Aumellia let out a sigh as she watched the sun begin to set over the horizon from atop the Astronomy tower, casting an orange glare over the entirety of Hogwarts.

It had been a busy day for the witch, dealing with the end result of Professor Garlick's sudden decision to host a parents' day at the school, without the students' knowledge until well after the invitations were sent.

The reality of her Muggleborn heritage was always a source of insecurity for the young Slytherin, one that she didn't want to be known unless it was on her terms, and not those of some overrated weed-whacker.

Between casting a silencing spell over the Charms classroom to make sure no-one outside could hear her parents' amazed "ooooh's" and "aaaah's" at everything Magic-related and following along with Professor Garlick's tour of the castle while under the guise of a disillusionment spell while taking note of every student whose drink she'd have to spike with Forgetfulness Potion later, the Slytherin witch had had her work cut out for her.

Yet, as the sun began to set, and her parents were preparing to leave, it was not relief that washed over Aumellia in an awesome wave, rather it was a distinct sense of melancholy that darkened her mind.

She couldn't quite pinpoint the source of it, however. But it ran deep. As if something had been torn away from Hogwarts itself. Something valuable.

It wasn't long before the Slytherin witch found herself simply wandering the halls of the castle, with no real destination. Her brow peaked as she passed by the kitchens, noting that the cheese usually left by the door by the House Elves for the occasional rat was left entirely untouched.

Her wandering eventually led her to the battlements overlooking one of the castle's many courtyards. Leaning lazily upon the stone railing, the Slytherin smiled as she noted her younger sister, Laurie, who had somehow managed to act as a stowaway in a parents-only trip, playing with a couple of First Years.

It was to be expected. With any luck, Laurie would be getting her own Hogwarts owl over the Summer. And with the stories about Hogwarts Aumellia had told her over the Christmas break, it went without saying that the younger girl would want to see the place for herself.

The only thing to break her gaze away from the sight was a small rat who had climbed atop the railing and now found itself nibbling on the tips of the Slytherin's fingers.

With a smile and a quick swish and flick of her wand, Aumellia apparated a chunk of cheese from the delectable spreads kept in the Slytherin Common Room onto her hand, extending it to the rat., who takes it eagerly before scampering off with its prize, as delighted as a rat can be.

The Slytherin's smile widens just a little bit as she watches the rat disappear off into the distance before she's brought back to reality by a sudden burst of almost blinding light coming from the courtyard.

Reaching into her robe pocket, the Slytherin pulled out her enchanted sunglasses and put them on, allowing her to get a better look at what was the source of all that light.

Aumellia could -feel- the colour drain from her body as she watched Laurie holding a Hufflepuff First Year's wand up in the air, the excess energy making itself known in the form of a powerful, long-lasting gust of wind at the epicenter.

The sight snuffed the words from Aumellia's mouth. All except one.

"-Shit...."