Oof the drama
Rhaena knew exactly how they would react if she told them what Aemond said. Daeron would apologize profusely on behalf of his older brother and try to give him a stern talking to. Jace would curse him and try to fight in the dining hall. Baela would use Avada Kedavra, The Killing Curse, for the first time in her life.
She definitely wouldn’t dare send a letter back home to their parents, especially not her grandmother. She had decided the new her would deal with this independently. Rhaena tried to walk around the castle with a fresh confidence and greeted everyone with a warm smile. She proudly wore her yellow and black uniform, even putting a badger sticker on her arm, showing off the Hufflepuff mascot. It was the first day of classes, and she was delighted to kick off the new school year.
She wasn’t surprised to find she shared one class with Aemond when Baela casually mentioned it while they were eating. It was the last class of the day and Rhaena didn’t care. His presence wouldn’t bother her.
At breakfast, Aemond was sitting at the Slytherin table surrounded by students desperate to get his attention. He never glanced towards Rhaena, but he knew, she wouldn’t share with anyone his late-night words to her. Rhaena spent the entire day being the ‘new her’. Joking around with Corwyn and conjuring up cupcakes to share with her classmates. She was making new friends in each class, finally having conversations that didn’t revolve around her family.
She spoke up more when chatting in the halls, everyone that knew her seemed to question the change but like Daeron, Jace, and Baela they just shrugged and moved on.
When Rhaena finally made it to her elective class with Aemond, she almost tripped up. She fought the nervousness as the ‘old’ her threatened to come back when she saw the course was Ancient Valyria. The only topic she struggled with. To make it worse, the class was filled with students of all years and she would have to keep up with the older students. She stood outside the door trying to collect herself, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths.
“Excuse me?”, she heard a baritone voice speaking behind her.
Rhaena felt rude, realizing she was standing in the doorway and turned around quickly.
She turned a little too quickly and her long silver locs smacking the person behind her. Her eyes met a short, trimmed beard and the redness of her shame came quickly when she looked up to meet striking jade green eyes.
The tall man whom the eyes belonged to immediately gave Rhaena a warm smile, reaching up to rub his cheek.
“Ouch.”
No words could describe the bashfulness that overtook Rhaena as she tried to launch into a long apology. The man held one finger up to silence her, still smiling.
“Don’t worry darling, that’s not the first time I’ve gotten a face full of hair.”, he paused to stare at her locs pulled into her ponytail. “But that WAS the first time I’ve been hit by Targaryen hair. I appreciate the experience.”
Rhaena blushed again, wanting to apologize. She opened her mouth but was interrupted again by him holding out his hand.
“Nice to meet you Rhaena.” She shook his hand when she cocked her head in confusion.
“Apologies, do we know each other?”
The man mockingly grabbed his chest pretending offense at her question.
“I can’t believe you don’t remember me. We met a while back at Hightower Gardens. Well, we didn’t meet per say but I do remember a pretty face like this being in attendance.”
Rhaena thought for a while, remembering where a man who looked like him would come from. His hair and beard dark brown with hints of red.
“Ah, my uncle’s annual charity. My Aunt Alicent insisted it was held at her father’s home that year. I’m sorry I think I do remember you.” Rhaena winced, assuming she was coming off as mannerless.
His smile widened as he spoke, “Professor Garmund Hightower, you're the first student I’ve met so far.”
He walked behind her towards the door and held it open for her. Giving her new Professor a smile, Rhaena walked in the classroom already filled with chattering students. When she found an open seat next to Corwyn and sat, she could see Aemond’s obvious silver hair in her peripheral. Rhaena refused to look at him, laughing to herself that the old her would have gone skipping towards him as soon as she saw him.
Professor Hightower introduced himself to the class and announced a quiz.
“For our first semester we’ll have a heavy focus on the languages of Old Valyria, of course this is where most of our spells are derived from. No need to worry about points or grades, it’s just a little knowledge assessment.” He reassured the class before grabbing a stack of quizzes.
“Now I could use my wand to hand out your papers, but I would prefer to go around and greet each of my students.”
Corwyn and Rhaena had been exchanging Valyrian history facts, trying to prepare for the quiz when Professor Hightower reached them.
“Corwyn, I thought you should know your aunt attended many classes with me.” He chatted with Corwyn for a minute before handing Rhaena her quiz, giving her a wink and walking to the next table.
She knew the chatter to her side was Aemond chatting with his older cousin. Her curiosity got the best of her when she peaked to see them in deep conversation. Aemond’s eyepatch was now black, different from the dark brown he wore the previous day. Professor Hightower’s moved his arm down, blocking Rhaena’s view of the eyepatch at the same time Aemond stopped mid-speech when his eye accidently locked with hers.
She quickly turned around, angry at herself for looking in the first place. Rhaena re-affirmed to herself that she’s a new person now.
I don’t need him, I don’t need him. I don’t even care about him
She was still working on the quiz 15 minutes later. Her mind was twisted in a mess, trying to remember root words and the vocab she studied over the summer. Rhaena knew from the papers that floated past her that other students were already completing it, Aemond being the first. Her morning of conviction and sureness seeped out of her when her quiz started floating away before she could answer the last question. She looked up to find Professor Hightower holding his wand, her paper now coming towards him.
She felt a deep shame when some of the other students looked her way, she didn’t notice they were all waiting for her. Rhaena cursed herself for not wearing her hair down. It’s too late now, there was nothing to hide behind and she could only lower her eyes to stare at her desk. The tall windows were covered and the projector started playing an introductory video.
“Pfft”, tears stung her eyes because she knew it was HIM. She wanted to curse herself for not studying harder. For even giving him the opportunity to see her trying so hard. She was too focused on him and not herself.
Rhaena’s anger from last night returned. She felt blessed the lighting was so low in the room and Corwyn didn’t see the single tear that escaped from her eye. She turned her brain off, staring straight ahead at the video but processing none of it. The projector turned off right as class ended and Professor Hightower dismissed them. She grabbed her books and quickly walked out the room and down the hall refusing to look at anyone.
She spent the rest of her day in the library, shaking her head every time her mind shifted from Valyrian to HIM. Rhaena spent the next couple weeks doing the same thing, feeling like a robot. Go to class. Spend time with her family. Avoid Aemond. Try to practice Valyrian.
Rhaena was the first to arrive in class every day, chatting with Professor Hightower about her grade and keeping her eyes on Corwyn when the time came for Aemond to walk into class. They acted as if they didn’t know each other. Talking to Daeron had helped calm her somewhat. He had started selling candy as well, and she snacked while she watched him count his money.
They had just sat in the Gryffindor commons when they heard the scream. Rhaena and Daeron exchanged a look, knowing the loud scream came from Baela. They ran in the other room looking for her and immediately stopped when they saw Jace looking exasperated, but smirking. His face was lit up with light and they saw Baela with her proud expression. The glowing animal above her head ran past Daeron and lifted its head, revealing Baela’s Patronus to be a lioness.
The congrats were in order since it was always a big deal to create a Patronus. Jace had effortlessly conjured his Patronus before they even arrived to school, his turning out to be a lion. Aemond’s effortlessly conjured a dragon in his first year. Daeron’s koala was conjured in their second year. And now Baela, she was so excited and sent a letter home to their father. Cregan, the best Chaser for Gryffindor, had come over to give Baela his famous lingering hugs, Jace shooting his friend a warning look.
Rhaena wanted to continue the celebration for her sister. She had run back to her room and grabbed Baela a gift, now watching Baela jump up on a chair trying to chase the lioness.
This is just one more thing
Rhaena felt horrible. It wasn’t about her; it was a big moment for Baela. She couldn’t help but think this is just one more thing. One more bullet point on a list of achievements she doesn’t have. She felt like she was always taking one step forward and two steps back. Rhaema didn’t want to spoil the moment so she gave her siblings a hug and excused herself for the night.
Rhaena had wrapped her arms around herself, wandering around for 10 minutes when she saw him. She cursed, she had been so good at avoiding him that she knew his schedule and where not to be at certain times.
Aemond had been leaning on a wall, wearing his black Slytherin cloak. A tall girl stood in front of him, rubbing his chest and smiling when she spoke to him. Rhaena knew she should leave, getting the same vibe she got whenever Jace and Baela wanted what they called “alone time”. Her feet wouldn’t carry her away though, and for some reason she wanted to see Aemond’s reaction to this girl. His hair was pulled back and his face was straight, giving away no emotion.
It’s none of my business, I don’t care about him
She annoyed herself with her curiosity. He’d been mentally blocked from her mind and she didn’t want to let him back in, but her stomach twisted watching him with the girl. Rhaena got reminded of one of their childhood activities, covering each other with stickers. She would stand in front of him, giggling while he rolled his eyes at the pink heart stickers she picked out. He always picked blue stickers, telling her it was to balance out the stupid girly stuff. They would always stand close, occasionally locking eyes and she would break it with a smile and placed another sticker on his cheek.
The girl was now leaning into him, her lips getting closer to Aemond’s when Rhaena gasped out loud. Aemond turned quickly, looking at her in shock when he stood up straighter. The girl looked undisturbed.
“Aw, isn’t that your little cousin?” She had a soothing voice and was softly chuckling when Aemond started marching towards Rhaena.
Rhaena was expecting his face to be furious, filled with the same disgust he had that night. Instead, he looked concerned and distressed. A rare expression for him. She could have stayed, endured whatever mean words he had planned for her. Instead, she turned and started walking quickly away from him.
“Rhaena! Come back here” Aemond’s voice boomed through the halls.
Rather than stopping, her speed walking turned into running, taking her all the way back into the empty Hufflepuff commons. She didn’t realize it was so late, everyone was already asleep. Rhaena sat at the window, staring out for hours and refusing to go to sleep until she had her epiphany. She had been thinking about Baela’s Patronus, Daeron’s effortless glide through school, Jace’s awards, and Aemond’s everything.
They had their gifts, and she spent her life neglecting hers. She knew it was wrong, and felt disappointed in herself but she felt like no other alternative would work. The ‘new her’ hadn’t gotten the job done. She had new friends, but achieved no accomplishment that changed her for the better. Her grades were decent but she still struggled with her Valyrian and as she was recently reminded, she still hadn’t conjured her Patronus. She thought of her forte, a strength not often used in the wizarding world but knew she could use it to her advantage if it was utilized right.
Rhaena was a darling to those who knew her. Her pleasantness was what she was known for. Before now, she had never thought of using it to get what she wants.
But what do I want?
She wasn’t willing to admit to herself something she had often thought about. Seeing that girl touching him but knowing Aemond didn’t want her hurt Rhaena. She wanted a Patronus. She wanted to show her father excellent grades and contribute in conversations held in High Valyrian. She wanted so much and knew she had to stay determined to get it all.