Edge of Reality // Oliver Wood

✧˖* 11 *˖✧

Angrily, I walk through the front gate of my high school. It honestly looks pathetic compared to the big entrance at Hogwarts. Instead of beautiful, old corridors and students dressed in their house robes, I'm greeted by small hallways with locker-filled walls and students dressed in horrendous clothing.

I can feel the presence of my yellow notebook burn in my backpack, once again reminding me of my countless failed attempts to shift back to Hogwarts. To shift back to Oliver. With a sigh, I take my assigned seat in my first class of the day: Biology. I can't believe how boring that sounds now. What once was one of my favourite classes, now blends in with all the other topics that seem meaningless to me.

The first thing I tried when my mother woke me up this morning was shift back to my desired reality. But for some reason, I couldn't do it. I tried for so long that I didn't have time to eat breakfast or do my makeup. I barely reached the bus stop in time.

And now I'm stuck here.

The day goes by in a blur as I keep thinking of solutions. Am I too stressed out to shift back? Maybe I should meditate again when I get home. Maybe I didn't drink enough water? Or maybe I was too hungry and that threw me off? I groan as I think of all the things I have to take into account while shifting. Maybe my method doesn't work anymore. I make a mental note to look up other shifting methods later today as I walk into the big cafeteria. I go over everything I did the first time I successfully shifted one again and I mindlessly walk over to a cheap, white table. It feels like months ago since I was here last, while in reality, people only saw me yesterday.

Two people are seated in front of me, happily chatting with each other as if they have no worry in the world.

               "Hi, Lizzie!" Dani says cheerfully when she notices my presence, her black bob dancing around her face while she talks.

Nova swallows the sandwich that she just took a bite of and then smiles at me giddily. It's weird to see her like this with her natural blonde hair. I've gotten so used to spotting her with a new hair colour every week that I barely recognize the girl in front of me.

I smile bleakly at the two girls before my mind easily drifts back to Oliver. What if I'll never see him again? I shake the dark thoughts from my mind. I can't start to think like that, or the possibility of never shifting back could actually become a reality.

This is some sick bloody joke, Universe, I think to myself. You let me meet the love of my life and when things are finally going right, you make everything go wrong.

I drown out the conversation my two best friends are having when suddenly a tear escapes my eye. I quickly wipe it away, but not before Nova can spot it.

               "Lizzie, honey? What's wrong?" She asks in a tone full of worry.

               "It's nothing," I answer hastily. I don't know if they will understand.

               "Don't lie to us like that," Dani butts in, "You're clearly upset. The energy you are giving off is even affecting my aura."

Oliver's face flashes in front of my eyes and his laugh echoes through my mind, making me burst out in tears. I want to crawl up into a tiny ball of sadness and cry until I fall asleep, but I can't.

Please let me get back to him.

Nova takes my hand in hers and gives it a little squeeze, and it feels as reassuring as when she did it right before the New Year's Eve Ball.

"I shifted."

               "What's that?" Nova asks me while Dani's eyes grow wide. I know that she's been trying to shift as well, but as far as I know, she hasn't been able to, not yet anyway.

And so I explain everything to them. From waking up in the warm Hufflepuff dormitory with Hannah Abbott standing next to me to falling head over heels for Gryffindor's Keeper Oliver Wood.

Then I tell them about the fact that I can't get back. Both of them have pitiful looks on their faces as they process everything I'm telling them. At first, I thought Nova would be very sceptical of the whole shifting concept, but she's actually really understanding and believes me immediately.

I cry as I explain my heartache. Some fellow students shoot me some weird looks, but I don't pay attention to them. Sorrow has completely taken over my body, leaving no room for any sense of embarrassment.

               When I gather myself back together, I speak up again, "You guys were there too, you know."

               "You scripted us into your desired reality?" Dani asks happily, "That's so cute of you."

               "Yeah. You're dating George Weasley and you've become like this whole other person now. You're much more confident and open towards other people. And Nova is dating Draco Malfoy and she has purple hair."

               "Oh my God, I have purple hair?" Nova asks, a gigantic smile spreading across her face at the thought. She's been thinking about changing up her appearance for a while now, but she doesn't have the guts for it. The thoughts that other people might find her strange or that others will judge her for it always prevent her from finally dying her hair.

               "Well, no. Last time I saw you, you had orange hair. Pink really suits you as well, by the way." Nova starts to beam at my words, but then her face suddenly changes from happiness to shock.

"WAIT. I'm dating Draco Malfoy?!" The realisation suddenly sets in. "I'm dating the ultimate bad boy slash hottie Draco Malfoy?"

"And I'm dating George Weasley? I'm-," Dani gestures to herself from head to toe, "George Weasley's type?"

"Wh-, yes! Of course you are. He absolutely adores you," I smile, remembering the two of them dancing like two lovestruck idiots at the ball.

"I should've known. Our star signs are super compatible." I roll my eyes at her comment, having heard it at Hogwarts multiple times before.

"I'm dating Draco Malfoy," Nova says again, more to herself than to us.

I shake my head then, "Girls focus! I need to get back! And I don't know how."

"Have you tried listening to ASMR? It calms the mind and if there is Hogwarts-specific ASMR, it could help with the visualising. And you have a script right?" Dani asks. It's clear that she has kept herself busy by looking up shifting tips.

I nod, taking out my golden-yellow notebook Nova gave me for my birthday last year. I slip the notebook to my two friends, who carefully read over it.

The bell rings suddenly, signalling the end of lunch break. I haven't even touched the food that's on my plate yet. Compared to the meals at Hogwarts, this food here is disgusting. The watery mashed potatoes and unseasoned vegetables are no match for the amazing meals Hogwarts serves its students every day. I grunt noisily, heaving myself from the plastic chair to walk to my next class.

My notebook is secured tightly in my hands. I'm afraid that if I let it out of my sight for only one second, I might lose it. As I walk to the next classroom, I scan over the contents of my script for the 30th time today, trying to memorise every sentence.