Even though Noelle prayed that the night would never end, it did, as nights tend to do. The morning dawned sunny, but with a bitter chill to the air. The cold permeated the castle. As she dressed, her hands shook. She couldn’t tell if it was from the cold, or from her nervousness.
She pulled her navy Beauxbatons cloak tighter around her body. She decided to leave it on all day. When she walked into Potions, she saw James in her usual seat next to Lily. They both looked up at her, and without a word, kept talking amongst themselves. Red with embarrassment, she quickly chose a seat in the very back of the classroom, all by herself.
She had expected questions, but not the silent treatment. With tears clouding her eyes, she started pulling her books out of her bag. Something bumped the back of her chair hard.
“So sorry.” Sirius sneered at her, as he walked to his own seat.
She could hear the hatred in his voice, and her heart contracted painfully. She steeled herself and replied,
“Oui, I imagine that walking is tough for you...seeing as how your head is in your rear end.”
He turned red, and shoved his chair back. Professor Valenti entered the class at that moment. Sirius shot her another hateful glance, and turned to face the front.
Throughout the day, it was the same. The only ones who spoke to her were some of her friends from Slytherin. The Gryffindors completely ignored her.
It went on for weeks. Noelle took all her meals alone, eating quickly. She moved through the castle on autopilot, not looking directly at anyone. She ceased to participate in class. Most nights, she was able to keep her sobs hidden from her roommates. She didn’t want sympathy or consolation; she just wanted to be as far from Hogwarts as possible. She spent all her free time in the library, studying for the end of the year exams. Since she was a fifth year, she had to take the O.W.L.s. The worry over the exams overrode her anxiety at being ignored. At this point, she didn’t even care. She just wanted the year to be over. She vowed to herself that she would force her parents into letting her return to Beauxbatons for her last two years.
Sirius was also mentally anguished. He remembered the way that Noelle had always looked at him, as if he could do anything. She sure didn’t look at him like that anymore. Now when he saw her, he spit out a nasty comment before he could stop himself. Noelle had ceased responding to him. Her face was impassive, her blue eyes dead. She had lost weight, and she looked even more delicate than before. Several times, he had almost reached out to her, but he had stopped himself. Things were better this way. He couldn’t let himself get hurt again.
The end of the year approached rapidly. One night in mid April, she couldn’t keep her sobs down. Lily heard her old friend crying. She wanted desperately to go to her old friend, but she didn’t think that Noelle would let her.
Lily had realized how ridiculous it was for her to be mad at Noelle, just because the boys were. Lately she had to bite her tongue whenever they started in on her. Sirius was the worst. He never missed an opportunity to berate Noelle, whether it was in public or to her face. Lily knew better. Sirius didn’t hate Noelle, far from it. He was just deeply wounded by a girl that affected him like no other. It didn’t help that Noelle didn’t react to him either.
She could still hear Noelle crying. She slid off her bed, and crept to Noelle’s.
“Noelle?” Lily’s voice whispered through the bed curtains.
The sobs cut off. A pale hand shook as it parted the curtains. Lily smothered a gasp when she set eyes on her friend. It had been a while since she had been this close to Noelle. Her cheeks were hollowed out and her eyes were sunken into her head. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot. She looked horrible.
Lily automatically reached for her friend. Wrapping her arms as tightly around Noelle’s frail frame as she dared, she said,
“Oh Noelle, I’m so sorry for everything...so sorry.”
Noelle returned Lily’s hug. “No. I am sorry. I should have told you what happened, and where I was going.”
Her voice was raspy; she hadn’t used it in a long time.
“We were just worried, is all.” Lily clasped her friend’s hand, and Noelle shook her head ruefully,
“Not Sirius. He hates me now.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t. He just thinks he does. He was very upset and very hurt.”
Noelle nodded gravely. “It is better this way.”
Lily’s jaw dropped. “Why?”
“It just is.” Noelle sounded final, and Lily didn’t push her any further.
Lily glanced at the clock on the nightstand and pushed her dark red hair off her face.
“Let’s go to sleep...there is a Quidditch game tomorrow, and you’re going to come with me. No sitting with the Slytherins.”
Noelle opened her mouth to protest, and then shut it. She nodded.
“Good. Good night, Noelle.” Lily rose and returned to her own bed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Great Hall the next morning, everyone was chattering about the match. It was always a huge rivalry when Gryffindor played Slytherin. Noelle sat far from the main group, eating a small breakfast with Lily. The other Gryffindors eyed them suspiciously.
“All right there, Lemieux?” Sirius called loudly from the midst of a bunch of Gryffindors.
When she looked up, he said, “Aren’t you sitting at the wrong table? Or in the wrong school?” referring to the navy cloak she wore.
The rest of the Gryffindors erupted in hysterical laughter. Noelle turned beet red.
“Tu es un fils d'une chienne. Ne me parle pas encore. Tu es rien.”
Sirius turned redder than Noelle. She calmly turned back to her breakfast.
“What did you say to him?” Lily whispered.
Noelle glanced down the table to where he was still fuming. “It does not matter.”
“He’s furious!”
Noelle nodded, not taking her eyes away from her food. “He should be.”
Once outside, Noelle perked up. She breathed in the cool clear air and instantly felt better. She had been cooped up inside the castle for too long. She followed Lily up the stairs and sat next to her. The players took to the air. As the boys soared by the stands, both James and Sirius ignored them. Noelle leaned over to Lily,
“James is upset with you, because you are talking to me again?”
Lily nodded shortly. “I don’t care, he’s a jerk.”
Noelle sat back, but inside she felt awful for hurting her friend’s relationship. They both turned their attention to the game.