Ravenclaw's Shadow

Chapter 31

"Aurelia!"

I ignore Georgiana's call and duck into a nearby classroom,spelling the door locked behind me.

I've been avoiding her and George for the past week and a half,hiding away in the library or various little nooks and crannies I'vefound around the school. I've become very good at avoiding them. The irony of last year being forced to avoid them and this year choosingto do it has not been lost on me.

I heard Georgiana trying to open the door and hurry over to thewindow. I open it and look down. It's about a three story drop, butI've been practising a spell that slows my fall. I climb out so that I'm balancing on the ledge outside the window, take a deep breath andjump just as I hear the door open behind me. I feel my fall slowingand land a little harder than I would have liked, but not hard enough to cause any damage. I hurry around the corner in case shelooks out after me and sigh. This is getting harder and harder.

I adjust my bag on my shoulder and walk out into the grounds,heading for the forest. I haven't slept in the dormitory for ages,preferring to sleep in an old office I found. The bed is dusty and everything smells damp, but it feeds into my plan of avoidance. Whichprobably isn't the healthiest way to address an issue.

I walk toward Hagrid's hut and check my watch. I'm a little latefor my lesson, but I'm sure Hagrid won't mind. He's probably caughtup with the skrewts.

I leave my lesson with Hagrid nursing a few small burns and anintense hatred of those creatures. I trudge up to the castle fordinner feeling twice as disgruntled as I did this morning. I sit downnext to Lucas and he turns away from his friends.

"Good lesson?" he asks. I shake my head and start eating.

"George spent all day outside Ravenclaw tower," Lucas says,"if you're going to dump him, at least let him know."

"Mffm mfmmfmff."

"Try to swallow before speaking," he laughs. I chew hard,trying to get my mouth clear.

"I said I don't know what I'm going to do," I sigh, "I justdon't know."

"Oh, come on, Aurelia," Lucas says, "you fought to be withhim all last year and now you're just going to throw it away?"

"That was before..."

"Before you found out he drinks?"

"Before he hurt me."

"He didn't mean to, you know that," Lucas says.

"That's a slippery slope," I say, "he didn't mean to hurt mywrist, he didn't meant to break my nose, he didn't mean to cut myhead off and burn my body."

Lucas raises an eyebrow slowly.

"And what about Georgiana?" I point out, "what she said."

"What she said was bitchy, but I think the reason it hurt somuch is because you know it's true," he says, "not saying thatyou deserved it! You work so hard for your grades, you hardly evertake a break, maybe they're just feeling a bit neglected."

"That's not my fault!" I exclaim, "my parents-"

"I know!" Lucas interrupts, "I know you have a lot ofpressure on you. All I'm saying is maybe you need to think about howthey feel. You put school work before them nearly every time."

"But-"

"I'm not arguing with you!" he says, "it's just something tothink about."

"Yeah, thanks," I mutter, picking my bag up and slinging itover my shoulder, "let me just go and contemplate my self-loathinga little more."