This is a massive jump from the last one, we're in Christmas now!
WARNING: This Chapter contains some stuff. Nothing Graphic, but be on the lookout, or skip it all together. You will not be in the dark if you skip the chapter. You will only miss the night of December 19th until the mid-point of the night of December 22nd, at which point I will start a new chapter.
I love you my readers, carry on.
We finally got all Jaelah's stuff packed away, the night of December 19th (because apparently, she had to take every single belonging of hers back home for the short time she would be gone). "I'll see you soon Jaelah, it's only a week."
She smiled, "I know, but I'd prefer to be here with you and the Knolles. Too bad I have to go and have family vacation with the evil one."
"You'll survive. Plus, Cenek said they might try to get you away for Christmas Eve, but you didn't hear it from me."
She grinned, "Really? That's great!" She looked over at Bailey, "Say, what are you doing over break?"
Bailey shrugged, "I'm not sure yet. I'm going home and probably just reading. They must have me there to keep up appearances though. Why aren't you going back, Vespera?"
"The same reason that you are, the family has to keep up appearances and a girl with braces is not a wizarding appearance. I am a living masterpiece of muggle devices. Anyways, Seele said a lot of people were staying from the lower years, I won't be alone."
They both hugged me, "Goodbye Vespera, we'll see you soon!"
I let go of them and waved as they left, "See you in a week!"
I went into my room and closed the door, put on pajamas, and collapsed. It had been a long few months full of excitement and learning. It would be nice to be able to sleep all I wanted tonight though. When my head hit the pillow, I was basically instantly asleep.
I saw them coming for me. Attacking me. Not giving me the opportunity to fight back. Taking everything they could away from me. I tried to fight, but the hooded figures wouldn't give in. I was in the dungeon, they had done their worse. Snape came for them. I was dying. They didn't know how much I was dying. I screamed, trying to get anyone to hear me, but no one came. No one would come.
"Vespera! Come on, Vespera! Wake up!" I heard yelling. That voice didn't belong in my relapsing nightmare. They weren't from Hogwarts. I felt someone shaking me, "Come on, Ves! Wake up, it's just a dream."
I felt someone sit me up and wrap their arms around me. I opened my eyes and saw Cenek. "I'm sorry I woke you up, Cenek. I must have forgotten to put my silencing wards up."
He held me an arm's distance away, "This isn't the first time you've had that dream, is it?"
I looked at him, "I don't want to talk about it, Cenek."
"Whatever happened in that nightmare, that's why you are in Smaragd isn't it? That's how you were hurt."
I tilted my head and stared at him, "What part of 'I don't want to talk about it' do you not understand?" I pulled my wand out and started putting wards over my bed, "Go away, Cenek. I'll see you in the morning." Cenek nodded and left while I curled up and didn't fall back asleep. Someone knew I had nightmares and my secrets were all going to come out soon.
I pulled out my orb. It showed me riding on a broom and meeting Jaelah, the only things I had left to enjoy.
I got up at 6 in the morning, out of sheer habit. I didn't need to be awake this early on break, but at least this way I would maintain my usual schedule. I put on clothes and spelled my face, so I wouldn't look exhausted.
I walked out of my room and into our common area. Seele was there, "Young Vespera, your friend came to me in worry last night. I will not force you to talk to him, however, I would highly encourage you to talk to someone. It is time. You will begin to lose yourself if you let your dreams go on. They'll attack you and kill you slowly from the inside. It may be winter break; however, we will still be having our mandatory meeting for all of those who will be on campus tonight in the Smaragd house. You are expected to attend, and again, I highly encourage you to speak up."
I smiled at Seele, "Thank you for the kind advice, however, I will not be speaking up." I continued on my way and sat in the dining hall. It was still empty, as it usually was at this time of day, except normally I had Cenek to keep me company. I refused to see him today though.
At 7, Erikk came up to me and sat down, "He's upset you know."
I looked at Erikk and smiled, "Well, hello to you too. Whatever do you speak of?"
He shook his head, "Hi Vespera. You know I speaketh of Cenek. He came into Rubin last night at three in the morning, woke up Chadwick, they whispered. Chadwick nodded, Cenek left. He was crying, Vespera. They thought I didn't hear, but I did. Cenek told Chadwick to keep an eye out on you, because you didn't want to talk to him, but something was wrong. Honestly, I wouldn't doubt if the entire Knolle family knows by now that you and Cenek aren't talking. Cenek went home, why else would he go home except to get away from the girl who has his heart. He'll be back tonight for the meeting I'm sure. He just wants to help you, Vespera. He doesn't know how because you're stubborn and won't talk. Give him a chance."
I rolled my eyes, "I'm fine, Erikk. Tell that to the rest of the Knolle clan too. I didn't appreciate Cenek waking me up at oh dark hundred, pardon me if I wasn't up to talking to him." I stood up as my plate disappeared, "I knew I should have went home."
With that I walked out of the dining hall and into the exercise rooms. I might as well be productive since I was here. I wrapped my wrists and knuckles and began to attack the punching bag. I might not be able to run fast, but I hoped that I would be able to pack quite a punch to any enemy.
"What'd that punching bag ever do to you?" I heard a chuckle then someone grabbed the bag.
"Go away, Cenek. Aren't you supposed to be home for the day anyways?"
He shook his head, "Chadwick refused to listen to my request, so I stayed around. I'll leave you alone Vespera. I just don't want to lose you too."
"Don't worry. If anything is going to kill me it's going to be exams or a practicum."
He nodded and let go of the bag, "Have at it then. I'll see you tonight."
I turned and held out my arm to stop him, "Want to play quidditch?"
He grinned, "Finally get to see you in action? Hell yeah!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the brook closet. He pulled out his team broom and went to hand me one of the others.
I shook my hand, pulled out my wand, and whispered, "Accio, broom!" Just then my favorite broom came to me. "I'm not going to play on a stranger's broom, let's go."
We walked out onto the open field and I jumped on my broom, "A few warm up laps?" He nodded, and we took off. I laughed at the feeling of air hitting my face and thrill of going in the air so quickly. The main problem being I couldn't go as quickly as I liked. I landed and sat down on the ground.
Cenek landed next to me, "I thought you were the quickest there was. That didn't seem so fast to me."
I undid my braces, laid them on the ground, then crawled back onto my broom. "I haven't competitively been on a broom since October, my first year of Hogwarts. I was the best Slytherin had seen. I was promised a spot before I was sorted into Hogwarts. We had a few weeks until our first game, they had us running a hard practice. Someone hit one of the balls with a bat, it activated a curse, which then hit me, causing me to fall off my broom. It broke my back, then the captain tried to move me and made it worse, I spent a month in rehabilitation at St Mungo's, but made it back to school. Not even allowed to take a flying course at Hogwarts. Then of course I was lucky enough to be put into a wheelchair, and then braces. And the whole point of this was to tell you I am out of shape, and those braces were weighing me down. Let's go." I took off on my broom again and this time could feel myself at the same speed as I had been before.
I heard a long whistle, "Wow, you really are as good as Jaelah thought."
I looked down and waved at Erikk, "You're welcome to come up, I can beat the both of you at once."
Erikk chuckled and got on his broom, "Two against one hardly seems fair, but if you say so."
Cenek pulled out a snitch and released the bludger. "First team to catch the snitch or make 150 points with the bludger wins."
Chadwick appeared, "Only if I get to play too!"
"Seems like we're having a two on two now. Smaragd against Rubin? Treat it like an actual quidditch match with one less ball and several less players," I grinned.
The others nodded, Cenek and Chadwick getting onto their brooms, and Erikk yelled, "Ready, and go!"
We took off, I glanced back and forth for the snitch. I stopped moving and glanced around. I saw a golden glint and I was off. I caught the snitch and went into the middle of the field. "Not too shabby?"
Erikk tapped his wand, "12 minutes, not bad. You guys win. I can't believe we only got 50 points." He glared at Chadwick, "You need more practice dear brother."
Cenek smiled at me, "You are quick on that broom. It's a shame you can't play for our team. It would be great."
I shrugged, "Well, some things just aren't meant to be. Want to go again?"
They shook their heads, "Feel free to go around in circles though, Vespera."
I grinned, "I will." With that, I took off. I started doing laps around the field. That is, until it started to snow. I landed toward my braces and rolled off my broom. I attached them again, and Cenek was there and helped me stand up.
"You really are a natural flyer. Maybe one day you can be on your broom again."
I shook my head, "I can't. It's not my thing." I began walking away, but he wouldn't let it go.
"You're in love with being in the air though. You were up there for three hours just making circles. How can you say you just don't want to do it anymore?"
"Cenek, if I play quidditch I can be killed or hurt again. I don't know which is worse, but I can't handle either one. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go shower before the meeting tonight. See you then."
I walked into the bathroom of my dorm and got into the shower. I did enjoy quidditch, more than anything. But quidditch required locker rooms, closed spaces, and right before you entered the field a dark enclosed place. I couldn't do it. I cleaned myself off, and as I was turning off the tap, all the lights went out.
I began to panic. The darkness, it was getting cold and I was soaked. I went to stand up, to get out of the shower. I couldn't walk though; my legs didn't have the proper support for walking. I fell forward hitting the floor, the last thing I saw was nothing, the pitch-black nothingness, and myself being left alone to die.
(Enter Temporarily Cenek's PoV)
The meeting of the Smaragds began. Seele began to take role of the people who were still around. She said their name, they recognized they were there, or they began speaking of whatever they wanted.
She got to the third years, only one was staying. "Vespera Salazar-Malfoy." Seele looked around, "Cenek, go and retrieve Vespera. She is required to attend this meeting and we will not continue without her."
I stood up and went over to her door. I knocked then opened the unlocked door. The room was empty. I began to think the worse, she had gone off somewhere. Her fears had finally gotten her. I knocked on the bathroom door, it was locked from the inside. I pulled out my wand, "Alohomora." The door clicked open, and I went in, prepared for the worst. "Vespera?" I called.
"I'm in here, give me a minute." I heard her voice, she was still alive.
I looked down at the floor, "Vespera, why is there a lot of blood on the floor?"
She stepped out from the shower stall, fully clothed with a towel held onto her head. "How good are you at healing spells?"
I motioned for her to move the towel and she did so, "Tergeo," I point to her head, and all the dried blood vanished. "Vulnera Sanentur," I pointed at the gash, and it closed itself up. "Now come on Miss, you have some explaining to do and Seele is waiting for you."
She grinned slightly, "Sorry." As we walked out and back to the main room. "I'm sorry everyone for being late. The lights in the bathroom went out, I tripped and hit my head. All is well though! We can continue on."
I looked at Vespera, I could tell it was something more to the story than she let on, but we continued on anyways.
Seele held me after our meeting was dismissed, "Vespera, you did not speak up like I expected. You will speak up tomorrow, or I will talk to the headmistress about all of this."
I shrugged, "Do what you wish Seele, I'm not talking about anything, especially when nothing is wrong."
With that, I went back into my room. Sure, I might have nearly died tonight, but it's nothing. They wouldn't know what happened back then.
I laid in bed and looked up at Jaelah's empty bed. It was lonely without any of the other girls here. I began putting my silencing wards up, only to notice they weren't working. I tapped my wand in the air, hoping for the time, it wouldn't work. "They spell blocked my room," I whispered to myself.
I couldn't sleep if I didn't have my wards up, someone would hear. I would have to stay awake.
I was lying in bed and someone jerked me out, "Come on, little girl. Let's play."
"No, I don't want to! Help me!"
"Not so fast, can't have you giving us away." I couldn't speak anymore. I couldn't see. I was in the dark. I tried to fight back, I tried to yell, but all around there was silence.
I felt one of them shaking me. "Vespera! Vespera, don't let it get you. Come on, wake up."
I shot upwards in my bed, I had accidentally fallen asleep into my worst nightmare, again. Once again, Cenek had found me.
He wiped the tears from my face, "I'm sorry they put wards up around all of Smaragd. None of us can do magic here now. You're still safe though, and I won't tell the others about this, okay? Try to rest. I know sleep will be hard, at least try to relax." I closed my eyes and nodded, Cenek continued talking, "Everyone thinks you have it easy, don't they. But you don't, because you care so deeply for others, that you forget to care for yourself. You wake up in the middle of the night, and you've seen Jaelah awake. You hope she's okay, but you know she doesn't want anyone to know she's hurting too. So, you just keep an eye on her. You know Bailey misses you more than anything, so you hang out with her all the time, so you can make up for the years lost. You know my family doesn't think I'm the best, so you take me in as your friend. Vespera, I know you're hurting, Jaelah knows you're hurting, and Bailey knows you're hurting. We do care about you, and when you're ready we'll be here." He kissed my forehead, "They won't hurt you anymore."
I shook my head, "Thank you, Cenek." I laid down and rolled over onto my side. They wouldn't know. They couldn't know. Cenek left and I laid here alone again.
I pulled out my orb and stared into it, only being shown nothing in return. I had no happiness.
It was December 22nd. I woke up and spelled my face again, I got dressed. I ate, I smiled, I worked out, everything. When it was finally night, and time for our meeting, I wasn't ready.
Seele went through the list of names to be expected. Most people said their usual. I had my orb in front of me, the one Jaelah had given to me. I held onto it for strength.
"Vespera Salazar-Malfoy."
I looked up, "Jaelah gave me this orb for Christmas when I was 11, my first year at Hogwarts. It's meant to always show the holders happiest memories." I looked into it, and still nothing, "It used to show hours and hours of memories, but slowly, it's become nothing. Now as I stare into it, it's just a round glass ball of nothingness. I see right through it. It can't even find my happiness anymore."
Cenek took my hand, "Vespera, it's okay. Remember, I'm here for you."
I looked at Seele and she nodded, "I was in my first year of Hogwarts, I'd already been injured once. I had made it through though, it was only quidditch. It happened the night we got back from winter break. I received a note from my best friend, he was in a different house, so we didn't see each other much. I agreed to our late-night meeting and at midnight I went to see him. Before I got to the stairs to take me, I was grabbed. They dragged me into a room and blindfolded me. They tried to break my wand, they stole that from me too, they couldn't break it though. They broke my ribs. I tried to fight back but they just grabbed me and cut my hair off. They kicked my face, started cutting my skin open. I could hear what they wanted to do to me, they continued cutting my skin, my clothes. I begged for them to stop. They told me what happened, how they got the note, why they stole me away, everything. I couldn't just black out. I heard everything, I felt everything they did. They grabbed my bleeding leg, they left bruises all over me. Then... they took the only thing I never expected anyone to unwillingly take. They raped me, and it was so painful. They enjoyed it, you could hear their enjoyment. They became frantic in all they were doing. They hurt me more to cover up the evidence of what they did. I almost died there. Somehow, they found me, the professors, and they sent me to the hospital. I was supposed to recover. I didn't though. Something was wrong, and they couldn't make me walk again. They couldn't fix my insides. Well, they could have but it's simply not done in the wizarding world. I stayed there in the muggle world for seven months waiting. I got sicker, bloated, typical medical terms they tell someone. They took it out finally, I could begin officially rehabilitating. I stayed two more months, and finally they let me go. I went back to school, no one knew exactly what happened. I smiled and went on. Everything would be okay... right?"
I stopped and Cenek gave me a questioning look, "What was wrong that it had to take seven months before they could fix you?"
I gave him a side glance, "They hurt me a lot, Cenek. They made me pregnant. I didn't think it was possible. Going on twelve years old I was, in the world I grew up in I never thought of someone being pregnant that early on. It's not uncommon in the wizarding world. Just think of it, how pure and innocent that child would be, if allowed to carry to term. They kept it, so it could go off and be a great wizard. They let it live, because I didn't get a say in it. I was the one who was tortured, who is still tortured every night with nightmares of it all, and I didn't get a say in what happened to me? The world is cruel. Now I can still barely walk, I have nightmares, I don't even have any happiness left to show! What's the point of all of this?!"
I rolled over and pushed myself up and went into my dorm slamming the door and laying on my bed.
I heard the door creak open and back closed, a voice whispered, "Why did you never tell me this happened, Vespera?"
I looked up, Jaelah was staring right at me, shedding the same tears as I.
