Catching Up PV Aurelia Closed

Her week had been hectic, with more and more responsibilities thrown upon her shoulders, it was difficult to find time for revision not to mention keep track of all the owls flooding her cop each day. With prefect duties as well as journaling for the house paper, Aurelia was always bustling about in halls of Hogwarts these past few days. Today, fortunately, she found herself with her afternoon free and as usual, the Gryffindor took advantage of the time to be as productive as possible.

The history of magic book laid in front of her, quill in hand, she began working on her homework, sipping the tip of the quill into ink every now and then. The classes were getting more strenuous each day, teaching a new topic almost everyday that it was hard for Aurelia to keep the knowledge in and her grades up at the same time. There were far too many historic names for the twelve year old to remember, she kept confusing them up as well as the dates that it got so frustrating.

Regardless, Aurelia continued with the assignment. However, shortly after she had written half of the essay, she heard a cough that almost made her jump. Aurelia whipped her head only to see a girl with curly red hair standing right beside her. “I’m sorry, do you require something?” she asked, but to her amazement, as she inspected the girl further, it was none other than Rosie Turner.

“Rosie? I haven’t seen you around since last summer. How long have you been back?” Aurelia had not known Rosie much, they weren’t close friends but the fact that the red-head had disappeared from school only to come back more than half a semester later made her slightly suspicious. Was it because of Howie? Aurelia knee they had something going on with them last year. But of course, Aurelia knew that after Howie had returned he didn’t seem quite the same person as when he left.

When Aurelia looked up at her, Rosie's green hues searched for that spark of recognition and was about a moment from turning the same color as her hair and getting out of there. But then that spark flashed in the other girl's eyes. Of course, Rosie blushed any way over the girl's surprise. "Um... yeah. I was set on fire. Been out of school since." She raised a hand to scratch self consciously at her head, a move that caused the red curls to bounce in response.

Rosie sighed, clearly overwhelmed already. "I got back this morning." As she pushed a lock of hair from her face, the light caught her just right, highlighting a scar beneath her eye. It was only a few centimeters in length and its width wasn't worth mentioning, but a scar nonetheless. More scars snaked upwards, peeking out from just beneath her robs on her neck. These were the scars she was most self conscious over. They were the ones caused by Anatole's reckless spell. As if she felt the exposure, she tugged the neck of the robe up in an attempt to cover.

"I... Um.. Have you seen Howie? My parents..." She sighed and shook her head as if deciding against the words she'd been about to utter. The ginger placed her books on the table and moved to slide into a chair opposite Aurelia. "I haven't seen him since I left. Does... he still go here?"

It was not a surprise when Rosie asked about Howie. They were together the last year after all. Muggleborn together with a muggleborn, helping the other in a foreign atmosphere. Yet this year, they both turned up in school after a few months of disappearance, ironically, as if by magic. Aurelia had to admit that the events of last year was quite devastating especially for the Hufflepuffs. Aurelia also had a fair share of these events. During the Charles York incident last year as well as the masked man episodes and especially when the headmaster Lear had decided it was a good idea to throw a few kids into a dark tunnel filled with inappropriate pranks.

The chair groaned against the wooden floorboards as Rosie pulled it. She took a seat across her. Aurelia have the Hufflepuff girl an empathetic smile upon noticing the scars around the shorter girl’s neck and especially the one right under her stunning green eyes. Aurelia had also many marks caused by the unfortunate incidents. She knew they would not be her last. “I know. Evans burnt me as well.” Aurelia said as she brushed her light brown hair to the side, revealing the scar on the back of her neck. The long healed burnt peeked out a few inches from her collar and that was only a glimpse of it. Under her blouse the scar stretched all the way down to her shoulder blades. She of course, hadn’t showed anyone how bad it actually was. Aurelia let go of her hair, allowing the locks to fall like a curtain across her neck obscuring the scar once again. That incident was still very vivid in Aurelia’s memory, she remembered that she was closer to Anatole than Rosie was but the spell had knocked the smaller girl unconscious somehow. It must have traumatised the Hufflepuff.

“Yes, Howie still goes here. In fact I met him about a week ago...” Her voice trailed of as she contemplated wether to tell Rosie more. Although Rosie should be, or had been close to Howie, it did not feel right to tell her that he had recently asked her for the Forgetfulness Potion.

“I heard he was involved in a fight in the library a few weeks back. I’m not sure about the details.” Aurelia began. It was a part lie, being a writer for the school newspaper, she was very sure about the details and it wasn’t pleasant.

Rosie's eyes combed over the bits of scars as Aurelia revealed them. The topic of the fire was a difficult one for Rosie- uncomfortable. The young girl shifted in her seat in response. Her hand raised to the scars self consciously. It had been almost a year ago, but the affects on the girl and her life had been far reaching.

Once the other girl's scars were again hidden, Rosie's eyes went back to Aurelia's. She had seen Howie just a week ago. The red head's green eyes brightened at the admission, but... she caught Aurelia's hesitation. The smile that had finally broken out on Rosie's face already faltered and her stomach dropped. It was all soon followed with sheer confusion. "A fight?" She sighed and shook her head. "Someone was probably bullying someone else." That had to be it... right?

Rosie watched Aurelia for a moment. Rosie was shy, self conscious, and traumatized- but she wasn't stupid. She had heard the Gryffindor trail off. "Aurelia... what aren't you telling me?" Her hands, which up until now, had been lying hands down on the table, were now locked with each other so keep herself from a nervous fidget. However, it didn't help the knot in her stomach. "Does he... have a girlfriend?" If he did, she couldn't blame him. Last he'd heard, she was home with her parents who forbade her return to school and any contact from the wizard boy.

[/color][quote] As a journalist for the school paper, when she found out that another fight had broke out, she had did her research, asking students, paintings and even the ghost about the incident. Aurelia herself had not expected that Howie, a Hufflepuff, had been involved in the incident of the library’s destruction along with two students and a Ravenclaw. One of the students was Erin Ryan, although Aurelia had not a conversation with the Slytherin before, she strongly disliked the girl and had no doubts that the feeling was mutual.

The red head’s next words had caused frustration to bubble deep within her gut. With a friend’s ex-girlfriend demanding her for information, the Gryffindor was in much of a difficult situation. Howie would probably not want her to spill about the potion she had agreed to give him. That was personal. A Girlfriend? Not that she knew of and even if she did, she would not spill as that had also fell into the personal category. Aurelia had suppressed the frustration and only the slightest pursing of her lips had gave away that she wasn’t very pleased with the question. “There is much that I’m not telling you Rosie Turner,” Her words were sharp as the corner of a knife as she spoke like how one might relate to be the stereotypical tone of a pureblood.

“Some questions are best to leave for your former... significant other to answer. For the months that you weren’t, I have stayed dutifully in Hogwarts but do not pry into others’ business, especially not their love life. For all I know, Howie might be dating Erin or some other girl in school. You have been gone for months, what makes you think he still cares?” Aurelia spoke coldly but soon realised that her words might have been a little too harsh for the Hufflepuff girl to handle. Aurelia reached for the other girl hand, perhaps it was in her imagination that she could feel the slightest of trembles. It made her eyebrows furrow in concern.

It was possible that she had stepped out of line with her tone. Rosie was petite as the flower she was named after and Aurelia should have thought twice before speaking so harshly. “The blossomball is in a few days time. Perhaps Howie might be around. You can talk to him to clear all these questions you have. I’m not all-knowing but I could go with you to the ball if you really want me to.” She said this time in a much softer and comforting tone of voice in attempts to pull the girl’s hopes up. Aurelia wasn’t sure herself if she was going to the ball even though she had already picked her outfit, a dark blue sparkly dress. When she came to think about it, Rosie definitely needed something to wear for the ball if she were to attend. Dressing well for the occasion was crucial in creating a good impression.

Rosie’s pale cheeks took on a shade matching her name at Aurelia’s words. “I didn’t mean to...” She’d really stuck her foot in her mouth, hadn’t she? “I only wanted to,” she sighed, grumbling a bit. “Never mind.”

No, Rosie hadn’t meant to demand answers, or even put Aurelia in an awkward place with her questions. Any yet, she’d done it anyway. She’d only wanted, in truth, to be prepared when she did. “I’m sorry. But you’re right. I left suddenly.” Not to mention her parents had expressly forbidden their relationship and her return to school.

When the topic turned to the ball, Rosie’s eyes still didn’t brighten. The ball was a touchy subject for the girl. In fact... she was dreading it. “Yeah... maybe.” Finally, after a moment or two, she spoke. “I’m going. I have a dress too. My Aunt Mathilda is making sure I’m going to all of the school events.” Her aunt might have been a cruel witch, but the verdict was still out on that. “But yeah, if you want, you can come with me. I’d appreciate the company in any case. I’m not exactly the most social person in school.” In fact since last year, she was decidedly less social and even more nervous.