I’m Fine—When am I Not? Ch. 3&4
Not proofread. Ignore the errors lol.
this one is 2.2K words so I’m counting this as two chapters because uhhh I want each chapter in this story to be around 1K and I’m weird about it.
Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 & 4 | Chapter 5
The couple arrived at the second floor, right outside the DADA classroom. Emcy patted off the soot on their shirt and blew some off Carina’s hair. “Let’s go to the Undercroft first.”
The two rushed down the staircase and swerved into the narrow hallway, stopping at the gateway…only to find it locked.
“Hm,” Emcy looked around the cabinet and found nothing, “could Ominis have locked us out?”
“Let me try,” Carina tried to open the door as well, yet to no avail. “That’s weird. Maybe they’re inside?”
Emcy casted a Revelio and squinted when they saw two faint yellow outlines down there. “I think so…but what are they doing?” Carina casted Revelio as well and… “I have no idea.”
Emcy decided to just knock— “Wait! What if they’re busy?” “Busy with what?” “With…you know…?” Emcy blushed when they realised and looked back at the cabinet. “Uhhh…True. But Wyanne and Teddy are missing, so.” They knocked on the cabinet loudly, repeatedly, nonstopping until a rush of footsteps came heading towards their direction and slammed the door open.
“What?” Ominis smoothed his disarray hair back and righted his collar. “Carina. Emcy. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“We’re looking for Wyanne and Teddy.” Carina hurriedly explained the situation to him, from how off Wyanne was with Lukai to discovering Teddy’s disappearance.
“I’m afraid I have no idea where either of them could be,” Ominis answered finally. “I did see Theodore this morning in the kitchens, but I last saw Wyanne yesterday. She had been studying in the library, but I didn’t speak with her.”
“Thank you.” Emcy sighed when Ominis closed the door again. “So they weren’t there…”
“Let’s go check elsewhere,” Carina hooked her arm through Emcy’s, “we’ve got a lot of places to go through.”
They first floo’d to Fig’s office.
“Fig’s office?” Castiel wondered as Vincent wiped off the soot on his hands. “Why here?”
“Wyanne told me something about her and Emcy’s relationship with Fig before they came here,” Vincent explained, “something about having known them before Hogwarts. She didn’t go into details though.”
The two walked inside the empty classroom. It remained the same cluttered mess. Books and scrolls piled by desks, photo frames climbing towards the ceilings, tilted shelves still carrying age-old novels…
“This place still smells the same,” Castiel pointed out as they walked further inside. “That old woodsy smell.”
“Yeah,” Vincent’s head swivelled around when he thought he heard something. Alas, it was just a bird flying by the window. “It’s almost like walking into the past…”
The two boys walked up the staircase and pushed open the door to the office.
There were no sounds besides the click of their shoes against the stone floor, each step carefully measured, as if walking too quickly might shatter the tranquillity in the long-abandoned office.
Vincent stopped at Fig’s desk as Castiel rounded it and glanced at the old drapes and blackboards. “Well, neither of them are here,” the redhead said, “we should go now.”
But Vincent had yet to move. “Do you miss Fig?” He suddenly turned and looked up at Cas. “Like, I know you were that close — none of us are, really — but do you miss him?”
“…Sometimes, I think,” Castiel shrugged. “I think of him when I suddenly get a weird tug in my heart. It’s like I saw him in the corner of my eye and when I look up, he’s not there.”
“Yeah,” Vincent looked down at the old desk again, “I get that too.”
Castiel walked up to Vincent and kissed him on the cheek. “Are you alright?”
“I am,” Vincent sighed, “but I’m worried. We’ve only known them for two months, but suddenly they’re gone and it’s…it’s really weird with all the sudden silence.”
“So we restore the chaos,” Castiel tapped Vincent’s chin with a finger, “we’ll find them, I’m sure.”
“And I’m gonna bite Teddy when he gets back.” Vincent laughed at the sudden unseriousness of Castiel’s words. “I’m not lying, I really will!”
“Okay, okay,” Vincent grabbed Castiel’s hand and led him out, “you can bite him all you want, you vampire.”
“Wyanne doesn’t even like Divination,” Myrna complained as she and her brother ascended the winding staircase, “and Teddy doesn’t even attend the class anymore!”
“It’s always the unforeseen places,” Lukai shook his head, “there’s a chance he’s there.”
“Do you think we’d even be able to find Teddy?” Myrna frowned once they reached the ladder. “He’s a Seer, so maybe he already knows which places we’ll be looking, and therefore he’ll know where not to hide.”
“But Wyanne’s not a seer, is she?” Lukai started climbing the ladder, Myrna a few feet under him. “So if we find her, she’ll find Teddy.”
“And if they’re together?” “Not possible.” Lukai pulled Myrna up when she reached the top. “Wyanne was way too closed off with me already, and we’re not that close. She can’t possibly be vulnerable with anyone, especially Teddy, right now.”
“Well, she’s not here,” Myrna sighed. “And what do you mean ‘especially Teddy’.”
“He likes telling or hearing jokes to lighten the mood,” Lukai slid down the ladder stylishly while Myrna took each step down carefully. “Which is not something Wyanne would want right now. They’re complete opposites when it comes to feeling depressed. Teddy wants jokes, Wyanne wants…I don’t know.”
Myrna jumped off the ladder and crossed her arms at him. “How do you even know about all that?”
“Observation,” he said simply, “I didn’t grow up becoming a gentleman because I was born with it.”
Myrna scoffed a laugh. “Gentleman? Who lied to you?”
“Hey!” Lukai protested as the two siblings started descending the staircase. “I am the perfect gentleman.”
River had suggested they search the area near the Hospital Wing first.
“Have you heard any horror stories about this tower?” Ray’s voice echoed down the tower as the pendulum creaked with each sway. “There’s a rumour that a student accidentally fell over the railing, and his body wasn’t found until the next afternoon!”
“Really?” River looked down to find a few students loitering about on the ground floor. “That is a pretty long way down.”
“One of the ducks escaped here once,” Ray recalled, “I was really scared it might fall off too. Luckily it didn’t. Do you have pets?”
“No, but there was a monkey in the circus I used to be at. I used to teach Pip all sorts of tricks while I had to address the audience…”
“That sounds very fun,” Ray softened, “it sounds like you miss it a lot.”
“I do,” River closed another door after finding nothing but spiderwebs, “I really miss it.”
“…Where do you think Wyanne could be?”
River was quiet for a moment as he stared down at the floor. “Well, I’m honestly not sure. She seemed fine a few days ago.”
“I know, right? We even chatted about the Duckoir…” Ray opened a door and found only an old treasure box. “It’s peculiar that she’d suddenly vanish without a trace.”
“It’s really unlike her…” River looked down the railing again. For some reason, he had prepared himself to find… “I’m sure she can protect herself.”
“She can’t keep doing that,” Ray shook his head. “She needs to understand we’re all here for her as well. And Teddy.”
Mylene sighed as she walked out of the classroom. “Neither of them were in there.”
Lyra frowned. “Guess we should head up to the Trophy Room.”
“Oh no,” Mylene could cry. “That’s too many stairs. Even if we use the Floo, and my feet are numb.”
“So are mine,” Lyra winced as her calves ached. “Let’s just take a break.”
The two girls sat down by the stairs, allowing themselves some much needed relief.
“Why do you think they disappeared?” Lyra asked as Mylene drank her water.
“Maybe something happened because of their family?” Mylene guessed. “It’s hard to tell. Wyanne seemed alright yesterday.”
“So was Teddy. He was entertaining some of the first years in the common room last night.” Lyra picked at her nails mindlessly. “What could’ve gone wrong in the last few hours? It’s only midday.”
“It’s too strange of a coincidence for them both to vanish at the same time, don’t you think?” “Could someone have said something that made them both upset?” “Why would you say that?” “It’s said that sometimes the most outgoing people can be the most sensitive to words,” Lyra shrugged, “it’s just a thought.”
Mylene debated the theory for a moment. It did seem possible… “The quicker we fine them, the sooner we’ll get our answers.” Lyra beamed at her and jumped up. “Then to the Trophy Room we go!”
Mylene wished she could share her enthusiasm. Oh well.
“Wyanne?” Mylene called as she walked into the trophy room. “Are you here?”
“Wyanne’s not here!” A sudden voice shouted back. Leo Lovegood popped out from the corner, an easy smile on his face. “Why are you looking for her?”
“Leo!” Lyra sounded incredibly grateful. “Have you seen Wyanne? Or Teddy?”
“Wyanne? Not since yesterday during lunch. I was discussing something with Emcy and Amit when she showed up, but she quickly left again after reminding us that Astronomy was cancelled last night. As for Teddy, I saw him this morning and flirted with him a little.”
“This morning?” Mylene could feel hope growing in her right now. “Where did you see him?”
“He said he’d just left the kitchen, but he didn’t have any pastries with him,” Leo scratched his head before continuing, “I think he said he was heading to the Library. Either that, or he had said he was heading to the Greenhouses.”
“Greenhouses or the Library, got it!” Lyra grabbed Mylene and started running. “Thank you Leo!”
“Anytime! And good luck!”
Mylene was already casting a patronus to Andrew and Zachary. “Andrew, Zachary, we think Teddy may be in the Library or the Greenhouse!” She sent the dove on its way and grinned at Lyra. “You were right!”
“I know!” Lyra laughed. “Even I’m shocked!”
They started with the Quidditch pitch because that’s where they were when they got the message.
“Nothing here!” Andrew yelled and shut the curtains to the Hufflepuff tent. “Anything for you?!”
“No!” Zachary frowned at the utter mess in the audience stands. “Honestly, do people have no manners…?”
“Andrew was heading over for the last tent — the Slytherin’s — when a certain captain suddenly ran up to him. “Hey!” Imelda shouted. “What are you doing?”
“Oh! Hi Imelda!” Andrew said in his stupidly sweet voice ughhhh. “What brought you here?”
“I’m here to practice, of course,” she crossed her arms and gave him a look, “why are you…and Zachary here?”
“We’re looking for our friend—“ “Why is there a bug?!” Zachary shrieked without warning. “Go— away— Ah! Bombarda!” Boom! A ball of fire exploded in the stands. Luckily the pitch is entirely covered with protection charms… “Uhh… Yeah. It’s not going too well.”
Imelda sighed and looked away from her housemate. “Who are you looking for?” “Wyanne Whyle and Teddy
Lancelot. Do you know them?” “Of course I know them.” How could she not know about the chaotic Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain? “They’re missing, you say?”
“Yeah…” “I am so done with this! I’m leaving—Ah!” “We could use an extra hand?”
“I shouldn’t be helping the enemy…But sure.” Imelda put away her broom for once and looked up at stupidly adorable Andrew. “Where have you looked?”
“Well, we have people looking in the—watch out!” He grabbed Imelda by the shoulders and pulled her away before a ball of blue light could hit her.
The blue light stopped in front of them. “Andrew, Zachary, we think Teddy may be in the Library or the Greenhouse!” A girl’s voice came from the blue orb, which quickly dissipated after relaying the message.
Imelda coughed. “Wah! Sorry! Sorry…” Andrew let Imelda go and muttered another sorry before looking back at where the blue orb was a moment ago. “The Library or the Greenhouse?”
“Wasn’t that Elmas?” Imelda changed the subject. “Elmas?” “Mylene Elmas. She’s also a Slytherin.”
Zachary rushed down to them, panting for breath. “Can we leave? This place is crawling with little spiders. Eugh.”
“How do Slytherins live in this place?” Leander shuddered as he and his boyfriend walked down the hallway. “It’s all…dark and damp and hollow and empty…”
Tony laughed at Leander’s dramatics. “It’s nothing of the sort.” The ghost couple rushed over their heads, the unnatural cold breezing over their scalps. “It’s pretty bright, dry, with narrow hallways and occasional Slytherins.”
Leander shook his head, or maybe he was just trembling from the cold. “Really, no one can live down here.”
“I’ve heard the common room is actually warm,” Tony laughed as they rounded a corner. Leander just rolled his eyes and sighed, thanking Merlin that Tony hadn’t been sorted into this house. The Hufflepuff Dungeons was so much better.
“Do you think she could be hiding in there?” Tony tapped him on the shoulder and pointed at the girls’ lavatory.
Leander shrugged his shoulders. "It's possible. I heard this one’s not being used anyway.
“Not being used?” Tony pushed open the door, expecting something gloomy and dark. “…It seems fine to me.”
“Well, I don’t know why it’s not being used!” Leander laughed as he started checking the stalls on the left. “I’m not a girl, nor a Slytherin.”
Tony moved on to the next stall. “Maybe something happened here? I mean, given that this is Hogwarts, I don’t think there’s any surprise there.”
Leander laughed at his words. “My grandma used to tell me stories about how someone would die here every few years. It’s troubling, really, especially when everyone calls Hogwarts ‘the safest place on earth’ or something.”
“It’s definitely not,” Tony sighed when the last stall was found empty. “Well, no one’s here either. Guess we should go look elsewhere.”
“Alright.” Leander held the door open as Tony went through. “Let’s head towards the Lower Grand Staircase Floo station first.”
“I mean, really,” the girl muttered to herself as she kicked a pebble, “friend? A friend?” She grabbed the rock from the ground and threw it against a pipe. It bounced off with a loud, jarring CLANG!
“Don’t be ridiculous. He thought he could lie to me like that?” She stomped away angrily, her feet making mushy sounds against the damp and debris-littered floor. “Imbecilic, lying arseholes!” She grabbed a stone pillar and tore a part of it out, crushing the stone into tiny pebbles. Her arm was now a black mist, stirring unnaturally in the vague shape of a proper hand.
She sat down on the floor and started crying. “Why did they do that?” She cried, her voice softer, more gentle, filled with hurt instead of anger. “Do I really need to change…? I’m too dramatic, aren't I?” She felt her hand materialising back to normal, the migraine pounding in her head lessening as she took another shaky breath and sniffled. “I’m an idiot, all this time…”
AN: It’s not explicitly said, but the lavatory that Tony and Leander went to is the one that leads to the Chamber of Secrets.
This piece features @lyra-prag Lyra, Leo @vagrandeer Castiel and Tony @cherryray-hl Vincent @mayui-ao Andrew, Ray, and Zachary @amus2110 Carina @ravenothere Lukai, Myrna, Mylene @mostboringcrossover River
