l a t e nights (open)

[broadway]

Raychel was sick of all the dreams, sick of the issues. Everything was going wrong, and it was all that stupid Isabelle's fault. Those threats, that day, ruined her. She was loosing sleep because of it, and for the past week, she had been breaking curfew to clear her mind of the terrifying images. Running, reading, writing, or, like she was doing now, sneaking to the Room of Requirement.

Raychel quickly made her way down the hall to the wonderful room, her safe haven. She threw open the door in a flurry of motions, and there was the perfect place. A soft, comfortable bed, a bookshelf filled with books of all genres, a fireplace. Perfect. Raychel thought, smiling. She closed the door behind her and plucked a random novel from the shelf without reading the title.

She made herself comfortable in the bed and began to read. It was a quite extraordinary book, filled with heroism, and sword-fights, and bravery. Raychel however, soon felt herself dozing. Within moments of getting a quarter of the way through the book, she was asleep. It was foolish of her to go back to sleep, but fighting wouldn't help it. The nightmares started like they usually did, with her learning about her parent's deaths. It skipped over the time with Levi, to the reading of the will, and everything that followed.

The last image that flashed across her mind was Isabelle's face, peering down upon her, fangs blazing. She buried her fangs down into Raychel's neck and the image was torn to pieces as Raychel awoke, screaming. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, her body laced in a cold sweat. She buried her face in her hands, not even realizing someone had entered the room. She did not look up even for a second.

[weaslebee2]

Emily slipped quietly into the room, dressed in nothing more than modest sweatpants and a big t-shirt, her feet making very quiet, very muffled steps with her plain black slippers. Needless to say, she looked a real mess. Her depression since what had happened to her that night in December had a sort of pendulum effect; now it seemed she was right back to where she started. Her pale cheeks were tear-streaked, dark circles hung under her eyes. Emily's clothes felt loose, she had lost some weight. She then noticed the room wasn't empty, she had come here to attempt sleep, but wanted it to be private. Emily lingered toward the door, this girl seemed to be having as much trouble tonight as she was, but she had no idea what to do with the moment.

[broadway]

Raychel lifted her head up, shoulders shaking from the sobbing, when she noticed another girl standing in the doorway. Raychel briefly remembered meeting the girl once before, and, like now, the girl had been visably upset. Raychel was silent for a while, watching her. A name finally came into her head: Emily Weasley. Gabby's sister, a year younger than she was. "I'm sorry." She finally said, although she wasn't exactly sure what she was apologizing for. "I should go."

[weaslebee2]

Emily stood there a while, probably longer than what would be normal reaction time, her brain was moving very slowly today. "No, you were here first," Emily said in a near robotic monotone, her voice somewhat hoarse from crying. She decided that she would be spending the night in the Slytherin common room, covering her face with her pillow whenever she had to cry, so she wouldn't wake anybody. Emily rested her hand on the door knob, but something in her brain was telling her not to leave.

[broadway]

Raychel got up from the bed, smiling weakly at Emily. "The room's big enough for the both of us. It isn't fair to you if you were to go back to the common room. You have a lot on your mind." Raychel replied. "It's now trouble, really. Take the bed, I'll grab the couch." She said, motioning for Emily to come in. A while before her parent's death, she had "met" Emily, in a sense. Emily had been visably upset, like now. Obviously, whatever was plaquing her was much less recent. Raychel of course, could only assume that.

[weaslebee2]

Before she could even refuse the offer, the room put in its two cents and another bed materialized a comfortable distance away from the first. Emily felt it to be somewhat awkward, as she really had no idea who this girl was. She knew that her name was Raychel, and that she was a friend of Gabriella's, as well as her cousin's girlfriend, but not much more than that. Nevertheless, Emily was exhausted, but the room could do nothing to stop her night terrors, she got into bed anyways, feeling that she should at least try to talk to Raychel, but the moment felt so awkward; and she didn't really have anything to say.

[broadway]

[blockquoe]

Raychel hesitantly sat back down on the bed. Within moments, she had taken the book placed on her lap previously. She closed it and stood. Walking over to the bookshelf, her brain was busy working. As she placed the book back, she was forming a way to talk to Emily. She slowly walked back to the bed. "Are you okay?" she asked finally. It was a rather stupid question, but it was a start.

[/blockquote]

[weaslebee2]

Emily sighed, and then bit her lip a moment. Wasn't that the question? Was she truly okay? Sure, she wasn't suicidal, but she had started up cutting again. Not as aggressively as last time, but still deep enough to scar. Her stomach still bore the word "BROKEN" that she had carved into it during the winter, it would probably never go away. "I'm not sure how to answer that question anymore," said Emily, pulling her knees to her chest and laying her head upon them.

[broadway]

"Me neither." Raychel replied with a sigh. She too pulled her knees to her chest. Ever since her parent's tragic deaths, and the meeting with the evil vampire, that question was a difficult one to answer. "What happened to you?" She asked quietly. She felt as if this were some sort of therapy, and she laughed inwardly. "You don't have to tell me, I'm sorry. Stupid question." She replied hastily, apologizing.

[weaslebee2]

"No, it's okay." said Emily. She couldn't believe that she was going to confide her deepest secret to whom someone she felt was a complete stranger, but there was something about Raychel, she just seemed to be trustworthy. She took in a deep breath, mustering up her courage to spit out those three words. "I was raped." Emily practically forced out of her mouth.

[broadway]

Raychel was slightly taken aback at Emily's response. She was fifteen or sixteen, a rather young age for a rape victim. "Well, you have it much harder than I do." she replied simply. She didn't want to intrude on her space, so she didn't inquire more. "My parent's died earliar in the month. They, or so I think, were murdered by wizards, but they were Muggles. I found I could no longer live in my home after reading their wills. Something... something went wrong when your cousin and I attempted to return. In short, he saved my life, disregarding his own. And it's my fault Professor North is gone." she finished. She wouldn't explain more unless Emily asked.

[weaslebee2]

Emily didn't say anything in response, but inside, her brain was working fervently, her stomach felt queasy. She knew that other people had problems, but she had sort of pushed the needs of everyone else aside, she hadn't been speaking to anyone since the nightmares started again. Emily didn't want to be that way, nobody did, but she was stuck, without a way to pull herself out. In her helplessness she turned to self-mutilation, and near anorexic behaviour just to have a shred of control in her life. Truth be told, she frightened herself, however; she was too scared to ask for any help.

[broadway]

Raychel noticed Emily's uneasiness. She sat forward, dropping her legs to the floor. "Are you alright?" she asked. The poor girl look petrified, and Raychel believed she had something to do with it. It would eat her alive to know that she had frightened Emily, it just wasn't right. She remained quiet, waiting patiently for a response. She did not move from her place on her bed, and her eyes were locked on Emily.

[weaslebee2]

"No more or less all right than usual," Emily sighed. No one, not even the highly trustworthy Raychel, was to know that she had turned to harming herself again. While perhaps not one-hundred percent healthy in her mind, Emily wasn't stupid. If she told anyone it cause a stir, and force her into therapy sessions again. That was the last thing she wanted, they had not gone well.

[broadway]

Raychel's eyebrows rose, but she did not question further. It wasn't her business. Although it was obvious something else was bothering her. Fortunately for Emily, it wasn't Raychel's place. Sure, Raychel could easily find out. She was a telepath after all. But it was against her better judgement to do so, therefore, she wouldn't do it. A cold updraft flowed about the room. Instantly, a non-lit fireplace appeared. Raychel casually tossed a soft flame towards it, It caught fire to the wood and Raychel smiled.