Aradia:
I am dead. They tell me that I am alive, but I know that I am dead, and everything since then is some sort of dream. If I was alive, I would feel something, I would want to do something. I didn't cry when my mother died, and I haven't cried since. The news itself caused my whole world to collapse in on itself, and it took me with it.
Everyone feels something about SBURB-Anger, depression, apathy, fear, or in some cases, near worship. I just feel calm, but the storm is never coming.
I read about the horrors every day calmly-it may be sickening. I wouldn't know. I fake the fear and the depression so I am not sent away, but I'm forgetting what anything really feels like. All the same, no one seems to suspect, other than Rose.
I sit on my familiar bed up in the dormitory. I am supposed to be in Transfiguration right now, but I skipped to get away from all the people. I finger the fringe of the quilt almost absent-mindedly, until my hands bump something hard. I look down, picking up the object. It is a book about archaeology-one of the ones Jade got me for Christmas. I believe I liked archeology once. I once had a variety of interests, but i've lost interest in all of them.
I am so tired now. That is all I can feel. I can't sleep at night, because there are voices in my head (More reasons why I must fake being alive). My mother is there, but there are terrible voices too. Those of evil, and voices that are so old. Sometimes, very distantly, I can hear a few of my friends.
Friends. What a funny word. It is a strange emotion, friendship. But it matters not, because when I hear my friends in my head, they are crying out in anguish.
Late in April, when I exited the Gryffindor common room, Rose was waiting for me in the corridor. "Aradia Megido," she said, pronouncing the words slowly. She looked at me for a moment longer and then shook her head. "Come with me," she said, and walked down the hall. I followed behind. Rose led the way to an empty classroom. She pointed at a chair. "Sit." I did so, and the girl pulled out a chair across from me.
"Are you okay?" she asked, voice genuine, but I knew what was really going on. Rose had got into her psychoanalyse side.
"I'm fine," I replied, the words automatic.
"You seem to be acting a little differently recently," Rose continued, choosing her words carefully.
"My parents are dead," I informed her, and all of these replies were simple, easy. Rose knew it as well.
"Is that what is making you act like you are?"
"Yes," I replied. It's a lie, and maybe once I would have cared.
"How do you feel?" she asked, and I knew if I hesitated, she'd catch me.
"Horrible," I told her, and she nodded sympathetically.
"What happened?"
"I-I don't want to talk about it." I threw the stutter in to be even more believable. The conversation continued like that, and when I left, nothing had changed.
Two days later I found Feferi sitting out on the Quidditch Pitch. I didn't want company, but she noticed me before I could get away.
"Aradia!" she chirped. "How wonderful to see you!" she sounded just like she usually did, and I would have believed her if I hadn't been doing the same thing. Apparently though, she was better than I was. I considered her. Maybe once I would have said something, but...I just pretended I hadn't heard anything and walked on.
A morning a few days later, the Great Hall was happier than I had seen it in weeks. Apparently, the Aurors had a huge victory due to intelligence they received. I supposed this was good.
I noticed Sollux watching me from the Ravenclaw Table as others celebrated, and I quickly pasted a smile on my face. It probably looked more like a grimace than anything, because Sollux just shook his head and looked away.
Jade, who was sitting next to me cheered a little. "This is great news!" she proclaimed.
"It's wonderful," I said softly, trying to believe it. Jade wasn't the type to suspect though, so my flimsy attempt seemed to work fine.
"Guess what?" John declared. "We don't have classes for the rest of the day!" I smiled, and then quickly excused myself from the Gryffindor table, telling Jade I was going to the bathroom. I was so deep in my thoughts, I didn't notice Sollux following me out of the Great Hall.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked as way of greeting.
"Hello," I uttered in response.
"In the Great Hall, every other person was so happy about that news, and you were just sitting there!"
"I have no feelings about our imminent defeat, though it is briefly masquerading as victory."
"Well, that is incredibly depressing, but why would you think that?" Sollux asked. I don't think telling him that I hear voices would go over well, so I just walk faster until I am far away and don't have to pretend anymore.
He follows. "AA, running away from your problems isn't going to do any good!" I look at him.
"What problems?" I ask.
"I don't know, but something is obviously bothering you." If only he knew. It would be nice if something was going to bother me, but that hasn't happened in a long time. Sollux threw his hands up at the lack of response. "You know, this is kind of pissing me off."
"Then stop following me," I suggested coldly, finally finding the Gryffindor common room. I mutter the password before entering, and slam the door in his face.
Vriska:
Every fibre of my body has been replaced with guilt. Feferi was found in a heap in a broom closet after two days of being gone. Eridan, and Cronus made everyone promise to be really hush hush about it. Both of the Peixes are a wreck, skipping classes and hiding away to mope around. I can't blame them. People are killed each week, and Hogwarts feels empty and sad, like a shell of its former self. And yet, letters of positive news and good tidings arrive from my parents each morning. I feel sick. Sometimes I throw up. Either I turn in my parents or live with the guilt. The choice seemed easy, but I always chose my family. Kanaya couldn't even look at me. Despite Meenah's speech, my grades were going down, like my morale. I found myself hiding under my bed frequently, not wanting to talk to people. I felt like my guilt was so obvious you could taste it. I resolved to visit Aranea after hiding for about 6 hours. She was hiding away in her room. I saw Feferi lying still in the bed in the far corner. My heart dropped. Her skin was pale and her eyes were empty. I wondered what could have done this.
"Aranea." I said quietly. Feferi continued looking at the ceiling. Aranea turned around. Here eyes were puffy and her voice cracked when she replied.
"What?" I sat down on the bed next to her, but not too close.
"Should- should we tell someone about mom and-"
"Yes. No. I don't know." said Aranea. She began crying again. "Look, Porrim and I broke up. She couldn't look at me after I told her about mom and dad. And now Meenah, my best friend, is a wreck, skipping classes and crying. I've never seen her cry before two days ago." said Aranea. My heart plummeted.
"I think." I licked my lips slowly and carefully. They were cracked and dry. "It's time to tell someone." I looked at my sister. She nodded, her sorrowful face turning steely.
It took us three days to work up the resolve to even enter the Handmaid's office. And when we did, I was shaking so hard and I was so nervous that I couldn't hear myself say the lines Aranea and I practiced a thousand times. When we finished, the Handmaid looked us over, and then did the most unexpected thing. She gathered us into a hug.
"Thank you girls. We will keep the tip anonymous." I felt a ringing in my ears as she let us go. We walked out of the office, and I felt slightly different. Less guilty, but somehow, even more guilty then I was originally.
That night I lied awake, my mind racing. I tried to focus on Itchy's slow, methodical breaths, but all they did was make me feel guiltier.
In the morning, I got up early, or I just got out of bed because I didn't sleep a wink. I made my way downstairs and I was one of the first ones into the great hall. I sat in silence, sipping water, waiting for the post. Other filed in to the great hall and nervously awaited the paper, just like me. The silence was deafening. I was aware of Aranea sitting down next to me. The teachers sat at the top table solemnly. I saw Meenah Peixes sitting with Feferi at the Hufflepuff table. Feferi chattered away happily. Perhaps she had good news from her mother? I closed my mouth and looked at my empty plate. Food disgusted me. Aranea disgusted me. I disgusted me. My whole body shook. I heard Aranea next to me, muttering.
"A long time ago, in a far-off land, there lived a foolish king who decided that he alone should have the power of magic. He therefore-"
"What are you saying?" I asked. Aranea shook her head.
"I'm telling myself a story." she said nervously. "Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump."
"Oh." I said. "Continue." Aranea proceeded to tell me her favorite story from growing up, Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump. It calmed me down, a little, even if my nerves wouldn't go away.
Finally, I heard the screech of an owl and the flutter of wings. The news had arrived.
Aranea immediately grabbed the nearest paper and began reading. Her face fell.
Raid in Dufftown
The ministry received intel last evening about the whereabouts of 'SBURB'. Aurours from across the country arrived at the scene at 5 o'clock, and met the terrorists where the stood. The battle was short and few casualties ensued, as the Dersites were surprised. Archagents like Hearts Boxcars and Clubs Deuce were caught, along with quite a few other Dersites. However, Jack Noir remains on the run. A total of 63 'SBURB' members were caught and thrown to Azkaban without trial last night. Three died and 8 were injured. The Minister of Magic reports this as, "A great victory for the wizarding world as a whole. This may have turned the tides for us...and (The Ministry of Magic)...can expect to see many more victories in the future."
The intelligence that led to this victory wishes to remain anonymous, but can be guaranteed that it led to our greatest victory yet.
My heart soared. SBURB was down on its luck with minor casualties! But then I had to wonder: Where my parents caught?
Owls kept arriving as spirits flew around the great hall. Ms. Paint ordered the house elves to cook up a feast and classes were cut short to a half a day. Owls poured in from the hole in the ceiling, and it was practically raining letters. I did not move. I stood frozen in shock, and then: the family owl appeared.
Aranea shouted out and caught the owl in her arms. I extracted the letter from its sharp talons and read aloud:
Girls,
Somebody told the whereabouts of our Organization to the ministry. Fortunately, your father and I were sitting at home. We fear the worst for SBURB, so we had no choice but to burn away all evidence of our involvement in it. Burn this letter in the fire. We love you very much, and we're sorry about letting you down.
-Mum and dad
I breathed out. Aranea closed her eyes. For the first time in month, I could breathe. Aranea and I joined in the merriment. We danced about, and she ran off to find Porrim. I turned and saw Kanaya hugging Karkat. I walked across a table and met her.
"Kanaya!" I said. She turned around and pulled me into a hug. I was surprised, but I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed.
"Thanks you." she whispered into my ear. We danced around a little, and then she kissed me on the forehead. We both blushed, and she apologized immediately.
We laughed and talked, and a feast arrived after a while. Even the house elves were allowed out to celebrate. I ate and chattered with Feferi, who seemed genuinely happy for the first time in a long time. I talked with Karkat, who put down his asshole card for the day to celebrate. Even Terezi seemed comfortable enough to converse with me. But I talked with Kanaya the most. Her eyes crinkled in the way I hadn't seen in a while. We giggled about old jokes and smiled about new ones being made. Just then, one Miss Harley burst out yelling again. I giggled and went to pull John out of the situation. He sat, bewildered, as Jade yelled.
"Come sit with the cool kids, John." I said in his ear. He stood and walked over to me.
"This is great news!" I said to start the conversation. He grinned.
"Yeah! Everyone is just over the moon." he said.
"What?" I asked, confused. He shook his head.
"They're really happy." he explained. "So, Vriska. Who do you think gave the anonymous tip?"
"What." I said, my voice deadly serious. John plunged on.
"Well, they say that an anonymous tip was given, and that's how they were caught. It could be anyone in the wizarding world!"
"Yeah, I guess. I don't know." I said. "Someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
We moved on from the topic.
The festivities lasted long into the night. The party moved from Gryffindor to Hufflepuff to Ravenclaw and then back again. The kitchens, which were recently house elf-less, were raided easily. Jane Crocker made tons of food and treats for everyone and made sure everyone cleaned up after themselves. She didn't want to leave a mess for the elves.
SBURB was quiet all the way through the rest of April and May. I went home for Easter, and my parents were upset with the end of SBURB, but still nicer than they'd ever been.
Suddenly, exams were approaching, and I could barely keep up. Kanaya and I studied every morning, early, and late into the nights. I also studied with some of Kanaya's friends, Rose, Terezi, and Sollux, and they were a bit chilly to me. So I studied with her and her alone.
Itchy and I spent a lot of time during lunch looking through books. I often did eat lunch because of how busy I was was.
Mornings still brought bad news, but not as bad as it had been. The death count was never more than 3 a week, and the amount of people injured was quite low as well.
May dragged on, and my life was books and paper. Aranea and I, while close at one time, grew apart again to focus on studies. I'd never worked harder.
While people around me came back to life, some still put on fake smiles. I found Feferi in the Slytherin common room almost every night, so I knew that her bubbly act was just that, and act. Aradia pulled weak smiles whenever she could, and Aranea was crying a lot still. Eridan was was constantly upset. In fact, everyone was getting used to breathing again. But all was well. We were free.
Well, some of us were. A lot of the kids in my house were still stuck on the failed raid.
One day, I was in the hospital wing about headaches. I'd been having them due to reading do much. Madame Mendicant suggested I get glasses. Anyways, I saw Jade, Sollux, and Aradia lying in beds all in a row, looked on by Terezi, Kanaya, and Equius. My brows furrowed.
"Kanaya." I asked, walking toward them. "What the hell is going on?"
"That awful fifth year, Caliborn Umbra, beat the shit out of them."
"With his fists?" I asked, bewildered. Kanaya shook her head.
"They put up a good fight, but no spells they knew were good enough." I nodded and looked at my friends. They were bloody and bruised.
"How long will they be here?"
"Overnight." said Kanaya, concerned. I noticed Terezi sniffing my way.
"Vriska?" she asked.
"Yeah, hey sister." I said gently. I didn't want to fight, not now. Her face softened.
"Hi." we stood together, troubled. Equius left after a while to find Nepeta and eat. But I stayed. I don't know why I was so disturbed by their mangled faces, but I was. I didn't know how to take on a fifth year, but I was sure as hell going to try.
That night, I waited in the shadows of the common room for hours, glaring at the hustle and bustle. I was waiting for Caliborn and his thugs. The room gradually cleared out and only a few people stayed, drinking heavily. I plugged my nose. I hated the smell of alcohol.
It was nearly midnight when Umbra entered the room. He collapsed on the couch and began to stoke the fire. His thugs rowdily drank and ate, and he joined in. I was waiting for him to fall asleep. Just sleep. SLEEP.
It took four hours for him to pass out. I approached his sleeping form cautiously. Just to make sure, I slipped a little sleeping draught into his nose and began working. I hexed him heavily, and his thugs, too. I bound his body, and turned him green. I grew his front teeth out and added some itching powder into his shoes, which were lying neatly on the floor.
I scurried off to bed, giggling, and leaving the itching powder in the dust.
We woke to strangled yelps coming from the common room. I stayed in bed, pretending to sleep, until Itchy woke me up.
"Vriska! You'll never believe it! Someone's hexed Caliborn Umbra!" I pretend gasped.
"What?" I ran down the stairs and started. He lay, rigid, on the couch, bright green and screaming."Help!" he shouted. His voice quavered. "Help me!" Students gathered silently as the foot of the stairs, watching in fits of hushed laughter. No one wanted to help him. I giggled a bit myself.
Just then, The Condesce ran into the room, her hair in braids and with a bright pink dressing gown covering up her pajamas.
"What in the name of sanity?" she asked. She looked from Caliborn to the students standing on the stairs. She reversed his hexes and looked at us all with murder in her eyes.
"Who did this?" She pointed her wand at us menacingly.
I stared at the floor.
"Fine. Go back to bed. But until someone comes forward, this house will lose 50 points everyday!" I gaped. Everyone groaned. I had no choice.
"I did it, Condesce." her eyes narrowed.
"40 points from Slytherin." she said. I gulped. She grabbed me by the ear and dragged me over to her."You'll be in Detention for three weeks. Every night in the Hospital wing, scrubbing bedpans. Without magic." she hissed the last part, her finger pointing at me angrily.
I was mad about the detention, but I was glad I did that. I'd never been prouder of myself.