As we entered the school building, we could feel the other students looking at us. We went straight on. It was always the same. As soon as someone who only knew us by sight saw us, they looked at us for a moment until the whispering began.
We gave each other an annoyed look and kept walking until we came to the portrait of the fat lady. We told her the password and she let us into our common room. "Hello Caelie, hello Garreth, nice to have you back!" I heard Natty call out. She waved her hand at us. Excellent.
Everyone in the common room was staring at us. Natty wasn't sitting alone. Nellie, Cressida and Leander were also with her, and they were all examining us in detail. Cressida said goodbye because she wanted to practice one of her self-developed spells. So we sat down with the others. "Aaaaaaand?" asked Nellie, smiling expectantly. "What?" I asked a bit unnerved. "Well, what's up with you now? Are the rumors true?"
I was surprised. Natty already knew about that. After all, she saw us in the common room before we had to leave. "You did not say anything?" I asked Natty amazed. She shook her head, smiling. She was truly a good soul. "It wasn't easy at all. You wouldn't believe how many questions I was asked. I always said 'ask them yourself when they get back'." she said proudly. I took her hand and said "Thank you Natty, you are a really great friend".
I turned back to Nellie just as Garreth was already taking the initiative. "Yes, Caelie and I are dating. No, we didn't have sex in the common room and no, we didn't go on vacation, we took care of my dad. But once he was stable and moved to another hospital, we're one time out in the evening, yesterday. So it's the weekend anyway." He had put it quite simply in a nutshell. Even if all the students present now knew about it. But it's better that way than constantly having to clear up rumours.
Leander had looked a little tense the whole time. "Leander, what's going on? Are you sick?" Gareth asked. "I've got another potion if you need one." "Thanks Garreth but no, I'm just feeling a bit drained and tense. I'm going to lie down for a bit." Leander answered and walked in the direction of the boys' dormitories.
"Something seems to be going around. Cressida has been in a bad mood all week. It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't take it out on us all the time." sighed Nellie. "But I'm really happy that you finally said it. It was really about time." she added. "That's right. I told her that before." Garreth said and gave me a kiss.
In the background we could hear a third year named Tracy Asbury sobbing. Two friends brought her from the common room. As we walked, the friends gave us very angry looks. There have been rumors about Tracy for a long time that she has her eye on Garreth. Whenever he had one of his own creations tasted, she was always very anxious to taste it, only to praise him extensively.
"Garreth, you're a heartbreaker!" said Nellie loudly. Raising his hands as if in surrender, he said dryly, "I've handled it as usual. I've told her for a long time that I'm not interested in her because I already have feelings for someone else. She responded by saying , that she will continue to try to win my heart over. But then I really can't do anything anymore." "'Like always'? Does that happen more often? It sounds very routine." laughed Natty.
"Well, not every day, but in recent years more often than I would like. I knew what, or rather who, I wanted. I didn't want to hurt anyone, so I always took the initiative when there were rumors and said, I wasn't interested. I wasn't always that smart either. There was a rumor in fourth grade that Cressida had feelings for me, so I did what I always do, and she's hated me ever since." he laughed slightly ashamed. "I wasn't trying to pretend, so I just wanted to be straight up with it. But she said the rumors were false and I guess I was pretty stupid to think someone like her would fall in love with someone like me."
He shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "Well then, I'll take my stuff to my room and go take a shower." he said. I nodded to the two girls and did the same.
I went into my dorm. At first glance everything looked the same as always, but something was in the air. I couldn't explain it to myself, but I sensed something. I looked around. I was alone, Nellie and Natty were still in the common room, and Cressida was practicing her spells. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I went to my bed and my chest, got some fresh clothes, and took a shower.
When I got back into the common room from the shower, Garreth was already sitting with Natty and Nellie, chatting with them. I sat down again and the girls filled us in on what we had missed in class.
I huffed. Did everyday life really have to start again? I just had completely different things on my mind.
Since it was only noon, we went together to lunch in the great hall. On the way back to the fat lady's portrait, I saw Ominis sitting on a bench. I told Garreth and the girls I'd be right over there and sat down next to Ominis.
"Ah, Caelie, hi. How are you?" asked he. "Oh, it's all a bit much at the moment." I answered. "And how are you? How is Sebastian?" "Everything is the same for me. Sebastian is much better, but he seems to be bothered by something and doesn't want to talk to me." He threw back his head. His unique eyes pointed towards the ceiling of the hallway.
I looked at him. He looked a little tired, but that didn't spoil his eyes. They were very bright, literally glowing in a radiant blue and were without a definable pupil. They were odd, but perfectly matched his pale, absolutely perfect, and even skin, adorned only by a few birthmarks. His dark blond, straight hair perfectly matched his imposing demeanor. Despite the fact that he was very, very thin and short, I now realized how palpable his presence was. He was without a doubt a powerful magician.
"He's supposed to be released in the coming week. Then I'll try to talk to him again. I'm worried that he's planning something stupid again."
Ominis got up, thanked me for listening, and left. I ran to the common room. Garreth was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace, discussing potions with some of the fifth year Gryffindor boys.
This day and the following three days passed without any negative incidents. Of course we heard tons of gossip and rumors about us, but they mostly left us cold.Generally speaking, the days went by the same. Garreth and I met in the common room in the mornings, walked to the great hall together, then to class, met at lunchtime, went back to class, did our homework together, went to dinner, and popped in here and there for some alone time.
On Thursday, the day started as usual. I was about to enter the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, a bit lost in thought, when I suddenly bumped into a classmate. I widened my eyes, startled myself and inhaled an incredibly great smell. I excused myself, picking up the parchment my classmate had dropped, getting up to hand it back when I saw a handsome, brunette Slytherin boy looking at me.
Sebastian Sallow has been released from the Hospital Wing.
"Are you working on going to the hospital wing again or why are you walking around so carelessly, Ms. Lewis?" he said. "...or should I rather say Mrs. Weasley?" he added mockingly.
His gaze pierced me with an icy coldness. I was about to reply when I heard Professor Hecat greet the class. So I sat down in my seat and Sebastian in his. Why did he have such a problem with Garreth? I tried to follow the lesson, but I kept feeling Sebastian's icy gaze on me. After class I got up to confront him, but the moment Professor Hecat finished the class, he got up and left. I decided to leave it at that for now as we had Herbology next. Together.
When I arrived at the greenhouse, Professor Garlick assigned me a pot. Right across from Sebastian. Again he glared at me with that cold, almost angry look.
Even after that lesson, he left the room without saying anything or confronting me with his problem. I didn't get it. We had a great chat in the hospital wing, and he just looked at me with disgust.
I went into the great hall, where Garreth already greeted me beaming with joy. His warmth thawed me after the hours I was exposed to Sebastian's cold gaze. I sat down next to him and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Garreth, did you ever have anything to do with Sebastian Sallow?" I asked him quietly. Garreth paused before saying, "We quarreled a few times and got into a fight in 1st or 2nd grade, but not really. Why do you ask?" "You guys got into a fight?" I asked horrified, "why?"
He blushed a little before answering softly, "Well, I heard he wanted to ask you to go with him. I couldn't let that happen." "Wait, do I get that right, you beat up a boy for being in love with Caelie? Merlin's beard, Garreth! That poor boy!" interjected Nellie. She suddenly looked thoughtful. "But it's true. I can remember the look he gave you. He used to look at you shyly. I was really jealous of you. He looked fantastic even then. I wish Everett would even notice me." her gaze drifted to the Ravenclaw table, where Everett was talking to Amit and Samantha.
Garreth lowered his eyes in embarrassment. "I was scared Caelie would fall in love with him. He's pretty handsome for a boy, I have to admit. I totally lost that with my weird red hair."
Was Garreth really expressing self-doubt about his looks just now? I hadn't experienced that in all these years. I looked at him puzzled. "Garreth, what are you thinking? I love your hair!". I grabbed a strand and twisted my fingers into it. "And I love your freckles, and your sparkling eyes, and..." I trailed off.
Again I felt an icy cold. I looked towards the Slytherin table and looked straight into Sebastian's eyes. He stared at me without moving until Nerida nudged him for not seeming to hear her.
I was fed up.