The golden light of morning filtered through the windows of the Gryffindor common room, casting long shadows over the table where Gloria sat, her books and notes spread out in front of her. She had been up since dawn, revising every bit of information she could cram into her brain. Exams were just around the corner, and the pressure was beginning to mount. Despite that, there was a strange energy in the air today, as if something was hanging over them all—something not quite tangible but undeniable.

As she flipped through her Transfiguration notes, a small piece of parchment fluttered to the floor. Gloria bent down to pick it up, and her gaze landed on the morning edition of The Daily Prophet, left behind by someone who had finished their breakfast early. It was folded open to the front page, and the headline made her stomach tighten.

"Dark Forces Stir: Death Eaters Sighted in the Midlands"

The article went on to describe the increasing number of mysterious disappearances and strange occurrences across Britain. There were whispers that the Death Eaters, the followers of the dark wizard Voldemort, were on the move once again. Though the Ministry had yet to confirm the rumors, the unsettling details were enough to make anyone wary.

A chill ran down her spine as Gloria read the article, her fingers absently tracing the text. She had heard whispers from the older students about the rise of dark magic, but it had never felt this real before. She glanced around the common room, noting the quietness that seemed to hang over the usually lively space. Even the Marauders, who were typically animated and full of energy, were subdued, their usual teasing tempered by the weight of the news.

Her eyes wandered over to the corner of the room where Peter Pettigrew sat with his head down, his face unusually pale. His hands were gripping his quill with white knuckles, and he kept glancing over at the window, as if he were looking for something. It was strange. Peter usually had a tendency to blend into the background, but today, there was something about him that caught Gloria's attention—something off.

She sighed and closed her Transfiguration book, her mind unwilling to focus on the notes anymore. She stood and walked over to where Peter was sitting, slipping into the chair next to him without saying a word. He barely looked up as she settled beside him, his gaze still unfocused.

"Hey, Pete," she said softly, her voice breaking the silence. "You okay?"

Peter looked up at her, his expression tight, and gave a weak smile, "Yeah, I'm fine, Gloria. Just... a lot on my mind, y'know?"

Gloria studied him for a moment. She knew Peter well enough to read between the lines. His voice had that strained quality to it, the one he usually tried to mask when he was upset or nervous. It wasn't like him to be so distant, especially when the rest of their friends were buzzing with excitement about the upcoming exams. Something was bothering him, and it wasn't just the stress of schoolwork.

"You sure?" she asked again, leaning forward slightly, "Because you don't look fine."

Peter hesitated, biting his lip before looking away again. He didn't answer immediately, and for a moment, there was only the quiet scratching of quills and the murmur of distant conversations around them. Finally, Peter spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I saw the article this morning..." he started, glancing at the Daily Prophet on the table, "The one about the Death Eaters. It... it just makes everything feel too real, you know? I don't—I don't know what to think anymore."

Gloria's heart gave a little tug, her instincts kicking in. She placed a hand on his, offering a comforting squeeze. 

"It's okay to be scared, Pete. You don't have to pretend everything's fine if it's not."

Peter's eyes flicked back to hers, and for the first time in a while, Gloria saw the uncertainty there—the vulnerability. 

"I don't want to be scared," he muttered, "I want to be like everyone else, like James and Sirius, you know? They don't seem to care, they just joke around like nothing's happening. But me? I just keep thinking about it."

Gloria took a deep breath, letting the words settle in her mind. Peter wasn't the only one who felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he was the only one who seemed so caught up in it, so unsure of how to handle it. She'd seen it before, during their earlier years at Hogwarts. Peter wasn't as brash as Sirius or as confident as James, and he definitely wasn't as serious as Remus. But he was still important. He was still one of them.

She leaned in a little closer, her voice gentle. 

"You don't have to be anyone else, Peter. You just need to be yourself. You're allowed to be nervous. You don't have to hide it."

Peter let out a shaky sigh, his shoulders dropping in what might have been a mix of relief and frustration. "I just—I don't know how to deal with it all."

"One step at a time," Gloria said softly, her hand still resting on his. "You're not alone in this, Pete. We're all in it together, right?"

Peter nodded slowly, and for a moment, Gloria could see the tension in his face ease slightly. She smiled, proud of him for opening up, even if just a little. 

"Now," she said, sitting back in her chair and pulling out her Transfiguration notes again, "how about we make sure you don't flunk your exams while we're at it? If you need help, you know I've got you."

Peter let out a small laugh, looking more like himself than he had all morning, "Thanks, Gloria. You'd be a good sister."

Gloria's heart warmed at the word sister. She didn't always get to play the role of the older sibling, but it felt natural with Peter, in a way. She'd always felt a certain responsibility toward him, almost like he needed someone to keep him grounded, someone to make sure he didn't get lost in his worries.

For the next hour, they studied together, Gloria patiently guiding Peter through the more difficult Transfiguration theories, and in turn, Peter slowly began to regain his focus. They worked in comfortable silence, the kind that only came with time and familiarity.

But every now and then, Gloria would glance at him, her mind lingering on the uneasy feeling in her gut. She couldn't shake the thought that there was more to Peter's discomfort than he was letting on. She didn't push, though; sometimes, it was better to wait for someone to open up in their own time.

By the time the bell rang for lunch, Peter was feeling much better, though still a bit tense. He gave Gloria a small smile as they packed up their things.

"You know," he said, his voice quieter now, "I think I might actually be ready for these exams."

Gloria smiled back, her heart light. "That's the spirit. You've got this, Pete. Just remember, no matter what happens, you're not in this alone."

As they made their way toward the Great Hall for lunch, Gloria couldn't help but think that Peter was going to be just fine. Whatever the future held, they would face it together—like they always had.

The rest of the week passed in a blur of studying and whispers, the dark news from the Daily Prophet hanging in the air like a storm cloud that never quite broke. The looming threat of the Death Eaters, combined with the pressure of upcoming exams, left the students on edge, their usual levity dulled. Despite her best efforts, Gloria couldn't shake the feeling that things were changing—shifting in ways that no one quite understood yet. And no matter how hard she tried to distract herself with her studies, there were always those moments where she caught a glimpse of something more—something darker, more unsettling.

As she sat in the Gryffindor common room that afternoon, pouring over her Potions textbook, Gloria found her thoughts wandering back to Peter. His quiet discomfort from the other day had stayed with her, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry for him. Peter had always been a bit of a wallflower, content to stay in the background while the Marauders dominated the spotlight, but lately, something had shifted. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something different about him—more distant, more anxious.

She shook her head, trying to focus on the words in front of her. No matter how much she tried to help, she couldn't force him to open up. She could only be there for him, and right now, he seemed content to keep his troubles to himself.

A voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Hey, Gloria, do you have any idea what to do for that Charms essay? Because I've got absolutely nothing," Marlene's voice echoed from behind her, making Gloria jump.

"Whoa, sorry!" Marlene added, grinning as she slid into the chair across from her, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Gloria laughed softly, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease. "It's fine. And as for the essay, well, I'm actually completely blanking myself. If I don't get this done soon, I might just cry."

Marlene groaned dramatically, flopping onto the table. 

"Same here. How are we expected to remember all these incantations and counter-spells and whatnot? It's like the professors are trying to break us down before the exams even start."

Gloria smiled in sympathy, tapping her quill on the table, "I think it's part of their charm. They like watching us squirm a little before we pull it all together."

The two girls laughed, the shared frustration making the tension in the room feel a little lighter. It was moments like these that reminded Gloria why she'd come to love this place—despite the challenges, despite the weight of the world outside, Hogwarts had a way of making everything seem a little more bearable.

But just as she began to lose herself in the conversation, her eyes wandered across the room to the fireplace, where the Marauders were gathered, animated as ever. Sirius was lounging lazily on the couch, flicking through a magazine with a bored expression. James and Remus were deep in conversation, their heads bent close together, while Peter sat off to the side, staring blankly at the wall, a frown tugging at his lips.

Gloria's gaze lingered on him for a moment, her brow furrowing. The air between them had been a little strange lately. Not in an overt way—Peter still smiled and laughed with the group—but there was a quiet distance that she couldn't quite place. She wanted to help him, but she also knew that forcing him to open up would only push him further away.

"Hey, Gloria?" Marlene's voice broke into her thoughts once more. "You coming to the library with us later? Alice wants to do a last-minute study session, and we could use your notes."

"Sure," Gloria replied, shaking her head slightly as if to clear away the unease. "I'll join you after dinner."

Marlene grinned. "Great! We'll need all the help we can get."

As dinner time came around, Gloria met up with the girls and the Marauders in the Great Hall, though she felt a strange energy lingering in the air. There was an odd stillness to the room, a quiet hum of nervous energy that hung over the students like an invisible fog.

Sirius, ever the optimist, was leaning over to James, clearly in the middle of some sort of elaborate prank idea, but when his eyes landed on Gloria, the mischievous glint in his eyes softened slightly.

"Oi, Gloria," Sirius called, leaning over the table toward her with a lazy grin. "You've been awfully quiet today. Are we keeping you from studying, or are you just trying to avoid us?"

Gloria smirked, raising an eyebrow as she speared a piece of chicken with her fork. "Maybe a little bit of both. But I could use a break."

James, who had been listening intently to the conversation, tilted his head in mock surprise, "Wait, did you just say you needed a break from us? You're not allowed to say that, Gloria. We are the distraction."

Gloria laughed, rolling her eyes, "I didn't say I needed a break from you, James. I said I needed a break from the studying. Big difference, you idiot."

Sirius leaned back in his seat, watching her with an amused look. "A little walk around the castle, maybe? Get some fresh air?"

Gloria met his eyes, and for a moment, there was something there—a playful glint, but also a deeper understanding. 

"Fresh air sounds nice," she replied, smiling. "But I'm afraid I don't have time for a walk."

Sirius chuckled, clearly not taking the hint. 

"Exams be damned," he said dramatically. "You're getting too serious, Gloria. Come on, let's blow off some steam for a bit. It'll do you good."

Before she could respond, Remus, who had been quietly observing, interjected,

"Sirius, don't push her. She's right—exams are a nightmare. No one needs more distractions right now."

Gloria couldn't help but feel a little tug at her heart at Remus's words. His tone was warm and understanding, like he genuinely cared. And while it was subtle, there was something in his eyes that made her wonder if he knew exactly what she was feeling. The faintest trace of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Thanks, Remus," she said softly, feeling a bit of warmth spread through her chest.

Peter, who had been unusually quiet throughout the meal, finally spoke up, breaking the moment of calm. 

"You guys are going to be okay, right?" he asked quietly, his eyes shifting from James and Sirius to Gloria and Remus.

The room went quiet for a beat, and everyone looked at Peter. It wasn't like him to show concern so openly, and the words were simple enough, but there was a depth to them that felt unusual for Peter.

Gloria smiled at him, offering a little reassurance, "We'll be fine, Pete. Don't worry about us."

He nodded, but Gloria could still see the unease flickering in his eyes. It wasn't enough to push him into a conversation, but she made a mental note to keep an eye on him. Peter wasn't fine, and it was clear that something—maybe a lot of things—was weighing on him.

After dinner, the group made their way toward the library, but as Gloria passed by Peter on her way out of the Great Hall, she gave him a quiet nod. 

"Let's talk soon, okay?" she whispered.

Peter glanced at her, his expression a little more open than it had been earlier. "Yeah. Thanks, Gloria."

With that, the group dispersed, heading for the library. As Gloria sat down with her books, the weight of everything—the looming exams, the dark forces outside, and the unease that had settled in her friends—pressed heavily on her shoulders. But she would be there for them. She had to be.