***

She felt broken. Shattered. Worthless. Like she was nothing to him, though he'd been everything to her. She had trusted him in a time when she never let herself trust anyone.

Diana got on an empty carriage quickly with Layla, who had witnessed the whole scene and had resolved to remain quiet so she could give Diana some space and peace of mind.

With a great lurch, the carriage began moving forward upon the snowy ground, rambling its way up the long lane. Even though they were within a reasonably long distance from the castle, it could still be sighted from the carriage's window. A few minutes extended until they passed through the enormous iron gates of Hogwarts, and then the carriage slowly halted to a stop at the front doors of the castle.

"You okay?" Layla finally asked her in a gentle and careful voice as they emerged into the entrance hall along with the other students.

"I'm fine," Diana said casually, her expression unreadable, which was what worried Layla.

They took their seats at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, no other words exchanged between them for a while. But after a few minutes, Layla finally broke the silence when she said,

"Look over there. It's Regulus." Layla was pointing at the double-doors of the Great Hall. Diana glanced up, seeing that Regulus was walking in alongside with Snape, Avery, and Mulciber.

"What the hell is he doing with th — Where are you going?" Layla was speaking that Diana suddenly shot to her feet angrily.

Without answering Layla, she furiously paced toward the four Slytherin boys, a burning fire in her eyes.

"Where have you been?" Diana asked briskly as soon as she reached Regulus.

"Uh-oh. Looks like we're in trouble," Avery said in a mocking manner, sniggering.

"Shut your stupid mouth," Diana snapped at him angrily.

"Or what?" Avery smirked.

"Or I'll make you!" Diana made an angry move to leap forward fiercely, causing the boys to take a step back in fear. But Regulus was quick to hold her back.

"I was just sitting with them in their compartment. That's all." Regulus shrugged, as though it was of no importance and she was making a big deal out of it.

"They're bad news, Reg," Diana lowered her voice as she told him.

"You have no right telling him what he can and can't do, Greengrass," Severus said sharply.

"No one asked your opinion, Snape!" Diana retorted, glaring at him.

"And why should your opinion matter to him?" Avery said coldly, a sneer spreading across her face. "We're way better for him. We can help him. You on the other hand, will only hold him back from the right path. And I wouldn't really expect anything more from a girl."

Regulus angrily opened his mouth to defend her, but before he could even form a single word, Diana had leaped forward and jumped on Avery, hurtling to the ground. The boy let out a shriek as Diana dropped herself on top of him and began hitting him.

Snape and Mulciber abruptly took out their wands, but they all froze at the angry calls from the professors, who had seen the fight beginning and had rushed forward to separate them.

***

Diana was asked to go to Slughorn's office, who looked extremely disappointed. However, he did not take any points off Slytherin though gave her a week worth of detention.

      Having lost all her appetite, Diana decided to skip dinner that night and went straight to her dorm, dropping herself down on her bed.

Not long after, her head turned when she heard someone turning the doorknob from outside. A moment later, the dorm door opened and Diana saw Layla walking inside.

"What are you doing here? There's still half-an-hour left from dinner," Diana asked in a blank voice, feeling exhausted.

"I wanted to check up on you," said Layla, closing the door behind her and walking toward Diana, sitting at the edge of her bed. "Regulus sent his apologies, by the way."

"Why would he apologize? He didn't do anything."

"That's why he wanted to apologize to you; because he didn't do anything." Layla then sighed, pausing. "What happened back there, anyway? Mulciber and Snape were retelling the story, but I doubt any of it was true."

"I warned Avery to shut his mouth, he didn't listen, so I did what I had to do."

"Well... any chance you were mad at something else and you were just looking for an excuse to punch someone?" Layla said with a half-smile. Diana knew exactly what she talking about.

"Look, I'm fine, okay? It doesn't matter," she mumbled, throwing her gaze away from her friend.

"You don't have to say that you're fine when you're not. It won't be the end of the world if you show your feelings and talk about your emotions, you know."

"Oh, yeah? Well, guess what?" Diana said coldly, getting up to a sitting position on the bed. "I did show my feelings. I did talk about my emotions to someone. Now look where that got me."

"Listen, I know what Remus did was wrong. And you have every right to be sad right now," said Layla comfortingly, but she then fell silent, pondering the matter. "Why — why would he even do that?"

"I don't know. Maybe he's too ashamed of me." Diana shrugged and then let out a sigh, pursing her lips together. "Can I tell you something?"

Layla nodded earnestly. "Of course."

"I always used to act tough, like nothing mattered, like I'm this — this emotionless girl. And when everyone called me cold and heartless, I acted on it more, just to prove to myself that they were right, so maybe then it would hurt less. But the truth is... I... I never hated it. I never hated the idea of love, or finding someone to be with. For years, I tried to convince myself that I hated all those things, so I wouldn't end up disappointed. I never showed it, but... I felt so lonely..."

Diana fell quiet. She couldn't remember the last time she had cried. Even as a child she had learnt to hold it all in. But now, there was this unfamiliar burning sensation in her throat as she held back her tears.

"But then... Remus came along," she went on weakly, her voice coming as a mere murmur. "I — I thought he was different, you know? He saw the good in me, even when no one else would, and he made me want to change for the better. I changed so much of myself for him, and I'm glad. I really am. But he — he's too ashamed to even act like he knows me in front of his friends."

"Maybe it wasn't like that," Layla tried to reason, but no other explanation came to her mind. "You told me that he introduced you to his mother, didn't he?"

"It doesn't matter anymore." Diana shook her head, forcing a little grin as she got off the bed and onto her feet. "I learnt my lesson. I won't let myself feel this vulnerable about someone ever again. I'm done."