When Your Parents Tell You Bedtime Stories

24

Rigel entered the Slytherin common room, untying his tie in frustration. He'd only made it a few steps in when he stopped at the sight in front of him. The pair of interlocked lovers seemed unaware of his presence and Rigel sulked quietly up to his room. Slamming the door behind him, he fell onto his bed.

So much had happened lately and Rigel was sick of it all. Draco Malfoy falling in love with a Gryffindor-well that was something he couldn't change. The fact that Persephone had been kidnapped and locked in a room with Achernar drove him insane, especially when she wouldn't tell him any detail of what happened. And now he knew...he just knew she had been sneaking around with that sodding Gryffindor. At least, he had known until five minutes ago. Persephone-he finally understood how he felt about her-had been snogging the Quidditch Captain. Rigel, not one to cry, was already vowing for revenge. After all that had happened Rigel was sure he could still count on Aludra...until he found her sucking Bobby Weasley's face off in the closet.

Rigel sighed in frustration and closed his eyes. He could still see the pleading look in her eyes, the worried tone in her voice as she called for him to come back, and the orb of innocence that no longer surrounded her. And that bastard...he had just stood there smirking!! Talk about noble Gryffindors.

No, nothing was working out anymore. Rigel just wanted to forget it all. But, more importantly, he just wanted to teach all those traitors a lesson. Sitting up quickly and opening his eyes, Rigel fled to his trunk and started rummaging through it. The book he came up with wasn't going to be enough. Rigel would need the restricted section of the library.

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"Aludra...I...."

"Shut it, Weasley." Aludra Spica straightened her clothing and replaced the satisfied smile on her face with a smirk. "It was fun." She turned away and started down the hallway.

"Spica...wait!" Bobby desperately called after her. "You know, don't you?"

"Know what?" Aludra asked, turning back around with a look as sharp as daggers.

"That we're not the only one's in this situation."

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He couldn't sleep again. Especially not now-not after seeing her again. She was the face he fell asleep to...when he could. Mirach stared into the common room fire, finding himself at a loss. He knew the story of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy like the back of his hand after weeks of desperate letters to his mother for knowledge. He knew everything there was to know about the truth of Persephone Granger. He thought he had known it all. But, it was time he woke up to reality.

No matter how much fire there had been in her eyes as he had descriptively told the stories of Hermione Granger and no matter how big of a shove fate seemed to be giving them, he knew it just wasn't meant to be. Mirach could never have Persephone Granger and he just had to face that fact.

The portrait opened, revealing his best friend Bobby Weasley, disheveled and out of breath. Mirach didn't need to ask where he had been-he knew. Like he said, he knew everything.

"Truth is the last thing she needs more of," Mirach spoke before his friend could voice his concern.

"You always need truth, Mirach."

"Why?"

"Because look what years of lies did." Bobby sat down on the couch near Mirach and stared longingly into the fire. "Aludra believes she feels the same way." Mirach didn't respond. "What are you afraid of?"

"Being wrong."