ad astra per aspera - {♕ f.w.}

4. An Uncomfortably Familiar Threadbare Cardigan

Percy was easily avoided for the rest of dinner, as he roped your dad into a lengthy conversation about the inner workings of the Auror department and their current moves in apprehending Sirius Black. You felt slightly guilty that he had to deal with Percy, but you also couldn't help but be relieved that you weren't forced to listen as he droned on about the wizarding government like their code of conduct was programmed directly in his brain.

With Percy distracted, there was no mention of your Prefect's badge or the twin's lack thereof. Even Mrs. Weasley managed to pleasantly question you about your courses for the year without bringing up how busy you'd be in between classes helping all the first years get adjusted.

No sooner than your dessert plates were cleared and the clock struck nine did the adults collectively decide it was time for bed. Not once since well before your school years had you fallen asleep any time near nine at night, but not wanting to be difficult, you refrained from pointing this out. There wasn't much room for any of you to stall or protest, as your parents and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley insisted it was important that you got enough rest for the day ahead.

You had a sneaking suspicion there was something more to the early conclusion of the night beyond the start of school the next day. The adults followed up the stairs after you, saying their goodnights and lingering to make sure everyone's bedroom doors closed and locked.

Once Hermione corralled Crookshanks away from where he was batting a curtain filled with pixies and disappeared into her room, the adults headed back down into the pub. Listening to their receding footsteps and muffled whispers, you pondered what they would be talking about now that the children were out of earshot. You had a few ideas.

It would've been pointless to attempt to sneak onto the staircase to listen to their conversation, but something even more pointless would be attempting to fall asleep. So, careful to keep the heavy door from squeaking on its hinges, you stepped out of your room, snuck down the hall and slipped into the twin's room. On your way, you ran into Harry who was halfway between his room and Ron's. There was an unspoken promise between you to turn a blind eye.

Fred and George were on the same page as you; the handle to their room twisted freely, left unlocked for you. The three of you briefly discussed the annoyance of being treated like first years with bed times, then how inconvenient it was that there wasn't one witch or wizard who had invented a magical way to eavesdrop, before ultimately coming to the mutual agreement that your parents were downstairs discussing Sirius Black.

Now that Egypt had been retold several times, you had the freedom to talk about things excluded from your brief written correspondence. The conversation was everything missing from your last two months, although it flowed like no time had passed. Surprisingly, Sirius Black wasn't used as a conversation starter. Instead, you talked comfortably about the looming school year; the O.W.L. exams, the classes, and especially the quidditch.

About two hours passed before the door opened again. Unfortunately, it was Mrs. Weasley who popped her head in, her arrival bringing an abrupt end to all conversation. She didn't hesitate to berate all three of you for being up as late as you were on the night before the first day of term, before forcing you to get up and return to your own room with the threat that she would go back downstairs and return with your mother. She locked Fred and George's room from the outside.

While you left begrudgingly, all the while considering sneaking right back into the room once she had checked on the others and returned back downstairs, you found yourself feeling surprisingly tired once you changed into your pyjamas and slipped under the thick blankets.

Certain comforts lulled you off to sleep; The dull sound of passing muggle cars outside the window, Athena cooing softly in the corner of the room, beams of moonlight falling through the sheer curtains, and the knowledge that your best friends were in the closest proximity they had been to you all summer, sleeping right down the hall.