As the term had continued, George had grown ever more comfortable, even though such had only been that way within their tiny triangle of friends. Now, with the news the morning had brought, he felt small, out of place and afraid. The Wizarding World was going to change before their eyes and the dense pit in the young boy's stomach only suggested exactly how much worse this was becoming. 

"Do you think it's going to happen again?" The scrawny blonde asked through a mouth that barely opened. His words were almost inaudible, sapped away by the dread and fear hanging over the school; pungent. Whilst he greatly feared the loss of his friends, the lingering apprehension within twisted around a fear of his own. Before, it had always been a family affair, two or three generations at a time. Once their world shifted back toward the chaos, exactly how long would it have been before Theo and himself were presented as willing volunteers? 

Sadie's arrival frightened the remaining colour from George's face, leaving the ghostly complexion to outwardly compete with the unpigmented and chalky shade of his hair.

"You can't blame him really. We've all had a shocking morning." Seine added with a smile. "They would have sent us home if it were anything serious. I'm sure they'll catch them soon." He paused before apologising to the impish kid to his left. 

"Hopefully, they do," George added in a defeated murmured. He loved his parents, although he wasn't going to outwardly admit that he missed having his own father at home. George Snr was a murderer, but he was still a parent; someone George longed to return home.  They all knew capture meant the end of the line: a duel to the death or the Kiss. His Dad hadn't been able to avoid them forever before, it was unlikely he'd be able to do so again. 

He trudged alongside his two friends in silence, occasionally adding a note or comment to Seine's attempt at altering the mood. As they climbed the staircases towards the Third Floor, the milling crowds had begun to disperse. Transfiguration stood as their first lesson of the day and George was entirely grateful for the possibility of quietly taking notes instead of being forced to communicate. 

Seine, however, had spent their entire walk trying to engage Sadie in conversation entirely separate to the news they'd received that morning; for all their sakes. 

"Did you manage to finish the essay Professor Thirmin had asked for? The one on foreign object transfiguration? I was barely able to manage the two sides and we were expected to cover three." It was a rushed conversation but entirely expected considering the state of their previously comfortable schooling day.