Magic? || Years 1-5

Secret Heartache: Year 4

"Good morning, Amisty," Noel whispered softly, shaking her shoulder as the sunlight spilled in through the open window.

She blinked, confused as she sat up and rubbed her eyes, "Dad? What's going -- "

Everything came back in a rush, and her fingers immediately went to her empty finger. Her heart thumped.

"I made you breakfast," He gave her a gentle, reassuring smile as he pressed a warm plate into her hands. "But you have to go back up to the castle soon. Hermione sent an owl this morning."

"What did she say?" She asked blearily, still half asleep. For such a treacherous day it certainly led to the best sleep of her life.

"Just that they're worried about you and that they hope they'll see you at breakfast," He replied, pushing her plate closer to her. "But I figured I'd let you sleep late and eat here before you went back up."

"Thanks," She smiled, cleaning her plate of eggs and bacon before downing the glass of water and running a hand through he messy hair.

"Here," Noel waved his wand in her vague direction and the curls on her head smoothed. "Much better."

She stared, patting the top of her head in shock, "Where was that spell all of my life?!"

"It's more of an advanced spell, one of Echo's. Not quite in the textbooks, yet," He replied.

"Can you teach me it?" She leaned forward, eyes eager.

He laughed, "Not today, you're going to be late. But maybe some other time."

"Fair enough," She shrugged. "I'll see you later, Dad. Love you."

"Love you, too."

-=+=-

"Oh, would you look at that," Pansy's scathing voice reached her ears. "She's returned. What a shame, I really thought we'd have lost the little orphan for a bit."

"Get out of my way, Parkinson," Amisty sighed, fully unwilling to deal with the teasing.

"What do you think, Draco? Should we let the Mudblood pass?" She cooed sweetly.

Amisty stiffened, not having yet to see him. She looked up, surprised at the coldness in his silver eyes.

It was the first time in a while she had seen Crabbe and Goyle stand with him, and it was far from a welcome sight.

"Thanks for the chit chat, but I really need to get inside the Great Hall -- " She rolled her eyes, moving to push past them.

Hearing that word, that horrible, horrible word again finally sparked back her anger at him. An anger she had been fighting to gain after that fiasco in Hogsmeade.

"Oh, but I really don't know," Pansy held out an arm, blocking her path.

Amisty resisted the urge to spit in her pug-face.

"Maybe you'll make the front page again?"

"Let her go, Pansy," Malfoy scowled frigidly at Amisty, wrapping his arm around Pansy's waist. "She's not worth our time."

She scowled, turning away and putting as much venom in her voice as she could manage before snapping back, "Glad to see we're on the same page."

Holding her head high, she walked over to her normal seat, welcoming the kindle of the flame in her chest.

"You're back!" Hermione smiled as she sat down, giving her a quick hug.

"Yeah, sorry. I should've wrote that I was spending the night," She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear sheepishly.