Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
SIXTEEN.
OVER THE short period of a few days, both Deanna and Arabella had found themselves enjoying Luna Lovegood's company more and more. So much, in fact, that the three of them had begun to sit in the Ravenclaw Common Room and read books together - whether it be Astronomy textbooks to use for studying, or classic novels from literature - they thrived in the comfort of words on a page.
Because Bella no longer had Fred and George to turn to for consolidation, she swiftly found that Luna was beginning to fill the void that the absence of the twins had unfortunately left inside her. While she still had Deanna, the brunette was not the most sympathetic, so Bella often preferred to take advice from someone more understanding (and Luna just so happened to be that someone).
But when their peacefully quiet reading session was interrupted by a violent slam of the Common Room door, Arabella looked up from her book with a scowl, and her displeasure intensified when she saw that Erin Martell was subject of the noise.
Erin stormed into the room of blue and copper hues, grabbing Arabella by the wrist before the girl could protest. As a result, she was abruptly pulled from her armchair and stumbled onto her feet. "I need to tell you something. Now." Erin demanded, exiting through the arched door with a reluctant Arabella following behind.
Bella found herself being backed against the stone wall (this, rather unfortunately, reminded her of the night that Zoe's act of aggression landed them both in Snape's office). When she felt Erin's frosted breaths nearing closer to her own, she began to panic; as if the brunette resembled Zoe's werewolf stature, and her icy words were sharp like the cutting claws of such a beast.
But words cut deeper.
"W-What is it?" Bella whispered, her breaths hitched and her throat sore as she choked out the question.
Erin looked around, checking for signs of other students, or for the sound of approaching footsteps. When nothing but silence filled her ears, she turned back to look at Arabella with a frown. "Remember when I told you that it wasn't me who knocked you out in the Forbidden Forest? I was telling the truth," she sighed. "It certainly was not me."
Bella felt confident enough to take a step forward. "What are you saying here, Erin? If it wasn't you, then--"
"But I did have a small part in what happened to you. It was Zoe-- uh, she was the one who knocked you out because she was attempting to seriously injure, or possibly kill you that night. But she told me we were playing an innocent prank on you, so I said I would help her, a-and I did."
