home (reader at hogwarts)

sixty six

adelaide takes your hand gently in her own as you reach the fifth floor. she leads you down the wide corridor to a statue of a burly man that towers over you, with an expression you can't quite place.

your eyes fall to the plaque at his feet, boris the bewildered.

then adelaide walks ahead of you, counting the doors beside the statue of boris as she passes along.

"one.." her footsteps sound loud against the floor, yet her steps seem so effortless and light.

"two..." you notice that adelaide doesn't seem to walk, more so float, like someone completely untouchable.

"three.." the corners of her lips curl up into a grin, just as she reaches the forth door. she waves you over, her rings flashing in the small glimmers of light reflecting in small fragments off of the platinum snow resting atop the window sill.

you get close to her and she wraps an arm around your shoulder before pressing her prefect badge against the door.

it swings open and you peer inside, gasping. it's a bathroom, but a bathroom grander than any you had seen in hogwarts on any of the other floors, with the pool style bath in the centre being the thing you can't keep your eyes off. it is sunken into the ground, surrounded by a cliff lined with bath taps that wound around the back of it, letting multicoloured water into the bath. the bath itself looks luxurious with walls and a floor of pearly white with floral trim in glistening gold, ginormous bubbles almost overflowing the rim of the tub.

"i was meant to show you this a while ago, but i may have landed myself in an affair with henry travers and he's not left me alone for a minute to even get to you..." she runs her finger across the belt of one of the bathrobes hung up on the high walls. "i thought maybe a good girl like you could use a secret place to clean yourself after flying practice."

your eyes dart from the tub to her. "flying practice?"

she tilts her head at you. "i know a flyers hand when i see one. besides, as a master eavesdropper, i heard madame hooch discuss your potential place on the team with that gemma girl."

"what did gemma say about it?" you ask. "is she upset?"

adelaide shakes her head. "no, knuckles. she's doing as hooch is telling her, she has no mind of her own.."

"teacher's pet." you mumble.

she raises her eyebrows at you.

"you're one to talk. don't you do your fathers bidding?" she teases. you feel your face go warm at the sound of her laughter.

"i'm only joking, knuckles, you've proved to be a bit of a rebel already."

"i have?"

"mhm, with the whole troll incident, the flying in secret, the fact that you're more than jus associates with the little lions.. there's a lot about you that screams unconventional."

you don't know what to say to that. you had assumed that your involvement in the troll situation wouldn't be public news. perhaps, the teachers had informed the prefects of select information? you weren't sure.

"why are you being so kind to me?" you can't help but asking. regret fills you as each word leaves your lips, but the question is one that has been a long time coming.

she pauses for a while, her eyes glazing over the running water of the bathtub and the bubbles that float gracefully on the surface.

"you know... i'm not entirely sure." adelaide finally answers.

you can't help but notice just how safe you feel with adelaide. there is so much information you are withholding from her, about yourself, about what you know, but there's a part of you that wants to let her know about all of it.

maybe it has to do with the fact that she's so kind. but if you told the honest truth, her kindness was the one thing making you weary of her.

no.

it was because you knew nothing about her.

everyone else's life was narrated to you in the basement, under the grimy blankets where you flicked the pages of your books and got lost in a world you now get to call your own.

home.

and here you've met people you know are going to make horrible decisions. people you might not be able to save.

but adelaide has a chance. you don't know enough to assume she'll be like the rest of them. you can count on her morals, because you don't already know them yet.

y/n.

you feel a searing pain in your skull. the pain lingers behind your eyes and you wince.

come back.

it's your father. you frown, how was he speaking to you from so far away? how was he doing it without eye contact?

come here. i don't know where you are.

you close your eyes, but are unable to make a response. you think it as hard as you can, but he's not receiving it. you can't hear you own voice echo in your head, so you know he isn't hearing you either.

"are you alright?" adelaide asks, rubbing a hand over your shoulders as you pinch the bridge of your nose.

"i have migraines." you tell her. "my father has potions to help."

she claps her hands and leads you out of the bathroom. "let's get you to him then."