Alastriona sat in the Hufflepuff Common Room late at night in early June. She was curled up and effortlessly making red sparks appear from the tip of her wand. Just that afternoon she had finally run into Tracey Davis. The Slytherin girl had been avoiding her at all costs and Alastriona hadn't been able to find her since the incident down by the Great Lake.
Alastriona had been walking with Darcy, Ginny and Dawn when they saw Tracey being cornered by three Slytherin students, they must've been friends with Pansy and Millicent and they were accusing Tracey of betraying them and betraying the Slytherin House.
Alastriona walked right up to the older Slytherin girls and pushed one of them out of Tracey's face. The girl bristled immediately but stopped when Darcy, Ginny and Dawn appeared behind Tracey, all with threatening glares directed at the older Slytherin's.
The three Slytherin girls had backed away slowly but not before sending one last glare at Tracey.
"Are you okay?" Alastriona had asked her softly.
Tracey looked anywhere but at Alastriona. "I'm fine. Thank you." She said softly.
Darcy, Ginny and Dawn all looked to Alastriona for guidance, they didn't know how she wanted to proceed with Tracey now that their secret bathroom relationship was out in the open.
Alastriona cautiously reached down and linked her arm through Tracey's. "Come have lunch with us." She insisted. Tracey didn't resist.
Alastriona sighed, the quiet sound breaking the silence in the Common Room. She was glad that Tracey had some real friends now, people to talk to who wouldn't judge or condemn her.
"What're you thinking so hard about?" The question startled her, she relaxed when she saw Cedric, he came and sat by her on the plush couch.
Alastriona smiled at him. "Just fate. Don't you love how some things happen and they're just... right?"
Cedric nodded and wrapped an arm around Alastriona's shoulder. "My favourite moments." He agreed. He hated seeing the dark circles under her eyes and knowing there wasn't anything he could do to ease her pain. "Do you want to go practice the Shield Charm?" He grinned when she jumped up off the couch and immediately went to the door of the Common Room. "I'll take that as a yes."
Alastriona laughed and opened the door for Cedric. "The Hufflepuff Prefect sneaking out after curfew, how scandalous!" Alastriona whispered, outraged.
"Indeed!" Cedric responded with a dramatic gasp that made Alastriona stifle a chuckle under her breath as they left the warmth of the Hufflepuff Common Room.
The two Hufflepuff students spent the remainder of the night duelling in the safety of an empty classroom, practicing jinxes, hexes and the Shield Charm.
They returned in the early hours of the morning when the sun was rising but not any students. Alastriona hugged Cedric and smiled at him sleepily, covering her mouth to yawn. "Thank you, Ced."
He looked at her quizzically. "You're the one helping me, Red, I should thank you." He said.
"We both know you were doing me a kindness, Cedric." Alastriona replied quietly. "I'm off to bed, I think I may actually sleep now." She left him with a smile and as soon as she slipped into the warm covers of her bed she fell fast asleep.
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