Fragile Delay

Chapter 2 - Chapter Two

The sun on the next day had risen and laid stagnant in the sky, indicating it was mid-afternoon. The normal bustle of students throughout halls during the morning and evening had ceased, as they presently attended their respective classes. Today was the day lessons officially started.

Meaning, it was officially time for students to 'receive punishment', as Dolores Umbridge says.

As opposed to previous years, the atmosphere within the fifth years was one of tension, as the Ordinary Wizarding Level, or OWLs, were taking place during the end of this school year. This meant increased homework, increased stress and increased anxiety.

Although it was yet to come for another couple of months, some students were right on top of their work, a few even managing to complete assignments ahead of time.

Currently, Cecelia is dying. Schoolwork was slowly but steadily piling up, despite it only being the first day. The year was full steam ahead due to the upcoming big exams, so much so that at this rate, she might have to do her schoolwork over the next couple of breaks.

Most of her free time was spent doing homework or studying. She found the library to be her second home of sorts within Hogwarts, spending nearly as much time there as she did her dorms, perhaps even more.

Despite this, it seemed as though she were making no progress. With every assignment she completed, another two popped up in its place. Essays were sure to be her downfall, as they were an unfortunately beloved assignment given by nearly every professor in the school.

The sound of her quill scratching against parchment was starting to fray at her nerves as the clock ticked closer and closer towards curfew. The monotonous motions of writing her essay was slowly but surely lulling her to sleep, but she wasn't even halfway done.

She didn't notice when her head slumped against the desk, smearing fresh ink across her paper and the side of her cheek. She only realized she'd fallen asleep at all when she felt a hesitant hand tap at her shoulder gently, startling her awake.

Cecelia glanced over tiredly at the vaguely familiar face of Estella Woodrow. She blinked tiredly at the girl, confused as to what she was doing there.

"Um," she said intelligently, "hello?"

Estella smiled softly. "You were asleep and it's almost curfew. Didn't want you getting into any trouble."

It was then that Cecelia remembered she was still in the school library and not the Slytherin common room. She should have realized sooner—the usual warmth of her thick comforters was lacking in the near empty library. Despite there being only a few straggling students remaining in the room, there was still a low buzz of conversation permeating the room that she normally wouldn't have heard at night in the dorms.

"Oh," she muttered. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, ignoring the feeling of something sticky on her cheek that she didn't feel like identifying just yet. "Right, thanks."

Estella nodded, graciously scooping up her bag and waiting patiently as Cecelia gathered her ruined parchment and ink. She sneered down at the smear of ink on her paper where her head had fallen—she'd have to restart now.

Noticing her annoyed expression, Estella patted her shoulder consolingly. Normally, Cecelia might have gotten annoyed with her, but the sheer kindness Estella radiated made it hard to be mad at the well-meaning girl. A slight twitch of the eyebrow couldn't be escaped, though.

"Want us to walk you back?" Estella offered. Cecelia shrugged, not quite caring either way. Estella took her non-answer as a yes, corralling her gently over to a table with two other girls in Ravenclaw colors, both slumped over a book but eyes out of focus. "Hey guys! You remember Cecelia, right?"