The Sound of Breaking ((Closed))

[Ariane Chan]

((Permission to write as Aurora granted.))

Ariane stared distastefully at her breakfast with her usual blank expression, her face indicating no eagerness for the food. She stared at Aurora, who was happily shovelling toast into her mouth at an impossible rate, and looked away quickly. Nothing was bringing back her long lost appetite. Especially not watching her best friend eat that quickly. Aurora had always loved her food, in contrary to Ariane, who barely ate much at all. However, today she didn’t feel like putting a single morsel into her mouth, despite knowing her body needed the energy to last the day. Internally giving a frustrated growl, Ariane pushed her untouched plate away, and as a compromise, took a swig of water. Aurora looked up at her cousin with concern as she finished her breakfast, also picking up her glass to wash down the food. It wasn’t like Ariane not to eat at all, as she was always so health conscious. Aurora had just had her usual huge amount, and her stomach was contented, but seeing her best friend acting so weird made her rather anxious. “Something wrong?” Aurora asked, lifting her drink to her lips as she eyed Ariane casually.

A smirk lifted on Ariane’s usually down-turned lips, and she swivelled her eyes round to look at her cousin, her glass poised in midair in her hand, “You can always tell, can’t you? That still manages to amaze me every single time.” Looking away as her smile fell, Ariane stared thoughtfully at the clear water lapping gently against the glass’ edge. Aurora waited patiently for her friend to reply, carefully taking small sips of her drink herself, knowing Ariane needed some time to think things through, to decide exactly what she was going to say. That was Ariane Chan for you. “I’m worried.” The Gryffindor fourth year finally spoke again, her tone considerably quieter as her gaze never wavered from her transparent glass. A pause followed.

“Your mum?” Aurora finally answered her own question out loud, watching Ariane’s expression intently. She knew her best friend too well, had always been rather psychic to Ariane’s feelings, and she needn’t have asked about her, but she was still concerned about her well being. Ariane nodded slowly, her eyes admiring the morning light reflecting off the glasswork. “It’s been almost three weeks now, huh?” It was more a statement than a question from Aurora. Placing her empty glass back on the table, the Hufflepuff fourth year faced her cousin properly, leaning her head on her hands. “Atalanta left last week. How about I send Helix after her?” Aurora honestly wanted to help. She was worried about her cousin’s recent behaviour. In the last few weeks, Ariane would often wake up later than her usual time of 5:30 am (Aurora only knew because one of her dorm mates had mentioned that they had noticed), and sometimes even miss her breakfast, claiming she’d forgotten when Aurora grilled her about it, which was not like her at all. Ariane had mentioned something about dreams once, and how her mother had failed to write back to her and Harmony for the last three weeks. Aurora knew this was very weird, as she was well aware of how much Ariane (and Harmony) relied on their letters, how much they looked forward to it each weekend. Lorraine Chan struck her as a punctual woman, despite having only met her once. And Ariane having strange dreams? It was just weird.

Ariane finally turned away from her trance with her glass, and placed it down beside Aurora’s with a soft thunk. She had so far only taken one sip. Glancing at Aurora, she sent her a grateful glint in her eyes, which she knew her cousin would understand, and shook her head slowly. “No, it’s fine.” Looking upwards at the high ceiling of the Great Hall, Ariane stared longingly at the odd owl that flew down from the roof rafters, heading for their destinations with letters and packages from family and friends. None of them were medium-sized, black feathered and golden-eyed. Atalanta had always been a strange looking owl. Suddenly reminded of Harmony, Ariane glanced down again and around the Hufflepuff table, which she usually spent her breakfast, lunch and dinner at with Aurora. Most of the Hufflepuffs either didn’t mind or welcomed her with open arms, even though many, especially the Gryffindors, found it strange. However, the arrangement had been like this for over a year now, and everyone was used to it. No questions were asked to why Ariane didn’t sit on her own designated table. Who had the heart to separate her from her only friend?

Ariane also liked to spend her food times with Harmony, but for some strange reason the Hufflepuff second year wasn’t down yet. Usually her little sister was a punctual person, and she certainly never missed breakfast. Catching her hurried glances back and forth, Aurora immediately understood what Ariane was looking for; she did this often. Taking a quick sweep round the table herself, Aurora concluded also that her younger cousin was not in the Great Hall yet. “She’ll be here soon.” Aurora voiced aloud, quite literally reading Ariane’s mind. The Gryffindor suppressed the urge to roll her eyes in a humoured way at her words, and proceeded to pick up her glass of water again, taking another small gulp of the liquid. Hopefully it would be enough for her stomach to feed on until lunch.

As Ariane drank, Aurora glanced upwards herself, following the direction of the stream of arriving owls. These were the early birds, and the people around them were the usual students – people who woke up and had breakfast at an early time. Aurora was not considered as one of them, being completely opposite to her cousins in this aspect, but she always tried to get up early enough to catch her family at the table. Normally it involved waking up five minutes before the usual breakfast time, throwing clothes on and hurriedly washing before flying down the stairs. Afterwards she’d retire back to her dormitory, exhausted, full, but contented, and get ready for the coming day sluggishly. Sometimes, if she was still struggling to stay awake, she’d flop onto the bed and go to sleep for another half an hour. Suddenly Aurora let out a loud gasp, and her hand flew to point at the sky, her other one grabbing hold of Ariane’s arm and shaking it wildly, “Ari, look!”

Seeing Aurora’s reaction, her face lighting up with delight, Ariane already knew what her cousin had seen before her. Turning her head swiftly, her eyes followed the line Aurora had created with her finger. They finally hit upon a black owl soaring downwards at them, a letter clasped in its talons. Immediately recognising its shape, the glowing golden eyes trained on her, Ariane couldn’t help but smile with relief. Atalanta had come home, and she had brought salvation with her.

[Ariane Chan]

Atalanta landed with a graceful flutter of wings on Ariane’s shoulder, giving a low hoot in greeting as her somewhat distressed golden eyes scanned the half empty Great Hall. Immediately noticing Atalanta’s uneasiness, and the fact that she carried not one, but two letters in her talons, Ariane felt her joy turn to fear and anxiety. A frown replaced her unhidden smile, and her heart plummeted. Something was wrong. She knew it.

Ariane’s last shred of short-lived bliss disappeared into nothingness as Atalanta dropped one of the two letters onto her lap, before rising up steadily again and perching herself on a nearby statue, waiting for her mistress to read it with beady eyes. “What’s Atalanta doing?” Aurora asked in a low, confused voice, frowning at the second envelope she held. Knowing exactly what Atalanta was expecting, Ariane mutely picked up the letter lying on her lap innocently; turning it over, she refrained from gasping, but her stomach did a flip anyhow. In black ink, scrawled in neat handwriting, were the four words: “Ariane and Harmony Chan”. It was not her mother’s handwriting, but it certainly belonged to someone she could identify. Ariane had seen this handwriting many times before. She swallowed her rising terror down her tight throat, her hands gripping the unopened envelope with building dread. Why would this person write to her and Harmony? Something must have happened. “Hey, isn’t that my mum’s handwriting?” Ariane’s head shot up at Aurora’s shocked exclamation, eyes wide with imploring questions, darting between Atalanta and the letter. She was peering over at the letter, her surprise clear on her face.

There was a short vacant pause. “Is this, or is this not, definitely your mum’s handwriting?” Ariane then asked in a half threatening, half demanding, deadly voice, watching her usually hyper cousin’s face intently. Peering closer with frightened eyes, Aurora glanced up at Ariane’s stony visage, before giving a small frightened nod, her voice unstable and confused.

“Yes.” Ariane gazed at Aurora for another split second before tearing open the envelope with impatience and little grace that conveyed her true inner fear. What could this letter possibly hold? Why did Aurora’s mother send it? Had something happened to her mum? Ariane’s blood ran cold at the endless possibilities. Those dreams. Did they mean anything? What if Ariane was meant to do something? What if it was going to be her fault? Crazy thoughts invaded Ariane’s highly paranoid mind. She could already imagine the worst, and a part of her knew she wasn’t being her usual suspicious self. She was going to be right. Pulling the parchment out roughly, keeping her franticness to a minimum, Ariane unfolded the letter hurriedly, looking at the page of the same handwriting up and down swiftly with wide eyes of expectation. This was Mrs Jenny Chan’s handwriting, for sure.

Whilst Ariane read the letter, Aurora watched her expressionless face carefully, trying to pick up any giveaway signs, noticing with precision how her cousin’s alarmed body gradually become frozen, her muscles in her jaw tight. Aurora’s own suspicions ran through her head with worry, going over each possibility analytically. Not much would unnerve Ariane Chan. There was only one thing Aurora could think of that would scare the life out of Ari, and that… that idea was preposterous. Aurora was not kept in the dark for much longer however, because Ariane had finished reading the words on the parchment. Staring openly, Aurora gave a cry of surprise as she watched the letter float out of Ariane’s motionless hands, and lunged forward automatically, catching it before it touched the ground. “Got’cha.” Aurora muttered half triumphantly to herself, her eyes already back on Ariane when she straightened again, neglecting to read the letter for now. Her cousin’s pale face was frozen with unhidden disbelief and shock, her dark eyes glassy and unfocused. Aurora felt herself turn cold with just one glance at the usually stoic and controlled Gryffindor. It was as if all the life had just been sucked out of Ariane, leaving a dead, empty corpse.

[Ariane Chan]

((Permission to god-mode Harmony granted.))

Ariane’s eyes were fixed absorbedly on her glass of water again, unmoving, frozen. ”Do something. Say something.” Her brain was suddenly refusing to function, and the only thoughts that ran through her mind were, ”This isn’t happening. This is impossible. No. No way.” The fear was starting to show. Seeping through the cracks left open by shock and disbelief, it came as an unstoppable heavy torrent that cascaded onto her shoulders from not just the present, but also the past. The highly erected walls were slowly giving way to the pressure; the defence system was coming down like bowling pins. Ariane could feel her inner self scrambling to mend things, but never getting there in time, always too late to save her last shred of dignity. This time it was too late. Too, too late.

Aurora brought the letter to her worried eyes as Atalanta perched motionlessly by them, her golden eyes staring straight at a statue-like Ariane. Quickly reading the words on the paper, Aurora felt her fear escalate into emotions alike to Ariane’s, though on a lesser scale. “Oh my god.” Aurora whispered to herself, gaping openly at her own mother’s words. “Oh my god.” Her hand started to shake a little as she gripped the letter tightly, her own disbelief coursing through her veins.



Suddenly, Atalanta took off into the air again silently, flying straight for an open window above, returning the way she had come. Shooting up from her seat, Aurora’s shocked face called after it, her emotions in confusion and disorder. “Hey, come back! Don’t go yet!” The Hufflepuff yelled half angrily, half desperately, at the disappearing black owl. People stared at her cries, but she barely felt them on her face. “Ariane.” Aurora addressed her best friend by her full name as she turned back to her still figure, looking down at her usually stoic cousin questioningly, trying to alert her to Atalanta’s behaviour. What to do? “Ariane.” Aurora tried again with a helpless tone when the Gryffindor failed to even acknowledge her presence. “Ari, talk to me.” She began to beg when she realised she may never gain an answer from her mute friend. ”Talk to me. Please.”

A familiar voice suddenly jolted a scared Aurora out of her worries, and another dreaded chill ran down her spine. “Morning Ari, Aurora.” Spinning around, Aurora came face to face with the last member of their family. A shorter, younger girl stood grinning at her with her usual bright features, short black hair done up in two cheery cute bunches. So adorable and so innocent. So naïve and so unprepared.

“Harmony.” Aurora’s smile faltered drastically as the letter in her hand went behind her back immediately, hiding it from the Hufflepuff’s view. “Morning.” Aurora added swiftly with a big false grin, having not a clue of what to say or do. She was speechless as she stared like a rabbit caught in headlights at her cousin. Turning, Aurora tried to catch Ariane’s eye. Ariane had finally moved now, and was looking straight at Harmony with unhidden emotion in her eyes.

“Harmony.” Ariane merely acknowledged lifelessly, her eyes boring into her sister’s. It was as if there was nothing else to say.

”Save me.”

[Ariane Chan]

((Permission to god-mode Harmony granted.))

“What’s wrong?” Harmony asked with a confused face, her tone questioning as she regarded Ariane’s unhidden distraught expression and Aurora’s obvious shifty actions. Aurora eyed Ariane intently, motioning the concealed letter in her hands behind her back. The fourth year Gryffindor gave her consent by nodding once sharply, still not knowing what to say. Hesitantly, her gaze on her older cousin still unsure, Aurora let her hands wander forwards into Harmony’s view, aware of the consequences this would surely bring. If this was Ariane’s reaction, what would Harmony’s be? Harmony was, without a doubt, emotionally weaker than her sister. Could she cope? Finally exposing the opened letter fully, Aurora spoke through the heavy silence, her unsteady voice wavering slightly, “This is for you.” She thrust the parchment at Harmony, fear in her eyes. Aurora hated to be the one to tell the younger Hufflepuff that her precious mother had died; she hated seeing people in pain in general. Over the last year or so, Aurora had come to see Harmony as her own little sister; she was nowhere near as overprotective of her as Ariane, but she had taken upon her the role of Harmony’s second sister. Aurora had also every intention of shielding her adopted little sister from the harshness of the world. But like Ariane, she knew that even they could not protect Harmony from this.

“What’s this?” Harmony’s frown deepened into more puzzlement, taking the letter in her hands with care. Slowly unravelling it, Ariane and Aurora watched in dreaded silence as Harmony’s eyes ran over the deadly words inflicted on the piece of paper; and in their minds. The long wait was painful for both of them, but especially Ariane. She had not prepared herself for catching Harmony is she fell, which she most certainly would. Ariane was usually always ready for anything; she mentally organised herself so she could take anything in her stride, but this had caught her off guard completely. In all honesty, Ariane didn’t know if she could catch even herself anymore. This burden seemed too great, too big, and too heavy. Ariane was strong, but was she strong enough? For the second time in her short life, Ariane found herself doubting her strength. Usually she was so convinced she was invincible. That no one could break her in half, that she could withstand anything. Ariane Chan was impenetrable. But she had never in her wildest dreams (and even they had pointed towards this) have imagined this could happen. It always felt to her like the only solid thing that remained in her life since her past would never disappear. Through all the past pain and suffering, Ariane still always had her mother. Lorraine Chan had always, always been there for her. But now she was gone. Ariane’s untouchable last drops of peace gone with the wind, gone with the rest of her past.

A scared whimper laced with disbelief broke her thrashing thoughts, and Ariane’s eyes refocused to see a shocked Harmony staring in incredulity at the letter. The younger Hufflepuff proceeded to look up desperately at her sister and cousin, shaking her head uncontrollably as she asked one simple question, “Is this a joke?” Harmony whispered with wide eyes already filling with tears of grief. ”Tell me it’s not true.” Ariane merely sat, frozen, in her spot, not able to answer her little sister’s straightforward question. Knowing that Ariane would not, could not, reply to this, Aurora knew it was down to her to break Harmony’s world in half. Letting her younger cousin as bravely and firmly as she could in the eyes, Aurora slowly shook her head from side to side, feeling like her head was about to snap off.

“I’m sorry.” Aurora heard herself whisper too, not knowing what else to say. What could you say to someone who had just lost their only parent and guardian in the world? Aurora mentally wondered why Ariane and Harmony Chan. Why these two beautiful people? Their pasts were already shrouded in pain and misery, so why did life have to work its nasty tendrils into their affairs too? It just wasn’t fair. It just simple wasn’t fair. Letting out a loud gasp, Harmony’s rapid intake of breath caused her to choke, more tears springing inevitably into her dark eyes. A strangled cry halfway up her tight throat, Harmony turned and fled from the Great Hall, the letter floating to the ground after her running self, landing by Aurora’s still feet. “Harmony!” Aurora hollered out after her cousin’s fading figure, feeling tears in her own eyes. Once realising that Harmony was already out of sight and most probably would not return, Aurora powerlessly bent down to retrieve the letter for the second time that morning. Straightening up again stiffly, she stared at Ariane’s immobile stature with a sad expression on her face. “Ari?”

[Ariane Chan]

Ariane watched silently as her little sister left the Great Hall in tears, her heart breaking for the second time that morning. She wanted to jump up and run after Harmony, grab her by the shoulders and tell her it was all lies, that everything would be okay. She wanted to delude her sister and herself that this was a dream and life was a perfect thing. But it wasn’t. It simply wasn’t. Ariane heard Aurora’s voice clearly, but she didn’t reply to it. Standing up stiffly, her breakfast still lying unattended to on her untouched plate, she turned to Aurora with a meaningful look in her unshielded eyes. They were dry. Bone dry. Walking the way Harmony had just departed from, Ariane was intent on leaving the Great Hall. She had to leave this behind, the letter, the truth, everything. ”Do not shake.” Ariane ordered her hands in her head angrily and desperately as she watched them trembling a little. It was as if she couldn’t control herself anymore.

“Ari?” Aurora called to her cousin again with a feeble voice. She didn’t know what to do either. What position was she standing in this time? In her heart, Ariane apologised to her best friend. For now, she just couldn’t face her. She needed to be alone. Walking slowly, almost dreamily, away from the Hufflepuff table, something rose within her chest that threatened to burst from her beating heart. Images of her mother, then her father, bloomed in her mind, and Ariane could barely control herself as she found herself storming back to where was standing alone, staring after her with a distraught face. Ignoring Aurora’s pleading, but confused gaze, Ariane stood staring at past her breakfast plate, past the cutlery, to the cup of water that remained sitting there where she had left it, the clear liquid yet again reflecting the morning light through the glass. Watching it with a pained expression on her face, Ariane stood there for several long silent moments, as if inspecting it long and hard.

Aurora watched her best friend standing there, and was tempted to reach out and touch her arm, as if to reassure her, but she felt as though Ariane was untouchable right now, as if if she even came in contact with her, she’d be thrown away again with a huge force. The aura she was intercepting from Ariane was one that screamed “leave me alone”, and as much as Aurora wanted to disobey that, she also couldn’t help but physically step away from her cousin. Something about her was repelling her, her sixth sense warning her not to stray too close at a time like this. Sure enough, that was what Ariane’s eye language cautioned too.

Suddenly, Ariane’s hand reached forward and grasped the glass of water in her hands tightly. Staring at the revolving light reflected on the clear surface as she had done so before, she could feel that although the water still looked exactly the same as before, everything for her had changed. Everything. Ariane’s life was going to be in pieces all over again because of one man, the one man that had given her life in this world. Gripping the glass forcefully, an aggrieved but angry expression in not only her face, but her eyes, Ariane turned and flung the glass at the wall behind her, watching it shatter inevitably against the statue, a torrent of water cascading down the marble stone, flowing across the floor like a little stream. Aurora and a lot of other people watched in surprise as Ariane then turned and stalked out of the Great Hall, her hands clenched in tight fists. Staring after her best friend, Aurora was motionless for a moment as she digested what had just occurred. Slowly, she retrieved her wand from her robe pocket, and silently fixed the glass and got rid of the water, an indescribable look in her eyes. Some people would have thought that Ariane had smashed the glass because she was angry, or distressed. But Aurora knew better. It wasn’t just that. Ariane was trying to say her heart would never be the same again, just like that glass. But unlike the glass, her heart could never be fully repaired.

That glass had been the sound of Ariane’s heart and life breaking right before her.

((Completed thread.))