The Serpent and The Bird

Maybe I have feelings for you and I keep lying to myself about it

- So are you and Sebastian a thing now? - Natsai asked, with a smile.

- We are not. I swear we are not. - Everleigh closed her eyes, dragging her feet along the corridor. - We are just... friends? - A month ago if someone would've told her she was going to be friends with someone in Slytherin, she would've laughed.

- Well, I don't know in America but here we don't snog our friends. - Garreth was walking alongside the two girls, biting on an apple.

That damn word again.

- He was just doing me a favor. Leander is chasing me around all the time and it doesn't help we belong to the same house.

- Hex him, then.

- Garreth! - Natsai pushed the boy's shoulder, rolling her eyes while he laughed. - Even thought I don't agree with what he proposes, I have to say... I have no idea how someone like Leander ended up in Gryffindor.

- Yeah, he belongs to Slytherin. Where all the rotten apples are.

- Except Sebastian, of course. - Natsai added and she exchanged a look with Garreth before the two of them started chuckling.

- Ha, ha. Very funny. - Muttered Everleigh.

The Gryffindor trio headed outside, through the gardens and into the Beasts Class. Once again, they were sharing the class with Slytherin, which would not help the rumors of her and Sebastian because she already knew he was going to keep close to her.

Was that something that made her uncomfortable? Surprisingly no. His presence made her feel at ease. And at the same time, her heart skipped a beat every time he got closer than two feet. Her head was a turmoil.

She couldn't afford any romantic relationship at the moment. Not with everything that was going on. Ranrok, Rockwood, her magic and her inability to control it.

She decided that perhaps it was best to keep her distance from Sebastian in public. At least until the gossip died down. He needed to know. She needed to tell him.

She glanced over at him, immersed in a chat with his sister and his best friend. She hadn't officially met them yet; perhaps today she could approach them.

- Good afternoon, class. - Professor Howin adjusted her leathery gloves while marching through the crowd of students towards a nearby pen. - Today we are going to feed and care for the animals we have been studying. I want groups of four for each pen. Remember to brush your animal gently and feed them their assigned food. That goes for you, Miss Pinch-Smedley. The last jobberknoll you fed lost all the feathers and had to put in intensive care.

Several students looked at the Slytherin girl, that was obviously ashamed of being called out in public. Soon after, both Slytherin and Gryffindor houses started to divide among themselves in smaller groups like professor Howin asked.

- One last thing. We won't care for thestrals until next week, but I do need some volunteers to feed them right now. I have to return to the castle momentarily to talk to Headmaster Black. This would be excellent practice. Mister Sallow, I know you can see them. Would you mind?

Everyone turned to look at Sebastian approaching one pen full of creatures Everleigh didn't recognize a bit farther away from the others, with a blank expression. Whispers started, and Everleigh looked at Natsai and Garreth with her eyebrows furrowed.

- What is going on?

- You've never heard of thestrals?

- I haven't, no. They are a bit... sinister. - She added, examining the creatures.