The morning was stressful. We were all super jittery while eating breakfast together, worried that everyone knew what we were planning (even if they didn't).
Our normal clothes felt weird, even if no one was in their school robes on the weekend. It was like we all had the same crippling anxiety about getting caught in what we were about to do- even if we all felt it was the right thing.
B kept shooting me these sideways glancing and raising his eyebrows, and then I'd raise my eyebrows back and laugh. No one noticed because of loud the hall was, but Brandon sure thought it was hilarious or something.
I adjusted the the turtleneck of my white sweater that I had underneath my neon pink dress. (It's a good thing I always wear shorts underneath my dresses just in case...)
"I feel so out of place and weird. Like I know no one is looking at me any differently but I feel like they are." I shook my head, looking down at my plate of eggs and pancakes.
"They might be, love, since there's probably gossip about us." Brandon suggested, trying to calm me down still. He was so sweet.
"Yeah, it's just all of our anxiety about what we're about to do. Don't worry, Gabs." Carolyn said, sighing and trying to smile at me. Stef was sitting next to her half asleep, trying to get on her iPod touch (she demanded on bringing it for music). She would usually be on a crappy phone, but she it didn't all of the quote 'jams' that her iPod did. Stef was an anomaly.
"Look, I can play any ABBA song I want to just by touching the screen. I can barely touch my phone screen anymore!" Stef smiled widely, pointing to all the songs she had on her iPod.
"Your music is awful," Carolyn shook her head.
I laughed, "We can watch the new Jenna Marbles videos on your iPod, Stef," I joked. It would be much easier to watch on my phone, but Stef was so damn excited about that tiny little iPod touch.
"Ooo or Shane Dawson TV!"
I laughed again, "Okay, let's just eat so we can..." I looked around, sighing, "Skedaddle."
------
We all had to change into muggle like clothing- meaning discarding any ties to Hogwarts other than our wands.
Ben had to change his hat, I put my necklace on the outside of my dress and we all prepared to leave Hogwarts and not come back for God knows how long. Ben had brought some fourth year Hufflepuff named Connor (who he'd talked about for ages) to bring with. I'd never met him but he looked alright. Carolyn and Percy had to know him and they all seemed to be buddy buddy so he couldn't be that bad. Plus all of the Hufflepuffs I know are amazing.
"Okay. Okay let's... let's do this." I said, trying to genuinely hide how terrified I was about leaving Hogwarts.
Brandon took my hand and squeezed it, and we started to lead the group to one of the remaining tunnels in Hogwarts, which would get us to Aberforth Dumbledore's old place in Hogsmeade. I looked back at the group one last time, smiling as realistically as I could. It probably wasn't very convincing, but I had to try.
I looked at up B, "Let's do this thing." He said, kissing my forehead.
———
Getting out of Hogwarts was surprisingly easy. The sheer number of us should've made it harder to escape, and yet we were out into Muggle society within an hour.
Shocking.
When we got out I started to calm a little bit, but everyone else seemed to be doing the opposite. Getting more nervous.
"What if we mess up and do magic in front of Muggles?" Ben whispered, looking around without moving his head at all.
"We won't. We know we can't, so we won't." I said, trying to reassure him. And everyone for that matter. Stef was bopping along to something with her headphones in, Carolyn was trying not to freak out and Percy was trying to calm her down. (And I suspect gaining the courage to take her hand, they were hanging next to each other in a cute little middle school type way).
Nat was watching everyone around us as if they might strike at any moment, and to be fair they might. Her and Stef were walking so close that their arms were touching, and you could tell that Stef was blushing slightly. Ben stood next to me and Brandon, freaking out slightly and almost hyperventilating. Anela was next to him trying to help me calm him down, and then Steve and Connor were hanging back and talking about something or other.
"Beb, it's okay. We're gonna be fine..." Anela trailed off, as if she was having a hard time believe it herself. I sighed, knowing we had to stop for food and team morale soon.
"Hey guys, wanna stop for some food?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at everyone who wasn't right next to me.
"Yeah!"
"Please."
"Sounds rad!"
"Oh my god, yes."
"God yes."
So we stopped at the next restaurant, which happened to be this place called Bunsen, a hamburger shop. That I couldn't eat at... So I ate fries and a salad while everyone else dug into their meat. Ugh.
"Are you all enjoying your meal?" The waitress asked, smiling at all of us. Something seemed weird and off.
"Yeah, it's great! Could I get a refill of my A&W though?" I asked, "No ice..."
"Of course, Gabi." She said walking away.
"Guys..." Carolyn said, turning to all of us, "She never asked for our names. Do you know her, Gabi?"
"Nope. Fuck. Everyone get ready to leave, something obviously isn't right h-"
I was cut off by the waitress putting her hand on my shoulder as the blinds closed. Everyone else (maybe four guys, all sitting at the counter) in the restaurant stood up and drew wands. Shit, Fuck, Hell.
"You all aren't going anywhere."
YOU ARE READING
count on me // hogwarts au
Fantasytwo gryffindor sixth years have been best friends for forever. and when they meet three fourth years they immediately take them under their wing. but no one expected them to become a family. (based on a group of my friends called the og squad)
