𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑

She should’ve given it back the moment she found it. After all, she knew who it belonged to — she’d recognise that precise scrawl that decorated the pages anywhere. But oh, was it not just so intriguing? Persephone wasn’t a thief. When she’d tucked the little notebook into the pocket of her cloak, she’d had every intention of giving it back. She would find him in the library or in his common room or with his sisters and she would give it back. Nothing even needed to be said. A good thing, in her eyes — what would she say to the boy she hadn’t spoken to in nearly two years? I still think about you. You still catch my gaze. Do you still think of me? Am I a fool for holding onto a childhood fling? Questions and facts that no one could ever hear, of course. Persephone was careful, she liked to think, and Jasper Talkalot was the complete opposite of a careful, cautious decision.

Does he still think of me?

Three days after she’d found the book and it was still with her. It had hardly left her person at this stage. It was always either in her pocket, in her bag, tucked carefully beneath her pillow. She was going to return it. She needed to. And she had every intention of doing so as she walked through the halls towards the library, book clutched delicately in her hands. BUT THEN IT DROPPED. Fell from her fingers, onto the cobblestone floor, splayed open on a page filled from head to foot with another poem. And she would’ve closed it if her eyes hadn’t glazed over a line, a mention of a girl, flying over the Quidditch pitch, a chaser fair. And her heart skipped a beat and suddenly she wasn’t closing it, she was reading it and oh, was it not just so obvious who this was for? Another beat, and her breath hitched. Another line read and she felt dizzy. Should she smile or should she laugh? Should she love it or should she despise it? A chaser fair, left her lover behind. And he yearned. So did she...

Snapping the book shut with a decisive huff, Persephone charged forwards with a hurried urgency, moving towards the library where it was said he’d last been. She could pretend she’d just found it. She could tell him the truth. She could tell a half truth - she didn’t know what was in the book. She hadn’t looked! Or had she? The better option would usually have presented itself by now, but Persephone’s heart was racing and still it was not there. Asking him about it seemed like an awfully wonderful idea ( IN THEORY ). If she didn’t tell him what she found and instead what she felt, surely it would be reciprocated - it would be worth it ( IN THEORY ). But then... ( IN PRACTICE ) Persephone was sensible. She made decisions not on how they benefited her, but on how they benefited others. Falling in love with Jasper Talkalot was selfish. Telling him how she felt was greedy. Wasn’t it?

She wasn’t sure how long she’d now been standing outside the doors to the library, but it quite suddenly occurred to her she had to go in. Had to. Grasping for air in one final breath, she pushed through the doors, winding her way through the tables and shelves until she stood above him, book of poems tucked neatly beneath her arm. She should’ve thought this through more.

Clearing her throat, she offered a smile, opening her mouth so quiet, almost squeaky words could be heard. “I found something. I think it belongs to you.”

PERSEPHONE TOOTS-HOOKUM : personality

She greeted her dormmate with a simple nod before sitting down beside her. Persephone wasn’t her first choice to sit next to, but unlike the girl next to her, Freya was someone with only a small handful of friends, and they were all nowhere to be seen right now. Though she rarely liked to admit it, sometimes even she found herself craving company, and Persephone always managed to be a comforting presence somehow, despite the fact that they were not – and probably never would be – friends.

“You’re looking a little pale today. Is something wrong?” she asked cautiously, not really sure if she cared to know the answer. She had never been good at consoling people, and besides, something was about to happen – or maybe it already had happened. She didn’t know really. All she knew was that there was an important Death Eater debriefing set for tomorrow, and she was expected to be there. She wasn’t looking forward to it either, but that wasn’t exactly something she could discuss with anyone, least of all Persephone.

Persephone couldn’t help but be a little surprised when Freya took a seat next to her. They’d shared a room for over six years now and sure, they would talk and sit together occasionally, but that was rare, and besides, Seph was far too used to spending these early mornings alone. She paused a moment with her toast in hand, mere milliseconds away from asking why Freya was here, now, but she stopped herself quickly, deciding personal questions as such were better left for two people with a more friendly acquaintance. 

Shrugging half-heartedly at the question, Persephone chewed at another piece of her toast, considering what the most appropriate answer might be, considering the circumstances.  ❛ Just thinking about today’s game. Roxanne’s adamant we gotta snag a win, so I’m just tryna stay calm to get in the right mind set, y’know? ❜  Persephone did her best work when she was calm, after all --- and the game was certainly playing on her mind.

       manon had certainly missed the presence of one of her closest friends in the grand hall ;         she didn’t really vibe with the majority of the people who sat at the gryffindor table in the fairest of weathers,   but with growing dread in the air,     the polarisation was even more evident.       in fact ; she had missed her presence everywhere.    she hadn’t seen her at lunch; or breakfast; for a few days –     and asking around she had had just as little luck determining seph’s location.                   eventually another member of mcgonagall’s army had clued her in to put the prefect out of her misery.              being a somewhat reluctant, wholeheartedly background member, meant that her visits to the room of requirement were few and far between, attending only out of necessity rather than the held conviction that manon knew she should hold. 

          ❝  no need for jealousy.   ❞      manon stated,  her hands fiddling with the inside of her unusually bulky looking robes, her smile somewhat playful as she wrestled with something unseen behind folds of fabric.            ❝  i managed to sneak you something  //          it’s not a lot but  …   ❞    she prefaced,      lowering the standards in case the box came out smashed to smithereens.         it took only one engorgio charm to change the parcel the size of a ring box to that of a pizza box.   unfortunately, the meal of the day,   was not pizza.      but  a banquet of the offerings of the day; which mostly consisted of roast.     it was lucky that prefect privellege meant that despite the weird looks manon received, no one dared to question the detention happy prefect.          ❝  … you’re tired,   and you’re like,   totally not yourself when you’re hungry.       ❞ 

      persephone felt her cheeks flush with colour as she watched her friend approach, and involuntary reaction that she almost always had at the sight of manon. she played it off well ( far too much practice ) keeping her delicate smile tilted towards gryffindor, chin resting in her hand as her elbow propped up against the back of the armchair. she should’ve known manon would check up on her eventually --- there was no escaping her that easily. if manon were out of seph’s sight for even a few hours, she would notice. and not attending dinner was not exactly a regular occurrence for persephone, either. manon would worry, and how persephone HATED when manon worried. she liked that fun little smile that the girl now wore.

     small smile turning to a grin at the site of the roast her dear friend had brought back, seph shuffled in her seat, dragging another chair towards the table where more of her notes were scattered and gesturing for manon to take a seat. she might not have had the stomach to eat right now ( she hadn’t been very hungry these last few days ), but she knew a nice gesture when she saw one, and there was no way she was going to disappoint manon by not eating. she would have something, even if she had to force it.  ❛ i can’t hide from you, can i? it’s plenty, manon, thank you --- far more than necessary. ❜  taking the box from manon’s hands, persephone picked at a small piece of meat, nibbling on the end with her smile still in place.  ❛ sorry i haven’t been myself, lately --- you’re right. i’m just exhausted, i guess. ❜

❛ we all know i adore rose, but i think i’ll have to go with manon for this one. besides, i think i’d be in a LOT of trouble if i said otherwise. ❜

Persephone hadn’t slept. Not since Friday night. She’d been awake since five on Saturday morning and she had no intention of stopping any time soon. There was too much to do, to worry over, to lead. She’d been attending classes ( albeit begrudgingly ), but otherwise, one hundred percent of her time was being spent in the Room of Requirement. She’d spread the word early Sunday morning that this was where she would be based, that if anyone needed anything she was there, and now she was far too afraid to even blink. She wasn’t being kind. Not to herself. Persephone was doing what Persephone did best --- looking out for everyone else first. Persephone second. She was exhausted but Merlin, it didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered except Lily, except finding her. Except making sure everyone was safe, weren’t being reckless, weren’t making decisions that were going to put them in danger. Every molecule in her body had been drained of its energy, she wasn’t grieving the way she should be, but again --- again --- it didn’t matter. She didn’t matter like everyone else did.

As the evening began to draw to its close, Seph was worrying over a piece of parchment, covered in every inch with scrawled notes, half-ideas, diagrams and maps and the occasional sketched flower. She’d skipped dinner that night, and part of her was aware that those who had attended would be returning soon. For now, she lounged in a small armchair near the front door, her head delicately relaxed in her hand. When the door eventually opened, she glanced up at who had entered. Smiling gently, she sat back in her seat, tickling her neck with the feather of her quill and lifting her knees up to her chest.  ❛ Hey. Nice to see you back --- how was dinner? Go on, try and make me jealous. ❜

No. No, that wasn’t true. Perhaps Daisy Hookum and Tilden Toots were far better people than Persephone could ever be, but they could never be disappointed in the girl who was leading a revolution for change in the world. Could they? No. She wouldn’t let this get to her, because if she knew anything about her parents, it was that their hearts were bigger than anyone you could ever meet. Disappointment was never an option. They would be proud — she would make them proud.  ❛ You’re wrong, ❜  she spat, jaw tight as she fiddled with her nails buds.  ❛ You don’t know my parents. ❜