hp, mirrorball

- chapter 24. a loss of friends

❀ 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞-𝖋𝖔𝖚𝖗. 𝖆 𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖘 𝖔𝖋
𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖘 ❀
🌙

      THIS isn't how anyone imagined their second year to go. Especially Esme. Quickly, after the duelling club, noise had spread about Harry being the heir to the Slyhtherin throne, causing looks to be given as he walked down corridors and for people to whisper in the corners as he passed. But Esme always told them to keep walking. His friends tried hard at making sure he was distracted, or even make jokes about it.

It didn't always work. In the first lesson of the day, the looks and stares were so bad, he walked out, despite McGonagall calling his name.

Once the lesson was over, his three friends were ready to chase after him, but McGonagall called Esme back.

"Miss Coax," she started, taking off her glasses and looking at the girl who stood in front of her "May i ask you a question?"

      "If it has anything to do with the cupboard in the abandoned class room on the fifth floor then no." Esme told her gravely.

McGonagall averted her gaze "No it is not about that, it seems Peevs had already uncovered it," she informed her as Esme sighed "It is about William Pruitt," she said and Immediately Esme paid close attention "Are you friends with the boy? only i've seen you speak with him once and you live in the same village."

Esme weighed it up, they spoke, never a very long or great conversations and she was sure that if William would hate to be considered a friend of hers "That's a difficult question, on many accounts," she joked but saw her serious look "We speak yes, he may not use the term friends, why?" she wondered.

Minerva looked to her eyes and sighed heavily "You best come with me."

So Esme followed her through the corridors as students looked, wondering where she was going with the deputy head of the school. Even Esme wondered where they were going, and what this had to do with William. When the hospital wing came into view, Esmerelda was immediately filled with dread. Something had happened.

      "I'm sorry for what you're going to see, and it might be disturbing." McGonagall told her and opened the door.

Esme first noticed the curtains around the bed Colin Creevey was still in, the boy who had tried many a time for a picture of her- with her which she never got around to. But her eyes drifted to the bed that held a new body, a new frozen body. Her feet moved before she could comprehended where they were going.

On the bed, arms thrown over his head in an attempt of a shield was a pale looking William. She laid her hands on the edge of his bed and stared up at him.

      "I wrote to his Father, I didn't know if he had any friends, I didn't know who to alert." McGonagall explained, only seeing the back of Esme. The young girl stayed silent for a prolonged moment.

      "When did it happen?" she asked.

     "Last night, Harry found him." McGonagall told her.

Esme didn't think for one second Harry might have been behind these attacks, there was no way he could be, he was just, unfortunately always in the wrong place at the wrong time "Oh." Is all she got out at the time.

McGonagall watched as Esme made her way around, planting herself on the chair positioned next to his bed "Are the two of you close?"

Esme hesitated "Not really, but thank you for telling me Professor." She smiled.