The shadows stretched long against the cold stone walls as Lilith descended from the Astronomy Tower, her mind still reeling from her conversation with Elias. The crisp autumn air had cooled her skin, but it had done nothing to temper the storm brewing within her. The weight of expectation, of legacy, of a future she had never asked for, settled heavily upon her shoulders.

Hogwarts, once a place of security, felt like a gilded cage more than ever.

As she made her way down the winding corridors, her footsteps echoing in the quiet, she felt something shift. A flicker of determination ignited inside her, burning against the years of restraint, of submission. She would not be controlled forever. She just had to figure out how to break free without losing herself in the process.

When she reached the Slytherin common room, she hesitated before speaking the password. The stone door groaned open, revealing the dimly lit chamber inside. The usual suspects were gathered around the fireplace—Draco, Pansy, Blaise, and Theo—each lounging in their respective seats as if they owned the space. Their conversation was low, but Lilith could tell by the way Draco's gaze flickered toward her that she had been a subject of interest.

"Back so soon?" Draco drawled, arching a pale brow.

Lilith moved to her usual chair, lowering herself into it with the practiced ease of someone who belonged, even if, at this moment, she wasn't so sure she did.

"I didn't realize I needed your permission to take a walk," she replied smoothly, matching his gaze without hesitation.

Pansy smirked, twirling a strand of dark hair between her fingers. "You've been... distracted lately," she mused. "It's not like you."

Lilith suppressed the urge to scoff. Not like her? Perhaps they had never known her at all.

Blaise, ever the silent observer, tilted his head slightly. "Something on your mind, Nightingale?"

Lilith's fingers curled slightly against the armrest, but she forced her expression to remain impassive. "Not particularly," she said, keeping her voice neutral. "Unless, of course, you all plan to enlighten me on why my every move is under such scrutiny."

Draco's smirk deepened, but there was something unreadable in his gaze. "We just don't want you to lose yourself," he murmured, and though his tone was casual, there was an unmistakable edge to it.

Lose herself? As if she had ever been given the chance to find herself.

"I appreciate your concern," she said, her voice dangerously smooth. "But I can handle myself."

Silence settled between them, thick and charged. Lilith knew they were watching her closely, waiting for a crack in her façade. But she wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

After a moment, Blaise leaned back in his chair, his eyes sharp. "You're walking a fine line, Lilith."

Lilith's lips quirked up into the barest hint of a smile. "Then I suppose I should be careful not to fall."

Draco's gaze lingered on her for a fraction of a second longer before he exhaled, something passing behind his eyes before he spoke again, softer this time. "You ever think about it?"

Lilith tilted her head slightly. "Think about what?"

Draco leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "What it would be like to just—" he waved a hand vaguely in the air, "—disappear. Leave it all behind. The expectations. The politics. The weight of it all."

Pansy, who had been lounging with a look of boredom, suddenly sat up, her expression unreadable. "Draco."

"What?" he said, though there was no bite to it. "I'm just saying."

Blaise let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "The golden prince of Slytherin considering rebellion? Now that is a surprise."

Draco's expression darkened slightly. "You don't feel it? The pressure? The way they watch us? We don't have choices. We have obligations."

Lilith inhaled slowly. She had always assumed that Draco, with his flawless confidence and unwavering loyalty to his family's legacy, never questioned his place. But maybe she had been wrong.

Theo was quiet for a long time before finally speaking, his voice measured. "We all feel it."

Pansy sighed, running a hand through her dark curls. "Of course we do. But what's the alternative? What do we do about it?"

Lilith leaned back in her chair, considering them all carefully. "We don't have to do anything. Not yet."

Draco arched a brow. "But you're thinking about it."

Lilith didn't answer. She didn't need to. The silence between them spoke louder than any words could.

The conversation eventually shifted to the usual topics—classwork, upcoming duels, Quidditch. But the undercurrent of something unspoken remained. Lilith wasn't the only one teetering on the edge. They all were, in their own ways.

Later that night, as she lay awake in her bed, staring at the canopy above her, she realized the truth that had been lurking beneath the surface for far too long.

She wasn't alone in this.

They were all trapped in the same gilded cage.

And maybe, just maybe, they were all looking for a way out.