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Maria felt off.
She couldn't' quite place what the feeling was, but something wasn't right. Ever since dinner, Maria had been carrying around this strange feeling and she hated it. It made her worried, nervous, and most of all, scared.
"Maria," she jumped at the sound of a masculine voice right beside her, but she quickly relaxed when she realized it was only Perseus. Her brother watched in concern as his sister's pale face returned to some of its original color but still remained a ghostly white. "Are you okay? You've been acting strange ever since dinner."
"I'm fine," Maria assured him even though she was anything but fine. "I'm just feeling a little sick."
Sick was far from what Maria was feeling. There was a pit at the bottom of her stomach, one that she knew wouldn't go away for a while. Something was very, very wrong but Maria didn't know what it was.
"You are feeling a little warm," Perseus replied as he held his hand up to Maria's forehead. "Do you need me to get you anything? Soup? Some hot chocolate?"
Maria's heart warmed at her brother's words but she simply swatted his hand away instead. She knew she wasn't sick and she didn't need her brother hovering over her like a concerned mother.
"Just go," Maria told him and scoffed at her brother's confused face. "I know you had plans with the Weasleys and that Lee boy this evening. Go have fun. I'll take care of myself."
"I can hang out with them another time," Perseus argued, concern for his sister's wellbeing was more important to him that a couple of pranks. "You're more important."
"It's just a fever, Perseus," Maria lied as she gave her brother a pointed look. "Now go have fun, but no pranks."
"No pranks?" Perseus scoffed at his twin's words. "Do you even know who I am?"
"Why do I even bother?" Maria playfully rolled her eyes at her brother, who let a small smile slid onto his face.
"Fine, I'll go," Perseus finally gave in, figuring it wasn't the best to fight with his stubborn twin. If she was able to argue with him, she couldn't have been that sick. "But go straight to bed, you look like hell."
"Way to make a girl feel good about herself," Maria joked as Perseus held back a sarcastic comment.
"Seriously, Maria," Perseus started as he looked at his sickly pale sister. "You need to rest. You really don't look good."
Noticing the seriousness of his voice, Maria held back a snarky comment and reluctantly agreed, not wanting to worry her brother anymore.
"Fine," she muttered as she pushed herself off the couch and headed towards the staircase to the girl's dormitories. Perseus chuckled at his sister's stubbornness before he turned away and exited the Gryffindor Common Room, going off to search for his friends.
Maria had barely made it halfway up when a first-year came barreling down the stairs right into the fourth-year student, causing both girls to stumble but stay on their feet as the first-years book flew from her hands to Maria's feet.
"Sorry!" Maria immediately recognized the youngest Weasley as she took note of her flaming red hair and freckled face.
"It's fine," Maria dismissed it as she picked up a leather book at her feet without thinking twice. "What's this?
"No-nothing!" Ginny exclaimed as she snatched the book, causing Maria to stare at the confusion as she rushed off.
Maria's eyes stared after the Weasley's disappearing figure before her eyes trailed down to her clammy hands which were shaking. She wasn't sure what the book was but while holding it in her hands, Maria only felt one thing.
