American Beauty

Chapter 50: Rise Up

"As of this morning," announced the headmistress, "Voldemort is back in England. The British ministry is just as clueless as the American one and refuses to believe that this is true. I will not be surprised if the dark arts begin to appear in America and around the world. I need all of you to be prepared. This is not a time to goof off and have fun. Danger is approaching and I need you all to be on your best and most cautious behavior."

The hall was completely silent. The reality that there might be another war sunk in right then and there. Everyone just sat dumbfounded at what might occur.

I was waiting on this to happen. I believed Harry since last year that Voldemort was back but I was still shocked that I might experience battle.

Everyone stood up and began to leave the hall. I slipped out the side door and dashed up to the library to write letters to my friends back in England.

Just as I sat down, the bald eagle that the school had allowed me to borrow tapped against the desk. I pulled the letters off of his leg and sent him on his way.

The first one was from Hermione:

Dear Laila,
Harry can't get You Know Who out of his head. I think one of these days he will trick Harry into thinking that something is happening that isn't. I'm worried.
From,
Hermione

The second one was from Draco:

Dear Laila,
Hogwarts is no fun without you. Potter is so annoying I can't even deal with him without you here. Did you hear that the Dark Lord is on the rise? There might be another war. I hope you stay safe.
Love from,
Draco

I pulled out a quill and ink and wrote back to Hermione first with how to get Harry to cooperate. I then wrote back to Draco with a letter in which I reassured him that I was safe. I think it was more for my own assurance than his.

.__________.

Later that day, I was walking down through the grounds by myself. It was about 7 o'clock and I had already eaten dinner at the dining hall. I flopped down under my favorite tree at Ilvermorny and pulled out my phone and headphones. I put on some music and relaxed back into the smooth beat.

Someone sat down next to me and I looked over to see Daniel. His hair was a mess and he had clearly just thrown on skinny jeans and a t-shirt. His white vans had a little bit of mud in the bottom from the melting snow.

I was listening to some Hamilton (A/N The musical in case you didn't know. Go listen to the soundtrack it's fabulous.) and the shuffle play had just switched to My Shot. I got to the part with the many parts on the lyrics rise up.

Daniel and I sat in silence and I just listened to my music.