VIRIDI INVIDIA | harry potter | avengers

14

14; I hate nosy redheads

Snow still falls outside of Hogwarts, six days after the small group of witches and wizards attempted to locate Chastity.

Draco sighs, poking at the food on his plate. Blaise watches him in confusion. He never acts like this.

Pansy, oblivious to Draco's mood, throws herself all over him, much to the young Malfoy's annoyance.

Harry is also acting strangely, although his friends already know why. Hermione watches him sadly.

"She'll be fine, Harry."

"And how do you know, Hermione?" He shouts angrily; drawing the attention of several students around him. He lowers his voice slightly, "the last we saw of her she was thrown through a building and then proceeded to say 'I'll be back if I don't die'. How is that any proof of her being okay?"

Hermione doesn't answer. Instead, she lowers her gaze to her mashed potatoes and copies Harry, poking at them.

Unbeknownst to them she is alive and well... ish, and walking towards the Great Hall right this second.

She and Snape chat as they walk, in a sort of friendly manner. The older man notices the limp in her walk and recalls what he was able to witness. It is to be expected really.

"Did that happen when-"

"I got thrown through the first wall? No, I got shot in the leg. Lots of enhanced abilities, a healing factor isn't one of them."

Snape frowns.

They enter the great hall together and the professor escorts her to an empty place at Slytherin's table, close to the door.

No one seems to notice her sudden appearance, bar McGonagall and Dumbledore.

The aforementioned woman looks to the headmaster and frowns suspiciously. Ever since Chastity arrived at Hogwarts he's been acting strange. Well, stranger. He inquires often about how she is doing in class and whether or not she's made many friends. Not that McGonagall would know anything outside of her transfiguration classroom.

Snape would never tell him.

Chastity sits in silence, ignoring the thrum of constant chatter and magic in the air. She lost her appetite as soon as she apparated across continents.

'You seem upset, my darling. What is it?' Her father's voice rings through her mind.

'Just missing home already. I barely got to spend any time with you guys.'

'You don't have to stay, love.'

'I know, but I came back. Might as well see it through.'

○○○○

Hermione spotted Chastity as soon as she walked in. She was limping, a grimace on her face, and bags under her eyes. She hasn't been sleeping.

In all honesty, despite knowing the potentially fatal circumstances, Hermione was glad to be rid of Chastity for a while. Not only did she have the undivided attention of the teacher's back, but Harry and Ron as well.

In her absence, they clung back on to Hermione's intellect for support and comfort.

Ginny agrees. As soon as Chastity walks in, it's like she's a phantom to Harry. She can't even turn his head when she's around.

How unfortunate for them, then.

○○○○

The night draws nearer as the students are sent back to the common rooms to prepare for bed.