The Tragedy of 1856

Carpe Noctem

He draws patterns with a branch he found into the snow as she walks out. She is wearing a dress, the heavy coat that looks like it belongs to another decade and a thick scarf almost hide her face.

"Oh, good evening," he gulps, he's surprised to see her. He must look ridiculous to her, standing here playing with the snow.

She watches his attempt to not look so surprised and flustered, " Am I interrupting?" She fiddles with the scarf that's wrapped around her neck.

"No! Not at all." He wraps his arms around himself.

"You are really kind, so, please forgive me, but I'm always locked up in my room." She hangs her head. "I barely get to go out."

"Are you— Your father locks you up in your room?" Harry hesitates

She nods, looking up at him from under her lashes, "Even though he promised me I can finally start to help around here! He just doesn't understand!"

His arms fall to his sides and his eyes are wide, "M'really sorry."

"I long to be free and to feel like I'm my own human being. He just can't accept that. He thinks that if he hides me away from the world, nothing's gonna happen to me..." she mumbles, hugging her arms around herself.

Harold frowns at her dejected expression.

"Harold Edward Styles, ...that's your name right?" She swings her arms.

"Uh, Harold, yeah," his complete face lights up, "You can just say Harry."

"Harry," she repeats, "I like it. I'm YN."

"I know..., I know? I know, uh, it is a beautiful name." He doesn't even know what he's saying because he's so edgy.

A big smile spreads over her face and Harry thinks he never liked someone laughing at him more than she does now. YN tries to climb on the fence he's leaning against that leads to one of Chanan's fields. Harry quickly lifts his glove covered hand to help her up. Her giggles die down and her face becomes serious, "Can I ask for something?"

"Sure," he nods and watches her fiddle with her own fingers. Then he decides to heave himself onto the fence as well.

"Well, firstly I wanted to know why you're here. You and the Professor, I mean. Sure I heard some things from all the guests but-" Her eyes flicker from the mountains in the distance to his, brows immediately high on her forehead. "Not that I don't want you here! I definitely—"

Harry can't help the smile that tugs at his lips. She stutters just as he does. "No, no, I totally understand what you mean. And to be honest, I do not know if I can tell you." He hears her hum besides him as he stares into the snow. "It is Hallewell's reason. I'm just here to help and complete my studies back in... back in London."

The boy trails off and thinks back to his family awaiting him at home. They surely must be terrified that something bad may happen to him. His mum probably sits in front of the tiny fireplace that is nuzzled in the corner of her room. His heart sinks. Gemma probably sits next to their dad and tries to get him to eat. And all that while he is here. Too far away to help them, enjoying the luxury to study and travel and... He would do everything right now to be with them. Harry feels selfish.

Quickly, the boy realizes he's not alone and gives his attention back to the girl next to him that watches him with soft and sympathetic eyes.

"London must be completely different, I assume? Not that much land, nature and much more people?"

He nods, wincing softly as a cold wind blows and reaches under his already thick clothing. "It is. It's quite busy there. I like it but I also travel a lot with Professor Hallewell. He... He is the reason that I get to do this. I get to see the world and we are always on road."