A Broken Inheritance

Chapter 31: Crash Landing

Chapter 31: Crash Landing

The castle grounds were quiet under the veil of night, the kind of stillness that seemed to magnify every creak of a branch or rustle of leaves. Anastasia hadn't intended to leave her dormitory tonight, but after tossing and turning for hours, she'd given up entirely. She thought back to the hospital wing—how strange it was that she'd slept so peacefully there. Bloody James Potter and his relentless behavior, she thought. It must've been his constant hovering, somehow dulling the edges of her anxiety through sheer persistence.

She shook the thought away, pacing in her room before grabbing her broom. Maybe some fresh air would help. Maybe it wouldn't. Either way, she needed out.

Once outside, the cold air bit at her cheeks, sharp but refreshing. She mounted her broom, muttering an invisibility charm under her breath before kicking off into the sky. The castle loomed beneath her, its turrets and towers glowing faintly in the moonlight. For a while, she just flew, letting the wind whip through her hair and trying to shake the weight pressing against her chest.

It was only after some time, as she absently circled the castle, that she realised she'd drifted toward Gryffindor Tower. From her vantage point, she spotted two familiar figures sitting by a tall, open window—James Potter and Sirius Black, the latter's unmistakable laugh carrying faintly through the night air. They were passing a cigarette back and forth, Sirius gesturing animatedly while James leaned back against the stone, looking exasperated. Idiots, she thought, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

She hovered for a moment, contemplating heading back. But the sight of the cigarette sparked an idea. It wasn't like her to indulge in such whims, but she craved the distraction, the sharpness of smoke in her lungs to cut through the haze of her restless mind. With a flick of her wand, she canceled the invisibility charm and glided toward the window.

James and Sirius both jolted, Sirius letting out a low curse as her broom appeared out of the darkness. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, clutching his chest dramatically. "Are you trying to kill us, Gaunt?"

Anastasia tilted her head, feigning nonchalance. "Got a spare?" she asked, nodding toward the cigarette in Sirius's hand.

He narrowed his eyes at her but couldn't keep the grin off his face. "You flew all the way here in the middle of the night just for a cigarette? That's a bit desperate, isn't it?"

"Maybe I just like watching you jump out of your skin," she replied dryly, dismounting her broom and landing lightly on the stone ledge.

Sirius huffed, though he looked more amused than annoyed. "You know, you could always get your own instead of nicking mine."

"Where's the fun in that?" she said, her lips quirking upward. Sirius muttered something under his breath but passed her the cigarette nonetheless.

"Anastasia," James interjected, his tone sharper. "You shouldn't be flying alone at night. Especially not after last week. You're not exactly in top form."

She raised an eyebrow, taking a slow drag of the cigarette. "And what would you have me do instead? Lie in bed staring at the ceiling?"

"Maybe," he shot back, crossing his arms. "At least you wouldn't be risking another fall. What would've happened if you—"

"Crashed?" she finished for him, her tone light and laced with sarcasm. "Then I suppose I would've crashed."

"It's not funny," James said, his voice low, tinged with genuine frustration. His brow furrowed as he watched her, that familiar concern flickering behind his hazel eyes.

"Oh, lay off it, Prongs," Sirius interrupted, waving a hand. "It's not every day Anastasia Gaunt graces us with her company. It's not any day at all, actually." His grin widened, clearly delighted by her presence. "Come on, Ana, what's the occasion? Feeling charitable?"