He reached out to her, eyes frantic as he attempted to grasp her hands.

"ISABELLE!" Draco Malfoy cried, unable to get to her before the darkness claimed her.

The scene was chaotic spinning away and reappearing just as fast.

Isabelle could see herself, she was standing in a familiar field surrounded by murky bayou waters. It was an open field with a large tree in its center. Isabelle used to play in that field when she was but a child, never scared of the gator-filled water that surrounded it.

Thunder and lightning cracked from the heavens as the wind whipped. Isabelle stood reaching out, her curls covering her face as the wind threw her hair in every direction. Her dress was airy, entirely dark as it fell loosely from her body.

Draco Malfoy stood feet away, reaching out to her desperately. It seemed no matter what he did, he was always unable to get to her.

Not before she went too far.

And certainly never before the darkness took her away.

★✯☆★✯☆★

"Isabelle!"

Isabelle Lockley awoke with a gasp, jumping into a sitting position. Clementine was sitting at the edge of her bed, a bright smile on her face.

"Come downstairs! It's Christmas — time to open presents!" She giggled like a mere child before getting up and running out the open dorm door.

Isabelle looked around noticing that she was the last Ravenclaw to wake, all the other beds were abandoned. The airy Ravenclaw door made her sink deeper into her sheets, the girl wanting nothing more than to fall back asleep.

Despite her tiredness, her mind was still reeling from the dream. She hoped to Merlin that it was a simple fabrication from her twisted subconscious and not a vision. If that was a vision of the future then she could not imagine it spoke of anything good.

Isabelle had been one of the first girls back from the ball last night. Although she was the first one back, she was the last to go to bed. She stayed up late, cuddled in her bed reading a fictional tale of a Divination master. Even if it was nothing but fiction, she figured she was still studying the subject in some manner.

This manner was just a bit more entertaining than straight grimoires and text.

Even if the tale itself was fictional, the subject of Divination was based on fact.

Her bed curtains had been drawn when the other girls stumbled in last night protecting her from any wandering gazes. She could not be sure exactly when she fell asleep but it was sometime just after the clock had struck three.

With that thought, she pushed herself out of bed and placed her feet into her slippers. She did not bother taking her bonnet off, the girl only wrapping a robe over her silk slip. Tying her robe into a knot as she headed out of the dorms and down the stairs, Isabelle was nearly trampled by excited first-years bouncing past her.

She rolled her eyes at them but said nothing more.

Unfortunately, she could practically smell the Christmas cheer that was in the air as she made her way down the steep stairs and into the common room.

Isabelle wanted to vomit at the sight of all the new couples making googly eyes at each other in the common room. The Yule Ball had created many new lovesick couples — teenage boys and girls who were staring at each other in dopey manners.

The African-American witch cringed at the smell of sex in the air. It was not a literal smell as much as it was her forceful magic sensing the change in many other students' magic. Sex and love and Christmas: what a great combination.

She did not even want to think about how many teenagers lost their virginity last night as she made it to the bottom of the staircase and did her best to block it out.

Her attention was caught by Clementine who was sitting on the couch with Anthony, Padma, Cho Chang, Terry Boot, and Michael Corner (unfortunately). Walking over to the familiar group of Ravenclaws, Isabelle plopped herself down right in between Clementine and Michael Corner.

Corner, of course, glared hotly at her.

"Hey, creep, do have any clothes that aren't ghastly?" Isabelle said, immediately choosing to say something out of pocket.

Clementine quickly nudged her, giving her a look as if to say 'Be nice'. Isabelle pointedly ignored that, staring at Michael who was already getting up and moving himself to the other side of the room.

"I refuse to entertain you, American hick..." Michael said as he left.

Isabelle did not take his words to heart, only shrugging and using the extra space to lay down. Clementine scowled at her friend but allowed Isabelle to lounge her feet on her legs nevertheless.

"Isabelle, that was rude," Clementine said matter-of-factly.

Isabelle shrugged "Him leaving you last night was rude," she said before her attention was taken to Anthony who shoved his new wristwatch in her face.

She recognized it as the silver wristwatch she had bought him in Hogsmeade, a nice contraption of real silver with an inner clock made of velvet blue.

"I can't believe you got me this! Thank you!" He excitedly said, taking the watch out of her face to admire it yet again. "You're such a good friend, Isabelle!" He was so happy that he stood up and practically fell on top of Isabelle in a hug.

Isabelle yelped before awkwardly patting his back.

"Anytime, Anthony — now can you stand up... you're kind of crushing me..." She wheezed as Anthony stood up with a smile and turned to Padma to show off his watch.

Padma looked at the watch with a raised brow and Isabelle did not need to be a genius to know that Padma was annoyed that Anthony barely even thanked her for getting him a new journal.

Clementine was already using some of the new art supplies that Isabelle had gifted her — sketching something in her artbook that Isabelle could not see. However, in the next instant, Clementine had placed her sketchbook down and called for Anthony.

"Anthony! Hand Isabelle the gift we got her!" Clementine said to her twin.

It was then that Isabelle realized most of everyone in the common room had already opened their gifts.

Anthony wasted no time in walking over to the large Christmas tree that loomed in the center of the common room. As the ceilings were already high (the highest of all the common rooms) the tree had no issue in standing up fully.

Isabelle pushed herself up onto her elbows and Anthony came over with a rectangular box in his hands. She raised a brow wondering what the twins had got her — she had not mentioned wanting anything in particular.

"Happy Christmas, Isabelle," He told her with a genuine smile.

"Merry Christmas, Anthony," She said right back with a rare soft smile of her own.

Isabelle happily accepted the gift and tore open the wrapping paper only to find a nice glass teacup hidden inside. Her first teacup.

She looked at the twins holding up the teacup excitedly.

"Thank you!"

Christmas passed by easily. Many students spent their time either cuddling close in the common rooms or out in the courtyards participating in snowball fights. There had even been a huge snowball war with Gryffindor playing against Hufflepuff.

Unsurprisingly, Gryffindor won.

Isabelle spent her day sipping tea from her teacup and studying from her grimoires.

Divination and astral projection, of course.

Occasionally, she would take a break to read through a fictional novella — a romance about a witch and wizard who came from two enemy families.

Of course, they ended up together in the end despite the many challenges they had to go through. Isabelle was grateful for that, she hated the stories where the two characters did not end up together in the end.

She always felt bamboozled — robbed to read such a great story with a shit ending. Were the endings really shit? Probably not, but in Isabelle's opinion if it did not work out then why did she bother to read?

For Isabelle, not that she knew this, but it would be a long time before she understood that things were not always about the ending as opposed to the journey and adventure that one took to get there.

That night she slept comfortably warm in her bed — the snores of the other Ravenclaw girls providing solace as she slept with a tummy full of warm cookies and milk. She was also the last to wake up and drag herself out of the bed the next day.

And that was how the rest of the Christmas break went by.

Calm days spent snuggled either in the warmth of her bed or in the common room reading through her grimoire. There were a few instances where she was able to practice meditation when she was left alone in the dorms.

She getting closer to complete inner peace with every practice — no matter how frustrating it was.

It was on the last weekend before classes started back up that the students were allowed a trip to Hogsmeade. Isabelle had gone with Anthony and Clementine, only to ditch them in the candy shop in favor of sneaking away to Scrivenshaft's.

She burst into the empty quill shop, startling Scrivenshaft who was silently putting together a new edition to the series 5 of his quill. A type of quill that was somewhere between expensive and cheap.

He grumbled, looking up and thanking Merlin that he did not ruin the quill.

"Any new letter for me?" Isabelle was giddy, practically hopping up to the back counter.

"Would ya' expect anything less?" He grumbled, tone full of attitude as he reached below the counter and pulled out a folded parchment paper.

Isabelle eagerly took it from him, delicately opening and reading through the letter at the speed of light. Her heart nearly stopped as she read the opening statement to the letter—he had addressed it to 'love'.

Merlin's hot hairy balls.

He was right on the nose in his guess as to which house she was in—it made her heart drop. However, she could not help but smile at the insult he put in for Hufflepuff. Perhaps her disdain for Hufflepuff House has gone a bit too far... she really should not smiling at Draco Malfoy calling the 'House of Yellow' a bunch of idiots.

He then proceeded to count the things that he knew about her so far. He knew she was a pureblood, he knew she was either Slytherin or Ravenclaw, he knew she was in his same grade level... and he knew she was not ugly?

He proceeded to question her sanity on how she finds amusement in trolling assignments for fun at times. She snorted at that one.

His birthday is June 5th—he was a Gemini. She supposed that made sense.

He then told her how he wished he was home for the holidays because of the expensive and luxurious vacations his parents often take him on. He had been to many warm countries, is what she realized.

Isabelle read through the rest of the letter, finishing it and wasting no time in moving to the blank parchment and quill that Scrivenshaft had left out for her. Her hand was moving faster than the speed of light as she scribbled her letter in neat handwriting.

Dear, Hottie Richson

You were correct — you indeed did have a 'shimmy or two in there'. Your dancing at the Yule Ball was so incredible that I cried. I especially liked the part where you swiveled your hips and snapped your fingers.

If you haven't caught on by now that was sarcasm, sugar. Although, you did look dashing and you know how to waltz beautifully.

Oh, if only I could have been the one in your arms rather than Parkinson and her pink frills. No hate on the dress, she actually looked good in it, just not my cup of tea.

I hope the break has treated you well, even if it is not as luxurious as the Maldives. Where else have you traveled? You said you've been to Paris. What about Italy, Spain, Brazil, New York?

I've mostly holed myself up in my room for a bit of light reading. Or my days are spent playing chess in the common or even wandering about the castle.

I have a spot by the Forbidden Forest that I enjoy lounging at when the weather is warm. The Thestrals are quite kind as well, I've named my favorite one Tom. He's an unusual Thestral; a rather funny one who is highly playful and affectionate. Also far too trusting of humans.

But alas, with the horrible winter raging on, I — a poor damsel in distress — am stuck inside the warm castle. Thankfully, Tom does not take it personally and understands that I don't come to the Forbidden Forest when it's cold outside.

I hope so, at least.

If only I had someone to cuddle close to and keep warm against the frigid outside.

Whoever could do such a thing?

And yet this is still better than having my mother breathing down my neck at home.

If it's not obvious I am ignoring your question about being a Ravenclaw or Slytherin altogether. I can't have you narrow me down to one house so quickly!

Also, because you seem quite confused by it; yes, I do troll an exam or assignment every so often for the hell of it. Why not walk on the wild side of idiot students for once? You should try it, it's quite exhilarating.

I've never failed anything in Snape's class though: even I will not go so far as to chance him berating me in front of everyone.

I can't believe you're Gemini! Aren't Gemini's air symbols known for being playful and intellectually curious? I believe the exact words are 'extroverted talkaholics'? You woulda fooled me.

Kidding, of course, I am an Aquarius and could not be more opposite of my sign.

Anyway: my birthday is February 14, 1980. The horrid holiday of Valentine's Day.

Sorry about not revealing myself at the Yule Ball, by the way. I suppose I missed out on a pretty good kiss and dance? That's okay though, I rather like this game and it's nice to be able to talk to you without you actually knowing who I am.

This way, there's no chance of rejection or humiliation! That's what I like to call ▆▆▆ logic! Please ignore the word I scribbled out, it's not important.

While it is exceptionally kind of you to offer, I really don't need a gift. This may sound cheesy but these letters are perhaps the best gift I've got — my family sent me... actually, never mind. My friend gave me kind gifts though: sweets from Honeydukes and a cute teacup.

My first one! I use it every day when I'm reading or playing chess.

What did you get for Christmas this year, Draco? And don't tell me your father gifted you the constellation of Draco, even if that is what I suspect you've been named after—the great dragon of the night sky.

Aren't many of your relatives on your mom's side named after stars and constellations and whatnot? I was told last year when Sirius Black was on the loose that he was your second cousin!

Imagine if you had received your mother's maiden name. Draco Black.

It certainly doesn't ring the same.

My parchment is almost filled, so I will end this by answering the question you asked. I rather enjoy all my classes, but of the ones I took last semester, I have an affinity toward potions. I suspect come our sixth and seventh that my favorite subject may change to Alchemy.

I've been waiting to take the class since I came here.

Then again: Earth Magic seems rather interesting too, I'm taking it next year.

What's your favorite subject then? Also, to end this on a rather controversial topic — do you think that DADA should be a subject without DA? Personally, I don't think we should study the defense against an art we've never been taught to begin with.

With Much Love,
You-Know-Who
But Not The Dark Lord One

She kind of suspected that his parents may have been fanatics of Voldemort, so she hoped the way that she signed it off did not offend him. However, if it did, then she really would need to rethink this crush of hers.

"Mr. Scrivenshaft will you please leave this for—" She was cut off by the old man ripping her letter from her hands and putting it below the shelf with a grumble.

He was quick to wave her off.

"Kid, unless yer tryin' to buy something, ya' can leave now," He said crudely.

Isabelle took no offense to it though, simply spinning on her heel and making her way to the door with her hands in the pocket of her coat. She noticed that it just started lightly snowing outside.

"See you later, Mr. Scrivenshaft!" She said just as she passed through the door, shivering as the warmth of the quill shop was lost.

When she made it outside, she was greeted by two confused twins on the other side of the pathway. Anthony looked annoyed as Isabelle walked over.

Clementine turned to her twin brother smiling victoriously.

"I told you she was in there!"

Anthony put the palm of his hand on Clementine's face causing her to squeal in disgusted fury. Isabelle was in front of the two before Clementine could curse Anthony out, the blonde-haired girl simply choosing to smack Anthony's hand away from her.

"And why did you leave us?" Anthony crossed his arms and tapped his foot.

"Why do you think?" Isabelle deadpanned.

Anthony groaned, all three of them subconsciously beginning to walk in the direction of the Three Broomsticks.

"Another letter? Isabelle! This is ridiculous, just talk to the bloke!"

"Keep your voice down," Isabelle grumbled but was not too worried seeing as this was the most dead Hogsmeade had been all year.

Most students chose to stay indoors to enjoy their last weekend of freedom before the intensity of school started up again.

"And you're acting like I'm sucking him off in a glory hole or something. It's just letters!"

Anthony groaned at her foul comparison.

"First of all, I am not acting like that because if you had told me you were anonymously sucking Malfoy off in a glory hole my reaction would be to vomit! Second, why is that even your first comparison?"

"Don't question me, Scamander!" Isabelle said, referring to Anthony and Clementine's very distant but famous relative—Newt Scamander.

He was only related to him by marriage, and it was from a great-cousin or something. But they always liked to bring up their technicalities in being related to the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, even if they had never met Newt Scamander before.

"It's Goldstein to you, Lockhart..." Anthony grumbled while holding open the door to the eatery.

He purposely messed up her name, calling her by the same last name as the worst DADA professor that they'd ever had. Of course, Isabelle was lucky and missed Professor Lockhart by a year, but she had heard enough bad things about him.

"How about you both quit your yapping so we can enjoy lunch?" Clementine questioned, effectively shutting the two up with a dose of salt and sass.

Well, she shut Anthony up, but Isabelle spoke up less than a second later.

"How about we talk about you flirting with Goyle the night of the Yule Ball...?"

"Isabelle, I swear by Merlin—"