𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐔𝐋 || 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐔𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊✔️

XXII• Worry

Cecilia woke up the next morning exhausted yet restless. She was one of the first in the Great Hall for breakfast, not even waiting for Kristen.

She held a large mug of coffee in her hands, tapping her nails against the sides. Cecilia's eyes did not leave the door, watching what seemed like every student but Regulus walk in.

Kristen joined her and took Cecilia's eyes off the door for a split second. Kristen sighed while she made her own mug of coffee.

"I'm sure he's fine," Kristen said. "Him and his Slytherin pals probably went back to the Three Broomsticks and had a bit too much to drink. Now Regulus is hungover and safe in his dorm."

Cecilia nodded slowly, finally moving her eyes from the entrance door to her black coffee. "I hope you're right."

The two had their breakfast is silence, which was very unusual for the friends. As the clock ticked on, Cecilia's worry began to increase again. Her eyes travelled down the Slytherin table, in case Regulus was there and she had just missed him coming in.

She spotted Dirk. He was chatting to the Slytherin beside him but the seat in front of him was empty; that was usually Regulus's seat.

On impulse, Cecilia stood from the Gryffindor table and made her way towards the Slytherins. She heard Kristen calling her back but Cecilia didn't stop. Heads turned as Cecilia reached the table.

Dirk ended the conversation with his friend and turned to Cecilia. His eyebrows rose when she took a seat in front of him.

"Where is he?" Cecilia asked lowly. She glanced down the table. She couldn't count the amount of people staring at her in disgust and confusion. Kimberley Stuart showing the most amount of those emotions.

Dirk avoided her eyes and ran his fingers through his brown hair. "He's... not hungry?"

"Don't lie to me Dirk," Cecilia snarled. "He didn't come back to the castle last night. Where. Is. He?"

Dirk sighed. "Ok. He's sick."

Cecilia looked at him suspiciously. "You think I'm going to believe that?"

"It's the truth!" Dirk defended. "He's really sick so he's decided to come down for breakfast just before class. So nobody sees him!"

Cecilia didn't know if she should believe Dirks words. She sighed and got up to leave. "Fine. I'll just wait for him."

"No! Um- he wouldn't want you to be late for class. He's okay, I promise."

Cecilia looked at Dirk suspiciously again. His green eyes avoided her brown ones. Cecilia was about to call out his strange behavior but decided against it.

Upon arriving back at the Gryffindor table, Kristen shook her head in amusement. "You really know how to be the centre of attention, don't you?"

"I just wanted to ask him a question," Cecilia mumbled.

The crowd in the Great Hall slowly faded away. Cecilia stayed in her seat, determined to see Regulus this morning.

While everyone was leaving for class, Cecilia noticed Dirk coming towards her. She sighed  as he sat down beside her.

"Cecilia," he began desperately. "Go to class. Please."

"Why?" Cecilia challenged.

Dirk looked at her, his green eyes begging. "He wants you to."

Something inside Cecilia clicked as she finally gave in. No saying another word, she pushed herself from her seat.

Her and Dirk walked out of the hall and went their separate ways. Cecilia dragged her feet to the Charms classroom.

She was late to class, of course. She didn't cast her angry professor a second glance as she stalked to her desk at the centre of the room.

She couldn't focus on casting the Disillusionment Charm and was the only person who didn't cast it by the end of the lesson.

Her mind was elsewhere, without a doubt.