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There had been a slight tingle, it's what had awoken Aria in the early mornings—It was a sigh of relief that the pain was just a whisper.

But it still left the emotional reflection of how bloody dumb she felt.

He was lying, he had to have been. I looked into his mind and felt it.

It didn't make a shred of sense, and what hurt even worse was his inability to share about being betrothed.

Hadn't they spoke about it before? He had dozens of opportunities to tell her and all he seemed to care about was her returning back to the states where Aidan and Randall were.

Her loyalty was always questioned while she never thought he'd—

She rolled further into her pillow and felt the movement behind her, Clem stayed with her in her room last night. And it was damn supportive as she turned over and smiled to her friend's sleeping form.

But what was even more of a shock was the kind tilt of Blaze's head, yet in checking to see if that heaviness still weighted on her stomach. It did.

"So he's shagging a girl yet still manages to send me mail?" She whispers, mindful to not wake up her friend. Taking hold of the parchment did she give the little fellow a small rub.

She'd never take her anger on an innocent animal, it wasn't his fault his owner was a git. However what really threw her for a loop was when she held the parchment close to her nose.

It had a feminine scent to it.

Was she going crazy? 

Whatever the issue had been, she popped open the wax seal—Her entire body wanting to revolt at the idea that his disgusting hands had touched this....He touched her, the French girl the same way he would Aria

And it was making her stomach sick, she barely could look to his perfect script to see what he wanted and instead let the parchment fall to the floor and continued to pet Blaize.

"I'm sorry darling, but come Hogwarts I'll still enjoy your company..." She cooed, and for whatever reason the bird had caught her emotional spike, pushing him closer.

Yet the movement had caught Clemintine's attention and she frowned. "What'd he want?"

"I dunno." Aria replied, she plucked the parchment up from where she dropped it and handed it over to her friend.

"Bunch of rubbish if you ask me, asking how you are when he's—"

"It smells like her." Clementine sat up in confusion as to what her friend could've possibly meant until she brought the parchment to her nose.

"...It does." She spat, and Aria rose up from the bed and rushed into the connecting bathroom. All in an effort to get the vial acid from her stomach.

Why did she feel so dirty? So...So betrayed?

Isn't this what everyone had warned her of? That Lestrange was this awful fellow and no amount of care and affection would change that in him.

"I...I was wrong Clem...I was so—So wrong." She cried, heaving over the toilet boil as her friend attempted to pick up the shattered pieces.

"No, you are not allowed to sulk Ari. Remember the plan? You're leaving him in the dusk, and when Hogwarts comes he'll be left wondering." Aria couldn't even imagine how that would turn out to be, would he laugh?

Would he try to apologize?

Would he threaten her with everything he knows?

There were dozens of thoughts in Aria's mind but she took a blind leap of faith and asked Clem to help her pack. The best thing that could be done is let her go home, and the Bennet's made preparations to get her to the Ministry and out of the country in record time.

Which left Aria in a state of regret, it was much too early for her family to even be awake. And so she snuck in using the key under the doormat and allowed herself in, making absolutely no noise as she found herself taking a shower and in bed once again.

She felt safe, Blaze wouldn't be able to reach her here and it would take longer for the parcel's to go. And hadn't she said she wouldn't be that active?

Leave him in the dusk. That's what Clem said, and perhaps after a few hours of sulking she'd be able to do just that.

She told herself right then and there that she'd give herself one day, one day of moping before getting over him. It could be done, she's seen it countless times.

And whether it was the feeling of aloneness or for the sake of her sanity she had to weed out the negative thoughts.

What did Claudette have that she didn't?

How long have they been betrothed?

Why didn't he tell her?

What else was he lying about?

From here she fell asleep, in accordance with her body being exhausted by all the pain—And finally being disconnected from Rabastan allowed for healing.

Yet that left the Crawfords in waiting for when Aria would return as they hadn't noticed her sneak in. Chrissy was preparing for a feast while Michael couldn't wait to give her his gift, they all had gotten her a few things for accomplishing her OWLS and for her work she's done for the beginning of the summer.

But then again her birthday was in a few days, but by five o'clock Chrissy turned to Eli in a sense of worry.

"I'm sure she's just fine, the Ministry is vial in making her wait...Though I should've ignored her and simply waited with her." Eli said while waiting in the living room with Michael, the two occupying themselves with a book while Emma came in.

"She's still not here?" She questioned, and Mike shook his head. The concern being written on all over his face, why did he have this sinking feeling that something was wrong?

However it was the knock at the door that caused Michael to jump up, all in favor that Aria had simply taken a cab in nothing wanting to use the floo.

Yet seeing Aidan Proctor caused him to frown.

"Mom wanted me to bring this over, is Aria taking a nap like usual?" He teased, entering in with a basket of cookies that was a welcome back gift from the Proctor family.

"She's not here yet Aidan, though I'm sure she'd enjoy the cookies." Eli chuckled as he looked up to Aidan entering the threshold.

"I swear I saw her owl on the house." Michael turned to his father in suspicion before he took the time to hurry up the stairs and issue a small knock.

Though it was all in failure as Aria was in a deep sleep, but all was confirmed in seeing Omen on the bed and meowed in confirmation.

Nobody dared to wake her up, especially having traveled like she had and so he closed the door and informed the family alongside Aidan.

Who said he'd try to come tomorrow after his own internship.

Yet it was delayed, and Aria hadn't come down for either dinner or breakfast. So while her siblings had to return back to work and Eli found himself working at the dinner table. Hoping to catch Aria as she walked down the steps, though it was close to dinner the following night that caused worriment.

Chrissy had ventured in with Ben, and it was clear that Aria was under pure exhaustion and would come out of this spell when she could. This wasn't the first time she had returned home from a semester like a zombie, which the Crawford wrongly categorized.

And while they attempt to coax her to eat, they settled with her drinking a bit of tea. However Michael reluctantly went to work, which left Aidan to visit after not having been sent an owl.

He truly wanted to know how her time in an academy lab was, or her semester and OWLS. If he could only talk to her about academics then he would, but in hearing from Emma that Aria was still sleeping sent Aidan in a frenzy.

And although he was waved off, he charged up to her bedroom and threw back the curtains. His hand pressing against her forehead and it was exactly what he was feeling, she had a fever.

"Emma, I need you to call your mom and dad." He said, stripping her from her bedsheets and went off to the connecting bathroom to start the bathtub.

He scrambled about her room, sniffing countless containers until he found the correct herbs before adding them to the tub. Hoping it would stop however far the fever has gotten in her system.

"Mom's on her way!" Emma stated, offering up a box of other options and they conversed on the best approach before Aidan stripped Aria down to her panties and bra before lowing her down into the water.

"W-we just thought she was tired...We didn't think that she was...Sick sick." Emma said, swearing as she felt like an utter failure. She was studying to be a healer and felt as though she failed not only there, but her sister as well.

It hadn't been all that long until Chrissy had come and Eli just a step behind. The father kneed down beside the tub and felt her forehead, he too throwing a list of cursing in not suspecting something was wrong.

"Chrissy, owl her healer." Eli called out, while Aidan picked up a small towel and began patting it down onto her forehead. "Thank you...I knew we should've brought her to the hospital, especially after the Bennet's told us about the pains in her stomach."

"Pains? What kind of pains?" Aidan questioned, and Eli began a small explanation but he didn't know much about it.

However in the attempt of soothing in herbs in the focal points of Aria's body to get full converage, Aidan had noticed a chilling detail.

Rabastan's ring had left an imprint.

Frowning at the realization of this discovery he questioned again about the pains. "Mr.Crawford, it's not an illness..." Aidan spoke, holding up Aria's limp hand to show the imprint on her bare hand.

Eli Crawford wasn't as religious as Aria was, but he knew the bare basics just beside his wife. But he yelled to his wife to summon a priestess, who was prompter than a healer would be.

And free of charge, which Aidan would have to remind Aria on later when she woke up.

Chrissy and Emma had dried Aria and dressed her, having fresh bed sheets and allowed the windows to remain open and unshaded while Aidan was forced to remain downstairs.

Countless of theories ran through his head, but he asked Eli for an owl to inform his work that there was an emergency and he needed to stay.

"Has she talked to you at all?"
"No, not since she started dating that 'lad' from Hogwarts." Eli frowned, whatever happened was in the constitution on whatever happened to their relationship.

However the priestess came, diagnosed, and relieved Aria of all the pain and turmoil. And then claimed she would wake up within the hour.

There was a massive underly of questions and concerns, mainly at the fact that these stomach pains they've heard about hadn't been medical at all.

It was spiritual.

The body compelling whatever actions had been taken against the bond two souls created to disperse on its own. But with the priestess' help, there was no delay in it being removed.

Leaving Aria a whimsical sleep, but healing never the less.

Aidan, like most of the men in the room, were plotting revenge. But it rose tenfold when Michael found himself home and was briefed at the situation.

He hadn't bothered to leave Aria in the room alone, they had done that quite enough these past few days and all he wanted was to know that Bubbles was alright.

The herbal scent made his nose twitch in disgust, but if it was helping her heal then so be it. Instead he found himself sitting at the edge of her bed, wanting—begging her to wake up soon.

Just to hear her speak, it was what he was waiting for since Easter.

But the toll on her body was becoming obvious, and to think...She promised him so much.

A groan had been admitted into the air before Aria had known she was awake, if anything it woke her up further. Causing her eyes to pop open into a whirl of different colors.

Michael waited patiently on the couch, but he was surprised to see her sitting up in her bed. A light T-shirt and shorts on her body, and while she was still under the covers—her senses hadn't rightly picked up that someone was in the room with her.

And while there was no physical pain leftover from the soul bond, a painful sob escaped her.

Michael rushed over to her and engulfed her into a hug, his hands running through her still-damp hair. But Aria began to struggle, she didn't want to feel suffocated—And if anything it felt like Rabastan had been the one to be comforting her.

"Bubbles...Aria, sweetheart. It's me." He whispered, horrified of her response that he was already plotting revenge on the ass who broke her heart.

"Bubs?" She whispered, and it sounded so childish and cruel for her to misplace where she was at the moment. But they were warned, and as she took in sight of the room she found herself breathing in a load of that damnable candle and exhaling.

Leaving her settled, but still feeling dreadful.

"Why didn't you tell us you were hurting?" Aria blinked for a moment, but after seeing a candle that was usually gifted by a priest and the scent of healing magic in the air she realized what must've happened.

"I-I'm sorry..." She cried, and a long mumble of incoherent words had followed.
A mixture of fear, broken trust, disloyalty, and a painful discovery.

Michael had his answer.

Aria had given her heart to an undeserving cheating dickhead.

But that's when the comments of unsureness had began to fall into place, that she wasn't good enough, pretty enough. All in record that it was her fault for his actions.

And Michael Crawford had simply had enough.

"Bubbles you can't really believe that's—"
"What am I meant to think?! She has pure blood, she's one of those special 28 whatevers. I told him everything." And Michael realized right then and there, that his sister was afraid. She was a shaking mess and wouldn't stop crying no matter how much he comforted her.

"It's for the better Bubbles, I felt dreadful for days after what Erika did to you and what she lied about...But it was for the better wasn't it?" Aria had almost forgotten about Erika, or what the Bayes family had almost accomplished.

"You know Proctor is the one who found you, said you had a fever."
"I...I don't remember a fever." Nor did she know that Aidan was here, but under no account would she want to see him. Either of them faced the harsh reality of it all—Others wanted one thing in a significant other, titles.

It was Aidan found himself to be so natural with Aria, she didn't have a care in the world that his last name was Proctor. But Jackie had, and just like Rabastan they were after gains. Not what was founded in a relationship.

She remained in Michael's hold and found herself calming down significantly. Being honest about all that's happened was clear, but what was even worse was how clear it was how much Aria loved that damned boy.

It was unheard of in America to have bethrothes anymore, however the fact that she had caught them at a pureblood party when she wanted to enjoy herself and the sense of royalty.

She brought the gown in question, having wasted so much time and energy. Along with money was giving her a massive migraine, and so she asked if it was too late to go outside.

"Aidan's downstairs...Everyone wants to know how you're—"

"I'm fine." She bustled through, taking the blanket over her shoulders and plopping on her glasses with her hair in a sloppy bun.

Aria now understood how the character's in her book would shut down after dealing with a break-up, but nothing could've prepared for Rabastan—The bloke she thought loved her, cheated.

Coming down the stairs had been a monumental relief between those waiting in the living room. It was a race of Eli and Aidan who were desperate to know what happened.

But the face she made was clear, her hair being grey and the dullness confirmed the suspicions.

"Sunshine..."
"Don't call me that." She bitterly replied, flinching at any sort of title. Especially one that reminded her of intimacy and caring about another fellow.

"Proctor, I think it's time you find your way out," Michael said, stepping in front of Aria for a moment but she shook her head. Coming forward and offering a small hug, mumbled her appreciation before promising to owl when she felt better.

And Aidan was comforted in knowing that he'd hear from her soon.

If anyone was going to know how Aria was feeling it would be Michael, he had told Erika intimate details about his life, his family and she tried to weasel her way into the Crawford family.

Only to have cheated and tried to hide the evidence.

But Michael hadn't lost anything so important to him, in seeing that there was no ring on Bubbles finger anymore he could only conclude what the others have.

Aria had given herself to Rabastan.

And it hurt Aidan to realize that whatever that Brit did was much more than just break her trust.

It broke her.

Aidan had awaited days for an owl, but in every passing of running into Emma at the internship, it was just the same response. 'She's getting better' but he hadn't believed that for a moment.

And so he stormed back to the Crawford house, he told Mrs.Crawford that the sign ups for the in-town Quidditch team were due in tomorrow and that Aria still hadn't signed up.

"Hopefully you have more luck than the Halliwell girls...Mike's the only one that could get her to eat anything." Aidan frowned in hearing this, and sure enough he was coxed in trying to bring up a sandwich and some chips.

"Hey Ari? Can I come in?" He called out, and Aria had simply sighed over her desk. He could hear her so easily and sure enough her lack of answer causing him to knock again.

"Go away."
"Can't do that. Mrs.Crawford sent me up with lunch."
"I'm not hungry nor do I want company." He hadn't bothered to try again, instead he simply opened the door and stilled his sudden step.

The room was an absolute mess.

"Fucking god Ari."
"Actually, I fucked a bastard. But close enough I guess." She bitterly replied, darting her eyes towards him and frowning at the idea of food.

He ignored her comment as best he could, setting down the food on her shelf as it was the only place clean enough to really put anything.

With his hands-free, he started to gather up the few books and placed them in a pile onto her coffee table. "They were just fine there."
"Clutter room equals a cluttered mind Ari, I don't need to be the one to tell you that." She hadn't even bothered to turn from her desk this time to shoot his actions down, but he groaned in seeing the pile-up of clothes, paper, and books all starting to give himself claustrophobia—He couldn't even imagine how Aria herself felt.

She absolutely hated a mess.

Stopping his current action he went towards the windows of her room and pushed them all open, allowing for a fresh breeze to come through.

Omen had even gone so far as perch herself just by it to take in her own whiff of fresh air. It wasn't that Aria didn't appreciate what he was doing, she just felt insanely bitter at the mistake she had made and if she simply stayed with Aidan then this wouldn't have happened.

Ever so often his footsteps would come close by, but he hadn't dared to speak any more than that. And if anything he simply cleaned around her, changed her sheets, fluffed her pillows, and organized the likes of her books to her standard method of placement back on the shelf.

Yet the second there was enough room on the desk he placed the plate of food directly in front of her.

He was smart, using the tactic Michael had in just placing it in front of her. Letting it taunt her until she finally would take a bite.

And she had, though Aidan kept himself moving not to disturb her focus in either eating or whatever else she was doing.

"Eli said you might be taking more classes during the fall semester? How's that going to look like?" It was enough to catch her attention, but she shrugged her shoulders.

"I haven't accepted it."
"It'd get you out of Hogwarts more often, and any credits you can get to lessen the post years of schooling should count for something, right?"
"Potion titles are only two years of schooling anyway."

"Ah right, maybe I should cut my losses and move to Britain. Four years of school is insane if you ask me." She nodded along, taking a nibble of her sandwich as she continued to analyze a few things that Otto had sent her home with.

"Alright, up to it."
"Up to what?"
"No offense Ari but you smell like a rotten corpse. Get in the shower."
"I didn't ask you to come."
"Yeah well that's what happens when you break a promise, now get your ass in the shower. We need to talk." She threw her arms over her chest and frowned, sure her body was somewhat facing his now. It wasn't enough to be directly to be in her line of sight.

"I don't want to talk."
"Then tell me why you haven't signed up for Quidditch."
"I didn't realize you were being a keeper of my summer affairs Proctor. I can do whatever I want."
"Sign-ups end tomorrow."
"So?"

"So? So?! Great gods Ari, the whole town is going to be upset if you aren't playing this year. Coach Maverick is—"
"I'm busy, simple as that."
"Your internship doesn't start until Wednesday, practices are Tuesdays and Thursdays, games are Fridays."
"How do you...You signed up?"
"Well if you weren't going to hang out with me, I thought this was the best chance...And for the record, I am your keeper Sunshine." She made a face, how could she possibly missed the sweetest boy on the planet earth and traded him for the ugliest personality?

What was wrong with her?

"Now get in the shower, we have a lot to talk about."
"N...Not about what happened?" She mumbled, her eyes darting up and away. And Aidan sighed, as much as he did want to know he decided it was better to not strain her for an answer.

He shook his head. "Nah, some other time." He saw a sigh of relief, but as she made her way towards her dresser he claimed there was already a set of clothes and she decidedly hurried into the shower and embraced the scolding hot.

She wasn't in the shower long, but she did feel loads better. And Aidan hadn't wasted a moment in cleaning the room and lightening a candle to scent up the room.

Leaving the bathroom dressed in jeans and a normal t-shirt while drying her grey locks with a towel earned her a grin. She looked normal, minding the hair.

But the hair was a natural part of Aria, if anything it was her signature style.

"Grab your purse sunshine, we're heading out." He said, which caused her to grab both her wand and said purse from the closet and put it over her shoulders.

"I can't change my hair back..."
"That's alright. I'll take my punk rock girl over anything else." She snorted, but she couldn't manage to morph it back so she went off towards the door.

Only for her to be tugged back by her purse. "I don't see your tattoos sunshine."
"You just like me being 'punk rock', merlin Aidan I don't even know one song." He waved his wand over her body and suddenly her arms held the heavy inked designed on both her wrist and arm.

"Where the hell have you been?"
"Lost being a dumbarse."
"Sunshine, that's not true."
"Isn't it? Sirius and everyone warned me he was an arse, even you said I should be careful after I said it was Les—"
"Yes, because I trusted you, you couldn't have known that he was a cheating and lying asshole. And I didn't know that Jackie was a cold lying bitch, but you said a warning but trusted me in the end. So let's go eat our weight in pizza because I know that sandwich isn't enough and I know for a fact you didn't eat at Hogwarts since OWLS started." She gave him a slight glare but then hurried out the door as she attempted to tie her hair up in a ponytail, but she was instantly met with the hug from Eli.

They didn't want to disturb her, as Michael didn't want to push her. But Aidan was the push she really needed and thus it earned him a few points from either her father or brothers.

"Could I by chance take Aria to—"
"Yes!" Chrissy cheered, coming closer and laying a kiss on her youngest forehead and pushed them out the door.

And Aria groaned in seeing that Eli had slipped Aidan money.

"If I didn't know any better it sounds like they've bribed you to take me out."
"Actually I had to wait until Michael was out of the house, he wouldn't let me in." She rolled her eyes and walked down the long road that the Crawfords lived down, it wasn't that long of a trip down to town.

"Didn't want to apparent?"
"You got your license?" She dwelled, but he shook his head. "Still in classes, though you could catch up if you start them by next week. Your universal permit is coming soon isn't it?"
"In a few days, and Michael said he'd teach me how to drive a lil more." Aidan tilted his head expectedly, and she rolled her eyes in response.

"You're not older than twenty-one."
"So? I can drive legally, and you're just a lil witch."
"Little witch my ass Proctor...Oh, you brought your bike?" They had barely passed the faithful tree she and Elizabeth would spend their afternoons climbing around, and it was parked right on there.

"Enchanted trail is a ways away. Anything you wanted to eat?" Aria had thought for a solid moment or two before a wide grin cast on her face.

"Franks?" He questioned, and she nodded just as quickly. Was it them syncing up like normal? Or was it Aidan's leap of faith to push her away from Lestrange and on the pureness of their friendship?

It'd be both. He knew she wasn't going to be looking for a relationship, but he also knew that Aria wouldn't want to forget their friendship first and foremost. Thus why she agreed in going out, but it was a brilliant evening at Franks. Where they ordered endless Onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and a bunch of other fried food that Aria had been dreaming about since the previous summer.

The two had to take a rest in the park from how much they ate, and of course she demanded she pays for half the bill. It infuriated him to no end that she never dared let him pay for anything in full or use Crawford's money.

"How did you know...That I was..." She hadn't a term for it, and Aidan had a small smile grown on his face.

"That you were losing your soul? Not that I didn't you had feelings for him, I knew you do—did. But the ring? The ring solidified it." The grim face on Aidan's face scared her, it scared her half to death and thus she too frowned before nudging him to speak.

But he remained silent.

"Talk. What is is?"
"When you said that his warmth was...Inviting. Your souls have linked Aria."

"Linked souls? What does that even mean?" He was caught with remorse in telling her this, it physically pained him to hurt her anymore than she was feeling.

Yet the logical side of him urged him to speak, and so he had.

"Soulmates Ari, he's your soulmate."
"That's...why would they pair me up with him?"
"Sunshine you don't have to follow through with what they plan, it was just the chance of capability and all that whateverness. But it was why they were inflicting pain, they were trying to tell you." She understood that much, but not that the reason was because he was her soulbound.

Her soul link.

"He's upset me, upset the gods—"
"And I'm sure your entire house is ready to burn him at the stake—Sorry, but I'm allowed to make that joke."
"Yes, and I'm sure your ancestry is proudly rolling in his grave." She said rolling her eyes, but evidently her head turned to lay on his shoulder as they continued to people watch the mixture of magical and muggle communities coming and going from the Enchanted trail.

"Aria...Promise me you won't break down like that again."
"I was doing work."
"No, that was obsessing. Tomorrow we're going to coach Maverick to get you on the team and then we're hanging out with Halliwell and John."
"Are you bossing me around Proctor?" She said narrowing her eyes, and he threw his head back to laugh.

"That'd be the day you actually listen to me, but I did get you to come out and take a shower."
"Ten points for Pukwudgie."
"Ten points for Ravenclaw." He nudged back, finding humor in her taunt as it was one of the many similarities that Ilvermorny stole from Hogwarts.

One of the many.

"Why'd it have to be him...I just don't understand, I checked with them...I thought I made sure...?"
"Sometimes we take the smallest sign of yes to be the biggest confirmation we need, you love him Aria. I get it, I thought Jackie and I were going somewhere." The two were in a bed of soft grass underneath a tree and overlooking the park's lake.

"I gave up my virtue for him." Aidan sighed heavily, that was one of the biggest things between them. Aria had always wanted to wait, for marriage or when they were out of school.

And Aidan couldn't help but question what changed.

"I...I don't know, it must've been the soul bond because I swear...I swear I couldn't think straight whenever I was with him. I felt high on this bliss that—that it was all I wanted." She explained, and Aidan couldn't help but feel angry in hearing her explination.

But it was over, it was done with. And Aria wouldn't dare make the same mistake twice.

"Wish I could take away your pain sunshine."
"You are. Thank you for dragging me out of my cave." His arm wrapped around her shoulder and he dragged her closer into his hold before settling a kiss to the top of her head.

Yes, Aidan Proctor was happy that she was finally home. But no part of him wished the two ended as horrifically as Lestrange had been.

Yet it was the idea that Rabastan hadn't a clue that made Aria feel somewhat entitled at the fact that she was hiding something from him now.

And Merlin could September first not come quicker.

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Date Posted: 06-09-2020

Time: 10:39

Words: 5381