( 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑶𝑵𝑬 !.˚₊ ✦ )
❝ a boring rebellion ❞

VALENTINA LOOKED DOWN AT THE BOX OF MUGGLE HAIR DYE AND BIT HER LIP. 

All the teenage girl ever wanted to do was show her true colors, spread her raven wings and embrace who she was, but perhaps this was too much. She adored her hair of a pitch-black waterfall, but it was dull, never changing, every single strand the same as it always had been. 

The sapphire coloring of the dye would surely only last a few months before the original color bled back through, so perhaps it was a gamble worth taking. After all, Vale knew she would always be tied to the prejudiced purebloods who called themselves her parents with a string as strong as steel, but maybe this would be a way to begin to cut said string? At least that is what she hoped. 

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" 

Her best friend's voice broke her thoughts, ending any hesitation once and for all while she reached up to touch her damp hair. It was time for a change. 

Valentina turned towards her friend with a small smile. "Yes, I'm sure," she replied in a voice that was soft and smooth, almost like silky chocolate on her tongue. "I mean, there is no going back now, right?" 

Her question was mainly to convince herself; she was set on doing this, to break free of the shy and rather predictable demeanor she always had. The young girl was always doubting every action she made, trying to step with utmost care but often tripping due to the self-doubt buried inside her. Valentina hated how every decision she made seemed to be controlled by her fears and anxiety, but this, this was a spur of the moment, true rebellion that she wouldn't let herself back down from. 

"I mean," Dani began as she took the box of bright blue from her friend's grasp. "We haven't even mixed up the dye, so yeah, there is going back. And I don't want you to do something you will regret. Remember second year herbology?" 

Valentina did indeed remember that fateful day in herbology class. She had just turned thirteen and grew tired of Draco Malfoys snide remarks during the lesson. And before she could stop herself, the normally quiet and tender girl had dug up a handful of soil and tossed it right at the boy, the mud harshly colliding with his right cheek.  

Of course at the time she thought it was a grand idea, but in reality tossing dirt at a classmate for seemingly no reason resulted in two days detention and a talking-to from the head of her household. Ever since then, Vale swore the think before she acted, but this would have to be the one exception. 

She sighed. "Yeah, I remember, but that was two years ago and besides, this has nothing to do with anyone else, just with me. And I want to do it!" 

The girl could practically hear her friend rolling her hazel eyes with a scoff, muttering something that sounded like I won't say I told you so under hot pink lips. But this couldn't burn out the bright smile on Valentina's lips, and she took a final look at her hair while excitement bubbled in her stomach. In the matter of an hour, it wouldn't be the bland reminder of her family roots, it would be a symbol of her Hogwarts house, her true family. 

"So," Danielle sang, elongating the word as the two met eyes in the mirror before them, a grin coming to her lips. "You ready, Hawthorne?" 

"Ready." 

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ALL VALE COULD DO WAS STARE AT HER REFLECTION AND EXAMINE THE NEW PERSON STARING BACK AT HER. 

She peered at a girl whose hair was curled and cascading down her shoulders, dyed a very vibrant and deep sapphire. The bright color of her locks radiated a blue tint onto her dark eyes, and it suddenly made the oversized tan sweater clash with her appearance. She looked new, different, brimming with confidence and a real smile on her mouth that sparkled. 

It took about five minutes for it to occur to Valentina it was herself that she was gawking at.  

Danielle observed her friend meanwhile, teeth biting harshly into her bottom lip. All her friend did was run bare fingernails through the sapphire strands with a look in her eyes Dani couldn't quite read. She would then tuck the hair behind her ear and untuck it half a moment later, dazed in a baffled trance. 

"So...what do you think of it, Vale?" she asked with genuine curiosity, arms crossed as the lights reflecting off the bright blue blinded her hazel eyes. 

Her friend couldn't answer, all she could do was continue to stare and gawk, mouth hanging open with a jaw nearly on the bathroom floor. Valentina couldn't comprehend a single word that flew from her friend's lips, it all coming as a distant echo to her ears. 

When it finally did occur to the raven her name had been called, Dani cut in with a flabbergasted ramble before she could even begin to think of a reply. 

"You hate it, I knew it. I warned you, you know. I said you would regret this...Okay, uh, don't freak out, we can just get some black hair dye and fix - " 

"I love it." 

Valentina's declaration made Daniella's jumble of words stop dead, her eyes becoming wide with shock as her friend turned to her with a grin as wide as the sky. The formerly ink-black hair that represented nothing but her prejudiced family lineage now shined with the colors of her true family ─ Ravenclaw. And the girl couldn't be happier. 

The girl giggled with a toothy smile, spreading her arms wide while exclaiming, "I've never felt more like me in my entire life, Dani! Isn't this great?" 

"It's something, all right," the girl bit back, gaze still wide while a slight cringe was present on her face, dropping quickly into the smallest of grins. "But if you like it, that's all that matters. Beside, it does suit you pretty well." 

Her words went unheard once again, and Valentina simply nodded while spinning back towards the mirror. She tangled her hands in her hair once more. It truly did suit her, more than anything ever had before (except her bronze and blue robes) . 

And while the same "pure" blood that her parents had ran through her veins, Valentina Hawthorne had begun to cut the string tying her to them, and it was the best feeling she had ever felt. 

( 𝑨𝑼𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑹❜𝑺 𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑬 !.˚₊ ✦ )

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Not me finally getting off my ass and updating this. So, in case you haven't noticed, I really changed Vale's character to be how she was in my original plans for this book, and I couldn't love her more. All she wants is to just be accepted and not be tied to her pureblood family. 🥺🥺🥺 I really hope you all liked this chapter and please vote and comment if you could! Another update is coming in probably a couple of weeks since I am doing an entirely new plot!

GLXNNRHEES / FAITH 2021