* * *
Since she was a very young impressionable girl, not even a year old, she had exhibited magical powers that was beyond anybody's grasp. She has heard people say it was a curse left by the dark witch Sinuhe, because the woman despised her mother with every fiber of her being.
But she can feel that it isn't all there is . . .
Her mother, she taught her to accept herself no matter how different she may turn out to be. She taught her to explore her powers, guided her to understand which is wrong and which is right; which is the kind thing to do or which is the wise thing to do; which one is good and which one is evil. Despite other people's doubts and fears, Lauren's mother encouraged her to be brave and wise and face the world with compassion and open mind.
And in the times she spent with her mom, she learned a great deal about the magic inside her. And a powerful magic indeed it is. A powerful magic that is neither dark or otherwise.
Nor does it all come from a curse, cast by one murderous witch.
But still, what she has, it is the kind of magic that draws the attention of any power-seeking creatures in the world. She is only fifteen and there are a lot of things she has to learn. But the best teacher she ever had is now gone . . .
"Do you understand today's lesson, miss Morgado?"
Lauren looks up and looks right into the deep brown eyes of the new defense against the dark arts teacher, her new teacher, professor Hansen.
The woman has that knowing look in her eyes. She wants her focused on what she was trying to teach in class.
It was a bit confusing for the other students, the sudden change in the subject of the professor's teaching since she formerly taught charms. But for Lauren, she might just know why that sudden change is happening.
Just like the headmistress, professor Hansen is one of the ministry's many eyes and ears; snooping around and looking out for things that may disrupt the peace and order that has been established and enforced for so many years. Clearly, the ministry trusts her to educate Hogwarts students how to properly defend themselves in case of any form of attack.
And as of recently, Lauren's existence has become a key reason why the balance of peace and order has been somewhat disturbed.
"Yes," she nods, "Yes, professor, I understand,"
The older woman paused to study the girl intently. She has been staring off during class and it was quite unusual of her. But the professor opts to continue the lesson instead of prying for more.
"Alright, then tell me again what today's lesson is all about . . ."
Lauren easily recites the subject matter; recounts what the professor has been babbling about with her own input as well. For anyone else, it was quite impressive. But Lauren can only do so much to hide the fact that she's not quite okay. Professor Hansen knows the circumstances that led her to Hogwarts, its easy for her to see through her student's facade.
And Lauren can definitely feel Camila staring the entire time. No matter how subtle she tries to be.
The class drags on for a while longer. On the very second professor Hansen dismisses everyone, Lauren was first to leave the room. She doesn't notice the woman call upon her boss and report her unusual behavior.
"Lo! Wait!"
She hears Camila call out. She enjoys her company, loves being around her. But she kept her pace, leaving the Slytherin girl behind. Wanting some time to be alone for today.
There's just so much going on, a fifteen year old girl like her can only keep up . . .
On her next turn however, she finds herself almost bulldozing Camila's beautifully chiseled face. Her gorgeous chocolate eyes boring into hers were concerned.
"H-how . . . How'd you do that?" She stammers, looking everywhere but the girl, "Y-you were behind me, now you're . . . You're here, right here facing me,"
The girl shrugs, "Magic,"
"Only the headmistress can apparate within Hogwarts, how did you—"
"Wait, the headmistress can apparate within the school? How?! Besides, I didn't say I apparated . . ."
"She just can but you didn't hear that from me, okay? But really, how'd you get here in front of me when you were just there several feet behind me, like precisely half a second ago?"
"I told you, its magic. I'll teach you one day but first . . . Are you okay?"
Lauren looks down at her feet, aware that her eyes will betray her, "Y-yeah, I'm fine. I'm good,"
"Are you sure? You look kind of, I don't know, sad. Maybe we can go to the lake or library, or someplace more quiet to relax a little bit. I can get you some mango cupcakes or something if you want . . ."
Lauren tilts her head. She smiles fondly as the Slytherin girl slightly shifts her weight nervously.
"She doesn't wanna hang out with you anymore, Cable Cord!" Erica Sinclair pipes in with her annoying nasally faux French accent. She bumps Camila in the shoulder as she passes by, her posse snickering and doing the same.
Lauren saw Camila look down, frowning. She turns away and starts to leave.
As much as the Ravenclaw wants to be alone right now, she couldn't bear it in her heart to have Camila believe those words. In the days following the tragic events in Sanctum Cove, Lauren was sort of in denial that she has lost her mother. That she's been uprooted from everything else that she knows of. So suddenly and without warning. She may seem like she's adjusting just fine, but everything felt absolutely out of sorts and she's still in the process of coping.
She hasn't really mourned properly because in her mind and in her heart, her mother Clara Morgado still lives. It's almost delusional.
But in truth, the brilliant magizoologist is now an ash in the wind. As lifeless as a speck of dust.
Today was just a particularly hard day for some reason. Lauren misses her mom terribly and there's nothing she can do about it. The gravity of the truth dawns on her and it hurts. So much that she just wanted to be left alone for a little while.
But seeing Camila, being taunted like that, whatever pain of loss takes a step back in her mind. More than dealing with her own pain, she doesn't want the girl thinking the worst of her when in fact she just wanted to sulk on her own.
"Camz—"
"It's alright, I get it . . ."
"No you don't,"
She catches up to Camila. She sighs as she stands in the girl's way, searching those beautiful brown eyes.
"You don't get how much I want some of that mango cupcakes," she grins cheekily.
The Slytherin girl looks up at her. Stares at her eyes. She can't tell what exactly it is, but looking at Camila's eyes somehow makes her feel lighter. She's not sure why or what it is precisely about the girl that just simply makes her feel good. What she is certain at the moment though is that she can't let Camila think she doesn't want to hang out with her anymore. When simply, among other things happening in her life, the girl is the only one that somehow feels right.
After regarding her for a minute, Camila takes her hand. Gives her a small smile.
Lauren breathes a sigh of relief, squeezing back Camila's hand gently.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To Furby,"
* * *
Furby is a house elf who has an exceptional talent in baking.
With a little bit of coercion from Camila, the grumpy, skinny house elf produced them a basket of fresh mango cupcakes, filled with gooey mango jam on the inside. Normally, he wouldn't take requests like that. So random and so urgent. But, given her 'reputation' as the spawn of one particularly dark witch, Furby was a little bit terrified of Camila. It was imperative he must do what she says or else, she'll turn him into a hideous Christmas ornament everybody will poke fun at.
They're supposed to be in potions class at the moment, but for the first time ever, the two girls skip. Sneaking off to their spot by the lake. They've been sitting there for a while now, soft breeze and gentle rustle of leaves are the only sound between them. The Slytherin girl was fiddling with her scarf, the Ravenclaw girl was stuffing her face with cupcakes.
Comfort eating, stress eating; something like that . . .
"I'm sorry," Camila starts.
Lauren stops in the middle of chewing a mouthful, wide-eyed and chipmunk-cheeks bulging the sides of her face, confused.
"Frr-wha?"
Camila looks over, amused.
"You really like those cupcakes," she comments.
Lauren finishes up chewing and then swallows, "You're sorry that I like these divine cupcakes?"
"No, you silly,"
"What are you sorry for then?"
Camila sighs. She doesn't like what she's feeling. Like she had been so needy of Lauren's attention and it's becoming unhealthy. Like she had become increasingly dependent on her company and she has become this oversensitive person and she doesn't like it.
But then, she can't help it either. It's way too easy to fall for Lauren.
"I don't know . . . For taking too much of your time?"
Lauren faces her, "Don't be. I like spending time with you,"
"You do?"
"Uh-huh,"
"I don't mean to intrude but what was bothering you? You seemed upset earlier, I was worried, is everything alright?"
The Ravenclaw girl thinks before she replies. Camila is the first human friend she ever had. All her other friends, they're not exactly human. It's not just basic communication she has with them; a unicorn, a dragon, a hippogriff, a bowtruckle, thestrals and centaurs, they're all good friends of hers and there were plenty of them. Heck, she's even friends with an otter named gentleman Jack. She knows how to deal with that.
But a fellow human?
Humans are more complicated than what they appear to be, she thinks . . .
It may seem as if she is the easy going type, an approachable friendly person, but truthfully, Lauren somehow finds it difficult to actually talk to someone like her. A fellow human being. A teenage person. Not that there was another human teenager back in Sanctum Cove, because the other two wizards in the island was much older than her mother and the island's select visitors were typically middle-aged, if not ancient-looking, herbologists and magizoologists.
All her life, she only ever told her problems, her concerns, her random thoughts to her mother and her non-human friends. And even though headmistress Hamilton cares for her, fond of her even, she still finds it uncomfortable to open up.
But Camila?
Camila is different. Lauren felt it the first time she saw her. She can't say what exactly it is. Maybe its magic, or maybe something else. But ever since that first time she saw her in charms class, she immediately felt that strong connection that pulls her towards the girl.
So now, despite initially feeling gloomy and wanting to wallow in misery, she finds herself wanting to share her thoughts instead. She wants to tell her everything and somehow she knows that Camila would understand.
But she also knows she shouldn't.
"I'd like to think that everything is fine," Lauren quietly replies, "These mango cupcakes you got me are really good on making a girl feel absolutely better. But when I really think of it, it is actually you who made me feel better . . . In retrospect though, nothing is fine. I lost a lot of things that are so dear to me. I miss my mom and our home terribly and there's nothing I can really do about it. That's part of the reason why I'm feeling a little off today,"
"From what you told me before, your mom sounds like a great person,"
She sighs, trying not to tear up.
"She was,"
Camila scoots closer to her. Just being close to her like this somehow brings comfort in her. Like she may not be okay right now, a lot of things worry her, but being near this girl, something about her that gives Lauren the kind of comfort that's reassuring. That it'll be sure that things will only get better.
She can't explain it.
It's just how it feels.
"What happened?" Camila curiously asks.
However, no matter how much she wanted to, she knows there are things she can't tell Camila. At least until everything is cleared up with whatever it is that's trying to amass a great power to whatever purpose. The headmistress warned her that it was imperative to deal with this thing as discreetly as possible so as to not cause mass panic. Or potentially attract the attention of the yet to be known enemy.
But her life in the cove was everything to her, she doesn't know any otherwise and she'd like to share that part of her to Camila.
"Are you familiar with the island called Sanctum Cove?"
"You mean the myth of Sanctum Cove?"
She shakes her head. Clearly, the girl has been misinformed.
"No, Camz. It is an island,"
"The books in the library says Sanctum Cove was only a myth; a fictional tale about a mystical place of faerie princes and princesses,"
Lauren smiles wryly, "There were faeries alright, but none of them are monarchs as far as I know. They're fun and full of mischief that's for sure, they're kinda like Peeves on that regard but less intense and more charming. I came from the cove, Camz. I was born and raised there. I'd probably spend my whole life there had it not been attacked recently,"
"So it isn't some tale that some writer put up to amuse bookworms like me?"
"No, it's not some amusing fairytale," Lauren faces the girl, grips her hand as anxiety suddenly strikes, "Promise me, Camz, you won't tell anyone else where I came from. There are forces out there, evil forces, that wants us to be destroyed. Take the magic we have and kill us all. I don't know why, but I suppose there are just some people who craves power and will do anything to get it. Sanctum Cove was home to many magical beings, of many different sorts, and the creature who destroyed it aims to take the magical essence of every resident of the cove. Pickle and I and the others—"
"Lo, slow down," Camila sees the panic grow in Lauren's eyes, "I won't tell anyone, I swear to you. But I'm not sure I follow what you're saying. You say you came from an island and it was destroyed? What do you mean by us?"
"Us, as in us magical beings. Beasts and wizards and witches alike," Lauren breathes deeply, "Sanctum Cove is a magical island; accidentally found by Charlie Weasley whilst travelling with his dragon many years ago, and he nurtured it. With the help of his family, Sanctum Cove became a reserve for many magical beasts. My mom, she's one of the Trinity of wizards that was tasked to protect the island's existence to the general public; only a select few licensed magizoologists and herbologists are aware of it. I was born in the island, I grew up there and I have never been anywhere else. Up until a few months ago when—"
"Aren't you two supposed to be in class?"
The two girls abruptly turn to see the headmistress leaning by the tree trunk. An impassive look was on her face but her tone was clearly unamused.
"Headmistress—" Camila starts.
"Get back to your classes. No excuses, no more detours,"
The headmistress sternly advices them. She steps closer to the two girls, picks the last mango cupcake from their basket, Lauren curiously follows the movement with heartbreak etched on her face.
The headmistress then lowers her voice as she was just about to take a bite.
"And whatever you just discussed right now, best keep it to yourselves, understand me?" Camila and Lauren exchange glances before they nod, "See me in my office before sundown, both of you,"
* * *
🙂