wolf's tail ₍ ♡ ₎ g. weasley [1]

15 ㅡ ASSURANCE

₍ ♡ ₎ ㅡ E. THOMPSON

The day after it happens, they are due to get the train back home. Elizabeth spends the night awake, watching the time move slowly until the early hours of the morning when she feels it may be deemed socially acceptable to sit in the common room. She's on her way to the girl's bathroom at seven o'clock when she's stopped by Professor McGonagall, still in her nightcap.

"Oh, Miss Thompson." She stops in front of Elizabeth, hands resting on her shoulders, "I was just about to post a note under your dormitory door. Professor Dumbledore wants you to stop by his office when you're ready." She smiles reassuringly, "You can go and get dressed first, no hurry." She's guessing McGonagall saw her meltdown last night.

When she's washed and dressed she makes her way to the Headmaster's office, hopeful that shortly after seven isn't too early to knock on the door. He lets her in with a smile, though, "Ah, good morning, Miss Thompson. Come on in."

He's pottering around the office as soon as she steps in. She's obviously caught him in the middle of something: there are papers and folders piled up on his desk, some spread out across the surface. "I'm sorry, is this a bad time?"

"Never." He turns back around to her, looks at her over his glasses, "How're you doing this morning? I heard you were quite upset last night."

"Um, alright, I guess."

"You and Mr Diggory were friends, am I right?"

Were. she shrugs, "We started to talk when our classes were merged last year. We, uh, we weren't extremely close. We get to know each other a lot better this year though."

Dumbledore smiles sadly at her, "Mr Diggory valued your friendship, he told me himself when I was making the arrangements for the second task."

"I've never been very good at making friends," she nods. "He was really good to me."

"How about the... other news from last night?" Elizabeth bites her lip. "Have you spoken to your mother?" She furrows her brow. He smiles, "You forget, I taught her too."

"No, uh, I haven't had the time yet." She shakes her head, "I- I'm a bit scared of what I'm going home to."

"Your mother's always been strong, Miss Thompson - even when she was a student here. This may be a little hurdle but she'll get through it, you'll see."

Elizabeth nods, swallows thickly, "I hope so."

"Ah! Before I forget-" Dumbledore spins around to the windowsill, picking up an envelope. "On my way back over here last night, a little brown owl flew right into the wall beside me - dropped onto the floor like a sack of potatoes! It toddled off though and it dropped this." He passed her the envelope and she sees her name on the front. "I assume it's for you."

She smiles slightly awkwardly, "I'm sure there's something wrong with that bird."

He rushes back to the desk, picking up and sorting through a few papers, "I'm sure you know it's important you get home quickly today. You make sure you're on that train straight away, hm?"

Elizabeth nods and then realises he can't see her.

"Now," he spins back around, a pile of papers in hand, "As you can imagine, I have some very important things to do today."

Elizabeth nods - she can't imagine the kind of pressure he must be under right now. Still, she can't help but ask, "Professor... are we going to be okay? At school or- or home?"

Dumbledore smiles, "You just make sure you're ready for the train." He starts towards the stairs but stops himself at the top, "Oh, you have quite a few letters piling up, you know. You should probably start looking into writing back."

With that, he descends the stairs. Elizabeth feels herself still, "Professor-"

But he's gone. She looks back at the letter. That man just continues to baffle her.

₍ ♡ ₎ ㅡ G. WEASLEY

George can't help the sinking feeling when Elizabeth isn't around. She's always up extremely early on the day they go home, every year, but right now there are thirty minutes until they have to leave for the boats and they still haven't seen her. Fred tells him to go to her dorm - he'll wait for them in the great hall.

It's quiet when he walks up the stairs from the common room to the girl's dormitories - he's guessing most of Slytherin house have gone by now. Elizabeth is the only one in her dorm.

She's stood by her bed, facing away from him. "There you are," he says quietly, conscious not to startle her, "Had me worried."

Elizabeth doesn't respond, doesn't even move. George reaches out towards her tentatively, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She lifts her head quickly, turns. She blinks a couple of times, "Sorry."

"S'okay." George gives her the best reassuring smile he can manage.

She sits down on the edge of her bed, slowly. George watches as she reaches over her suitcase and picks up a piece of parchment. She hands it up to him. "Dumbledore asked to see me, said Dave dropped this."

George unfolds the parchment, running a finger over the ink.

Stop running away from the dog. We need you now more than ever.

He looks up from the letter to see Elizabeth simply staring back at him. Her eyes are tired, skin paler than he's ever seen it but he's guessing she's not eaten or slept properly since yesterday. He crouches down in front of her, putting the letter down on the bed next to her. He rests his hands on her knees, "Don't think about that for now, yeah? You don't need that right now."

Her gaze falls. Fingers coming to fiddle with the collar of his jumper and tongue darting out to wet her chapped lips, Elizabeth murmurs quietly, "I'm scared for Mum, Georgie." She looks up to him, jaw tight. "She- she's bound to have heard by now and she's going to be so panicked-" She huffs out a sharp breath, shakes her head. "I- part of me doesn't want to go back."

"Listen," he whispers, pulling his own letter from his trouser pocket, "Dad's asked me to invite you over for dinner. You can get the train back with us."

Her eyes widen, "No, I- I couldn't actually leave her, I didn't mean that-"

"No, I know, just look." He passes her the letter from his dad - the one that he and Fred received this morning because of course he heard what happened with the last task as soon as it was over. "Dad's spoke to your mum, she thought it'd be good for you to take your mind off things."

George watches as he eyes scan his dad's handwriting, brow furrowed with uncertainty.

"El," he squeezes her knee softly, "He's been to see her. You know he wouldn't lie to you if she was bad."

She nods after a moment and George rises on his knees, arms wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her close as she holds her hands on his hips. Her forehead lands rather roughly on his shoulder. After a few seconds, she whispers to him, "What are we going to do, Georgie? He's back."

George just kisses her hair.