Hogwarts

Candace
I spend the next period in History of Magic. Arguably, the most boring class in Hogwarts. I'm supposed to be taking notes on the chapter we've been covering for the past two days, but I fake it and doodle on my parchment instead. I start simple enough, flowers and hearts and swirls and stars, but my absentminded drawing turns to something else. I begin thinking of what Snape said my first day of potions last year. Slowly, I write out in fluid letters, "put a stopper on death". I don't think I can wait until my later years to figure out what he means. I think I need to learn now.

Troy
My next class is DADA. Nothing special. Snape isn't horrible because we're mostly Slytherins. However, I just hate it today. Defensive spells. I wonder if they actually work. I wonder if they can stop Unforgivable Curses. I wonder too much. It's getting darker around Hogwarts. I think this morning just perpetuated it. I get angry. Magic. It's supposed to be helpful and wonderful and mystical, but what good is it? The muggles are having fun while we're wondering if this is the year he finally takes over. We're sitting ducks in this school. But we know Ministry Approved defense spells. Just fantastic. Bloody fantastic.

Stella
The dungeon was....freezing. Like arctic level freezing. I shivered a little, picking up the pace as I made my way through the halls. The dorm room was significantly warmer, causing me to sigh with relief. Ugh I couldn't wait to get to my room, and just lay in my bed and eat my pretzels.

Riley
Apparently, tall man with lovely dark hair and equally lovely gray eyes was a figment of my imagination. None of my friends seemed to know of his existence, or his name, and I had turned to making lists of names that it could possibly be. My current guess was Logan. He seemed like a Logan to me.

Coen
"Mr. Jonasson, would you care to explain to me why you've incorrectly performed a first year transfiguration?" I look up to meet Professor McGonagall's questioning gaze. I'm suddenly the center of the Advanced Transfiguration Class's attention.
"Um- sorry. I'm distracted." I mutter quickly while preparing myself for an actual spell, but McGonagall lowers my wand.
"Transfiguration is a subject one cannot be distracted in, especially at such an advanced level. Take a moment to clear your head."

Maeve
"Ms. Loxley, you've been stirring an incorrect potion for ten minutes." Slughorn's voice cut through my daze.
"Sorry Professor, I'm...trying to figure out what went wrong." I reply quietly, feeling invisible eyes on me now.
"Well, let's take a look." He comes closer, smells the potion, and begins talking about how I was close, I added too much of something and not enough of something else and how stirring won't help I should try again next class. I couldn't hear him clearly though. I was just counting down the seconds until I could go back to the common room and be alone for a while.

Troy
"There are multiple shielding charms with different purposes. One might create a sound barrier..." Snape's voice drones on. Is there one to shield people from death?
I collapse.
I see a cauldron on fire. The room is filled with smoke. Someone is crying. I can't see anything through the fog. Coughing, crying, coughing. I'm being lifted. The smoke fills the room and I can't see anything. It's black. I'm being carried. I'm floating. I don't know what's real.

Candace
*is classing I am tired so I'm not writing her yet*

Stella
I close the door to my room, leaning my head against the door afterwards. Ow it really fucking hurt. The light hurt. The noise hurt. My stomach hurt.
It just hurt.

Cait

The door creaks behind me and I jolt upright. The fuck? I think as I scramble onto my bed. Since when do those bitches-

"Shit, Stell?" I stand up and take a few steps towards the obviously pained blonde. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever, are you okay?"

Coen

I sigh and nod slowly, exiting the transfiguration room to take a quick walk around the school to clear my head. Or at least try to.

I sigh, I stop thinking about everything that's happened since winter break. Maeve's father, the kiss, and how McGonagall came and pulled Maeve aside today... It was all to much.

I have no idea what to do anymore.

Candace

The period ends and I'm left to my own devices for the rest of the day. I don't even bother going to the common room, I seek out Snape with more resolve than I've ever felt in my life.

Troy

I wake up in the Hospital Wing, the room spinning and the smell of smoke finally leaving room for fresh oxygen. No one is doting on me, which is definitely unusual since it's me and I deserve all the attention, but that leaves me suspicious. Apparently, there's a loose student who should be in bed. That's all I can pick up before I grab a trash can besides me and throw up. Wonderful.

Maeve

I pack up my things quickly, barely looking at or speaking to anyone in the hallways. Coming from the dungeons meant I had a long way to go before I could hide, so I put my head down and weaved my way through the crowds.

Stella

I froze. Cait?

"Heeeeeeeeeey." I said lamely, awkwardly throwing up my hand in some form of awkward wave, a cheesy smile plastered to my face.
"So uh.....whats up?"

Riley

Finally class ends. I haven't really been paying close attention, too busy with my current conundrum but I am good at charms, so I'm fairly certain I'll be able to catch up tonight

Cait

I pause, trying to find the words to answer. What's up? What's up is my father murdered my mother, Troy only sees me some broken puppy, Elle can't even look at me, I can't sleep anymore, and my shit-hole of a life is finally collapsing in on itself.

But my chest is too heavy to say any of that, my throat too tight. Instead I stare wide-eyed at Stella for a moment; my absolute best friend, my little weirdo, that strange puzzle piece that never quite fit but we damn well taped into place so it's not going anywhere.

"I missed you." I breathe, my shoulders falling forward. "A lot."

(I don't know what to do with Coen and Elle right now... so meh ima do nothing unless someone wants to interact with them.)

Stella

I sighed. Of course she missed me. She’s been through a lot of shit these passed weeks. And where had I been? Moping about how sick I felt.

I sat gently next to her., careful not to touch. She wasn’t big on touch unless she initiated. I removed my hat from my head.

“I’m sorry”

Cait

I take an uneven breath and draw my knees towards my chest. I'm sorry. The words bounce around my head and bring tears to my eyes, tears which are quickly wiped away. Troy said the same thing.

I release a shaky sigh. "Don't be sorry." I look straight ahead as I speak. I can't have you pitying me too.

Coen

I circle back to transfiguration just as the class is about to end. McGonagall sees me return and seems content enough I didn't just leave her class, and dismisses us. Just as I'm leaving, though, I see her cast a sympathetic glance in my direction, as if she had some knowledge of my thoughts.

I mean, she is McGonagall, she knows everything, I think as I head back towards the Gryffindor common room.

Stella

I smiled. Ah well.
“Okay then I’m not sorry, ya cunt.” I laid back against the bed, closing my eyes to block out the sun.

“Also, when’s the last time you took a shower? You smell like socks....and pretzels?”

Maeve

I halfway home when I pass by the transfiguration room. My thoughts leap back to this morning. Unfortunately, I chose the exact wrong moment to stop, because I make direct eye contact with a shaken up looking Coen. So here we are, in nearly the same spot. I put on a small smile that doesn't reach my eyes. "We can't keep meeting like this." I try to joke around, but I know he can see right through me. He's been able to for a long time.

Cait

I crack a smile, small but genuine, and characteristically lopsided. "Yesterday morning, thank you, and I may or may not have eaten your pretzels." My voice is softer than usual, and a little flatter, but I can hear myself in it.

Stella
“Bitch you did not!?!?” I rocketed back upright, pausing for second as my head reeled and slowly my thoughts settled back to normal through the blaring whites
“Those are for emergencies only! Like starvation! Or blood sugar drops!”

Coen

We stop. She smiles, cracks a joke, but that stiffness is still there. I can't take it... I can't. It's devouring me.

"Maeve..."

Cait

A short laugh forces its way up my chest and out my lips. "Oh hun, it was definitely an emergency." I smile once more as she continues her rant, only then just noticing something strange peeking out behind her temple. I suddenly lean forward and over Stella, staring at this new thing in not-so-hidden horror.

"Geez, Stel, what did you do?"

Maeve

He looks so pained. I want to turn and walk away, hide somewhere and just never speak to anyone ever again. But just because I don't deserve him doesn't mean he deserves to be pushed away, not after everything he's done. Despite my entire mind screaming at me, I walk closer to him. "Do you want to talk?"

Stella
I shrugged.
“I got it into a fight with gravity....I lost.”

Candace

Professor Snape was walking to his office when I found him. "Professor," I call out, startlingly loud. "I have a few questions for you." He turns and sees me, his brief anger dissipating. He beckons me to follow him.

Once we're in his office, he sits, but I remain standing. It's not like I'm intimidating, but I'm too restless to sit. "You said on the first day of class that you could teach someone how to 'put a stopper on death', remember?"

No emotions cross his face as he replies cooly, "I believe potions questions would be best directed towards Professor Slughorn."

I shake my head. "He's worthless, just teaching from the textbook. This is something only you can teach me." He is silent. "So, put a stopper on death as in bottle a deadly poison, or create an elixir that will stop death?"

"If I could brew an elixir like that, do you think death would exist still?" Frustrated, I pace for a little bit. That was the answer I expected, but not the one I wanted.

"Would such a thing be possible to make?" His eyes widen slightly, my gaze not breaking from his.

"I've never tried, the only thing close enough was the Philosopher's Stone." He stops and tilts his head. "Miss Brennan, why the sudden interest?" I don't answer him, I just nod my head and leave. I have to go to the library, there are some things I need to know.

Cait

I sigh and sit back, then turn to face Stella. "Is this why you've been leaving me alone with Troy for the past few days?"

Coen

Desperately. I think, but don't say it. Not like that. "Yeah, yes." I blurt out instead. "But... Not now, if you don't want to. We can wait." But we do need to talk.

Maeve

I try smiling again. "I've got nothing better to do." I want him to relax. I take a deep breath. "I've been too closed off, I'm sorry. But you have questions and you should get answers."

stella
"Sadly yes. I'd come out more often if I could, but I had to sneak out just to get here and honestly? Worst decision of my life" I sighed and laid back on the bed. My head hurt and my stomach roiled. Ah shit.

"I don't suppose you have a bucket?"

Coen

I exhale in relief as we start to move. "It's not even about that- about getting answers." I begin slowly. "It's about... this is going to sound stupid, but it's really about communication."

Cait

I raise my eyebrows. "You're not serious." I pause, her face doesn't change. She's actually gonna vomit. In our room. "Shit, you are-" I spring off the bed and grab the little trashcan in the corner of the room and shove it in Stella's arms.