CHAPTER FIVE

Despite the time spent with his best mates, Teddy had made no headway in gathering any information about the troublesome Slytherin girl who seemed to capture his attention.

One question that lingered in Teddy's mind was why he had all of a sudden become intrigued by the female, given the fact that they had never previously crossed paths over the years.

Although they had classes together, Teddy realized that they had never actually spoken to each other. This realization only added to his curiosity and confusion, as he struggled to understand why the female suddenly occupied his thoughts so much.

Neither of them shared any mutual friends, and their families were unrelated, so there was no apparent connection between them. This should have meant that they would continue without any interaction, yet something inexplicably drew Teddy towards the girl.

However, things changed significantly for Teddy when he caught a glimpse of the female as she hurried past him, like a spectre that seemed to glide effortlessly through the air. To his eyes, she resembled a figure in flight, free and without restraint.

As Teddy watched the female figure hasten down the hall, time seemed to slow down, and he was completely absorbed in the sight before him. It was only when the moment had passed that he realized he had been entranced by her fleeting presence, unable to pull his gaze away.

Teddy noticed how her hair billowed behind her, and he caught a whiff of both strawberries and mint in his nostrils, a unique combination that somehow fit her.

The jarring contact from someone in the hallway snapped Teddy back into reality, jolting him out of his momentary daze. He was almost bewildered at the fact that it took such a physical nudge to bring him back to the present as if he had been ensnared in a profound hypnosis.

"There she goes again," he heard someone mutter next to him. Turning his attention to the two Slytherin females standing nearby, Teddy witnessed them watching the very same girl who had captured his interest only moments before.

The words "I wonder what she and her mob of misfits are up to now" echoed through Teddy's ears, and to his own surprise, he found himself approaching the two Slytherin females, driven by a force he didn't fully comprehend.

"By any chance, were you referring to the girl who just passed by?" Teddy inquired with a gentle tone, causing the Slytherin females to turn towards the renowned Hufflepuff who had managed to captivate the hearts of girls in their year, becoming a subject of much gossip and admiration.

It seemed as though Teddy had inherited a trait from both his parents - an endearing obliviousness to his own surroundings. It was almost amusing to consider that this trait could be considered a genetic attribute, and it certainly wasn't without its share of irony.

One of the Slytherin girls spoke up in a haughty tone, her words dripping with an arrogant air that caused Teddy to almost wince at the sound of it. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of her yet," she stated, her voice conveying a clear sense of disdain and condescension directed towards the mysterious girl he couldn't help but find intriguing.

"Her name is Aviana Moon," the other girl added while running her fingers through her hair. "Honestly, I wonder if her parents are ashamed of her behaviour."

Her companion snorted in response and added, "Well, she is the offspring of parents who gave birth during the war. It wouldn't surprise me if her biological parents were associated with that side, since her adopted mother, Parkinson, was a known Death Eater."

The first girl chuckled and sneered, "Ah yes, Parkinson. I'm still baffled as to why those people are allowed to walk free."

Teddy's frown deepened at the girls' idle gossip, and he shifted the conversation to address their comments. "With the way she is?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

The girls shared a look of astonishment, unable to believe that the male before them appeared to have no knowledge of Aviana's reputation. It was a mix of humour and trepidation that he seemed so utterly oblivious to her status among the student body, even if it was not a reputation she had sought after.

"She and her group are known for causing trouble for others," the first girl continued, her tone laced with disdain. "Oddly enough, they don't typically socialize together, but sometimes, you can spot them meeting up one by one. I'm not entirely sure what they get up to, but people often refer to them as the 'Troublemakers.' However, Moon tends to be the main instigator, so we usually call her 'Trouble Moon' and her companions the 'Go-Fers.'"

Teddy excused himself from the girls after they began to laugh derisively, his distaste for their snobbish behaviour growing by the minute. He couldn't help but feel the need to cleanse himself, disgusted by their air of superiority and self-importance. He had no desire to linger in the presence of such narcissists, so he bid farewell and walked away.

As Teddy walked away, his thoughts were still preoccupied by the conversation he had just overheard- thoughts of Aviana Moon consuming his mind. The girl's description of her as a troublemaker had only served to fuel Teddy's curiosity even further, and he wondered what kind of person she truly was.