 Lots of mentions! elephant-astic•wanderlust•stay in the ninedaaays the original Taco Belle•look at the flowers✿
She'd expected this. Not the setting or the circumstances that lead up to it, but the more permanent separation of the children into two groups. The anger of Rosier. The revelation that this movement stretched far and wide. None of it was right, but it wasn't surprising, and she felt her grip tightening on her wand as she watched the crowd of students react to the news. She found herself looking for Williamson, wondering what was going through his head. She'd heard about the field trip and he'd been brave to do what he did, but there were consequences for going off-book and she didn't want to know what the headmaster had in store for him. Was he scared?
When the kids started crying out, Neva moved in. The nearest one to her was only a first year and merlin knew what Mr. O'Neill thought he was doing telling these people what they could and could not do. Before he would know what hit him, the charms professor sent a well intentioned Langlock in his direction, trying to quiet his protests. "Enough." She understood his feelings. His anger was justified. But was she going to let him get himself killed if she could help it? No.
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Yoyo's look had not been missed and Cece was grateful for it. She didn't even know how she'd be standing right now if it wasn't for her friends. They gave her strength just by being there, did they know? Like, it made her want to be brave and strong and it kept her from falling apart the way she wanted to. She'd never be able to thank them for it properly, but if they managed to make it out of this mess somehow, she was sure going to try.
And then Rosier was speaking. And with every word that he said, Cece felt the fear in her bubble to the surface. You won't survive the new world and there's no longer reason to keep trying with you. She searched the crowd for Sammy again. For Cappi and Phoebe. Meeks. For Catherine and Noah. The other stark kids. MF and Auggie. If this was going to be the end, she wanted to see them. Make a memory of their faces. She wished she could hug them all one last time because she was pretty convinced this was the end. She gave Kale's hand another squeeze. And then several things happened that brought Cece back from her spiraling thoughts..
The list was read and she was on it. A list that would separate her from friends. That marked her as different. Less. She felt an emptiness in her stomach realizing that this also meant more danger for her, for her little brother, for the friends who were going to be stuck with her.
And then Emmerson was speaking out and being grabbed. And Yoyo yelled. And Cece's eyes were the size of saucers as she watched, fear rooting her to the spot. She felt like a coward. The worst kind. But she didn't know what to do! This was so bad. So, so bad. Squeezing her eyes shut, she felt tears work free, spilling over onto her cheeks. And then she'd been grabbed by one of the hooded horrible humans and she went along quietly, trying to make eye contact with her little brother. "It'll be okay." They were going to be okay. They had to be okay.
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