Fated in Green

(Rosalie)

Defense Against the Dark Arts felt heavier than usual, the tension in the room so thick it was almost suffocating. Professor Umbridge stood at the front of the classroom, her ever-present smug smile curling unnervingly as she finished her lecture on "the proper use of magic."

"Before you all leave," she said, her voice as sweet and fake as her pink cardigan, "I have an important announcement."

I exchanged a wary glance with Estella, who was sitting beside me. Theo, on her other side, was absently spinning his quill between his fingers, his jaw tightening as he watched Umbridge with obvious disdain.

"As you all know," Umbridge continued, clasping her hands in front of her, "discipline and order are critical to a successful education. And to ensure these values are upheld, I am introducing a new... initiative."

Her eyes glinted dangerously, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"I am forming the Inquisitorial Squad—a select group of students who will assist me in maintaining the rules and reporting... undesirable behavior."

The room erupted into murmurs, but one sharp cough from Umbridge silenced everyone instantly.

"I have chosen the first members myself," she said, her gaze sweeping across the room like a hawk.

Estella tensed beside me, her green eyes narrowing as we waited.

"Miss Parkinson."

Pansy froze, her usual smug expression faltering for a split second before she stood. She shot Umbridge a tight smile, but as she passed us, her eyes darted toward Estella, looking oddly apologetic.

"Mr. Malfoy."

Draco groaned audibly but rose to his feet with all the grace and arrogance he could muster. He adjusted his tie loosely, glaring at the back of Umbridge's head as he made his way to the front.

"Miss Bullstrode."

Millicent Bullstrode lumbered forward, her heavy footsteps echoing in the silent room.

"And Miss Perks."

Sally-Anne Perks—a quiet Ravenclaw girl—stood hesitantly, looking like she'd rather sink into the floor than stand at the front of the classroom.

"That will be all for now," Umbridge said with a tight smile. "Those selected, please remain after class. The rest of you are dismissed."

-

The second we were out of the classroom, the tension exploded.

"This is bad," Blaise said, his voice unusually sharp.

"No," Theo corrected, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "This is a bloody disaster."

"I mean, did you see the look on Malfoy's face?" Estella muttered, glancing over her shoulder as we made our way toward the dungeons. "Even he didn't want to be part of this."

"He's probably worried his perfect hair won't survive the power trip," Theo muttered, earning a faint laugh from me despite the unease swirling in my chest.

But it was Mattheo who surprised me the most. He had been unusually quiet, his hands shoved deep into his pockets and his gaze fixed firmly ahead. Normally, he'd be smirking or throwing in a sarcastic comment, but now he looked... distracted. Almost flustered.

"Mattheo?" I said softly, nudging his arm as we walked. "You okay?"

He startled slightly, glancing at me with wide eyes before quickly looking away. "Fine," he mumbled, his voice unusually stiff.

I frowned, confused by his sudden shift in behavior.

-

We reconvened in the common room, the air thick with frustration as we gathered around the fireplace.

"We could use this to our advantage," Estella said, her green eyes flashing with determination.

"How?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.

If they're going to spy for her," Estella said, her voice sharp and determined, "we can use that to spy on her."

"You mean sabotage," Theo said, his voice sharp.

"Call it what you want," she replied, not missing a beat.

"Sabotage," Mattheo said, smirking. "I like it."

"Of course you do," I said, rolling my eyes.

-

Pansy and Draco arrived shortly after, both of them looking more annoyed than triumphant.

"Spare me the comments," Pansy said immediately, flopping onto the couch. "I didn't ask for this."

"Neither did I," Draco muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Do you have any idea how much I hate that woman?"

"Then why accept it?" Theo asked, his voice sharp as he crossed his arms.

"Because refusing wasn't an option," Draco snapped. "If we said no, we'd have targets on our backs. It's better to stay close to her and figure out what she's planning."

"That's actually smart," Estella admitted, nodding thoughtfully.

"Thank you, Black," Draco drawled, though his tone lacked its usual sarcasm.

"Great," Theo muttered, leaning back in his chair. "Now we have spies spying on spies. What could possibly go wrong?"

As the conversation shifted toward forming a plan, I felt someone sit beside me. Turning, I saw Enzo, his dark eyes warm as he leaned in slightly.

"You're awfully quiet," he said, smiling faintly.

"Just thinking," I replied.

"About?"

"About how this is going to backfire spectacularly," I admitted, earning a soft laugh from him.

"You're probably right," he said, his grin widening. "But you've got a good head for this kind of thing. I'm sure we'll figure it out."

His hand brushed against mine briefly as he reached for a piece of parchment, and I felt my cheeks flush. I glanced away, hoping he wouldn't notice.

Mattheo, however, did notice. He was sitting across the room, his hazel eyes dark as they flicked between me and Enzo.

-

Meanwhile, Theo was still glaring at Estella, his frustration practically radiating off him.

"What's your problem?" she asked finally, her voice low but steady.

"My problem?" Theo repeated, his green eyes narrowing. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that you're so good at pretending I don't exist."

Estella froze, her expression softening slightly. "Theo, I—"

"No," he interrupted, standing abruptly. "Forget it. I'm not doing this right now."

She watched him go, guilt flickering in her eyes.