Sparks Fly || A George Weasley Story

Year 6: Peering Beyond the Veil

Juni's POV:

Once again, I found myself seated in Professor Trelawney's divination class. Sure, I had told myself I wasn't going to take it at an advanced level, however, this year, I was hoping we'd go beyond your standard crystal balls and tea leaves and I may be able to better understand what was going on in my head. Some people thought she was a quack, but there was something about her that tells me that she is genuine. You wouldn't dedicate this many years to teaching something you didn't truly believe in, would you?

"Hey, poppet," Pandora said, falling onto the cushion beside me.

There was something off. Her dark eyes were heavy with a lack of sleep, her under eyes mimicking bruises. Her skin held a grey sheen, and her full lips were cracked and peeling.  Her dark hair didn't hold the same expensive sheen that it had before, and hung limp just above her shoulders, as though it didn't have to will to hold itself in any particular way anymore. Obviously I couldn't say anything about it, not right off the bat anyways. Maybe she's still having a hard time with splitting from Angie. I didn't want to open up the wound if she was feeling well enough to come see me.

"I thought you weren't taking divination this year?" I asked, hoping that she didn't notice me taking in every aspect of her appearance.

"I'm not, I have a free period, and I saw you come in here," She smiled, the gap between her teeth proudly on display for once, but it only accentuated the red lines that littered her lips, "And I've missed hanging out with you. Since Angie and I had our fall out, it's been awkward trying to spend time with you when you're always with those little mates of hers."

"I'm sorry, Dora," I sighed, "It just feels like every time I turn around something is happening and I haven't had as much time to hang out with anyone that doesn't come and find me themselves."

"It's alright," She said, shaking her head, tugging the sleeve of her robes down further, "I know it's been awfully rough for you lately, especially since the night the names got called. Plus, I've had my own stuff going on. My mum has really been on me about some family stuff recently."

I couldn't help but notice she didn't meet my eyes when she said the stuff about her mum. Pandora's mum had never been what one would describe as easy-going. Like most high-status pureblood families, she as well as the rest of her family, was to uphold the status, and air of being above those below. They looked, smelled, and lived expensively. They hold their heads and noses very high. Pandora had never subscribed to that way of thinking and it had always ended up with explosive arguments and occasionally even physical altercations between the two.

"Is everything alright? You know you can tell me anything."

"Actually, I can't," She said, shaking her head and staring down at the small table in front of her, "This is something you wouldn't understand."

"I've been through a lot, Dora, I think if anyone could understand family trouble, it's me."

"I really wish that were true, Juniper," She sighed, still not meeting my gaze, but focusing her eyes on my nose so that it looked as though she was, "This is just very different, and you wouldn't understand, I promise you that."

"Try me, Dora, you're a good friend of mine, and you helped Gardenia feel safe in Slytherin, I wish to return the favor."

"Poppet, drop it, now," She said, and I could feel her getting annoyed with me, "This is something you can't help me with."

"Why not?" It hurt that she wouldn't tell me, but it hurt more that she didn't seem to realize that I was trying to help. We'd never been the kind to keep secrets...