Helena and Katie were on the Hogwarts Express on the way back home. They were in their own carriage alone, like all the other times they've traveled to Hogwarts and back. Not many people wished to sit with them.

"Katie?" Helena asked, wanting to make conversation desperately in the awful silence.

"Mhm?" she said peacefully. She was reading a book, which was a bit unusual of her.

"Did you tell me what options you chose?"

"Yes," she answered, wishing not to elaborate on the matter.

"Katie, you know I have a terrible memory."

"I chose Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, happy?" she said, a little frustrated.

"Not exactly," Helena said coldly.

"You're never happy."

"What can I say, I have nothing to be happy about."

"Don't think that's true," said Katie quietly.

"Why?"

"Because I'm here with you," she said, taking her hand and placing it on Helena's.

"You're so nerdy, Katie," said Helena laughing at her.

Katie glared at her and went back to reading her book.

Anna then pounced on Helena's lap, demanding her attention.

"Anna, stop it," she said firmly.

Anna meowed at her.

"Jesus Christ, make her shut up," said Katie, irritated.

"I don't control this bleeding cat, do I?"

Anna pawed her playfully.

"I regret everything to do with this cat," said Helena.

"As you should."

"Hey, it's not my fault I have trouble being alone. And for the record, Anna helps me when you're in the Dormitory by yourself and I'm in the Common Room."

"Isolation? That's what you're afraid of?" Katie raised an eyebrow at her.

"Don't act so surprised. I hardly remember living with my parents and I've been alone since they died."

"Anything else you've kept from me?"

"I haven't exactly been keeping it from you, I just haven't exactly confided in you."

"You know my fears," she said coldly.

"It's not that hard to guess your fear is the Dark Lord, you literally tremble when he comes near you."

"You're right," she said. "You attract him."

"Bull shit."

"It's true. I suppose the best way to get away from him is to get away from you first."

"What even is it with you, Katie? I'm always there for you -"

"No. You're not. When I need your help, you never do help me."

"Name an example."

"Final Exams."

"You aren't going to learn anything if I help you with everything, are you?"

"Or maybe you just like being top of every class you take and wouldn't want anyone else being your competition."

"Katie! Being intelligent or clever, it's not the most important thing in the world."

"It is if you want a career."

"Come on, Katie. There's a lot more important things than having a career."

"Like what?"

"Love, friendship, and keeping together. Because that's the exact opposite what the Dark Lord wants. He wants us to be fearful, untrusting, wary of each other. Because the more faith and trust we have in each other, the less he can break us apart. You understand, don't you?"

"So, you're saying as long as we're together, we can help stop him?"

"To a certain degree, we may be able to."

"Can't we just kill him?"

"No, I don't think he dies normally," Helena said darkly.

x

Summer holidays

Helena was having a cup of tea whilst petting Anna and you could say that she was quite happy for once. The warmth of the cup almost scolded her left hand, yet she held it anyway. She was not particularly paying any attention to her surroundings, as she was deep in thought. She petted Anna unconsciously to remind her that she wasn't truly alone in the house and that the walls were not closing in on her for every second of the day. Though from her bedroom window, she despised the wide open views that could be quite beautiful at times. With the crimson sunsets, the early morning fog you got sometimes during Autumn and Spring could be considered fascinating to anyone but Helena as she typically did not care for picturesque landscapes. On occasion, you couldn't even see the street below. Today, it was a strawberry red sunset that made her room a tint of vivid pink and the sky was clear except for a few clouds that were masking parts of the beautiful dusk sky. She merely ignored it and just sat there staring into space, lost in thought. What was she thinking about exactly? Nothing. She was just there, her mind completely blank.
Sometimes it was nice to not think about anything at all.

Just then, breaking the peacefulness of her mind, a tawny owl came flying through the open window and it startled her dearly. Not once had she received a letter that was not from school. On the parchment envelope said Helena Prince in Katie's neat handwriting. She opened it and unfolded the letter.

To Helena,
How is your holiday? Mine is horrible.
My parents found out that I'm a lesbian and so far they have been completely ignoring me.
I don't like the cold stares they give me when I try to take to them. Instead they just focus all their attention on my younger brother.
Anyway, I hope you're having fun with Anna.
Lots of love,
Katie.

The letter was rather bizarre in Helena's opinion, after all, never once had Katie mentioned that she had a younger brother. Surely it was a mistake on her part, unless she was keeping a secret from her. Helena did respect her privacy, she really did, but there was absolutely no reason for her to keep this from her.

Eventually, she decided not to confront her straight away and replied as casually as she could and she decided to go to sleep and she slept for a very long time.