Pragma // s.b.

22

****

There is no better feeling than that of waking up and having no memory of the previous day. You can lay there for a blissfully bleary eyed moment, content with the world. But, then you remember why you didn't sleep at all the night before, why you went to bed upset, and the ominous task you had set for yourself that day. As I lay face down in my bed, I tried to think reassuring thoughts. It was going to be worth it in the end, I told myself over and over again, because I would know the truth.

    Another voice floated into my head. "You're gonna lose them either way", it seemed to taunt, "If you're right, they are insane and you made a horrible decision befriending them. If you're wrong they'll hate you for believing something so horrendous about them". I pushed the thoughts out of my head and myself out of bed. Today was going to happen no matter how hard I tried to stop it, and I might as well face it.

****

    Morning classes passed quickly, none of which we had with the Gryffindors. Lunch went by, and still no sign of the four boys. As the afternoon classes melted away, my nerves grew. I was tired of psyching myself out. I had thought of a million different ways to try to bring up my pressing question to James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. None of them were good, or even close.

    "Are you excited about tonight?", Amber's cheerful voice broke through my thoughts as we exited the Divination tower. "What's tonight?", my eyebrows drew together. She let out an exasperated sigh, "The Halloween Feast, duh!". I let out a drawn out, "Oh!". Of course it was Halloween. I had completely forgotten in the aftermath of Ronan and I's fight and my decision to confront the guys.

"I bought us all matching cat ears to wear to the feast and I don't care what you say, we're wearing them", Amber said with a huge grin. In all honesty, wearing a pair of silly cat ears was the last thing I wanted to do at the moment, but I looked at Amber's beaming face and knew there would be no use arguing. I lifted one side of my mouth, "It's Halloween, we have to dress up!". She nodded vigorously and broke into a long speech about how she had spent 30 minutes having to convince Olivia that it was a good idea.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and I made up my mind. I would talk to them before the feast. I would have to go find them now, or it would never happen. "Where are you going?", Amber looked at me quizzically as I was beginning to turn right where we usually turned left on the way to the Hufflepuff common room. "Oh, um", I said, unsure of what to say, "I've gotta grab something before the feast". She nodded and waved goodbye, then called, "Don't forget to get your cat ears from me!". I forced a smile and turned around so I could see her retreating backwards towards the basement where our dormitories were, "Will do!".

****

I had been wandering the castle for a full hour, and time was running out before the Halloween feast began. I made my way past a cluster of giant decorative pumpkins and let out a frustrated groan. Where were they? I had gone to the library, around the grounds, even waited outside the Gryffindor common room for an uncomfortable amount of time. It was like they had completely vanished off the face of the earth. They had to be somewhere in the castle, right?

I paced back and forth, students beginning to pass me on their way to the Great Hall and the feast. I stopped moving. Okay, all students were required to be at the feast right? So, that meant if I waited outside of the Great Hall the four boys had to show up at some point and I could get some closure finally.

I inhaled and fell in behind a group of 3rd year Slytherin girls. When we reached the doors leading into the Great Hall, I paused. Now, I wait. I took in my surroundings as I stood there. The decorations were very over the top, but quite effective. Spiderwebs stretched from floor to ceiling, pumpkins the size of horses lined the hall, black candles dripping with swirling wax floated overhead. The ghosts floating in and out, a normal occurrence in Hogwarts, further added to the spooky atmosphere.

"There you are!", Amber ran up, startling me. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, a pair of sleek black cat ears perfectly perched on top. She dragged Liv behind her, who was also sporting a pair of ears on her long straight dark hair. She looked much less enthused to be wearing them. "Hey, Bri", she said in a flat voice.

"You never came and got your ears!", Amber called, "But I brought them, don't worry!". She pulled out yet another matching set of cat ears, and secured them on my wavy hair. "Thanks", I smiled, then glanced at Liv and winked. She shook her head and mouthed, "Have you talked to them yet?". I shook my head no and she nodded. "Let's go sit!", Amber let out, grabbing Liv's hand, "See you in there Bri".

I waved, and as soon as they were gone, I morphed back into a bundle of nerves. Groups of jovial students passed by me, the crowd growing large, then slowly beginning to thin out, until only a few stragglers remained. My stomach was beginning to growl and I was getting more annoyed and nervous by the second. Where could they possibly be? I had plucked up the courage to search the castle of hours just to confront them, and there were no where to be found.

    I watched the minutes tick away on the giant clock stationed above the Great Hall door. 30 minutes passed, then another, then another. I was starving, tired, and unsure of just about everything. I could hear the clinking of knives of forks and the sound of laughter drifting out of the Great Hall. It was time to accept what I had known for the past 45 minutes. They weren't coming. I had no idea where they were, but I knew for sure it wasn't the Halloween Feast.

My feet ached from standing and I figured that if I went in now there would at least be some dessert left out on the tables. I moved slowly closer to the door and was reaching out to open it when suddenly it was suddenly flung open. Sharp pain burst through my cheek and I let out a loud gasp. "Oh my God. Are you okay?", a deep voice sounded from somewhere above me. My vision was blurred and flashing stars floated across the room. A figure squatted down and leaned towards me. I didn't remember falling, but I suddenly became aware of the cold stone floor under me. I pushed myself up into a seated position.

A deep, melodic laugh sounded from the mysterious figure bent down in front of me. "Nice cat ears", it said, reaching up and straightening them. I blinked a few times and my vision began to clear. In front of me sat a very, very attractive guy in crisp Ravenclaw robes. His skin was tanned and his light brown hair was heavily styled so it swooped up and back. His eyes were shockingly blue and I couldn't help but stare.

"Let me help you up", he said, seeming to sense that I was becoming more aware of my surroundings. Without waiting for a response, he wrapped one strong arm around my waist and the other under my knees, lifting me up bridal style. I was dazed and I was slightly shaking. Whether it was from the possible concussion from being hit in the face with a door or the feeling of the mystery guy's hands on me, I couldn't tell you.

"Let's get you to the hospital wing", he smiled down at me. I nodded weakly and tried to say something, but nothing could make its way from my brain to my mouth. He didn't set me down, just began moving swiftly down the hallway with me in his arms as if I weighed nothing. He looked down at me and I grinned loonily. His perfect lips curled into a smile, "I'm Calum, by the way. Calum Archer".