The Girl in Blue

Aurora awoke, sweat pouring down her body and she was gasping for air. She had a terrifying dream that Tom had sent his monster at her and she ran through Hogwarts trying to escape it. She woke up just before she died.

Her roommates were still fast asleep when she looked around, to make sure that she was not in a dream, but reality. Aurora glanced at her watch and sighed when she saw that it was only six am.

She laid back down in her bed and tried to fall asleep again, but sleep did not come. She threw the covers off her body and stepped, quietly, towards the the staircase so she could sneak off to the library or something--just to calm her nerves.

The dormitory was empty so Aurora sighed and sat down on a chair in front of the fireplace, bringing one of her legs up to her chest.

Aurora didn't understand just how different her life had changed from Durmstrang to Hogwarts. She thought that it would be a better life, a better experience, more friends...she never expected to be caught up in a tangled mess, all because of Tom Riddle.

She loved him, when they were young. She thought that they would be best friends until the end of time. He always showed a soft spot for her--whenever the kids would take her lunch, Tom would fight back for it, when one of the kids took her toys, Tom would threaten to feed them to the snakes if they didn't give it back (although, their orphanage was not inhabitant to snakes). Tom always stood up for her.

Aurora sighed and stared at the blazing fire, biting her nails. She closed her eyes and rested her head against her hand and thought to herself, Why can't I just have a normal life again?

"Aurora?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin and turned around. It was only Silas Gavazzi.

"Oh, hi, Silas." She said, breathing heavily.

Silas smiled and said, "What are you doing up so early?"

Aurora shrugged. "Can't sleep. I had a bad dream."

"You must have." Silas said, sitting down next to her. "I heard about what happened to your roommate--and how you were found, Stunned, in the corridors. Do you have any idea who did it?"

"Petrified Madelyn or Stunned me?" She asked.

"Both." He shrugged.

Aurora shook her head. "I--I don't know. I'm very confused about everything. I don't know whats happening anymore."

"To be honest," He said. "Hogwarts is a much better school than Durmstrang. I know it may not seem like it, at the moment, but it certainly is. I like it much better than my home life and its school."

Aurora shrugged. "I didn't like my experience at Durmstrang. My uncle attended and insisted that I do too, however, they were too absorbed in Dark Arts, so my parents transferred me here--their old school."

Silas nodded his head. "I know I don't know you very well, but I'm glad that you are here. You seem like an intelligent woman--we all definitely need some of those, especially in Slytherin."

Aurora laughed. "I don't want them hating me any more than they already do, but some of my roommates can be a little air headed."

Silas laughed but he was cut off when the common room door opened and Slughorn bounded in, with Tom Riddle at his heels. Aurora was surprised when Tom shot her a look and Slughorn stopped in front of her and said, "Miss Jenkins, please come with me."

"Wh--what? Why?" She asked, standing up. Silas stood up too and said, "Professor--"

"Miss Jenkins, the headmaster wants to see you." Slughorn said, sternly. "It is very urgent that you come with me."

"Is he coming too?" She pointed to Tom, who avoided her eyes.

"Mr. Riddle is needed as well." Slughorn said, turning around and leaving. Aurora followed while Tom walked beside Slughorn. She couldn't hear him, but he was saying something very quietly and rapidly to Slughorn.

They reached Dippet's office, and Slughorn said the password and the stone gargoyles in front of it sprang to life and moved aside for them to enter.

"Ah, Miss Jenkins." Dippet said before she could see him. She turned the corner of the staircase and was shocked to see not only Dippet, Dumbledore and Longhorn, but James and the third year Gryffindor, Rubeus Hagrid.

"Please, sit." He gestured to the seat next to Hagrid but she shook her head, afraid of something that went horribly wrong. She glanced at James who's jaw was locked in place and he stared at Dippet in concentration. What was happening?

"Miss Jenkins," Dippet said, formally. "Can you tell us where you were on the night that Madelyn Ahmed was Petrified?"

"Honestly, Armando, she didn't--" Longhorn started but Dippet raised a hand to silence him.

Aurora looked around, frightened. She glanced at Dumbledore, who nodded his head, and then at Tom, who gave her a knowing look. She sighed, "Um, well. James had wanted me to get Filibuster Fireworks from my dormitory because--because they were his. I was walking through the corridors when I heard a scream come from upstairs. I went to go look and found Madelyn on the ground, like a--like a statue."

"You were not there when the students had found her, Aurora. Where were you if you were the first to find her?" Dippet asked.

"I went inside the girls' lavatory." She answered, truthfully.

"Why? Why didn't you call for help?" Dippet pressed. Longhorn scoffed and said, "Armando--"

"Please, Miss Jenkins!" Dippet exclaimed over Longhorn's voice. "We just need to know so we can clear your name?"

"Clear my name?!" She exclaimed. "Why--does everyone think that I did this to the students?!"

"Just me, apparently." She heard James mutter. She turned to look at him and he gave her a stone cold look. Aurora's heart felt like it shattered--James thinks she did it? She looked down, refusing to let tears pool in her eyes.

"Miss Jenkins, please answer the question." Dumbledore said, quietly.

"Um, I didn't call for help because I heard the students come up right as I found her. Nobody really likes me at this school so I hid, in case anyone thought I had something to do with it." She answered, her voice cracking at the end.

Aurora turned to James and whispered, "Why would you think I did it?"

James scoffed. His manner was completely different. It was like he was a completely new person who wasn't her friend--but an enemy.

"You're from Durmstrang." He spat. "I thought you were nice at the beginning when I first met you, but you suddenly became distant. I had suspicions after the Madelyn incident but my gut feelings told me that you did it, Aurora. You are the only person who knows at least some knowledge of Dark Magic. You're from Durm--"

"That is enough, Mr. Hastings." Longhorn shouted. He turned to Dippet, "Now, I believe, and Albus and Horace most likely agree with me also, that Miss Jenkins did not do this. There is no evidence against her, Armando." He said. "Mr. Hastings may have a sudden grudge for Miss Jenkins, but his reasoning does not match with Aurora's."

James opened his mouth to speak but Dippet nodded his head, "Miss Jenkins, you may leave."

"Wait, but what about him?!" She asked, pointing to the Gryffindor. He sat in his chair (that seemed a little too small for him), with his fingers in his mouth and he rocked back and forth, in fright.

"Miss Jenkins, Mr. Hastings and Mr. Riddle, please leave." Dippet said.

Aurora glanced at Tom, who looked at her, and then followed James, who led the way out. Once they got out to the corridors, Aurora felt the tears slip out and a stream down her face. James started walking the opposite direction while Tom already had a head start towards the dungeons. Just before Aurora was about to follow, James called out, "Aurora!"

She turned around and James started walking back towards her.

"I still think you did it." He said, no emotion left on his face.

"I don't know why you think that." Aurora whispered, wiping a tear away. "I never did anything to you or Remington..."

"Remington still thinks you are innocent, but I don't." He backed away and said, "See you around."

Aurora stood, tears streaming down harder and she turned around and ran into Tom, who, apparently, had come back for her. He stared after James with an angry look in his eyes--like he wanted to hex him.

"Aurora--" He started, but she wrapped her arms around him and cried harder into his chest. He was caught off guard and didn't know what to do. He left his arms by his side while Aurora clung to him and let her tears seep in through his robes.

"You were right," She sobbed. "About James and Remington...you were right."

"I know I was," He said, quietly, keeping his awkward posture. He looked down at Aurora's face and put an arm around her.

"It was Hagrid." Tom said, suddenly.

Aurora looked up, her face red and her eyes bloodshot. "What?"

"I caught Hagrid in the act--it was him." Tom said. "It wasn't me, Aurora, who Petrified the students. It was Hagrid."

Aurora shook her head. She didn't care who did it anymore. She was too overwhelmed to care. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'm done with this stupid fiasco. I'm done."

Tom nodded. "Let's go back to the common room."

He stepped away form Aurora as she let go of him and crossed her arms, while wiping away silent tears. They walked beside each other, silently, until they reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

Aurora went straight towards the girls' staircase, just wanting to sleep through the day, suddenly feeling tired. Everything changed in just a course of twenty minutes. She didn't care who Petrified the students anymore. She just wanted it to be over.