late night wander // julian

[ROSE WEASLEY]

It was a cool, crisp November night. Rose sat at the edge of the astronomy tower, legs looped through the safety bars and dangling over the edge. It was much too late for a student to be out and about, it was definitely past curfew by that point, but Rose paid no mind to the time. It was another sleepless night for the young Gryffindor, and she had gotten tired of tossing and turning in bed. The common room felt much too warm and stifling that night, so she had decided to get dressed in her robes and cloak, and sneak her way to her favourite spot in the castle.

She missed the roof landing at her mum’s place, the spot she’d lay at night and stare up at the stars when she couldn’t sleep. The Astronomy tower was the closest thing Rose could find to that at Hogwarts, allowing her to be as close to the night sky as possible, feeling the breeze on her face, and watching the world around her. In that moment, she felt calm, something that would seem impossible to anybody who knew the typically vivacious redhead. Staring up at the twinkling stars, the whole world seemed to go quiet.

TAGGED: JULIAN MULCIBER
Notes: N/A

[JULIAN MULCIBER]

Julian awoke in a cold sweat, gasping as his eyes shot open and pupils dilated to take in his immediate surroundings. His heart was fluttering painfully in his chest, and he momentarily forgot where he was.

It was dark, and the interior of the boys dormitory at Hogwarts still felt strange and unfamiliar, even after so many months. He released an exhale as he slowly recalled his surroundings, eyes darting across the sleeping figures of his roommates momentarily to ensure he hadn't woken anyone before he let his head fall back onto his pillow and his gaze returned to the canopy, thoughtful. 

He'd managed to jolt himself awake in the middle of a nightmare - nothing new, really - and it was taking a few seconds for his body to acclimatise to the fact that he wasn't in any immediate danger, and that the cries he had heard in his dream were not real. Julian felt his heart begin to slow as he calmed himself down. It wasn't real, he promised inwardly, but what exactly was he promising? Julian's forehead creased slightly as he tried to recall - but the nightmare was floating further and further from memory, slipping through his fingers like water.

He sighed, still staring at the canopy for a brief moment before scooting himself back to a seated position. There was no way he was going back to sleep, no way he wanted to return to that dream. He swung his legs over the side of the four poster bed, dressing quickly in something more suitable for a night-time galivant and slinked out of the room. 
He hadn't explored much of Hogwarts yet, but his curiosity outweighed any fear of being caught. He was aware of castle curfews - all had been tirelessly explained to him when he had first arrived from Beauxbaton earlier in the year. 

It was cool in the dungeons, and Julian found his long legs leading him upwards: through the winding hallways and up the sandstone staircases. Very few portraits were awake at this hour, and many were snoring softly in their frames. Julian ignored the few that called out after him, chastising and chiding him for being out of bed. 

He soon found himself climbing the astronomy tower, which was not at all surprising: Astronomy was thus far his favourite subject, and although hardly challenging intellectually, it was calming for his restless mind. Julian moved quietly to the landing, where the night sky opened up before him and the world seemed endless.

It was quiet up here, isolated...

...But apparently not as isolated as he expected. Halfway across the balcony Julian's steps faltered as he caught sight of another student seated by the edge, legs through the safety bars, her attention on the sky above. He hesitated a moment, considering. He didn't recognise her, but that wasn't exactly surprising, given he hardly socialized. 

"If you aren't here, neither am I," he extended a temporary olive branch, knowing they were both out after curfew, before stalking over and seating himself a few feet away at the edge of the tower. He kept himself purposefully close enough to maintain quiet conversation, but far enough to be considered distant. Julian drew a knee up to his chest, mirroring her as he dangled his other leg through the bars, letting it swing in the open air below. The air was crisp here, and it stung a little entering his lungs.


ROSE WEASLEY  

[ROSE WEASLEY]

Rose had not expected anybody to join her in her peaceful cocoon, particularly that late at night. She expected most to be sound asleep in bed. The noise of footsteps behind her caught her off guard, causing her stomach to lurch uncomfortably. She immediately assumed it was a professor or a prefect catching her out of the dorm, and would promptly be given detention for breaking curfew. She was surprised, then, when it turned out to be just another student out of bed. She didn’t recognize the boy, but he seemed about her age, perhaps a bit older.

She simply blinked when he first joined her at the edge of the tower. Rose had not been expecting company, particularly from somebody she didn’t know. Was he hoping for peace and quiet? Did he want company? He seemed friendly enough as he offered to keep their little escapade quiet, as long as she did the same. Rose nodded in acceptance, “Nobody needs to know about something that didn’t happen.” She was no snitch, particularly as it would involve placing herself out of bed after curfew. “I’m Rose Weasley, and you are…?” She introduced herself, hoping to put a name to this new face in response.

TAGGED: JULIAN MULCIBER
Notes: N/A

[JULIAN MULCIBER]

Julian's eyes scoured her expression as she looked his way briefly, the surprise at his presence etched across her face. She clearly had not expected to be disturbed or intruded upon up here, and it was easy to see why. The Astronomy Tower wasn't easily accessible late at night - one had to pass over the suspension bridge from all common rooms, which seemed to be generally guarded by Prefects, ghosts or staff after hours. Julian had been out of bed twice after curfew thus far: mostly to wander while it was quiet. His mind rarely gave him any reprieve at night, and often he would lie awake into the early hours of the morning, overthinking listlessly. Tonight, however, he had been lucky. He hadn't caught sight of anyone out on patrol, nor heard any approaching footsteps as he had made his way up to the tower. 

The girl nodded in response to his statement, and his lips twitched upwards ever so slightly in appreciation at her words. She then introduced herself and Julian stole another glance her way, tearing his eyes from the darkened view of the grounds below. In the low torchlight he could distinguish that she had a shock of red hair falling about her face, and freckles across her nose. Weasley. He was unfamiliar with the name, as he was with most people at Hogwarts. Only a select few were still well acquainted with his family - many had cut ties generations ago. 

"Julian," he responded, watching her carefully, "Mulciber."

He wasn't ashamed of his family name - in fact, he had been raised to be proud of who he was and what his family had committed to during the First and Second Wizarding Wars: his grand-uncle was hailed a hero within the walls of his families Manor. Julian was aware, however, that not everyone in the modern age held such a view - his parents had both been adamant that openly speaking of their loyalties (and practices in private) was not something that he should do - especially around strangers. 

Julian looked away from Rose, having committed her face to memory. She wasn't from his House, of that he was sure, otherwise he was certain he would have noticed the red hair in the dungeons. "If this is your spot, I'll be sure not to return," he knew what it was like to want to be left alone to ones thoughts - despite other times (somewhere deep down) really wishing someone would stay. He would never admit that, of course. Julian sighed to himself softly before nonchalantly questioning: "You having shitty dreams too?" 

ROSE WEASLEY

[ROSE WEASLEY]

Rose felt a bristle run up her spine at the mention of the Slytherin’s last name, almost instinctive, but attributed the feeling to the slight chill in the air. While her parents, and other family members, occasionally spoke of the war, she didn’t recognize the name off the top of her head. Even if she did, she knew many of those families had since moved on, and so tried to give them the benefit of the doubt. At least that’s what her mother always said. “Nice to meet you Julian,” she responded, truly meaning what she said. Another night owl was a kindred spirit in her mind.

She shook her head when he offered to leave her the spot in the future. “It’s a common area, I’m sure we can share.” She flashed him a smile, hoping to let him know he was welcome in the tower any time. Not that it was her decision anyhow. It was a school classroom, anybody could access it at any time of the day. Whether they had permission to do so was a whole different story. “Besides, I’m not the only one who uses it. I’ve caught a few older students making out here once.” Julian was definitely welcome company compared to that encounter. Not that she had stayed, although it had ruined her plans that evening. The students in question were not thrilled either for the interruption.

“No, no shitty dreams here. You have to actually sleep to dream,” she responded with a despondent sigh. While Rose loved looking at the stars, she would have much preferred to do so without the insomnia that occasionally plagued her nights. It had definitely become less frequent over the past few years, now that the civil war was over and she was at Hogwarts, but it was still an issue every so often, usually when she was worried about something. This time it was the upcoming Quidditch game. Her first Quidditch game as part of the Gryffindor team, and while she was excited, she was also terrified of making a fool of herself.

She shook her head at the thought, trying to shake it out of her mind, putting her focus back on the present moment. “Do you- do you wanna talk about your nightmare?” She asked cautiously. He seemed a bit perturbed by his “shitty dreams” and Rose wondered if talking about them would help in some way. She didn’t think she could help much, but perhaps just lending an ear was all the boy needed.

TAGGED: JULIAN MULCIBER
Notes: sorry this took so long, real life has been busy lately lol

[JULIAN MULCIBER]

Weasley, Weasley, Weasley. An unremembered name seemed like a safe name to him: and a safe name meant he might just be able to relax a little. Julian felt like he hadn't untensed since beginning at the school - for although exciting to be in a new place with new faces and new opportunities: so too did it represent so many unknowns and so many chances to misstep... He wanted to do his family proud, naturally - and to do that he needed to follow in his grand-uncles footsteps. Maybe then he would have a chance at impressing his dictatorial father - and perhaps finally he may receive some form of affirmation or praise.

Unknowingly, Julian had been holding his breath as he mentioned his name to her - feeling of two minds. It was very likely that she may tell him to leave, or that she would leave herself in a disgruntled fashion. It was to be expected (or so his family had warned him) that not everyone present at the school would be hospitable once they were aware of his lineage. The Mulciber name, after all, had both been heralded by those of extreme ideologies and shunned by those without. For there were still many whose thoughts and practices aligned with the old ways - but too, there were many that feared that line of thinking. So Julian had come prepared: steeling his heart against rejection and dismissal, while simultaneously preparing to defend himself at every word of slander. No wonder he had barely relaxed since arrival.

“Nice to meet you Julian.” He blinked at the sound, her voice not betraying any kind of sarcasm or dishonesty. He stared at her a moment, as though uncertain whether to believe her genuine, warm greeting. But nothing else was said, and she did not smirk or move to leave. Julian looked away at last, unsure what to feel at her kind words. No-one had been kind to him for a long time, and it was confusing as to how he should respond - so he didn't, instead letting her words linger on into the night.

Seeing her shake her head at his offer, she surprised him again by offering to share. Julian exhaled softly, "that...sounds acceptable," he agreed slowly as though pondering the idea of sharing. He hadn't needed to do much of it growing up - and Julian was extremely possessive of what he had - though he had softened somewhat after his sister was born. "Its so quiet up here - compared to the towers at Beauxbaton," he hadn't talked about his previous school much since his transfer - although other students had asked. Beauxbaton had been his mothers' school, and leaving there had been hard. After a brief pause, Julian added slyly: "although there it seemed much harder to sneak out after curfew." Beauxbaton had been big on maintaining order, and ensuring their students were compliant with the rules. Here, although curfew was enforced if a student was caught - Julian had experienced much less challenge being out after dark - though perhaps that was because Hogwarts was much larger, and there seemed to be many different ways to reach the same destination.

Rose shot him a smile before mentioning older students using the dimly lit area as a place to make out. He shrugged with a slight smirk, placing his hands on the floor behind him and leaning back slightly to look up toward the sky, responding with a hint of amusement, "don't get any ideas."

“No, no shitty dreams here. You have to actually sleep to dream." He heard her sigh and glanced back over to her, catching her expression in the low light. He frowned at her thoughtfully - it must have been post-midnight when he had awoken, had she been up here that entire time? He tutted quietly to himself before muttering, "On est tous tarés," then looking back at Rose, "so we're both screwed up, huh?"


“Do you- do you wanna talk about your nightmare?” She spoke cautiously, but the words sent a chill down his spine that settled emptily in his abdomen at the thought. Julian stared at the stars above, breathing deeply through his nostrils as he mentally attempted to settle the discomfited feeling growing within. "You first," he spoke, turning to look at her once more, eyebrows raised in slight challenge, "why aren't you sleeping?" He wasn't about to divulge personal information without something in return - a demonstration of trust would go a long way. 


ROSE WEASLEY

Notes: don't apologize - its no problem =]

[ROSE WEASLEY]

Rose’s ears perked at the mention of the French school, Beauxbatons. While she did not attend, one of her aunts had, and Rose found it interesting to hear about the different magical schools. “Oh, you attended Beauxbatons? What was it like? My aunt, well you may know her as Professor Weasley, she teaches the finance class here, she went there years ago. She always spoke very highly of it. What made you move here?” Rose was curious to hear the opinion of someone her own age, and somebody who may not be as biased as Aunt Fleur. Was Beauxbatons maybe not as amazing as her aunt made it out to be? Or perhaps it had simply gone down hill, and that was why Julian had moved to Hogwarts?

Based on his comment on their curfew, Rose had a feeling she would not enjoy attending that school. She enjoyed her late night wanders too much. There was only so much staring at the bed canopy a girl could do. She chuckled a bit at the inference at Hogwarts’ lackluster security. “It’s not too hard if you learn their patterns. And have a few tricks up your sleeve.” She patted her pocket conspiratorially, hiding a few of her father’s toys. They weren’t always needed, but could be helpful in a pinch.

She shook her head and raised her hands at Julian’s implication as she mentioned the snogging couple. “No worries here mate, I have no interest in copying them.” It wasn’t simply that she wasn’t attracted to Julian. She hadn’t really found herself attracted to anybody at the school so far, not that it was on her mind much anyway. She had much more pressing matters to think about.

Such as the Quidditch game, and the current cause of her insomnia. Julian was right, they really were both screwed up. Rose sighed deeply in response, feeling it was only fair she shared her own Noery if she was expecting him to share his. “I’m playing in my first Quidditch game for Gryffindor, and I’m nervous,” she admitted in a low tone, like she was ashamed to admit the fact. She always was so confident, particularly when it came to her Quidditch skills. It was odd for her to openly show such vulnerability. “But I’ve had trouble sleeping for as long as I can remember. Don’t know why. Some nights I just… can’t.” She shrugged her shoulders, and flashed Julian a half smile. “Your turn. What brought you up here?”



TAGGED: JULIAN MULCIBER
Notes: oh god has it really been that long since my last reply? oops, my bad

[JULIAN MULCIBER]

"It was beautiful," Julian responded softly, still feeling the lingering tendrils of sleep, though he was fighting them. The French chateau and its gardens were famously spectacular and were testament to what could be created when architectural prowess and magic intertwined. Although the buildings themselves were over 700 years old, they still stood proudly amongst the mountains, perfectly stoic. The academy had rivers that ran endlessly through the grounds, and waterfalls that spilled down the mountainside during the warmer months. In the winters, of course, snow fell frequently, softening everything it touched. Julian had grown there, surrounded by elegance and charm. None of it had really rubbed off on him. Perhaps he had been torn from that environment too early. 

Weasley had mentioned her aunt, and he gave a short shake of his head at the concept of knowing her. Finance was not a class yet available to him as a third year, and he had not crossed paths with any other Weasley - yet. "What made you move here?" The question caused Julian to stiffen a little in his seated position, allowing the cool wind to permeate through his clothes and into his skin. He welcomed the chill as it made him more alert. "Hm," he thought for a moment the best way to perhaps answer that question, "my mother died." Perhaps simple truths were easier than convoluted lies. Losing the matriarch of his family would eventually become common knowledge, though the narrative of the manner of her demise would be kept a closely guarded secret. "My father deemed is necessary for us to return to our familial manor as soon as possible." The very same day, in fact. Julian had received no time at all to grieve, and no words of comfort. Everything had been emotionless and strict. He had matured in the following days, and swallowed more pain than a child should have been required to. 

Julian gazed out over the school grounds, the moon above lending its beams of light to the forest below, shimmering off the trees. Hogwarts, in its own way, had a dark beauty. 


He listened as Rose spoke of learning the patterns of the late night security here at Hogwarts, taking note to pay more apt attention to these patterns. He had noticed that the prefect meant for watching over the suspension bridge often left his post to instead hover by the Ravenclaw common room. Julian blinked, "the Hufflepuff prefect meets his Ravenclaw girlfriend on watch quite commonly," it wasn't hard to put two-and-two together. Weasley had patted her pocket, however, and this drew his attention. Julian's eyes narrowed, "tricks I could use," he admitted, having brought nothing with him but his wand. Something to ensure safe passage if he was in a bind could prove useful. "Any recommendations?" Like it or not, they were both curfew-breakers now. Julian wondered briefly if this meeting would be the first of many - or whether he would even see this Weasley again. Ah, c'est la vie. 


Julian being playful was rather rare, and perhaps it was only due to the late hour and his severe lack of sleep. Circles were beginning to lace the undersides of his eyes, giving him a more hollow look than usual. But in the moment, he felt comfortable. Like he could let his guard down a little bit - the implications of which he gave no thought to. He smirked as she raised her hands as though to back off, letting him know she had no intention. "Good. If you had made a move I might have just shoved you off the tower." Was he speaking lightly to imply it was a joke? No. But his body language clearly dictated he was relaxing slowly, letting his tension float away on the breeze. Julians arms were aching as he leaned back on them, so he lay back on the hardwood balcony, still allowing his leg to sway off the edge. He crossed his arms across his chest protectively, eyes now tilted up towards the ceiling. 


He had asked her to share first - unwilling to reveal much about himself without something in return. He listened to the slight hesitation, given away by a hitch in her breathing, following by her deep sigh. "I'm playing my first Quidditch game for Gryffindor..." So she was of the Gryffindor house, and she was a novice Quidditch player. Julian himself had taken flying lessons at Beauxbaton, as many young students did in magical schools. He had enjoyed the freedom of being on a broom - the weightlessness of flight and the breathlessness one would feel after. He hadn't touched a broom since he'd left the school. "Nervous to fly, or nervous to fall?" He asked curiously. They were different things entirely to be nervous about - one implied a nervousness for the crowd watching on, nerves against performance and of pressure. Nervousness with falling would imply an insecurity about her own flying capabilities or a fear of failing. He wondered which one it was - if either. 

Her demonstration of openness about something clearly worrying her was acceptable to him, though he wondered silently if her issues sleeping stemmed from something more. It wasn't his problem, and they weren't friends, so he didn't feel the need to comfort her (if comfort was even a thing Julian felt capable of doing). She turned the question on him then, and Julian closed his eyes for a moment, still hearing the cries from his nightmare in the back of his mind. He shivered, opening his steely eyes once more, "nightmares," he admitted, voice dark, "the same ones - over and over." He had come to hate sleep, not just for his physical vulnerability, but his mental, too. In sleep, he was completely at the mercy of what was lingering in his mind, and he despised that. 

ROSE WEASLEY

[ROSE WEASLEY]

Even though Julian’s description of the castle was short, only three words, the tone of his voice and the way he spoke with such reverence told Rose that her aunt’s stories really did hold water. She hoped some day she would be able to see the beautiful French castle, although she wasn’t sure how that would ever happen. The mood immediately sombered, however, as he answered the reason for his move. Rose almost felt bad for asking, but of course she had no idea that she would be bringing up such a sore subject. She could see his body stiffen ever so slightly, and she quickly felt the need to apologize. “I’m so sorry, Julian. I didn’t realize…” She trailed off, not sure quite what to say.

She’d never lost somebody close to her like that, and even if she did, she knew nothing she said would help. “It must be nice to be closer to your family?” She asked delicately, knowing if she were in such a situation, she would want to be surrounded by the rest of her, admittedly rather large, family. It definitely explained why his father would want to return to their family home. It must have been so difficult to lose a family member while in a different country.

Quiet stretched between them for a moment longer than felt comfortable to Rose, but she did not want to be the first to break it, feeling it would be disrespectful considering the subject matter. She did, however, release the breath she’d been holding when the conversation shifted to more lighthearted matters. She laughed a bit at Julian’s observation, finding it funny how quickly he had picked up on something that still somehow eluded the professors. “He’s not exactly subtle, is he?” She added in between her giggles.

But then the conversation shifted to something that truly peaked her interest: prank product recommendations. Rose considered herself an expert on the subject, considering the fact she had grown up around the products, and was always more than happy to share her knowledge. “Hm… probably… Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder… or Decoy Detonators,” she listed out, taking the time to think through the myriad of options available. “Handy if you find yourself in a snag and need to avoid getting caught. Those are two of my favourite products.” Any chance to promote her fathers’ products was a win in her book, not just because it gave her family money. More so, she just enjoyed sharing her love of his store.

Rose found herself a bit surprised by Julian’s question as to the nature of the worries currently keeping her up, not quite sure how to answer it. “Um, well, neither really,” she started, trying to think of how best to explain it. “I’m not nervous about flying, it’s probably one of my favourite things ever, and I know I’m a good Quidditch player. It’s just…” she hesitated for a moment, almost afraid to give voice to her worries, as if that would make them more real somehow. “I don’t know how much you know of my family, but… My dad, my step-dad, most of my uncles, and even my brother were all on the Gryffindor team when they were in school. My aunt even played professionally for the Hollyhead Harpers.” She paused for a moment, her tone shifting as her eyes shifted down to her hands, held together on her lap. “I guess you could say I have a lot to live up to.”

Her family had never placed much pressure on her in terms of living up to their reputations. In fact it was probably more of the opposite, they always encouraged her to follow her own path. And yet, it was almost impossible to ignore the weight of the Weasley name. How could she when her own family members were mentioned in history books, or were listed on multiple trophies in the Trophy Room? She was proud of her family’s accomplishments, of course, but she knew people expected much from her due to her lineage, and sometimes the pressure felt immense.

She was happy to move the subject off of her, and onto Julian’s lack of slumber, although she could tell he was not quite comfortable discussing the true nature of his midnight wanders. He seemed quite hesitant elaborating on his nightmares, but she suspected they may have to do with his mother.

“You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to, but… if it helps, I get it.” She took a deep breath. Was she really going to reveal this to somebody she had just met? Perhaps it was the cover of darkness, or the delirium from lack of sleep, or perhaps simply the impression that Julian would understand, but Rose felt oddly comfortable discussing such subjects with the older boy at that moment. “My parents were a part of Liberamach, and, during the civil war, my mum and step-dad had to go into hiding. I was terrified something would happen to them, that any day I’d get word that they…” She couldn’t bring herself to even finish that sentence. “I guess what I’m saying is I understand having nightmares about losing family, and struggling to sleep because of them.”


TAGGED: JULIAN MULCIBER
Notes: N/A

[JULIAN MULCIBER]

"I'm so sorry, Julian. I didn't realize..." Julian felt a strange reaction at her words, kind words for someone he barely knew. He looked at Rose again, noting the subtleties in her soft facial features and the way the moonlight shimmered in the copper tones of her hair. He wanted to ask her why she was being nice to him, and then to angrily inform her there was no need. He didn't need niceness or sympathy or anything, really. At least... that was what his father had told him. Marcus had said that being a Mulciber lent itself to certain expectations - to keep to oneself for lack of distractions and to pursue the enlightened path of dark power. Friendships and kindness and sharing were not easily tolerated. Thus far, Julian's reactive self had made it quite easy to build walls upon walls upon walls around himself. 

The topic at hand, however, had sobered him. No-one had apologized to him or shown sadness toward his mothers death before this moment - not that he had given many people a chance to. He didn't exactly fly around on a broom shouting it to the high heavens. He broke his gaze away from her and gave a slight shrug, trying to act nonchalant. It became hard, however, with what she said next. Julian knew it to be an attempt at making him feel better, and it did force an unexpected dry chuckle out of him at its absurdity. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, shaking his head, "ah, yes, very close." Julian had exactly two remaining immediate family members: his father - who had barely spoken a word to him that hadn't been a barked order or a punishment since his mothers passing - and his sister - who remained at the Manor with his father, likely indoctrinated by his zealot grandparents until she was able to start her own schooling. 

Matters moved on to more comfortable topics, however - and Julian felt himself relax a little more. Speaking of school was safe and emotionally disconnected. Rose's laughter drifted out onto the wind before them, and Julian smirked, "I believe subtlety is beyond his capability." The idiot was so keen to meet his Ravenclaw beau that he had seemingly forgone all caution when meant to be on guard. It worked perfectly for the night-wanderers, however, so Julian wasn't about to complain. "I suppose we can only hope their relationship remains fruitful." If the two broke up, he assumed the boy would resume his duties properly.

Now Julian's interest was peaked, and he felt the excitement electrify the air around Rose. Clearly, this was something she was very invested in. "Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder..." He repeated after her, voice drifting off in thought. That was definitely something that Julian felt deemed worthy of some investigation. Decoy Detonators also sounded rather intriguing. Julian tilted his head slightly in query, "and where would one come to acquire such goods?" As someone new to the country, Julian had not yet explored many of the local businesses. He nodded once at her pocket, "care for a demonstration?" It was a challenge he wasn't certain she would take up, but he had to see them in action. If they proved to be effective, he would have no qualms obtaining some for himself. 

Julian listened as Weasley explained her predicament to him from his comfortable spot on the floor. He waited patiently for her to find the words for him, taking note of any information she was providing about herself for his memory vault. He heard the hesitation in her voice when she began to speak about her family, and narrowed his eyes at the ceiling ever-so-slightly as she mentioned almost her entire family had been a part of the Gryffindor House. Ah Godric Gryffindor...the soft-hearted lion that debated for muggleborns to be allowed into Hogwarts. Julian had been given an introduction to the school's four founders on his first day - and their House member preferences. He recalled it quite clearly. "What are your House words again?" He feigned thought for a pause before continuing, "'forti animo estote': stay strong of heart," he exhaled, "as the first Gryffindor to cross my path I expected more nerve and daring." He was pushing her a little, he knew, but somehow felt like a slight tease was the way to go. Weasley didn't need words of encouragement - he sensed that hollow words would only deepen her insecurity. She had to feel the fire herself. He sighed then, "Screw your family - you know you're a good player, go be a good player." It was about as nice as Julian was about to get, and certainly should not be expected further down the line. 

"You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to..." She was right, he didn't want to. His nightmares were his own to deal with, and he didn't want to open up about them, especially to someone he was sure only had her Quidditch troubles to worry about. He was wrong, however, when she continued speaking and Julian was quietly humbled, and then interested: Libermach. The organisation was familiar to him as his parents had dedicated much of their time following the political climate. He knew, then, that Libermach had, only several years ago, been at war with the Ministry which culminated in the Year of Five Battles. Fighting for freedom of speech and 'doing good' was a pipe dream. Julian was far too pessimistic for that.

Hearing that her parents had been required to go into hiding due to the civil war, and that she had been frightened of losing them did resonate with him. Julian could recall watching his mother slip away gradually. Her death had been a slow, excruciating end. He pressed his lips together momentarily, inwardly debating whether or not he should speak. "Every night when I went to sleep," he slowly started, feeling as though the words were clawing their way up his throat, tearing his insides, "I wondered if I would wake to her being gone." For over a year her battle had consumed the family. And for over a year, Julian had struggled with that worry. It had kept him up at night back then - and her death was keeping him up now. 

He hadn't said this to anyone before - let alone speak about his mother. To him, her memory was most precious, and his pain about her passing was not to be shared - and yet here he was, speaking of it in hushed tones, at night, to a Gryffindor. 

ROSE WEASLEY