Long Time No See...

[Isabella Chaos]

Isabella had just finished eating lunch in the Great Hall that afternoon on one of her days off from lessons. She was wearing a gold dress with a yellow cardigan and yellow high heels as her brunette hair was left loosely in curls with a gold headband in it. She didn't like being in the Great Hall too often because it was too noisy and she couldn't avoid the people she wanted to avoid, right now her main avoidance being her ex-boyfriend Mike Goulding who happened to be in Gryffindor, so Isabella hadn't looked up at the Gryffindor table once during lunch.

Once the Slytherin girl exited the Great Hall she decided to go look at the House Points hourglasses to see how her House was doing. The fourteen-year-old stood there with her head tilted to the side as she looked at the hourglass full of emerald stones in disappointment. Her house was in last place, and she did not like the sound of that, let alone the feeling of it. Last year they had won the House Cup by a landslide, what was happening now? It's because Professor Manteia is gone, she reminded herself sadly of her former Head of House and favorite Professor being gone. Isabella stood there simply, with her hands on her hips and a look of displeasure on her face as she thought up of how to regain her House's winning status.

 

[Annamarie Rousseau]

Annamarie rolled out of bed and threw on her black track suit and sneakers. She tugged her hair into a messy bun, not really caring how the end result looked. Anna intended on spending as much time as necessary studying to get caught up on her school work so could make a somewhat decent grades on her upcoming exams. Before committing herself to hours of solitude, she figured she better grab something to eat from the Great Hall. Anna took a seat among her fellow Gryffindors but didn't really make an effort to talk to anyone. Her head was down the entire time, except for the occasional bite of ham and cheese sandwich, focusing on embellishing her History of Magic outline. Goblin rebellion...not to be confused with the Giant wars...or is that the other way around? Growing frustrated, tossed aside her half-eaten sandwich and packed up her things to head to the library.

Just as she was standing up at the Gryffindor table, Annamarie saw a streak of yellow and gold and chocolate brown hair exit the hall. It could have just been a Hufflepuff, but Anna doubted she ever saw a Hufflepuff that well dressed. Isabella? she wondered as she followed the figure out the door. The girl in the yellow and gold stood with her back to Annamarie staring up at the Slytherin hourglass. She silently crept up beside the girl to get a glimpse at her face. When Anna’s thoughts were confirmed, a smile immediately appeared on her face. "You know there isn't a spell to make those points appear. And besides I doubt you can catch up to Gryffindor. I heard that their star house member has returned." Annamarie couldn't help but grin. She was too humble to believe anything she was saying to be true, but she knew that it would definitely catch Isabella's attention.

 

[Isabella Chaos]

With her hands on her hips, Isabella continued to stare at the Slytherin hourglass, glancing over at the other House hourglasses and measuring them up, to see how far behind Slytherin was. The hall was rather quiet so she heard someone talking right beside her, informing her that staring at the hourglass wasn't going to make points appear. Immediately defensive, Isabella crossed her arms over her chest to glare at the person who said it, but as the person continued to speak, mentioning something along the lines of 'Gryffindor's star house member' returning, Isabella finally turned to look at the person and her mouth dropped in shock.

Her hands fell limply to her side as her lips curled upward into a full grin. "Annamarie?!" Isabella exclaimed in disbelief. For a moment she just stared at her old friend, before squealing loudly just like she used to when seeing her and Angus and began gushing. "What're you doing here?! When did you get back? You're back right?" she said in one breath before completely engulfing her first friend in a tight embrace.

 

[Annamarie Rousseau]

Annamarie burst out into a full out giggle fit when Isabella finally realized it was her. It seemed like her old friend's personality hadn't changed a bit. Anna warmly received Bella's hug and smiled brightly at her as they broke away from each other. To say that she missed her would have most certainly been an understatement. "Yup...I transferred back from Salem not too long ago. And you better pinky promise me that you won't let me go anywhere." Annamarie grinned up at Isabella and held up her right pinky, feeling nostalgic of their first meeting on the Hogwarts Express. Although the promise was light-hearted, Anna was serious about its meaning. She had being moving around all her whole life and she thought that Hogwarts was going to be one of her first true homes in a while, but it seemed like fate had other plans. However, now that she was back, Annamarie was going to do her best to stay put.

"I am surprised that I haven't run into you sooner, but I guess you have been busy taking over the school." Annamarie said honestly. She remember fondly how ambitious Isabella had been in their 1st and 2nd years and could only imagine what her friend had gotten involved in since her absence. "So how have things been around here?" she asked curiously glancing at the hourglasses across from them.

 

[Isabella Chaos]

[SO SO SO SO SO SO sorry!!! I got writers block, then got busy, then went out of town, and just gahh I'm really sorry! ]

The feeling of disappointment and anger she had been feeling a few moments earlier due to Slytherin's current position in the competition for the House Cup immediately vanished as soon as she had hugged her friend and heard her laugh. She was glad to hear that she had officially transferred back from her old school in the United States and come back to Hogwarts. Her leave had been somewhat unexpected and shortly after Annamarie had left, Isabella and Angus had drifted apart tremendously. It was weird, for the two to be in the same house and clases yet see so little of each other, but it was just the way things had become.

Having Annamarie back just made her realize how much she had changed over the years, yet in an odd way she was still the same girl as she had been at age eleven. The Slytherin girl grinned from ear to ear as Annamarie brought up 'pinky promises' and made her promise not to let her go anywhere. Pinky promises had become a regular thing between the two, so the thought of them continuing it even after Annamarie had left made Isabella happy. As she would've back then, Isabella immediately held up her right hand, all fingers curled but one, her pinky linked with Annamaries as she said, "Deal," in a firm yet playful tone.

It was Isabella's turn to laugh as Annamarie said she had probably been busy taking over the school. A small smirk graced Isabella's lips as she thought, I like the sound of that. She liked the fact that Annamarie had remembered how ambitious she was, it was a trait that would always describe Isabella no matther what. When she asked how things had been around here, Isabella responded with, "Well, like you said, I've been busy taking over the school," but stuck her tongue out playfully at her. After that she inhaled once and breathed as she said, "Truthfully, hectic," in a calm manner. Things since Annamarie left seemed to have gone in full speed and there was so much going on it was hard to fill her in on them. "I'm the Quidditch co-Captain," Isabella stated proudly with a flash of her pearly whites. "And the Fashion Club leader, of course," she said with a smug eye roll, "and other things like that," she concluded with a shrug, not really wanting to go into detail about her being the editor of the Hogwarts Monthly and being on the yearbook staff. As if that wasn't enough, drama in her personal life never seemed to cease for long but she would find life boring if there wasn't a little drama every now and then,

"So, how have you been?" Isabella redirected the question towards her, something she was dying to know! "And I absolutely love that you are back," Isabella said, clarifying the fact before she continued. "But why are you back?" she asked with the same curiosity she had possessed back then. "And why did you leave in the first place?" Isabella asked a little softer this time.

 

[Annamarie Rousseau]

Its ok...and I'm sorry for my delay as well.

Annamarie linked pinkies with her friend and gave her a bright smile. "Good." she replied with a stiff nod and quick giggle. Although things had definitely changed over the years, it almost felt like she was coming back to the excitement and energy that she had during her first year, when it was just the Hogwarts Express, her friends, and seven years full of possibilities. It was like her grandmother had given her a second chance at making her school career whatever she wanted it to be and she did not want to waste it.

Anna's smile grew as Isabella listed all of her activities. "Quidditch co-Captain...nice...Fashion Club leader...not surprised. See things are hectic but good hectic." she chimed in playfully after her friend. Although she had expect her friend to be active around campus, to say that she was proud of her would have been a complete understatement. "I am very happy for you Isabella!" she said sincerely. Annamarie had always admired and slightly envied Isabella's confidence and tenacity. Ever since first year everything, from boys to school, seemed to come so easy to her and Anna hoped that some of her friends abilities would rub off on her.

"I have missed you too." Annamarie said with a trace of sadden in her voice. The guilt of leaving without telling anyone and not being the friend that she hoped that she would be while she was at school still weighted heavily on her heart. If she had her way she would have had more time to leave her friends on good terms instead of just disappearing. She nodded at Isabella's questions about her leaving. Anna had known that they were coming and had resolved herself to tell the truth as well as she could manage. "Well..." She shifted uncomfortably, not really knowing exactly were to begin. "My father sent an urgent owl saying that my grandmother had fallen sick and that I had to return right away. They had already enrolled me at Salem and everything and I left that weekend." She explained. "I wanted to tell you...honest. But I was just so mad and frustrated that I couldn't face anyone. she said in a slightly frantic tone. Annamarie stared Isabella in the eyes hoping that she understood how sorry she was. She took a moment and collected herself and continued "Nanny died near the beginning of the new school term and it was in her will that I return to school here. She knew that I didn't really like Salem and that leaving with my father would be a nightmare. Me and him haven't gotten along in ages. Ever since my mom died, he has been miserable to be around and now..." she trailed off and shook her head at the thought. "She just knew that I was the happiest I have been in a long time here."

When Annamarie finished talking, she was out of breath and the corner of her eyes were stinging from tears. Although think and talking about her grandmother's death was getting easier, being this honest about everything was still new to her.