Emerson Wilmore was an exemplary Ravenclaw student, known for her unwavering dedication to academics and an unyielding moral compass. However, things took a twisted and deviated turn in her life after her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, was murdered by L...
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The first night back in her own bed in the Ravenclaw Girls Dormitory was rough and sleepless for Emerson, to say the very least. Ever since Cedric's death, her sleep was filled with dreams that were no longer dreams at all. Rather, they were an endless stream of nightmares about his murder. The fact that no one ever explained to her how Cedric actually died meant that her subconscious came up with multiple scenarios of his murder. The most common, which she presumed was the truth, was him dying as a result of the killing curse in a flash of green light. One minute, he was alive and breathing. The next, he was on the ground, still and unmoving.
After she woke up again for the fifth time in the early hours of the morning at about 5:40 AM, Emerson didn't bother going back to sleep. Instead, she readied herself for the day and changed into her school robes. She put slightly more effort in her appearance today, which included straightening her hair for once. To pass the time, since she was the only person awake at such an early hour on their first day of school, she waited in the common room for Olivia to wake up.
She sat on a blue couch underneath one of the many arched windows, letting the morning sun that rose over the mountains give her the natural light for her to re-read her copy of How to Kill a Mockingbird. The Ravenclaw Common Room was the perfect place for her to read now when it was quiet. She used to read at a particular spot by the Black Lake, but that was now haunted by memories.
"Em, I thought you left for breakfast without me. How long have you been up for?" Olivia finally descended from the Girls Dormitory, also changed into her school robes. She could tell from the circles under Emerson's eyes that she didn't sleep well. Olivia had a suspicion that this was a regular thing for her as of late, because any normal person would try and have a coffee to wake themselves back up. Emerson shrugged and closed her book. She was well in accepting that she was unable to sleep properly, which had now formed part of her regular routine.
"Maybe an hour or two? I couldn't sleep," She admitted. "Also, I wouldn't leave for breakfast without you. I'm uncomfortable enough with all the constant staring without having to be alone."
As she said so, a group of Third-Year Ravenclaws walked past and looked directly at Emerson as they passed. She threw her hand up in the air. "See what I mean? You'd think they'd have better things to do."
"It's better than the constant condolences at least," Olivia tried to make her feel better. The night before, when they reached the Ravenclaw Common Room, the Ravenclaw Prefects were quick to huddle around Emerson and hug her, expressing their condolences. They didn't even notice how uncomfortable she was, but Olivia could see it, plain as day.
"In all honesty, I'd prefer neither," Emerson sighed. She vanished her book back to her room with a flick of her hand. "Come on, let's head to breakfast."
Olivia was strangely silent during the walk to the Great Hall. For Emerson, it was odd that she was not talking but at least she had a reason at the moment. For Olivia, it was completely and utterly suspicious.
