The weight of silence hung heavily in the room. Memories flashed in your mind, sharp and sweet like shattered glass.

Mattheo grinning wildly as he pulled you toward the lake, his dark curls damp from the spray of water as he dared you to jump with him. "Come on, don't be boring!" he'd teased, his hand warm in yours, fingers tangled together.

Tom, sitting cross-legged beneath the sprawling oak tree, books spread around him like a fortress of knowledge. "You're smarter than you think," he'd assured you when you'd struggled with the complexities of runes, his words a balm to your insecurities.

Draco and Blaise, their teasing banter filling the common room as they dragged you into their playful debates over Qu/dditch strategies.

Theo had always been the quiet one, content to sit beside you in companionable silence. His rare smiles had felt like secrets meant only for you. And Lorenzo would always remind you to "breathe," his voice low and steady when your nerves got the better of you. "We've got your back," he'd promised.

And Regulus—he'd been the thoughtful, witty anchor of the group, always ready with a clever remark or a reassuring squeeze of your hand when things felt too heavy.

But now...

Now, those same hands gripped wands aimed at you.

Mattheo’s grin was still there, but it was sharper now.

Tom stood at the center, his gaze was cold—a stranger’s stare. "You shouldn't have come back," he said quietly.

Draco’s jaw was set, as though fighting an internal war between loyalty and duty. Blaise said nothing, his eyes unreadable.

Theo leaned against the wall, but the playful glint in his eyes had been replaced by something harder. Lorenzo stood impassive.

And Regulus... Regulus, who had once been your anchor, looked at you as though he no longer recognized you.

Your heart ached with the weight of what they had been—what you had all been together. Love, loyalty, laughter.

Now?

Now you needed protection from the very people who had sworn to protect you.