Open Anger and Sadness

[Tessaria Carter]

Tessaria started the new school year with a positive mindset, etched into her by her father who thought of nothing but daisies and rainbows, even when faced with a storm. But as Tess found out the news that she, yet again, didn't make it onto the Quidditch team, she didn't have any ounce of happiness left in her. How could she have believed her father that she was going to make it? Clearly she sucked at the sport, clearly she didn't share her mother's genes and clearly she was never going to make it. There was even a first year's name on the list. Either she really sucked, or the captain had something against her.

Tess kept staring at the list on the bulletin board hoping that her name would magically appear, but as she was being pushed by some other people trying to get a look at it, she felt the anger rising inside of her and her heart beat quickly and heavy against her chest. She ran as fast as she could outside the common room and down the stairs. She kept running down until she felt herself out of breath, and wandered along the fourth floor corridor until she made it to the student lounge. The door was slightly open and she walked inside before slamming the door behind her and letting out a scream. She took a few steps before she collapsed against the wall, bringing her knees to her chest and beginning to cry. She cried harder than she ever had before. Her body was moving with each sob, and she buried her head into her knees, wishing that things were different. Wishing that she had friends, wishing that she was good at quidditch, and just wishing that she could be a part of the team.

 

[Doyle Mooney]

Doyle had meant to do some homework. He had even pulled out his book and everything. But the couch he laid on was comfortable and the sun coming in through the window had warmed him to the core, and before he knew it he had fallen asleep with the book rising and falling on his chest. It wasn't until some time later when he heard a door slam that he bolted upright and barely manged to catch the book before it fell. Then he heard the sobs and he quickly laid back down, scared to get caught invading someone's personal moment, but he had been here first. Slowly he peaked over the back of the couch and recognized a girl from his year, he was pretty sure she was his head of house's daughter too even if they had never spoken. He tried to think of a polite way to get her attention or to at least make his presence known. But before he could make up his mind his body betrayed him and he felt a tickle in his nose and he let out a loud sneeze. "Sorry!" he blurted out and held up his hands in surrender before dropping behind the couch again. "Don't mind me!" he shouted. "Pretend I'm not here!"

 

[Tessaria Carter]

When Tess heard a sneeze followed by someone's voice, she quickly looked up into the direction of the sound and her crying slowed down. "Oh, um." she said, wiping away her tears from her cheeks with her hand. "No, I-I'm sorry." She stammered in between a sob, standing up but still staying close to the wall as though it was protecting her. "This i-is a public space. I'm s-sorry." she said apologetically. She was not sure why she decided the student lounge was the best place to come to cry. But she felt a little less tense now with the presence of someone in the room, and she relaxed her hands that she realised were held in tight fists. If it was the Gryffindor captain however, she was sure it would be another story. Through her tears, she noticed that the person was a familiar face that she had seen in classes. He seemed to be studying, and so early into the semester as well. Wiping some more tears away from her face, Tess spoke again. "What are you studying?" she asked, hoping to distract herself from her horrible reality.