Moving. They were going to be moving. Technically, Stella had known about this for a few weeks. But- It still stung. This had been her home! She grew up here! Her best friend was here and now they were leaving! Stella wanted to scream and shout. Maybe break something. This was so dumb.

What was dumber was that it was technically her fault. If she had just been a little more careful- Whether that night last month, or the night last year, Stella wasn't sure. Well- Yeah, it certainly would have helped if she hadn't chugged a Wolfsbane potion where someone else had seen, it's not her fault she had nosy neighbors. Besides! Who even recognized a potion from just a quick glance? But- Last year. If she had just stayed home. She would still be normal. She wouldn't be moving right now, because there wouldn't be a reason to move.

She would be going to Hogwarts. Stella had been looking forward to it since forever! She and Pyce were going to either be in the same house, or they'd be in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Stella was sure of it! Pyce was such a nerd, there was no way they wouldn't be there. They talked about it a bunch too. Even Hecate was tired of it. And Stella? She had been gunning for a spot in the house of heroes for as long as she could remember.

But now? She definitely wasn't going to Hogwarts. Her parents assured her of that. No. They were moving out of the country and Stella was going to attend Ilvermorny. Stupid name. "Ilvermorny." Her sisters were still going back for their years at Hogwarts. It was so unfair!

Stella didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay here. She wanted to work things out. She could deal with whatever her neighbors had to say, she just didn't want to leave.

Stella sniffled. She stood up from where she had dramatically flopped into leaf litter. Dried leaves that hadn't yet rotted away fell from her clothes and back onto the forest floor. She couldn't stay out here forever, as much as she wanted to.

As Stella made her first step to leave, there was a rustle of leaves. Despite everything that had happened, she followed the noise. Getting closer, she could hear squeaking.

Stella picked up her pace and found, nestled in dead leaves, a lone rat. Not a pinkie, she noted. It had fur. It had blinky little eyes. But it was so small. Stella scooped the little thing up.

"Hello. I'm Stella. What's your name?" The rat just squeaked on. "Squeakers?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small wrapped pastry. With her free hand, Stella broke off a piece and set it by the rat's wiggling noise. It stopped squeaking and nibbled the bit of pastry. "Nibbles?" Stella asked as she stroked a single finger down its back.

The moment the pastry was gone, the rat began to squeak again. Stella broke off more of her snack. This bit had some cheese in it. There was only a singular, mourning thought before Stella sacrificed the larger morsel to the rat. It was gone in moments.

Stella, rat in hand, started walking home. She could surely get more for the little guy there.

"What about Sir?" She asked as she walked. "Sir Cheese?"

By the time Stella arrived home, she had figured out just what she was going to call the little squeaker.

"Mum!" Stella called out as she ignored the empty feeling of the house, pushing a moving box away from the door with her foot. "I brought a friend home!"

"Tell Pyce that they can stay for lunch, but we have to be leaving soon." Her mother called back.

"It's not Pyce!" Stella shouted. "I named him Sir Nibbles n' Cheese!" She cheered.

"Stella Estrela Drake, if you brought a mouse-"

"He's a rat!" There was a beat of silence.

"You're taking care of him."

"I know!" Stella chirped as she made her way into the barren looking kitchen where one Dorthy Drake was placing pots into a box. "Do we have any snacks? He ate mine."

Stella might be moving, but at least she had a new friend she could bring with her.

☽︎ WC ☾ Reducio 715

☽︎ Extra Notes ☾ Reducio Stella is technically in the same forest she got bit in. It's a good wooded area. She goes there often, anyway.