Kaelyn had moved to the states to start again. She had been accepted into Ilvermony and was doing well in her seventh year with only a few minor adjustments needed. She fit well with her classmates and was even moderately popular. No one here knew her dark past. At all.

"Hey, Beautiful," said a boy as he walked up beside her, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her cheek.

Kaelyn smiled coyly and leaned into the boy.

"You're blind," she said.

"Love will do that, mi amore," he said.

"How were classes?"

Kaelyn groaned and turned into her boyfriend's embrace.

"Gross," she said.

"Professor Greenwich gave us three feet on centaurs due tomorrow. I think my hand will fall off. You?"

The boy just left and kissed Kaelyn's forehead, pulling her closer.

"Cake classes," he said.

"Need any help?"

Kaelyn laid her head against his chest, her eyes closing as she listened to his heartbeat.

"No," she said.

"But you can come sit with me in the tower while I work if you want."

"You know I will," he said softly.

"Thank you," Kaelyn said sincerely.

"What are you doing for the holidays? "

Kaelyn stiffened a bit, the weight of Seamus's letter in her pocket.

" I must return to England to settle some family Affairs," she said softly, her tone full of dread.

"Will you be going home as well? "

The boy before her shook his head.

" my mother and stepfather are going to their vacation home in Switzerland," he said.

"I've opted to stay here."

Kaelyn frowned.

"No one else in our year is staying," she said.

"Won't you be bored?"

The boy just shrugged.

"You could come with me?" Kaelyn suggested.

" I'll have to go to the solicitor's office alone for a few hours on Christmas..."

"London is amazing at Christmas..."

Boyfriend just smiled and kissed Kaelyn softly.

"Id love to," he said.

"See you at dinner?" she asked.

"I have to send a letter."

"Dinner it is."

Kaelyn kissed her boyfriend softly before departing for the owlery, Seams note burning a hole in her her pocket. Once she got settled she pulled the note out and stared.

327 days.

That is how long it had been since she had heard from him. He had ignored her lettEr; ignored her request to meet; and now this.

She should ignore it altogether. Leave him to wonder. But she needed to know for herself...

Did he have the same regrets?

"Fine. Holidays are next week. Name your time and place. Please come sober and well-prlimited. My time is limited. K.G."

Reading the note and deciding it was appropriately detached, she folded it up and sent it with a school owl before rushing to meet her boyfriend for dinner, easily pushing all of her dark thoughts aside.