Chapter Seven ~ That Lonely Feeling
Ever since that day I found Gray and Amy-Rose kissing they've been avoiding me. Gray won't talk to me in classes and Amy-Rose has steered clear of me when we have classes together. I've been going around on my own for what seems to be like ages, with that same empty feeling in my chest. Gathering my books in my bag, I look round at the emptiness of the Dormitory and sigh a loud and lonely sigh with no one to witness or here it. Going into the bathroom I pull out my black curls from the thick ponytail and pull it into a high messy bun, but still I haven't told anyone about the dream I had the night in the forest.
Could I really be a descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw? That was the obvious question from which I had no answer to. What if Lorcan and Lysander weren't my brothers? Who were my real blood parents? Yet still Gray and Amy-Rose go around together, hand in hand and eat each others faces off whenever they get the chance. Though I just pass through like an empty ghost, that no one can see or hear.
Most of my evenings were spent either in the Library, where I either completed homework or looked inside the Restricted Section for assorted books or inside the Common Room where there was the usual quiet silence of Ravenclaws busy at work. I would sit at the small oak desk and file my homework according to the subject e.g. Transfiguration would go in one pile and Potions in another. This was my filing system and I have to say it's working out for me. But when the sun sets I pack my things up in the desk, which has been labelled mine now, and go up to my dormitory where I spend the night as a wolf.
The flowers I pulled up from the Protection Circle as still with me, having pressed them in a book to keep them safe. They seem to be casting a temporary shield around me because whenever the Dark Child crosses my path she cannot harm me in any shape or form. Alas, they still cannot protect my damaged emotions and heart, which burns all day and all night. Walking down the spiral staircase, into the Common Room I open the door and make my way down to Breakfast. It's a Friday and we have double Defence Against The Dark Arts with the Gryffindors. As usual Amy-Rose and Gray will be huddled at a desk and I'll be sat on my own, somewhere at the front where only the teacher can mock me.
I haven't seen Nikolas since that day in the library, but we have smiled at each other in the corridor. Walking through the busy halls I go through the wooden double doors into the Great Hall, and set myself down at the Ravenclaw Table. Taking some toast from a rack, I butter it with the same yellow spread and add a thick amount of honey. Sweet sticky honey, that I love so much. It really is my comfort food, probably the only reason I haven't had a nervous breakdown. Slowly cutting the toast into quarters, I nibble at a slice. Consequently, Amy-Rose and Gray are at the Gryffindor Table Amy-Rose is sat on his lap and she's feeding him small tit-bits of toast, bacon and egg. He kisses her on the cheek and she kisses him on he forehead, and they both look almost lovingly into each other's eyes.
I can't see the tear trickle down my face, but someone else can. A boy from the Slytherin Table gets up and begins to walk over to me, and I immediately think that he's a bully coming to taunt me. But no I recognize that flicky hair and his ice blue eyes. It's Nikolas, come to rescue me from the darkness. 'Hey,' he says quietly and fills the empty space beside me, then grabs some toast from the rack. By now I have jar of honey and a teaspoon, and I'm now spooning big spoons of sweet honey into my mouth. 'You'll rot your teeth,' he says raising an eyebrow but I just shake it off. 'I don't care!' I mumbled whilst stuffing my face with honey.
He's laughing by now and so am I, my face sickly sweet and sticky from the honey. 'Don't worry about that git and his girlfriend,' he said and reached for a tissue, wiping my face of the honey as I laugh. 'So I know we don't have lessons together but are you on the Quidditch Team?' he asked me as he threw away the tissue. 'Yes, I'm a Ravenclaw Beater, are you?' I asked, curious if we'd have to play against each other. 'No, I'm commentator,' he said mischeviously, and I laughed heartily. 'You dare say anything rude about me and I'll make your life hell!' I joke, hoping he would get it and he does. 'Anyway, here's some advice whenever you feel lonely or downtrodden just imagine up a friend and talk to them in your head, it always works for me,' he whispered, his face dangerously close to mine. 'I will,' I whispered back and shot an angry glare at the Gryffindor Table. 'Right, I'd better go I have Charms next what about you?' he asked, checking his red watch. 'History of Magic,' I groaned imagining Professor Binns waffling on about some goblin war.
Downing a goblet of icy cold pumpkin juice to refresh my mind, slowly I get up and wander out the Great Hall. I have around ten minutes to get to History of Magic which is on the second floor, and is always in the same classroom. Professor Binns probably wouldn't care if I'm late, but like most Ravenclaws I want to get a good grade for most of my subjects, however my dislike for History of Magic has never changed. Opening the door I saw that only a few Ravenclaw students had entered the room, so I sat in my usual lonely place at the front of the classroom. Getting out my parchment, ink, quill and book I pondered for a bit on the prophecy.
That's when it hit me right in the face, like a truck hits a car in an accident. Professor Binns was quite old and he was the History of Magic teacher! He was bound to know all about this prophecy. Raising my long arm, Professor Binns looked at me and said in a bored voice, 'What is it Miss Scamander?' so I plucked up my courage and asked, 'Professor, do you know about the Prophecy of the Dark Child?' I enquired and he nodded his translucent head vaguely. 'If you would see my after the lesson, Miss Scamander,'' he said in his one monotone voice and I nodded, dwelling on the thought that I may get to learn more information. But suddenly, as if a rock had just been thrown at me that same empty feeling returned to my body and I felt sad and lonely once more.
Fiddling in my pocket, looking for anything that could amuse me, I found one of the flowers. It was a white rose in bloom, with a dark green stem and three small-ish green leaves. However the beauty of the rose was guarded with thorns, which would slash anyone who dared get too close to the sacred rose. Say if an enemy tried to break the rose in two, the rose would fight back with it's thorns. But I also know that I need to figure out how fate can be twisted, how destiny can be changed and how I can find my true love in life. Yet there's still something on my mind, where do I really come from? Who are my real family? The way I can find all these answers is to call on The Grey Lady, although fortunately I am a Ravenclaw so that shouldn't be too tricky.
Finally all the Third Year Ravenclaws have finished eating breakfast and have piled into the cold classroom. Professor Binns ruffles his papers and then begins to lecture in his long droning voice. Trying to take in what he's saying I write down a few notes on the Goblin Wars, such as their names and status but then give up entirely. Staring out of the window I twirl the rose around with my fingers, and focus on the Great Lake.
The dull monotone of the Professor's voice make me feel sleepy, and soon just like Wednesday night I drift off to a dreamy sleep under the protection of the White Rose.
'Helena! Helena, come here immediately!' Rowena Ravenclaw shouted down the hallway, looking left and right for her young and reckless daughter. Then the small pattering of footsteps echoed down the Tapestry Room floor and a young girl with long black hair and bright green eyes could be seen running down to her mother. 'Yes Mother?' Helena asked, leaning over to catch her breath back. 'Helena I believe you to be pregnant with a baby girl, who in many generations will be the girl whom the prophecy is inflicted upon,' Rowena told her daughter, who looked up at her in shock. 'Yes Mother, I believe you to be right!' she cried the fear obvious in her green eyes, and her hand immediately went down to where the baby bump would become visible.
Suddenly a slender woman with long strawberry blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes, strode round the corner her long yellow robes trailing behind her. 'Is it true, the prophecy?' she asked, her warm eyes darkly clouded with fear. Rowena nodded, and put her head in her hands obviously worried about the upcoming future. 'Then I pray for the child,' Helga mumbled then bowed her head and then sidled off again, muttering something about Salazar rebelling. 'What was that about Salazar?' Rowena asked furrowing her brow, if one of her fellow founders was angry about something then she would find out what it was.
Helga hurried back to one of her dearest and oldest friends, knowing that she would have to tell Rowena sooner or later. 'Well it was yesterday I was in the Library, just checking that things were all fine before the students arrived. That was when I heard a muttering, it was Salazar talking to himself again,' she said, took a breath then continued. 'He was saying things like they never tell me anything and I am always an outsider to them. Then he said the worst thing of all, he said in a very quiet voice, The House of Ravenclaw I will curse, but only one shall fluster, the one that has Rowena as her namesake will be the one to suffer. Though she be born in the near future, let this curse ne'er be forgotten for it will last until Hell itself, has gone cold and rotten. And so two curses shall be placed, one that will inflict upon another, though that is already in store I make them suffer it more. For the other will be blinded, not foretold of the damage that may occur. May Rowena Ravenclaw be cursed, and may her name forever burn,' Helga squeaked and Rowena gasped in horror.
The next day Salazar was missing, not a sound was heard and no one had reported that he had vanished. Just like that he had gone, but left his curse behind whilst doing so.
Reality brought me back from my deep sleep like a hard smack in the face. Rubbing my eyes I noticed everyone staring at me, apart from Professor Binns who seemed oblivious to the fact that I had been shaking and almost screaming whilst I slept. But what could it all mean, did Salazar really inflict the curse upon the family of the Ravenclaws? And even so could that mean me?