White Lies {discontinued}

Fifteen ~ Safe

Over the next couple of days, Aggie couldn't resist going to the Room of Requirement, even though she knew she shouldn't.

On Tuesday Aggie went there after dinner to tinker with the cabinet and other objects, but her visit was cut short by the sound of someone entering the room.

She peered around a pile of tea cups. Her breath caught in fear when she saw Draco Malfoy striding toward the cabinet in the next aisle.

What if he saw her? Aggie knew the boy would surely hex her, at the very least. She had to get out of there as quickly as she could.

Aggie darted around the piles of stuff, and let out a sigh of relief as she slipped out of the door, and into the corridor.

However her relief was short lived as she found herself face to face with a student. It was a Gryffindor girl probably in her second or third year. Her eyes grew huge at the sight of Aggie, and a pile of books tumbled from her arms with a loud thud.

For a moment both girls just stared at each other, then Aggie turned and fled. Malfoy might've heard the loud thump from the books and come out to see what was going on. If he did, she couldn't be there.

Aggie hurried down the hallway, glancing over her shoulder every now and then to see if anyone was on her tail.

Aggie let out a shrill shriek as suddenly something swooped down from the ceiling, and landed on her head. She batted the feathery thing away. It lifted off her head, and went to perch in a window, where it regarded Aggie with reproachful yellow eyes..

"Crackers!" Aggie gasped, her eyes widening. She hurried over to the bird and held out an arm. "I'm sorry Crackers! I didn't know it was you!"

After a moments hesitation, Crackers hopped onto Aggie's arm. And that was when Aggie saw it. The letter attached to Crackers leg. Aggie had know at her first sight of the owl that he probably brought news from Edith, but she'd hardly dared to hope it would be true.

With trembling hands, Aggie removed the letter from Crackers. She fumbled with the paper before finally managing to unfold it.

The relief and happiness that flooded through Aggie at the sight of Edith's tiny, tidy handwriting was immense. It had always seemed funny to Aggie that Edith, who was slightly wild, should have such neat handwriting.

Aggie eagerly devoured the words before her with her eyes.

Dear Aggie,
I know you are probably sick with worry, so I'm sorry this took me so long to write, but things have been crazy. I'm home safe and sound though, so you can stop worrying. Mum lost it when I arrived, she tried to force me to go back to Hogwarts, but I refused to. She should be writing to Professor Dumbledore any day now to tell him I won't be returning to Hogwarts for a while due to family problems, so the teachers should be off your back soon. We held my dads funeral. I hoped that maybe he hadn't really died, but I was wrong. He is dead. Those damn Death Eaters got him. He didn't go down without a fight though. He killed several of them, unfortunately that means they probably want to get revenge. Our family could be in danger, but so far they've left us alone. Again, don't worry about me. I can't write very much, but I'll keep you informed of anything changes. Thanks for sending Crackers by the way.

~ Love, Edith

Aggie let out a lot sigh, and leaned back against the stone corridor wall. Edith was safe, which meant Aggie could stop worrying about her so much, for the time being at least.

Aggie folded up the letter, slipped it into her pocket, then smiled at Crackers.

"Come on little guy, let's get you up to the Owlery so you can get some food."