In the Shadow of Seventh year

Chapter 25: Determination and Disappointment

The rest of your break was spend doing whatever you felt like doing. 

You spend time with Poppy tending to the Beasts in the Vivariums or sat with Ominis just lazing around the Black Lake. Other times you were exploring the castle and the grounds with Natty, finding potion ingredients to stock up for classes. 
   Sebastian hung around sometimes too, but most of the time he could be found in the library going through old records and you didn't question why. Something told you it either had to do with whatever secret he was keeping or he was just studying for his course. 

He had confided in you that Shacklebolt was a real stickler for rules and was ruthless with his assignments, but Sebastian was loving it anyway which made him want to keep to the rules for once. 
   You were happy that he had found his dream job. 

Professor Weasley had invited you to her office a couple of times, talking with you about your thoughts and feelings and trying to give you some guidance and advice on how to deal with them. 
   It had helped you a lot and it was nice to have someone to confide in that wasn't directly involved and thus had a more clear and unbiased view on things. 

She urged you to write to the Ministry for a summer course that would start right after Hogwarts. It was designed particularly for the Beast division you were hoping to work at and it would test you to see if you had what it takes to get the job. 
   So you had written up a nice and formal letter in her office making sure to mention your interest, the experience with Beasts you had so far and asking for more details so you could prepare properly.
   The Professor warned you that you probably won't be hearing from them until the end of January, which is when their admission for the course closed and they'd inform every applicant whether they got accepted or not. 

When Garreth, Nerida and Anne came back the weekend before classes would start again, they all gave you a big hug. 
   They told you how Natty and Sebastian had filled them in on all that had happened and that they had been concerned most of all, though Anne shot you a small glare when she said to never do that again, then smiled and pulled you into another hug saying she was glad it all got resolved and you were looking better and healthier than before.

Which was true. You were no longer so pale and the circles under your eyes had vanished now that you weren't weighed down by immense guilt and negative thoughts.

The weeks flew by and November turned into December, the chilly weather becoming downright cold as a blanket of snow turned the world white and silent.
   You didn't like the cold, but there was always something extra magical about the winter. Especially when there was snow. 

The flyers for the Yule ball had been posted at the start of the month and informed the students the ball would be kept on Christmas day, starting much the same time as the Halloween ball had. 
   The dress code was formal evening wear, but this time you weren't limited to wear your House colors. The downside was that it would be mandatory to bring a date.

The girls were all excited about it, but you didn't know how to feel. 
   It did excite you, but you and Sebastian were still on a break and the last month you had barely seen him except for the classes you shared with him and the occasional meal. 
   He'd been swamped with assignments for the Curse-breaker course he still had to do even though Shacklebolt wasn't around. Though you suspected he also dedicated time to whatever it was he'd been doing. 
   You yourself had been forced to spend most hours either at the library or at Professor Howin's, working on all the homework and assignments the teachers had given you and trying to learn as much as you could about Beasts from the Professor. That wasn't really something you had to do, but you figured it would be best to prepare the most you could in case you got accepted to follow the summer course.
   Aside from that, you also still kept up a weekly conversation with Professor Weasley. It helped you a lot in navigating your emotions.