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Chapter - 35 : Charmed Feathers

The next few weeks went by in a blur. It had already been two months since she'd come to Hogwarts! The castle had become home! The lessons, too, were getting interesting - both the normal school ones and the ones with Professor Dumbledore.

In the span of a few short weeks, though Ava hadn't been able to penetrate Professor Dumbledore's, Professor McGonagall's and Professor Snape's minds, she knew that she was getting closer. But they hadn't been able to open her mind for she grew stronger, every time she practiced.

On Halloween morning, they woke up to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors.

Even better, Professor Flitwick announced that they'd be learning to make objects fly like he had made a toad zoom across the classroom.

Unfortunately for Ava, she had been paired with Malfoy. Neither of them spoke much.

"Now, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing," squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his usual pile of books, "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick."

Draco kept chanting, "Wingardium Leviosa, Wingardium Leviosa, Wingardium Leviosa!"
But his feather didn't move.

Ava smoothly moved her wand in a clean 'swish and flick' and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about five feet above their heads. Draco was definitely shocked to see her master such a spell with ease.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping, "Miss Harlow has done it! See here everyone!"

Once the classes for the day were over, Ava went to find Hermione to tell her about the Charms lecture but she was nowhere to be found. Ava quickly skimmed around to see where Hermione was.

She heard Parvati Patil, the Gryffindor first-year, thinking, Poor girl! Crying in the bathroom, I wonder what happened.

She definitely said this in context of Hermione, Ava was sure of it, though she didn't know why.

Ava entered the lavatory. She could hear Hermione crying.
"Mione?"

"Go away! I don't want to talk to anyone!"

Ava concentrated gently so that Hermione wouldn't find out that Ava was actually looking into her mind. She wanted to know what happened.

She had shown Ron the proper way to perform the levitation charm after which he got angry.
"No wonder no one can stand her," he had said to Harry, "She's a nightmare, honestly!"
She'd heard that and felt small, insignificant, worthless even with all the knowledge she tried to stuff within herself.
She hadn't gone to any of her classes for the rest of the day and had spent here crying, thinking whether she even deserved the friendship of the one friend she had!

"Mione!" Ava started.
"Don't! Just don't!"

"No I'm not going to stop! You cannot pity yourself like this! The people who aren't your friends don't know what an amazing person you are and they are just missing out on life!"

"And on top of that, HOW DARE YOU THINK THAT I'D NEVER WANTED TO BE YOUR FRIEND!?!?" Ava continued, "I'm to this day, grateful that I made the decision to befriend you in the train! Don't let some stupid boy make you feel worthless!"

She opened the door quietly and hugged Ava as if this was the most appropriate response to whatever Ava had said.

She pulled away, "Thanks! I needed that. But I think I want some more time. Might even spend the night here. I just want to be with myself for a while." she explained.

"Of course! Anything to make you feel better! Do you want some pudding, by the way? I could get it up for you!" Ava said.

"No thanks, I'm ok." she forced a smile and moved away.

Ava headed down the the Great Hall, ready to burn the boys with the fire of her anger.

"HOW DARE YOU?!!" she whisper-shouted at the two of them.

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Let's go full terminator mode!!!!

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Lots of love!

Always,
Ana