Closed a melody in minor

[Willow Cullen]

willow was climbing the steps taking tis staircase and then another before going along the corridor and up a couple more flights. it was a good job she had been this way innumerable times because her body was working on muscle memory not conciousactirn. she threw herself on her bed before she realised that she didn't actually want to be there. the pulled herself up picked up her guitar then left the house moving again up the stairs to the highest point of the castle. the north tower. she felt terrible. she had been one of the meanest kind of people she could be and Noelle had been so understanding it just made her feel worse. she sat down resting the instrument on her lap. it wasn't until she was ready to play that she remembered the small box in her hand. she opened it looked at the ring inside before quickly shutting it and putting it beside her. she started plucking stings at random slowly building to chords until she wa playing a melody in minor its tune reflecting what she was feeling. she hadn't picked up her guitar in a while she ad almost not brought it to school with her but right now she was glad that she had the familiar feeling of its smooth wooden curves next to her.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Something heartbreaking apparently took place at the Yule Ball, something Chante was not aware of until she saw her cousin fled from the great hall. She tried to catch up to the Gryffindor but Willow prove to be too quick on her toes. Chante stood by the entrance at this point, she search for Noelle. He was nowhere to be found. Chante asked around, asked anyone if they could report what happened. Not many had the faintest idea what transpired between the pair. It wasn't until Willow's cousin, Alison was seen lingering by the entrance hall. Desperate, Chante asked the girl about her cousin's whereabouts. "Check the towers, I thought I may have saw her sitting up there alone," the small Ravenclaw shrugs. "Thank you, you've been a big help," Chante rush past the girl. As fast as her legs would carry her, Chante climbed the stairs up to the towers. It took some time, she reached the last step huffing and puffing from climbing all those stairs. Her heartbeat drum inside her chest, Chante gave herself a minute or two to compose. "Wills? Willow," she spoke breathlessly. The tall Hufflepuff heard plucking of strings, indicating that she might be nearby. "Willow, are you up here?"

 

[Willow Cullen]

Willow had gotten into a melody not a happy one one in a minor key. she was not really paying any attention as to what was going on outside her bubble. she played as tears started to roll down her cheek again. she sniffed and brushed them away angrily. it was this break from the music that she realised that there are footsteps coming up the stairs. she listened hoping it wasn't a couple. she knew from before that the north tower was a good place to visit if you wanted to be alone. she and Noelle had done just that this time last year. she was glad when it was a single pair of steps. and even more glad when they stopped at the top of the stairs and a familiar voice called out her name. "Chante is that you" she asked her voice cracking a little in the middle of her cousin's name. she looked up to where the staircase opened up into the room hoping to see her cousin there. It seemed chanterelle's always knew when she was most needed.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

The lights outside the towers made it easy to maneuver over to where her cousin was sitting. Otherwise, she'd be tripping over her own feet in the gloomy, darkness. "Yes, it's me," the tall Hufflepuff wrapped her arms around her once seeing the tears shed down the Gryffindor's face. For a good minute, Chante hugged the smaller girl tight. She tries to comfort Willow in her time of need. "It's going to be okay, it's going to be alright. Whatever it is, you'll get through this. And I'll be there for you no matter what," she didn't want to ask right away what took place at the Yule Ball. Chante only did what made sense to her. She pulls her cousin in again, embracing Willow while she rubbed down her back. "Cry as much as you like, it helps the soul."

 

[Willow Cullen]

Willow saw her cousin move towards her and felt arms embracing her. she felt almost like she was a child again curled up in her mum's arms when something had upset her. she curled up against chante. as a new wave of tears came. despite their difference in size and age it was usually her comforting chante.
after a good couple of minutes, she was feeling a lot calmer. sat still like that until willow moved away noticing a large black smudge on her dress where her tears had washed her mascara and eyeliner. "Oh your beautiful dress i'm sorry I should have used waterproof" she said. once again regretting having not picked waterproof makeup.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Chante didn't stop hugging Willow until she pulled away. It was then she felt the damp spot where Willow had a good cry. Chante looks down inspecting the spot. "It's okay, it's alright. It's nothing that magic can't fix," the older teen shrugs with a soft smile. "You're more important than a dress," the Hufflepuff reached out and squeeze the younger teen's hand. It felt nice for once that Chante could be there for Willow as many times Willow had always been there for her. It's not to say she was keeping tabs, though she was glad to be here when Willow needed someone the most. With the other hand she wipes away the smudges on Willow's face. Cleaning up the black mascara and eyeliner trail going down her cheeks. "You don't have to say anything just yet, you can tell me when you're ready."

 

[Willow Cullen]

IT felt good having chante with her. if anyone knew what she was feeling it was her cousin. the person she confided the most in. "but it is a really nice dress and it's your last ball you should enjoy it" she said swallowing a sob into a hiccup. but she knew her cousin well enough to know that she wouldn't be going anywhere. she took a deep breath and repeated chantes motion wiping her eyes. "I should tell you. you will hear from s-someone else if I don't. It, It's Noelle." she said. trying to think of why she was crying. she had been the one with the upper hand in the whole thing. so why was she so upset? "he prop-posed." she said reaching back behind her and taking the box as if using the ring to prove what she was saying. the opened it and the stone sparkled in even the little light that there was up here. why did she still even have it? he gave it to her and told her to keep it as a promise ring or throw it away. she didn't want to keep it but even she knew enough about jewelry to know that it would not have been cheap. probably costing him more than she had earned in the apothecary the last year.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Chante wouldn't hear anymore about the dress. The older teen dismissing it with a wave of her hand. "It is my last ball but there will be plenty of parties and similar events to attend to hopefully in the near future. Maybe a wedding, who knows," in a minute she'll regret saying that. Chante prepared herself to listen to what Willow had to say. The prefect leans in, still pretty much holding onto her cousin. Chante's eyes went wide, a gasp leaving her lips when Willow informed her about the proposal. She wasn't sure it was something to be sad about, maybe excited or unsure. Why was Willow sad? "Oh my god, are you serious? No way! Noelle, he did that?" Chante had always thought they were a cute couple. But, there was always this feeling she had that made her think Willow probably fit better with someone like Syrus. The former seeker on the Gryffindor's team and if she's not mistaken, current band member. Chante looks down marvelling over the ring. It was beautiful, though, she couldn't ever imagine Willow wearing something like that. Doesn't mean it wouldn't looking nice on Willow. "Let me guess, you didn't accept? Right..."Chante's voice dropped quietly. "Oh, Willow. I understand now."

 

[Willow Cullen]

willow listened as chante dismissed her concerns about the dress. it was just a way she could delay talking about the real concerns but as chante said there may be a wedding in the future she felt more tears roll down her face. what has she heard? does she think me and noe should get married, did I make a silly mistake she thought to herself her brain going into overdrive. her cousins reaction to the proposal was one od shock. maybe she hadnt heard about it but she had obviously thought about it. or maybe he had spoken to her about it like he said he had written to her dad. what did her dad have to do with it anyway. she nodded in response not trusting herself to speak. she nodded again as chante asked if she had said no. of course she had said no. she had never really seen the point of marriage. no-one in her family had been married, at least not until a year ago and her parents had always been happy together. well as happy as one would expect with two people. but there had never as far as she knew been any relationship problems between them. the same with her aunt and uncle. they seemed so well matched that they could almost have been made for each other. she loved Noelle. she really did. but she just didn't feel that he was that for her. it had always been a slightly more one-sided relationship and he deserved to find someone who could give him as much love as he gave them.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Chante sighs audibly, bringing Willow to another embrace. "There, there. It's alright, it's okay. It's not the end of the world," Chante squeeze the redheaded teen gently trying to comfort and reassure her cousin. To reassure her of the decision she made in not accepting Noelle's proposal. "I can't imagine the pressure you were under...I mean, Noelle is really nice and sweet to you Willow...but at the end of the day you do what's right for you even if he may not like the decision. He is going to have to respect that. So, you have the right to your feelings and decisions," Chante went on as she wipe away more tears falling down her cousin's cheeks. Chante leans over to kiss the top of her forehead, bringing the teen closer into another hug. Her arms were really getting a workout tonight. Chante went as far as rocking Willow a bit, the same way she does to baby Jackson back home. He has fallen asleep being rocked like this, Chante wasn't trying to put Willow to sleep, just coddle a little while longer.

 

[Willow Cullen]

Willow listened as Chante spoke. her cousin's arms around her and the swaying rocking was calming her down a lot. the movement reminded her of being on the boat with her dad. "that is true. he gave me the ring now as a promise ring. but how am i meant ot wear it as a promise ring when i know that wasn't its intended use. and that that is what noe got it for" she said. "and what the hell is a promise ring any way?" she asked, not really expecting chante to know. Noelle had said she could keep it or get rid of it. but while she wasn't much of a jewellery fan she knew it would have been expensive, probably costing more than she had earned over the last long break. "thank you chant, you are the best friend ever" she said. calling her cousin a friend which was a usual way to call her but tonight she was being a friend helping her by choice something she could not imagine her other cousin even considering doing. but definitely something she could see fleur doing if she had stumbled across her.

 

[Chante Harvelle-Ateara]

Chante laughs. She couldn't help but laugh and shrugs in response to her cousin's question. "I have no idea. Maybe it's like a prequel to an engagement ring or something like that. But, our parents didn't do anything like that. Maybe, maybe it's a practice tradition with his family," Chante went on trying to figure out the meaning behind a promise ring. Anything she said could be right or wrong. It really didn't matter anyways, all that matters is that Willow can decide if she wants to accept the ring or not. Noelle would just have to respect her decision. "No problem, Wills. You're the best too. Don't you ever forget that," Chante spoke with a smile. Again, she reminded the times Willow was there for her and it only made sense to repay back the genuine gesture. Regardless, she would always try to be there for Willow when she can be.