musecaravanâ:
Time Would Tell - Elizabeth, et al/Gail
The start of this RP can be found here.
Gail accepted the comforting hold Elizabeth offered as they left their common room and made their way back out into the castle. Â Her own arm wrapped naturally to rest around her friendâs lower back. Â âIâll look forward to every letter,â the younger witch promised as they walked. âAnd reply as soon as I can find time.â Â In truth, sheâd make time, even if her studies suffered a little for it.
âAs for not saying anythingâŠâ  Gail hummed softly, trying to choose her words well.  âI promise not to be the one to start anything.  Iâll - â  Another pause.  âTry to keep my ears closed, I guess?  But if anyone starts anything directly with me⊠I donât know if I can just ignore them.  But Iâll try, okay?  Donât worry about me.â  Gailâs skills at defense were better now thanks to her friends, but she knew sheâd barely started learning.  And any of the older kids could best her easily if they decided they wanted to.
Why couldnât this blasted war just be over already?! Â And why did there seem to be so many in her own House who couldnât see the wrongness of what was happening? Â Gail kept those comments and worries to herself. Â Sheâd likely spill them all out to Aaron in her next letter. Â Anything to get the trouble off her chest for a bit. Â But now wasnât the time. Â She needed to support her friend. Â That was the most important thing. Â
That declaration of loyalty got a little smile out of Elizabeth. âIâm sure youâll be fine,â she said softly. âI wouldnae ask you noâ tae fight back if someone else started it. Actually, Iâd tell ye tae jinx their nose off.â
The playfulness helped, a tiny bit. She gave Gail a gentle squeeze as they went up the stairs, grateful for her friend even if she felt a bit guilty for putting all this on a second-yearâs shoulders.
Professor McGonagall was waiting in Slughornâs office to take her home. The last thing Elizabeth said before she left was, âIâll be back soon as... everythinâ gets sorted out.â
It was three weeks later when she arrived back at Hogwarts; three long weeks where the details of the awful event had spread throughout the school like wildfire, with most people raging about it - who would be sick enough to target a trainee Auror? - and a few laughing at the idiot whoâd deserved it for going against the Dark Lord.
When Elizabeth Argyle reentered the Great Hall, however, nobody seemed inclined to start anything either way. The warmth and playfulness was gone, replaced with a gaze of icy steel and a certain rigid set to her shoulders that suggested anyone who bothered her would be needing the hospital wing in short order.
She did give the few people she trusted a brief smile, however - Gail among them.










