I Will Follow You Into the Dark

“Qui est elle?” (Who is she?) Nui questioned as she looked over Aurora with curious yet suspicious eyes. It was always like Nui to distrust a person she had just met, but the look in her eye at that moment warned Svetlanna that more than just questioning was on Nui’s mind. Nui knew every detail of Lanna’s feelings for George, and, being the overprotective little sister she was, Nui didn’t like how close the new girl was getting to her sister’s man.

“Calmez-vous, le petit raton laveur, elle est juste un bon ami de la leur. En outre, il n'est pas nécessaire pour vous d'obtenir jusqu'à vidé sur sa relation avec eux, je doute fort qu'ils sont en sa maturité gamme.” (Calm down, little raccoon, she's just a good friend of theirs. Also, there is no need for you to get gutted up over her relationship with them; I highly doubt they are in her maturity range.) Svetlanna whispered back, sipping her tea slowly and listening to the millions of conversations around her. Ron was talking to Harry about quidditch, Hermione was talking to Ginny about a Durmstrong boy who had run into her, the twins were scheming amongst themselves, and Aurora was in her own world with Bill and Charlie.

Aurora’s maturity was showing when her conversations were held mainly with the eldest Weasley’s. There was a slight spark in her eyes that Svetlanna hadn’t seen, but the younger girl was happy that her new friend was socializing and had actually laughed earlier.

“Je n'aime pas son.” (I don’t like her.)

“Eh bien, c'est vraiment stupide. Pourquoi est-ce que vous n'aimez pas une personne que vous avez encore d'apprendre à connaître? Ce qui est mauvais à son sujet que vous détestez sur les premières impressions?. (Well that's really stupid.. Why do you dislike a person you have yet to get to know? What is so foul about her that you hate on first impressions?) Svetlanna questioned, placing her empty tea cup onto the table and pulling out a small book from her bag. She usually did this when no one would notice her. Because of her natural instincts, Svetlanna had the ability to multitask unlike any other person: she could read, listen to several conversations, speak her piece, and still manage to focus on everything in her surroundings. She praised herself for being able to handle so much, but scolded herself at the same time for not being able to manage herself as properly on an emotional level.

“You’re a loser,” Nui whispered to her sister while rolling her eyes. She had always looked up to her sister because of her beauty and ability to catch the eye of any guy she wanted; however, Nui wished her sister would have more awareness of the sex appeal she carried and more confidence in herself.

Svetlanna just nodded and began her reading.

Aurora glanced over at the shy Gryffindor and decided to turn the spotlight onto her. If Svetlanna was going to gain any ground she’d have to attempt to make progress, but the book in her hand and hair that was shielding her face from everyone in the small booth just made it seem as if Lanna was trying to hide herself from the world.

“Svetlanna,” Aurora’s strong voice called, catching the girl’s attention and causing everyone to look in her direction, “you still haven’t told us about that Russian boy from earlier. How do you know him?”

Svetlanna’s cheeks heated up and she pulled her book higher to her face to hide the massive blush consuming her facial features, “He’s just a friend I met a month ago. I accidentally tripped over his foot, I think, while I was walking with Hermione and Ginny. We’ve been talking ever since.”

“Just a friend?” Ron questioned, his voice ringing higher and cracking a bit, “He kissed your hand! Even I don’t do that.”

“Wait, my grande sœur has an admirer?” Nui asked, a smile coming to her face and her eyes shining wildly, “It’s about bloody time you’ve embraced the sex goddess within.”

Svetlanna’s cheeks got hotter and she glared at her sister in shock, “Vous êtes seulement huit ans! Ne parlez pas comme ça!” (You’re only eight! Don’t talk like that!) She tried to hide her face in the pages of her book, but ended up having her shield snatched away by the miniature prankster sitting next to her. Svetlanna looked up and into the eyes of Aurora asking for help, but the elder girl just pulled the butter beer. Svetlanna sighed and nodded her head, “Alik is right dishy Durmstrong, yes, but that doesn’t mean we are together. By Merlin’s dirty trouser’s, I swear we haven’t even spent a moment alone. He’s seventeen!”

“He just turned seventeen,” Ginny corrected with a slight smile, “his birthday is only two days before the school year started.”

“How do you know this?” Charlie asked, his eyes blazing with humor

Ginny shrugged, “A girl has her way of finding things out. Besides, if there’s another bloke hanging around this lot I’d have to know more about him.”

Several minutes passed as everyone, minus Aurora and George, discussed Alik and Svetlanna. They talked as if they were together, yet they ceased to realize that Svetlanna hadn’t even gotten the courage to accept a date. Quietly, Lanna slipped from the booth and made her way out of the small pub. The fresh air that assaulted her nose was more welcome than the scent of musk and sweat inside and she smiled when she walked down the narrow street. The large blush still tainted her cheeks, but she tried to focus her head on something else to calm her blood flow down. Somehow, Lanna ended up at the gate of the Shrieking Shack.

Memories came back, but also a sense of comfort.

Just the year before she was standing in front of the shabby shelter with her friends, talking about what she wanted from the future. Now, she stood there trying to think about how she was going to make gain enough confidence to make herself a better Gryffindor. She didn’t know what she was going to do with herself.

After a little less than an hour, Svetlanna started to make her way back to The Three Broomsticks, and she was just in time to see her friends and little sister walking out. She smiled softly and jogged a little to reach the group faster.

“Look who decided to join us once again,” Bill teased, pulling Svetlanna into a tight hug before pulling away and kissing her cheek, “just in time to say goodbye.”

“I’m sorry for running off,” she apologized, hugging him once again and pulling away to move to Charlie, “the smell was making me dizzy and I was afraid my nose would start bleeding.” Svetlanna’s nose was very sensitive to many things, and being around them for too long would cause nose bleeds. She hugged Charlie and kissed his cheek before walking over to her sister and kneeling down to hold Nui close, “Please, treat your nanny with care. I doubt she’ll last long if you’ve been doing what you’ve been detailing in the letters.”

Nui giggled and hugged Lanna tightly, “I’ve missed you. Please, if that Alik bloke offers you another private date together agree. For my sake?”

“I’ll think about it,” Svetlanna lied, knowing full well that she’d stall until he lost interest. She watched her little sister hold onto Charlie as they apparated away and she tapped her fingers against her leg when she turned to walk back to Hogwarts with her friends.

Silently, she prayed she’d run into Alik once more… just to see him once more.