After the War.

Ticking Time.

I was on edge every time I entered charms. I knew that McGonagall was bound to catch up with me and detentions had to be served. Flitwick being the next man down and still my teacher would for sure be the one to talk to me and so I attended every class but I wasn't going to go down without a fight. Often the loo would be an excuse to leave five minutes early or I would be ill and so Madam Pomfrey would have to tend to me. One day though I forgot to. Mistakes were made and there it was.

"All right, the bell has gone and it is now dinner but I ask you all to be silent for a second." We did as he had asked as we hoped to leave sooner rather than later as food and revision was due for us, "You all have a test next lesson on the charms from first year up until now. Also, Miss Flint I ask that you stay." I placed my bag on my shoulder still and as the others left I moved until I met his desk and there I stood.

"Yes Professor? Have I done something wrong?" He shook his head and waved a hand to tell me that it was all right. I didn't need to stress but I did. That was my thing to do. Worry and stress until I was ill.

"You have been a smart girl. Using excuses to get out of my class at the end. Madam Pomfrey has never had such a regular student before in her life and I am sure of that. Now, we both know that something must be done about the bothersome matter of your missed meals. Detentions, none of which have been carried out this year and also what occured a month ago." I looked down and pretended that my shoes had something interesting going on. When I looked up he was staring at my shoes as well. Trying to see something. But after a second he also looked up at me.

"Sorry, Professor." He got down from his desk and sat on his chair. Books beneath him and his arms barely met the desk but I admired how hard he worked and so felt no need to comment or laugh. He was serious and that was seen in his work.

"You aren't sorry. Sorry means not doing it again and we both know that you will miss more meals and these bothersome detentions will last until you leave. In one year you managed to work up three years worth of detentions. You don't have any more than three years left at this school. Not now. But, this isn't up to me. You are part Ravenclaw though so all of us heads of houses will talk in our next meeting. I do believe that Professor McGonagall has pulled more than just her hair out trying to deal with you and your reckless actions." My eyes had moved back to my shoes at one point. It wasn't until he had stopped that I noticed he was still talking.
"As for your home situation. It has become clear to us that you won't be welcome back to live with who you did before. Though Melissa is more than happy to care for you and she is sure she can do it well for your sake." I nod but don't look up. A sigh tells me that I am starting to annoy him but before he can tell me to look up I do. Tears filling my eyes.

"Can I go now?" My question was answered by the shake of his head but he hesitated.

"I was supposed to take you up to her office but it is clear you are in no state. Take a seat and I will be back." I silently did as he told me to and then he was gone. Silence settling over the room as I wiped my eye over and over. Then the other. Eventually, the tears had stopped for a while and I didn't think that I had puffy eyes.

"Right, Miss Flint. I do believe that it is time we deal with this like normal people. You tell me what it is that is putting you off of the food and I will tell you what options we have." Clearly, McGonagall was on her last option. Something hurt me more about that than my situation.

"I just don't fancy food in there. The food it fine." I was about to ask a question but stopped short as she watched on. Saying nothing else to me for a long moment.

"Miss Flint. I will stop punishing you for missing your meals and your detentions will stop as well, we have a lot to get on with. I have a school and you have a life. I must tell you that I just received a letter from Mrs Austen and she has informed me that you don't have permission to enter Hogsmeade and no permission to return for holidays to anyone. She is still your guardian and that isn't going to change but you can. I am not saying apologise to her but perhaps you can act civil, read or reply to letters as she sends them. I believe that she lives alone for the time being so she will have a lot to do. As well as this I believe that you require help that is difficult for one of us to provide." I listened as she spoke and spoke about talking to friends but she had no clue of what to say.

"Professor," I had interrupted her but she took it well, "is it possible for me to leave this school? To be left in the Muggle world. To give it all up." She nodded but her face showed shock and uncertainty.

"It is but why would you wish to do that?" I shrugged and didn't know why I had said it. The thought was never dwelt on for long in reality.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter anyway." I could still remember what Adela had told me before. 'when you say that it doesn't matter you really mean that you don't matter' the thought was lost though. "Just thoughts." She nodded and there was complete silence for a while.

"I suppose you can go now. Don't forget to eat now will you?" I shook my head and left the room. Not another thought had been given on the talk that had just happened. All I knew was that I couldn't spend my life helping others. I did need to talk to my own friends.

"Hey, Elliot, can we talk?" He nodded and followed me as we walked from the room. I grabbed some of his food and he laughed at me. Still he kept at my heel as we walked to my room and eventually into it. My password being muttered this time though.

"What's the rush?" His words escaped as I pulled him to the sofa and we sat side by side. His arms moved around me as he normally did but I pulled back and it was clear that he wasn't sure about what was about to happen so I just blurted it out to him.

"I want to tell you everything." His smile was wide and a glimmer of hope washed over him as I said this to him.

"Like, home?" I nodded and regret of starting the conversation was felt but that was why I had rushed it as the words had already been spoken by that point. He expected me to tell him everything so I had to do it.

"I was adopted at six or seven. My step sister Adelaide lived with me. My step parents were a little heavy handed at times. Broken ribs and things like that. I mean, it wasn't common just a couple times a month. They were lovely people but when they got angry, they lost it, at me. When they passed from a car accident not long before I came here I was then put into care but adopted by my step sister. She was out of the age range for care by a lot by this point. Then I found out about magic. Adelaide told me or she got her husband to tell me that I couldn't come back. Then a month ago they met me in the small village not far from here. There I realised that she was just as bad as they were. I picked up the pieces but she made me feel like she was the one picking up all the pieces." I felt tears slip and found it a fruitless task to stop it. Elliot was silent but his hand slowly lifted to my arm where it rested. He didn't know what to say to me.

"Sorry, you are probably tired and this is baggage that you shouldn't have to deal with." I went to stand up but he pulled me closer and we hugged. It felt so natural and our arms wrapped around one another as the seconds passed. Tears falling properly and I felt him tighten his grip on me.

"You're my best friend. This is what I am here for and you know that." He spoke with a bit of force in his voice. He was struggling to keep it together and so we held close for a moment longer before we had finished with the hug and pulled away from one another. My hand ran up my face and Elliot sat watching me for a second. His head on his hand as I tried to carry off crying. I never was able to.

"We should sleep." I nodded but he pulled me close and I was carried. A genuine laugh sounding and for a split second I couldn't help but pull closer to stop falling. Until he let go and I fell onto the bed. I was still clinging onto the boy as we dropped and so he laid on top of me and then together we fell asleep in each other's tight embrace.