Forever... Always

Year 2 - New Found Struggles

I'm so sorry everyone. I realized that I didn't post last week so I'll be posting 2 chapters today to make up for it. Enjoy and take care :)

I never realized how hard it'd be to keep up in my lessons, attend practices, do well in matches and hang out with my friends. I know now though. These past weeks have been difficult but I'm getting better at managing my time. I've been spending even more time with Cedric because we both made the team, but I haven't been able to see much of Georgie and Fred because Wood likes to have numerous unneeded practices now that he's captain.
My dad and I exchange letters all the time about quidditch. He asks about mine and Cedric's matches, as well as Fred and Georgie's because he knows I wouldn't dare miss one of their matches. In his latest letter he told me that he would love to come see one of my matches but he probably won't be able to until after Christmas and New Years because of our new house and work is horrendously busy right now. My dad never played for Gryffindor when he was at Hogwarts but he was their biggest fan, or at least that's what he says. I thought about telling my dad how quidditch is making it hard to see the twins but I decided that that's a better conversation to have with my mom, so I pulled out a piece of parchment, my quill and an ink box and got writing.
'Chère Maman (Dear Mom),
I love Hogwarts, my lessons and quidditch, but I also love my friends. I don't get to see my friends from other houses much because most of my free time is spent practicing for upcoming matches or doing homework. I miss being able to do anything but homework with my friends. I'm getting better at managing my time so I've been able to see Draguar, Starling and Danica for more than just homework but I still haven't been able to see Georgie and Freddie. I miss them a lot, but I also understand that they're really busy too. I wonder if Georgie is just as affected as I am not being able to see him. I feel really lonely without him around. I know I have Cedric around all the time and he's one of my best friends too, but it's just not the same. I also get a little sad thinking about how it's just going to be you, me and dad during the break this year, I guess I've just gotten used to having so many people around. I know you'll know exactly what to say or the perfect advice to give, but until I receive your response, je t'aime tellement (I love you so much) and I'll see you soon.
Ta enfant préférée ;) (Your favourite child)'
'Chѐre Rayne (Dear Rayne),
I know times are tough right now and I know that you seem to be somewhat dreading coming home for Christmas break. You don't seem to want to be alone so why don't you see if your new friend Amber can come for the break? You talk about her a lot in our letters and I'd love to meet your dorm mate. We'll still be going to the Weasleys for Christmas as we always do, you'll get to spend plenty of time with the twins. On the matter of feeling lonely when Georgie's gone, I'd like to talk to you about that when you're home. Until then, je t'aime tellement aussi (I love you so much too) and I'll hopefully see you and Amber soon.
                      Ta mѐre préférée ;) (Your favourite mom)'
My mom always knows what to say. I hadn't even thought that I'd see the twins during the break. I don't know how that could have slipped my mind, but obviously it did. I'm not sure why she couldn't just talk to me about the Georgie situation now but she always has her reasons, though I might not know or understand them yet. One thing I did understand was that she was onto something by having me invite Amber to stay with us, I wouldn't have to be alone or lonely. All I have to do now is find Amber to ask her.
I didn't have to go to our dorm to look for her because I was already in there and she wasn't so the next spot she might be is the common room. I didn't see Amber when I got to the common room so asked a few first years if they'd seen her.
"Maybe in the Great Hall?" A boy told me.
"We have a lot of homework before the break, I think she might be in the Library." A girl said, sounding puzzled by her own words.
"Well, thank you anyway, I better start going to look for..." I said before being cut off by a fourth year that was standing by the fireplace.
"Buttonwood is in the courtyard." They blurted out.
"Uh- thank you." I said awkwardly, turning around to leave.
"Wait! You're Rayne Dutchman right? Mind if I come along?" They asked.
"I am Rayne and I don't see why not."
We left the common room together and headed towards the courtyard silently until they finally broke the silence.
"I guess you're probably wondering who I am and why I wanted to come with. I'm Lora Everglade. I'm a fourth year. Keeper for our quidditch team."
"Nice to meet you Lora, uh- you still haven't told me why you wanted to come along."
"Yes well, as I passed by the courtyard not too long before I got to the common room, I saw her talking to someone, not talking, yelling rather. She seemed quite upset so I wanted to make sure she was ok."
"I don't mean to pry, but why didn't you stop when you passed her?"
"I was with friends, one being Thornton, I'm not sure, I like Thornton and I guess I didn't want to miss a chance to be with him." She said awkwardly, realizing she'd just told someone she basically just met that she likes Thornton Rivers, a Hufflepuff Beater.
"Oh, well that does make sense. Also, don't feel bad you didn't stop then because you are helping me look for her now."
"I guess you're right Rayne. I hope I didn't catch you off guard by knowing your name, Draper's been talking about you a lot since you became our Seeker."
"Seems a bunch of people know my name now."
"I mean, if Draper's talking about you, all of Hufflepuff knows you and basically anyone who watches our matches. You've become rather popular, like Diggory and probably close to Draper's level."
"I guess so, where in the courtyard did you say you saw Amber?" I asked when we made it out in the courtyard.
"She'd been in the far right corner."
We walked slowly together until we heard subtle weeps from around a stone pillar and I ran over.
"Amber? Is that you?" I said looking at the person curled up on the ground with their robe covering their face.
"Rayne? Yes, it's me." She said in between tears that rolled down her face.
"Let's go back to our dorm and then you can tell me what all happened."
"Who's the other girl?"
"I'm Lora, I saw you yelling at someone earlier. You seemed rather upset so when Rayne was asking people where you were, I helped her find you."
"Well thank you." Amber said, still silently crying.
Once back at our dorm, Amber, Lora and I sat together on Amber's bed and she told us what happened. As it turns out, she'd just found out she was adopted and the person she was yelling at was her brother she didn't know she had.
"I thought I was an only child and it just felt like my world was crumbling down around me." She told us.
She went on telling us how complicated the situation was, how her and her brother had both been put up for adoption when they were just babies. They were separated and had gotten different last names because of it. Her brother informed her that the reason they'd been adopted was because their parents died in the Wizarding War. She told us that the reason she was yelling is because she didn't want to believe that the people who raised her weren't actually her parents and that she could never meet her real parents because they were dead.
"I don't mean to open the wound and you don't have to answer, but where was your brother? Why didn't he stay with you?" I asked.
"He had to go because he had plans but he told me I could write to him anytime and that he'd love to spend Christmas together but he can't have anyone over and neither can I."
"What's his name?" Lora asked curiously.
"Marcus, Marcus Staghart."
"Wait- is he a second year Gryffindor?" I asked, thinking there was no way that the boy I tutor in the levitation charm last year couldn't be the same Marcus Staghart.
"He is, why do you ask Rayne?"
"I tutored him in 'Leviosa' last year, I was just thinking there was no way it was just a coincidence both had the same name."
"Really? This is so cool!" Amber exclaimed.
"I'm gonna head to my dorm now, it's nice to meet the both of you and Amber, I hope an opportunity arises so that you can spend at least some of the break with your brother." Lora said before leaving.
"Thank you, hope you have a good break and happy Christmas." Amber shot out quickly as Lora left.
"I think I have an idea Amber." I said turning to her.
"What do you mean?"
"I have an idea how you can at least spend some of the break with Marcus."
She just looked at me speechlessly. I told her how my mom told me I could invite her to spend some of the break with us and how I could ask my parents if Marcus could come along as well. She was ecstatic and we wrote a letter to Marcus and my parents and Daisy took off with them as soon as they were done.
This morning I woke up to a letter from my parents and one from Marcus as well. Amber read Marcus's letter while I read the one from my parents.
"So what did Marcus say?" I asked her without looking up from the letter.
"He said it's a brilliant idea and he can't wait to see if your parents allow us both to come. What did your parents say?"
"They said..." I paused, not because it was bad news, but just to tease Amber a little, like the twins do to me all the time. "You both can come!"
"RAYNE!" She said, playfully shoving me. "Don't scare me like that!"
"You should write to Marcus to tell him the good news, we'll head to my house Sunday afternoon."
"I can't wait, also, I know you're really close with the Weasley twins and Cedric so I think you should sit with them on the train. After all, you haven't been able to see much of the twins."
"Thank you for understanding without me even saying a word. Goodnight Amber." I said rolling over in my bed.
I can't wait to spend the break with Amber and Marcus, but I also can't wait to see Georgie and Freddie finally. It's been far too long.