LIFELINE | 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮

▪︎ 10.

Double digits. Let's go!

***

"Those of you who will be staying over for Christmas will please come up and sign here!" Professor McGonagall announced in the common room.

At once, Harry strode up and signed. Another seventh year, boy signed up, and so did a second year girl. Next, the entire Weasley clan joined to sign up.

"You're not going home for Christmas?" Eliza asked Percy.

"Nah, mum and dad are visiting Charlie in Romania." Fred said, throwing an arm around Percy who just pursed his lips.

"Romania?" Eliza asked.

"Dragons. He's working with dragons." George said, coming up.

"Ohh, yeah, now I remember, Charlie loved animals. He got a Crup inside the castle, didn't he once?" Eliza asked Percy.

"Yes. Although he had to release it back into the wild." Percy replied.

"Did he really?" Fred asked, interested.

Eliza remembered the memory fondly. "We were in the first year." She said, pointing towards herself and Percy. "It was apparently right after Care of Magical Creatures that he found a Crup and bought it in."

"Only Bill convinced him to let go of it." Percy added. "They hushed it up though, Charlie would've gotten into serious trouble even though he was a Prefect."

"I don't think serious trouble. He might’ve lost a few house points," Eliza said. "I mean, it's not exactly rule-breaking, was it?"

"Only animals like cats, toads, and owls are allowed. Not Crups and Kneazles." Percy said, reciting the rule perfectly.

Fred and George rolled their eyes. "Is there a rule where they say idiots are not allowed on the castle?" Fred asked.

"No, why?" Percy said thoughtfully, detaching himself from Fred and taking a seat beside Eliza.

"They should, then you'll not be allowed in here." George replied instantly.

Eliza laughed, and Percy turned red with anger. "Now listen here —"

"Do you hear something, George?" Fred asked, looking around the room.

"I think it's coming from there." George replied, pointing towards the other side and walking away with Fred grinning and ignoring a fuming Percy.

Eliza continued laughing. The twins really loved taking a mickey out of Percy.

"I'm a Prefect!" Percy shouted and opened his mouth again to say something else.

"Shh!" Eliza shushed him by placing a finger on his lips. "They're just teasing you. Why do you get so worked up?" She asked, letting go of her finger.

Percy's face turned pink. "Because I'm a Prefect." He said, voicing the previous words. "I shouldn't be getting such rude replies."

"Rude replies?" Eliza repeated with a small laugh. "Percy, you're a brother to them, not a Prefect. They love you, that's why they tease you, it's not rude." She said. "I wish I had siblings."

"It's not fun, having siblings." Percy said wistfully.

"Imagine growing up alone." Eliza said, looking at Percy's blue eyes. "You can't, can you? That's the magic of siblings. You'd be very different if they were never there."

Percy didn't reply. He was in a loss for words. Even spending the majority of his free time reading, he couldn't get himself to utter a single word. He simply looked back into the amber eyes of Eliza, his lips slightly ajar.

For a second, neither of them spoke a word. They looked at each other like they had the entire common room to themselves.

In the heat of the moment, Eliza glanced to his lips and back to him. She didn't intend to, but it happened on reflex.

Through the glasses of his, Percy could feel his face heating. He didn't want to be stuck up in a position like this. Eliza was growing on him, but was she in that way? Moreover, did Percy want her to grow in that way?

Clearing her throat, Eliza looked elsewhere and brushed off the matter. It was awkward enough without bringing up what just happened.

"Loosen up, we have holidays in a week." Eliza said, getting up and winking, leaving Percy alone, both of them going into the warmth of their thoughts.

***

With the luggage all settled and packed, Eliza had to yet wake up Claire. Being smart and knowing Claire would oversleep, she made the blonde girl pack the night before the train left.

"All packed?" Ruby asked, rolling up her extra pair of socks and tucking them in neatly in her trunk.

"Yes." Eliza replied after exhaling a long breath. "If you find anything of mine, you'll hand it over, won't you?" She asked.

Holly just stepped out of the bathroom. "The hot water ran out! I can't believe it, mid-December, that too!" She complained, pulling on her jacket immediately.

"You can use this." Eliza said, handing her a jar of everlasting flame. It was a useful charm she had learned and she carried it around on, especially cold days.

"Thanks. You're a life saver." Holly said, gladly taking the jar closer to her and sighing in relief.

Claire shifted in her sleep.

"Is she not going to wake up?" Holly asked, drying her dirty blonde hair with her wand.

"She won't." Eliza rolled her eyes. "Trust Claire to miss the train for a few extra minutes of sleep." She said, walking over to wake Claire up.

"Wait!" Ruby said, stopping Eliza. "I have an idea. Holly, you're sure that there's no hot water left?"

Holly smirked. "Yup. No more hot water."

Eliza grinned. "Well, I'm not sorry at all."

Getting a mug of cold water, the three girls counted with bated breath.

"Three...two...one!"

The cold water splashed on Claire's face. Shrieking awake, Claire rubbed the water off with her shirt.

"What is wrong with you people!?" Claire shouted loudly. "Can't a girl sleep!?"

"It's fifteen minutes past ten, Claire." Ruby said, showing her watch.

"So!?" Claire yelled. "The train leaves at eleven!"

Holly threw her hands up. "Unbelievable logic."