As tempting as the idea was, Y/N couldn't accept it.
Sofie was leaving for the weekend to visit her parents in London, possibly stopping by Diagon Alley to do some shopping as well.
Christmas was fast approaching and on this particular day, Hogwarts was nearly empty. She understood why Sofie kept a watchful eye on her almost all the time, not wanting to risk losing another friend whether it was by distance or fate. She had tried for days to talk her into accepting the invitation. Unbeknownst to her, some plans were stopping Y/N from doing so.
As if on cue, Sofie appeared by the door, lugging her seemingly heavy trunk behind her.
"At least tell me if you need anything from George's shop, or anywhere else..." She panted breathlessly, bending over to place her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.
Her body tensed up a bit at the mention of redheads, but quickly collected herself, nudging Sofie playfully on the arm.
"Ran a marathon, didn't you?" Y/N chuckled heartily, taking the lead and pulling the trunk along the way. It wasn't as heavy as she was making it to be. "You're getting old, lady."
Sofie made a sound to complain at first, but then her laugh echoed around the corridor as she took quick steps to match her pace and walk by her side.
"Just come back safe. That's all I'm asking for."
"Maybe I'll bring you one of those aging potions they had used in Triwizard Tournament, so that we can get old together."
They embraced each other into a long hug before Sofie departed and dissappeared behind the spiral staircase towards the headmistress's study, the only reliable place where she could use apparition.
She shook her head and smiled to herself, reminiscing about that day when both of the twins had literally sprouted long white beards just because they wanted to experience the thrill of such deadly tournament.
Oh the thrill...
Her smile had faded by the time she reached the quarters, stopping by for a short moment to stare at the door that would lead to Remus's office. It was closed, and so was her room's door seconds later. She seized the opportunity and marched towards her bed, pulling his scarf from beneath the mattress and wrapping it around her.
It was easier to breathe with that woolen piece close to her. She couldn't deny it. She had it by her side every night.
"I'll always be by your side."
She inhaled deeply and walked towards the frosty window, watching as groups of students were readying themselves for last Hogsmeade trip of the year, some handing in their permission letters and some others playing around, throwing snow balls at each other.
The castle was really going to be empty.
Today was the day she could give it her best shot.
Looking around the room, she wondered why Sofie had insisted on going back to their old dorm instead of staying here. Whatever the reason was, her sudden determination indicated that she was going to find out very soon.
The packing didn't take so long. Now all she had to do was to levitate the boxes down towards the basement, slip past the kitchen elves and it would be done.
It all happened at lunch time.
Heart beating fast in anticipation, she tiptoed her way past the three-legged stools. Some of the elves were perched on them, shooting curious looks at her and probably wondering why she wasn't at the Great Hall instead. She ignored her surrounding and kept on walking.
Other than a seventh year student lounging on a table and a couple of first years scribbling notes over numerous parchments, the Hufflepuff common room was mostly empty.
Upon her arrival, two heads rose up in her direction, wearing the same curious looks she'd received moments ago. She slowly waved at them and took the stairs two at a time, relief washing over her when the familiar door came into view.
Finally.
The boxes sat in a corner for endless hours.
Over the months, thick layers of dust had painted a blurry picture on each side of the place, but that wasn't stopping vividly painful memories from flooding back to one of its long-forgotten residents. There was not a day without three of them being together. From celebrating Hufflepuff's victories in Quidditch matches to cursing at final exams. From gossiping about silly things to coming up with brilliant ideas for Y/N's stories.
They used to dress up for Christmas Balls and get ready for unfair wars, right in the middle of the place she was standing now, alone. She could still spot the initials they had carved on the front of each other's beds.
E, S and hers.
"To the eternality of our friendship."
The air was thick with the ghost of those laughters and sobs.
It wasn't the same anymore.
One of them had broken her promise.
When she rested her tear-stained cheek on the mattress, her vision was too blurry to make out what those happy faces in the picture frame in her hand were doing. Her eyelids drooped and hopefully this time a dreamless sleep consumed her.
Night had already fallen when she woke up.
There was no sign of unwelcome nightmares or visitors. However, something wasn't quite right.
She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and her fingers made a clumsy attempt to find her wand. It was too dark to see anything in the room.
But it wasn't only the darkness that was bothering her. Beads of sweat were trickling down her flushed face. It felt as if the room was stiflingly hot, suffocating in its own unyielding grip. The walls were radiating waves of heat. The curtains hung motionless like heavy drapes of fire.
The heat was too much.
Seconds stretched into eternities. She had to do something.
With one hand on her knee, she pushed the struggles aside and stood up, pacing around like an aimless ghost. With each step she became more aware of the blazing sea she was trapped in. Everything was fine, but nothing was actually fine.
Every inhale was setting her lungs in flames, igniting a searing pain that spread all over her body. Every exhale carried embers
All of it only meant one thing.
The room was on fire.
Where was it though?
Her unblinking eyes couldn't see the flames, but her whole being was trapped in the burning sensation.
There was invisible smoke everywhere.
A hazy embodiment of her inner wars.
Her mind was clouded with discomfort, her hand heavier than the the air around her. She screwed up her eyes and walked towards the curtains, trying to assure herself that she wouldn't get burnt as her languid fingers reached for the window handler.
A ghost of wind rushed in and its coolness calmed her skin in an instant. She clutched the windowpane firmly and gasped for fresh air, trying to process what had just happened.
She was losing her mind.
It slowly dawned on her. Her old thoughts came flooding back to her mind. Sometimes the wars weren't visible. Sometimes the eyes couldn't see their opponents.
She tilted her head to a side and caught a glimpse of her once-beloved bookshelf. Seven leather-bound notebooks stood there, unfazed by time and looking down at her with expectation.
She had to know about that war.
One look in the mirror, and she would have an idea who her real opponent was.
Had she lost the peaceful spirit of nightfall just like daylight?
Maybe.
All she truly knew was that very eventful nights awaited her...