bitters w e e t {open}

[grace]

Grace paced down the hall, hands in the pocket of her robes, and her gaze fixed down on her feet. Now that she was in her NEWT years at school she had dropped Herbology and History, leaving her with a sizable gap in her schedule on Tuesday through Thursday mornings, as the classes were held back-to-back for sixth years. It was only the first week of school, but Grace didn't have the foggiest idea on what she was going to do with this sudden free time. It would likely be dedicated to homework as term progressed, but for now Grace didn't have anything to do with herself.

And while it might seem innocent to some, it only posed danger for Grace. It allowed her mind to wander to things she'd rather forget. To what things might have been had they turned out differently, had she been able to stop Caleb before it was too late. She'd either have a small infant or be heavily pregnant. Grace hadn't known the gender, but she imagined herself with a little girl, she would have named her something classic, old-fashioned, but still charming- Penelope. Penelope Elisabeth. Elisabeth spelled with an "s" rather than a "z." The guilt still plagued her, especially when she had nothing else with which to occupy her mind.

Being back in the school had thus far proved to be bittersweet. Grace, like most, still held a fondness for the school in her heart, but the most recent events- the murder on school grounds nearly two years ago, the massacre last December, and all that Caleb had done to her within the walls, had left a wavering note of fear. Discomfort. Pain. It was a daily exercise in emotional restraint for Grace to even set foot in the dungeons or on the first floor. Though inexplicably, she did still feel safer now. Grace had successfully avoided Caleb the whole of the summer, and now that he had graduated, there wasn't going to be any running into him here.

Sighing and feeling suddenly tired, Grace settled down on a windowsill, leaning against the warm pane of glass, basking in the sunlight streaming in. Not too long ago she had sat in this very sill, thinking of undoing the latch and slipping out... Grace shoved the thoughts from her mind, she shouldn't think like that. She didn't want to end it- did she? Grace wasn't entirely sure either way anymore...