"Y/n, I'm cold," Harry said, shivering in the snow, hugging himself with his bare arms. His gray shirt stretched over his chest and it barely went farther than his shoulders.
The forest of Dean has become the shelter of Harry, Hermione, Ron and you. The quest of finding Horcruxes isn't the easiest and the safest. It has been a couple of months since the four of you left 12 Grimmauld Place. You didn't want to risk the safety of your loved ones so it was for the best. But now, the four of you were left freezing in the snow with the safe shelter of a tent.
"Well, we are in the snow, Harry. It will be worrisome if you weren't cold," you replied, setting down the chairs that you were holding onto its rightful place.
Harry sighed and you saw the cold vapor that blew out of his mouth. You didn't want to see him cold so you went deeper into the tent to find Hermione's purple beaded purse. She was incredibly brilliant that she added an Undetectable Extension Charm on it. You brought some sweaters, shoes/boots, and some extra clothes just in case something happened. You found the purse, took out the blue sweater and headed outside again. Harry had his back turned to you as he was staring out into the forest with the opening of the tent. He tended to do that, something about protecting all of you, or ensuring the safety of his friends.
"Harry!" You exclaimed, walking towards him. You unfolded the sweater in your arms as you approached near him. He turned around and his face of surprise landed on the sweater you were extending to him. He smiled, adding some color to his pale face and took the sweater from your hand.
"Thanks, y/n," he replied, putting it on over his head. As he did that, making his hair a little messy than before, you looked into the forest to give him a little privacy. He chuckled as he adjusted the bottom and said, "I'm dressed you know. You didn't have to give me some 'privacy' like you intended." You laughed as you started to feel some heat on your face; you put your hand on your head and said, "I'm sorry, Harry, but I usually don't like to peep when my friends are changing." He rolled his eyes and took your hand to raise it to his face. "Thank you. I appreciate it," he said as he kissed your palm.
You blushed and brought your hand back to your side. "Let's get back inside so that we can wake them up. We have to find new information over the next horcrux before this day ends," you stated, walking deeper inside after a longing look at the snowy trees. He followed your steps and soon after you were in front of Hermione and Ron. They were still asleep but Hermione looked like she was coming to a rouse, her eyes fluttering.
You quietly sat on the floor beside her without trying to wake her up. Harry, on the other hand, wasn't as patient as you. He shook Ron's shoulder and you tried to stop him but it was too late because Ron has woken up.
"Bloody hell, Harry. What?" Ron asked, stretching as he started to wake up. He rubbed his hand up and down his face, making him a little dizzy. Harry stepped back from the sleeping bag and said, "We have to go, Ron. We have to do something that will bring us closer." Hearing the voices of Harry and Ron, Hermione started to wake up. You sighed because you didn't want her to wake up so early.
"You guys woke up Hermione," you whispered harshly. Ron decided to stop his bad humor as he saw Hermione blinking rapidly as she focused on Ron and Harry. Harry gave you an apologetic look and you went near Hermione to help her get up from the ground. She took your hand and she was still half asleep. She tumbled on to you but you held her steady. She ran her hand through her tangled hair and said, "Thanks for not waking me up, y/n. I needed some rest."
"Yep, sorry I couldn't contain these two from blabbering about. I didn't want to wake you up so early but here we are. Did you sleep well?" You asked her, giving her a tight squeeze on her arm. She sighed contently and nodded, as she started to get productive already. She grabbed some things that she had to organize while Ron started to get up from his own sleeping bag. You walked away from the tent and started to think about the long day that was ahead of you. You fixed your sweater and made your way to the frozen lake.
The snow made noise as you walked towards the frozen lake. You hugged yourself in an attempt to keep you warm as you were struggling to get near the big lake. Some animals moved about in the trees and you didn't mind it all, as your mind was in a different place.
"Hey, what's on your mind?" Harry asked, walking next to you. You hugged yourself and said gravely, "Today would've been our first day in our last year of Hogwarts. I'm kind of missing it really. We would've been in the Great Hall right now, cheering on the first years as they were sorting into their houses." You felt your voice get shaky and you stopped yourself before continuing. You looked at Harry's face and regretted saying anything at all. "I'm sorry, Harry, it isn't fair what I am doing."
"None of this is fair, trust me I get it. I wish we would have finished school like we were meant to do. I didn't mean to drag you into all of this-" Harry said, sadly. He meant every word he said and he couldn't contain the emotion his words caused him. He felt angry and sad about everything that was going on. He grew conflicted and the gloomy shadow spread across his face.
You extended your arm to his and squeezed it. You gave him a convincing half smile and said, "Don't worry about it, Harry. Besides, Professor Greasy Hair is the Headmaster so I'm pretty sure that I would rather be here, in the wild, than being in that school. Let's not get too worked up before the sun even comes up." This brought a chuckle from Harry and he stuffed his hands on his front pockets on his jeans. You smiled at him and the both of you headed back to the tent after you heard Hermione's yells.
"I guess its her turn to wear the Horcrux?" You asked, turning to face him.
He nodded and said, "Yes, which for her is really just getting crankier than usual."
You rolled your eyes and said, "Be careful, Harry. She's my best friend. Apart from that," you went closer to him and whispered, "She can hear you." He laughed rocking his head back and opened the tent for you. You thanked him and the both of you entered, dreading what would come of today.
"I can't believe we stayed for over a month in this forest and we still haven't known how to destroy this locket!" Hermione exclaimed, resting her hands on her head. You sighed as you felt the bad mood infect the whole tent. She didn't change much when she wore the locket, unlike Harry and Ron.
Ron furrowed his eyebrows and inhaled furiously. "Well, what do we do about it? You are the brains in this situation," was Ron's reply. Hermione scoffed and said, "Yes, I have to be the one who does everything without the help of any of you two. Y/n at least helps me with a few things while you are there brooding about everything." You wished Hermione wouldn't have brought you into the situation. Ron looked at you but bit his tongue instead. You walked towards Hermione not caring about what kind of remarks, insults or retorts she can aim at you. You were always going to be there for her at any kind of trouble any of you would face. That goes for the rest of them too.
"Hi, Hermione," you greeted, giving her a warm smile. You picked up the journal you had so that you can write down the effects the locket caused each of you. The journal you had brought was at least half full, with Potions notes that had no use to know now. You flipped through the pages and landed on the entry of today. You scribbled and scribbled as she was trying to control her emotions. You tried to cut her some slack because anyone would be out of their minds in her situation, so you were always careful with your words. Ron's eyes landed on you from time to time as Hermione was stressing at the other side of the tent. She tidied, organized and cleaned as the three of you just occupied some space. A couple of minutes later, you searched for Harry and your eyes landed on him reading a book on the floor. You smiled unintentionally before returning to your scribbling.
"I can't do this anymore. I have to be able to see other faces," Ron said, throwing a shirt on the floor.
"Not like we are dying to see yours either, Ron," you replied, silently. This eased some tension that was in the tent as he snickered at your reply. Harry turned to look at you and smiled at your sarcastic reply. Hermione even grinned as Ron rolled his eyes. You got curious of what happens to you when you wear it so, you flipped a page on your journal as you read at the effects it did on you. You looked at Harry's handwriting, he was the only other one who wrote in your journal. He just found joy in writing about you. You grinned and started to read what he wrote for yesterday, your turn to wear it.
Y/n is wearing the locket and I am scared for my life. She is scary when she wears it. Not like she isn't scary while she isn't wearing it and I probably should stop talking about it because I know she will read this. Anyways, she likes to pick on me when she wears it and she usually comes up with brilliant ideas. Really spectacular but kind of wish she would have some of that in her non-wearing-locket self. But, not really because she yells at something random and becomes paranoid at anything. She is more self cautious when she wears it instead of her care-free nature. I should stop writing because she is glaring at me right now and I am scared she will curse me for my horrible handwriting. Signed, me.
You giggled but couldn't help but roll your eyes at the words he wrote about you. Very charming for him but this isn't the way you liked to write in the journal. "Harry, you know I am reading the journal and it is really unnecessary for you to write 'signed, me' on it when I know it is you," you stated, making sure Harry heard you.
"I know but it adds a little bit of flare to the boring words you write," he said, placing the book on the ground and walking over to you.
"Boring words? What do you want me to write? 'Harry is even more irresistible as he is wearing that locket. Oh, how I wish I can see that locket dangling on my face.'" You replied, smiling at his expression. He rolled his eyes and shoved you playfully.
"Oh, stop it, you would like that idea," Harry said, dashing his charming smile.
You rolled your eyes and said, "Whatever, Harry." That changed the topic as you started, "But, seriously, you should stop writing it like that." He agreed as he walked away again. You got up from the ground and headed towards Hermione, for it is your turn to wear the locket. She smiled soon after it was off her neck and as you put it on yourself, you said, "And, Harry?"
He turned to look at you and snickered, already expecting a witty statement.
"I could be Satan himself whenever I want to be," you joked, hearing the click of the locket closing at the back of your neck.