Chapter Two - Rumors and Tears
Clarrisa woke up the next day, still with a smile on her face. Looking up to see everyone gone, she quickly dressed and brushed her hair. Picking up her schedule, she saw that she was supposed to be at the Great Hall for breakfast, and after that, Transfiguration. Grabbing for her transfiguration book, she dashed out the dormitory and into the common room. "Strange, isn't Malcolm supposed to be my guide today? Why is no one here?" Thinking that she is late already, she left the common room and made her way to the Great Hall, retracing her steps from last night. She got there in ten minutes, whereas the normal trip would have only taken three; the staircases changed on her.
Arriving out of breath, she made her way towards the Slytherin table, where everyone turned all of a sudden to stare at her. Seeing Pansy's smirk, a knot formed in her stomach. When she finally squeezed her way through to Malcolm, he stared at her like they've never met before and said in a very cutting tone, "I'm sorry this seat is taken." He then turned his head around and pitched a forced conversation with Flint. Confused and slightly hurt, she turned her head away when she caught Pansy smiling brighter than ever. "What.what did you.?" Clarrisa couldn't think straight, and became aware that most people from her table were glaring at her. Pansy let out a high pitched laugh, "I told you Clarrisa, not to mess with me from day one." Clarrisa grabbed Pansy furiously by the shoulders, "What did you do?" Pansy just clicked her tongue and wormed out of her grip. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I wouldn't do that if I were you, you dirty half blood." Draco jumped in immediately, the way Pansy was acting was just so irritating. "Pansy, stop it immediately, I mean it." Pansy's face formed an exaggerated pout, "Why do you keep wanting to help her? Why do you like her so much? This dirty half blood is not anything like what you think." "Pansy, keep your stupid thoughts to yourself, so what if she's a half blood? Blaise is too, and so is Charles Mackenston." Pansy suddenly raised an eyebrow and smiled, to everyone's surprise. "Half muggle, yes, it's already a shame that they are, but honestly Draco dear, do you really want to help this half fury here?" She smirked in Clarrisa's way as Draco's eyebrows shot up. He looked up at her and was completely speechless. "A what?" was all he managed to say and it wasn't even to Clarrisa, A few Slytherins glared at her as if daring her to sit. Clarrisa was as shocked as anyone, "How, how.. I can't believe you!" She turned 360 degrees and ran out of the Great Hall, leaving Pansy in perfect contentment.
Clarrisa didn't know where to go; she couldn't go to her classes like this crying, and there isn't anything wrong with her so she couldn't go to the nurse. Then, two places popped into her mind; the bathroom and her dorm room. Shuddering, the thoughts out of the bathroom, for she had heard numerous nasty rumors about there, she ran straight up to her dorm room leaving a trail of tears behind. "Fla..Fla.flabb.flabber..flabberdash!" she finally managed to croak out. She immediately ran up the flight of stairs to the girl's dormitory and collapsed on her bed. The tears felt hot as they slipped down her face. Suddenly, images began to flash through her mind; one when she was young, she had just started out to go to school, and couldn't control her powers.. The children teased her and would poke fun at her all the time; calling her names and throwing things at her. Then in middle school, she had fallen into the wrong side of a group of a snotty witch clique and they tortured her even worst; they would tie her for hours at time, just shut her in the dark or sometimes suffocate her for a few minutes under water. The brutal treatment did not cease when she gain more sense of her powers, it only gave those pureblood witches more of a reason to try harder. Her mother died when she was born, so her only parental figure was her father. Her father. was as practical and selfish as anyone can get. He had seen the cuts and bruises Clarrisa had came home with at night, and sometimes he would even witness an abduction of her for a several days at time. But his power crazy ways hadn't change and to look for her would be a nuisance. His famous phrase consists of only four words and they are "It will be alright." And, obviously, to him, she is classified as an 'It' too. Clarrisa played images in her head bitterly as she thought of her father. One of the worst things he did, took place just a year ago. She remembered coming home one day, from school, attending high school now she did. It was her 5th year, and she was loving every bit of it. No more pain, no more tears of sorrow, she met a group of friends with one, who is exactly like her. She came through the mahogany doors, humming a tune when her father called to her. Stepping into his headquarters, she saw a pleasing smile on his face, "I had just gotten off the phone. and I have GREAT news for you!" "Me?" she had replied weakly, wondering what it had all meant. He had never done anything great for her before. why start now? " Yes, I have arranged a marriage. His name is Charles Foxx. His father owns a company of the PROPANE INDUSTRIES. And it is exactly what we need to dominate the economic business!" Standing strangely still, she had asked, "How.how old is he?" Then, for a split second, she was sure that she saw her father's smile flickered, "29. But come on, age is just a number you know, and it's love that counts! "Love? What love? He is 14 years older than me! I've never even met him!" In a wearied voice, he continued, "You will do as I say, you will learn to love, you will marry him, next month!" At the verge of tears, Clarrisa screamed in protest, but had the burning desire to not let him see her cry. To her, crying is one of the biggest signs of weakness. In middle school, even through those torturous nights she didn't cry, and she wasn't about to start now. Her protests failed quickly; as soon as her father opened his mouth again the conversation was over, "No more of this. I've made up my decision! And that is that!
Remember having stormed out the room quickly, the next few images were blurred. The month past by rather quick, and she was forced into the alter. But, going with only one thing in her mind, ultimately, it was still her decision to make. Her father hadn't thought of that, and since that day after the incident in the office, she didn't mutter a word of protest, so he thought she had agreed and not planning to decline the marriage. As soon as he had led her down the isle, she saw his face, he was not bad looking for a 29 year old, but she could not even begin to imagine her loving him. He smiled warmly at her in their first time meeting, but she just kept a face of stone. Finally when the church minister began his speech, Clarrisa's heart began to speed up. She bit her lips to keep her courage, and when he asked her, would she take him as a lawfully wedded husband, she smiled. Ripping her veil off, she replied as simply as she can, "No." The whole church fell silent and was unable to move. Taking advantage of the shock, she immediately ran home.
The night at the Buviair manor afterwards was intense. Her father did not even meet her eyes at all, leaving her fearing about his next move. Two weeks later, though, he became happy again, happier if you can say. Finally, he brought the news out to Clarrisa one evening. "Propane industries has hired me to become the Vice-president of the Technological Engineering field.' Clarrisa was genuinely happy for him for a few seconds, until he said, "So we are moving." "Where?" she replied slightly fearing the answer. "England." He replied flatly. "But.but.." "No buts, I've already arranged the papers of you transferring schools, the house elves are packing as we speak." "But my friends! Salem, my school! Can't I just stay her by myself?" "No, they can have me arrested for child- negligence, you are not legal as of age."
Then before she knew it . "I was here," she said aloud on her bed. Flying back to her time, her mind came back to the Slytherin dorm. No longer crying, she sat back up, "No crying, crying are for the weak, no crying. .no crying.." She wiped her face, to rid of her swollen eyes and tear stains when a single tear rolled down her cheek. Burying her face madly in the pillow, she let them flow. Suddenly, feeling a presence in the room, she immediately wipe the remaining tears on the pillow and looked up, and to her surprise, to find a pair of blond eyes gazed back.
Clarrisa woke up the next day, still with a smile on her face. Looking up to see everyone gone, she quickly dressed and brushed her hair. Picking up her schedule, she saw that she was supposed to be at the Great Hall for breakfast, and after that, Transfiguration. Grabbing for her transfiguration book, she dashed out the dormitory and into the common room. "Strange, isn't Malcolm supposed to be my guide today? Why is no one here?" Thinking that she is late already, she left the common room and made her way to the Great Hall, retracing her steps from last night. She got there in ten minutes, whereas the normal trip would have only taken three; the staircases changed on her.
Arriving out of breath, she made her way towards the Slytherin table, where everyone turned all of a sudden to stare at her. Seeing Pansy's smirk, a knot formed in her stomach. When she finally squeezed her way through to Malcolm, he stared at her like they've never met before and said in a very cutting tone, "I'm sorry this seat is taken." He then turned his head around and pitched a forced conversation with Flint. Confused and slightly hurt, she turned her head away when she caught Pansy smiling brighter than ever. "What.what did you.?" Clarrisa couldn't think straight, and became aware that most people from her table were glaring at her. Pansy let out a high pitched laugh, "I told you Clarrisa, not to mess with me from day one." Clarrisa grabbed Pansy furiously by the shoulders, "What did you do?" Pansy just clicked her tongue and wormed out of her grip. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I wouldn't do that if I were you, you dirty half blood." Draco jumped in immediately, the way Pansy was acting was just so irritating. "Pansy, stop it immediately, I mean it." Pansy's face formed an exaggerated pout, "Why do you keep wanting to help her? Why do you like her so much? This dirty half blood is not anything like what you think." "Pansy, keep your stupid thoughts to yourself, so what if she's a half blood? Blaise is too, and so is Charles Mackenston." Pansy suddenly raised an eyebrow and smiled, to everyone's surprise. "Half muggle, yes, it's already a shame that they are, but honestly Draco dear, do you really want to help this half fury here?" She smirked in Clarrisa's way as Draco's eyebrows shot up. He looked up at her and was completely speechless. "A what?" was all he managed to say and it wasn't even to Clarrisa, A few Slytherins glared at her as if daring her to sit. Clarrisa was as shocked as anyone, "How, how.. I can't believe you!" She turned 360 degrees and ran out of the Great Hall, leaving Pansy in perfect contentment.
Clarrisa didn't know where to go; she couldn't go to her classes like this crying, and there isn't anything wrong with her so she couldn't go to the nurse. Then, two places popped into her mind; the bathroom and her dorm room. Shuddering, the thoughts out of the bathroom, for she had heard numerous nasty rumors about there, she ran straight up to her dorm room leaving a trail of tears behind. "Fla..Fla.flabb.flabber..flabberdash!" she finally managed to croak out. She immediately ran up the flight of stairs to the girl's dormitory and collapsed on her bed. The tears felt hot as they slipped down her face. Suddenly, images began to flash through her mind; one when she was young, she had just started out to go to school, and couldn't control her powers.. The children teased her and would poke fun at her all the time; calling her names and throwing things at her. Then in middle school, she had fallen into the wrong side of a group of a snotty witch clique and they tortured her even worst; they would tie her for hours at time, just shut her in the dark or sometimes suffocate her for a few minutes under water. The brutal treatment did not cease when she gain more sense of her powers, it only gave those pureblood witches more of a reason to try harder. Her mother died when she was born, so her only parental figure was her father. Her father. was as practical and selfish as anyone can get. He had seen the cuts and bruises Clarrisa had came home with at night, and sometimes he would even witness an abduction of her for a several days at time. But his power crazy ways hadn't change and to look for her would be a nuisance. His famous phrase consists of only four words and they are "It will be alright." And, obviously, to him, she is classified as an 'It' too. Clarrisa played images in her head bitterly as she thought of her father. One of the worst things he did, took place just a year ago. She remembered coming home one day, from school, attending high school now she did. It was her 5th year, and she was loving every bit of it. No more pain, no more tears of sorrow, she met a group of friends with one, who is exactly like her. She came through the mahogany doors, humming a tune when her father called to her. Stepping into his headquarters, she saw a pleasing smile on his face, "I had just gotten off the phone. and I have GREAT news for you!" "Me?" she had replied weakly, wondering what it had all meant. He had never done anything great for her before. why start now? " Yes, I have arranged a marriage. His name is Charles Foxx. His father owns a company of the PROPANE INDUSTRIES. And it is exactly what we need to dominate the economic business!" Standing strangely still, she had asked, "How.how old is he?" Then, for a split second, she was sure that she saw her father's smile flickered, "29. But come on, age is just a number you know, and it's love that counts! "Love? What love? He is 14 years older than me! I've never even met him!" In a wearied voice, he continued, "You will do as I say, you will learn to love, you will marry him, next month!" At the verge of tears, Clarrisa screamed in protest, but had the burning desire to not let him see her cry. To her, crying is one of the biggest signs of weakness. In middle school, even through those torturous nights she didn't cry, and she wasn't about to start now. Her protests failed quickly; as soon as her father opened his mouth again the conversation was over, "No more of this. I've made up my decision! And that is that!
Remember having stormed out the room quickly, the next few images were blurred. The month past by rather quick, and she was forced into the alter. But, going with only one thing in her mind, ultimately, it was still her decision to make. Her father hadn't thought of that, and since that day after the incident in the office, she didn't mutter a word of protest, so he thought she had agreed and not planning to decline the marriage. As soon as he had led her down the isle, she saw his face, he was not bad looking for a 29 year old, but she could not even begin to imagine her loving him. He smiled warmly at her in their first time meeting, but she just kept a face of stone. Finally when the church minister began his speech, Clarrisa's heart began to speed up. She bit her lips to keep her courage, and when he asked her, would she take him as a lawfully wedded husband, she smiled. Ripping her veil off, she replied as simply as she can, "No." The whole church fell silent and was unable to move. Taking advantage of the shock, she immediately ran home.
The night at the Buviair manor afterwards was intense. Her father did not even meet her eyes at all, leaving her fearing about his next move. Two weeks later, though, he became happy again, happier if you can say. Finally, he brought the news out to Clarrisa one evening. "Propane industries has hired me to become the Vice-president of the Technological Engineering field.' Clarrisa was genuinely happy for him for a few seconds, until he said, "So we are moving." "Where?" she replied slightly fearing the answer. "England." He replied flatly. "But.but.." "No buts, I've already arranged the papers of you transferring schools, the house elves are packing as we speak." "But my friends! Salem, my school! Can't I just stay her by myself?" "No, they can have me arrested for child- negligence, you are not legal as of age."
Then before she knew it . "I was here," she said aloud on her bed. Flying back to her time, her mind came back to the Slytherin dorm. No longer crying, she sat back up, "No crying, crying are for the weak, no crying. .no crying.." She wiped her face, to rid of her swollen eyes and tear stains when a single tear rolled down her cheek. Burying her face madly in the pillow, she let them flow. Suddenly, feeling a presence in the room, she immediately wipe the remaining tears on the pillow and looked up, and to her surprise, to find a pair of blond eyes gazed back.