11th April 2004
Ever since January she was trying to cope without the dreamless sleep potion. Aglaya knew that her mother had been right when she told her that she couldn't go on taking that potion forever. After weeks of relying on the peaceful rest the draught allowed her, she had felt more and more drowsy even during the day. However, she was still struggling to sleep and when she finally fell asleep in the middle of the night, she was haunted by nightmares, and woke up again.
This night had been particularly difficult as the season opening made her exceptionally anxious and that resulted in even worse nightmares when she had finally fallen asleep in the early morning hours. She woke up with a start, bathed in sweat, shaking, and with vague and disturbing recollections of her most recent nightmare.
What if her stalker somehow made it to the season opening? What if he was someone she knew? What if he again tried what he had already tried at the open day?
Aglaya got up and took a shower, hoping to wash away the feeling of fear. Dressed in training clothes, but already with her hair and makeup done, Aglaya made her way into the kitchen. She felt too nauseous to have breakfast, though, and simply made herself a cup of tea.
Then she apparated to the flying school for a short morning practice with Aleksandra. Although she tried to get a grip, she was tired, unfocused and struggled with her elements. Aleksandra yelled at her, making quite clear that she was very displeased with this substandard performance of her most successful athlete. The things her great aunt said were hurtful but Aglaya felt that she was right, that she had every right to blame her for being such a failure. The elderly witch didn't know all the details of what had happened in the past months and, even if she had known them, the past didn't count now. All the horrors that she experienced
shouldn't be of any consequence when she got on her broom. Aglaya knew this and had been able to act accordingly in the past. Now, however, she was unable to control herself.
Aleksandra ended the training prematurely, telling Aglaya to get some food and rest before the season opening in the late afternoon. While she was relieved that she could get off her broom and away from Aleksandra for a while, Aglaya couldn’t help but feel guilty and weak. She thought about seeing her mother, and actually walked up to the door of her office, but then still decided against it. Alyona would likely not make anything better. Nobody ever did.
Instead she headed to the cafeteria and ordered a cup of ginger tea and no food as she still felt a little nauseous. She took a seat by the window at the far end of the room. She could overlook the whole cafeteria from her place which, these days, was very important to her. She just couldn’t relax when there was the possibility that someone might approach her from behind. Nonetheless, she only spotted Rodion when he already was quite close to her table as she had been absently staring out of the window at the Volga.
@Rodion Shishkin 
