{14th July 1992}
{Parvati's POV}
I was pulling open my wardrobe to decide what to wear when I heard footsteps approaching my room, footsteps I instantly recognized as my mother's. The familiar measured pace, accompanied by telltale signs of Padma's hesitant shuffle.
I bit back a sigh and straightened my posture, hoping this time it would be quick. I had planned to get ready quickly, eager to see Rigel and the others again, but mother's sudden appearance rarely meant any good news.
'I wonder what she tattled on me about this time,' I thought as the door swung open. As always, without a knock, which I of course expected, I turned around, trying to conceal my annoyance behind a carefully constructed mask of polite surprise.
"Good morning, Ma. Padma," I greeted, forcing a casual tone as I faced them, entirely aware of my state of undress. I had gotten comfortable with myself after last year at Hogwarts, but clearly, my sister wasn't. Padma's cheeks flushed crimson as her eyes instantly dropped to the floor, pointedly avoiding the sight of my bare breasts, which hadn't grown as much as I hoped they would.
'She's still quite naive, I wonder what she would do if she saw Rigel fucking the shit out of me. Will she come forward to join or run away?'
I couldn't help but feel a flicker of amusement at her reaction, even if I knew better than to openly tease her in front of Ma. Padma had never quite embraced the casual comfort with her body that Hogwarts had given me. While I'd grown comfortable in my own skin, confident even, Padma had, on the other hand, retreated inward, becoming more modest, more reserved.
'I heard rumors about bullying in Ravenclaw, ' I thought as I paused for a moment, debating if I should ask her sometime before pushing that thought aside, as Mother immediately noticed Padma squirming and frowned sharply, turning a reprimanding gaze onto me. "Parvati, for heaven's sake! Hurry up and dress yourself properly."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and grabbed a loose T-shirt, an old one that I had stolen from Rigel that I loved to sleep in, and definitely not the outfit I'd intended for the morning. I pulled it on quickly and shot my mother a mildly irritated look. "I was getting dressed, Ma. Is there something urgent that couldn't wait until later?"
My mother's expression briefly tensed, a subtle tell that always revealed something was bothering her. She was usually so composed. Any slip likely meant that there was a deeper motive behind this early-morning intrusion.
"Nothing urgent, beta," she answered evenly, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "We just wanted to make sure Rigel's group was settling in well. Did they enjoy their first day? Are they having any trouble adjusting?"
My suspicion meter immediately flared. Mother rarely took such direct interest in my friends unless she wanted something specific. Acting as casually as possible, I shrugged and leaned against my wardrobe, trying not to let my own expression betray the wariness building in my heart.
'What is she after?'
"They're fine, Ma. They spent the last two days exploring the main market. It was mostly shopping. Nothing too exciting." I kept my tone carefully neutral, watching her reaction closely.
Her eyes sharpened subtly, another one of her usual tells, her interest clearly piqued. "Oh? Did they find anything interesting? Any shops they particularly liked?"
I hesitated, unsure why she suddenly cared about the group's shopping habits. "They loved the Emporium and Jyoti's Staff & Rings shop," I said carefully. "They were fascinated by the focus rings and the local magical books from the shop, but we mostly just browsed and bought clothing."
Mother's brow lifted slightly as she immediately honed in on one part of my sentence. "Local magical books, you say? Hmm, did you also try the smaller, specialty shops? There's one near Jyoti's that deals with ancient texts, and another has magical antiques. Perhaps they'd find those intriguing as well?"
I nodded noncommittally, giving her a polite but silent smile, my usual strategy when I wanted her interrogation to end quickly. Her interest in Rigel's choice of shops felt oddly specific, almost probing, and it already set off alarms in my head.
'That last statement was just a distraction that she had thrown, she already got what she wanted.' I deduced. Years of reading her had allowed me a glimpse of how she reacts.
She finally seemed to notice my deliberate silence and paused, quickly regaining her composure. "Anyway," she continued, forcing cheerfulness back into her voice, "I was thinking that Padma should join your group today as well. She's been cooped up here too much lately, and she needs to socialize more."
I caught the subtle flicker of irritation on Padma's face, she clearly wasn't any happier about the idea than I was, but like the good one she was, she kept quiet, staring resolutely at the floor. My heart sank slightly at the thought of managing my twin's awkwardness all day, especially with Rigel around.
"Of course, Ma," I answered quietly, forcing a smile that I hoped looked genuine. "We'd love to have Padma join us."
My mother nodded firmly, satisfied. "That's good. Make sure you look after her. She's your sister, after all."
"I will," I replied dutifully, holding back my grimace as she turned sharply on her heel, Padma trailing obediently behind her. As the door clicked shut behind them, I sighed deeply, irritation bubbling beneath my chest.
Stepping back to my wardrobe, I frowned, eyeing the array of both traditional and Western outfits thoughtfully arranged inside. My earlier plans to dress up, hoping to catch Rigel's attention and maybe sneak away for a quickie, felt momentarily spoiled.
I briefly considered the sleek black dress I'd planned on wearing, but with Padma now joining, I'd need something simpler, more modest, less likely to scandalize my twin or upset Ma if she decided to suddenly reappear.
'What a drag...' I cursed.
My fingers skimmed softly across the fabric of a soft, deep green kurta. Its embroidery was delicate and tasteful. It screamed safe, as it even showed very little cleavage. With a resigned sigh, I pulled it from its hanger and quickly dressed, combing out my hair and adjusting the sleeves absentmindedly.
I glanced once more in the mirror, ensuring I looked suitably composed before leaving my room, though the annoyance at my mother's unexpected intrusion still simmered quietly beneath the surface of my calm smile. Today's outing, already promising to be complicated enough with Padma along, suddenly felt more daunting. But as I stepped into the hall, closing my bedroom door firmly behind me, I resolved to make the best of it.
'Cheer up, at least I would get to see Rigel again.' She psyched herself up, planning to enjoy the few days of break that she was getting thanks to their trip.
---
{Rigel's POV}
Ginny's laughter rang out beside me as Fred stormed into the common room, clutching his head with exaggerated horror. "Merlin's beard, Harry! Roses? Really?"
Harry, sitting with hair now once again a gleaming golden, just grinned shamelessly. "Well, I figured if I'm going to be stuck looking like a Christmas decoration, you might as well join the party."
Fred huffed indignantly, tugging at the vibrant red petals now sprouting from his scalp instead of his ginger hair. "I look like a Valentine's Day nightmare! At least yours is just hair dye. I've got bloody pollen coming out of my head!"
Ginny's shoulders shook as she covered her mouth, eyes dancing with amusement. "You know, Fred, it actually suits you," she teased sweetly.
Fred shot her a dramatic scowl. "You're all conspiring against me! George, help me!!!"
I chuckled softly, enjoying the playful chaos that typically surrounded us, another morning with the twins. Yet, as amusing as it was, my mind was already drifting back toward more pressing matters. Dhanvantari's book and the mysterious inheritance.
As Fred and Harry continued their spirited bickering about being presentable for our planned outing for today, I caught a flicker of movement near the doorway. Parvati had arrived, her deep-green kurta hung gracefully against her skin, her expression calm and composed.
Trailing hesitantly behind her was a girl who looked exactly like her yet had a shyer demeanor. Padma, eyes carefully avoiding the commotion of boisterous laughter, was obviously uncertain of her welcome.
I stood swiftly, offering Ginny a quick look as I navigated around Fred's flailing arms. Crossing the room smoothly, I approached the Patil twins and welcomed them with a warm smile.
"Morning, Parvati. Padma, welcome, glad you decided to join us," I greeted gently, noticing the shy way Padma glanced downward. "Come have some breakfast. The others will join us shortly."
Padma gave me a grateful nod, murmuring quietly, "Thank you, Rigel."
Parvati's eyes lingered briefly on the ongoing chaos before focusing sharply back on me, clearly noticing that I was staring at her. Her gaze sharpened slightly, curiosity mingling with concern. "Good morning, Rigel. Is something wrong?"
I kept my expression calm, though seriousness colored my voice. "Nothing urgent, but can we talk privately for a moment?"
Her brow arched slightly, but she nodded without hesitation. "Of course."
I led her back through the suite, away from the noisy banter and Fred's increasingly melodramatic protests. Entering my room, I quietly closed the door behind me, immediately casting a silencing charm for privacy. The silence settled around us softly as Parvati regarded me with cautious expectation.
"What's happened?" she asked carefully, stepping a bit closer, her gaze unwavering.
I exhaled softly, choosing my words deliberately. "The group was discussing our itinerary last night. They are interested in visiting some culturally and mythologically significant cities here in India...places like Banaras, Varanasi, Allahabad." I mixed in the target city among the list of names.
At the mention of visiting places, Parvati's mana rippled subtly. It was barely noticeable, but enough for me to catch it. She stiffened just slightly, eyes briefly flickering away. It was subtle enough to be overlooked by most, but with mana sense, I was able to tell that something was bothering her.
"Is something wrong with those places?" I asked gently, trying not to give away that I had noticed anything abnormal as I watched her reaction closely.
She hesitated briefly, but quickly regained her composure and shook her head. "No, not at all. Just surprised. It's an unusual set of locations for the more magical tourists."
'Though that's not the whole story, is it? Something else is bothering her...'
I studied her closely, but Parvati's expression betrayed little else. Whatever had caused her brief reaction, she wasn't intent on sharing it just yet. I decided not to press immediately, instead giving her a moment to settle.
"I thought so too," I admitted calmly, hoping to ease any lingering tension. "But I figured you'd know best how to handle it. Do you think you could arrange permits and travel logistics?"
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, perhaps relieved by the practical turn of the conversation. "Of course. It shouldn't be too difficult. I'll speak with my parents. They can make it happen very easily."
I nodded appreciatively. "Thank you."
Parvati's gaze lingered thoughtfully on my face, curiosity still evident. "Is there anything else you need?"
I paused briefly, considering carefully. "Actually, yes. While everyone else will go on with you to explore Pune today, I'm returning to Jyoti's shop. There's a book I have found that I need to research."
She tilted her head curiously, her eyes showing off her intrigue. "More research? You weren't done yesterday?"
I nodded again, choosing my words carefully. "It's about my Parseltongue ability. Jyoti's shop has some old books on that particular branch of magic that might help me understand it better."
Parvati nodded at that, clearly sensing this was something personal. She didn't push further, instead touching my arm lightly in silent reassurance. "I understand. If you need any help finding a book or anything, just ask."
I felt it was a little odd that she wasn't sharing whatever it was, and I had to force it aside to not alarm her. "Thank you, Parvati. I'll keep that in mind."
Her smile brightened gently, the earlier tension fading fully from her posture. "Well, I suppose I should get back before Padma starts feeling too awkward around Fred's new haircut." She joked.
"Is he thinking about keeping that? By the way, sure would brighten up Hogwarts next year." She grinned.
I chuckled softly, appreciating her humor. "She'll get used to it eventually. Or she'll never want to see us again." I said as I pulled her closer. She easily melted in my embrace, her lips locking with mine as my hands glided across the embroidered fabric as I grabbed hold of her ass.
Parvati squeaked slightly as she pulled back, eyes sparkling with intrigue. "Do we have some time?" The need in her voice was a bit obvious, but I shook my head.
Her mana dropped, so I guess she wasn't faking her affection, but something definitely was off. Sirius was right. I would need to be careful during my outing today.
As we stepped back into the hallway, the familiar sounds of cheerful chaos greeted us. Fred was still theatrically lamenting his floral fate, now loudly declaring that he'd forever avoid Valentine's Day, while Harry was defending his magical prowess to a grinning Ginny.
Parvati's gaze softened fondly as she glanced at me once more. "I'll start making arrangements today. Just…be careful, Rigel. Whatever you're looking into, don't rush."
I nodded slightly. She did know something but was unwilling to share. Still, she seemed like she had no malicious intent, so I just nodded at her warning.
She smiled once more, a gentle warmth in her eyes, before returning gracefully to join Padma.
Parvati's reaction had been subtle, but she had almost told me that it hadn't been a coincidence that I had found that book. There was clearly something more there, something hidden, something she wasn't sharing yet. It could be caution, protectiveness, or perhaps something more complicated. I would have to tread carefully and find out sooner rather than later.
'Did she lead us to that shop on purpose? Most likely not. Otherwise, I would have noticed any abnormality in her mana. She clearly was only nervous today and had no clue about any conspiracy yesterday.'
For now, though, I had a shop that could give me the answers and likely more questions. I exhaled slowly, calming my restless thoughts.
'No overthinking. First let's focus on the magic, then the mysteries.'
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AN: 53+ chapters on P.atreon. Also, an important poll on the romance options for the story, so do check it out + a free Pinup of Narcissa's look starting next year.