The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 62: The End for Now

As Hogwarts disappeared from view, I was surprised by how little I felt about it. The castle no longer held pleasant memories for me. Sad memories were mixed between the folds, making the castle seem bittersweet.

Beauxbatons was not much better, as I knew all that lingered there were students who by now had heard of what had happened after the third task. Questions upon questions were all that would be asked, and I would have to do my best to dodge them.

Madam Benoît was the first person we saw once the carriage reached a halt on the platform under the school. Her pocket watch on a chain was in her hand, right on time. She looked exactly like we had left her which in some ways felt like a blessing.

"You guys are going to have to hide me until I'm out of her sight," Jacqueline reminded us as we waited to exit the carriage, but despite our best efforts, Madam Benoît singled Jacqueline out almost immediately and demanded that she come forward.

Muttering darkly under her breath, Jacqueline walked to her while I thanked my lucky stars for not being noticed for opening the carriage door.

Mariana also looked remarkably the same, with thick dark hair ruffled around her slim face. A cigarette was held between two fingers in one hand, her legs crossed as she watched us by the rushing fountain next to her other friend, Isa. The summer flowers were starting to blossom in the garden as all the returning students from the carriage rushed past the familiar garden towards the fountain.

As if it were the first day of school, everyone unclasped their heels and threw their hats to the ground before diving into the fountain. After giving a kiss on the cheek to Mariana I joined them until Jacqueline arrived.

She wasn't fuming anymore, but an irritated line remained above her brow as she took the cigarette from her Portuguese friend and took a drag.

"Glad to see you got away in one piece," Mariana said with a familiar smirk to her features. I twisted the water out of my hair as I joined them with Marie following after. Unlike the rest, she only got her legs wet.

"I have a reading list that I must complete over the summer as punishment," Jacqueline said with a snort. "And I have to write a damn essay for each one!"

"Are the books on disobedience?" I asked, curiously from the fountain side. She shook her head dismissively before replying with classic French literature.

"It would be one thing if the punishment matched the crime, but this seems a bit far fetch, no?" Marie asked the group, who all agreed as expected. Relaxing back, my eyes drifted up to the sky before catching sight of something coming towards us.A black object, that later revealed itself to be a sleek black feathered owl flew towards us with a note tied in it's claws. I recognized the owl moments before it landed by my side. I had seen it the day I sent my brothers letters to my mother.

It was Malfoy's owl.

I took the note from the owl's leg with as much self control as I could muster so as not to rip the note and stash it away suspiciously in front of my friends. Even then, Marie, ever the smart one, questioned the note.

"I don't recognize the owl. Who's it from? Sam?"

"No," I said with a light laugh, as I glanced at the address. "It's in my mother's handwriting. Knowing her, she must be at some social light's soiree across the pond and had to borrow an owl." Of course, my mother never addressed letters to me by my last name alone, but Marie didn't need to know that.

While Mariana went on to tell us about the three girls who over slept and missed their seats on the carriage to the tournament in the beginning of the year, my eyes drifted back to the note. Taking a chance, I slowly opened it and began to read.