Don't Be Afraid PV Ruby Cazares Reopened

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The evening had finally arrived. The school year had only just begun, but already, it had been drama-filled for the young Slytherin—getting into duels, making new enemies, and doing her best to avoid the formation of new friendships was not normally how a student started the year at Hogwarts, but this was not a normal year for her. She was angry. It had begun last year, when she started becoming more prone to explosions of anger and jealousy, lashing out at anyone who inconvenienced her because the negativity had been bottled up for too long. She wasn't entirely sure why it happened, but she was blaming her parents now. They had lied to her, lied and messed up her life, and she was sick of it. She was away from them now, away from their manipulation and dumb rules, and she didn't have to bother bending over backwards to try to please them, because clearly it wasn't working. It was never good enough.

She had decided firmly that caring caused too much pain. It was because she cared that she had been so hurt by Ana's lack of response and trust in her. She could have been there for her, could have helped. But no, the Gryffindor seemed to think that she could do everything on her own. Ruby was starting to think that maybe that wasn't a bad idea to internalise for herself. She cared when people got hurt, tried to save them, but she was damaged either physically or emotionally in the process. So, she had come to the conclusion that she should no longer care. She didn't need friends, didn't need other people's help, and they didn't need her either.

She was taking a proactive approach to meeting people from now on, making sure that they would dislike her before they had the chance to get attached to her or form a friendship with her. That way, she only had to deal with her current friends, and she wouldn't feel bad when taking out her anger on people because she would surely have some enemies that fought back against her. Enemies were less confusing, less difficult than friendships. She would always know where she stood with them and wouldn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing or trying to make them happy. Because of that, she was deliberately starting fights with strangers without regard for any possible consequences.

The cold girl sat alone at the Slytherin table for dinner, keeping to herself for once as she ate, distrusting eyes of ice sneaking a glimpse at all the students in the surrounding area. She was chewing a bite when she heard the student directly across from her muttering. That was not abnormal, but even when she listened carefully, she could not make sense of the quiet words. They were not just unfamiliar; it sounded like another language altogether, so Ruby couldn't help but make an inquiry. “What was that you said?” Her tone was flat and cold, unwelcoming but expecting an answer nevertheless. Her expression was blank, the slightest spark of something unreadable in her eyes. It was curiosity, though that would be far from obvious to the girl in front of her.

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Cash looked around when a single voice reached their ears. They did not think someone could paid any of their attention to the green eyes girl. When Cash's eyes landed on the girl that sat across from them, they look at her. "Are you talking to me?"Cash inquires the girl. Beside both of the girls in the table, other Slytherins that linger on the table sat far away from both of them.

Cash had seen the girl around school and in their common room but could not place her name to her face. In their defense, too many faces and names that they have to remember and Cash did not have time to remember all of them. Cash blinks their eyes trying to process what the girl asked of them. The tone that stated by the other girl was cold and flat.

"Oh, I was just reading a passage from this book,"The second year lifted up the book higher so the other girl could read the cover of the said book more clearly. Cash look down again and their eyes scanned the previous passage that they been read.

"Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape"Cash repeated the passage again more clearly this time to the other girl.

"I did not sound weird, don't I?"Cash questions the other girl. "Or perhaps what I read resonated to you?"The purple haired girl said to the other girl. Cash throw a small smile and continue read the next line in the book that they hold but still welcoming if or when the other girl talking to them again.

@Ruby Cazares

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Ruby gave a small nod when her housemate asked if she was talking to them. She waited curiously, eyes unreadable as she watched the other girl's gaze seem to dart around Ruby's face. Were they simply trying to recognise her, or were they analysing her? The gaze didn't look suspicious enough, calculating enough to be for analytical purposes, so she settled for the former option. Eventually, the moment passed and the Slytherin explained what they had been doing, apparently reading a passage from a book. What kind of book had that been? Maybe the weird sounds Ruby had heard were just because the girl had been muttering, but it had sounded like a different language altogether… she could have been wrong.

She watched carefully as the other student repeated the passage—or at least, that's what they claimed. It was clearly in English this time and understandable. Suspicion was plain in her eyes as she frowned when they asked if they sounded weird. “No, you didn't, that's why I'm confused…” The distrust was still there as she paused, searching for any small sign of abnormality. “You sounded weird before. It was like you spoke in a different language, one that I don't understand. Are you sure you repeated the same thing as before?”

The girl was polite, even sending a smile Ruby's way, and she had to fight to not return it. You're not here to make new friends, remember? she told herself firmly. It would be so easy to just let warmth slip into her tone… but no, it was better this way. While she waited for her companion to respond, she considered their final words. Did it resonate with her? She had suffered a little, hadn't she? But no good had come of it so far, only pain, and she was certainly not a better person for it. It was because of that pain that she refused to go down the path of becoming friends with this Slytherin or even friendly acquaintances, and she hardened herself. No, she would not be responding to their suggestion that it resonated with her. There was no reason to give them any personal information about her.

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When the other girl nodded her head signaling that indeed the other talking to the green eyes, Cash nodded in return. Cash put down their wand as an acted of a bookmark. They never let the pages of every book that they read had wrinkle in it even though the spine of the book seems a bit torn up.

This time around they give all their attention to the girl. She seems older than they are. She frowned when the purple hair girl asked her whether they sounded weird. Cash in returned crinkled their forehead, dreading if maybe they said something wrong or maybe offenced the other girl unintentionally.

And suddenly it clicked. Cash finally can remember who the girl that sat in front of them. She is one of their house prefect. Cash only been at the school for one year, it should have been enough to know which is whom but with the ever growing student that attends the school, Cash gave up catching up some names around the school.

"You sounded weird before. It was like you spoke in a different language, one that I don't understand. Are you sure you repeated the same thing as before?"The older girl asked them. At the mention of 'different language', Cash blinked. They sure did speak different language. Something that a lot of wizard kind deem as Dark Magic.

What was the green eyes suppose to tell their companion? 'Yeah, I speak in Parsel and with our school being magic and all; it should have been normal, right?' No! they can not tell the other girl straight away. Cash quiet for a moment. They are trying to find other answers or other reason to make the other girl suspicion get off from their back.

Cash swallow. "Ye-Yes"The stammered out. Way to go convince other with that they berated themselves. "I mean yes"They repeat, this time with sureness in their voice. They can not let the other girl know that they are a Parseltongue but on the other side, the green eyes curious about what the other girl think about Parseltongue in general.

And so Cash deliberate their question before fired it to the other girl. "I am Cassandra, Cash. Second Year"They sticked out their hand waiting the other girl to shake their hand and provide her name but with the tone the other girl had been giving the green eyes so far, the girl did not seem keen to make a new acquaintance.

"I um I-"They got nervous and want to chicken out themselves but again they need to know what other think of a person that can talk in snake language. "I-I-"Cash stuttered. Darn it! at this rate their heart rate a bit spike up. They never told anyone else beside their parents.

"What do you think of people that can talk in snake language as in you know being a Parseltongue?"Cash breathe out a breath that they unconsciously held. There! the cat is now out of the bag and whatever the other girl opinion (whether it is good or bad) of people that are a Parsel, Cash already prepare themselves for it.

@Ruby Cazares