Samara the Witch

Chapter Nine

Samara was glad to have a rest. She liked her lessons, but she did get tired. It didn't help that everyone around her was being so immature and annoying. Yes, they were eleven, and eleven-year-olds were supposed to be immature. But why did they have to do it during lessons? Some of them were actually trying to learn. The biggest offenders were the pure blood kids. Slytherin house seemed to be full of them. A lot of those who had been born into magical families already knew at least some of the stuff they learned in first year. So they themselves did not pay attention. And because they quite often ended up making a lot of noise, that meant the others couldn't pay attention either. For Samara it was a nightmare. She was too focused on trying not to accidentally kill someone that she couldn't concentrate at all. It seemed like she was really learning most things outside of lessons.

Since Natalie seemed to be ignoring her in favour of Artemis recently, Samara had been sitting with Lucretia near the lake. They weren't really talking; neither of them much liked talking. Lucretia mostly sat with Samara because Samara scared people, and so kept them away. Samara sat with Lucretia because if people did come over to them, she could get rid of them with the minimal amount of damage. It was a perfect partnership. While Samara had found Natalie's babbling comforting at times, it may have simply been that she'd grown used to it. She definitely preferred Lucretia's silent presence beside her. It made her feel far more able to breathe, to think. She knew she and Natalie couldn't avoid each other forever - they slept in the same dormitory. But she still didn't want to be around her right now. Artemis had no doubt told Natalie that story about Samara cursing her, which wasn't what had happened. But how could Samara tell Natalie what had happened? If she told her that she couldn't always control her powers, even now, would she ever be able to trust her? Or would she constantly be wondering when Samara was going to snap, avoiding her for fear of being killed?

"Are you feeling okay?" Lucretia asked.

Samara looked up at her, head tilted in bemusement. "Why?"

"You got a funny look on your face. Like you were sad. Or ill."

"I'm okay." Samara said, trying to believe the words herself. Why was she so bothered by Natalie and Artemis? It wasn't like Natalie had ever really been her friend. Samara didn't have friends. She probably never would. She was always going to end up doing something like what she'd done to Artemis. That was why she'd hardly ever been allowed near other people in the later years she'd spent at the ranch. After Anna killed herself, Richard wasn't willing to let her near anyone in case she hurt them. Samara hadn't cared too much at the time. She hadn't realised how much she would want a friend of some sort as she got older. She wanted someone to be able to know what she was capable of, yet still trust her. But she feared that would never be possible.

Lucretia didn't say anything else. She was like that, Samara was coming to discover. She spent a long time in silence, and even when she did speak, she didn't say much. That made her an ideal companion in Samara's eyes. Speaking lacked meaning when it was done without reason. When people opened their mouths for every little thing, she didn't really bother to listen to what they were actually saying. It just became meaningless white noise. But when Lucretia spoke, she listened, because it was a less common occurrence.

Samara almost felt happy. She felt like she really didn't want anything to happen that would change that. She certainly didn't want to see Natalie come walking towards them. But apparently, the universe did not listen to what she wanted. Natalie was walking over to them. Not just past them, but to them. What did she want? Couldn't she tell that both Samara and Lucretia were busy?

But she didn't look like she'd come here for a fight. She seemed calm, relaxed. Samara could tell things like that sometimes, and she knew Natalie wasn't intending her any harm. So she looked up at her, hoping that her instincts were right.

"Natalie. Hello. Why are you here?" Samara asked.

"I just came to see you, you know. Can't I do that? I thought you might be lonely."

Somehow Samara thought there was more to it than that. "I'm not lonely; Lucretia's here. This is Lucretia."

Lucretia looked up for half a second, gave Natalie a sort of wave, then went back to her books, ignoring them both just as if they weren't there.

"Is she your friend now, then? You thought because I was talking to Artemis that you couldn't be friends with me anymore?"

"What? No. That sounds like something you'd say if you were in elementary school." Even though it was mostly true. Samara had only been to elementary school for a few years anyway, before she ended up being sent to the psychiatric hospital. She hadn't liked it there at all.

"Elementary school? Is that what Americans call primary school? Hm. The word elementary just reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. You know, 'Elementary, my dear Watson.' That's what he's supposed to have said, right?" Natalie said.

Samara looked at her blankly. What exactly was she talking about?

Natalie seemed to sense her confusion. "Never mind. That doesn't matter. I wanted to ask you about what Artemis said."

Great. Samara really didn't want to answer any questions about what had happened with Artemis. She'd thought that Natalie was just here to talk, but she didn't want to talk about that.

When Samara didn't respond, Natalie kept talking. "She said you cursed her. Is that true? How did you do it? I mean, you're muggle-born aren't you? So how did you learn something like that?"

"I didn't. I never cursed her. I don't know how to curse anybody. Even if I did know, I still wouldn't do it. Why are you even asking me? Why would you want to know how I did it? You don't want to curse anyone, do you?"

"No. Of course not. That would be wrong. But I just mean... I'd like to know how, is all. Just to know, nothing more. I don't actually want to use that knowledge. I just want to know it. Can you really not understand what I mean?"

Samara could of course. She was a Ravenclaw, same as Natalie. They understood the purpose of knowledge for knowledge's sake, whether they wanted to use it or not. "I didn't curse her." She repeated.

She could tell Natalie wasn't convinced. "Why did she say you had? I know you said you didn't, and it wouldn't make sense, but still. There must be some reason she said what she did..."

"I don't think there is," Samara said. "I think she really does hate me for no good reason. I didn't do anything to her!" Samara was lying. She'd always been told that it was bad to lie, but she had never seemed to have much of a problem with it. It just came naturally to her.

"I hardly think that's true. She seems to be telling the truth. She's really quite distressed about what happens, and she's quite a reasonable person. I don't think she'd make this up."

"You believe her... But not me? Why?"

Natalie sighed. "I don't know. It's just... I think you seem like you'd lie. You also seem like you might curse someone. I mean, not to be bad. But just... to see what would happen. That sounds like you. I guess I can't really judge. I don't know either of you well. I didn't know anyone at this school until I came here, and it's hard to make new friends. That's one disadvantage to going to a magic school instead of a normal secondary school. I don't know anyone. But still... It sounds mean, but you scare me sometimes, Samara. Just... I don't know. Something about you. It scares me. You seem capable of it. But Artemis... she doesn't seem like she'd lie about that. I mean, yeah, she can be nasty if you're mean to her, but she doesn't make stuff up just because she can. I think she's telling the truth."

Samara didn't like that Natalie was siding with Artemis over her. Yes, Artemis was right this time, but that didn't matter. Had Natalie really said Samara scared her? Why would Samara scare her? It was just like before. This happened all the time. Samara wondered if it was ever going to stop. If she'd ever be able to go to a place where no one hated her. Maybe she couldn't.

"Can you go"? Samara asked.

Natalie seemed taken aback by the question. "Um, I guess. I should go soon anyway. I told Artemis and Hester I'd be with them to study for the exams." Natalie started walking away. She didn't look back at Samara and Lucretia.

"Exams?" Samara asked with a sinking feeling.

"Don't worry," Lucretia said. "They're not until the end of the year."

Samara didn't want to be worried. She didn't want to be worried about Natalie and Lucretia, about the exams, or about anything else. But not wanting it didn't stop her worrying. She looked at Lucretia, still stuck in her books. How was it that she could feel so alone when there was someone right beside her?

Would you look at that. Second longest chapter. I know this one was a bit boring, but it had to happen. This story is now roughly halfway through, at least from what I've planned so far. Plans can change, so it might be a bit longer. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.