Petrichor

♡︎𝓽᭙ꫀꪀ𝓽ꪗ ꪮꪀꫀ♡︎

☾♡︎☔︎︎♡︎☽
It has been three weeks since Carmen's disappearance. Most of the days in the Stella Manor consists of Draco, Blaise, Ezra, Adelph, and Cyrus staying home, waiting for Carmen to come back. They knew that Carmen will not come back unless if she had a good reason to, so they usually left her window open just in case.

"Maybe she bought her own place?"

Blaise riddles as he helps Cyrus organize Cyrus's 'shop'.

"She can easily buy a cabin in the woods for a couple of thousands."

Blaise explains.

"Shh."

Ezra says, causing everybody to go dead silent. They all look at each other as they hear a small sound coming from Carmen's bedroom. Draco stands up with his index finger on his mouth, motioning everyone to stay quiet. He tip toes out of Cyrus's room with Cyrus trailing behind him.

Draco barges into her room after the sound of her window slams shut is heard.

"Carmen?!"

Cyrus calls out, but the room is empty.

"She was here."

Draco says as he points to the window and the ransacked room.

"She's near, move."

Draco says as he open the window.

Draco jumps out of the window, trying to chase after Carmen. He begins to sprint as he sees the silhouette of Carmen running away.

"Carmen!"

He calls out.

Carmen looks behind as she runs away, digging through her pocket as she does so. She disappears into thin air when she grabs a sage coloured key.

Draco stands from behind the Stella gates, staring at the air that Carmen once passed by.

"Where did she go?"

Cyrus asks as he catches up to Cyrus.

"She left, she had a portkey."

Draco explains.

"Fuck."

Cyrus groans.

"I need a smoke."

Is all what Draco says before heading back inside.

♡︎☔︎︎♡︎☔︎︎♡︎☔︎︎♡☔︎︎︎♡︎

"Where could she even be?"

Adelph says as she stares up at the ceiling, clearly in her own little world.

Adelph is laying on Cyrus's bed, her head resting on Ezra's lap. Draco, Blaise and Cyrus are playing some card game at the square table, trying to let the time pass by as quickly as it can. The three boys at the table are smoking, decorating the air with white swirls of smoke.

"I should have listened to Ernie."

Adelph says, all she has been talking about is Carmen lately.

Cyrus looks from his cards to Adelph, a curious look on his face. He sets down his cigarette onto his ash tray as he opens his mouth.

"What did Ernie say?"

He asks, truly wanting to know more about his little sister.

"He approached her around June."

Adelph starts.

Draco and Blaise are now fully paying their attention to her. Their upper body is turned towards her as they continue to smoke.

"He said that she seemed more closed off and sad. He told me that everyone should forgive Carmen, to atleast give her a chance. He told me that she seemed remorseful, something about her eyes having guilt and sorrow in them."

She says as she begins to tear up.

"I shouldn't have avoided her like that."

She cries out.

Ezra shushes her by placing his hands on top of her forehead. Draco looks down to his lap as he takes a large inhale from his almost done cigarette.

"We all shouldn't have avoided her."

Ezra corrects.

"Yeah, it wasn't only your fault."

Cyrus says.

"I should get home by now, it's midnight."

Draco says as he stands up.

"See you tomorrow, I will stay for a bit longer."

Blaise says.

Everybody else says their goodbye to Draco as he exits Cyrus's room. It was a daily routine for Draco to stay at the Stella manor. He and Cyrus grew close, they were practically good friends at this point.

Draco takes a good look at Carmen's door that is next to Cyrus's before going down the stairs. He lately had dreams about Carmen coming back, how she would be standing in front her room door with her small smile. He knew that it was unrealistic, but it felt good to have those dreams.

He sighs as he walks down the stairs and out of the Stella home. Mrs. Stella was at his house, especially during this time of night. Narcissa and Avaline were well known wine drinkers. You will never not catch them together with a glass of red wine.

The walk back home was short, only a couple of minutes. He threw away his burnt down cig into the bushes in front of the grand door to the manor before stepping in. The sound of two mothers talking instantly hits his ears as he walks in. He couldn't help but eavesdrop as Avaline speaks from the living room. His back is against the wall that is in front of the dining room as he hides himself from Narcissa and Avaline.

"She was always a mystery, even when she was a child."

Avaline says as Narcissa listens.

"When she was five, I took her to Diagon alley with Cyrus. I was paying all of my attention to Cyrus that I did not even notice her wander off. When I did notice her gone, I went looking for her."

She says, taking a break from her story to take a sip of red wine.

"An hour later, she came up to me. I was so angry with her but I was so curious, so I asked where she had gone. Do you know what she told me?"

Avaline asks Narcissa.

Narcissa must have shook her head because Avaline began to talk after a couple of seconds later.

"She told me, 'you will never know, mummy."

Avaline says, taking a break again to take one more sip.

"I never got to find out where she went that day at Diagon alley. She has always been mysterious like that, ever since I could remember. "

She says.

Draco lets out a quiet sigh before taking a couple of steps towards the stairs, ready to leave.

"She just has so much compassion, you know?"

Avaline says, making Draco freeze.

"She just doesn't like to show it, you know? She would rather die than let anyone know what goes on in her heart. She's loving, maybe too loving. I can tell that she is more fragile than other people think, she has a reason why she is so closed off."

Draco can just imagine his mothers intense stare as Avaline spills out everything about Carmen. Narcissa is probably rubbing Avaline's back for comfort as they both take a sip from their wine glass.

"She just avoids and avoids. When things get too scary for her, she avoids. She feels too much for her own good, but not many people know that.  I know that she didn't run away because she is troubled, she ran because she got scared."

Avaline says, her voice slightly cracking.

"I miss her so much, I wish that she knows that."

Avaline cries out.

"Don't worry, Avaline, she will come back soon."

Narcissa comforts.