Broken [Editing]

Chapter Forty-Seven

Shivering, I woke up in the park under the jungle gym, unsure of how I got there.

Everything from last night after the hospital is blurry. I vaguely remember walking home, but nothing after that. My head's killing me. I looked around and saw an empty bottle on the other side of the park, along with one of my hoodies.

I made my way over to it, picking it up. It was soaked, and I wrung it out. It must've rained a lot last night.

I made my way slowly back to the flat, praying silently that Adeline was still asleep, but to no avail. When I opened the door, she was stood there, phone in hand, concerned look etched across her face.

As I clicked the door closed, she turned to face me. She ended the phone call, telling the person on the other end that I was home, before putting the phone back on the receiver.

"Where were you? I got up at 4am this morning, and you were gone. I've been worried sick." She was angry, that much I could tell, but she didn't yell.

I didn't know how to answer, but my whole body was soaked, and desperately seeking warmth.

"I need to get changed." I mumbled. I know she didn't deserve the cold attitude that was laced within my words, but I felt numb. I couldn't show I cared, because every time I care about someone, something goes wrong.

I made my way into my room, grabbing a towel on the way, and stripped out of the wet clothes I was wearing, scrunching them into a ball, and placing them in the corner. I opened my trunk, in search of my pyjamas, and pulled out a fluffy red pair, with hearts on them. My head felt like it was going to explode, so I got dressed and laid back on my bed. I got up after around 5 minutes and went into the kitchen to make myself a drink.

"Are you going to tell me where you were?" Adeline asked once more, her voice firmer, and I turned to face her.

"I was in the park." I answered coolly, but her entire posture changed as the words left my mouth.

"Have you been drinking?"

"Yes." My head was pounding even more, so I made myself a cup of tea, and started towards my bedroom. Adeline reached out and grabbed onto my injured wrist, and I almost dropped the mug in my hands.

"I don't think I can do this, Alessia. You're 13 for merlin's sakes! You can't pass out in a park because you've decided to walk off with a bottle of alcohol." She seemed distraught, but I couldn't focus on her words, my attention was on the throbbing pain in my arm. I pulled free of her restraint.

"You can't do this? You!" My ears started ringing, and my vision became blurry, and I made my way into the bathroom, emptying the contents of my stomach into the toilet.

"I'm sorry, Alessia, but you're going to have to go back to Hogwarts." Adeline sighed, before going into the lounge. I heard the sound of the floo system, and stood up, flushing the toilet and brushing my teeth.

I made my way back to my bedroom, deciding to pack my things back into my trunk. I threw on a pair of jeans, and a red hoodie. I brushed my hair, before making the bed and packing away my books. I laid Adeline's present out on the bed, along with a card addressed to her, apologising for last night.

Adeline returned a short while later, with Dumbledore in tow.

"Miss Clarke, it seems we have reached a situation in which you need to come back to Hogwarts a bit early." He stated, and I nodded, grabbing my trunk, and Aerin's cage before making my way into the lounge with them.

"I'm sorry." I muttered as Dumbledore grabbed a handful of powder, and we were suddenly in his office.

"Miss Clarke, before you return to your dorm, will you please take a seat?"

I sat across from him, and he offered me a sherbet lemon, I accepted, and put the sweet into my mouth.

"Alessia, I understand you feel, well, alone, but please, you need to focus on your behaviour. Your actions are becoming very self-destructive, and a lot of people are worried." He explained, and I nodded, feeling a tear run down my cheek once more.

"I'm sorry professor." With that, I made my way to the common room, sniffling lightly, dragging my trunk. The common room was empty when I arrived, which didn't surprise me, as it was snowing outside, so I imagine most people were outside, or in the great hall. That's where they were last year.

I placed my trunk at the end of my bed, and Aerin's cage on the nightstand. He still hadn't returned from Blake's house, which was strange.

"Alessia?" I turned to see Hermione behind me, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Hi." I was still slightly dizzy from last night, so I sat on the end of my bed, head in between my knees.

"I thought you were spending the holidays with Adeline?" She questioned, and I began to cry quietly.

"I was going to but-" I was cut off by Ron calling for Hermione up the stairs, "Never mind. I'll tell you later."

She hesitated, but grabbed a book from her nightstand, heading out, yelling at Ron to shut his gob.

I could feel my wrist throbbing with pain, and decided I needed to tell someone about the relapse. It wasn't healthy for me to do, and I don't want to go back to the same girl that I was. The thought scared me.

I made my way out of the dormitory and went down to Professor Lupin's office. I knocked gently on the door and heard a small 'come in' from inside. I pushed the wooden door slowly, the creak from the hinges reverberating around my skull painfully, and saw Lupin sat behind his desk, a book in his hand.

"Alessia?" He asked, and I nodded.

"I need someone to talk to."