Black and Potter | H. Potter

35 ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆ an old wives tale.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:✧*⋆.*:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾

| AN OLD WIVES TALE |
song: never let me go by florence + the machine.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:✧*⋆.*:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾

ARA WAS ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE HOSPITAL WING NOT LONG AFTER Harry visited. Ron and Hermione had basically interrogated her the moment they saw her, but she'd merely told them she'd had a bit of a headache, nothing to fuss about, and thankfully they seemed to accept her explanation.

She'd made arrangements to meet up with Atlas after Harry told her that he wanted to speak with her. She hoped he'd tell her about the weird thing that had happened the other night, he'd certainly looked like he knew something. She'd also told Hermione to immediately wake her up if she noticed she was sleepwalking, though her friend was hesitant at first she agreed in the end. Ara did not want to accidentally provoke her own death while she slept.

On Thursday night, Ara found herself waiting by the common room entrance for Harry with Ron, who'd been nice enough to keep her company as they stood side by side, clutching the Marauders Map in her hand as they waited for him to sneak out.

"You think he'll be able to figure it out?" said Ron, his tone anxious.

"Let's hope," Ara sighed. "Otherwise I don't know how he'll—"

The portrait opened and Harry emerged from it at last, carrying his Invisibility Cloak. They'd all agreed that it'd be best if Harry took Cedric's advice and took the egg to the Prefects bathroom at nighttime when it'd be less likely for him to get disturbed or caught.  The Invisibility Cloak as well as the Marauders Map would, of course, be essential as added precautions.

"'Bout time," Ron muttered, patting Harry's back before making his way back inside the common room, "good luck, mate."

Harry nodded and Ara hastily passed him the Marauders Map, "Here— If you lose it I'll kill you."

"Oh trust me, I know," Harry grinned at her as the portrait closed behind Ron.

"Good luck, Wonder Boy," Ara turned to leave, though Harry noticed that she wasn't heading inside the common room but in the opposite direction.

"Wait—where are you going?" he called after her, making Ara turn around to face him again.

"To meet up with Atlas," said Ara in a matter-of-fact voice. "He wanted to talk to me, remember?"

"Oh, right, yeah," said Harry, suddenly feeling his stomach lurch. "But, won't you get caught?"

"I have my ways, Potter," Ara winked at him and turned back around to head to the Astronomy tower. "Make sure you figure out that egg!"

It didn't take long for her to make it to her destination, she'd know her way in her sleep—ha!—she almost laughed at the irony. Thankfully, her boots made little noise as they hit the floor and her black leather jacket as well as her black hair weren't easy to spot in the dark so Filch hadn't made an appearance and neither had his cat, Mrs. Norris. Ara had studied the Marauders Map enough times to know a few shortcuts to make her journey easier and so she walked at a fast pace, eager to see what Atlas had to say.

She gave a tired sigh when she saw the staircase she had to climb in order to get to the top of the Tower but she pushed herself nonetheless—after not playing Quidditch for a while her stamina had diminished. She was relieved when she reached the last step; Atlas' back was turned to her so she decided to have a little fun. Taking advantage that he didn't know she was there yet, she cautiously and silently crept up behind him, and when she was close enough, she put both of her hands on his shoulders and let out a scream.