*Anos's POV*
"Well make sure to wake up tomorrow. I wanna copy that work as soon as I can." Simon requested before even he stood up and left, leaving me and Alucard alone.
I looked back up again through the roof at the now falling shards of snow being brushed off by the magical roof, it provided a clear view of the sky till the snowfall seemed to be in clusters and appeared as Dark Stars themselves as they fell to the earth.
"You'll follow her out wouldn't you?" Alucard asked as expected once he was sure no one was listening in and I looked back down to stare at his Ruby-like eyes.
"Yes," I replied, not hiding anything.
I already knew he was aware of it barely a few moments after I had noticed.
"Well make sure she doesn't fall down and break her neck or something or trip on the Cloak. She's quite smart to wait this long, how unexpectedly patient of her." Alucard said staring at the Hearth and its pulsing flames.
"True. At least she has some semblance of sense and planning." I replied and fought the small smile that was threatening to be placed on my face even behind my mask I was sure Alucard would've noticed the twitching.
"Well, you're a good influence on her in that regard. Sometimes you seem too experienced with these things you know." Alucard said and now I truly did my best to keep emotions off my face.
"I suppose. Considering I was found dumped into a trash can, I suppose all of us abandoned ones carry a lot more of the world with us than we realize." I replied and Alucard only gave a curt nod.
If he was surprised at the revelation then he didn't show it. As he just stood up and held out his hand.
I looked confused for a moment before standing up and shaking his hand. And then with a jerk, I was pulled into a hug.
"For as far removed from my blood you might be you still will always be welcome in my home. Till the sun stops burning my skin and the world forgives our dues." Alucard whispered with emotion before patting my back and returning to his room.
For once I was thankful for keeping my powers off and allowing contact. I also felt a bit guilty as I had almost used the trashcan story as a way to throw off suspicion.
It was true, literally. Whatever I had said was true but the way I had used it and with whom I had used it left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.
'Well fuck, now I feel like shit.' I thought before sighing and returning to my room.
I didn't care for the several stars in it that made the walls seem like the sky itself. The stars moved and blinked but instead of landing on my bed I just shut the door and sat on the ground with my back leaning against the room door.
It was hard to adjust to this, it had been much much easier when Dad was the only one in my life. I never had many friends previously except Harriet and now here I was having to lie to some of them to hide myself.
I understood it was necessary but it also didn't throw the feeling away as if I had twisted a knife into my own gut and was turning it ever so painfully.
'Deep breaths.' I huffed slowly trying to arrange my thoughts and spent the next few minutes curled into a ball.
Before I felt an absence of magic from an area and sighed as I got up.
The enigma that wasn't giving off any magic was awfully like a kid in a cloak who was doing their best to sneak out of the common room.
I sneaked out of my room and noticed the presence on the Common room door looking back to see if anyone had noticed her trying to sneak off.
Then she turned and looked at the gate as if preparing to open it. Finally, she did and went out and I followed her out without making as much as a sound.
As soon as I was out I sensed the surroundings and sure enough, she was trying to sneak off and looked around a corner to see if Filch was there.
I took that moment to sneak behind her and brush her shoulder.
"Aa- hmmph?" I immediately covered Harriet's face with my hand to prevent her from waking up half the castle at 2 past midnight.
I slowly moved my hand away when I was sure she wouldn't scream.
"What're you doing here?" Harriet asked, half agitated and half surprised.
"Look who's asking as she sneaks off into the castle. What? You wanted a glass of water from the Dungeons or did you need to find a book regarding the Magical theory project in the library?" I asked in a whisper.
Harriet didn't seem to have an answer to that as she just removed the invisibility cloak so her face was visible.
"How did you even know that I was going to sneak off?" Harriet asked contemptuously. Trying to avoid my question.
"A wizard never screams his spell," I answered with a smirk.
'Wizards do love their ironic sayings.' I mused before Harriet spoke again.
"That doesn't answer what I asked." She continued.
"And your response doesn't answer my question. Guess we're equal." I replied in a whisper.
"Okay then let's go back." She said, sighing in defeat.
I grabbed her arm from underneath the cloak to stop her from leaving.
"I never said anything about stopping you from going did I? I'll just be going with you so if someone catches us it's harder to suspend two students at once," I replied and looked at the dumb look that came over Harriet's face before a mischievous smile slowly crept up her face.
"Now can that oversized cloak cover two?" I asked with a smirk.
This might be fun.
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Author's Notes: Humidity is irritating. Dehydration even more so; remember to drink water everyone, it's a cure all for my constant headaches.
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