𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 𝐎 𝐍 𝐄
warning: profanities ahead.
T H I R D P E R S O N
There are certain things that signify new beginnings.
Fireworks, for instance, symbolize a start of a new year. Like a gunshot to commence a game. The cold mist and mellow sunlight for a new day, whereas darkness and sheer moonlight indicate the end of it; all the natural and traditional occurrences every single being is used to.
But this wasn't the case for Hogwarts students. For them, it was neither nature nor celebrations which marked a fresh start. Instead—it was the grey steam that came out from the howling train chimney, the whistling sounds the vehicle emitted to announce departure, the luggage wheels rolling on the rough ground, and swarms and swarms of students roaming around to kiss their family goodbye and find their own group of friends before boarding—this was, for them, the beginning of yet another year of books, potions, and magic. Another year at Hogwarts.
Like any other student, Clementia Bass was escorted to Platform Nine and Three Quarters by her parents, bags and owl cage in hand. However, her arrival was the only thing that was ordinary.
"Take the sunglasses off, Clem." Charles Bass, Clementia's father, turned to her.
The sixteen-year-old, who was wearing a matching designer coat and skirt instead of her uniform, obeyed. A pair of beautiful turquoise blue eyes were revealed as she took off her sunglasses, glimmering in the midday sunlight. She placed it inside her expensive-looking purse that added to the factors that made it hard to believe that she was just another fourth-year student who was about to board the train along with the others.
Clementia felt a light hand caressing her sand-colored hair. "Be good." It was Cornelia, her mother.
"I'm not eleven, mother." The teen gently swatted her mother's hand away from her hair, before turning to the two to pull them into the annual goodbye hug they had every single year before she left for school.
"Oh! I almost forgot," Cornelia jolted from the hug, immediately opening her own purse and pulling out a white handkerchief with Clementia's name embroidered on it.
"Again, mother, I am not ele-"
"Just take it," The mother shoved it into her daughter's hands, a chuckle coming from her father. "Now, go." She nodded her head forward, directing Clementia to the train.
"We're one owl away, honey." Her father reminded, like he did every single year.
Just as she turned around to walk away, Cornelia exclaimed something—specifically a name—that made the girl's eyes drop to the floor and lips shape into a frown.
"Say hi to Cedric for me!"
"Clemy!" A loud voice called out from across the station, lifting Clementia's mood instantly.
"Oh, and to Danielle too." She heard her mother add from behind her, hearing the voice as well.
Clementia ran to her best friend, greeting her with a tight hug. "Dani!"
From the back, she could feel a strong piercing gaze from a certain boy who happened to be with Danielle. Although she was used to this person's impolite looks—everyone was—today was strange. She didn't know how to describe it, it was just different from the usual.
After the small reunion, the two moved away from the Malfoys, the family Danielle was with, and took their things. "I'll be going, Aunt, Uncle." Danielle turned to Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, with Narcissa giving her a light hug and Lucius throwing her a nod. As for Draco Malfoy, the same different look remained on his face as he watched the two walk away from his family, especially Clementia.
"Shall we, Ms. Lestrange?"
"We shall, Ms. Bass." The two best friends giggled as they boarded the train.
"Have you seen Ced?" Clementia turned to Danielle, who was rambling on about how she had to stay with the Malfoys the whole day—meaning she had to put up with her stuck-up cousin.
The Malfoys were nearly her real family from the amount of time she'd have to spend with them just because her own mother was hardly around. This wasn't new at all—Clementia herself had only seen Bellatrix once during their 4-year friendship, and it was merely a glance.
"He hasn't written me back during the whole damn summer." She continued as they were pompously strutting towards the Slytherin part of the train as if it was their own.
"Why are you dating that hufflepuff git anyways?" Danielle scoffed.
"Trust me," Clementia sighed. "I've been asking myself that everyday since summer."
They finally entered a cabin with only one student seated inside. "Where's pugface?" Clementia asked, referring to Pansy Parkinson, who was known to be rather close to the person inside—Astoria Greengrass.
"Probably sucking Malfoy's dick." She replied seriously, making the two chuckle.
They sat on the opposite side of Astoria, with Clementia seated near the window. Once they've settled down, Danielle started to speak again. "I wonder what she sees in my bloody cousin."
"Dick." Clementia mimicked Astoria's statement, causing her and Danielle to burst out laughing. Astoria watched Clementia as she laughed out loud with what she said.
The girl had always been quiet and observant, but the observative trait was more amplified when it came to Clementia. From time to time, some people began noticing how she tries to copy her actions, but the rich girl stays uninterested and brushes it off.
"I'm hungry," Clementia stood, walking out of the cabin. "Want anything, Dani?"
"Well if they have whiskey then count me in." Danielle responded, as they started laughing quite loudly once again. If anything, the girls had been introduced to alcohol and its wonders last year.
"What?" Clementia noticed Astoria eyeing her seriously and it was starting to piss her off. The green eyed girl shook her head messily and turned away.
The light haired, annoyed, proceeded to go towards the trolley and buy some snacks. However, buying food wasn't her only intention.
She looked around the cabins with the hopes of finding her boyfriend, who was almost ignoring the letters she had been sending all summer. The two had started dating mid-third year and it was going pretty well, but this summer was a blur.
Just like any other Slytherin, she despised other houses. The only thing that somehow broke her personal rules was charms of the one and only—Cedric Diggory. Everyone knew that the Slytherin had never really shown any interest on anyone, except for Cedric and her close friends. No one can really talk to her without getting ignored or rejected.
There she walked, the sound of her expensive heels clicking on the ground echoing through the train.
Once she met his blue eyes through a cabin window, the boy rushed outside quickly.
"Clem," He reached for her arm to pull her into a hug, but she moved her body away from him.
"What? Are we going to pretend you weren't ignoring me all summer?" She spat. Cedric looked around frantically, hoping that no one heard Clementia's enraged answer.
"Clem, I-" He stuttered, looking for an excuse. Just as he was about to continue his "explanation", the woman with the food trolley walks by the two. Clementia followed her and asked to buy a bag of chocolate frogs, her favorite.
A Ravenclaw girl went out of a cabin close to the trolley, making her way towards it. She takes a glance at the Hufflepuff boy, flashing him a smile in the process. "Two pumpkin pasties please." She asked the lady.
After receiving her purchase, the girl peered at Cedric again, only to notice Clementia. As if she saw a ghost, she scurried back to her cabin with an embarrassed expression on her face.
"Do you know her?" Clementia turned to her boyfriend. "Uh- yeah, that's Cho." Clementia, knowing that her boyfriend was famous all over the school, decided to ignore the strange encounter.
"Clem," Cedric placed his palm on her shoulder. "Can we talk later?"
The girl nodded, disappointment evident on her face. She had no choice but to turn around and step away, chocolate frogs in hand.
She had expected to at least get a decent conversation from him.
Ignoring the tears that were threatening to fall, she lifted her head up and walked proudly. As much as she wanted to run back to him, scream at him, or hold him in her arms again, she didn't. It wasn't worth being seen as weak by the others.
So she sucked up the tears and entered their cabin, where Danielle had her head rested on the back of the seat and Astoria trying to avoid eye contact. She sat down and looked out the window, attempting to push away her sorrows with every bite of chocolate she swallowed.
C L E M E N T I A
"Ced!" There I stood, in the middle of the Quidditch field, waiting for Cedric to finish his practice. For some reason, the Hufflepuff team thought it would be best to do this when it's dark out and only less than an hour before curfew.
"Thanks for waiting, sweetheart." Cedric ran towards me and planted a kiss on my forehead.
"Ew, you're so sweaty!" I teased, handing him the face towel I prepared. He refused to take it, pouting like a little child from what I had said.
"I'm kidding, love." I laughed, wiping his pale, masculine face gently. He took the books that I was holding and we made our way back inside.
He insisted to assist me back to the Slytherin common room, even though I refused countless times because I knew he was tired. Nevertheless, he was stubborn and carried my things for me.
We stopped before the door, before I quickly gave him a peck on the lips. This made him smile, and the butterflies in my stomach were freed from their cage—roaming rather rapidly around it. His smile made me happy, more than anything.
"Goodnight, Clem." He said as he handed me my things.
"You rest, okay?" I sternly instructed him. "You can think of me tomorrow."
"I can do both, baby." He smirked, and I playfully slapped his chest.
"Go." I pushed him, trying to hide the redness of my face.
"Clemy," Someone shook me from the side. "Clemy!"
"What?" I groaned, my eyes still shut close. I dreamt of a happy memory with Ced again. This happened way too many times when I was at home during summer.
"We're here, dumbass." Danielle chuckled at my reaction.
I picked up my things as I could barely keep my eyes open, straying behind Danielle while we walked out the cabin.
The moment we got out, she decided it would be funny to push her cousin from the back. And she did. Draco stumbled to the floor, a string of curse words thrown at Danielle not long after.
Draco was known to be mean, sure. But he was nothing compared to Danielle Lestrange.
I only realized we were walking into another school year when I caught sight of the castle, and all the brightly-lit lamps that surrounded it.
Something tells me this is going to be a long, long year.