Roma Carlson had a BIG secret ... a nine month secret to be precise. Big jumpers and fake illnesses might have been enough if it weren't for one thing: her highly conservative Father had just become Defence against the Dark Arts teacher and planned...
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"I should really go ... wait here," Antonia murmured, offering a vague explanation before she too ran out. Roma was still nearby, a distant echo of footsteps could still be heard which Antonia promptly followed. Calling the girl's name was far too risky, Antonia had to track her on sound alone. The footsteps were coming nearer now and as Antonia rushed around the corner she almost bumped headlong into her friend.
"Roma, you gave me a fright," Antonia exclaimed.
"She saw, Antonia, she saw," Roma immediately launched into a whisper attack, "I ... I lost control, she was seeing everything I wanted her to see but then it all went too fast ... it was a blur and she saw. She knows why I needed help, I knew I should have used an unbreakable vow, my Dad can't fight or Pippie ... no, no," Her eyes widened further, "Especially not Pippie, she'd tell everyone, May, my Mother..."
"Good thing only Tonks, who infamously doesn't gossip, knows instead," Antonia lied, hoping it would bring some comfort to her, "She won't tell - "
"It's not just that," Roma wailed, covering her face with her hands, "She saw other things, personal things ... I don't want this."
"Like what?"
There was a long, heavy silence before Roma's wide eyes peeped out from behind her fingers, "I ... I don't know."
"Roma, please?"
"No! I said I don't know, Antonia!"
After a pause, she sighed, taking Roma's hand in hers, "Come on, let's get you to bed. You always feel better in the morning."
"I am quite tired," Roma admitted weakly, "Wait, Antonia ... please don't leave me? At least not until I'm asleep, please don't go."
"I won't. I promise."
It took a while for Roma to get to sleep, even with Antonia lying next to her. Sleep evaded Antonia too for she lay there, with her eyes open, staring blankly at the ceiling long after Roma was out, trying to suss out what was happening to her friend. Thinking back, Roma was steely about what went on at home, even when Antonia persistently asked. In the few times Antonia had seen the family since being banned, Mr Carlson was the only one to ever really speak until they got on the train. It was incredibly hard to gauge what was going on if Roma didn't tell her.
Suddenly, Antonia realised why she couldn't get to sleep. She could never get to sleep if she'd forgotten something and right now, she'd forgotten her promise to Tonks to return. As gently as she could, Antonia crept out from under the covers. She watched Roma with hesitation but the girl merely snuffled before rolling over, filling the gap she'd left behind. Roma was thankfully a deep sleeper.
