vingt-deux

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     Despite the weeks passing Arabella found it harder for the tightness in her throat to go away. November had flown by in a blur, and in the blink of an eye, it was mid-December. Several feet of snow had fallen from the pale grey sky, and the lake froze solid. But the cold didn't quite hit her as hard as the silver envelope on her bed. 

It was short and to the point. 

Don't come home. 

     It made her chest feel hollow, her hearing fading out as the letter fell from her shaky fingers. She wouldn't be seeing Cetus. She'd be alone. She felt her face become hot, her jaw clenching tightly, she was about to cry. 

In an instant, her hearing returned with the closing of the door. Snapping her head towards the noise her steely eyes met Roan Ply, the exchange student from Ilvermorny.  

     "If you're going to cry please leave." the teal-haired girl said with a cold tone. Arabella's eyes widened slightly, but she scoffed and left the room. Behind her, the sound of furniture being thrown erupted, but she was too distressed at the moment to care. 

The brunette had made an almost perfect escape. Unfortunately, a tripping spell made her stumble right as she exited, and Gael's horrid laughter followed after her. 

    The draughty corridors icy and bitter greeted her, only intensifying the panic that was building up inside. She didn't know where she was going. All she knew was that she needed to get away from the hisses. Her eyes downcasted head bent low, she didn't even realize she had run into someone till she was on the floor. 

     "Watc-Hey are you okay?" Hazel eyes stared down at the young Slytherin, she was visibly distraught, she almost looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Arabella?" Mattia Mariani had knelt beside the girl taking her pale hand in his. He could instantly feel her trembling though her face was stone cold, 

     "I'm sorry," she whispered, Arabella kept her eyes focused on the floor not meeting the Hufflepuff's gaze. He was confused for a second. Then suddenly something clicked in his brain. 

     "Hey, it's okay it happens." he chuckled, "You know what? It's actually convenient that we ran into each other. I'm having an emergency and was wondering if you'd be free to help?" by now, the corridor had started to fill with students as they made their way to enjoy their day off from classes.

     "What?" she asked, her eyes now meeting Mattia's. They suddenly flickered behind him as she caught sight of Harry. "I-um." luckily, the boy took a quick peak behind him before smiling. 

     "Perfect! Let's go." Harry had been fighting against the current of students once he saw the girl with grey eyes. But by the time he had made it to where she had been, a boy in a yellow and black sweater was whisking her away.  


     Arabella didn't think she'd ever be inside the Hufflepuff common room. She was always surprised with how differently the other houses lived. It was cheerful, to say the least. It was decorated in colors of yellow and black, but the one thing that she liked the most was the flora. Copper-bottomed plant holders dangling amid the ceiling caused tendrils of ferns and ivies to brush your hair as you pass under them. It was a happy place to be. She had been brought to a high-polished honey-colored table, Mattia plopping her down in a chair before taking the one across from her. 

Small, round windows just level with the ground at the foot of the castle streamed in golden rays of sun illuminating the round suncatchers, the room felt perennially sunny. Her attention was brought back as Mattia cleared his throat.

     "Do you maybe wanna talk about it?" 

     "I don't know what you're talking about. You had an emergency?" she simply stated, her grey eyes hardening, the Slytherin's presence alone was wildly in contrast to her surroundings. 

     "I lied. In the kindest way possible Arabella, I don't believe you. You're so drastically different from the first time we met." 

     "And what does it matter to you? You know nothing about me, nor my situation, so kindly," she sneered, "stay out of it."

      "You know, hostility is only going to keep getting you in situations like out there." Mattia pointed upwards, "So, enlighten me, I'd really like to help."

     "There's nothing to talk about."

     "Okay, I may not know anything about you, but I know you need some type of comfort. You could call it a Hufflepuff's intuition, and genuinely, after what I've heard the last couple of months I'm sure you could use it." 


Dear boy I tried to forget, 

     I talked about you for hours. And I truly can never say sorry enough to make up for what I've done. For someone who was so rude when we first met, Mattia ended up being someone I actually needed. I hate that. I hate needing others. But he was so much like Cetus. We talked about him, everything. But I still don't know what to do. I'm not going home. This is the first year that I will be without Cetus...

     Mattia said that I should apologize, I told him about Gael. His facial expressions were very loud, it must be a Hufflepuff thing. I don't need his sympathy, that is the last thing from anyone I desire. But I needed him to understand that it was the best way to ensure your safety. Everyone's safety. I was fortunate enough that Gael was away at Hogsmeade, but then again I didn't really have a say either way. 

     I might apologize. I'm still unsure. But either way, this doesn't really change anything. You might not understand, and that's what I'm afraid of. 

The girl with too much to think about


dear boy with the green eyes ⁂ golden trio era (UNDER EDITING/REWRITING)Where stories live. Discover now