BY fates design

Poppy

Past tense

Dinner after the trial had been a lively affair, none of the champions had been injured, badly at least, and the thumbing excitement from the morning seemed to have only been amplified by actually watching the trial. Little eating was actually done, too much discussion about the potential options for the next of the three tests to be concerned with the consumption of food.

Draco and Blaise took the liberty of informing everyone else about how the trial had ended after their departure, detailing the moment Harry picked up the golden egg with exaggerated disgust.

Darkness closed in early, and students staggered back to common rooms to continue their conversation in the comfort of their living quarters. The Slytherin common room, was filled with gossiping teenagers, amongst them were students from Durmstrang who had found entertainment among the snakes.

Cassiopeia did not loiter this night, instead slipping away to her dormitory, alone and in desperate need of quiet. Behind her, the door shut with a soft click that echoed in the silence of her room. Everything was exactly as it had been left that morning, bed sheets crumpled, three sets of pyjamas discarded on the mattress, a half empty glass of water on the nightstand.

"You did not want to stay with your friends?" Euphemia looked over to the young lady sat near to her. Cassiopeia only offered a smile and the shake of her head.

Routine tugged at her limbs, leading her through the motions of sliding of her shoes, stepping into the bathroom and pealing off her clothes. Scalding water poured over her body, the heat causing her skin to flush like bloomed poppies, the air was thick with steam, fogging the entire bathroom like an early winter's morning.

The scent of lilies, and chamomile clung to her as she dressed, hair wrapped in a towel, a pale blue nightgown pulled over her skin. Warm light poured from the touches of the wardrobe she stood in, pooling in the dimly lit space.

Tentative fingers plucked the dried poppy from the jewellery box she had slipped it in that morning, its dehydrated petals fluttering faintly as she brought it to eye level. With the flower in hand, Cassiopeia returned to her bedroom and sat on the floor beside her bed, leaning her right shoulder against the mattress as she stared out the window at the waters of the lake. Merfolk passed by, occasionally offering greetings in sign before continuing on their way.

The hours passed, time drew on and as the hour hand struck midnight, her breath caught in her throat. "Another year," she mumble to herself, soft voice echoed off glass and brick. Her mind span, the poppy between her fingers settled atop her lap.

It had been seven years now, but those days never left her mind.

Two girls sat together in the cramped quarters of a bunk bed, at the foot was a chest, they were alone in that moment. Cassiopeia was on of them, younger then in face and age, eyes softer in their blue and kinder in their gaze.

Cassiopeia's eyes fell on Delilah as her husband drew her closer to his side. "She'll be okay." He whispered into her ear. "She is strong."

"I wasn't." Cassiopeia let her voice come soft, too quiet for unwanted ears. "I was not okay, she shouldn't see this."

"When I come back, we're going to go searching for faeries in the woods," gentle hands card through the short black hair of the younger girl, "and we can practice your slight of hand, you're getting better at it each day. One day you'll be even better than me, I'm sure." Her laughter fell like soft footsteps on a dirt path, warmed by the sun and tainted with travel.

"You'll never guess what, Hermes told me he would be here when I get back, isn't that amazing?" There was pure excitement in the older girl's voice, etched into the way her teal eyes shone and her nose crinkled with joy.