Cloak and Dagger [Harry Potter Fanfiction]

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

          The vast amounts of homework due the next day in seemingly every class kept the common room bustling until well after midnight. Tasie managed to busy herself with a transfiguration book that had been building up dust on the coffee table for as long as Tasie could remember- When she'd picked it up, there had been a barely noticeable rectangular shape where it had been sitting.

          The four boys she was supposed to speak with had been lingering as well, although in a much more conspicuous way than herself, she liked to think. In fact, they seemed convinced that everybody already knew they were keeping secrets, and had apparently decided beforehand not to acknowledge each other until the time came to continue the discussion from the night before.

          She'd cracked a smile more than a few times, watching Pettigrew be subject to Sirius's glare as he forgot, on several occasions, that he was supposed to be on his own. It was clearly a habit he was not used to acting against- surely a sign of the closeness of their friendship. Tasie had been friends with Alexis, Circe and Kitt for just as long, but their friendship was of a different sort. While she definitely felt more at ease when wandering between classes with them, she knew that if any of them were to distinctly follow the others, a rift would quickly grow. Perhaps that was the difference- they were friends, whereas the four boys seemed more like brothers.

          Or perhaps she was overthinking things again.

          She pursed her lips, her mind wandering for the hundredth time that day to Circe. When she thought about it, it all seemed so silly. So what if some students were having fun with cloaks and secret messages? And who's to say Circe isn't just going through something personal? The idea that it was something that needed to be discussed had been seeming more and more absurd to her throughout the day, and she was becoming convinced that they were all simply overreacting. It was true that there were tensions in the wizarding world with the Dark Lord, but after Eugenia Jenkins was ousted two years ago things had looked to be taking a turn. It was mad to think that there was danger of the same type inside Hogwarts. Absolutely bananas.

          Tasie was snapped out of her thoughts as she was overtaken by a yawn. There were still a few people who had yet to go to bed, and Tasie desperately wished she was one of them. Kitt and Alexis had gone up at least an hour ago, and Circe must have gone straight through the common room when she returned from the library. She glanced up and met Pettigrew's eyes, offering a small smile before quickly glancing at the fireplace.

          She'd been trying desperately not to think about the events of the previous night- thinking always led to her doubting what had actually been said. If only she could pull off actually speaking again tonight, then hopefully she could dispel their conspiracies and she could rest easy with just smiling at them in the halls.

          "Alright, finally."

          Tasie glanced up at the sound of Sirius's voice. "That was the most irritating wait I can remember."

          "Let's get this over with, please, I'd like to get some sleep before next week."

          Tasie shifted her gaze to Lupin, unable to recall any exams that were scheduled for next week. She would have to check her notes when she made it upstairs.

          "Alright," James started, sitting down across the table from Tasie and motioning the others to sit, "I think we covered most of it last night, but the most important thing is that we agree something is definitely going on."