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Aurora Areli
WE DIDN'T TALK MUCH during dinner.
Ron and Hermione were watching Harry nervously the whole time, but I tried not to, no matter how worried I was. It was a wonder he was able to find his way back to the castle in his state of mind.
When we went upstairs to the crowded common room, we found that Fred and George had set off a dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits. Harry avoided them, and instead slinked off towards the boys dormitories. Ron went to check on him, and came back to tell us that Harry was asleep, but I knew better. He probably just didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't blame him.
I went to bed soon after, shortly followed by Hermione. We couldn't really talk much about what we had overheard at the Three Broomsticks, since Lavender and Parvati were there, too.
In the morning, everyone who wasn't staying at school for the holidays had left via the Hogwarts Express. That left Ron, Hermione and I with the common room to ourselves. I was curled up on the sofa by the fire, reading a Transfiguration book that Cedric had lent me, while Hermione had all of her homework spread over three tables close by. Ron, on the other hand, was busy eating Peppermint Toads.
"Harry, you — you look terrible."
I looked up from my book to see an exhausted-looking Harry making his way down the staircase. His hair was messier than ever and his eyes were bloodshot.
"Where is everyone?" he asked.
"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" Ron said, watching Harry closely. I rolled my eyes at his lack of subtlety. "It's nearly lunchtime, I was going to come and wake you up in a minute."
I moved my legs to give Harry more room, and he slumped down onto the sofa next to me. I offered him a box of toffee that I had been eating earlier, and he took one with a small, forced smile.
"You really don't look well, you know," Hermione said, peering anxiously at his face.
"You two really know how to make a person feel better," I commented, earning a blank look from Hermione.
"I'm fine," Harry said, shoving the toffee in his mouth.
"Harry, listen," Hermione said, exchanging a look with Ron, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."
"Like what?" Harry asked.
"Like trying to go after Black," Ron said sharply.
I sighed, recalling the little speech they had been rehearsing earlier that morning. Harry didn't say anything.
"You won't, will you, Harry?" Hermione said.
"Because Black's not worth dying for," said Ron.
I had to agree with that, but I knew that it wasn't what Harry wanted to hear.
