SIX COME HERE

It was a solemn thing to feel like a spectator in one's own life. If Eurydice's life was a film, she doubts she would be the main character. Eurydice had been thinking these solitary thoughts far more often than she should and she had a feeling Heloise could sense that something was wrong, especially following their conversation at the top of the astronomy tower a few nights ago. Still, personality crisis aside, the two girls could always count on Hogsmeade to keep their minds off of things. Nothing like the smooth taste of butterbeer and as much candy from Honeydukes as they could carry to ease a bad mood.

Still, Eurydice felt off. Heloise knew this without having to ask.

"Oi, we should get back to school, I'm freezing my arse off," the girl spoke after a while, hugging her coat tighter against her form, yellow scarf wrapped around her neck. "Plus, take no offense to this I'm begging you, you seem out of it today."

Eurydice offered a small smile with little warmth behind it as she shook her head, "I don't know, I've just been in my head a lot lately. I wish I knew how to get out of it. I suppose this mood will pass, though, that's all I can hope for."

"That's the attitude! Kind of," Heloise drawled as she slung her arm around her best friend's shoulders as they troughed through the heavy snow. It was odd to think how much time had already passed in their sixth year, but then again, snow in Scotland was not restricted to only the winter months -- it was practically year-round. Eurydice found peace in the snowy cold if she was being honest. Everything seemed muffled, the world seemed to be put on pause. It was nice to think about it. Peace and quiet.

The two girls walked, catching up with Harry and his friends who were along the same path as them. Eurydice sidled up next to Hermione with Heloise on her other side as they chatted aimlessly.

"You know, Slughorn invited me to be in that odd club of his," Eurydice was saying, "Did he invite you as well? I made one good potion and all of a sudden this man thinks I'm a fantastic student, he doesn't know me at all."

Hermione laughed at this, "He's invited me as well as Harry. It seems weird to single out students, I think, there's enough competition between students and houses already, adding an elite club to the mix seems like a horrible idea."

"I'm just surprised I'm actually getting high marks in potions," Harry scoffed, "Maybe it's because I don't have Snape and the giant stick up his arse grading my potions anymore."

"That poor stick," Ron shook his head and fits of giggles erupted from the group, but it's interrupted by a sharp scream through the air.

Eurydice freezes and the group stops as the girls who had been walking in front of them -- Katie Bell and Leanne -- were no longer peacefully walking through the snow. Katie Bell was now suspended six feet above them, her mouth open in a frozen cry for help. Out of instinct, Eurydice reached for her wand, but not a single spell came to mind.

"I warned her! I warned her not to touch it!" Leanne was shouting, but the boys were already acting.

Ron and Harry leaped forward to grab the girl's ankles and instantly the suspension was broken as the girl crashed down to the snow at the touch, but the horror continued on the ground as the girl convulsed. No one knew what to do, no one knew what type of hex or curse had caused this. Following Hermione's gaze, Eurydice sees the package, torn open in the snow to reveal a necklace.

"Harry, she's swallowing her tongue," Ron's voice was panicked as the boys tried to figure out what to do, but neither of them had a solution.

Hermione's head whipped to the boys as she called, "I'll get someone --"

"There's no time!" Harry shouted in response.

Eurydice kept a white-knuckled grip on her wand, any words getting lost in the lump in her throat as she watched the scene similar to a deer caught in the headlights of a muggle car -- staring despite the inevitable doom. She was in no danger here, she had to remind herself, but the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and goosebumps littered her skin, not from the cold.

"Get back!" a hoarse voice with a thick accent called, "All of yeh!"

Hagrid storms past them as he picks up Katie Bell and calms her down, somehow diffusing the situation more effortlessly than any of them could have. With her in his arms, he points to the package, "Don't none of ya touch that 'cept by the wrapping. Understand?"

Harry nods and moves over to the package, wrapping it with his scarf before lifting it. He takes a step back, ending up next to Eurydice and Heloise. Without thinking, she grabs his arm for security as they watch Hagrid lumber off with the girl in his arms.

"What was that?" Eurydice asked once they're gone, Leanne following close behind.

"This necklace had to have been cursed," the boy explained, "I don't think Katie was the intended target, she wasn't supposed to touch it."

"Curiosity killed the cat, ain't that what they always say?" the curly-haired Hufflepuff contributed from Eurydice's side, a snide undertone in her voice, "Who is trying to curse who at Hogwarts is what I'm wonderin.' That's more than a jelly-legs hex, that's for sure."

"Yeah, no shit," Ron added, sounding out of breath, "Merlin, that was the worst thing ever and I wasn't even the one it was happenin' to!"

The conversation carried on from there as everyone calmed down from the turn of events and Eurydice found herself relaxing slightly as she finally put her wand away. She let go of Harry, partially not even realizing she had still been holding on. He looked at her as the contact was lost and their eyes met. Her breath hitched as he looked at her, but she tried to conceal it.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, trying not to get the attention of anyone else as the castle finally was in their sights.

"Heloise, you're good to go back to the common room on your own or do you need me to walk you?" Eurydice seemed to hide one question with another, ignoring Harry as Ron and Hermione broke off to go back to the common room without Harry.

Looking from Harry to the girl, Heloise seemed to realize what Eurydice was really asking, "Yeah, I'm good. See you at dinner."

Eurydice smiled at her and the girl was off -- leaving just Harry and Eurydice.

"I can't believe you're asking me if I'm okay considering you were incredibly quiet that entire walk," Eurydice spoke with a firmness in her voice as she crossed her arms, "Struck me as odd since you never shut up."

"Oi," the boy muttered, a look of offense on his face that she knew was only mocking, "I was just thinking. I think I know who did it. You still haven't answered my question, deflecting isn't a good look, Di."

"I am fine, thank you very much," the girl shot back as they walked. It was a lie, she was fairly shaken, but she wasn't about to tell Harry that. "Now, tell me your theories, how could you possibly know who did that? Katie didn't exactly have a chance to name a culprit."

Harry shook his head, "I saw Draco go into the bathroom at the Three Broomsticks, a few moments later, Katie comes out with a package. He had to have hexed or something, I just don't know who he was trying to curse in the first place."

"Okay, Harry, I'm not the biggest fan of Malfoy, but blaming him for this seems a little cookie cutter for you. Does that make sense? Malfoy is not the root of all issues at this school just because he's a pompous asshole. You know?" she was surprised at the words leaving her mouth, but the idea that another student could have done this was all sorts of horrifying. Even a Slytherin, it still seemed unlikely that a student would even have access to such knowledge let alone the gall to pull it off.

The boy was unimpressed with this, "I just have a feeling."

"Oh, my mistake, Mr. Chosen One has a feeling," she teased, a small smile forming on her face as the boy nudged her playfully.

The boy seemed like he was going to tease her further, but instead, he said, "You know, I saw you freeze. It's okay to admit that sometimes things are too much to handle, none of us knew how to react."

She scoffed, "Yeah, but you still reacted. I just... stood there. Useless."

"You weren't useless if there was nothing more that could have been done," he reassured, but it felt pointless. "Besides, I know I didn't teach you all those defensive spells for nothing, it's up there somewhere you've just got to focus."

"Oh, God, here goes Professor Potter," the girl deflected, fully aware that she was doing this to avoid showing any real emotions with Harry. Ever since last year, she kept her guard up around Harry -- not wanting to give him the wrong idea. Although she wasn't entirely sure what the wrong idea would be. They were friends, after all.

The boy brushed her off with a playful smile, "All right, whatever, are you coming with me to speak with Professor McGonagall or not?"

She shook her head, "No, I should get back. Plus, I think I've heard enough of your conspiracy theories for one day."

"All right, fair enough," he scoffed, "Hey, come here."

She was confused for a brief moment before Harry pulled her into a hug. Heloise hugged her all the time, but this felt different. She melted instantly as she wrapped her arms around Harry, burying her head in the crook of his neck. Eurydice felt safe.

When they pulled apart the air was different, but it was probably all in her head. He smiled and bid her goodbye, leaving her standing in the hall. She let herself smile, barely biting it back as she walked back towards Gryffindor Tower. She had to calm down, she knew this. They were friends. However, Eurydice knew that friends did not think about each other the way she thought about Harry and that was a problem. A big one.