United At Last PV | A. Beckett Closed

Date: 3rd April, 2019
Time: 5:00pm - After Classes
Location: The Owlery

@Anastasia Beckett

Koko may have been exaggerating, but she was positive that no Slytherin could possibly be more tired than her. After she had failed particularly badly in her potions class, Koko had trudged about her day feeling down. She was a perfectionist, and that made everything worse. She usually did perfect on her assignments, but her average was now at an E and she just wanted it to be perfect.

This was why Koko was looking forward to seeing these animals. Talking, be it to a human or to an animal, made her feel significantly less stressed. So she strode up the stairs to the Owlery, hanging her head slightly as she did so. Why the golden-eyed girl felt guilt, she was unsure, but she knew that the emotion was what made her throat feel thick. What would her father think? Even worse, what would Sapphire say? Koko would try not to care, but the fear was always resting in the back of her mind. Fear, that was the emotion that was always hiding. It was what always forced her to hide.

Koko finally made her way up the stairs, her chest heaving, gulping in air as if her life depended on it. It hadn't been a tough climb, but she was fighting back tears. That was what made it all the more difficult to walk a few steps.

The young Slytherin was amazed by the feathered creatures. There were feathers floating all over the room, due to owls living here. Of course, they would shed their feathers. She was lucky to not be allergic to some of her favourite creatures. Otherwise, she might not even be able to come up here. Koko was pleased beyond measure with the fact that owls might listen to her. This place had been her sanctuary for almost an entire year, and that was why she was here now. To have a sanctuary.

She tiptoed over to a Barred Owl, stroking its head with her small, slender fingers. A smile crossed her face despite the tears hiding behind her eyes. She didn't cry easily, but imperfection was one thing that had the ability to bring on the tears. Koko would fight them, no matter how difficult it was to do. She would manage.

After the owl had moved away from her, Koko's golden gaze landed on a windowsill. The windows, she knew, had no glass, but they were excellent places to sit. The wood floors creaked under her small feet as she walked across them, heading straight for the window. The sun was setting and the windows faced the west, so Koko would be able to soak in rays of sunshine as she sat there. She crawled onto the windowsill and dangled her legs outside of the tower, warming up in the heat of the sun. It felt amazing. It wasn't cold like the twelve-year-old was used to - it was actually quite warm.

She gazed around the forests and grasslands below her, very far below her. It didn't faze her at all. Koko was scared of many things, but height was not one of them. Koko loved being up high. Higher than her enemies. Higher than her fears. Higher than the world.