The next day, I woke up early to the gray light and fresh smell of the morning. I was warm and comfortable, but my face was towards the window and felt slightly chilly. My nose burned with the brisk air, contrasting with my cozy legs. From my shoulders down, I was hot chocolate, but my head and neck were lemon ice.
I stretched, popping my elbows and shoulders experimentally. I breathed in deeply one more time, kicked my arms and legs out as far as I could, arched my back, and opened my eyes as I exhaled and relaxed. The red and gold curtains looked soft and inviting.
Whenever I started my mornings like this, I retained my smile for the remainder of the afternoon. I rolled out of bed, mentally proclaiming my day as perfectly acceptable. Grabbing my robes, I drifted into the girl’s washroom. I had a lot of things to think over.
For one, I was a bit confused as to my motives for reaching out socially. It could be the fact that I was somewhat lonely; for decades, I had only been close to my family. Every so often through the centuries, however, I would take a risk and make a friend or two. At the end of my seventh year, I’d part with my new acquaintances tearfully and then be killed in a tragic, freak accident or move to Peru, never to return. Once, Cielle had made a terrible mistake and let slip the truth about our family to one of her “friends.” We were anxious for a long while, until, luckily, our story became a legend. Later, the tale faded into a fairy tale, which drifted into nothingness. No matter what my motives were, I would not make the same mistake.
Another thing I had to think about was what sort of grades I was going to get this term. So far, I felt like I had been letting off a careless, unaffected vibe. My banter with Aiden and Jack had made me look like a rebel without a cause. This gave me a sense of relief, as I knew I wouldn’t have to put out an effort to get good grades.
Left to my musings, my thoughts took ambling turns and left me to thinking of classes. I had already memorized my schedule, so I knew that I’d have to be back in the Common Room in fourteen minutes in order to meet up with the other seventh years before going to History of Magic.
Ten minutes later, I was sitting near the fire, staring up at the stairwell. Six minutes later, four bleary-eyed girls tramped down the stairs loudly and gracelessly.
“You’re already up?” one of them whined, raising her eyebrows at me. “Impressive. I’m Lila Covington.”
“Kherington…Kherington Squires,” I said, looking down at my palms.
“Thank you, Lila,” Aiden said, emerging from the mouth of the boy’s staircase. “I told you I’d find you out, Miss Squires,” he said, winking.
I looked away without a word or expression and stood up as the rest of the seventh years entered. The group was a chattering lot, and noisily, we made our way to the large classroom with deep corners; one of which, I immediately sat in. To my mild chagrin, Aiden took a spot next to me.
“I wouldn’t have asked Lila to do that if I’d have known it’d make you mad,” he said, looking down. He reminded me of a kicked puppy, with his large eyes and pouting lips.
“I’m not mad,” I said defensively. I was only frustrated that he wouldn’t leave me alone.
Professor Richards had started the lesson, and I was desperately trying to take notes and pay attention through my neighbor’s muted chatter, but then I remembered that I wasn’t going to be a good student. Groaning inwardly, I leaned back and looked pointedly at my follower.
“I’m really not mad,” I promised.
“Then, pray tell,” Aiden said, changing his voice to a high falsetto and batting his eyelashes, “why are you ignoring me?”
“Because I don’t know how else to get you to leave me alone,” I admitted.
“Well,” he said, now speaking like a constipated Victorian, “all you had to do was ask.” He frowned, but still continued whispering in my ear as the teacher’s watchful gaze scanned the room like a sound detector.
I tried my best to not regard him as he continued to speak to me through the lesson. Soon, we were partnered in Potions and stirring up a sleeping draught for review. Moments later, it seemed, we were in Defense against the Dark Arts. Then, Transfiguration came like a swift wind. The day passed in no time at all, seemingly prompted on by Aiden’s chatter.
The days moved into weeks which stretched into months “ two, to be exact. I had kept my image flawlessly, and was still a nonchalant girl with three very good friends “ Jack, Aiden, and Lila. The four of us were a happy lot, even with the rising storms of corruption that the Ministry had been accused of.
Three days into my second month at Hogwarts, I received a letter from my brother. It read:
Kherington “
There have been problems at work for Mother and I. Controversies have run rampant. The latest policy that the Ministry is trying to pass is to legalize the use of the Unforgivable Curses. Our family is trying as hard as it can to oppose the issue, but we can only work so hard. I hope school is going well, and Christmas break is fast-approaching. Soon, we will all be home again.
Your brother “
Alexsandre
Aiden had asked what I thought of the letter and the headlines of the Daily Prophet.
“I don’t mind too terribly.”
He had looked at me in disbelief for a moment, and I dearly wished that I could explain myself to him. When you were immortal, petty problems in the magical world meant nothing. I knew that, as everything did, it would pass on with time. Aiden, of course, couldn’t comprehend that.
Instead, he replied laughingly. “Kherington Squires, you are heartless.”