better off | d.m.

3.dark

Potions class has always been Sage's favourite.

It is easy to understand. Following simple instructions. Thats always been easy for her. No feelings attached, just simple directions that lead to the finish line. A safe way to a satisfying result.

"Does Potter not look way too confident?" Seamus asks the group on their table. "He never was a whiz at potions. He's up to something, I know it."

"Oh come off it Seamus, you are just jealous. You were never the whiz yourself," she flashes a fake smile. "I count the minutes until you are covered in soot."

He looks bored at her jab. "I've grown to love it. Its one of my best qualities, I've decided—" his cauldron explodes.

"Like clockwork," Dean chuckles, brushing invisible dust off his bestfriends shoulder.

Sage only shakes her head and continues with her work, thankful that nothing got on her.

Professor Slughorn makes his way over. "Potions is not your forte, Mister Finnigan."

After giving proper instructions to clean, which Seamus obviously already has memorised, Slughorn calls the class off.

While leaving the room, Theo takes a hold of Sage's elbow. "You coming tonight? To the astronomy tower?"

"Yeah, count me in."

"Alright I'll see you then, Blue," he winks. Blaise and Draco follow close behind, the latter trying to play off a bright smile by chatting with his friend, but she catches it.

Why so happy, Draco?

Finn walking next to her appears to feel the exact opposite, muttering something and scowling at her best friends' backs walking down the hall.

She only rolls her eyes. Finn won't say anything to her, but she knows how much he can't stand them either for being Slytherins or for being closer with Sage.

—

Much later, Sage is sitting with Finn on a slope on Hogwarts grounds.

Its one of her favourite places in Hogwarts— far away so no one will interrupt with a sight that always takes her breath away. She is a sucker for landscapes and mountains.

Maybe, one day, when the world isn't going to shits and she is somehow still alive, Sage would live in a closed off place like this.

Every now and then she stops her reading to just admire the view, which is for sure one of the best things about this school.

Reading is one of Sage and Finns mutual interest. Sometimes they switch books, if they want a little change and discuss later on everything that happened. Right now she should be doing homework; essays and reading for class, but she would rather not, so she doesnt.

The sun is beginning to set and Sage has just finished her book. She is getting bored.

"Do you know what you're gonna do over christmas?" She asks a concentrated Finn.

"Indigo might spend christmas at my house." He looks up from the book he was invested in with furrowed brows. "With her being a halfblood it might be best. You know, all the attacks and stuff. She may not be muggleborn but halfbloods are next in line. Better safe than sorry."

Sage instinctually grabs her left forearm and gives a little groan because of the pain. Finn frowns suspiciously and she could punch herself right now.

He knows nothing about it, of course. Why? Because Sage doesn't care to tell him. She knew very early on, that she will have to become a Death Eater, even if she tried to believe it was all a bad joke.