I hope our story has a happier ending

tired, lifeless eyes

[***TW****
some dark SA related scenes in this one:

-at the end of the legilimency scene (italicized and in one chunk in parentheses)
-as well as ESPECIALLY in the last scene (where Harry and Draco find Mia drinking alone in the RoR)

if you're sensitive to SA you can def skip it (plot wise you'll know from context so no worries there), and I promise this is as dark as those themes will get in the story—from here our girl will be working her way to healing]

As soon as the morning post arrives, the Great Hall is abuzz—and the whispers only grow louder as the day goes on, people across the school devolving into hysterics.

By the time the ASA meeting starts, Harry looks ready to fight a basilisk again if it would stop the insanity; attendance is the best it's ever been, though Neville is noticeably absent, and the number of people plus the intensity of their panic makes for an overwhelming amount of chaos. "Okay, can we—before we start, let's just take like ten minutes to talk about this and see if we can calm down a bit."

Ernie Mcmillan snorts. "No offense, mate, you're a good teacher and all, but I think there's very little you could say that would be helpful right now."

"He has a point, Harry," Ginny says with a scowl, as though she resents agreeing with the prat. "It's hard to feel safe anywhere with Bellatrix Lestrange on the loose. That woman is...I had nightmares of her for years when I overheard my parents talking about some of her crimes as a kid."

"Not to mention she's batshit insane so nothing will stop her," Cho Chang adds. "Normal people—even bad people—they stop if there are witnesses, or if there are repercussions, that kind of thing. But Bellatrix has genuinely no regard for her own life or safety, so nothing stops her. The kind of damage she's capable of..."

Harry tugs at his hair. "I admit the situation is—shit. But that just means what we do here is even more important."

"Harry's right," Hermione says with a sigh, getting to her feet. "Maybe what we do here won't make a difference if we're up against her. But maybe it will. And even if the odds we're able to fight her off are slim, I'd rather slim odds than none." She tilts her head, cracking her neck before continuing. "Not to mention, this is—big. You all know about the dementors attacking Harry over the summer; the Ministry tried to brush it under the rug, and claim it was nothing. But this is proof that something bigger is happening—proof that the dementors, at least some of them, have aligned with Voldemort."

"Fudge still won't acknowledge it," Dean mutters. "He'll claim a fluke, or an outside accessory—hell, if Sirius hadn't been cleared, probably would've blamed him."

"And a lot of people will believe him," Hermione acknowledges. "That's how history goes. But not everyone will—some people will see and understand, will begin taking it seriously. This is—the start of something bigger than just us."

Dean motions in question, as if asking if it's okay for him to speak to the room, getting to his feet when Hermione nods. "One more thing. If you'rescared because the mass murdering lunatic who helped to lead the Death Eaters is on the loose—imagine how those of us who are muggle born feel. If we lose this fight, your lives look different—but ours end."

"Well-put, Dean," Hermione says, squeezing his hand in solidarity.

The rest of the meeting is charged with the same fervor—the same heightened tension and immediate sense of urgency at mastering the spells they've been working on.

(The prison break—this makes it real, that war is coming.)

(That if they're not ready they'll pay the price in their own blood.)