chapter thirteen | end of term

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        Everyone was left in uncomfortable silence once Harry Potter ran out of the room. No one knew what to do. They ran out to the main floor to see Harry Potter writhing on the ground with Dumbledore kneeling beside him. The boy looked to be in severe pain, screaming and moving uncontrollably. Stella held tightly to Ron and Hermione's hands as she saw Harry talking but couldn't decipher what he was saying. Green met blue as Harry spoke one last thing before whatever was inside him shot out of his chest, leaving him breathless. Stella couldn't believe her eyes, Lord Voldemort in the flesh was in front of her. As soon as he appeared, he disappeared just as fast, just as the Minister of Magic uttered the words he neglected to say since the beginning.

"He's back."

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Dear Father,
        A lot of things have occurred since your departure. I hope you are safe and have received this letter with no problem. I can only guess since you're on a mission, you cannot write back to me and I don't expect you to. I don't know if you've heard or have been informed, but there was an event that occurred, many people calling it the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. And I want you to know that I was in attendance. I stood proudly next to my friends and fought Death Eaters along side the Order. I hope I made you proud by standing up to the enemy and doing what's right, you and mum always taught me that. I don't know if you know, but Sirius is dead. He was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange... his own cousin. I am so sorry for your loss, dad. I know he was one of your best friends. I couldn't imagine losing the friends I've made this year, and I think I have you to thank for that. Bringing me to Grimmauld Place, telling me to make friends, got me the people I have in my life now. I couldn't imagine losing Ron, Hermione or Harry. I have asked Dumbledore to let me know if anything happens to you, so if anything does, I'll be right there by your side as soon as possible. I wanted to remind that what we happens now or in the future, you will always be my dad, and I love you.
Your daughter,
Stella Marie

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        Stella Mason was no stranger to loss, unfortunately. At nine years old, the girl lost her mother to a horrible disease and could do nothing about it. Because of that, her relationship with her father was permanently strained and her voice seemed to dim almost to nothing. But one boy, and his friends, helped her come out of her shell, and she wanted to help as much as she could. Sirius Black was family to her. He was an advocate for her parents and treated Stella like his own, along with Remus Lupin. A kind-hearted man who was dealt a bad hand.

        The blue eyed girl paused for a moment before, hesitantly, knocking on Harry Potter's door in the dorms. It was when she heard a faint 'come in' did she enter.

        The boy was sitting on his bed, lost in thought. He didn't even look up to see who had come in. Only when the person sat down next to him did green meet blue.

        The Mason didn't say much, only started with holding his hand and sitting silently. After a few minutes of squeezing hands back and forth, she spoke, "if you want me to say I'm sorry, I will. I know how it feels to hear it over and over," she didn't get a response as she kept going, making up her mind as to what to say, "I'm sorry for your loss, Harry. Sirius was a great, great man, who I considered as family."

        The boy only nodded.

        "You know, when my mum died, I shut the world out," Stella shared, gazing around the room, "I didn't speak for months. And I didn't have any friends to help me crawl out of it. And on top of that, my dad completely changed. He went from this lighthearted, loving guy to this cold and distant father. Our relationship was never the same after that. Most of the time he addresses me more like a business partner, and less like his daughter," she gave a humorless chuckle as she heard the boy next to her give off one as well, "my reason for telling you all of this is... Harry, don't distance yourself. Not from me, not from Hermione or Ron, not from anyone. If we're going to have any chance at achieving anything in the future, it's only going to happen if we all stand together," a moment passed, "Harry, I want you to do something for me."

        The girl turned to face him more on the bed as they looked at each other, Harry let out a, "what?"

        She stuck up her pinky finger and spoke, "promise me, no matter what happens, you'll come to me if you're feeling down or just need to vent about anything. It's not healthy to bottle everything up inside. I should know."

        Harry Potter smiled lightly, his first smile in a while, as he linked his pink with hers, "I promise."

        Stella beamed, "great! You won't regret it, I've been told I'm a great listener," she got up from her seat at the bed to leave, "I'll leave you to finish packing."

        "Stella?"

        The Mason turned to face him again, only to see the boy standing, "yes?"

        "Have you heard anything about your dad?"

         Her stomach dropped at the question. And it seemed the question was answered by her reaction. The girl shook her head and looked down at her hands, "uh, no. No, I haven't heard anything. I sent him a letter, Ron let me borrow his owl, but he hasn't written back, which is understandable. I talked to Dumbeldore and he assured me he would let me know as soon as anything happens. But, I'm not as anxious as I was a while ago."

        "And why is that?"

        With a smile she spoke, "because someone close to me told me to have faith."

        And with that, she left the room, not sticking around to see Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, smiling in her wake.

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        The four friends were packed and were walking toward the Hogwarts Express on their last day of term. This year was interesting to say the least. Stella Mason earned three great best friends and others, and went on the adventure of a lifetime. She was both scared and excited to see what came next for her. Walking next to Harry, she looked at him as he spoke.

        "I've been thinking about something Dumbledore said to me."

"And what's that," Ron asked as he walked next to Stella.

        "That even though we've got a fight ahead of us," he started, "we've got one thing that Voldemort doesn't have. Something worth fighting for."

        With smiles on their faces, the group of friends walked to the train with smiles on their faces. They knew, when they had each other, they could do anything.

END OF ACT ONE

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that starry scene was so soft—don't be a silent reader!
edited: 6 april 2021