─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────

─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────

CELESTE, NATHAN AND BETH

sat on a bench just outside of the school's walls. The early spring air was still quite chilly, giving them a nice little breeze. Celeste kept thinking about the conversation she had with Ron and Harry a week ago. How hard she had defended her new/old family, and she felt a slight amount of proud. 

She knew that the Malfoys have done bad things but she truly believed that they weren't that evil or bad. They haven't killed. Bellatrix has sure, but she wasn't mentally well. That's what Celeste keeps telling herself. If Bella wouldn't had spent the last fourteen years in Azkaban, she would be normal. Or normal-ish.

"Now Cele, a penny for your thoughts," Beth smiled and brought Celeste back to reality.

"Oh, it's nothing," Celeste said with a half smile which immediately blew her cover.

Nathan sighed and wrapped his arm around Celeste's shoulder. "You know lying isn't good. Or if you insist on lying, you should be more convincing."

"It's just that I'm sort of rethinking what Harry said," Celeste sighed and looked at her hands which were placed on her knees. "I mean Bella really did kill Sirius and tried to kill others as well. And Merlin knows how many she has already killed. 

"Then there's Lucius, I remember him being so kind and loving towards me when I was a child but the man I saw at the Department of Mysteries wasn't the same. I know I know, that loosing a child changes a person but still..." Celeste rambled the end of her speech. "I'm afraid that Harry might have been right."

"Cele I hope you aren't changing your opinion over your family because of what Harry and Ron thinks. And I really hope you didn't cancel the weekend over at the manor because of them either." Beth analyzed her friend. You could see the pure regret on Celeste's face, she really has ignored her mother and Draco ever since Harry and Ron expressed their opinions.

"It's all right, as long as it's your choice to doubt them. We don't blame you for that," Nathan nodded approvingly. Neither of Celeste's friends were judgmental but they knew Celeste better than anyone else, and they knew that Celeste truly wants to be a part of her biological family again but the times are tough. And so are the people living them. "How did your mother react to your absence?"

Celeste sighed, looking back at her hands on her knees. "She wasn't happy for sure. She said that she understood, and hopes that I'll visit her soon," she told her friends when her eyes started to shed few tears. "Merlin, I feel so bad but I just need time to think. I just went along with her happiness when I was found that I completely forgot to really check the facts."

"You'll figure it you," Nathan said confidently. "Have you given it any thought, when you'll visit her?"

"Oh cut the small talk Nate!" Beth sighed loudly and turned to Celeste. "You're not going to believe who's here, in Hogwarts," she said happily, making Nathan shake his head out of annoyance. 

Celeste knitted her dark brows together. "Who?" She had absolutely know idea what and whom Nathan was talking about. She glanced at Beth who had the most cheesiest grin spread across her face. "Oh my God," Celeste said.

Beth's grin got wider and wider. "Is that a good oh my god or a bad one?" She asked curiously.

"I hope it's a bad one," coughed Nathan who was less than impressed over their fellow student from Ilvermorny, who had arrived to Hogwarts.

The blonde girl shook her head as she started to laugh, her blonde locks bouncing against her shoulders. "Leo is here?" She asked to confirm her thoughts. 

"Yes," Beth cheered. "Have you written to him?"

"I did write him to tell about my situation," Celeste explained but Nathan just sighed annoyedly. "Oh Nate, you and Leo are friends," she said and turned to Nathan.

"Mmm and then he started to date my little sister," Nathan narrowed his eyes, making Celeste laugh. Nathan has always been very protective over Celeste, and when his good friend Leo Marchal started to date Celeste, the girl who Nathan treats like his little sister, his over protectiveness increased. 

Leo was known from being a bad boy, he breaks the rules, acts out and is just a complete opposite of the happy, kind, bubbly girl Celeste is.

"Ignore him," Beth smirked pointing at Nathan who rolled his eyes. "You have to see him. I think he's staying with the Slytherins."

"Suits him," Nathan snorted, earning to stern glances from the girls.

"I will I will. I just don't really know where we stand.." Celeste sighed and got up from her seat. "We didn't end things when I came here but, argh, I don't know."

"All then you have to go and figure things out," Beth exclaimed and jumped up as well. "Come on," she said and took Celeste's arm as an gesture to drag her to Leo.

"Oh sweet Merlin!" Celeste squealed suddenly.

"What is it?" Nathan frowned at Celeste's sudden reaction.

"I haven't told the Malfoys about Leo," Celeste panicked. "And he's in the Slytherin's room, where Draco is! Oh my God, this is bad!" She shrieked and started to run towards the Slytherin's common room, Beth and Nathan right behind her.

─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────

─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────

WHEN CELESTE REACHED 

the dungeon where the Slytherin's room was located, she heard laughter coming from the room. She nervously glanced at Beth and Nathan, who was still frowning before knocking on the big, cold looking door. The laughter stopped and Pansy Parkinson came to open the door. The girl stared at the blonde American girl with an unpleasant look on her face, apparently that was the only facial expression Parkinson girl had.

"What do you want?" Pansy asked and gave another dirty look at Celeste and her friends.

"Let her be Pansy," Draco said and pushed her away from the door. "Hi," he smiled at his sister and her friends.

"Hey," Celeste grinned. "What's going on in  here? It sounded like you were having fun."

Draco smirked and waved at someone, and for Celeste's luck, it was Leo. "This is Leo Marchal, he went to your school as well. He's here for few months," Draco explained innocently, he had know idea that Celeste really does know Leo, and well. 

"Do you know him?" Asked Draco.

"Ummm..." Celeste groaned but before she had a chance to explain anything, Leo took Celeste's hand and placed a kiss on it.

"Careful," Nathan coughed behind Celeste and shoot a disapproving look at Leo who merely grinned at his friend.

"We have met," Leo said and turned back to Draco. "We had some classes together. She's a hard one to forget," he continued, making Celeste blush, Beth smile and Nathan had never wanted to punch anyone this bad.

"Yes well, I do remember Leo as well," Celeste said as naturally as she possibly could. "Leo, may I have a word with you? Preferably in private?" She asked carefully, not wanting to alarm Draco but by the look on Draco's face, he hasn't realized the past between his new friend Leo and his sister. 

"Sure thing," Draco said and turned to Nathan and Beth. "Do you want to come to the Quidditch pit? I was just planning on going there."

"Sure, that would be lovely," Beth said and nudged at Nathan who had his eyes at Celeste and Leo. "Nate?" Beth questioned her friend.

"Yeah?" He asked, he hasn't listened to another word.

Beth rolled her eyes and took Nathan's hand. "We are going to the quidditch pit with Draco. Come," she said and dragged Nathan away, Draco walking next to them.

Celeste watched after her friends and brother, making sure the had left the dungeons, and turned to Leo. "What are you doing here?" Celeste asked, her eyebrows knitted together.

"I wanted a change of scenario," Leo shrugged, his handsome smirk on his lips.

"So you came to Hogwarts? Where Voldemort is on the loose and everything is going to Hell?" 

"What can I say? I like danger," Leo smirked.

"Apparently you do. Befriending my brother, brave move," Celeste rolled her eyes. "You know that he's going to kill you when he finds out that we were a thing."

"Were a thing?" Leo raised his dark brows.

"I just told you that he might actually kill you, with help from Nate and all you got from it was that?"

Leo winked his eye. "So we were a thing? We aren't one anymore?"

"We broke up, remember?" Celeste sighed. 

"Well yes but it was more like we chose to take a break to find ourselves," Leo said, his crystal blue eyes mesmerizing Celeste's. "Maybe we could pick up from where we left things?"

Celeste chuckled, she has missed Leo but she was nervous about how her family would react.  She already knew that Beth would be happy whenever Celeste was happy, Nathan will get on board eventually but then there was tante, who does like Leo but she has her reservations over the boy who owns the bad boy title, and then there were the Malfoys. 

"Maybe we can try..." said Celeste. "But you have to make a bigger effort when it comes to my uncle. He still hates your guts."

Leo's smirk changed into a gorgeous smile. "Sure thing," he nodded.

surprise! an old flame is back 

and celeste's having hard time on accepting everything the malfoys and bellatrix has done

stay tuned for more