Etched, Engraved, Everlasting (a Hogwarts Mystery Year 6 Retell)

16 - Em

Clara wasn't the only one shaken up by the Haywood sisters' argument. Even if I tried my hardest not to show it, I couldn't help but feel rage's fire flicker through my veins, blazing through my entire being. What Beatrice did was just not cool at all. Pushing away a sibling like that...it was like a slap to the face for those who cared for them most dearly. Though I was perhaps the most detached from my older siblings, I never saw any reason to shut them out from any business of mine if they ever asked me about it. In fact, I'd rather embrace every opportunity I'd have with them.

I just hope I still had enough time with Jacob--assuming he's still alive.

Since that argument, though, Diego never left my side. Well, unless we were both in class, but besides that he was always there. Always catching up with me at the Hufflepuff table at lunch with a sandwich in hand. Sitting in front of the fireplace in our common room on some evenings with a small bag of cheese at the ready. Stress over the Cursed Vaults had taken a toll on Clara, and whenever she wasn't around her friends would always be there. They were like the family I never had, with each of them guiding me through all my troubles and making sure I was doing alright. 

Of course, I would never forget about Hillary, and Fred and George, and Cedric, and Angelina and Alicia. Time spent together in the classrooms and beyond made us bond even more, and it made me smile to think that I even have friends of my own now. Sitting now with Angelina and Alicia in the courtyard, with the bright afternoon sun shining down on us, I felt the anger from the fight I witnessed melt away, flowing deep into the cracks of the cobblestone beneath my feet. Even if it was just me watching them play a game of Gobstones, there was no reason to remain so mad or worried or stressed.

"Ha! Gotcha, Angelina!" Alicia cried, laughing as Angelina got doused in the stinky liquid.

"Eugh!" Angelina's face literally screamed disgust as she wiped off as much of the green liquid off with her hands. "Remind me never to get distracted with your Quidditch shenanigans."

THWACK!

As suddenly as the liquid had sprayed Angelina, a rather heavy thing thumped me on the back of my head, almost knocking my glasses off with the force.

"What the--"

SPLASH!

"My football!"

A girl with mousy brown hair whom I've never noticed before darted past me, lashing out in an attempt to pick up the black and white ball that was now floating in the middle of the fountain.

"Nora, for the last time we've told you, the courtyard is not the best place to play Muggle football," Angelina sighed. "You could seriously hurt someone!"

"I'm sorry! I can't help it!" the girl--Nora--cried. "What else can I do besides homework?" 

I took a closer glance at the girl in front of me--now I recognize her from Transfiguration class. She almost always caused trouble with Professor McGonagall in class. It's a miracle she's still in one piece.

"It's no harm to play a little," I said then, taking off my shoes and wading into the middle of the fountain. "Just be careful, alright?"

"I swear I was only juggling," the girl admitted with a sigh. "I'm sorry about that. Everything here's so new to me, it's only a miracle I'm able to catch up with all this wizarding stuff." She sat next to me and put the ball in her lap. "I'm Muggle-born, you see. Completely Muggle family, and I'm the only one who's shown any kind of magical potential! Crazy, isn't it? And everything here--it's just so different! A good different, actually..."

"That explains the football, then," I ventured carefully, nodding at the ball in her hands.

"Yup! I love watching football! And I play it quite a bit too," she responded with a firm nod. "Though I understand that we have Quidditch here, right? Angelina and Alicia are really firm on making the team together next year."