Suddenly, It's Magic

Chapter Twenty-Six

   Over dinner, Ariella managed to clear her mind of all thoughts by slowing her breath and doing whatever means necessary to distract herself. The minute she found herself alone with her thoughts, they would consume her. The what if’s were the worst — what if Ariella doesn’t find someone else but Cedric does? What if neither of her friends returned back to Hogwarts? Ariella couldn’t afford to think like that, which is why returning back to Hogwarts was the best thing for her.

   By the time Ariella finished up every last speck of food on her plate, she ran the tip of the fork against the gleaming plate, drawing a picture with the leftover grease. Her mind clouded with everything that was going on, and as much as she wanted everything to subside and go back to normal, she just couldn’t find a way to separate herself from what was her norm.

    “Ariella, are you finished?” Jean spoke out as she prepared to start clearing the table. Her father was still out and it was nearly midnight. It wasn’t like him for to be out so late, but maybe there were habits Ariella imagined he developed over the years while they were separated.

   Looking up at Jean, Ariella gave a blank expression before she slightly nodded. Jean, as compassionate as she always was, gave Ariella a kiss on the top of her head before moving towards Ambrosia.

   “Good night, girls. Get on to bed; I’ll wait up for your father.”

   Ambrosia was the first to take the lead while Ariella was hesitant. It was obvious to everyone as she just stood there the minute Jean said good-night. Her eyes expressive as if the words danced on the tip of her tongue, screaming and pushing to escape her mind but the world stood still. Ariella’s lip quivered before it changed into a smile. She knew Jean was going to ask her what was wrong, but for the sake of wanting to go back to normal, silence was their only option.

   “Good night.” Ariella replied.

   Treading up the stairs with her step-sister trailing behind her, the minute Ariella set her foot on the second floor she was stopped by a voice.

   “You know you’re not going to get your way by putting on a frown, hoping that things will bend to your will.”

   A quirk in Ariella’s eyebrow, a chuckle escaped to her bewilderment. “I’m not you. I’m not going to threaten people or hold something against them — there are other ways and just being completely honest and hoping they’ll listen to me is the way I want to go.”

   “All you’ve proven in the last couple of hours is how miserable you are. You want to be happy? You could be happy, but you have to show them. All you’re going to get by sulking around the house is mum and dad holding you close to figure out, wanting to do what they can to help you, not anyone else.”

   “And I should listen to you because?”

 Taking a step towards Ariella, Ambrosia walked passed and looked down at her doe-eyed sister and sighed, “Because it’s what you do. When you’re hurt, you sit around and wait for someone to save you — it’s what you did with Oliver and now you’re doing it with Cedric. You need to stop depending on people and start being the independent girl I used to hear you talking about in Third Year.”

   Ambrosia left Ariella with that tidbit before she headed to her room without a single word more. If Ambrosia didn’t bring up Oliver, then she would have ignored everything she had just said and try to get a peaceful sleep, but as she much as she detested it, she was right. During the last three years, she believed that someone would always be there whenever her world began to shatter. Now here she was her world in shambles and everyone she cares about fighting their own personal battles, and all she wanted was to be with her friends — distracting her from her own worries. Her own selfish way to hide the pain she felt inside.