When Vesta Lestrange came to she was laying on the floor of the staff room, most of the class had gathered around her. Professor Lupin was kneeling next to her, someone had put something beneath her head to cushion it.
"Don't move, I've had your cousin send for Madame Pomfrey."
"I'm fine…" Vesta tried to sit up but Lupin wouldn't let her. "It was just a vasovagal syncope… A blood rush… it has happened before I'm fine." She could see her friends standing not too far behind the teacher.
"Even so I would like Madame Pomfrey to take you to the hospital wing just to make sure it's nothing more serious."
"Then I'll go myself, I'm not the queen of England, I don't need an escort." Vesta finally got fed up and moved the teachers hands out of the way so that she could sit up.
"Do you know your way?" Lupin looked concerned, Vesta could once again feel everyone's eyes on her.
"No, but I can figure it out just like any other student, Professor." Vesta moved to stand and Professor Lupin finally backed out of her way. "You all had a nice show, did you?" She rolled her eyes and went to leave the room, walking as fast as she could down the hall. Boggart, did it have to be a boggart? Vesta leaned up against the wall trying to steady her breath, not even a week into school and she had already made a fool of herself. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid girl. What made you think it would be fine? Vesta buried her head in her hands letting herself sink down to the floor, digging her nails into her skin trying to keep her head from swimming. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
"Vesta?" She jumped at the sound of her name.
"Like I told your father I can take care of myself, always have and always will."
"And you can, you totally can, but my dad told me to make sure you make it to the hospital wing and he will beat my ass if I don't. Besides, it doesn't hurt to have a friend help… y'know." Vesta looked up at them, appreciating that they were keeping their distance, Ace Lupin stood across the hall from her.
"No. I don't actually. Having friends isn't particularly something I'm good at and honestly I like it that way. I'm not a fan of people, never have been."
"You seemed to be doing fine with us-" Vesta rolled her eyes, letting her head fall back against the wall.
"It doesn't take long to learn to fake friendliness so that you don't seem like a freak." Vesta stared at the wall purposefully avoiding eye contact.
"I don't think that's true-"
"And how would you know if it's true or not? There's no use in me making friends, especially considering I'm never going to see anyone here again after this year, why would I put myself through the agony of getting attached to anyone here when I'm never going to see anyone of you again after this year." Ace rolled their eyes.
"It's better than being alone."
"It isn't, I assure you that, that boggart in there should be proof of that, being left alone is all I've ever wanted, do you think I want to go about my life feeling people's eyes boring into my skin like I'm some sort of freak?"
"No one was staring at you! They were worried about you-"
"Sure they were-"
"You collapsed!" Vesta looked down trying to hide her face again.
"There's no point, I just want to go back to my room to lie down." Ace took a step closer to her and Vesta shot them a death glare.
"Then I'm walking with you."
"I don't know what you don't understand about. I'm not here to make friends, Ace Lupin. There's no point I'm going back to Beauxbaton as soon as they catch Sirius Black. It hurts no one if I just keep to myself." Vesta pulled her knees to her chest still avoiding eye contact.
"But you'll be happier-"
"I don't need happiness. You don't understand and why would you? I've changed schools at least once a semester my whole life, I'm used to it by now. Every time, because they thought I was getting too close to the muggle students, while they shipped Draco off to some fancy boys school. I was left being thrown from school to school and while yes it has made me anti-social, and yes it has given me a severe fear of people and open spaces I happen to like being alone, so kindly. Leave. Me. Be." Vesta got up from where she was sitting and started to walk as quickly as she could away from Ace Lupin. Silently, she hoped, they didn't see the tears streaming down her cheeks.