The Girl in Blue

Aurora was sitting in the library after Quidditch practice with a massive pile of books in front of her. She was grateful for the fact that teachers liked her because then, they could give her permission to go to the Restricted Section of the library without questioning it.

They just thought it was for educational purposes. Which it was, but there was more to it than that.

Aurora found virtually nothing about Horcruxes. All she found was what she heard at the Slug Club dinner.

No wonder Tom asked Slughorn about it.

Aurora sighed and set the book down. She decided to give up on it–but she knew that she would hate herself if she didn't at least try some more. Tom was up to something but she didn't know what. She needed to know.

She put the books back where she found them and walked out of the Restricted Section, only to find Tom standing in front of her.

"Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed, causing the librarian to glare in their direction.

"Sorry," she muttered. Tom smirked.

"What were you doing in there?" Tom nodded his head towards the Restricted Section.

"Researching..." Aurora replied.

Tom was scrutinizing her and Aurora looked away, her cheeks turning red.

"Aurora, I know you heard my...conversation...with Slughorn," Tom said. She looked up at him, eyes wide. She wasn't expecting that at all.

"Horcruxes, am I correct?" He nodded his head towards the Restricted Section again. Aurora slowly nodded her head, her eyes watching his every move because she didn't know what she wanted.

Tom smirked again.

"Tomorrow night–meet me behind the humpbacked witch," Tom said, turning on his heel. "We haven't had those meetings in a while..."

"Wait!" Aurora exclaimed. She was thoroughly confused.

Tom turned.

"What about Horcruxes? What are you planning on doing with them?"

"You're always so curious, Rose," Tom said, smirking again. She hated it when all he did was smirk.

"I'm afraid I cannot disclose that information," he said when he saw the look on her face.

Aurora was still unamused.

"I'm your–I'm your girlfriend!" she whisper-yelled. "I'm apart of your group–why can't you tell me?"

The smirk left Tom's face the minute she uttered the word 'girlfriend'. Aurora knew she hit a nerve when he said that, but it was true! They haven't acted like it lately, but that day at the orphanage in the summer determined it–whether he liked it or not.

"Tomorrow," he said. "Behind the witch. Don't be late."

Aurora sighed and watched him go. Girlfriend. That was such an odd word to use with Tom–but Aurora still liked the sound of it. She had never been anyone girlfriend before, much less Tom Riddle's.

She just wished Tom would acknowledge it.

Aurora walked back to the Slytherin common room, deeply engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even noticed that an owl was flying around her head when she entered the room.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Sorry about that," she chuckled, taking the letter tied to the owl's leg off. She sat down at a table and opened it–it was a letter from her mother.

Dear Aurora,

I am afraid that I don't have wonderful news. It's nothing truly bad, no one is hurt. Everyone is fine. I just wanted to tell you that the moving process has been sped up. The original moving date was the 17th of October, but now it has changed to the 22nd of September. I know, that is just a couple weeks away, but I'm afraid we can't do anything. The Minister has ordered us.

From your letters, you father and I can gather that you are quite content with staying at Hogwarts, but I just want a confirmation. As your mother, I would rather you stay with us, but if you truly want to stay at Hogwarts and believe that you can complete a sound education, then that is what I want for you, Aurora.

Please let us know your decision as soon as possible.



Aurora stared at the letter. She reread it a couple times too just in case she didn't read it properly the first time, but she couldn't believe that she was reading.

They were moving so soon.

Aurora leaned back in her chair and sighed. She knew what she had to do because there was only one person really holding her back at Hogwarts and his name was Tom Riddle.

It was about time that she told him.