He was darkness.
He was death.
He was pain.
He was suffering.
He was a mystery. One she intended to solve.
"You wouldn't kill me, Tom." "Avada Kedavra!"
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December Twenty-Fifth, 1943
It was certainly Christmas that morning at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Outside of her window in the dorm, the lake had almost frozen over and the only sign of the mer-people below the murky surface were the occasional air bubbles that floated up from the depths.
Snow fell gently outside and covered the school grounds in a white blanket. In the Slytherin dorms, some Christmas-themed decorations had been hung up and a small Santa Claus marched back and forth on the bedside table.
In the bed next to Arabella's, Jaelyn lay, hands folded behind her head, eyes open, smile wide.
"I love Christmas," Jaelyn said and sat up. She pulled Arabella's covers off and danced around the room, using the sheets as a cape. "You can forget everything and be happy, for only one day."
Arabella frowned and reached over to Jaelyn's bed, picking her duvet off the bed and wrapping it around her own shoulders. "Sure."
Jaelyn frowned and grabbed Arabella's hand gently. "I know it's hard," Jaelyn said softly, "but the pain will go away eventually."
Arabella fell back onto her bed and sighed. "Sure."
The two girls were motionless for a few minutes, both thinking about different things, yet the sombre mood dropped heavily on both their shoulders.
"Let's go to breakfast."
A moment passed before Arabella sat up begrudgingly and slipped her feet into a pair of green slippers. "Sure."
Jaelyn grabbed Arabella's hand and held it tightly the entire way up to the Great Hall.
Once they got into the hall and sat down, Jaelyn put two pieces of toast onto Arabella's place and glared at her until Arabella reluctantly began buttering it. When she moved onto the jam, Jaelyn beamed brightly and patted Arabella's shoulder. "Good job."
Arabella grunted and just continued silently attacking the toast.
Edmund soon snuck into the seat next to Arabella, the smell of coconut and lemon wafted around her- Edmund had just washed. He drew his arms around her waist and pulled her into his chest. Arabella stilled and froze suddenly, his touch blistering hot.
"Oh 'Bella," Edmund said, thinking she froze from sadness. "How are you today?"
Arabella worked to loosen up and turned to face Edmund, her hands reached up and caressed his face with trembling fingers. "I'm fine."
