misguided ghosts ~ r.j.l

𝐈𝐕.

TW: underage drinking.

The Great Hall was always quite noisy during the Welcoming Feast. Students buzzing about their summers, and how excited they were for the new school year. Aurelia went with Pandora to the Ravenclaw table, while the boys took their separate way, to the Slytherin table.

During the sorting, the noise was the equivalent of flicking a light switch. It was silent for a second, and then there was the screams of applause that would come from the different houses, depending on what each first year got, and then silent again, as everyone listened in anticipation. Aurelia's head was pounding as it was, and the constant flickering of noise was not helping the case at all.

After the sorting was over, Professor Dumbledore shuffled to his podium, most likely to spew some nonsense about how help is always available at Hogwarts, and something about light and dark, and such. Everything that man said was taken with a grain of salt by Aurelia. Help was available at Hogwarts if he deemed you worthy of it. That's what she always thought.

Aurelia sighed, placing her head on the table, not touching the food in front of her, just trying to ignore the awful headache she had. She really just wanted to go to sleep. Too much was on her mind.

"Aurelia? Did you hear me?" Pandora nudged her.

"Sorry- no- What did you say, Dora?" Aurelia lifted her head up, almost dipping the sleeves of her robes in the plate in front of her.

"I asked if you were okay, Elia... You haven't touched your food- you've been off ever since the trainride." Pandora frowned a bit, worried for the wellbeing of her friend.

Aurelia sighed, "Yeah- I'm okay. I just have a headache is all. Tired." she nodded, reassuring Pandora.

Pandora frowned a bit, seeing right through her. Aurelia was far from okay, but she'd never admit it. "Ah- Do you need anything? Do you want me to take you to Madam Pomfrey-?"

"No." Aurelia cleared her throat, smiling, insincerely. "No- It's okay. I'll be fine."

"O-okay.." Pandora tilted her head, her voice had a comforting tone to it. "Well, I hope you feel better soon... because you know Barty will never let it go if you miss the party later-"

"Ugh- who even thought of that? A party on the first night back? It's so late already." Aurelia rolled her eyes, having the urge to bang her head against the table, but refraining from doing so. "Why do we have to go anyway? It's in the Slytherin common room. We're not even Slytherins."

"Our friends are Slytherins." Pandora took a pause, before sighing. "Well- Barty's a Slytherin. I don't think Evan and Regulus really count, they're our brothers." Pandora continued rambling about their friends, and who actually count as friends and who is just an acquaintance.

Aurelia was slightly listening, tuning out every few words. That was until Dumbledore began speaking again, "Well then, off to bed! Chop chop!"

As Aurelia and Pandora walked out of the Great Hall, they were ambushed by Barty and Evan, Regulus following, just not as energetic. Barty grabbed onto Aurelia's shoulders, making her jump.

"Fucking hell, Crouch!" Aurelia sighed, shrugging the boy off her shoulders.

Evan laughed, while Barty smiled. "You're both coming still right? Don't worry, we'll get you in! We always do." he winked.

Aurelia huffed, stopping for a second to allow Regulus to catch up a bit. He looked up and noticed the tired expression on his sister's face.

He cocked his eyebrow, the corners of his mouth falling slightly. "Aurelia? Are you feeling okay?"