Hogwarts

Troy

"At least she talks about it." I comment as I see her walking towards the door, hoping to get a reaction.

Maeve

"But I'm a lot. I don't want to be a lot, I don't want to be noticed, I don't want people thinking I'm hard to be around because I can't take compliments or say something nice about myself." I lay down flat on my couch, my head closer to Coen's chair and I look at him upside down.

Stella

“Yes I am. Thank you for noticing.” I look ahead and see that we’re at the door to the hospital wing....and there’s Madame Pomfrey, with a glare that could stop a heart.

“Hellooooo maaaadame.” I begin, offering a wide smile.

It doesn’t get me far.

“Bed. Now. I will check on you in two minutes and you best be in it when I get there. Am I understood?”

I swallowed. “Crystal.”

Elle

I stop. Blink. I turn abruptly to face the voice, blinking, blinking, blinking far more than I'm used to. I walk slowly and evenly to the foot of Troy's bed, stare into his deep, grey eyes. My voice is no more than a whisper. "I can't." My shoulders crunch in on themselves, my back hunches over, my head drops. "I-" something catches in my throat, something cold and dry and desperate. "-I can't."

I close my eyes for a moment, one moment, and then push myself upright. I roll back my shoulders, straighten my spine, lift my chin. I stop blinking, suck in a deep breath, and walk steadily out of the infirmary.

Cait

I stand in awkward silence as the exchange between Stella and Madame Pomfrey occurs, unsure as to whether or not she would decide to tear into me for being some accessory to my best friend's grand escape. But then the large infirmary door creaks open and out steps my sister, walking straight away from it with the composure of a Queen. My eyes lock on her- though her's don't stray a millimeter from her path- as she walks away.

"Elle-" I call, my voice catching in my throat. I let go of Stella and hand her off to Madam Pomfrey- who was more than happy to oblige- and call out again. "Elle!" I take a few steps towards her, but she doesn't falter. No, not again. I think, sprinting after her until I catch up. "Stop, c'mon." I plead, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around to face me.

Coen

I grin slightly at Maeve's newest position; upside down suits her, shows off the brilliant red of her hair. "You know, actively trying not to be noticed doesn't actually make people notice you less- it probably makes people notice you more." I point out. "All that self-pity and brooding attracts much more attention than, you know, happiness would."

Maeve

"I'm a sixth year, and you're a seventh year. Happiness is more of a first to fourth year kinda thing." I tease, making an over exaggerated face of disgust. I reach over to the table and grab a biscuit, casually eating it.

Troy

I sit up straighter as Elle starts to cry. She needs help, she needs more help than she's getting. Both her, and Cait. She leaves, and I force myself out of bed. I go to follow her out of the door, when I see Cait and Stella. Wait, Stella? She looks pale and tired, and the way Pomfrey is talking to her, I work out that she's sick. That's when Pomfrey sees me out and about. "Excuse me, Miss Armos. Mr. Bardell, bed. Now. I will not have two students leave before I excuse them. Besides, I have someone who will be down to talk to you soon." She goes back to Stella, while I trudge back to my bed.

Stella
I’ve settled myself into a bed all the way at the end of the infirmary when Madame Pomfrey comes back.!
“I hope you enjoyed your little field trip, because for the next two days you will be under constant supervision, and you will not be leaving this bed, I can’t even begin to imagine what you were honk you were doing, but I do so hope that-“ she stops her tyrade halfway through, realizing I am only barely awake, barely listening, and barely aware of anything outside of the pain in my head.
“Get some rest.” She finishes “I’ll check on you in a few hours.”
And with that I slip off into sleep.

(I'll type for Cait and Elle in a bit- they're by themselves anyways.)

Coen

I can’t help but chuckle as biscuit crumbs fall from Maeve’s face into her hair, and I lean over to brush them out. Her eyes widen at the gesture and her already red face deepens another shade. I grin and lean back into my seat. “Ah, see, you’re confusing happiness with energy.” I say. “Energy, yes, inevitably deteriorates over time. Happiness, however, has no reason to.”

Maeve

I sit up, smoothing out my hair, hiding my face (and my smile). "You suck...making me embarrassed and stuff..."

Troy

I was about to talk a certain friend of mine, whom I haven't seen yet this semester, but she went to sleep...like a bitch. That must be remedied. I start repeatedly poking her. "Stella!" I harshly whisper with each poke.

stella

My head is killing me, and, for the most part, I'm pretty numb to my surroundings.

The key word here is "for the most part."

It started with what sounded like harsh whispers. Then the whispers formed into my name. Then there was a series of sharp jabs over a majority of my body. My arm. My hip. My ribs. And with an inpatient, annoyed growl, I'm back in the world of the living.

"The fuck do you want?!?!?!?"

Riley

Classes had ended for the day, so I had gone back to my room for a nap. At least that's what I told myself. What I was really doing was sitting on my bed, creating a list of possible names. Was this obsessive? Meh, probably. But so was I, and I wasn't about to stop now.

I got so immersed in my "work" I didn't hear Marc sneaking up behind me. The bastard.

"whats this?"

uh oh.

Coen

I raise an eyebrow. "Embarrassed, huh?" I flash a grin. "Not quite what I was going for. Perhaps reflective, contemplative, poignant even... But embarrassed?" I huff out an exaggerated sigh.

Maeve

I turn back towards him, and lean in slightly, resting my arms on my thighs. "Is that what you want me to say?" I bring my voice up higher than usual, and motion with my hands over dramatically as I mock myself, "Oh Coen the Wise, you have enlightened me with your poignant words. Leave me be so I may reflect contemplatively on your insightfulness."

Troy

"I was offended, you haven't said hi to me at all since we got back to school. And now you're apparently injured? And you didn't tell me? And since when do you sneak out of places? You're supposed to be the reasonable one! If you start acting like Cait too much, no one will be able to stop us from blowing shit up!" I rant with my expressive arms flailing.

Stella
“It’s a sad state of affairs when I’m the reasonable one.” With a huff, I lifted up onto my elbow. “And since it appears to have upset you so much; hi. There. Can I go back to sleep now?”

Riley

“Nothing.” I said plainly, hoping to hide the hitch in my voice. Who wouldn’t know as long as I kept calm. Confidence was key to getting away with anything.

“Nothing?” His tone indicated he wasn’t buying it. “You’re sitting here making a list of names because....nothing?”

“By Nothing, I meant nothing to do with you.” I shot back, “now if you don’t mi-“

“is this about that slytherin guy?”

That stopped me in my tracks.

“What are you-“

“Come on Ri.” Marc sighed, dropping onto my bed. “I know. Liam knows. Coen knows. Pretty sure even Maeve knows, and we’ve only been friends with her for like, four minutes.”

It was my turn to sigh. I started to crumple up the paper.

“It’s just a silly crush.” I stated sadly. “He’ll be sick of me by tomorrow.”

“You’re seriously not taking that cocksucker Ben at his word are you.” Marc nudged me, but I couldn’t meet his eye. He groaned.

“God you are such a fag. Riley, he was jerk and he used you. And it was horrible. But don’t let that effect this guy now. He might genuinely be interested in you. At least give him a shot.”

A smirk quirked up on my lips. “Well, he did say he’d take me on a date if I could guess his name.”

Marc grinned broadly. “Ahhh so that’s what the list of names is for. Well then, as your best friend, I have made it my mission to help you discover mister y’all Dark and handsom’s name. Now where do we begin?”

Troy

I lull my head over to look at her. "Really?" I match her huff and look at the ceiling. "I would appreciate some information, like the status of your mental and physical wellbeing since we are in a hospital wing." I gesture around me, then pause. "But fine. Its clear you'll be friendlier in the morning." I give her a sarcastic smile. "Not that you ever are..."

Stella
I lowered myself back down to the bed, head turned to gaze at the ceiling.
“My mental health is the same as always, and by that I mean virtually non existent. My physical healthy however,” I paused here, feeling out the best way to continue. “That’s a little worse for wear.”

Troy

"Well, that narrows it down..." I let her continue.

Stella
It’s easier to just show him at this point. I gather up my hair, parting it at the middle and pulling until it’s sitting in a messy bun at the top of my. From here it should be easy to see the scar, and from their extrapolate what I mean by worse for wear.

Cait

"Cait, we've already done this." Her voice is almost light, airy, almost... Far away. Like it's not coming from her. Something's different I realize darkly. I had seen her walking around, surrounded by a group of gossiping Hufflepuffs and... Rory doting behind. She was always laughing and talking and smiling, her back straight as a board and her chin parallel to the floor.

But now something was off. (TBC b/c I can't right now)

Coen

"Yes, exactly." I joke. I can't help but smile at the lightness of her voice, the bright gleam of her eyes. I don't think I'd ever seen her so... so simply happy. Nothing quite so extreme as unadulterated joy, but a simple happiness nonetheless.

Maeve

"Well, if you ever hear those words come out of my mouth again, I can tell you that something is very, very wrong." I pick up another snack and bite into it, matter of factly.

Troy

"You mean to tell me that you are recovering from serious brain trauma and you're sneaking out of the hospital wing?" I throw my arms up exhaustedly. "I give up. You can't be the reasonable one. Dammit it has to be me then. Oh God how on earth are we going to survive with me as the parent friend?" I mutter.

Stella
“Cait was in crisis. That was more important.” I said quietly.

Troy

"Shut the fuck up." I look at her with disbelief and hurt. "Look, right now a lot of things are going to shit. Cait and Elle are going through a crisis. So is half the wizarding world. You are allowed to say, 'Hey, I almost died, and I'm allowed to take care of myself and let others take care of me, because the last thing this community needs is a completely preventable death'. No one is going to call you out for it. And if they do, I'll kill them."

Stella
“Almost died is a slight over exaggeration.” I argued, before really tho king through what the doctor had said.
“Well maybe not.” I muttered quietly.
“It wasn’t just that. I’ve been bored to tears in here. I can’t go anywhere or don anything. No school work, no books. I just have to sit here quietly and every two hours or so I have to do some useless pointless task to make sure my brains still working. I can only eat, like, three things. So excuuuuse me for looking for a little excitement, oh mighty one.”

I leaned back down again, my head throbbing from excitement and my ranting, my stomach roiling in response.

So maybe some less exciting excitement