When Troubles Clash PV Lucia Closed

getting insulted was a terrible feeling. it doesn't matter whether the insulter was insulting the victim themself, their friends and family, or their organisation. but one type of insult was just not acceptable at hogwarts: insulting another's house. amaris had came to accept that all houses had their good and bad. finally, she was comfortable in gryffindor. a helpful student by the name of kim aoki had made amaris feel better after she was not sorted into ravenclaw.

she had incorrectly thought all would be perfect at hogwarts. it was around today when she received the letter, inconveniently timed as it interfered with the fall ball. amaris had met a nice drumstrang student named olli, but when she read the letter, she couldn't help but leave the room. olli had promised her that they would keep corresponding over owls, but amaris was already too far away to hear.

somehow, the young gryffindor wandered her way onto the second floor, the letter still clutched tightly in her hands. she glanced around to find a private place, yet there were people in both the study room and the spare classroom. desperately, amaris glanced to the right and left, only to find a shabby looking door. cautiously, the young gryffindor pushed the door open with a creak. part of the pride or not, amaris was afraid.

inside, she was greeted with a 'dirty, decrepit, and downright disgusting' bathroom. it seemed as if it hadn't been used in years. if nobody needed it, why not replace it with something more helpful? amaris clenched her teeth and looked around the room, searching for others. when her search, to her relief, came to no avail, amaris scrambled up into a stall and locked herself in, without a thought. nobody would come her, nobody would see her, nobody would hear her. perfecta.

amaris ripped out the letter and read it once more:

my dear amaris,

i'm so sorry i didn't write sooner, but really i think every month is enough time for a letter. i hope you're enjoying your life at hogwarts, and your life in ravenclaw. i'm so happy you are a ravenclaw, my dear amaris. ravenclaw rules the school, amaris. you were born for that house. not only aren't the other houses for you, they don't even deserve a title at hogwarts, compared to ravenclaw.

have you made any friends? joined any societies or clubs? remember, networking is just as important as studying. how do you find your time with elspeth? how are your cousins treating you at hogwarts? how's hatty, matthew, and arabella? do you think hogwarts is exciting and fun? what are classes like? are you doing well academically? i hope you will answer my questions. as you know, i didn't receive my magical education at hogwarts, so i'm very curious.

your loving mother,
alyssa knight

there was, of course, nothing wrong with being curious about hogwarts. moreover, there was nothing wrong about preferring a house over another. however, it was wrong to insult a house just because you think another is superior. recently, amaris' house pride had started to develop; she was proud to be part of the, well, pride.

yet now, she was having her house insulted to her face. this was unacceptable. what was even more unfortunate, however, was the fact that her mother did not support her and her house. it was true that amaris had lied to alyssa about her true house, but that does not excuse the insult. what it amaris had not lied? what would her mother do then?

no one was there at her back. she was alone. amaris wanted to be alone in the start of her troubles, but now, she wished for another person to help her. amaris' body shook with silent sobs.

@lucia fox