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Alora and Josephine are just arriving home, crossing the threshold together.
"You're home!" Karina exclaims, enveloping Alora in a warm hug.
Josie beams at the reunion, then finds herself pulled into Karina's embrace as well.
"Missed you both," Karina says, planting a kiss on Josephine's forehead. "Come on, let's head to the kitchen. I've whipped up something delicious."
Laughing, Josie and Alora follow Karina to the kitchen, where she serves them plates of food before leading them to the living room for a movie night.
As they settle in, Josephine tries to focus on the film, but her mind keeps drifting to Regulus.
Her nails bear the brunt of her anxious thoughts as she wonders about his well-being. Is he facing danger at this very moment?
She knows she forgave him rather quickly. But she truely believes she might die this summer. So why spend those months in pain? Why not just embrace what she truly wants and be happy with him?
The loud sound of the movie jolts her back to the present. Once it ends, she bids goodnight to Alora and Karina, hurrying to her room.
Josephine needs distraction. She wishes her mind would quiet down, stop dwelling on every worry.
Unpacking her bag, she grasps the handheld mirror without a second thought, only to hear a voice emanating from it.
"Little spy," the voice says gravely.
Startled, Josephine turns the mirror, recognizing Ara's face. "Ara? Are you alright? I thought we weren't supposed to contact each other until..." She trails off, noting Ara's serious expression.
"I have vital information. We need to meet," Ara whispers urgently.
"Alright..." Josephine's suspicion grows at Ara's demeanor.
"You are back at home, yes?" Ara's voice sounds a tad closer, her eyes peering through the mirror.
Josephine nods slowly before reaching for a map of the town. Without wasting time, she relays an address to Ara for their rendezvous. While Ara can apparate there, Josie knows she'll have to walk.
Ara jots down the address. "Tomorrow at 1 am, meet me there," she instructs before her image dissolves from the mirror.
Exhaling deeply, Josephine places the mirror back down.
"Important information," she muses.
She can't help but wonder what it might entail. Perhaps something concerning Tom?
Suppressing a sigh, Josie realizes her efforts to avoid dwelling on her worries are futile.
~~~
Josephine's gaze fixates on the clock, its faint ticking becoming increasingly annoying.
