An Unpredicted Exception @Hogwarts

12

Celine manages to avoid Julie for a whole evening and the next morning, but then she got cornered by not only her friend, but also by Theodore. "Celine, don't you dare to get away from me again."Julie tells her friend fuming. Her tone makes Celine stop. She looks at Julie and sees the worry in her eyes. Directly she regrets avoiding her best friend. Of course that would have made her worry about her. "I'm sorry," She says dejected. Julie huffs, but walks with her to a bench facing a field. Theodore is following them, but he wisely keeps his mouth shut. "Now sit," Julie says sternly, and Celine obeys. Her gaze wanders to the field before them. There are a few students sitting in the grass, just chilling or reading. Julie sits next to her and Theodore leans on the bench the other side of Julie. "Celine," Julie says, with more kindness in her voice now. "What happened, why are you avoiding me?" She takes Celine's clenched hands in hers. That makes Celine look away from the field. Two sets of worried eyes are pinned on her. "I just needed some time to think, that's all." She answers gloomy. "Celine, you know you can tell me everything right?" Julie's honest voice does make her feel a bit better. She knows, Julie always got her back and she is grateful for that. But Celine made a promise. "I know." she says. "But not everything is mine to tell." Theodore, who was listening closely to their conversation, speaks before Julie can answer that. "Does this have something to do with Horace? He didn't come back all evening. First I thought it was something good, but then Julie found me and told me that you were spotted crying and didn't came back to the common room." Oh Merlin, people actually did see her crying. Celine hunches her shoulders miserably, "Ah, well..." She starts, but can't find the words to finish what she wants to say. She wants to reassure her friends that she is alright. That there was nothing, but she can't really lie about that to them in their face. "Whatever that idiotic boy said to make you cry, he really regrets it now."Theodore tells her, his harsh words for his friend colored with care. "He was a mess when I found him this morning and I think, judging by his appearances, that he hadn't slept at all." That hurts Celine to hear, did it make him feel that bad that someone knew his secret? Does he think that his secret will be spilled all around the castle now? Doesn't he trust Celine? She buries her face in her hands. "Yeah I'm sorry too." She mumbles in her hands. Julie trows her arm around her shoulders. "Girl, we want to help. Let us." she says softly, with her friendly voice. Theodore hums in agreement. Peeking through her fingers she looks at them. They got closer because of their shared worry, at least that's a good thing. "I just told him something I shouldn't have said, and then he got angry. And in response I run away like a coward. I just got scared, and I don't know what to do when people get angry at me, and then he looked at me like that and I thought-" A sob escapes her mouth. Julie hugs her deeper and Celine buries her head in the crook of her friend's shoulder. She takes some shaky breathes and misses the look that Julie and Theodore share. "He did say something similar." Theodore says softly. Julie looks at the girl. "I think they both are sorry and feeling bad for something they have said." Her gaze wanders to the field, "How about we set them up together, so they can apologize?" The same moment Theodore says cheerfully yes, Celine says no. She  tenses and sits up. "I'm sure he is still angry, and I don't think he wants to talk to me.." She starts. "Nonsense," Theodore disagrees, "I am sure he isn't angry anymore, maybe depressed, but certainly not angry. I can know, I have seen him really angry." He grins at the memory. "How about after the quidditch match today? I don't think we can make them talk before the game. The players are all together then." Theodore starts to plan. "Yes, afterwards we can wait for him to get changed and then ditch them somewhere together." Julie agrees. Celine doesn't like them talking about her like she isn't right next to them. And the plan is horrible. "No." She tells them. "It can't be today. I need to-to work on homework." Julie looks at her skeptical. "Girl we both know you don't. Besides, you promised that you would watch the game, didn't you?" Celine's face falls, yes she did said she would. No escaping that. With a deep sigh she stands. "You two will probably drag me there if I don't work along with the plan, right?" Celine asks carefully. "Totally, I can even carry you!" Theodore smirks way too happy. "Then what's the plan?" Celine says defeated. Julie jumps next to her and hugs the girl. "Operation mend-Celorace starting.. Now!"