CHAMBERS OF SECRETS

YEAR TWO

The thought of getting her owl post to attend Hogwarts, her mother - Mrs. Garland - tugging her to Gringotts, and being ogled by the waxy eyes of Olivander seemed so fresh in Posie's mind. So fresh that the thought of boarding the Hogwarts express for her second year, in a couple of days, seemed farfetched. However, the parchment paper listed with her school things proved otherwise.

Last year was filled with adventures and surprises. The most surprising event was when the headmaster, Dumbledore, awarded a group of points to Posie's rivaling house, Gryffindor. The event even overshadowed the confusing news of her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's death. The fact that Slytherin was plummeted out of it's winning position so unfairly, without any explanation whatsoever, caused her to fume with anger. For weeks, she had lost herself in the terrible anguish of insulting her headmaster.

Nonetheless, Posie soon found peace or rather, she forgot about the wizened man, as she was now too busy nursing a wound caused by a rupture with one of her friends. She sighed as she remembered Dahlia avoiding her like the plague. She didn't know what went wrong. After all, she made certain that whatever they talked about pertained to Dahlia's interests. So it was quite a mystery when Dahlia told her it was the best that they see little of each other.

Even though the two girls had just met at the start of the year, unlike her other companions, Posie couldn't helped but felt like a deflated balloon when their friendship ended so abruptly. It wasn't easy for her to get attached to someone, or anything for that matter, but it came easy with Dahlia. Her former friend's radiance blinded her, as if she were an enormous magnet sucking up everything - Posie included - as she went.

In reality, Dahlia was a leech that sucked the color out of Posie's world.

Nevertheless, Dahlia continued on her merry way with a full stomach while not sparing Posie a quick glance back. She shifted from her lounging position on the lawn. Her dusty red curls spiral around her frame. If her mother caught her staining her ivory dyed dress, she would never hear the end of it.

However, luckily for Posie, both Mr. and Mrs.Garland were busy entertaining the Malfoys in the sitting room while both she and Draco were shoved towards the lawn, where they drifted off in different directions. Draco was occupied with poking a garden gnome while Posie picked at her nails. It wasn't unusual for the Malfoys - or more precisely, any pure-blood family - to visit the Garlands, due to the fact that her parents were from one of the most influential wizarding families in the magical community.

Not only was her family from a long line of pure-bloods, but they also espoused traditional pure-blood value, expected nothing less of their daughter. Drilling into her head the notions of being placed in Slytherin and that being short of the best was unacceptable, they expected nothing less.

So when the news that Hermione Granger came first (unsurpringly, if Posie was being honest), Mrs. Garland almost had a stroke. The blow worsened when Draco decided to mention - at dinner, no less - that not only did Posie come third, but that the infamous Hermione was actually a 'mudblood'. Mrs. Garland became a bright red hot coal, her copper hair also added to her horrid bloating form.

But, Posie couldn't be bothered with any thoughts of her mother, especially when her mind landed on a distant memory from a few days prior. Her dream was infested with hissing, pale cold skin, and a ghostly chilling sensation bubbling down her spine. Any normal person would have shrugged off these images pressed deep within their brain as a harmless nightmare. There was just one problem.

Posie wasn't normal. She was a witch - an abnormal one at that - who possessed an ability considered rare even for someone of her kind: seeing pieces of the future, which were flashed across her dreams.

It all started in the middle of the year, after a nasty quarrel with Dahlia. Posie was tired of the dodging game they were playing and decided to confront her. However, it seems the other girl also had the same plan, but with a more sinister approach. Posie knew, from sharing dorms and being potion partners with her, that Dahlia had an obnoxious way of wanting everyone to believe whatever tale she concocted. So it wasn't a surprise when the simple meeting turned into a catastrophe consisting of Dahlia literally barking after Posie. She vividly remembered hearing their relationship clattering to the floor, breaking into infinite pieces.

She didn't recalled running, but remembered a swaggering voice beckoning to her to slow down. It happened in flashes, and she ended being another victim to one of Hogwarts' ever-moving staircases. The fall caused her to miss a week of lessons, and almost warranted a trip to St. Mungos.

However, the most hurtful part was when Posie had learned that Dahlia hadn't visited her once in the hospital wing, nor did she send a gift. It was there that she learned what true heart break meant, easing her into a state of depression. Nonetheless, that disappointing time period was soon washed away with her odd dreams.

First, it was Professor Snape's surprise test, which Posie initially thought to be a coincidence. Then, there was a nasty head flu epidemic in the school, which she avoided only due the warning in her dreams. It was later that she reasoned that she had awakened her third eye, if only because all of her dreams thus far came true.

It was for this reason that Posie found herself in a state of hopeless as she desperately hoped that all about was just a horrid nightmare.
She sighed as she rolled onto her back, watching the grazing clouds. She was probably over thinking this. Maybe it was the after effects of her mother's outrageous outburst earlier this week, but she couldn't help the sinking feeling in her gut.

A shadow interrupted her view of the dazzling rays of the August sun. Her murky brown eyes trailed slowly to the culprit, and of course, it was Draco Malfoy, who, if Posie must add, looked quite parched in the sun as his hair became sticky from it's slicked frame.

"I'm bored," he drawls, his grey eyes scrunched in his pathetic effort to shield the sun's heat.

"And I'm too busy to care, Draco." nipped Posie as her eyes lingered on her nails. Draco's let out a humph before disdainfully taking a seat beside her. Posie sighed wearily, " Go away Draco. I don't want to be near you at the moment."

"Mrs. Garland seemed to have cooled down, unlike my father. Took him days before he could look at me." mumbled Draco sourly. Posie remained stiff in her position, not daring to show her interest in his words.

Posie knew how much of a burden it was to carry the name of a prestigious family, and the endless demands of it made her sick and somewhat disheveled. However, she had never dared to share this sentiment with her family, knowing how pure-blood families like hers have the tendency of cutting off those who failed to live up to their standards. She was afraid to confront her parents with her problems. As a result, she had just learned to bury her own wants, dislikes, and likes in order to be accepted in her own family.

Sometimes, however, it slips Posie's mind that Draco lived a similar life.

His swaggering persona his cronies had almost fooled her, but as she sent a small glance his way, she found the her initial impression might have been mistaken. His usually jubilant eyes seemed rusty and the frown lip sewn across his face was like a punch to her stomach.

Despite this, a smile blossomed on her face, and she took hold of his pale hands, "But you have to admit, she did put on a jolly good show, no?"

It wasn't much but, Posie knew what the dark clouds perched on her heart like sinister shadows felt like, and wanted no one, not even the obnoxious Draco Malfoy, to succumb to such feelings. It was her way of helping both of them as she tightened her hold, hoping her sudden warmth would transfer to him. Maybe if she helped him, karma would come around one day and someone would help her. Her smile widened at the thought, and her uncharacteristic good mood left Draco startled.

Draco's eyes lingered at their joined hands before he erupted in laughter, "That was nothing compared to my father. Scared the hell out of our house-elf. Haven't seen the bloody thing for days!"

Posie hid a chuckle between her palms before giving Draco a playful shove, urging him on, fully aware of the seemingly endless chatter that he was capable of. However, she thought it was worth once she saw the infamous grin stretching across his face.

"You don't say. Tell me more!"

Edited by a dear friend.