We Will Shine {Book 6 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 44 - The Easy Way Out

I, for one, didn't want to leave it, but Wren seemed very annoyed, and she was a little scary when she was angry. I crossed my arms and sat back on the bench, avoiding eye contact, just so everyone else knew I didn't want to leave it.

There was silence for a moment, then James stood up, threw his napkin down on his plate, and marched away. I glanced at Wren, who was frowning at the table with her lips pursed.

Despite the fact that Wren had just validated me, I couldn't help feeling annoyed. I didn't know why, which was even more annoying. As Colette got up and marched away, as well, I found myself glaring at Wren and Albus. All this time, I'd been saying that Ciara was actually pretty nice when you gave her a chance. All this time, everyone had been writing me off and telling me I didn't know what I was talking about. But here we were. I knew James would come around eventually, and probably Colette too, because no one could stay angry at Wren for long. Everyone always agreed with her eventually. Forget that I'd been saying the same thing for years. Forget that I'd been asking them to give Ciara a chance. No, they wouldn't listen to me. Just Wren.

Wad I being unfair? Probably. Should I have been happy that not only was Wren pointing them back to the fact that I'd been right, but that she'd finally taken my advice and found out Ciara wasn't so bad, after all? Yeah. I should have. I knew it. But being angry felt better. If I didn't feel angry, I wasn't sure if I would feel anything.

It was hard to keep being angry, though, when Albus nudged me. "Hey, you were right. And I'm sorry, too. We should've listened to you."

I shrugged, uncomfortable. "Whatever."

Wren glanced up at me. "Really, Astra. I'm sorry it took so long."

"It's fine," I snapped. Wren stiffened a little, and a knot appeared in my stomach. I took a deep breath. "So. Um... when did you and Ciara actually become like... I don't know, whatever you are?"

"I think we're friends," Wren said, smiling a little. "And sometime last term. I'm not sure exactly when. It was gradual."

I nodded. "Oh. Cool."

"You know, I knew she would find out eventually, as soon as you asked me to translate Nico's snakes for her," Albus said.

"Really?" Wren laughed. "I wouldn't let myself think that. I didn't exactly know what that would mean. It was a little bit of a scary thought."

"Scary how?" I asked, frowning. Daring her to say something like Well, you know, Ciara couldn't be trusted...

Wren didn't say that. She shrugged. "I don't know. It's always scary. I mean, what if she'd gone to Kimmel instead of Mr. Potter? That's what most reasonable people would've done. That would've been disastrous. Or even going to Lockley would've been a mess."

"But why would she have gone to either of them when Mr. Potter's in the DA?"

Albus answered this time. "Most people don't have as close a connection to the DA as we do. It's probably a little bit of an intimidating thing."

Wren smiled. "It doesn't matter now, of course. Apparently, Ciara's been going to see Mr. Potter every couple of days for a few weeks, trying to convince him to do something about Nico."

"Honestly, reminds me of something you would do, Astra."

"Well, we are cousins," I conceded, smiling. I guess I don't know how I would have expected Ciara to react to all that. I was glad she'd proven me right and had some sense, though, because imagine the mess if she hadn't? No one would've let me forget it, or ever given her a chance again.