Midnight Snacks ➸ Fred Weasley

Cloud Watching

 

          

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"FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN," Alexander complained. It was another rainy day where he was stuck in the infirmary, forced to lay in the uncomfortable bed and watch as the dark clouds roll by agonizingly slow, only lit up by the occasional crack followed by a bright blinding light.

On days he was stuck in the hospital wing, he would relax back and watch the clouds, guessing what shaped they looked like most. Like tea leaves, you can also use clouds in Divination. Cloud divination, or Nephelomancy, is the art of discovering the past, present, and future through the aid of clouds. It's a simple yet complex way of predicting in the art of the inner eye. You are supposed to mentally think of a question, and when you open your eyes, you focus on the shape, colours, direction, and position on the clouds— Cloud Divination is a branch that is open to interpretation because of all these factors.

So cloud reading was a fun way to pass time, it helped him forget about the itchy sheets, lump of a pillow, and stronge smell of clean, it distracted him as he would ask question after question, trying to determine whether or not he will fail his next Potions test, or flunk Charms, or even if Oliver Wood will look in his direction that day and if he should wear something nice. He has told no one, not even Trelawney who teaches the topic, in fear of ridicule, so he keeps his hobby to himself. He thought of telling Cedric, but then he could tell their father thinking nothing of it, but Alexander hated it when his father knew his interest. The man always took everything too seriously.

But it was storming. So he couldn't read the clouds today, meaning he was stuck with his own thoughts and the itchy blankets.

Madam Pomfrey left ten minutes ago promising to be back soon, she had to gather herbs from the Green Houses before Snape could get the chance. Both her and him had a small rivalry, he needed the herbs for his potions in class, she needed them for potions for her kids. Of course if they needed something the other had, all they had to do was ask and they would receive the item, but this way was more fun for them.

A pointless rivalry all for kicks.

So with her gone he was stuck with himself and empty beds, not even a single ghost had popped up, which they usually did to entertain the first years who were stuck in here and where afraid to be alone.

But they weren't here, and he was alone.

With a sigh he pushed off the blanket and slipped out of bed, he took a step before but was immediately hit with a wave of nausea and a faint buzzing noise in his head. Taking in a deep breath he tried to push off the feeling.

"It'll go away in a second," he muttered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose and taking another breath. He took a trembling step forward, than another, and another, but the feeling did not go away, it only increased. He got a vile taste in his mouth and head hammered, but he had to get out of the hospital. He had to leave. He couldn't stand being in that room alone, he doesn't like being alone. In the silence. It is pathetic, he knows, to be afraid of silence, but no matter how hard he tries, he can never get over it.