𝒶ngelicchris

You peeled the seal off the box, pulling the lid off and popping a chocolate into your mouth. You stared at the faint embers in the fireplace as you chewed, wishing more than anything that you had brewed a Sleeping Draught in Potions for the night.

A gush of wind bounded across the room, causing you to halt your chewing. Your eyes darted across the Common Room, your breath hitching — you could have sworn you saw what looked like an opaque silver man, covered in blood . .

“Bella, what are you doing?” the voice of Theodore Nott whispered from halfway down the dormitory steps behind where you were seated, in an attempt to not startle you.

You jumped, your head shooting in his direction.

“Theo?” you questioned, before the unmistakeable bantering of his dorm mates followed after him.

“OW! Don’t step on my foot, Berkshire!” Mattheo Riddle spoke much too loudly, earning him a smack on the head from Blaise Zabini.

“Oh, piss off! Draco’s the one who pushed ahead of me,” Enzo defended, as Blaise swiftly manoeuvred away from Mattheo, who looked as if he were reaching for his wand.

“Can you guys shut up?” Pansy Parkinson urged, leading the rear of the group. “The last thing we need is Snape waking. I really do not wish to see him in his pyjamas,” she cringed at the thought.

“I do,” Mattheo spoke suddenly, causing each of you to stare at him in shock. “Oh, what? I’ve never seen the bloke in anything but those awful robes — I’d be shocked if he even owned a pair of pyjamas.”

Blaise laughed. “You reckon he keeps that greasy head of hair in a bonnet, as well?”

Enzo chortled. “He probably carries around a candle and all,” he held up his hand teasingly, as if balancing a candle on a silver platter.

“Can you guys be serious for once, please?” Theo demanded. He walked down the last few creaking steps, making his way over to the sofa you occupied, the others following behind him.

He sat down beside you, looking at you worriedly. “What’s wrong?” he whispered, his voice soft enough that only you could hear.

Mattheo interrupted with a sudden gasp, pointing towards you. “Can I have one?” he asked, a gleam in his eyes as he stared at the box of Chocolate Cauldrons on your lap.

You picked the box up, throwing it at him. Mattheo’s Quidditch skills preceded him, as he caught it effortlessly in his hand.

Pansy made her way to the sofa nearest you, sitting down to face you. “I woke up and you weren’t there, so I called the boys,” she explained. “Well, actually, I was planning on only getting Theo, but, you know..” she stared at where Mattheo, Enzo, and Draco were huddled on the sofa opposite her, each reaching for a Chocolate Cauldron, as Blaise stared at them from where he leaned against the mantelpiece with a look of disgust.

“I’m fine, actually, but thanks,” you said, your words coming out bitterer than you’d intended.

Theo still stared at you with a softened look, unbelieving of your claim.

You sighed. “I just can’t really sleep, is all,” you said, biting the skin of your lip.

“Any reason as to why?” Draco asked attentively from across the room, swatting Mattheo’s hand away as he reached for more chocolate.

You placed your head in your hands, an accumulation of exhaustion catching up to you. “I’m not sure.”

Theo opened his mouth, already ready to question you concernedly.

“You know, Madam Pomfrey has this really nice Calming Draught,” Enzo spoke through a mouthful of chocolate. “I had to take some after that one Quidditch game with the rogue Bludger,” he explained, as Mattheo choked on his chocolate at the mere thought of.

Blaise reached over, patting him on the back from where he stood.

“Or, what I like to do,” Mattheo collected himself, hiccoughing slightly, “actually, maybe I shouldn’t say it with two girls around..”

Blaise and Draco chuckled, even more-so when they caught Enzo’s disgruntled expression.

Theo, however, stayed focused on you. “We could go on a walk or something, tesoro,” he suggested.

Pansy shot up in her seat. “Oh! We could try to hex Longbottom. His arse is always sleeping outside the Gryffindor Common Room.”

“I’m in,” Mattheo said, already pulling out his wand.

“That’s brilliant,” Draco approved, as him and Blaise already began to head towards the dungeons, much to Pansy’s delightment.

“Blimey,” Enzo whispered.

“You in?” Theo asked, reaching a hand out to you.

You thought it over for a moment, before nodding; it was better than staying up all night until your next lesson in the morning, anyways.

You placed your hand in his, as he gently pulled you up from the sofa.

Suddenly, Mattheo swore loudly, stepping away from the Common Room wall.

“Merlin, there’s one thing I don’t mess with, and that’s the bloody dead, mate,” he said, backing away from the stone wall that concealed the entrance.

The silver-misty appearance of the Bloody Baron floated into view, the chains that wrapped around his clothing clanking as he neared.

The ghost stood in front of the stone wall, blocking the way out of the Common Room.

“Should we make a run for it?” Enzo whispered to the group.

“I’m not afraid of some dead ghost,” Draco spat out defensively.

At his words, the Bloody Baron stared down at the seven of you, unmoving, his eyes fixed on Draco.

The silver-haired boy suddenly broke out in a sprint, reaching the hallway of the dungeons.

“Coward!” Mattheo called after him, flinching as he himself ran past the ghost.

Blaise followed calmly, simply rolling his eyes. Enzo was right behind him, shuddering as he accidentally walked through the ghostly figure.

The dark gleam of the Baron’s stoic eyes stared down at Theo, Pansy, and you.

Theo swore loudly in his mother-tongue, lacing his hand in yours and his arm through Pansy’s, pulling the two of you through with a steady run.

As the stone wall shut behind the three of you, concealing the Bloody Baron from view, the ludicrous sights of Mattheo and Draco doubled-over as they caught their breaths, Pansy laughing as she unashamedly pointed at their hunched forms, Enzo and Blaise already making their way towards the stairwell, and the warm touch of Theo’s hand in yours, were enough to dissipate any of the disquietude you had felt earlier . .

© 𝓐𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒

notes ⋆. 𐙚 ₊˚ i’m literally the worst person ever bc why am i writing straight bs at 3 a.m. when i have like five requests that have been rotting in my inbox for like a month 😞 #natalieportman