Azkaban

I Don't Mind

Words long forgotten flowed through the quiet classroom as Amarea mumbled. The boy next to her exhales quietly as she grips him slightly tighter, her brow furrowing just the slightest amount. He watches her speak, taking note of how her eyelashes rest on her cheeks, the few small sun freckles that rested along the bridge of her nose, she had been making regular visits to the quidditch pitch to watch the teams practice, along with a small scar he had never noticed.

"Focus, Malfoy."

The blonde boy follows her instructions, begrudgingly closing his eyes. Focusing on her words, he tries to keep his mind from wandering as the class follows through with the short mediation steps Amarea had them carry out. She exhales softly, the students mimicking her. 

Haze starts to settle in Draco's mind, tension flowing through him. With her hand on his arm, Amarea takes notice quickly. "You might start to feel a little hazy," she says quietly, her thumb brushing a few small circles on the boy's arm. Trying her best to get the students to settle their emotions, she starts to lead them through a final breathing exercise.

A shiver runs down Draco's spine at the touch, and he relaxes quickly, listening to her every word. "Now, I need you all to hold your stone in your hands. When I speak, you'll feel something like a tug, maybe a tingle flow through your body. I know it might be startling at first, but keep calm, let the energy flow to me, and then we can finally get to the good part."

Chanting under her breath, Amarea allows the energy to swirl in her, fueling her as she continues the spell. She hears a few students exhale sharply as they get used to the feeling, settling their breathing again.

The temperature increased, warming the bodies scattered around the room. A scent of fresh wildflowers, rich soil, and slight musk surrounded them — students inhaled deeply, the fresh smell embracing them. 

"You can open your eyes now," Amarea says once a small water droplet meets her head. Excited mumbles came from the students as they all followed her instructions. Finding herself looking up at the blonde, she watches him take in their surroundings. His curious eyes flitted around the forest, finally meeting hers. "Don't get flies in your mouth, Malfoy."

The boy closes his mouth, grinning slightly. "This is amazing," he mutters. Amarea takes in the emotions on his face; it was nice to see something other than a cold expression. 

His mysteriousness intrigued her.

"It is," she responds, turning away to hide the small smile that graced her face. Turning to the other students, Amarea pulls her hood up with one hand. "Keep in contact with your stone and don't stray from the group. Although nothing can touch you here, I don't need any of you wandering off."

Slightly tugging on Draco's sleeve, she starts the trek to their destination. She pays no mind to the talk going on behind her, following a well-trodden path. The group's pace picks up at the smell of baked goods, a strong exhale coming from Amarea. 

A small town comes into view, a cobblestone street soon replacing the dirt path. Houses made out of light stone and dark shingled rooves housed the people that occupied the town. At the first sight of them, students let out small gasps of wonder. Keeping pace, Amarea leads them through the town, weaving through the people that mingled in the town square. Taking a left turn, she walked until they were out of the crowd before checking their numbers. Once she was satisfied, she continued the journey, gaze set on a smaller group of houses, ignoring the eyes she felt on her.

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