Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 125

The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy, matching Kirra's mood perfectly; heavy clouds of pewter grey swirled overhead as Jasper and Kirra examined their new course schedules at breakfast alone at the end of the Slytherin table. 

"Today's not bad . . . outside all morning," said Jasper softly, who was running his finger down the Monday column of his schedule, sparing the girl frequent small glances who still hadn't put any food on her plate. 

"Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures . . . you love those subjects," he hoped that this would brighten her mood a little bit, but from the look on her face, he could see that it hadn't. 

"Double Divination this afternoon," Kirra groaned softly, looking down. Divination was her least favourite subject, apart from Potions. Professor Trelawney kept predicting Kirra and Harry's death, which she found extremely annoying; and it was going to be awkward now that Kirra had gone off at her last year.

"At least I joined Divination" said Jaspar, buttering some toast and putting Jam on it before placing it down on the Hufflepuff's plate. "I know you and Nott used to sit together but we can sit together now." he trailed off at the end, not knowing if it was the right thing to say.

"I noticed that you didn't eat anything last night, you should eat some breakfast, the Jam tastes really fresh today," said Jasper softly, watching the girl play with the hair tye on her wrist instead of eating the toast he had put on her plate.

"Thanks J, but I'm just not hungry at the moment," said Kirra, looking up to give him a small smile, but she failed miserably as he watched the tears pool in her eyes instantly.

"Hey, maybe we should skip the first two classes today and go do something fun... we could explore the castle or go to the forest and look for some cool animals..." said Jasper, trying desperately to do whatever he could to make her feel better, but she shook her head.

"No, we should j-"

There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail. The owls circled the tables, looking for the people to whom their letters and packages were addressed. 

A large tawny owl soared down to Jasper and deposited a parcel into his lap — and in the parcel had been some wizarding money from his father and a new suit that looked very very expensive. The Hufflepuff and Slytherin shared confused looks before Kirra's eyes widened slightly, "it must be for the yule ball."

"The what?" Jasper asked with furrowed eyebrows, closing the package and setting it on the table beside him.

"its a dance thing they do when the triwizard tournament is held," Kirra explained to him. He nodded his head and then something further down the table had caught their eyes.

Further down the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy's eagle owl had landed on his shoulder, carrying what looked like his usual supply of sweets and cakes from home, there was one box for him and one for Mattheo. 

Trying to ignore the sinking feeling of sadness and longing in her stomach that she got when she looked at Mattheo, Kirra just turned away from him and looked over at Jasper, the two of them starting up in small conversation once again. 

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Professor Sprout stood in front of the class, showing the class the ugliest plants most of them had ever seen. Indeed, they looked less like plants than thick, black, giant slugs, protruding vertically out of the soil. Each was squirming slightly and had a number of large, shiny swellings upon it, which appeared to be full of liquid.