SOLIVAGANT ─ HP & GoT [ON HOLD]

☽ Chapter XVI ☾

Thea moaned. Her head felt like it was going to explode, crack open like an egg. Surely her brain was going to melt through her ears like jelly. She had already gone to Maester Luwin to have something against the hangover -she’d rather not think about that again- and it did the job. But now. Now, amid all that noise, that blasted headache was back with a vengeance. The idea of slamming her forehead on the wooden table was appealing. Very appealing. But it would only make it worse. And people might think her crazy.

Honestly, adults sometimes acted like kids. Clearly, the madness of last night had not yet passed. She had seen Lord Umber drink what seemed like a whole keg of ale by himself. How he could stand the sound of his own voice was beyond her. 

“They will tire out, eventually, my Lady…” commented Lord Stark beside her. “It won't take long now.”

He sat in his chair, in the center of the long table of the Great Hall.  His eyes found Lord Cerwyn, who finally fell silent, fed up with whatever conversation he was trying to have with Lord Wyman Manderly. Wylla seemed to be trying to shush him, hopelessly.

Robb, who was sitting on his father’s side, didn't even open his mouth. To be fair, she didn’t recall hearing him talk all day. Not at breakfast, -well, to be fair, most of them were moans of pain and hangovers so it didn’t really count-  or at lunch or even dinner. Not since last night. He was expressionless. Maybe he had a hangover too.

Her mind groggily wandered to the conversation she’d had that morning with her loved ones. Her parents, Sirius and Fred. She didn’t call Remus, she knew he preferred to stay with Tonks and watch over little Teddy. Their pale bodies had shimmered in the clear morning light. She had explained everything to them, all the confusing events of the last days.

“Thea darling, we know… we were there with you the whole time.” cut in Lily with a beautiful smile. 

Thea’s eyebrows rose high on her forehead.

“I didn’t see you…” she pointed out, confused.

“We didn’t want you to, pup.” smiled Sirius.

His hand waved over Thea’s head, pretending to ruffle the already messy hair on top of it. It made her even more confused. How could they have hidden from her? Since she had become the mistress of death, she could summon the dead souls with a mere thought. It never occurred to her that some of them could purposefully hide from her.

“Why?”

“Your life has been so messed up lately honey, we didn’t want you to worry about us too.” James had answered with a fond smile.

Right before their departure, Fred said something to her. Something that stayed on her mind for the rest of the day. 

“We’re already here, we always will be. But there is no reason for you to get distracted by the dead.” he had paused, and added with a painful voice, “Don’t be like George.”

It had almost made her sick. Her gut twisted with a sour feeling that stuck her tongue to her palate. Maybe that was another reason why she felt so sick right now. Her nerves were on edge and there was only so much she could do to avoid biting her nails off. They ate, drank, and when all was over, the servants packed up what was left, and closed the doors behind them. Only the Lords of the North who had come and their offsprings remained in the Great Hall. The high table was occupied by the Lord of the keep, his heir, Kreacher, and herself only.

And here they were, waiting for the lords to finally remember why they were all gathered here.

“It doesn't look like it’s going to happen soon,” she commented absently.