❝ i'm chaos walking . . . ❞
❝ then i'll walk with you.❞
「 Liliana Granger knew chaos like the back of her hand.
It confronted her, challenging her to find calm wherever she could.
But some days...
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❝ Professor —why am I here? ❞
⋅☾☼☽⋅
"What's going on here? What's going on?"
Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.
"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.
And his wide eyes fell on Harry and Liliana.
"You!" he screeched. "You two! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll —"
"Argus!"
Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of the other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Liliana and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.
"Come with me, Argus," he told Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Grangers'."
Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.
"My office is nearest, Headmaster — just upstairs — please feel free —"
"Thank you, Gilderoy," Dumbledore said.
The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Liliana kept her head down as she stepped forward, her stomach filled with dread. She could feel her peers' stares burn into her back, and hear all their wild questions. It was like their concerned voices had been amplified in her head.
Why weren't they at the feast?
Did they do that to Mrs. Norris?
Is that their writing on the wall?
One by one the questions chased each other around her mind. It was like they were clambering over each other, trying to be the loudest, trying to get her attention. She'd never experienced anything like it. Her heart started to pound, but not even that could be heard amidst the chaos in her head.
Someone bumped into her, and she staggered forward. She didn't recall stopping? Turning around, she saw Hermione. She had mouthed something, but Liliana wasn't sure what. The voices — they were so loud, so piercing, that it hurt.
What's wrong with her?
Is she OK?
She looks sick.
Liliana closed her eyes, trying to think. She needed it to stop. How could she make it stop? Covering her ears with her hands, she focused on her breathing. It was heavy, panicked even, but it started to drown out the voices in her head.
She didn't open her eyes until the world around her was quiet. That's when she saw Professor McGonagall, her concerned green eyes staring into her startled brown ones.
