Loneliness in Difference

Chapter 14: The First Flame of Rebellion

Adelaide shot straight up in bed and toppled over onto the floor. She stared up at the ceiling panting and drenched in her own sweat. She peeked above her bed and glanced around the room. Everyone was still asleep.

Adelaide let out a sigh of relief. She shakily climbed to her feet and moved to the door. She slipped out of the room and into the stairwell. She descended the steps and to the middle of the common room. She moved to the chair closest to the fireplace. She pulled a blanket over her legs and pulled her knees to her chest as she stared at the charred wood that was still slightly glowing from the heat.

Adelaide played the dream over and over in her head. The dream wasn't exactly how she remembered the memory but it was close enough for her to remember every detail of what happened that day.

Adelaide! Let's go, let's run far away from here. Let's run away from our parents, from our siblings, and from the lives the have set up for us.

At the time the idea had seemed so perfect. They would run to the field that was close to their town, then to the next town. They would keep running and never stop. They would go where no one would ever find them. Nothing would go wrong.

Looking back on it now Adelaide could see how foolish they had been and she couldn't help but laugh at their ignorance. A life without the expectations of her family and the wizarding world was a dream and nothing more.

The wood in the fireplace suddenly caught fire and Adelaide jumped.

"What're you doing up so late miss?" A small voice asked. Adelaide glanced to the side of the fireplace where a small house-elf was standing. "You 'ought to be asleep doncha think?" What accent was she hearing? Irish? Southern? What was it?

"Bad dream?" The elf asked. Adelaide's eyes widened. How did he know? He looked her up and down. "Thought so." He was reading her body language! Adelaide narrowed and eliminated all signs of emotion from her body language.

"That was a good action though now 'cause you weren't on guard before I know you're nervous."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm checkin' on you miss, lots o' bad things are happenin' here, lots indeed."

"Who sent you."

"N'one miss, I came here on my own accord. A bunch o' us house elves decided to try and protect any students who might be in danger. Since you're out o' bed I wan'ed to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine ."

"If you're sure miss." He bowed and started heading towards the door. "Oh!" He rushed back to her and handed her a letter. "That'll be all miss. The fire should keep goin' for an hour." He bowed again and ran through a small, secret door that probably led to the kitchens.

Adelaide twirled the letter in her hands a bit before looking at who it was addressed to. Adelaide , the envelope read in her mother's handwriting.

Adelaide swallowed. Most of the time she knew what her mother was writing to her about, but with everything that had been going on and everything she didn't want her mother to know, Adelaide had no clue what the contents of the letter were.

She opened the envelope, pulled out the letter and began to read:

Dear Adelaide, I have realized that Hogwarts is on the verge of collapse as it was when Potter was in his second year. Unlike many of the families attending Hogwarts, I will not be pulling you out of your education. You can protect yourself. I am aware that Dax is missing, but I'm positive he is fine. I heard classes will be resuming shortly just in a stricter system. I expect your grades will stay the same. No matter what happens your studies are your top priority. Do not get distracted by anything or anyone else.

~Emera Fions

Adelaide read through the words a few more times to make sure there wasn't anything she was supposed to catch.

"Adelaide?" Cecillia asked from the bottom of the steps. Adelaide shoved the letter into the pocket of her pajamas before making eye contact with Cecillia.

"Yeah?" Adelaide asked.

"Are you alright? What are you doing down here?" She asked.

"I'm fine, I just couldn't fall asleep. I thought it might help if I moved around for a bit." Adelaide lied easily. "I'll be back up soon." Cecillia nodded and took that as her queue to leave.

Adelaide stood up once Cecillia was gone and pulled the letter back out. She looked back and forth between the letter and the fire. She tossed the piece of paper into the flames and watched as they devoured the letter. It disappeared completely and she climbed the steps back to the bedroom never once looking back at the fireplace.