Food Heals the Soul

[Stefan Archer]

A bad night meant a lot of things for the Slytherin teen. He had lots of bad nights. He had so many bad nights he wasn't sure how to have anything else. But, while the start back at school had been almost all positive, the past few nights had reminded Stefan of the time before he'd left. Although this time around he knew it would be okay. That a few bad nights didn't mean everything would be awful. He'd learned from his mistakes, learned to do more. Improved. Which was understandable. He was almost eighteen he had very easily learned how to be the person he needed to be to survive and as much as he hated to admit it, Hogwarts was currently the place he needed to be at. The school, the halls, the classes, the routine. It was everything that Stefan currently needed in his life. It was what kept him from just falling back into a state he wasn't sure he could survive again. Which wasn't a good thing. He worked hard to stay happy. He really did. But, the nightmares were hard to prevent, and well, Stefan's nightmares were really just memories replaying in his head endlessly. He woke up generally in a thick sweat unable to breath and completely petrified. Though his nightmares were completely understandable considering the sort of life that he had had before arriving at Hogwarts. Then during the Holidays while at hogwarts and the time with foster family. All in all, Stefan had a lot of awful memories that could replay themselves in his head over and over. The monochromatic teen struggled most of the time with the memories in his dreams he had little to no control and that was the worst thing possible. Up until at least a week before things had been alright. A few small ones, nothing too major, but something had changed, and well, Stefan found himself awake after the fourth nightmare in a row. He had barely slept, he found it hard to when he thought the memories would return. He worked hard, tried his best in all the classes, but things were hard for him. They really were. He couldn't stop them. And he knew that nothing would. No amount of good memories or good talks. He just had to live them out. Just keep going until they went away. Which he did hope would be soon, or all his progress would really be for nothing. He had been eating everyday, and sometimes even twice, or three times a day. He was no longer worried about the holidays, he had options for what he could do, safe options. Things were looking so much better, this was just a few bad days, and well, a few bad days he could live through. He had lived through much worse, this would easy when compared to those. Stefan knew what he had to do. He knew how to deal with it, he knew that he would be okay. Things were looking up, just as his tea leaves had predicted.

That night however, things did feel so much worse. He had a terrible nightmare, it had only stopped when Stefan had somehow managed to fall out of his bed. He wasn't sure what had brought on the nightmare, but he found himself up at two in the morning with no intention of going back to sleep whatsoever. He couldn't. They had been too intense, felt all too real. Following him waking up he'd spent ten minutes being sick in the bathroom, and then another sitting on the floor shaking, small tears falling out of his eyes. As he had sat there, the memories repeated in his head, the words his father, and foster parents screaming at him was all he could hear. Their awful words He tried to shut them out, get them to go away, but they simply didn't. He was forced to live with them. He had to go. Out, for a walk, something. Something to get his mind off it. but, he couldn't leave, he didn't want to. The slytherin just had to find something. Knowing he couldn't stay in the Slytherin dorm room for at least the next few hours until he felt better, but also knowing that if he got caught roaming the halls past the usual hours that he would be in trouble, and he didn't want to have to explain why he was to a professor. Who would possibly be concerned about his lack of family, and lack of a proper home. They might report him to magical child services, and he figured those weren't much better than the muggle one. However, as sat on the cold stone floor of the Slytherin boys bathroom, he knew in his heart that it was worth the risk. He got up and left. Only bothering to change into a clean t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He put a pair of socks on but left his shoes, he didn't want to make any noise. Quickly he left the dorm room, and then Slytherin common room. Instantly the cold air of the dungeons made him feel better. Which was good, since he was sure he might've been sick again if he had stayed. Sighing to himself, Stefan began to wonder. He just wondered up and down the dungeons. Playing it safe, Professor Styx who was the head of house for Slytherin might just be kinder to a student from his house. That was until he found himself in front of the Kitchens. Oddly, he remembered the last time he'd been fairly stressed that potions helped, maybe cooking something would help him now. So, Stefan entered the room. As he did the lights instantly came on, and he was temporarily blinded. Although despite the lights, the room remained empty. Unsure of what to make, Stefan just looked around. He looked in the many cupboards, and found a set of ingredients and an old looking muggle recipe book. He flicked it open to a page about pasta. He found one he liked, and then began cooking. Making the tomato sauce from scratch, something he hadn't done in a very long while, he began chopping, and heating up the pan. His hands were shaking pretty bad, though he did manage to avoid cutting himself by accident. It wasn't too long before the smell of the lightly simmering tomato sauce filled his nostrils. And while he was completely unaware of it, the stress, fear and shaking was gone. Stefan still had the memories flashing in his mind, but he dealing with it. It felt less important as he cooked.
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Anyone and everyone is welcome, including professors!

 

[Kate Archer]

For the past three years Kate had been sleeping soundly. Never waking up in the middle of the night. Well not often. During her fifth year she had often had nightmares about Stefan. Horrible situations playing through her mind. Making her want to just see him and find him so she knew he was okay. Thankfully they had stopped once she had met Stefan. Life had been pretty good and her sleeping patterns had returned to normal after fourth year. That year she had been a total mess. She had been so tired but every time she had closed her eyes all she would hear was her heart pumping faster then normal. her body would be buzzing with energy. Her eyes would have been so tired but she just couldn't fall asleep. It was one of the most frustrating feelings ever, not being able to sleep for one night never mind consecutively for a year. It was something she had almost gotten used to. During the day all she had wanted to do was to sleep but she had dreaded going to bed because she knew what would happen. She would spend the whole night trying to sleep. Reading, walking around the room trying not to wake Tara and just doing anything to try and sleep. She had found going down to the kitchens was the most productive way to try and sleep. Eating something had always helped as she was always starving due to her puking her guts out all the time. The house elves were always good company and always made her feel better. It was why she was now making her way down to the kitchens.

Kate couldn't believe it when she had woke up with a fright, sweating and the covers twisted all around her. It was unlike her to have nightmares, especially in recent times. One thing that annoyed her was that she could not remember the nightmare. SHe just remembered feeling terrified. It had all been clear but the nightmare had faded fast once she had woken up. Thankfully she hadn't woken Tara up, she would have felt terrible if she had. For a few minutes she had just sat there, cursing her brain for whatever inner turmoil and then worrying about if this was permanent. She doubted it was, sometimes people just get nightmares. It was probably nothing. She had changed her clothes and let herself cool down before going back to bed only to find she felt fully awake. She had read for a while and after growing frustrated she had decided to just go down to the kitchen. She was almost guaranteed sleep after visiting there. She had put on her shoes and thrown on a jacket before quietly making her way down out of the dorm, out of the common room and into the corridor. the castle was always a little creepy at night.Most of the pictures was sleeping so it was considerably quieter. Also the lack of students made the school seem huge. It was kind of peaceful though. The castle was asleep well that's how it seemed. There were ghosts and professors probably lurking around somewhere. There could be students like her also just trying to get to sleep or exploring the castle. She really shouldn't be out here. It was against the rules after all but she had been doing this for years and she had had no trouble.

She walked down to the dungeons, her wand out in front of her leading her in the dark. It was cold down here and Kate felt herself shiver slightly in her pyjs and light hoody. She was looking forward to cooking something nice and just relaxing in the kitchen. She walked in and the smell of tomatoes hit her immediately. She cautiously looked around to see who was cooking. Obviously someone had along the same ideas as herself. She smiled when she saw a familiar figure standing over the cooker. She just looked at him for a few moments. Her stomach doing somersaults as she watched him cook. "Hey"She called out quietly, hoping she didn't frighten him. She walked up beside him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before putting her left arm around his waist and leaning her head on his shoulder. "Whatcha cooking?"She asked

 

[Stefan Archer]

While the past few years had been rocky, even these past nights that for the Slytherin had been fairly reminscent of those days, it was still less rocky that what he was used to. He was used to weeks with little to nothing to eat, with little to no sleep every day. The crushing pain that spread throughout his body with each step he took. This was easy compared to that. But, the dreams, the nightmares, they started it. However, in the Kitchens he was sure that no matter how awful the memories in his mind got, it would all be okay. It would be. He would be fine. It was just something small, something he could deal with. Something he could deal with, with Kate by his side, and the thoughts of his friends too. This would pass, just like the storms always did. For Stefan they generally brought different ones with them, but he doubted that this would be one of those situations. After all, Elvera had said his future looked like it might get better, and that was all he needed as motivation to try harder in his life. Stefan Archer did not give up easily. No amount of nightmares could stop him now. He knew if he ran away, he'd be giving up. he'd throw everything he had away, and he didn't want that. He really didn't. He loved his girlfriend. He liked his friends. He had everything he could possibly need at this school, in his heart he would not give up on such a place. He had come so far, he figured he actually owed it to himself to see this year out. So, even as the memories of his foster father yelling at him, then throwing him to floor and kicking him in every place he could reach passed through his mind, he didn't break down. He just stopped, took a deep breath and waited for it to pass. As soon as he felt just a little bit more calm, then it was alright. Then it was fine. It was simple. He couldn't fight them away, the more he focused on it, the worse it got. Just letting it pass was the simplest, and most painless way he had found. It was where cooking seemed to help. He wasn't ever bothered while cooking, something that hadn't actually ever occurred to him growing up. After all, he had been forced to cook then. Cook or get beaten. Which was an easy choice. Little did Stefan know that considering the situations he grew up in, he was a good cook. His dishes, or the things he'd learned to make were generally fairly simple, but it was fine. He was good at those. It was easy, it concentrated his mind, and let him think of something else. It was what he sort of loved. He loved his mind empty, thinking of just that one thing, that he really needed to be thinking about. It didn't happen often, he couldn't find things that did it that simply. But, he was still discovering things each day, maybe more would appear.

The monochromatic's mind was so focused on what he was doing, that he didn't hear someone else enter the room, which was maybe a good thing if it had been a professor. So then, he could claim sleep walking. However, the voice spoke before he realised what was happening. He turned round pretty suddenly, giving a small flinch before realising it was just Kate. Someone he knew, the girl he loved. he smiled back at her, a small apologetic smile for his flinch. While he hadn't suffered at the hands of his father or foster parents for about one and a half years, it didn't mean that he wasn't still jumpy. There were many issues that Stefan was trying to work through. Kate however, just made him smile. She was so beautiful to him. So, stunning. He couldn't ever understand why she was with him, of all people. He was however very glad. Stefan turned back to what he had been doing as she had come in, which was nothing more that making his tomato sauce. He leaned into her kiss, and felt himself just smile. That one thing he had noticed, Kate made the nightmares go away. He had flashes in his mind, but she made them go away. Seem harmless, make them become the memories that they were rather than something that made Stefan feel horrible in every way. He looked down as she leaned her head against his shoulder, and then kissed her lightly on the head. "Just pasta, with a tomato sauce." Stefan said quietly, not wanting to speak too loudly, since the room was quiet anyway. "It's a special Archer recipe I made myself." He hadn't really made it himself, he just knew how to. His father had always seemed to buy tomatoes. It was one of the things Stefan now realised was fairly weird. Although, he didn't say anything about it being a family recipe, he had started the recipe, his father as far as Stefan knew hadn't known how to cook. "For some odd reason, my dad used to have this obsession with fresh tomatoes. We'd have no money for heating, but he always seemed to find money for tomatoes. I never knew why." His household never had money, his father spent a lot of his money on alcohol, but, tomatoes were always something he had. "So, I hope you like pasta and Archer Tomato Sauce." He looked at her and smiled. He wondered if they were drawn to one another. Like an invisible bat signal. He would've put his arm around her, had he not had a firm believe in cooking with both hands. He knew that little could be done well with just one hand.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked, hoping that she was doing okay. It was frustrating to be so close to one another, and not be able to spend each night together. Stefan thought, just like then, in that moment, having Kate by his side would've been simply better. His nightmares went away when she was by his side. Much like the food distracted his mind from what had plagued it moments before.
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[Kate Archer]

Kate was a lot luckier then a lot of people in the world. Sure the past few years had had their ups and downs. They had been difficult, a lot harder then what she had expected. But things had turned out well in the end. She had things now she would never have dreamed of. She was living a completely different life to what she had thought she would live before finding out she was magic. That revelation had made such a huge change in her life. Changed the course of her life really. She wouldn't have met all these amazing people and she would never have met Stefan which seemed totally surreal to her. She couldn't imagine a life without Stefan. He had become such a huge part of her life and had been since Second year. Him not being here would be like a hole in her heart. She wasn't sure what she would do without him. She stopped her thoughts from progressing. She didn't want to even think or imagine a life without Stefan. She wasn't sure would the events of third and fourth year still have happened. She had a feeling the events of third year would definitely have happened, that had been bound to happen. Fourth year she wasn't so sure. She had inherited the disease but part of her believed that the stress from earlier years had triggered it off. Second year and fifth year wouldn't have happened, that was for sure. She wouldn't have so many amazing friends. Sure she would have had friends but friends like Tara, Sapphire and Sammy could never be replaced.

Her smile faltered slightly when he flinched. It worried her that he still had so much to go through within himself but she knew he would get better. All she could do was make sure she was beside him, helping him and loving him. Showing him that he is loved. She loved making him smile, and she loved how he made her smile. Things had never been better between the two and it was the main reason she was so happy these days.He was her light. She knew if she was ever in trouble he would be there for her. She smiled when he kissed her on the head. Who knew such small gestures of love could mean so much to someone. "It smells yummy"She said looking up at him briefly and smiling. "Oh, I can't wait to try it"She said keeping her voice quiet like him. She heard her stomach rumble, food would really do her good. Kate didn't like tomatoes by themselves or in sandwiches or anything. She loved tomato sauce though and pasta. It was one of her favorite meals to eat and make. There are some really simple recipes that are quick and easy and nice to make when you are bored or just peckish. "I know I will"She said smiling at him. She had no doubt she would love this meal "Is there anything I can do to help?"She asked. She didn't mind helping, she would like to help if he needed it. She loved cooking and she wanted to do as much as she could to make herself tired.

Kate nodded "Just a nightmare"She said looking down and twiddling her fingers. She didn't really mind the nightmare, it would probably go away. It was just annoying her that she couldn't remember what it was about. If Stefan had been by her side she probably could have just cuddled up to him and she would have been okay but unfortunately due to them being in different houses and neither being allowed in the other dorms, made it quite impossible. "What about you?"She asked worriedly.

 

[Stefan Archer]

If anything, the Slytherin had improved a lot so far. He might have flinched a little, but had it been a few years before, he would've jumped, and attempted to get away. It was always funny to him, that it was the little things that showed he had made any improvement at all. Like all the physical contact he had with Kate, would've in first, or second year been way too much for him. He had been barely able to place his hand on someone else's shoulder to ask them to move, or as comfort. He just never liked being so close to someone. It was before, before everything in his life had gone to sh1t, and he had had to rebuild it completely. He had started with barely anything, and now, well, things were a lot better. He smiled more and it was easier to enjoy his day. He was excited for things, he let himself think about forever. He had come a long way, he had done so much, but there was still more he had to push through. The young Slytherin was by no means at the end of his battle. He still had to be able to live everyday with the memories that floated in his head. he still had to live each and every day knowing that he very possibly would never have any other family. He had to see his colourless reflection in the mirror, see the scars. See what his childhood gave him. After all, those first eleven years of his life had been the most horrible years imaginable. Even as things snow balled from there, there had still been a part of him happy with all the protection the school had given him. As much as the holidays made him feel like he was in hell, like he had done something so categorically wrong as to deserve such treatment, coming back to school had always made him feel incredible. Well as incredible as he could actually feel. Stefan let his eyes drift to Kate, as she stood beside him. He had never imagined that would be possible, that she would be possible for him. There lives shouldn't have ever crossed, it was pure coincidence that had brought them together, and now, Stefan could barely imagine what his life would be like without her. She was his everything. The way she smiled, and laughed making him feel like he should do everything in his power to protect her, from the world he knew. The world that existed just outside the doors of the school. He knew that she wasn't oblivious to it, he just wanted to protect her from ever having to live through something just completely awful like he had. The teen smiled at her, thinking just of how perfect she was to him. It was in that moment that he knew, that she would always be able to help him numb the memories. Numb the pain, and sorrow that they brought. Though he noted this was the first time, she'd been with him, on what he called an awful day.

Giving a small laugh as he heard her stomach rumble, he was glad that it was almost done. Though as much as he was confident that she would like it, he couldn't be certain. Having never actually tried the dish he was making, well, never in the sense of a large plate of food. When he cooked at home, it was never for him, and he never really saw any of it. He had also never been allowed to try it, not even to test if it tasted good. If he messed up, then there was hell to pay. But, this was different, this was Kate, Hogwarts and he would be allowed to eat it. His smile didn't fall, as he thought of his life with his father, he could feel Kate by his side, and that made things feel a whole lot better. He shook his head at her, since he could smell that it was almost done. All that had to be made was the pasta, which was already prepared. All he had to do, was take the pan, filled with the right amount of water and heat that up before adding the the pasta. "it's alright, it's pretty much done." He said, as he let the water heat up. He put his arm around her and held her closer to him. He wished he could take away her nightmares. He wished he could sleep by her side, since he knew that would help him, and he was sure her too. But, unlike the time they had spent at Christmas the year before, they didn't have the same freedoms at school, and surprisingly Stefan felt okay following those as long as he got to stay in school. But, it didn't mean he didn't wanted her by his side. The question was of course returned to him, he let out a long sigh. They were nightmares, that were technically memories. They made him feel like crap, and they didn't ever seem to have an end. "Just bad memories" He held her closer and once again kissed her. "Really bad memories." Because that was all he had. He didn't want to burden her, but he hated lying to her. He had to just be honest, "Found myself wondering into this room, and it looks like I chose well." He smiled at her, watching as the water started boiling, which was the point where he added the pasta. "Why don't you grab two plates, from where ever the elves store the plates. It's not too long now." He asked her, mostly since he didn't know where they kept the plates. He hoped that she might. He was trying to take his mind off what his mind was now replaying. The bad memories he'd just spoken of. They were horrible after all. He smiled as the plates were back beside him, and the pasta finished cooking. He was sure that everything made things twice as quickly in this kitchen.

It was a magical kitchen so it worked quicker than other, but it was weird to him. He strained the pasta, then added some to the two plates, before, adding the special Archer tomato sauce. He took the two plates and lead them over to the table, placing them down beside each other, and waiting for Kate to join him, so he could sit. "Okay, I'll be honest, I've never tried the special Archer pasta and tomato sauce, so I can't guarantee that it's nice. Be honest with me. If it's awful, tell me." he smiled slightly at her, not really wanting to take the first bite. In his home, food was earned, and he never knew how to earn the right to eat the food he made his father.
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