Ava

Ava stretched her body, attempting for some sort of release. She was currently in the library with Nora Lockwood and Noelle Zabini. Ava knew Nora was trying to get Ava and Zabini to at least be friendly, though ideally friends. Ava was positive that all three of them knew it was a lost cause. Nora was flipping through their Transfiguration textbook looking deflated. Ava had been hoping to talk to her alone, but unfortunately Zabini was right there, writing the Potions essay Slughorn had set that day.

They were all silent, and though Ava normally was unfazed by silence, this was stifling. She couldn't help but lose focus. Finally she closed her textbook with a pronounced thud. "I don't think I'm going to get anything done right now."

Nora looked up and gave her a sympathetic look. Zabini paused, but did not move otherwise. She just kept writing her essay, her quill scratching against the parchment.

"I think I'm gonna go." Ava said, pulling her bag into her lap.

"Okay," Nora said, her blue eyes kind. "Maybe we can meet up tomorrow during a free period?"

"Sure," Ava gathered her things and stood. "See you." As she made her way from the table she heard Nora let out an annoyed huff.

"Do you have to be so cold to her?" Nora hissed.

"She's your friend, not mine." Zabini returned, her voice flat.

Ava grit her teeth and hurried out of the library. Zabini was infuriating. It wasn't like she wanted to be friends with her, but at least Ava attempted to be civil.

Ava made it to the basement rather quickly after taking a shortcut. She tapped the barrel with her wand and slipped into the entrance. The Hufflepuff common room was one of Ava's favorite places. It was a wide, circular room lit by small circular windows near the ceiling. Part of the reason Ava loved it so much was all the plants. There were regular plants like ferns and spider plants as well as magical plants. They hung from the ceiling, were set on wooden shelves, and there was at least one pot on every table. It helped the room feel alive. All the hangings were a sunny yellow, and there were large armchairs spread around the room. Ava spotted Vanessa and some of her other dorm mates at a cluster of armchairs beneath one of the windows. Ava crossed the room and dropped down on the arm of Vanessa's chair.

"Hey!" Vanessa exclaimed, smiling widely. "Where've you been?"

"Library." Ava shrugged.

"Hestia was just telling us about the latest prefects meeting."

"Did something happen?"

Hestia Jones nodded with a wicked smile. She was rather tiny, but could be quite scary when she wanted. "Well, so you heard that they made Potter Head Boy?"

"Honestly, Dumbledore must've lost his marbles." Emmeline Vance chuckled.

"Right well, Evans has been going absolutely mental. She won't even let him speak at our meetings." Hestia rolled her eyes. "Her face goes completely red any time he makes a noise."

"How did he end up Head Boy? He wasn't even a prefect." Ava said.

"No idea." Hestia said. "Honestly, I think Evans is going to kill him by the end of the year."

"I'd be surprised if they made it that long." Vanessa added.

"How are you all getting anything done?"

"Evans—she completely steamrolls him." Hestia shrugged. "I'm sure they'll figure it out eventually but she's going to go gray if she doesn't relax."

"I never really did get why she hated him so much. I mean, Potter is quite good looking and he's got a good sense of humor." Vanessa said. She crossed her legs and leaned back. Ava was struck by how effortlessly cool she looked.

"I don't think she does though." Ava said after a minute.

"She yells at him every chance she gets." Emmeline said. "I think that's a pretty good sign she doesn't like him."

"I don't know. It all just seems a bit much, yeah?" Ava shrugged.

"Well they'd be one hot couple if they ever did get together." Hestia said with a smirk.

"I don't know if Hogwarts could handle it." Vanessa laughed.

The topic shifted then to the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Everyone was still trying to decide if he'd be decent or not, but Ava quickly lost interest and decided to go to her dormitory and take a nap. It had been a long and exhausting day. Ava found her cat curled up on the foot of her bed, surrounded by a fluffy throw blanket Ava's sister had sent her as a gift. She ran a hand over the cat's sleek fur. He lifted his head with a chirp and blinked sleepily at her. She gave him a smile before he tucked his head away. Ava loved her cat. He would occasionally sleep on Vanessa's bed, but mostly he ignored her dorm mates. Ghost was a slender, slick furred black cat with large green eyes. She'd only adopted him after her fifth year. She'd always wanted a cat of her own and when Ava saw him in the shelter, she knew instantly he was meant to be hers.

Ava took off her robes, but couldn't be bothered to remove her uniform before she climbed into bed, careful not to jostle Ghost, who promptly leaned his head against her foot. Ava pulled her bed curtains and let her mind wander. Before her fifth year, she'd always been so excited to return to Hogwarts, to see her friends. She loved everything about the school. She felt so...magical when she was here. But that was before. Before she'd been attacked for being a Muggleborn.

It had happened just before Christmas her fifth year, and when she went home for the holiday, still healing, her parents adamantly didn't want her to go back. She often wondered if she should have listened to them; she felt unsafe at Hogwarts, but this was the only place she was her full self. She was a witch and she couldn't be that if she left school. It didn't help that her attackers were always around, sat in her classes.

She made so many mistakes out of her fear and she didn't want to make the mistake of leaving Hogwarts. Every time she thought of her failings, her body filled with shame. If only she had told the truth about what had happened to her, what they did—what he did. If only she had been more skilled at defensive magic. If only she hadn't been out so late that night. If only—

"Ava?" Vanessa called, "Are you in here?" Vanessa pulled back the bed curtains and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ava grumbled.

"Did something happened?" Vanessa asked. When Ava just shrugged, Vanessa sighed and laid down next to her so they were face to face. "You know you can talk to me."

Ava swallowed thickly, her stomach tightening. "I know."

Vanessa's green eyes were locked onto her. "I'm always going to be here for you."

Ava nodded, taking in her friend...her soft eyes and the curve of her lips. Ava squeezed her eyes shut and rolled onto her back.

"Whatever it is, it'll be okay." Ava felt Vanessa get up. "C'mon, let's go get dinner. You'll feel better once you eat."