Circi | 2

THIRTY SEVEN

There was only one thing Lucius could do in his power that would protect Circi and, he hoped, appease the Carrows.

*

"That- that toad!" Circi clenched her fists, pacing on the grass in front of Leslie, Mica, Myrna and Rhiannon.

The four of them watched as she crossed them, stopping occasionally to glare at the letter in her hand before pacing again. Mica pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Circ," she grumbled, "babe, you're making me dizzy!" Circi stopped pacing and looked down at Mica who was scrunching her face in pain. Dropping to her knees, her shoulders slumped.

"He's bringing me home." She looked between her friends, each of them looking sympathetic and she hated it.

"Did he say why?" Rhiannon asked, accepting the letter as a response to her question. It read:

Circi,

Narcissa will be waiting for you and Draco on Platform 9 ¾ next week. Be punctual.

Father.

"Well, that's festive." She tried to crack a smile but no one reciprocated, Leslie pursed his lips and reached across Mica and Myrna to take the letter. As everyone read the letter, Circi spread her knees and sunk further onto the ground.

"He doesn't understand," Circi mumbled. She looked down at Mica, "I'm going to miss your birthday!"

Mica looked up from her hand and placed her hand on the grass between them. "He's concerned about your safety, Circ, so are we." She tried to smile when Circi met her gaze but it was obvious that it put a strain on her headache. For a moment, Circi was about to argue back with her- question how she could possibly be on her father's side in all of this but, as she held the eye contact a little longer, it was all starting to sink in.

"Are you okay?" Circi asked, leaning forward to cradle Mica's hands.

"I'm okay," Mica told her, her voice faltering.

"You're not. I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey." Clinging to Mica as they stood up, Circi snatched the letter back from Leslie and stuffed it in her pocket with a disregard for its condition. "See you later," she told the others before ushering Mica into the castle.

They were silent all the way to the hospital wing and Circi generously offered out a glare to whoever walked too close or spoke too loud.

Madame Pomfrey provided Mica with some pain relief for her headache and allowed them to sit in her office for some silence while the effects kicked in.

Mica lay on the small red couch, her head propped up by a pillow, and shut her eyes against the light coming through the window. Circi stood by the door, watching her chest rise and fall unevenly and her eyes squeeze tightly shut. Her head rocked from side to side as she tried to wait out the medicine. Pursing her lips, Circi crossed the room and pulled the sheer drape over the window and the dim light let Mica relax slightly.

Sitting on the floor in front of the couch, Circi rested her head back against the arm where Mica's head was resting and closed her eyes as well. She listened to Mica breathing and opened her eyes when she heard her friend shifting.

Mica's face was right next to hers when she turned to see what was happening.

She was on her stomach, chin resting on her bare arm and stray strands of blonde hair falling loosely from her baggy ponytail to hang past her face. She smiled when Circi looked up, her brown eyes shimmering with something Circi hadn't seen since new year's eve in their fourth year.