𝐸𝒸𝒸𝑒𝒹𝑒𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓈𝒾𝒶𝓈𝓉 (Harry Potter X Reader) [2]

"You're my best friend"

Though Harry seemed perfectly fine when he was with Arleigh, that health completely vanished when his scar began hurting again, when more strongly. He barely even made it to the Gryffindor common room before his knees gave in and he collapsed on the floor. Fred and George lifted him up immediately and brought him to the couch.
"He has to be taken to the Hospital Wing!" Spoke Hermione worryingly.
"N-no.." cracked Potter's voice, confusing the others, "can't give..Umbridge the satisfaction.."
"Umbridge did this?!" Worried Fred, glancing at his twin.
"You said she was making you do lines!" Gasped Ronald
"Does this mean Lily is feeling like this too?!" Concerned George
"Sh-she manages this better than me, a-after last year.." murmured the raven haired, not wanting to remember seeing her struggle in pain because of the Cruciatus curse.
"Harry, you have to tell Dumbledore" snapped Hermione
"No, I'm not telling anyone and not is Leigh" boomed Harry, slowly and painfully got up
"I really think you should-"
"No!" He cut the bushy haired off, "I don't need his help...I don't need anybody's help"

Leigh awoke feeling as if a train had passed by over her body, her hand ached and stained the bandage with its blood. Her sane hand rubbed her face not too softly before she wiggled her feet from the edge of the side of her bed. Every part of her body hurt and she wasn't feeling like going to her classes that day, hence she decided to have a shower and head towards the hospital wing to get a potion in order to sleep a little.
As the hot water hit her skin, she immediately felt more relaxed, though it was most-likely just her imagination. Her hair was frizzy because she forgot to brushed it before lying on her bed the night before. Then her calming attitude was replaced by anxiety; she finally remembered how Harry's scar hurt again the day before, which meant that Voldemort was going to do something or he was near. She exited her shower, wrapped a towel around her body and one around her wet light brown hair and got to the sink.
Large and black bags were just below her cobalt blue eyes and a groan escaped her lips. Then her gaze drifted to her hand, "I must not tell lies" was craved in her skin and it enraged her to the max, how could she do such an horrible thing to her students? She questioned herself, but she didn't have an actual answer and it was driving her crazy. She quickly wore her slytherin robes and used a quick spell to dry her hair, before she braided it in one high-braid. She eventually covered her bags under her eyes with some muggle-make up.
Arleigh yanked open the door of the restroom after putting a bandage over her wounded hand. Alexis was sitting on her bed, alone, scribbling quickly on her textbook.
I miss them, thought the Granger with a slight frown.
"How are you feeling?" Suddenly asked the curly haired, glancing up from her book
"What do you mean?" Furrowed her brows Leigh
"You came in late last night and stained the floor with drops of your blood," explained Alex, "reckoned it was streaming from your bandaged hand"
The cobalt eyed cleared her throat awkwardly, she simply couldn't just tell her that Umbridge had been torturing herself and Potter with a bloody quill. She couldn't thrust the Zabini yet.
"I'm fine" lied Arleigh and sighed heavily, before gripping her wand and rushing to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Wait.." called Alex before the other could fully leave, "w-we could eat together if you want.."
"I thought your parents didn't want you to talk to me" folded her arms above her chest Leigh
"Honestly, I don't give a damn what my parents think about you," sighed the dark skinned, "you're my best friend and I love you no matter what"
The Granger grinned and pulled Al in a bear-hug, Merlin if they missed each other. They could've stayed like that forever and neither of them would've complained, though the dark haired was rather hungry.
"So," began the younger witch, "you and Potter had been hanging out a lot, I heard"
Arleigh awkwardly chuckled and his her face slightly, trying to not let her friend notice her heated cheeks.
"That is correct, since we are friends," sighed Leigh, "we do actually hang out"
The two girls jogged towards the Great Hall, though all that the Granger wanted to do was heading to the hospital wing and get a sleeping potion. She hadn't slept in too long now since she lost the bottle Madame Pomfrey had given her at the beginning of the year and it was October now.
Alexis dragged her friend to the Slytherin table and forced her to sit with her and, soon after, Ghaya joined them with a shy grin on her lips and her hair shifting to a bright yellow.

Arleigh couldn't bring herself to eat, her bruised hand from Umbridge's treatment hurt more than usual and it made her want to puke. However, she couldn't go to the hospital wing and ask the healer what to do with it, it's not everyday you see an hand with the sentence "I must not tell lies" carved in its skin.
"Earth to Arleigh..?" The voice of one of her friends brought her back to reality, "Are you alright?"
Leigh rubbed the back of her neck with the same hand and tucked the other under her leg.
"Y-yeah," she murmured, "I-I just need to get some rest, sorry"
The light brown haired stood up and rushed outside the Great Hall, her normal hand trying to loosen her tie as she walked.
Harry looked at her as she walked out, though he couldn't bring himself to follow her, too drained out himself. Plus he was still trying to write to his godfather what had been happening. Fortunately, the Weasley twins got up and ran after their beloved friend, who they knew they would've found at the Dark Lake. And they were correct, since they saw a glimpse of her light brown hair climbing up a tree.
"Oh, Lily" sang George with a mischievous grin as they reached her tree
"We know you're up there, L, we want to check up on you" explained Fred
"Leave me alone," ordered the witch, "I don't want to talk right now"
The ginger haired shared an hesitant look and then the older glanced at the girl again.
"We know about what Umbridge has been doing to you and Harry," he replied, "we had to ensure you were alright after the good scare Harry provided us yesterday"
Arleigh's eyes widened in worry and immediately jumped off the branch she was currently on.
"What are you on about?" She folded her arms above her chest, "He was perfectly fine when I left him at the Astronomy tower"
Fred smirked, "Astronomy tower, huh?"
"What have you been doing after detention, huh, Lily?" Wiggled his eyebrows George
"That's beside the point, you twats!" Cursed Leigh, trying to contain the slight blush on her cheeks, "What happened yesterday?"
"He came back to the common room bloody tired and he just-"
"-Collapsed into the floor"
The blue eyed felt her stomach twisting with worry.
"Is he alright now? Where is he? Ca-"
"Merlin, Lily, calm down" chuckled Fred, patting her back, "He's fine now, you should concern more about yourself"
"Yeah, love, you don't look too good" continued the other twin
"Don't worry about me," she forced a grin, "I'll get through it"
The Weasleys still seemed reluctant, therefore Arleigh gave them another smile.
"I'm fine, guys" she said again and walked away, rethinking about her words. I'll get through it, she ran an hand over her face, somehow I always do. However, she couldn't help but think that this time, perhaps, it could've been different. There wasn't a powerful dark wizard out there before, but there was now. That changed everything.