Closed to @maryxmac and @lilycvanss
Marlene's hands were shaking; she attempted to distract this by tapping restless fingers against her bedpost, by braiding small strands of her hair then letting them fall out again. Her mind raced with placid reassurances to herself, lips silently forming the words unspoken, trying to convince herself that she'd done much more reckless things that had not scared her at all. But the castle doors were not locked because of a prank gone wrong; they had not burrowed away in their dormitory to play some game. War was on the brink, a battle had found its way here into the castle, and Marlene's hands were shaking.
"I can't stand this!" she cried to her friend, the shrill words cutting through tension and silence. "I'm bored. I'm so bored. Let's go down to the kitchens. The house elves could use some company and I could use some cake."