In one of the sixth-year Slytherin girls' bedrooms, chaos reigned with clothes, velvet scraps, and designer shoe boxes scattered everywhere.
Hestia and Flora stood in front of a large full-length mirror, surrounded by at least a dozen ball gowns they had ordered by owl from the best boutiques in London and Europe. For the first time in a long time, the twins looked genuinely indecisive.
"How about the emerald?" asked Flora, holding a shiny fabric against her body. "It matches our eyes."
"Too predictable for a Slytherin," Hestia dismissed, tossing a pair of silver stiletto heels onto her bed before trying on a pair of black ones with rhinestones. "We have to look perfect. We're not just his betrotheds, tonight we'll be the envy of the entire castle. He has to look at us and forget that other women exist."
After more than an hour of lengthy deliberations, meticulous makeup application, and a few magical adjustments, they finally made a decision. Breaking with their usual habit of dressing identically, they opted to complement each other in their choices.
Hestia chose a light blue silk dress with an empire waist and sweetheart neckline, which made her look like an ethereal and dangerously sweet beauty. Flora, in contrast, opted for a tight-fitting black dress with an open back and intricate lace that hugged her figure, radiating a dark and lethal elegance.
Meanwhile, at the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room, Aurelian Gaunt was waiting for them.
Dressed in immaculate midnight black formal robes with subtle silver thread embroidery, Aurelian leaned against the stone wall, feeling a slight tingle of nervousness in his stomach.
As he waited, the Slytherin students began to emerge from their dormitories alone or in pairs, ready for the ball. One by one, as they passed him, they bowed their heads and smiled at him with a genuine curtsy.
"Have a good night, Lord Gaunt. You look excellent," Theodore Nott greeted him.
"Enjoy the evening, my Lord," said Daphne Greengrass with a polite smile.
Aurelian smiled back and nodded to each student who greeted him. He no longer inspired only fear; over the years, he had unified his entire house. He had protected them and given their families great business opportunities through Gauntcorp. Now, his peers sincerely respected and admired him as their undisputed leader.
Suddenly, a soft double tap on his left shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts.
Aurelian turned around and his breath caught in his throat.
Hestia and Flora stood before him, smiling at him with a sweetness that melted any trace of darkness from his face. The contrast between the light blue and black, the way their dark brown hair cascaded in perfect curls, and the sparkle that always shone in their eyes left him speechless.
Aurelian felt the heat rise up his neck until it filled his cheeks, blushing visibly as he looked them over carefully from head to toe.
"You two," Aurelian murmured, regaining his voice but not his breath, "You look extremely beautiful. You are perfect."
The girls let out a small laugh, delighted by their betrothed's adorable reaction and rare blush. Not caring about wrinkling their dresses, they threw themselves at him, hugging him around the neck affectionately and possessively.
Aurelian relaxed instantly, smiling back at them. He put an arm around each of their waists and tenderly placed a soft kiss on Hestia's head and then on Flora's.
"We'll be the center of attention, my love," Flora whispered in his ear.
"As it should be, today and always," Hestia added in his other ear.
With Hestia clinging to his left arm and Flora to his right, Aurelian led them out of the dungeons and they walked through the brightly lit corridors to the Great Hall.
When they reached the entrance to the Great Hall, the place was a sea of colors, excited students, and teachers dressed in robes appropriate for the party. Near the large oak doors, they saw Cedric Diggory.
Cedric looked incredibly happy, dressed in classic formal robes, and beside him was Cho Chang, radiant in a silver oriental-style dress. The Hogwarts Champion seemed to have forgotten all the stress of the tournament; he was enthralled with his new girlfriend.
When he saw Aurelian and the twins, Cedric raised a hand and took a couple of steps closer.
"Aurelian! Girls!" Cedric greeted them with a bright smile, ignoring the looks Hestia and Flora were giving him for daring to interrupt them. "You look amazing. Thanks for... well, for the advice the other day, it really helped."
Cho Chang smiled too, although she was a little intimidated by the overwhelming presence of the Slytherin trio.
"I'm happy for you, Cedric," Aurelian replied with a warm smile, noticing out of the corner of his eye how the badger's happiness contrasted with the misery Potter was surely wallowing in at that moment, something that was undoubtedly worth seeing. "Enjoy the night. See you later."
Cedric nodded and, taking Cho's hand, they turned to wait for the other champions. Aurelian put his arms around his betrotheds and together they prepared to make their grand entrance to the ball.
The Great Hall had been transformed. The walls were covered in sparkling frost, thick garlands of mistletoe hung from the magical ceiling displaying a starry sky, and the tables of the houses had been replaced by dozens of smaller, more intimate tables, lit by magical lanterns.
Aurelian, with Hestia and Flora on his arm, made his way through the crowd and quickly took possession of an empty table with an excellent view of the main dance floor.
As they settled in, Aurelian noticed a movement a few tables away. Neville Longbottom, wearing dark blue formal robes, was sitting down next to Susan Bones, the affable Hufflepuff girl. Neville, catching Aurelian's eye, raised his hand and waved shyly.
Aurelian returned the greeting with a big smile. Even Hestia and Flora, who normally ignored anyone outside their circle, gave him a slight smile and a wave. This surprised some of the students nearby. Over the years, Neville's quiet courage and loyalty had earned him some respect from the girls.
After a banquet where dishes were filled simply by ordering from the magical menus at each table, the lights gradually dimmed.
The oak doors swung open and Ludo Bagman announced the entrance of the champions and their partners.
Aurelian applauded politely as Cedric and Cho opened the dance floor, followed by Fleur and the captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, then Viktor Krum with an unrecognizable Hermione Granger. Finally, Harry Potter entered. He was accompanied by one of the Patil twins, who was wearing a pretty traditional dress. The most noticeable thing was Harry's stiff gait, looking at Cho and Cedric with barely concealed resentment.
The music of the Weird Sisters began to play, opening the dance with a classic waltz.
The champions and their partners danced to the first song. Harry moved awkwardly, stepping on his partner's feet a couple of times, his mind clearly elsewhere. When the last note of the waltz rang out, Potter's latest social tragedy reached its climax.
Aurelian watched with curiosity as Harry, perhaps in a desperate attempt to prove himself in front of the school or out of sheer frustration, leaned in abruptly and tried to kiss the Patil twin in the middle of the dance floor.
Parvati's response was immediate and brutal.
The girl let out a gasp of indignation, raised her knee with great precision, and struck Harry directly in the groin.
Harry doubled over with a sharp groan, falling to his knees in the middle of the dance floor. His date turned away, her face red with fury, and stomped off, leaving Harry writhing in pain as the entire school looked on in astonishment.
At their table, Hestia and Flora burst out laughing. They covered their mouths, but the laughter was uncontrollable, tears of amusement welling up in their eyes.
"Oh, Merlin!" Flora gasped, leaning on Aurelian's shoulder. "That was the best show of the whole night!"
"The grand champion... defeated by a girl in heels," laughed Hestia, wiping away a tear. "Priceless."
Aurelian tried to maintain his composure, but a broad, amused smile curved his lips as he shook his head at the pathetic spectacle.
As other students flooded the dance floor, the music became more lively. Aurelian stood up and offered a hand to each of his betrotheds.
The rest of the night was a display of their love. Aurelian danced first with Flora, moving fluidly across the floor, their bodies close together, ignoring the rest of the world. Then it was Hestia's turn, sharing an equally close dance filled with intense glances between the two. As the night wore on, the three danced together, sharing the space, the laughter, and the deep connection that bound them, wrapped in their own bubble.
After midnight, fatigue began to set in. The students began to retreat to their common rooms.
Aurelian was walking through the Entrance Hall with the twins when a tall figure blocked their path.
Albus Dumbledore, looking impeccable in purple velvet robes and displaying his energetic appearance, gave them a serene smile.
"Aurelian, Misses Carrow. I hope you enjoyed the evening," said the headmaster. "I'm sorry to interrupt the end of your night, but I need Aurelian to accompany me to my office. It's a matter of some... importance."
Aurelian frowned slightly but nodded. He turned to look at Hestia and Flora.
"Go ahead to the dungeons. I'll see you in a little while."
Hestia pouted, but Flora took her hand. Before leaving, they both approached Aurelian, who gave each of them a long, deep kiss, completely unconcerned about the headmaster's presence.
As they walked through the dark corridors and up the moving stairs, Aurelian broke the silence.
"What do you need me for at this hour, Headmaster?" he asked calmly.
Dumbledore, walking beside him, simply smiled and winked.
"Let's just say you have visitors who have traveled from far away, Aurelian. You'll see."
They reached the stone gargoyle, which jumped aside without needing a password. They climbed the spiral staircase, and Dumbledore opened the door to his office.
The fire in the fireplace crackled warmly. Standing in front of the flames were two figures Aurelian hadn't seen in a very long time.
Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel.
When she saw him enter, Perenelle's wrinkled but lively face lit up. She walked quickly toward him and wrapped him in a tender, motherly embrace, kissing him on both cheeks.
"Aurelian, my boy!" exclaimed Perenelle, stepping back a little to look him up and down. "Just look at you. You've grown so much. You've become a real man."
Aurelian, whose usual coldness melted in front of his teachers and those he considered his grandparents, smiled at them with genuine warmth.
"I missed you," he admitted, hugging her back and then shaking Nicolas's hand firmly.
"And we missed you, boy," Nicolas replied, patting him on the shoulder.
As they parted, Aurelian's smile turned inquisitive.
"Why haven't I been able to visit you these summers? Your letters have been few and far between. I would have liked to receive some kind of information."
Nicolas and Perenelle exchanged a long look before turning to Dumbledore, who nodded slowly and approached his desk.
"Take a seat, Aurelian," said Nicolas, his tone becoming more serious.
Aurelian sat down in the chair in front of the desk. Nicolas leaned back in another chair, staring at him intently.
"You couldn't visit us because we weren't in France," explained the old alchemist. "Albus, this information also concerns you directly," he said, looking at the headmaster. "As you suspected, we've been traveling throughout most of Europe. Were busy investigating Grindelwald's former followers... and Gellert's own recent movements."
Aurelian tensed. The name Grindelwald always brought with it echoes of the war that threatened to break out at any moment.
Nicolas leaned forward, his golden eyes fixed seriously on Aurelian's, as if he were about to unearth a secret kept for centuries.
"Aurelian," Nicolas asked quietly, "what do you really know about your ancestors beyond Salazar Slytherin?"
Aurelian raised an eyebrow, feeling a chill run down his spine.
"I know what the books say," he replied cautiously. "What exactly do you mean, Nicolas?"
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