Chapter: The end of Thrid year

The final morning of Maddie's third year at Hogwarts began like any other — a stretch, a yawn, and the familiar chill of the dungeon walls brushing against her skin. She dressed carefully, smoothing her green-and-silver tie into place, her mind already drifting to the day ahead.

As she stepped onto the spiral staircase leading down from the girls' dormitory, footsteps suddenly came from above. She looked up just in time to see Adrian descending, his hair slightly mussed, his tie crooked, his uniform untidy in a way that suggested he hadn't just woken up in his own room.

Maddie froze, her hand resting on the banister. Adrian stopped a few steps above her, his expression caught for only a heartbeat before he plastered on his usual easy grin.

"Hi," he said smoothly, as though nothing at all were strange about finding him on the girls' side of the dormitories.

Her brows furrowed, suspicion lacing her tone. "Why were you up here? You know this is the girls' staircase."

Adrian gave a half-shrug, his smirk never faltering. "Relax, Maddie. I was just... taking the long way down. Thought maybe we could head to breakfast together."

Maddie didn't answer right away. She noticed the skewed tie, the undone collar, the careless look in his clothes. She noticed, but she chose silence, slipping past him down the steps without another word.

He fell into stride beside her anyway, humming under his breath, as though nothing were out of place.

When they reached the Great Hall, Adrian peeled away immediately, joining his friends with a laugh thrown over his shoulder. Maddie sat alone at the far end of the Slytherin table. She poured herself tea and buttered a slice of toast with deliberate calmness, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling still lingering from the stairwell encounter.

Before she could take a bite, the hall erupted into noise. The Gryffindor table had burst into excited shouts, students crowding around Harry Potter and a gleaming new broomstick someone had gifted him. Within moments, the Gryffindors were stampeding outside to see him fly, their excitement echoing even as the doors slammed shut behind them.

Maddie stayed where she was, her gaze lowered to her plate. She lifted her toast at last and took a slow bite, savoring the quiet that followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The train hissed as Maddie hauled her trunk into the empty compartment. She pushed it onto the rack above her head with a soft grunt before settling into the corner seat. She had the whole space to herself. The quiet was a welcome change from the crowded corridors outside.

From her satchel, she drew out a copy of the Daily Prophet. The ink smudged faintly against her fingertips as she unfolded it, the moving photograph of a gaunt, hollow-eyed man glaring out from the front page.

SIRIUS BLACK STILL NOT FOUND.

Maddie's stomach tightened. Her thoughts flickered back—unbidden—to that night, that brief and chilling moment when their eyes had met across the shadows. The memory of his gaze clung to her like a whisper she couldn't quite shake.

The compartment door rattled open, breaking her reverie. Maddie looked up to see her roommate from Slytherin, flanked by two other girls. The roommate's eyes darted to Maddie, then around the empty space.

"Oh—this one's taken," she said quickly, tugging at the other girls' sleeves. "Maybe we should find another."

Maddie opened her mouth, the words You can sit here on the tip of her tongue, but they never came out. For reasons she couldn't explain, she let the door close again, sealing herself back into solitude.

The silence returned, heavier than before. She let the newspaper slide shut and rested her head against the cool glass of the window. Outside, the countryside blurred past in streaks of green and gold.

Her thoughts wandered, not to Sirius this time, but to the book in the Restricted Section. The one her father's key had promised her. She hadn't managed to reach it this year. Too many nights spent caught up in other distractions, too many close calls.

Next year, she thought with quiet determination, her hand curling around the key hidden deep in her pocket. Next year I'll get it.

When...

Professor Lupin came bursting through the compartment door, slightly out of breath."Oh—sorry," he said quickly, straightening. "I thought this one was empty. Are you waiting for your friends?"

Maddie shook her head, a little startled but smiling softly."Oh no. I'm all alone. You can sit here."

Lupin gave her a grateful look and slipped into the seat across from her. After a moment, his hand went to his pocket. He pulled out a small piece of chocolate and offered it to her."Here—trust me, it helps with train rides."

Maddie accepted it with a small grin."Thank you."

The air wasn't heavy, but silence still lingered. A good twenty minutes passed before Lupin spoke again."And what will you do for the summer,Miss Oldkey?"

She folded her hands in her lap, her eyes flickering to the passing countryside outside."I'll probably study... and help my mother in the garden. Same as every summer."

Lupin's gaze softened. He lowered his head slightly, as though something weighed on him. (Because he knew her father. They had been good friends once. Maddie, however, didn't know that truth.)

After a pause, Maddie tilted her head."I heard you won't return to Hogwarts next year... is that true?"

"Yes," Lupin admitted quietly. "I won't be a teacher anymore."

She wanted to ask more, but her lips pressed shut. And yet, something in her urged the words out."...Is it because you're a werewolf?"

Lupin froze. Slowly, he looked at her, a spark of surprise and wry amusement in his eyes."You're quite clever," he murmured. "How did you figure it out?"

Maddie lowered her voice, steady but kind."Because the night after we had an essay on werewolves... it was a full moon. And you weren't teaching."

His lips curled into a smile. "Very observant. Smarter than most adults." He thought of her father then—and the sharp mind she had inherited from him.

The tension eased, and their conversation flowed more freely after that. Maddie asked him about werewolves, about the dangers of the Dark Arts, about what might be waiting in the coming year. He answered with patience, sometimes amused at her curiosity, sometimes grave at her sharp questions.

When the train finally screeched to a halt, Lupin stood."Goodbye, Miss Oldkey, have a great summer" he said gently, with a bow of his head.

She rose, gathering her luggage."You to, Professor."

As she stepped into the corridor and down onto the platform, Maddie paused for a moment, breathing in the cool evening air.

~~~~~~~~~

Maddie scanned the sea of students and parents on the platform until her eyes finally found her mother's. Mary was standing there, smiling so brightly that Maddie felt her chest ache with love. She adored her mother. After her father's death, the bond between them had only deepened — her mom wasn't just a parent, but her confidante, her inspiration, her very best friend.

Maddie rushed forward, dragging her luggage behind her, and threw herself into her mother's arms. They hugged tightly, as if they hadn't seen each other in years."Oh, ma chère fille, tu m'as manqué," Mary whispered against her hair.

"Moi aussi, maman," Maddie replied softly, in French, her eyes glistening.

They quickly Apparated and landed in the grand hall of their mansion, Maddie already felt the heaviness of school lifting off her shoulders.

"Go relax and unpack, darling," Mary said, brushing a hand against her daughter's cheek. "I'll set dinner. I am making your favourite dessert."

Maddie smiled at that, then climbed the grand staircase to the second floor. She walked down the hallway, past framed paintings of French landscapes and family portraits, until she reached her sanctuary — her room.

The door creaked open to reveal her cozy, France-inspired haven: clean white walls with elegant molding, tall windows draped with soft curtains, and a balcony overlooking the gardens. Shelves by the window held photos, little trinkets, and well-loved books, with a small sitting area perfect for reading on rainy days. On the left stood her bed, its cotton sheets freshly washed and carrying the faint scent of lavender. A pair of lamps glowed warmly on her bedside tables.

To the right, a marble bathroom gleamed, its rose-gold accents catching the light, the bathtub set right beneath a window for long, thoughtful evenings. Beyond it, her walk-in closet opened in shades of soft white and cashmere. By the wall of the room stood a large desk and chair, above which hung one of her mother's paintings — their backyard bursting with flowers in every color. A pale rug lay spread across the floor, tying everything together.

Maddie breathed it all in. It smelled like safety, like home.

_________________

Mei here,

A long chapter today.. No Draco today or maybe for a little while... but be patient beca there will be a big surprise by the end of summer break for them 😉.

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