Collision Of Worlds: The Crystal Lake

Chapter 22: Torn

Previously:

It was too late - the platters tipped over the group of children.
"THERE. WILL. BE. ORDER!"

***

The Slytherins and Hannah were kept inside the Great Hall, while the rest of the houses went to sleep. The children had been provided with equipment, but they were manual. Dumbledore had seen them drop all of their food onto the others during the fight - so he had taken their wands and told them to stay awake until everything was spotless.
"Ugh! Can you believe we have to clear this up?! Taurian and Williamson don't have to, but they were definitely wearing a green uniform last time I saw them." Pansy whined, scrubbing the floor.
"They were helping our enemies during the fight. Other houses don't have to, and there are more of them than us - technically they did more damage. It's not fair." Emma grumbled as she picked up a bucket. From across the room, Draco argued with Mr Filch. His blonde hair dripped with slime as he clenched a mop.
"This is work for elves, not children! My father will hear about this!"
"I'm sure he will." The janitor replied.
"This mess could easily be fixed with magic." Hannah remarked as she wiped the walls with a rag. Blaise was spreading soap across the tables, while Crabbe and Goyle tipped buckets of water on the surfaces. Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass were complaining as they mopped, dusted, wiped and washed.
"Exactly!" They all shouted. McGonagall watched over them, ensuring everything was perfect. Various food items slowly disappeared from the Hall. By ten o'clock they were exhausted and could barely stumble down into the dungeons. Hannah sluggishly made her way to the Hufflepuff dorm in the dark - at least she could avoid her housemates calling her a traitor. The girl washed up and hopped into bed, wondering how this even all started... Her memory was hazy, and all she could think of was the word 'imperio'. She didn't know why, or how. Despite this, her body and mind were calm. There was silence - everyone was fast asleep. The odd shuffle and sigh of the others was relaxing and therapeutic; she finally closed her eyes.
Pansy and Emma trekked back to the dungeon. The common room was cold, but they were used to it. A large squid swam past the big windows as they entered the girl's dormitory. Daphne followed behind, dragging her feet.
"Hey, let's use the sonorous charm." The brown haired Slytherin whipped out her wand and flicked her wrist.
"Wait-"
A load roar sounded, waking the two sleeping girls.
"PARKINSON! GREENGRASS! INVERNIAS!" Dahlia screeched, clamping her hands over her ears.
"Hey. You interrupted my dream of me being a bat." The other girl calmly said.

***

Hannah woke up early to avoid the Hufflepuffs questioning her. She knew they wouldn't be angry, just disappointed. After getting ready, she walked down into the calm dungeons, relaxing in the underwater atmosphere - sitting in silence.
"Hey."
"Hi Taurian."
"Why are you calling me by my last name?"
"Hi Stella, then." She corrected herself, pretending to be uninterested.
"It's about half past three in the morning. If you don't want to sleep in the Hufflepuff dorm, you can sleep on the sofa here." The Slytherin kindly offered.
"Um... thanks." Her voice wavered, holding back tears. She missed kind people, warm atmospheres. She missed fun plans, sneaking out, teasing friends. She missed it all... but she didn't. Why was she like this? It was so sudden - one second she was decorating the hall, the next Emma was hissing horrible things in her ear. Maybe she shouldn't have instantly reacted; what if the girl was making up lies? No. They were in the wrong. But they did say it was for her protection...
"Agh!" She screamed in frustration.
"You okay? I'm still here..." The black haired girl slowly sat down next to her. The crying first year shuffled away. An unexplainable cold breeze blew through the room. Her blood suddenly turned cold - her face stone. The rush of emotions she had just felt disappeared; leaving her certain of one thing. This was not over.
"I'm absolutely fine." She smirked slightly, her eyes glinting in the shadows as she got up. "I'm just going to walk around for a bit. Alone." The Hufflepuff's voice was monotone and dull. Stella watched her leave the room, confused, but went back to the dorm after. None of them noticed the turbaned figure in the doorway that slipped off as soon as it appeared.  Her footsteps echoed in the dark silence as she made her way outside, unlocking the door with a quick spell. The strong wind whipped around like a tornado. The girl wasn't wearing a coat, but she still ventured outside. White, soft snow covered the grass and crunched under her feet. The sensation was calming, yet ignited a sense of déjà vu somehow. She had something to do - but what it was she wasn't sure. It reminded her of a time, long ago...