── ⲇ ──
They couldn't say for sure how long they had stayed with Y/n on the floor. But once Y/n had stopped crying, the tears dried, Fred lifted her onto her bed.
The boys couldn't stay long so they had to make their way out. Fred kissed Y/n's forehead and looked to Alicia before he made his way out. "Take care of her." He told her.
Alicia nodded and Fred hesitantly made his way out of the dorm room.
Alicia crawled into bed with Y/n, laying at her side. Y/n stared at nothing, her eyes dull and she didn't speak. Alicia covered them both in a blanket and she hugged the girl, stroking her hair gently.
"I'll stay with you through this night and the next, and the next, and the next." Alicia whispered to her. Y/n didn't respond but she nodded gently, closing her eyes.
── ⲇ ──
The next day, Y/n's friends had informed Professor McGonogall and Dumbledore of what had happened.
They excused Y/n from classes until Y/n felt fit for them. Usually she would protest, but she didn't have the energy to do it.
'Pull. It. Together.' Y/n kept thinking to herself as she was sat up on her bed. She looked down to her bandaged hands, staring dully at them.
She wanted to punch herself or someone, repeatedly. She didn't like being babied or being seen as weak and that's exactly how everyone else was seeing her.
'Are you okay?' 'How are you feeling?' They kept asking, she wanted them to stop. You have one mental breakdown and all of a sudden you're damaged.
"Hello, love!" Fred came in, with his cheery demeanor yet his eyes showed concerned.
Y/n stared at him, she didn't say anything but she scooted aside on her bed. He took the hint and sat next to her. Both of them stared at nothing as they just sat there.
Fred decided to break the silence. "Uhm... how are you feeling? Can I ask that, am I allowed to ask that?" He didn't know what the right thing to say was.
She found it cute.
"You gotta give me something to work with here, Y/n... I'm worried, we all are." He sighed. "Please, say something..."
"Harry..." her voice was hoarse from not speaking for a while. She cleared her throat and spoke again, "update on Harry?"
Fred looked at her. "He's alright, Madam Pomfrey is keeping him in the infirmary for the week."
Y/n nodded. "Okay..." she then stood up. "Wait, where are you going?" He asked. "To shower. I'm going to see Harry."
"You know, you can't just avoid not talking about it. You can talk to me."
She looked at him and smiled gently. "I know that... I just don't want to. Look, I'm fine now. I was just scared and worried for Harry, but now I'm all better!" She beamed as she began to grin.
Fred wasn't convinced. He stood up. "Alright, well I'll be down in the common room. If you need me..." He walked out and made his way down to the common room.
Y/n made her way to the restroom and she began to get ready for the day.
── ⲇ ──
Y/n made her way to the infirmary and she saw Harry sitting in his bed.
"Hey, Harry!" She beamed, walking up to his bed and she sat on the edge. "How are you feeling?" She asked him.
"I'm alright... can't say the same for my broom." He muttered, sighing softly.
"Oh yeah... I heard about that."
"What happened to your hands?" He asked, pointing to the bandages.
"Oh!... I hurt myself..." she sighed. "It's nothing, it's whatever. So, what did you want to talk about?" She changed the subject.
"Umm... well, when I was falling after seeing the dementors, I heard this woman screaming..." he began to explain. "She was saying, 'not my children' and I remember thinking to myself, 'I need to help this woman, I need to save her...'" he trailed on.
Y/n stared at him, her eyes slightly widened.
"What, what is it? You know something!" Harry said, looking at her.
"No, no, I don't..." she shook her head.
"Y/n... is it... her voice?" He asked, his face somber as he stared at her. Y/n sighed, looking down. She began to nod gently. "It is... although I don't know how you can even remember that." She told him.
"Me neither... I didn't even know it was..."
"Well... you should get some rest. I'll come by later and bring you some food." She stood up, kissed his forehead and walked out, making her way back to the common room.
── ⲇ ──
When she walked into the common room, she was met with her friends all staring at her. They all looked at her as if she was going to break down at any second.
She smiled at them. "Hellooo, ladies!" She walked up to them, sitting down on the couch. "So! The next Hogsmeade trip is coming up!" She grinned.
"Y/n..." Fred began to speak but Alicia tapped him and shook her head. Fred sighed. Alicia smiled at Y/n. "I could really go for some Butterbeer these days." Y/n said, ignoring the concerning looks.
"Me too!" Lee cheered in agreement, he decided it was best to pretend everything was okay just as she was. Y/n smiled at him. "Me three." Angelina and George spoke at the same time.
"Jinx!" They said simultaneously. The others laughed, but Fred couldn't help but just stare at Y/n.
Y/n looked to him, smiling gently, her eyes pleading him to stop worrying. He decided that maybe he should lay off and go along with her facade.
"Well, I could go for some stink pellets." Fred said, smirking slightly. "I have plans for them."
"Boys! I have a plan." Y/n said, looking at Fred and George and they looked at her.
"We give Harry the map." She said. Fred and George looked to each other, before looking back at her and nodding firmly. "Deal."
── ⲇ ──
Y/n returned to classes the next day. Her professors besides Snape were surprised to have seen her but they made no fuss about it.
Her friends insisted she stay in bed for a bit longer but Y/n disagreed. She wanted to get back to normal.
She didn't want to seem weak or fragile.
It was frustrating that that's how her friends and professors saw her.
Every once in a while they would throw concerning glances at her but she pretended not to notice them.
Professor Lupin had returned to work. He told them that they didn't have to do the essay but Y/n had already done it. She sighed, "precious time wasted."
── ⲇ ──
As she was about to walk out, Lupin called out to her, "Y/n, come. I'd like to talk to you."
Y/n turned and walked up to Lupin's desk.
"I was told you wouldn't be in class today." He said, looking at her concernedly.
She sighed. "It's nothing, Professor." He motioned for her to sit down and so she did.
She then looked at him. "Yet, I wasn't told you wouldn't be in class." She crossed her arms. "You left us with Professor Snape."
"Yes, yes, I apologize." He muttered. He then chuckled. "You have a way of turning the conversation around."
"One of my many talents." She shrugged, chuckling softly.
"I heard about Harry." He said. "Yeah... terrible things, those dementors..." she sighed.
"Yes, they are." Lupin nodded. "Well, I wouldn't want to keep you from your next class. Off you go. And do take care."
She stood up and nodded. "I will, Professor and I suggest you do too. You look like you haven't ate in a while." She began to walk away.
"You remind me of your mother." He sighed, just loud enough for her to hear. She quickly glanced back. "You—"
"Oh, hey Y/n!" It was Ron. Their class was about to begin. Y/n looked at him. "Hey, Ron! I should hurry up and go." She walked out the classroom and ran to her next class.
She managed to get there in time but she couldn't focus on the lesson. She wanted to know the extent of Professor Lupin's relationship with her mother and if he could tell her any stories of her parents.
She decided she'll ask him someday. She needed answers and she was going to get them.