Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Josephine feels as though she is entrenched in days of relentless studying. Almost daily, she finds herself in the library, poring over her notes, striving to etch every detail into her mind. As the impending exams loom closer, a sense of panic begins to surface within her.
The late hour keeps her confined to the library, a situation primarily due to the librarian's favor towards her.
Her eyelids flicker shut momentarily, only to snap open again. Her mind wanders to the daunting task of dealing with the horcruxes. She contemplates the idea of confronting Tom, wielding them as leverage against his reign, yet the challenge remains in discovering the means to destroy these horcruxes.
Perhaps seeking advice from Slughorn could help, though her previous inquiries about Tom might have left an indelible mark on him. Nevertheless, he likely holds crucial knowledge about Tom.
The thought of exploring the restricted section crosses her mind, despite the unlikelihood of finding more books on the subject. Alora, however, might possess some insight.
With a weary sigh, she refocuses on her book until Regulus's voice interrupts her thoughts.
"Josephine?" His voice jolts her attention.
"Hi," she replies.
"Why are you still here? It's late," he inquires, concern creasing his brow.
She gestures to her scattered notes. "Studying," she mumbles, her voice betraying her fatigue. "And you?"
"I forgot my books," he admits, displaying them in his hand.
She nods slowly in understanding.
"When was your last meal?" Regulus asks.
"A few hours ago," she responds tensely.
"Come, let's head to the kitchens, and then you can resume studying," he urges, taking a step forward.
With a sigh, she complies, gathering her things and following Regulus out of the library.
Her exhaustion is palpable, prompting Regulus to inquire, "When did you last sleep?"
"Last night," she admits, avoiding eye contact.
"For how long?" he presses gently.
"An hour," she confesses, picking nervously at her nails.
"Merlin," Regulus sighs, concern etched on his face.
"And when did you last sleep?" she redirects the conversation, noticing the weariness beneath his eyes.
"Don't turn this around on me," Regulus quips.
She chuckles softly. "Seriously, how many hours of sleep do you manage in the past few days?" she inquires.
"...eight hours."
"Daily?"
"In a week."
Shaking her head with a sigh, they finally arrive at the kitchens. Finding a table, they settle down while the house elves bustle about preparing for the next day's breakfast.
Josephine rests her head against her hand.
Soon, a house elf approaches with wide, unblinking eyes, asking for their meal preferences.
"Strawberries," she murmurs.
Regulus raises an eyebrow. "What's with your obsession with strawberries?"
"Strawberries are simply awesome," she replies, prompting a soft smile from Regulus.
Moments later, the house elf returns with their food. After thanking her, the elf gives them a fleeting look before departing.
Both too fatigued to engage in conversation, they eat in relative silence. Eventually, finishing their meal, they decide to leave the kitchens.
"I'm going to go study again," Josephine declares, but as she turns to leave, Regulus gently catches her arm, redirecting her.
Raising her eyebrows, he says, "Go to your dorm and sleep; you can study tomorrow."
"Don't tell me what to do," she retorts.
"You look like you're about to pass out if you don't get some rest soon," Regulus remarks, concern lining his voice.
Frowning, she acknowledges her fatigue but remains adamant about achieving top grades for whatever lies ahead after school, if she makes it through.
"Fine, but you better sleep too," she concedes, pulling her arm from his grip, intending to head back to her common room. However, Regulus seizes her arm again, turning her towards him.
"What—?" Her sentence is abruptly cut off as his lips meet hers.
Breaking apart, a flushed smile graces her face. "Goodnight," she murmurs before finally departing.
She leaves, this time without further interruption.
~~~~~
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
