Witches Don't Cry - Year 3, Chapter 10: Slug Horns Don't Make Sense

Instructions

Chapter 10: Slug Horns Don't Make Sense __________________________________________ I headed to potions class, when I saw a familiar face at the library. Cathy. She didn't notice me, but I headed over to her just to jumpscare her. "Boo." I whispered, patting her on the back. She calmly turned to me and sighed. "I knew you were gonna do that someday." she grumbled. Then, her face turned into one of concern. She gripped my hands in hers and asked: "Where were you, and what happened?" NO, MARCIE. DONTBLUSHDONTBLUSHDONTBLUSH I managed to not stumble over my words and tell Cathy everything that happened, leaving out the part about The Voice. Cathy took a minute to process it all, then she stood up, lifted me off the ground and hugged me. I hate being short. She put me back on the ground and patted my head. "I'm not a dog." I grumbled. "You sure act like a really grumpy puppy." taunted Cathy. I looked up at her to make eye contact, and glared. "That's not so effective when you have one blind eye." sneered Cathy, messing up my hair more than it was already messed up. I cu$$3d at her and then ran off to Potions class before she could react. Once I reached Potions class, I saw an old, fat, bald man, instead of Snape. I sat down at the back, next to none other than Valerie. This was gonna be awkward. I tried my best not to look at her, and not to notice her long blue hair fluttering in the light breeze entering the classroom, and her blue eyes shifting nervously around the room, holding that certain stubborness I knew and learnt to love. I tried not to notice her sneaking glances at me before looking back to someplace else, her Ravenclaw robes, which were slighly wet with tears. I tried. I tried my best not to look at her. But I failed, evidently. I didn't try and strike conversation with her. I just stayed in the corner, half-listening to the old man drawl on and on about his introduction. His name was Horace Slughorn. Horrible name, I know. I somehow survived the class, stood up, glancing back at Valerie's now empty seat before I stepped out of the door. I had only gone a few steps before I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Marcie, I'm sorry." came a voice behind me. I turned back on my heels, facing Valerie. "You've changed so much...I just- I just got scared." she whispered. "It's fine." I said. "I'm not surprised." after all, I looked like a monster. Most people now thought I was. It's not surprising at all. Valerie pulled me into a tight hug. I just awkwardly patted her head. Why didn't I feel anything? I wanted to smile, maybe cry. Not stand there feeling absolutely nothing. What was wrong with me? Maybe something was broken in me. I don't know. After a lot of apologies and catching up with things I missed with Valerie, I walked off. On the way, I heard silent whispers from a dark corner. 'Don't cry. Don't cry. No, boys don't cry, get it together' again and again. The voice sounded so...scared, and sad. But familiar. I turned to see a familiar blonde, navy blue eyed boy sitting there, on the verge of tears. A half-torn letter lay on the floor next to him. The words I managed to read was 'Florence', 'Missing', 'Ran'. ...what was wrong?