And the World Turned Upside Down Solo

--Fri. July 9, 2021⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Being home with her new pet, surrounded by the people she loved and hadn't seen in a while, was definitely one of the best feelings in the world, Gia thought to herself with a smile. Stroking Aquilla's head as the little kitty sat contentedly in her lap, the twelve year old let her gaze wander around the room making sure everything was where it was supposed to be. Who knew? Vance could have easily taken something of hers or moved it while she was away, for she had been away for quite some time. What was the last time she'd been home? The winter holidays? Something like that...

It was weird, thinking about the fact that she was going to be at Hogwarts for the majority of the next six years or so, instead of at home. Even this summer she would spend at the castle with her friends, since she'd signed up for the summer camp that they were hosting for all four of the magical schools. It was another chance to get to know new people, and plus, any event with multiple schools was always interesting, as anyone who went to Hogwarts knew.

Her thoughts were cut off abruptly by a sharp meow from Aquilla. The little bengal seemed to have finally gotten tired of simply sitting around, and was now scrambling off of Gia's lap, digging her claws into her legs as she did so. "Ow, Quil!" Still, Gia picked the cat up and set her on the floor gently, standing up herself. She was beginning to feel bored as well, why not see what Vance was up to? If nothing else, she could always bother him. Leading the way out of her room, the young Gryffindor walked down the hall towards her brother's room and opened the door a crack, making sure that it didn't squeak too loudly.

Vance was sitting at his desk on his phone, texting someone. Grinning broadly, Gia slipped inside and crept up behind her brother, a guess of who he was texting already forming in her mind. Quil, who had followed her into the room, was just as silent. She seemed to have picked up on a few things in the few days she'd been at the Adelard's house, particularly ones about how to act when Gia was about to scare or prank someone. "Aww, that's so sweet! Checking in on your girlfriend?" Vance startled, looked up, and hurriedly tucked his phone behind his back. Gia smirked.

"God, G!" Her older brother frowned at the satisfied expression on her face. "Don't you know how rude it is to look at another person's text messages without them allowing you to?" Gia rolled her eyes.

"You never actually told me I couldn't, so..." Vance glared at her, but after a couple of seconds his expression softened and he shook his head, giving her his own teasing grin.

"Well, you can't. And I bet you have a crush of your own at that fancy school of yours that you're just not telling us." The lion laughed.

"As if. Do you not know me at all, Vance? Seriously, I've been your sister for over twelve years—when have I ever shown any interest in love and romance and all that disgusting stuff?" "Never" would have been the correct answer. And yet Vance decided to tease her further. Not that Gia really minded today, she hadn't been around her brother for so long, it was just nice for this little thing to be normal.

"Uh huh. You sorta stopped sending me letters after a while, and the first few I got were all about your friends that you'd made—they were all boys." Gia scoffed.

"That's just gross! The person I told you about already has a girlfriend—a friend of mine, actually, her name is Haley—and I have plenty of friends who are girls. Gabby, my best friend, Haley, Elena, and a few others too." Vance shrugged.

"Whatever you say... but someday I'll get to say I told you so when you fall in love with someone, and I am so looking forward to that." Gia shook her head, but her brother had already turned around to see what Inara, his girlfriend, had replied. Sticking out her tongue at his back, the brunette crossed her arms and left. Even if he was right, she was quite determined to hate romance-y stuff for the time being. Vance was kind of no fun anymore, and she was blaming that all on the fact that he was in a relationship now, because that was the only thing she could think of. Well, except for the fact that she may have just been absent for far too long, but since she was going to leave again at the start of August, Gia didn't want to think about that.

Deciding to head downstairs, the young lion hurried in that direction, Aquilla right behind her. When she reached the bottom of the steps, however, something caught her attention. Her father was talking on the phone, it seemed, but... his voice was different. He sounded happier. More like he had sounded back before her mom had passed.

It should have been a warning in itself, that thought. But Gia pushed it out of her mind, shoving it to the darkest corners where it wouldn't be likely to cross her mind again for a good long while.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯907 words--