The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Sofie)

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(This takes place a short while after the Artistic Souls thread where Katrina Bayne and Sofie Helstrom form a strong friendship.)

Andromeda Bayne had been ill for months. The ailment had spawned from her deep depression since her husband Malevelas left her while she was pregnant with Katrina. She had never gotten over that. The ailment was treatable, but Andromeda did nothing about it, and didn't tell her daughter about it. It was if she wanted to die. She knew Katrina would be alright financially. The woman was well to do and left every galleon she had, along with everything else, to the only person who had shown her love, that of course being her daughter.

Andromeda died on a Tuesday morning. The funeral was held Thursday. Few came to it, as few knew the woman given her lack of social life. Most who were there were there for Katrina. Throughout the funeral, Kat stayed strong and didn't shed one tear. She was calm and collected enough to talk to others who approached her. She didn't seem cold or anything like that, just as if she was seemingly taking it well. She of course loved her mother greatly.

After the funeral, Kat walked into her empty house. Stepping over to the fireplace, she looked at a picture of her mother and Katrina together when the girl was eleven. She was dressed in the first robes she wore to Hogwarts, blank of any House symbol as she hadn't been sorted yet. Her mother managed to smile for the photo, and it helped Kat smile too. Kat looked at the photo and then found her hand shaking. Suddenly she dropped it... and then collapsed with it. And there she sat in the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. The woman who had once been all that Katrina had in the world was gone, and the reality suddenly hit her like a swift curse.

@sofiehelstrom

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The day had been quite depressing, seeing as Sofie had just attended a funeral. No, it wasn't of someone she cared for, nor was it someone she knew, but she knew the daughter of the woman that passed which was enough for her to attend. Sofie had only met Katrina Bayne twice, but in their second meeting, they had formed a bond Sofie wasn't expecting in the slightest. Sure, Sofie was a very kind young woman and Katrina was sweet herself, but it was more unexpected than expected. They just happened to bond over painting and then learned more about each other through Sofie sticking around longer to talk to the girl; to get to know her.

After the funeral, everyone had left including Katrina. In fact, she disappeared before Sofie could even really see her. She had seemed fine throughout the whole service, but she had a feeling the young Slytherin was not alright. Who would be after losing their parent and the only one she had left? Sofie felt horrible for the girl and wanted to make sure she was alright, which was what led her to visit Katrina's home where she was hoping to find her.

Arriving at the house, Sofie peered in through the door that had been left slightly open. Did she mean to leave it that way? Maybe she just forgot to close it all the way. Slowly, she pushed it open a bit more just in time to see Katrina drop a frame and fall to the ground. Rushing over to the girl, she knelt down next to her and pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair gently as her own eyes welled up with tears. She didn't like to see Katrina like this, and it was hurting her. "Shhh.. I'm here. I'm here for you." Sofie never expected to become this type of role in the girl's life, but she would be there for her, for whatever she needed. Sofie wasn't one to leave someone behind, especially if they were in the state Kat was in. 

@katrina

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Kat didn't hear when Sofie walked in. Seventeen years of memories took her away from reality for the moment. So when Sofie touched her, she was startled for a moment, especially since she hadn't realized that she left the door opened. There was also that hint of usual discomfort at being touched. Kat was not usually affectionate. The only people she was that way around was Cole and her mother. However, given the situation she found she needed someone to hold her. Sofie had caught a side of Katrina very few had seen. The girl was vulnerable. Sobbing, she embraced Sofie and rested her head on her new friend's.

"I just wanted her to be happy, for a little while," said Kat. "He left her... that son of a b***h left her, and it slowly killed her! I did everything- my art, my grades. just to see her happy." Her rose her head and looked at Sofie, her eyes stained with tears. "You... you came to check on me? I've only talked to you a couple of times and you came to check on me?" The thing was, despite their limited encounters, Katrina would have done the same for Sofie. Kat had few REAL friends in the world, and she held the ones she had dear. "Thank you."

@sofiehelstrom

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Sofie held on a bit tighter as the girl leaned into her, starting to stroke her back instead of her hair. She wished she could take the girls pain away, she really did. She didn't want her young friend to be hurting the way she was. She listened to her words as they came streaming out, causing a stinging feeling to resonate throughout her chest. She had always had that empathetic nature when it came to other people. Seeing them at there lowest point was hard for Sofie. What was even harder was seeing such a young girl as Katrina go through what she was.

"You did your best and I'm sure your mother was very proud of you. She still is. Never forget that she's still here with you, watching over you." Sofie wanted to focus on her mother, rather than the fact that Katrina's father left them. The brunette leaned back and looked up at Sofie, her eyes were stained with tears, which she knew they would be, but it didn't help the pain she felt for her any more. In fact, it made it worse. "Of course I came to check on you. You were so strong at the funeral, but I knew you were hurting. I could feel it." She said softly as she wiped some of the girls tears away and smiled gently at her. "There's no need to thank me Katrina. I'm your friend. It's what I'm here for."

@katrina

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Kat nodded when Sofie said her mother was there for her. Having seen ghosts all around Hogwarts, she of course believed in them. Perhaps her mother would come and visit her some nights. Then again, Kat hoped that her mother would finally be at peace and be happy somewhere at last.

"I know," she said. "I was all she had, and she was all I had for a long time," said Kat. "I... I think she didn't want to tell me that she was think. She often told me that she felt she was keeping me back from my own happiness, but that wasn't true. I hurt when I saw her hurting, but that didn't mean I didn't want to be around her."

Kat smiled a little at Sofie when she said she was Kat's friend. That word meant the world to her right now.

"I've never really had a friend from another House before," she said. "I mean, you're not at Hogwarts anymore, but still it's kind of cool. People say that Slytherins should stay with their own House, but... well... screw those people." Kat laughed a little at that, then hugged Sofie again.

"I was going to make some hot chocolate... kind of my comfort thing," she said. "You want some?"

@sofiehelstrom