Soteria

CHAPTER 23:

Days turned into weeks that Ivy and Tom had not communicated with each other, not even through non-verbal cues. Whether they saw each other in the great hall, in the hallways, during classes where they even sat beside one another, or in the common room sometimes, neither of them communicated. It appeared that Tom was honouring and sticking to her request to be left alone.

She felt a mix of relief and a tinge of disappointment. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she didn't think he'd actually avoid her, or perhaps it was because of what she had told him that night. She had to confess to herself that she had been a little harsh. Harsh, but necessary.

It was the only way to get him away from her and not distract her from completing her mission, which wasn't progressing well at all. She was still at square one, with no solution to help her carry on. It was futile to tell Tom to stay away because she was getting nowhere either way, if he even did stick around.

Was that truly the reason why she had told him to leave her alone? For the mission?

Deep down, Ivy knew the answer, but she didn't want to reveal it nor admit it, for it was a terrible thing to accept and feel. But then again, they didn't really have something... right?

*

February had approached, and Valentine's Day was in the corner, waiting to miraculously mend hearts and fill them with love, as well as break a few and fill them with grief.

For the first time, Ivy was dreading it and was beginning to hate it. Hating it because it meant that while everyone around her would be gifted with love, she would be gifted with grief with a sprinkle of guilt.

Usually, Valentine's Day didn't bother her, even if no one gifted her or confessed their love to her. It was only that this year would be different since the ones that should be filling her with love weren't able to, or perhaps they didn't have that love for her anymore. Her love for them, however, never wavered.

"I can't believe he's growing more and more stronger!" exclaimed Agnes as she angrily flicked through a newspaper, causing Ivy to snap out of her daydream. "He's raised and is raising, at this very moment, a whole army for those stupid ideologies!"

"Scrunching that poor paper isn't going to do anything, Agnes." Beatrice said.

Agnes huffed and slammed the newspaper down onto the table. "Well, someone needs to do something! Grindelwald's power seems to be increasing by the minute! Muggles are beginning to disappear, at least every day! It's absolutely barbaric!"

"I agree with you, Agnes, but there's really nothing anyone can do. We'll just have to keep praying that he'll get defeated soon."

"He will be defeated." Ivy stated blankly before quickly adding, "Hopefully."

"I hope so too." Agnes sighed before grimacing. "People who hold such views are disgusting imbeciles who should really be the ones to be cleansed from the world. Absolutely horrible."

Ivy said nothing as she poked her meal with her fork. How horrible indeed.

"You'd think they'd change." She ranted on. "But people like that will never change; they'll only just become worse."

"There's obviously a reason why Grindelwald is the way he is, Agnes." Beatrice added. "Who knows? He might change his ways."

Agnes scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "And what could possibly result in him doing that?"

"Love," mumbled Ivy as her eyes were fixed on the smooth, dark chocolate cream of her cake.

"Love?" Agnes repeated incredulously before laughing. "Love? Who could possibly love him? The only people that love him are those disgusting followers of his and those that agree with his ideologies."