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"'i've never liked home, you know,' she admits quietly. 'even before—even when it was all i knew, i never liked home.'"
☆☆☆
If any student on the Hogwarts Express peering into one if the compartments on the third compartment coach, they'd notice several things. The rather handsome, tan Ravenclaw boy shouting would attract attention first. Perhaps the Gryffindor girl with box brains would catch their eye after or the large burly boy next to her. The petite green eyed girl and blonde boy playing Exploding Snap on the floor wouldn't seem too peculiar, but the slender, dark-haired Ravenclaw would. She's dressed from head to toe in black, silent and oddly diminutive despite her height.
She looks as if she's going to a funeral rather than her home.
Angelina carefully watches Eunbyeol from across the compartment, frowning. She's awfully quiet and solemn today, both in dress and expression, but Angelina's been noticing the girl getting quieter as the holidays drew closer anyhow. She had been eating less, sleeping less, studying more—it was almost as if the idea of leaving Hogwarts took a physical toll on her. It'd gotten even worse when the Weasleys and Harry Potter had left abruptly days before break. The twins had told them soon after that Mr. Weasley had been attacked by a snake. Eunbyeol had taken the news particularly hard, knowing she couldn't risk writing the twins or sending get well messages over the break.
Everyone decided to owl their gifts to Fred and George ahead of time. Eunbyeol had taken it a step further, distributing and receiving everyone's Christmas gifts and asking the twins to owl their gifts back to her before break started. Angelina remembered the weary edge to the younger girl's smile when she received the twin's presents. She looks positively defeated today, a slip of a girl nestled between two giants. She's wedged between Lee and Anthony, creating an almost comically stark contrast with their bright house scarves and loud laughs. "You okay, love?" she pokes a foot out and nudges the younger girl slightly.
The Ravenclaw startles slightly but manages to muster up a wan smile. "Yes, I'm quite well."
Angelina frowns because she's noticed Eunbyeol slipping back into her more formal speech recently too. The girl has always been well-spoken with a remarkably crisp, succinct way of speaking, but her mannerisms softened over the months. The reverse seems to be taking place now, with her sentences becoming more careful and structured. Even her tone came off as more meticulous now. She narrows her eyes into her Quidditch captain glare and Eunbyeol's shoulders seemed to drop even more, if that were possible. She sighs, low and slow and sad.
"I've never liked home, you know," she confesses quietly. "Even before—even when it was all I knew, I never liked home."
