count on me // hogwarts au

ten...missing a valuable lesson

There was so much racing through my mind that night, that falling asleep was difficult. Despite how tired I was before I tried to lay down, as soon as B was next to me, arms wrapped around me, I was wide awake. So much was running around in my mind, and I couldn't pin it down long enough to really think about it. There were too many different topics scrambled all together.

He was asleep, or so I assumed. But I just had this sudden urge to scream because I felt dumb and useless. We were gone from Hogwarts, our parents probably worried sick about us, breaking so many rules in the process, and I was just letting all of my friends get into this mess with me. The scar on my hand burned like it had just been emblazoned on my skin with a heated iron rod. It had been days since we'd left but this was all just hitting me now. And I didn't know why.

I got up to go to the bathroom, deciding that maybe if I relived myself I'd be able to fall asleep finally. When I went to wash my hands I looked in the mirror and the face I saw was not mine- it was Lizzy!

"Gabi! Bloody 'ell I found you, finally!"

"Lizzy, what the bloody hell-" I whisper yelled at the image of her in the mirror, embarrassed to be looking at her in my pajamas which consisted solely of an oversized t-shirt and underwear.

"Listen, things are getting weird here, and I just... you disappeared and I got worried about you. I had to make sure you were still alive. Oh shit someone's coming, I gotta go but stay safe, I love you!" Lizzy looked over her shoulder and I could hear footsteps approaching wherever she was.

"I love you too but what do you mean weird-"

"Gotta go!" And with that Lizzy disappeared from my mirror and I was looking at my own reflection.

A groggy Stef entered the bathroom, "Gabs? You alright? I heard loud noises..."

"Yeah, it's nothing I'm fine... Just stubbed my toe," I lied, smiling at my friend and going back to my bed. Brandon was half-awake and mumbled something to me, but I couldn't tell what it was so I just ignored it. I couldn't get Lizzy's worried voice out of my head. Something was happening at Hogwarts and my best friend could be in trouble... And I wasn't even there to help her. I knew I wasn't going to be getting any sleep tonight.

———

When I looked at the clock and started waking everyone else up it was 6:30 AM. I'd been laying awake with Lizzy echoing in my head for hours and I needed to talk to someone else.

"Come on, let's go get breakfast and then get back on the road..." I said, shaking Brandon awake. He yawned, looking over at the clock and squinting at me. He knew something had to be off with me if I'm pushing leaving before we HAVE to leave due to check out time... But he didn't ask and I was grateful. I didn't walk to talk about it anyways.

So we went down to the continental breakfast and I made myself some waffles in their machine... Which was a lot more work than it needed to be, but nonetheless waffles are waffles.

I sat down with B, Steve, Anela, and Ben, trying my best to smile at them like I usually would.

Steve took one look at me and spoke his mind, "Jesus Christ, Gabi, you look like shit," In response to his comment, Anela smacked him on the arm and Ben choked on his frosted flakes.

I rubbed my eyes, "Yeah, I didn't sleep much last night... Had a lot on my mind, ya know," I mumbled, shrugging. I knew Brandon was only getting more suspicious of my behavior, but he'd ask me eventually and I'd do what I do best: deny, deny, deny. This was my problem to solve, not his. Lizzy is my best friend and she called me. I need to figure this out for her, not anyone else. Even if it kills me.

"Oh. Yeah, that sucks. I slept like baby, that mattress was so soft," Steve rambled, not really sensing the tone of my impending mental breakdown. I couldn't blame him though, I just stared at my plate and ate, trying to ignore everything else that surrounded me.

But I couldn't ignore that burning on my wrist. It burned so hot that I could tell what it said without even looking at it. I could close my eyes and trace it. It hadn't stopped burning since last night. The word leader burning like it was on fire. And that's when my head snapped up and I said something without even thinking because I didn't think about it... Something inside me just knew it.

"They took over Hogwarts," I looked at Brandon, "They're looking for us because they want to bring us back to Hogwarts... They're going to use all of us as a child army," And that's when I fainted into my plate of syrup.