Healing // d.m.

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⛔️ Trigger Warning ⛔️

• Flashback: Catherine Ariendra 15 Years Old •

  BLOOD dripped down her right hand and splashed onto the rocks beneath her. Catherine pressed firmly a piece of cloth Gabby had given her. The bleeding wasn't that bad anymore but the searing pain was still present. She didn't care if the words engraved on her hand scared her skin, she just wanted the pain to stop.

  "You never get caught." Gabby threw a few rocks onto the Great Lake. They were sitting on the embankment waiting for the sunset. Gabby had waited for her to finish detention right outside Professor's Umbridge's office. "Who rattled you?"

  "Flinch." She replied. "Hagrid tried to lead him off but his bloody cat found me."

  Catherine was helping Hagrid with the annual Thestral breeding season. She never had a problem with it before but ever since Professor Umbridge made all these insane new rules about not being allowed outside castle grounds and associating with creatures, Catherine had to be smart in sneaking out. Today she wasn't so lucky.

  She reminded herself to check on Hagrid later, he must be receiving the other brutal end of the punishments. Catherine hopes no more of his magical privileges be banned, he doesn't deserve them taken away.

  On instinct, she reached out to take her wand but just then realising the Umbridge took it. Just for her own pleasure, she took Gabby's wand as well when she found that she was staying past curfew to wait for her. Catherine did some serious begging to let her off the hook, but they both lost wand privileges for the weekend.

  "This sucks." Gabby said, throwing a flat rock into the river, creating a big splash and the water ripples into small waves crashing onto the shore. "And it's basically illegal! Hurting students physically for detention that must be against like what, 100 school rules? You should go to Madame Pomfrey and get some salve on that hand. At least get the bleeding to stop Cathy."

  Catherine shook her head, she didn't want to have to face Madame Pomfrey. Her bickering would never end. She continued to press down on the wound. At least some physical pain is so much better than the hopelessness she feels inside.

  It killed her to leave her mother. It kills her inside every time she thinks about her being alone with that monster. But she hates home, and it would kill her inside even more if she misses school. It was her only escape. Now being banned from seeing her beloved magical creatures...

  Her thoughts were interrupted by laughter coming in from her right. The Great Lake was the place people go to get away from the stuffiness of the castle. Apparently Umbridge never comes here, and Mrs. Noris hates the water. As the sun began to set, people started to leave. Slowly the sounds of chatter were getting further and further away.

  "Aren't you girls coming in? It's getting late." Greg's voice boomed from behind. As if on cue Gabby's face lit up like a christmas tree and she smiled at him. "You okay Cathy?" He asked.

  "I'll be fine." She replied, "Why don't you two go back in, I'll catch up with you later."

  Gabby began to shake her head and linked her arms with Catherine's. "No, if you want to stay here I'll keep you company. Greg was just leaving." She eyed her boyfriend and poor Greg was confused. His red and yellow tie loosely hung around his neck, and he had taken off his robe. The sleeves of his button down bunched messily around his upper arms. There was no doubt that the third years were ogling at him as they walk past.

  "I just got here..." he said dryly.

  Catherine gave them a sad smile, she knew this was a special day for them. It was their anniversary and Greg had told her about his plans, which included her homemade tart that was now sitting by the kitchens.