A lock of golden hair fell across a young witch’s face as she sat quietly, nose pressed into a book. Still as a statue, the only indication that Elysia Hughes wasn’t a mannequin was the rise and fall of her chest and the furious darting of her eyes across the pages of the tome in front of her. The thick potions book was from the restricted section, and no – she didn’t expressly have permission to even be reading it, but rules be damned, her education was more important than some silly school restrictions.

Then again… perhaps it wasn’t the smartest move to have a stolen book out in the place it was stolen from. Morgan or any of the other professors could come by at any moment – and it might be a little difficult explaining why she needed a book full of horrible, gruesome concoctions. She herself wasn’t sure why she needed it, only that NEWTs were quickly approaching and Elysia felt extremely underprepared and any additional help was more than welcome.

Hopefully she wouldn’t be expected to brew potions to melt skin off bones, but one never knew… right? And even if she didn’t need the information for her exams, the real world was quickly approaching. Elysia would be expected to be an adult, and she could never have enough information to deal with that.

The longer the Hufflepuff sat, the more paranoid and anxious she became until she couldn’t take the pressure anymore. As if coming from a trance, Elysia’s head snapped up and she hastily started shoving the book in her already bursting bag. Inside were three other books she shouldn’t have, along with a couple she should have, but because of the extras, the bag wouldn’t close properly.

With a mental shrug, Elysia grabbed the bag by the top, rose from her chair, and left the library at a brisk walk. The best way to get away with things was to not look suspicious.

Though Elysia knew that, she couldn’t help but risking a glance back behind her – and in those few seconds, she walked directly into someone, causing her bag to slip from her hands. She watched in horror as the restricted books tumbled from the opening, then gasped and raised a hand to her mouth.

This could be bad.