March 1996
Lilith propped up her book, her eyebrows furrowing as she had to read the paragraph again, not believing her own eyes but was interrupted by a slight smack on her arm.
"Hey." she frowned down at Hermione laying with her head in her lap.
"You said you'd help me study." she pouted.
"I am helping you, it was just a very interesting part." her chuckle earned her another chuckle from Hermione.
"This is not funny, the O.W.L.s are in three months and I'm behind!"
"You're not behind, love." she ran her fingers through Hermione's hair, massaging her scalp gently. "Most of your classmates haven't even started studying. You're way ahead."
"Most, that means not everyone. Some of them started studying last year! I've heard Ernie Mcmillan..."
"Macmillan has a big mouth and ego, nothing else. The only reason he started studying last year was because he was so behind he thought he could catch up just enough to pass the O.W.L.s." Lilith smiled down at Hermione.
"Mione you have my notes and you went through them with lightning speed. You have nothing to worry about just as I've been telling you for a long time." she tucked a few strands behind Hermione's ear.
"Do you really think so?" Hermione bit her lip and looked up at Lilith.
"I know so." Lilith continued to run her fingers through Hermione's hair which seemed to help relax the younger witch. "You've just been under a lot of stress lately. The Potter's interview, your DADA club, the schoolwork with the O.W.L.s on top of it. All of that stress has been boiling inside of you, and that's why you doubt yourself. You need to relax, love." she had to smirk as the movement of her hand made Hermione close her eyes. She used that moment, carefully reached out and took Hermione's book from her hands, hiding behind her back.
"Hey, give it back!" Hermione's eyes snapped open and she tried to get up from her lying position but Lilith gently pushed her back.
"No studying, not right now. You are going to lay here and relax for a little bit before you get that book back."
"But Lili!"
"No. If you continue to go like that, you'll burn out and nobody wants that. So lay back down, close your eyes and just relax." Lilith started to run her fingers through her hair once again. Hermione pouted and crossed her arms over her chest defensively but her posture seemed to unwind the longer Lilith's continued to comb her hair. Eventually, they fell into peaceful silence until Lilith quietly started to hum.
"My funny valentine
Sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable
Yet you're my favourite work of art"
"That's a nice song." Hermione whispered, her eyes still closed. Lilith smiled sadly.
"My mum used to sing it to me." there was a small pause before Hermione eyes fluttered open, gazing up at Lilith softly.
"What was she like?" Lilith looked up from Hermione to look at the reddening sky.
"Well, in public, she had to be unwavering and strong, sometimes cold. Some people called her the ruthless Ice Queen." she chuckled. "But at home, she was the warmest person in the world. She always smiled and laughed, and loved to sing around the house. She always told us how much she loved us. Read us bedtime stories, and tucked us in at night. She never snapped at us or raised her voice, she was very gentle." she sighed. "She was perfect."
"Sounds like someone I know." Lilith shook her head and chuckled.
"No, I'm not my mum." she felt Hermione's hand slipping into hers, their fingers intertwining.
"Unwavering, cold, ruthless in public but warm, gentle, smiling and loving in private? From what you said, you sound a bit like her." Lilith's heart fluttered as she looked back at Hermione who was watching her, a gentle smile on her lips.
"You really think so?" she watched as Hermione brought their intertwined hands to her lips and kissed the back of her hand.
"I do." Lilith felt her eyes water a little bit so she quickly turned her head and reached behind her, pulling out Hermione's copy of History of Magic, and plopping it back into Hermione's lap.
"Alright, back to studying, Granger." Hermione chuckled and left another small kiss on the back of Lilith's hand before dropping it and opening her book again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
April 1996
Hermione closed her eyes as she tried to think of her happiest memory. She had a few that could qualify. Winning her first math competition in primary school. Getting her Hogwarts letter. Becoming friends with Harry and Ron. But when she properly thought about it, all of her latest happiest memories centred around Lilith. Lilith kissing her at Yule Ball. Lilith asking her to be her girlfriend. Their secret moments in corridors and Astronomy Tower. Their first time together. All of those were her happiest memories.
Hermione smiled as she held those memories in her mind. "Expecto Patronum." she whispered and opened her eyes, watching in awe as silver otter formed out of her wand, shining so brightly it almost blinded her as it started to swim around in the air, making a few others around her gap at her in awe.
"Brilliant, Hermione! Absolutely brilliant!" Harry called to her, smiling widely as he watched the otter.
"Expecto Patronum." she heard next to her and watched as a silver eagle formed in the air and started soaring through the Room of Requirement. She turned towards the voice and saw Aveline laughing, almost jumping on the spot as she watched her Patronus with pride. Hermione bit her lip to stop herself from smiling as she shuffled closer to Aveline.
"Your sister has the same one, you know?" she watched as Aveline's smile fell.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Hermione chuckled and shook her head.
"No. It's the same one." Aveline groaned and threw her head back dramatically.
"How? Can't this just be..." Aveline stopped mid-sentence as she saw something on the other side of the room. "Not you too?!" she yelled out, catching the attention of people around. When Hermione lifted her eyes, she watched as Aveline's eagle was joined by another that just came out of Sebastian's wand. But Sebastian just shrugged his shoulders, giving his sister a bright smile.
Hermione continued to watch the two eagles soaring through the air. How was that possible? Three siblings with exactly the same Patronuses? Her eyes met Harry's who too was watching the the silver eagles. By his expression, he was too taken aback. Clearly, he has never heard about anything like that happening.
"Harry, I think I'm doing it!" Hermione heard Seamus yell out. "Look — ah — it's gone. . . . But it was definitely something hairy, Harry!" suddenly the laughter and yells stopped when the door of the room opened and closed. Hermione turned around and her heart nearly stopped, her otter immediately disappeared. Lilith was standing right in front of Harry, with her signature serious expression that made everyone around them stop what they were doing.
"Potter, you need to get out of here, all of you!" she heard her stern voice.
"What are you talking about?"
"She knows! Potter, she knows!"
"Umbridge?" asked Harry, horrified.
"Who do you think I'm talking about?! She's coming!" Lilith turned around to look at the people around the room. "All of you need to get out now-" her voice died when her eyes finally found Hermione. Well, not Hermione. She was not looking at her but at the person next to Hermione. Aveline.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." she watched her almost whisper as her look moved from Aveline to search the room further, finding Sebastian in the crowd. Lastly, her eyes moved to Hermione who could feel her chest tightening. The look of pure betrayal and anger stung her so deeply that someone might've actually put a dagger into her heart.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed. "RUN!"
Hermione was aware of the people running towards the exit but she was still in a trance, vaguely aware of Harry pushing her forward as all three Farrow siblings got lost in the crowd forming at the Room's exit. Once out, Hermione broke into a sprint, rushing down the corridor, hearing yells and screams coming from the other side.
She was just about to turn the corner when a hand came out of nowhere and pulled her through the fake wall. Hermione was gasping for breath as she leaned against the wall behind her. But as she finally took in her surroundings, her heart sank. It was a small stone stairwell leading down, probably to another floor. On the two steps a little bit down, she could see Aveline and Sebastian sitting next to each other, and right on the step in front of her, she watched as very angry Lilith glared at her with the coldest look she had ever received from her.
"Lili I..." but Lilith cut her off with her hand and stepped closer, almost pinning her to the wall. She was so close that the scent of roses and cigarettes once again enveloped her.
"I asked you one thing. One. Thing. Hermione!" Hermione's eyes were on the floor, unable to look Lilith in the eye.
"Lilith we..." Aveline tried to speak up but Lilith whipped her head around, immediately cutting her off with her look.
"I'll deal with you two later so right now, shut it!" her attention turned back to Hermione.
"I asked you one thing. I trusted you. Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Hermione nervously lifted her eyes but meeting Lilith's was a mistake. The betrayal, the hurt, the anger, the frustration. She could see it all so clearly it almost made her cry. "I was hoping that you respect me enough to respect my wishes. I told you, I specifically told you about my worries. I put my trust in you when it came to them. And you broke it like it was nothing." Hermione's eyes watered at Lilith's words. They cut through her like a knife through butter.
"So from now on, don't even speak to me. Don't go near me." Hermione felt her tears finally fall down her cheeks. "I can't even look at you right now. I need to go." without sparing Hermione another look, she went through the fake wall back into the corridor.
Hermione closed her eyes and fell back against the wall, sliding down as she let her tears run freely. She heard some shuffling and soon a warm body slid down next to her.
"Hermione," she heard Aveline's quiet voice but shook her head, unable to speak as she tried to process the sudden hole forming in her chest, ripping through her so painfully it almost made her choke. She felt two arms wrapping around her, so similar to Lilith that it made her cry even harder as Aveline hugged her tighter. Soon, another pair joined them, this time larger and stronger. Sebastian.
Hermione didn't know how long she sat there in the hidden staircase, wrapped in the arms of the two Farrows but it didn't matter. The hole in her heart couldn't be soothed by anything.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
May 1996
Aveline was in a slump. Ever since Lilith crashed the DA meeting, and found them there, she held her on a very tight leash, making it almost impossible for her to do anything. She couldn't participate in the magnificent firework display she planned with the twins and Lee, and could only say a quick goodbye to them before they fled the school.
She hoped that Lilith and Hermione would make up soon but neither of them made a move. They didn't break up, not officially at least. But it felt like a break-up. Whenever she saw Hermione, she was buried under so many books that they could fill entire shelves in the library. She felt sad for her friend. She and Lilith were good for each other, and it clearly pained them to be apart. Lilith's mood was even worse. Ever since her break-up/no-break-up with Hermione, she has been moodier, colder, and stricter. She was a pain in the ass for Aveline. But she took the small liberties she had. For example, she helped Lee smuggle Nifflers into Umbridge's cabinet, taking pride in the chaos they anonymously caused for the newly appointed Headmistress. Or flying on her broom over the school grounds at any chance she got.
To her surprise, Professor Flitwick wasn't as disappointed during their career advice meeting as she thought.
"Miss Farrow, have you thought about what you would like to do after you leave Hogwarts?"
"Quidditch."
"Quidditch?"
"I want to play it professionally, yes."
"Are you certain?
"100%" there was a long pause and a sigh.
"You are very strong in Defense, Charms, Potions and Transfiguration. How about continuing with them next year? Just for safety."
"Whatever makes you happy, Professor."
"I think we are done here."
Not as disappointed as she thought he would be. Perhaps her school record spoke for her.
It calmed her a little bit. Contrary to her classmates, she wasn't worried about O.W.L.s. She knew that her knowledge was sufficient enough to pass the subjects she wanted to pass and Lilith made it clear that she didn't hold any expectations for her results so could freely busy herself with anything she wanted.
Did she feel bad that her idea of being busy included the fact that she basically broke into her sister's room and stole a few vials from her trunk? Maybe but not particularly. What really dimmed her mood was the fact that none of those vials had labels. Which is why she was wandering around the library, hoping that she would find who she was looking for. And she did.
Hermione sat at one of the tables in the back with stacks of books all around her, crouched over several pieces of parchments with a quill in her hand.
"Hey." she clearly surprised her because Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat at the sound of her voice but calmed down once she saw Aveline.
"Hi, Avy." she tried to smile but Aveline clearly saw that the smile didn't reach her eyes. As she pulled out a chair and sat next to the witch, she saw the bags under her eyes.
"How are you doing?" it was a stupid question but she felt like she needed to ask.
"Managing." Aveline looked around the workspace.
"Yeah, I can see that." she pulled up her book bag. "How about a quick break from studying but not really a break, more like a quick Potions pop quiz?" she gave Hermione her best charming smile but Hermione eyed her warily.
"Explain?"
"I have potions, maybe not really potions but none of them are labelled so I don't really know, and I thought 'Who is the smartest person I know that could help me?'" she batted her eyes at Hermione but it didn't work.
"Why don't you ask," she heard the small pause and a gulp from Hermione. "Your sister." Aveline chuckled nervously.
"You see, that's the funny thing." Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I may or may not have got these from her trunk."
"Aveline!"
"What?"
"That's an invasion of privacy. Why would you do that?"
"I was bored."
"You stole those from her trunk because you were bored?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Aveline took the steps by three as she sprinted to the top of the Astronomy Tower. She couldn't think, almost couldn't breathe and was sure that Sebastian was hot on her heel but thanks to her lifelong passion for Quidditch, she was in better shape and reached the other end of the castle before her brother even got to the bottom of the steps from their common room.
She knew Lilith would be there, courtesy of Hermione who let it slip that one-time. And surely, she found her. As she barged through the door, she found her sister standing there with her back turned towards her and a cigarette held in her left hand. But once she heard the door opening, she turned around, shooting Aveline a confused, puzzled look.
"Avy? What…?" but Aveline didn't let her finish. Instead, she slammed the door shut behind her, stepping forward with her fists clenched.
"I know."
"Know what?" Aveline felt the rage bubbling inside her as Lilith nonchalantly continued to smoke in front of her.
"I know what you did."
"You should be a little bit specific." Aveline couldn't take it anymore.
"I know about the Foxglove, Lilith!" she yelled and could feel tears stinging in her eyes. But Lilith didn't look shocked or horrified. She looked almost unbothered.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She shrugged and let out a small cloud of smoke.
"Contrary to what you think, I'm not stupid Lilith!"
"I didn't say you're stupid. I just don't know where you're going with this." Aveline wanted to scream on the top of her lungs when Lilith turned around, showing her her back once again, so she lunged at her, gripping her shoulder tightly and forcibly turning her back to face her. Lilith's expression didn't change, it was still as blank as before. No show of emotion whatsoever. Aveline's anger mixed with her sadness as she could feel the tears already running down her cheeks. Was she always like this and Aveline simply ignored it? Was she always so heartless and only put on a facade?
"The Foxglove, Lilith. I found it in your trunk." No show of emotion once again. She even dared to take another drag from her cigarette so Aveline snatched it mid-air and threw the cigarette on the ground, stomping on it.
"I asked your girlfriend what it was and she told me. Foxglove. A paralytic that could simulate a heart attack with no trace. A heart attack." She watched intensely for any sort of emotion in Lilith's eyes but there was none. "Look me in the eye and tell me, please tell me," she pleaded weakly, her last hope for her sister hanging by a thread.
"Tell me that you didn't use it on our dad." Lilith was silent. She took a step away from Aveline, looking out towards the Forbidden Forest. The silence was killing her.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Aveline froze on the spot. She could feel the coldness everywhere. It gripped her neck, pooled from her stomach to her chest, and ran through her veins. Everything she ever thought about her sister shattered with that sentence. Even though they didn't agree on some things, Lilith was a solid constant in her life. Her rock, her shield. Her protective older sister who taught her how to fly on a broom. A companion to annoy that still comforted her and took care of her. She felt like the rose-tinted glasses were suddenly snatched from her face and for the first time, she viewed Lilith like the rest of the school. She saw the ruthlessness, the coldness, she felt the fear and dread as she watched her standing there stoickly as if she hadn't just confessed to a murder.
"You had everything." She whispered, her voice cracking. "He spent more time with you than with us. You were the heir. You were already supposed to inherit everything." She didn't bother to wipe the tears from her cheeks, letting them run and freely fall on her white shirt. Lilith's head turned back towards her. The absence of emotion on her face was a trigger for another wave of anger in Aveline.
"Were you so power-hungry and greedy that you just had to have it now?!" she hit Lilith's shoulder. She knew she was strong and was sure that the hit would leave a bruise but she didn't care.
"You murdered our dad!" another hit but Lilith didn't even flinch.
"Say something!" another hit. This finally got Lilith to react but to Aveline's horror, she didn't cry, she didn't yell, she didn't plead. She chuckled. It wasn't a heartfelt or dry chuckle that usually came out of her. This one was cold and sinister. The one that sent shivers down Aveline's spine.
"What do you want me to say, darling?" she stepped closer. "That I'm sorry? Because I'm not."
Something snapped in Aveline. In one moment she was standing inches away from Lilith and in another, she was tackling her to the ground, her fists coming down in an almost maniacal tempo, hitting every part of Lilith that was in her reach. Her chest, her arms, her face. Everything. She didn't even care, her rage blinded her, sending her into a trance where she just landed a hit after a hit.
"Aveline!" she heard a yell but continued in her beating until two strong arms literally ripped her away from Lilith, dragging her back.
"Avy, stop!" Sebastian's desperate voice made her finally snap out of her trance. Her vision cleared and she could finally see the damage she had done. Lilith laid on the ground, wheezing with blood running out of her nose, mouth and cut eyebrow. She looked down and saw that her hands were covered in crimson. Lilith's blood. But she didn't care. Her rage was gone with her trance. She knew she was still crying but she didn't care. Maybe she was in shock but she didn't care as she turned around and looked at her brother. Horror was written all over his face as his eyes travelled between Aveline and Lilith.
"She confessed, Seb. She did it. She killed him." she could see the shock and disbelief mixing with that horror.
"What?" he whispered as he watched Lilith laying on the ground.
"She just told me. She murdered him, Seb." she took advantage of his shock and wiggled out of his arms, walking towards Lilith. As she towered over her, she took in the damage she had done. Lilith looked up to her, her bruised eyes half closed.
"You're not my sister. You're a monster, Lilith." She hissed, glaring at her with all the rage and anger she ever felt.
"I hate you." she didn't spare Lilith another look and turned back around, grabbing Sebastian's hand and dragging him away from the scene. She didn't care about Lilith making it to the Hospital wing, she didn't care if she was okay. Lilith was officially dead to her. Her sister was officially dead to her, no matter the name or blood they shared. The girl she left bleeding on the ground of the Astronomy Tower, was not her sister, but a monster she never wished she knew.