going to put us in detention?"

"I'd love to see him try," sniggered George.

"He could if you don't watch out!" said Hermione angrily, at which Fred and George burst out laughing and Ron muttered, "Drop it, Hermione."

"We're going to have to watch our step, George," said Fred, pretending to tremble, "with these two on our case ─ or three..."

Fred looked over at Matilda. She'd come into the room just as excited as everyone else, and yet, she hadn't said a word.

"You'd be a moron to expect any different," Matilda smiled sweetly.

"Yeah, it looks like our law-breaking days are finally over," said George, shaking his head.

And with another loud crack, the twins' Disapparated.

"Those two!" said Hermione furiously, staring up at the ceiling, through which they could now hear Fred and George roaring with laughter in the room upstairs. "Don't pay any attention to them, Ron, they're only jealous!"

"Hm, I don't think that they are, Hermione," said Matilda doubtfully

"They've always said only prats become prefects... Still," Ron added on a happier note. "They've never had new brooms! I wish I could go with Mum and choose... she'll never be able to afford a Nimbus, but there's the new Cleansweep out, that'd be great... Yeah, I think I'll go and tell her I like the Cleansweep, just so she knows..."

Ron dashed from the room, leaving Harry with Matilda and Hermione.

Harry did not look at either of them, Matilda noticed. He'd turned to his bed, picked up the pile of clean robes that Mrs. Weasley had laid upon it, and crossed the room to his trunk.

"Harry?" said Hermione tentatively.

"Well done, the both of you," said Harry, so heartily it did not sound like his voice at all, and still not looking at them. "Brilliant. Prefect. Great."

"Thank you," said Hermione, a bit timidly. "Erm — Harry — could I borrow Hedwig so I can tell Mum and Dad? They'll be quite pleased — I mean, prefect is something they can understand."

"Yeah, no problem," said Harry, still in the horrible hearty voice that did not belong to him. "Take her!"

Hermione was careful in her movements. Quiet as she tiptoed across the wooden floors to reach Hedwig. One retrieved she was even quieter as she once again crossed the room. On her way out, Hermione cast a said look at Matilda. Finally, the door clicked shut and Hermione had gone.

Harry straightened up and looked behind him. His eyes widened. Hermione and Hedwig had gone, but Matilda remained. Harry returned slowly to his bed and sank onto it, gazing unseeingly at the foot of the wardrobe.

"Harry, it's okay that you're angry," said Matilda, her careful voice filling the sad silence that had fallen over the room. "I mean, I'd be so angry."

He screwed up his face and buried it in his hands. He could not lie to Matilda; she'd come to know him better than even himself.

"Does this make me arrogant? Like Malfoy?" asked Harry, to no one in particular. "Do I really think I'm better than Ron? Then everybody else?"

"I think I'm better than everyone. Actually, I know I am. Am I a terrible person for thinking that?" Harry's eyes slowly lifted to meet her. "I wish people would stop seeing arrogance as bad. It isn't bad to know your strengths."

"I'm better at Quidditch," admitted Harry. "But I'm not better at anything else."

That was definitely true, Matilda thought, "But what about outside lessons? All the adventures you've had, often risking much worse than expulsion?"

Matilda's intent was not to create conflict between Harry and his friends. She wanted Harry to acknowledge everything he's accomplished ─ survived. He was deserving. But Harry was hesitant to admit that she was right. He didn't want to talk ill of his friends.

"Ron and Hermione, and you, were with me most of the time," he said.

"Not all the time, though," Matilda argued with Harry. "They didn't fight Quirrel with you. We didn't take on Riddle and the basilisk. I was the only one there to help when you got rid of all those dementors the night Sirius escaped. We weren't ─ I wasn't in that graveyard with you, the night Voldemort returned..."

The mention of Voldemort made Matilda shuffle uncomfortably. Not because of fear. But because she hadn't been there for Harry. She'd promised him all year that she'd stand with him for everything. And she hadn't been able to help them. Matilda still felt guilty for not being able to get to him.

"I've definitely done more," Hary said indignantly. "I've done more than either Ron or Hermione."

Harry didn't mention Matilda. He knew better. Besides, she was a Ravenclaw. She wasn't his competition. And even if she was, Matilda would win every time.

"But maybe Dumbledore doesn't choose prefects because they've got themselves into a load of dangerous situations," said Harry in a small voice. "Maybe he chooses them for other reasons... Ron must have something I don't."

Matilda rolled her eyes. Harry still wasn't getting it. Ron was no better than him, just as he was no better than Ron. Ron's accomplishments should not diminish his own.

Harry opened his eyes and stared through his fingers at Matilda, he repeated Fred's words, "No one in their right mind would make Ron a prefect..."

Harry gave himself a small snort of laughter. A second later the same look of disgust crossed over his expression.

"Ron did not ask Dumbledore to give him the prefect badge," Matilda was no longer there to comfort and coddle Harry. "This is not Ron's fault. And are you, Ron's best friend, going to sulk because you don't have a badge, laugh with the twins behind Ron's back, ruin this for Ron when, for the first time, he has beaten you at something?"

It was fine for Harry to be angry. Even to be jealous. To feel left out. But it wasn't fine for Harry to talk ill on Ron. It wasn't fine for Harry to feel as though his accomplishments meant nothing anymore.

At this point, Harry and Matilda heard Ron's footsteps on the stairs again. Harry stood up, straightened his glasses, and hitched a grin onto his face as Ron bounded back through the door. Matilda too plastered a congratulatory smile on her face.

"Just caught her!" Ron said happily. "She says she'll get the Cleansweep if she can."

"Cool," Harry said, and Matilda was relieved to hear that his voice had stopped sounding hearty. When Harry closed his mouth though, Matilda kicked his shin, motioning for him to continue. "Listen ─ Ron ─ well done, mate."

The smile faded off Ron's face. Matilda became nervous.

"I never thought it would be me!" he said, shaking his head. "I thought it would be you!"

"Psht, Harry causes too much trouble," said Matilda, echoing Fred.

Harry forced a laugh. But nodded his head to agree.

"Yeah," said Ron. "Yeah, I suppose... Well, well we'd better get our trunks packed, hadn't we?"

Matilda let out a small sigh of relief and squeezed Harry's hand proudly before she quickly excused herself from the room and returned to her own to finish packing.

Down in the basement, Mrs. Weasley had hung a scarlet and blue banner over the heavily laden dinner table, which read: Congratulations Ron, Hermione, and Matilda ─ New Prefects. She looked in a better mood than Matilda had seen her all holiday.

"I thought we'd have a little party, not a sit-down dinner," she told them all. "Arthur and Bill are on their way. As is your father, Tilly. I've sent them all owls and they're thrilled."

Fred rolled his eyes.

Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt were already there and Mad-Eye Moody stumped in shortly after Harry had got himself butterbeer.

"Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here," said Mrs. Weasley brightly, as Mad-Eye shrugged off his traveling cloak. "We've been wanting to ask you for ages — could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing-room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty."

"No problem, Molly..."

Moody's electric-blue eye swiveled upward and stared fixedly through the ceiling of the kitchen.

"Drawing room..." he growled, as the pupil contracted. "Desk in the corner? Yeah, I see it... Yeah, it's a boggart... Want me to go up and get rid of it, Molly?"

"No, no, I'll do it myself later," beamed Mrs. Weasley. "You have your drink. We're having a little bit of a celebration, actually..." she gestured to the banner. "Fourth prefect in the family!" she said fondly, ruffling Ron's hair.

Once Mad-Eye began conversing with Ron, Matilda turned her attention elsewhere.

"Can I say, Matilda, I'm not surprised in the slightest?"

Sirius had sat in the chair across the way from Matilda. At the sound of his low rasp, Matilda's gaze lifted from her plate. She furrowed her eyebrows together, having not expected him to speak at all during supper. Since he's been stuck in his own stupor lately.

He grinned proudly at her, "From the moment I met you, Matilda, I knew you'd be amazing."

"You mean the time when I was hellbent on killing you?" Matilda reminded him of the first time they met.

Sirius laughed. A real, genuine laugh. Though he shook his head. Dark ringlets of hair dropped into his face. Amusement danced in the bright blue eyes that always seemed so familiar to her. Matilda watched, the way he laughed, it was as if he knew something that she didn't. Had they met another time before her third year? Rueban had told her that he had been friends with Sirius. Maybe he'd met her as a baby.

But why wouldn't Sirius just tell her that?

"I knew how strong you were then. So willing to step in front of danger. You reminded me so much of ─" Sirius stopped. "Well, just know that I'm proud of you."

Matilda stared. She'd caught the slip-up this time. And she was just about to question him on it when Mr. Weasley, Bill, and her father appeared in the house.

"Well, I think a toast is in order," said Mr. Weasley, when everyone had a drink. He raised his goblet. "To Ron and Hermione, the new Gryffindor prefects! And Matilda, now a prefect for the Ravenclaw House."

The three new prefects beamed as everyone drank to them and then applauded.

"I was never a prefect myself," said Tonks brightly from behind hairy as the late arrivals moved toward the table to help themselves to food. Her hair was tomato-red and waist-length today; she looked likeGinny's older sister. "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."

"Like what?" asked Ginny.

"Like the ability to behave myself," said Tonks.

Ginny laughed. Though Hermione, who'd sat beside her, didn't seem so amused.

"What about you, Sirius?" Matilda asked her attention back on him.

Sirius let out his usual barklike laugh.

"No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge."

"I think Dumbledore might have hoped that I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," said Lupin. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."

Matilda noticed a change in Harry's mood. After hearing that his father had not been a prefect either.

"Dad, what about you?"

Rueban had just sat down in the empty seat on Matilda's right.

"I'd like to think I was at least considered," he shrugged, laughing like the rest of them. "No, wasn't a prefect. But your mother was. And you should write to her, tell her the good news. She'll be just as proud as I am."

Matilda smiled and gave her father a nod. But truth is, since her falling out with Harper, she hadn't reached out to her mother much either.

Those sitting around the table slowly disbanded. Forming into small groups around the large house. Ron floated around to everyone, talking about his new broom to anyone that would listen. Hermione sat with Lupin, telling him of hew new ideas for S.P.E.W., and Harry had been pulled away to some dark corner with Moody.

Matilda had been sitting with her dad. He expressed how proud he was of her and how deserving of this title she was. But he too eventually excused himself when Tonks had beckoned him over beside her.

So, Matilda too stood from the table and began wondering about the dark home. Despite all their efforts throughout the holiday to clean this place up, to make it livable, Matilda noticed very little change. Dust still clung to every surface. The walls were still stained with time and deterioration. It was a sad place to have to live. She wondered what it looked like in its prime. Was it still so dark? So lonely?

Eventually, she found Sirius. Standing alone in the foyer. This room stood a little brighter than the others. Since it was the first room someone would see upon entering, it was the first cleaned and renovated.

"It's Rosaline, isn't it?"

The mentioning of the name startled Sirius and he spun around to meet Matilda. His eyes grew wide with shock and sadness. They'd been close, Matilda just noticed.

"Rosaline," Matilda said again, just to be sure that Sirius understood her correctly. "She's the one I remind you of, isn't she?"

Sirius gaped, he didn't know what to say. No one talked about her to him. Not anymore, "How ─ how do you know about her?"

Matilda shrugged, "My dad has mentioned her a few times. And though he hasn't told me much, I assume they'd been close since I believe I'm named after her."

"Matilda Rose Winters... yes," whispered Sirius, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "Yes, she and your father had a special kind of bond. Reminds me much of you and Harry. Or perhaps, me and James. Friendships like that are rare."

"What happened to her?"

The question wasn't meant to sound so brash. So intrusive. But it did knock Sirius backward.

"She was killed," said Sirius after a long pause.

Matilda watched a little bit of light in his eyes die out.

"You loved her."

It wasn't a question.

"I still do."

Matilda had seen Sirius at his worst. In the Shrieking Shack, fresh out of prison, a target on his back. He was a murderer to the world. And yet, while shrinking away in ragged clothing that hung off his malnourished limbs, he still didn't look as pitiful as he did now.

Rosaline. Matilda wanted to know more. Everything. There was a lore about this woman. So loved and yet the story of her kept locked away. She had a million different questions of the woman of whom her namesake belonged.

But an ear-piercing scream shrilled throughout the house.

"What's going on?"

Lupin led the way into the room. Closely followed by Sirius and Matilda, with Moody stumping along behind them. Harry already standing in the doorway. Lupin looked from Mrs. Weasley to the dead Harry on the floor and seemed to understand in an instant. Pulling out his own wand he said, very firmly and clearly, "Riddikulus!"

Harry's body vanished. A silvery orb hung in the air over the spot where it had lain. Lupin waved his wand once more and the orb vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Oh — oh — oh!" gulped Mrs. Weasley, and she broke into a storm of crying, her face in her hands.

"Molly," said Lupin bleakly, walking over to her, "Molly, don't..."

The next second she was sobbing her heart out on Lupin's shoulder.

"Molly, it was just a boggart," he said soothingly, patting her on the head. "Just a stupid boggart..."

"I see them d ─ dead all the time!" Mrs. Weasley moaned into his shoulder. "All the t ─ time! I dream about it..."

Sirius was staring at the patch of carpet where the boggart, pretending to be Harry's body, had lain. Matilda was looking at Harry, who met her gaze. He was nervous, looking to her for support.

"D ─ don't tell Arthur," Mrs. Weasley was gulping now, mopping her eyes frantically with her cuffs. "I don't want him to know... being silly..."

Lupin handed her a handkerchief and she blew her nose.

"Harry, I'm so sorry, what must you think of me?" she said shakily. "Not even able to get rid of a boggart..."

"Don't be silly Mrs. Weasley, boggarts get to all of us," said Matilda when Harry couldn't find his voice to speak.

"I'm just so worried," she said, tears spilling out of her eyes again. "Half the family is in the Order, it'll be a miracle if we ─ if we all get through this... and Percy, he's not talking to us. What if something dreadful happens and we had never made up? And what's going to happen if Arthur and I get killed, who's going to look after Ron and Ginny?"

"Molly, that's enough," said Lupin firmly. "This isn't like last time. The Order is better prepared, we've got a head start, we know what Voldemort's up to ─"

Mrs. Weasley gave a little squeak of fright at the sound of the name.

"Oh, Molly, come on, it's about time you got used to hearing it ─ look, I can't promise no one's going to get hurt, nobody can promise that but we're much better off than we were last time, you weren't in the Order then, you don't understand, last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by the Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one..."

Matilda thought of Rosaline. Had she been part of the Order? Had she been one plucked off by a Death Eater? She looked at Sirius, his expression grim when he noticed her stare.

"Don't worry about Percy," Sirius said, turning away from Matilda and clearing his throat. "He'll come around. It's a matter of time before Voldemort moves into the open; once he does, the whole Ministry's going to be begging us to forgive them. And I'm not sure I'll be accepting their apology," he added bitterly.

Matilda nodded, "Agreed!"

"And as for who is going to look after Ron and Ginny if you and Arthur died," said Rueban, appearing in the small doorway behind Matilda and Sirius. "What do you think we'd do, let them starve?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled tremulously.

"Being silly," she muttered again, mopping her eyes.

But Matilda, closing her bedroom door behind her some ten minutes later, could not think Mrs. Weasley silly. She could still see the pain in her father's eye, the same pain that painted over Sirius when talking about Rosaline. She died. That was it. She lived and died. Yet, it was like Matilda could suddenly feel her presence. It was like the image of a woman she's never known kept flashing before her eyes.

Without warning, the pain in her chest returned and her stomach churned horribly.

"Not again," she said firmly, turning over under her covers.

"Black's are known for their madness. The first sign of it, talking to yourself," said a sly voice from the empty picture on the wall.

Matilda ignored it. Finally closing her eyes and mumbling about how much she hated this place.

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( matilda's dress for the Morgenstern party )

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AN:// a long one for all of you.

Hopefully, you all are paying close attention to Matilda's thoughts and conversation. Many secrets have been given away.

Back to Hogwarts soon. Are we excited? Scared? What do you guys think is in store for Matilda?

xoxo