In The Back Of The Bottom Drawer Solo Finished

EmmaLee sighed as she rested against the large tree near the lake and let the early morning wind caress her face and wind through her hair. She had woken up too early again. The period of time where she would rather avoid breakfast, she couldn't even enjoy the sleep in because her sleep was so restless that she was barely sleeping at all again. She needed to get herself together. This whole thing with Stephen was not as big of a deal as she was making it, but she just couldn't get herself to calm down.

Frankly, she probably wouldn't be so worried about it if she wasn't feeling the pressure about it from a family she barely knew a fourth of the way across the world. Her great-great-great-grandmother's funeral had been like a living nightmare. Instead of six women she had never met before mobbing her in her living room, she had been met with more woman than she could possibly count accosting her on their front lawn. Then those women proceeded to ask her very question known to man about herself and her supposed first love.

At this point she had succeeded in not thinking about it up until this point by keeping her mind busy with quite literally anything else, even learning about Victor's business and going to meetings with him to learn about how it ran. The LeDames women wanted to know every detail and every moment they had ever missed of her entire life.

She had met the TWENTY SIX cousins younger than her and ALL of the cousins older than her, who really were uncountable. It was no wonder they only sent the first child, daughter, rather, because there were no other males in this family except for those who had married into it, to school. Her aunts had swept her away from her mother at every opportunity Celeste would allow in order to teach her what Celeste had refused to about their family. It was altogether the single most overwhelming experience EmmaLee had ever been exposed too. It also didn't help that her cousins were sent to incessant giggles every time she dared to show her ignorance of their family customs. She felt like a circus act.

EmmaLee huffed at the memory. She couldn't help but be thankful that her mother had taken her out of that world. If it was anything like the seven days she had been there for the funeral regularly, she would have felt suffocated too. As was, she couldn't stand the pressure of their expectations all the way over here and really hoped she would rarely ever need to encounter them again.

As she finished these thoughts, a small package dropped into her lap and a light feathered tawny owl landed daintily on her knee. It was a brown package just about the size of her lap and had a rainbow colored envelope attached to it that was addressed to her. EmmaLee raised an eyebrow curiously as her proper name was written on the envelope. Her mother's family had spent the entirety of knowing her calling her "Emiline" for reasons EmmaLee knew, but didn't quite understand. The sender, though, was Mylene LeDames and there was no return address under Mylene's name. What could her aunt have possibly sent her?

"Bonjour." She said simply to the owl with a raised eyebrow, as it didn't leave. They stared at each other for a moment before EmmaLee looked down and picked up the package from her lap. Once she picked up the package though, the owl flew away, it's package successfully delivered. Weird bird.

She opened the letter and read it's staccato script in French.

Dearest Niece,

I am sorry if you found our family overwhelming for the last couple of weeks. We really just have your best interests at heart and we want you to know your family and be happy in our home. We also love your mother and simply wish for her and you to come back home and be together with us once again.

I didn't get a chance to give you this during the funeral and mourning week, but I remember that Hogwarts usually hosts a ball in April so this might be useful to you now considering. Every single one of us, save your younger cousins, have been in your shoes. We know how hard these next few moments are and we hope that you will lean on us, as we have leaned on each other, and move on to the wonderful person your grandmother intends for you. I sincerely, lovingly, urge you to drop this Stephen boy.

Admittedly, I did some digging around and I know that his name is Stephen and I know that he goes to Ilvermorny. I hope you don't see that as an invasion of your privacy. It is hard to know how to help when you and your mother won't tell us anything.

His being in another school will make the letting go easier, I promise. It is insufferable when you see them every day. Holding onto him will only cause you both pain. Your father died because of your mother's choice to continue a relationship with him. It truly is better this way even though you may not see it now.

Anyway, this present is something we all get when we meet our first love. Normally your mother would make it, but she has decided to forgo our deep traditions such as this one. So I took it upon myself to make it instead. I do hope you like it. I tried to think of everything I already know about you and everything I hope for your future. Now take everything Stephen has ever given you, every present, every letter, every memory, put it in this box and seal it away with your love. Then tell him goodbye and never speak to him again. It is the only way, my dear. It will help. I promise.

The goal is not to forget every bit of him, just to remove your feelings and keep them from returning. Incidentally, my own first love is named Stéphane. I hear he has done well for himself, but I know him no longer.

Your first love teaches you many things: how to love in the first place, so that you may love your husband and your children well, how to deal with pain and heartache that comes naturally with life, how to set aside your own feelings and wants for the future of your family, because you must do that often in your life, regrettably. So much more than I can share in a mere letter. I hope I have the opportunity to share with you in the future.

Our family tree is strong and true. If you lean against it, it will hold you.

We all love you so very much. I hope you see that.

With greatest love,
Mylene LeDames.

P.S. I keep my box in the back of the bottom of my dresser. It is a good place to remember it, but also forget it.

EmmaLee read the letter and then read it again before unwrapping the brown paper package to reveal a very ornate white box tied with a blue ribbon. On top of the ribbon, holding the bow closed was a blue butterfly pin. EmmaLee turned the box this way and that as she looked at it. Then read the letter again.

She was at a loss for what to do as she seemed to constantly be when it came to this section of her family. She couldn't possibly do what her aunt was suggesting, not cutting a good friend off for no real reason, that just wasn't in her loyal Hufflepuff nature, but maybe she could do something similar.

Her feelings were already ruining their friendship. Their meetings were strained and awkward now and it was all her fault because she couldn't seem to act normally around him any more. Not when he seemed so much more vibrant than before: his hair, his eyes, his smile. Not when his smile sent her stomach into knots and she had to analyze everything she said against his possible opinion about it. Their friendship had been so easy, so comfortable before and now it seemed like getting that ease back was like leading a elephant through a china shop.

She just wanted things to go back to the way they were, before she had realized her feelings and messed everything up, before she became the bumbling, awkward, irrational thing she was now in his presence.

EmmaLee sighed and looked out at the lake as the held the box loosely in her hands. Maybe putting her feelings in the box wasn't a bad idea. Then she could really be normal again and everything would be easy again and she wouldn't have to worry about Stephen's feelings at all.

Before she could make a solid decision, the bell rang throughout the halls and grounds to signal that it was time for first class. EmmaLee sighed and stood up, putting the box in her bottomless bag. She'd decide what to do about it and Stephen later. Now it was time for blissful business.

She shouldered her bag and started for the Herbology greenhouses, grateful that the day was finally beginning.