Zoe.

"I'm telling you, that's second year stuff..." Blaise muttered, gesturing lightly over the stack of books in my hands. "...Professor Snape doesn't have favorites, Black—"

"Clearly." I shot, adjusting the grip on my books.

"What did he say, exactly?" Blaise pushed as we rounded a corner in step, our robes whipping through the summer-cooling air resting within the walls.

"That I was the only one advancing past the First Year threshold, and should put my mind where my mouth is..." I repeated, almost mocking his flat tone. "...I'd hate to see this guy's dating charm."

Blasie snorted—

BAM!

"Watch it you—"

I froze. Jasper Seymour and Erin Ward, again. They stood in front of us, tangled from the collision. Erin had her hands on Jasper's shoulders, steadying him. He didn't look away from me.

Blaise hums beside me. "You two have a habit of being in the way."

Erin straightens first, dropping her hands from Jasper's shoulder after steadying him, "Sorry. We didn't see—"

"Clearly." I chirp, glaring between the two. "It's becoming a theme..."

Jasper's shoulders tense, "It was just an accident Black..."

"Funny," I smirk. "That's what you said last time too."

Erin exhales, adjusting her own robes before bending down to start gathering my books, "Zoe, we were just heading to our common rooms—"

"Together." Blaise adds helpfully.

I tilt my head, studying them. "You're everywhere lately."

Jasper steps forward half a pace. "Is there a point to this?"

"Of course," I reply. "I just didn't realize Hogwarts had lowered it's standards so much that they're accepting students like...you."

Erin stills, biting the inside of her cheek, "That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" I ask. "This palace was built with intention. Structure. Not...whatever this is." I gesture lightly between the two, glaring at Erin as she finally straightens to her full, short, height with my stack of books in her hands.

Jasper's voice drops. "You don't get to decide who belongs here, Black."

I met his gaze, "Don't I?"

"No," Jasper growls, stepping fully into my space now. "You don't."

"Jasper," Erin attempts, glancing at Blasie, and offering the books, "Forget it."

He doesn't move.

"Why?" Jasper snaps, not taking his eyes off mine. "If I do, this just keeps happening. Over and over again..."

"It's not worth it." Erin states, quietly, adjusting her grip on the books again.

I finally look at her then—really look.

She stood there with my books cradled to her chest, shoulders squared despite the tremor in her hands.

A slow smile curved my mouth.

"Thank you," I state, softly, not blinking.

"For?" Erin pushes, raising her brow.

"Picking up my books..." I gesture lightly. "It seems you may know your place after all—"

Erin flinched.

I let myself straighten, something old and familiar settling comfortably into my spine.

I opened my mouth to finish the thought.

"Says the one that doesn't even have a personality of her own," Jasper hissed. "You just borrow one from her cousin." Jasper hisses.

Something hot and sharp twists in my chest.

"Careful," I say lightly. "You sound bitter."

"I sound honest," he snaps. "You hide behind a name and pretend it makes you better than everyone else—"

"Jasper..." Erin tries to tug on his sleeve, but he ignores her.

I laugh, it comes out clean and practiced.

"And yet here you are," I reply, eyes raking over him. "Still standing in my way like that means something."

"It does." Jasper says. "Because you don't scare me."

"No?" I tilt my head. "That's funny. You flinch every time I open my mouth—"

"Zoe, stop." Erin shifts more between us now, finally casing my books against the castle wall as her hands appeared between us, attempting to pry us apart.

I ignore her.

"You want to talk about borrowed things?" I continue softly. "Let's talk about how hard you cling to anything that makes you feel relevant."

Jasper steps forward again. "Don't talk about her."

"Why?" I ask. "Because she makes you feel important?"

Erin inhales sharply.

"Because she's not some accessory you get to judge." Jasper growls.

I smile.

"Accessory?" I echo. "No. She's exactly what she looks like."

I don't look at Erin.

"Something that slips in when the wards are weakened."

Jasper goes rigid. "Zoe, stop—"

"Magic knows," I say calmly. "It always separates what belongs from what doesn't."

I inhale.

"And she doesn't—"

Thats when it hit.

A high pitch ringing noise that made the three of us collectively slam our hands over our ears and buckle under the pure vibration of the sound.

The ringing continued as our grumbling and hissing could be heard underneath it until a set voices started to whisper over it;

One to hold the body fast,
One to hold the world intact,
One to hold the mind from breaking,
Or all shall shatter in the making."

The high pitch ringing took over again and everything went black...