I Will Follow You Into the Dark

Zach de la Rocha’s voice blared through the headphones, forcing Aurora with his inspiring lyrics to push herself past her limits and to not just finish two miles but to go for a third. Her muscles burned in protest, begging her to stop and return to her comfortable warm bed but Aurora refused to stop because she needs to be in perfect shape for the day her path crosses with her father’s murderer.

Being fit was always something that Aurora strived to be, it wasn’t because she had body issues and wanted to be a size zero so she could look like the unhealthy models on the runways and magazine covers.

Aurora wants to be fit because she wants to be like the Greek Wise Men.

When she was younger her father would tell her the stories of the Seven Sages of Greece. They were philosophers and statesmen that were legendary for their wisdom but not only were they wise but they were fit because the body, being the vessel of the soul, needs to be in top condition.

Her father hadn’t even finished telling the tale of the wise men before Aurora begged him to put her in a wrestling program so she could ready her body. Samuel told her that he would but Margaret wasn’t keen on the idea of her eight year old daughter being in Greco-Roman wrestling and refused to condone her participation in it.

Luckily for Aurora she only needed the signature of one of her parents and Samuel gladly signed even though there would be hell to pay back home. Margaret threw a fit, she told him that he was irresponsible and reminded him that Aurora wasn’t a boy.

He grew livid at those words.

Although Samuel comes from a small rural area in Mexico and he was brought up in a traditional Catholic home he was not from the school of thought that women are supposed to be delicate creatures that should confine themselves to the home.

To him Aurora had just as much a right as any boy to be in wrestling and he spent two months sleeping on the couch as a result of his actions. He didn’t mind though because every time he saw his little girl pinning a boy on the mat he knew that what he had done was right.

Aurora’s running came to an abrupt halt when her stomach began feeling uneasy. Her right hand grasped a nearby tree for support as she hunched over a bush of wild berries, letting the contents of her stomach fall over them.

“Pain is weakness leaving the body,” muttered Aurora to herself, it was a saying that her wrestling coach used to scream at the wrestlers whenever they looked like they were about to give up on the mat.

Whatever remnants of the vomit that lay on her lips were quickly wiped away with the back of her black sweater. Her tired eyes scanned the grounds of Hogwarts for a moment, trying to remember which way she’d come from and when she remembered she began the three mile run back.

None of her roommates were up and about when she returned to the dorm; they were all asleep and judging by the smiles that were spread across their sleeping faces they were having very pleasant dreams.

How Aurora envied their pleasant dreams.

Ever since her father died her sleep had consisted of nightmares that forced her to relive that distressing moment. The only peaceful sleep that she had had was when she was in Mexico and for a moment she thought that sleep was going to be good again but the nightmares returned to her at Hogwarts.

Hot water dripped down her body while she showered. Her muscled relaxed under the intense heat, breathing a sigh of relief. When she finished showering she threw on the dull uniform and made her way towards the Great Hall.

“Miss Domínguez you are up quite early this morning,” spoke Professor McGonagall when she saw the newest addition to her house wander into the Great Hall.

“I always wake up early,” responded Aurora.

“Well since you are here let me hand you your schedule for the day. Here you go. Were you given a map of the school?” inquired Professor McGonagall.

Aurora nodded her head.

“Very well then, have a good first day of classes Miss Domínguez and remember if you have any questions feel free to ask me since I am of course the head of your house,” stated Professor McGonagall.

When the ancient witch finished speaking Aurora strolled towards the end of the table. She grabbed a plate and began piling it with food. Spoonful after spoonful of breakfast goodness was shoved into Aurora’s mouth. When she finished she grabbed her container of coffee from her messenger bag and made herself a strong cup.

Coffee and marijuana are her vices; cursing as well.

“H-h-hello,” stuttered out a young man standing beside her.

She turned to see who was speaking to her and was a little surprised to see the boy that she had saved from a beating. His hair was a fiery shade of red and his face was the exact same color; he was nervous.

“Yeah?” asked Aurora, setting her coffee down.

His lips pursed momentarily, it looked like he was having some sort of inner battle and after a few minutes he randomly blurted out, “I-I-I just wanted t-to thank you for yesterday. I mean you were bloody brilliant and I was just there, but yeah thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” replied Aurora, lifting her cup to her lips to signal that their conversation was over.

Aurora left the great hall before all the students had made their way to it. Having a significant amount of free time before instruction began she decided to find her classes so she wouldn’t get lost and feel like an idiot.

Everything was relatively easy to locate and once they’d all been found she made her way to ancient ruins; a class that she had always wanted to take in America but she never seemed to be able to work into her schedule.

“Good morning,” welcomed a rather plump Professor that reminded Aurora of her aunt Lucia.

“Morning,” greeted Aurora.

“How are you enjoying your first day here my dear? Are you enjoying it more than America or do you miss your other school?” inquired the Professor, smiling at her warmly.

“I like the grounds, not so sure about the rest of it yet,” answered Aurora honestly.

With those words Aurora waltzed to the very back of the class. Her things were quickly taken out and scattered about the table. Her eyes wandered around the room for a bit, taking in the space before she stared out the window, losing herself in the beauty of the grounds.

Students began filing into the classroom shortly thereafter. They sat in groups, chattering amongst themselves of what they had done that summer and every once in awhile they glanced back to look at Aurora, staring at her as if she were some exotic animal.

The Professor, whose name Aurora discovered was Babbling, began lecturing the class on the importance of ancient ruins. Ten minutes into the lecture the door was opened and Aurora couldn’t help but stare, it was the girl that she had defended the night before.

Her eyes narrowed when she saw the young woman grimace slightly, it was obvious that she was in pain and Aurora grew angry at the thought that she hadn’t arrived in time to spare her from being truly injured.

Protecting others is something that Aurora has always done, especially women because she hates when men think that they are tough shit and can do whatever they want to women just because women are “the weaker sex.”

“You are late, Ms. Bellamy,” Professor Babbling said from her place in the front, “two points from Gryffindor and take a seat next to . . . take a seat next to Ms. Domínguez.”

Aurora stared straight ahead as the young woman began walking towards her. She didn’t bother looking over at her to ask if she was alright, it was obvious that she wasn’t and maybe the stranger hated being asked because Aurora sure as hell does.

Her hands grasped her pen to continue writing down notes but she stopped momentarily when she heard the girl softly whisper, “Vous devez pense que si peu de moi à ce point, n'est-ce pas?” (You must think so little of me at this point, don't you?)”

She understood the girl perfectly having had French lessons along with Italian lessons since she was four years old, her parents were keen on getting their kids educated as early as possible wanting them to excel academically.

Part of Aurora wanted to tell the girl that she shouldn’t care what strangers think about her but she stopped herself because something inside her told her that the girl was shy and that knowing that Aurora had understood her would make her uncomfortable; so she kept quiet.

Aurora bolted from her seat the moment that Babbling excused them, she had Defense Against the Dark Arts next and the classroom was so far away that she’d have to sprint there if she wanted to make it on time to stake out her place in the back but when Aurora arrived the back had already been filled in and there was only one empty seat up in the front beside a pair of gingers.

A chill ran through Aurora’s body the moment that she stepped into the class. Her eyes scanned the classroom, trying to figure out what was making her uneasy and when her eyes landed upon the Professor she knew that he was the one causing her discomfort.

Something about him was off and it wasn’t the fact that he was missing an eye; it was something else. Students stared at him in awe, they whispered about how brilliant and valiant he was but something inside told her that he was the devil in disguise.

“Are you going to take a seat or are you going to stand there all day?” snapped the Professor gruffly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly at his words, showing him that he wasn’t going to scare her with his tough guy act and she slid into the seat beside the gingers who were muttering about how he was one of the greatest auror’s ever.

Like the previous professor he began talking about how important his subject was, claiming that they would all need to master spells in order to protect themselves from evil wizards out there. He talked about how the Ministry approved his showing them the three unforgivable curses.

Aurora cringed when he said those words.

Professor Moody grabbed a spider from a container on his desk. He placed it right in front of Aurora and demonstrated the imperius curse, forcing the spider to prance around the desk to fly across the room and to almost drown itself.

He then returned it to its starting location and began another tangent, discussing the second unforgivable curse and for a moment, for a moment Aurora swore she saw him smirk at her when he mentioned how it would drive the person being tortured mad.

Her heart began pounding violently within her chest while she waited for him to mutter that cursed spell that had inflicted so much pain on her father. Sure enough he muttered it. Aurora had expected his demonstration to last five seconds, ten tops but he kept it going.

It looked like he enjoyed seeing the creature in pain.

Images of her father writhing on the ground in excruciating agony struck Aurora suddenly, her hands turned into fist as her right lip curled upward in a snarl. She was struggling to keep her composure but with each passing minute her resolve weakened and not being able to endure another second of the spiders shrieks she slammed her fist; killing it instantaneously.

Gasps echoed through the cavernous classroom. No one could believe that Aurora had smashed the spider when the Professor needed it as a part of his lecture. Professor Moody glared at Aurora, trying to strike fear into her heart but Aurora just sat there glaring back at him.

What a way to begin her sixth year.