The top of the Astronomy Tower.

Sareph stands on top of the tower, looking out over the landscape, not wanting to be disturbed.

Apollonius had walked to the top of the astronomy tower to think to himself in the solitude and quiet it normally offered, but he saw that Sareph was here—perhaps he sought the same—and Apollonius spoke: 'Sareph? What are you doing up here?'

Apollonius thought Sareph looked despondent, but it was hardly something he could comment on.

''Oh, hello Apollonius. I'm just... Thinking. But I ask you, do not come any closer than you have! '' Sareph looked depressed but determined.

Do not come any closer? What is wrong with him? Thought Apollonius 'Has something happened?'

He thought 'Ah, screw it. What will Apollonius do with it anyways?' Sareph decided to tell him. ''Well, you know Dylan, the older hufflepuff? Yeah, he's been sending me these threatening owls... It's damn depressing, what's in the letters, not to talk about scary.'' He shuddered and kept staring out over Hogwarts.

'The older Hufflepuff. What, Dylan?' Said Apollonius. Slying, and without Sareph noticing, he wrote a short note on a small scroll and, with a tap of his wand, it coiled up and shot away from the Astronomy Tower towards. Amy will be able to sort this out. I know she is not keen on me, but she would surely want to help Sareph and to heal this rift between Sareph and Dylan

'So what has he said?' Asked Apollonius, concerned. It was ok to be concerned when there was nobody else there.

''Well, basically he told me to lay off Amy. He told me he'd stupify me, dangle me upside down in a tree and crucify me. He told me he'd cast horrible curses upon me, and do things I could only imagine. I can't even walk into the damn common room now without him threatening me! Of course, when Amy's close he's all cuddly.'' He sagged his shoulders, his voice sounding desperate, tired and scared in one mix.

'No Way?!' Apollonius swore. 'I would never have guessed he would say such things. He threatened to use the cruciatus curse on you? You have to tell Amy this, Sareph; she needs to know what sort of person this is. Don't let him grind you down.'

Apollonius could feel himself getting annoyed, he even swore in frustration. As long as there was nobody else around, he could allow himself to look so annoyed.

''And in the next letter, he told me he had invented this horrible curse to slash people up in different places, Arms, wrists, and... that place. If that wasn't enough, he's creepy man. Some of the letters were even screamers with damn scary voices....'' He shuddered again.

'Don't worry about him. He has no curses I can't beat!' Said Apollonius, angrily. 'I can defend you from anything he can throw at you, just—please—move away from the edge!'

''Damnit Apollonius! I can't bear the weight of this anymore!'' Sareph walked up to him and said in a defeated voice ''Goodbye.'' He turned around, ran, and jumped off the tower.

I skipped onto the top of the Astronomy tower, but stopped suddenly. There was a tense atmosphere between the two people already here. What was going on?

'No! Sareph!' Apollonius ran to the edge of the tower and looked down. He could barely see him. 'Sareph, I could have helped you! I could have helped you!'

Apollonius would derive comfort from vengeance, but not right now; right now, he just had to feel it as it came.

(out-of-character -- oh my god what the hell? Is Sareph dead then? What does that mean)

I was shocked. I didn't know how to react. I could see Apollonius was badly shaken, but I didn't know whether I would offend him by trying to comfort him. I began to cry.

Apollonius turned to Lavinia, stricken. He could see that she was crying, and said simply 'I was helping him secretly with his defence against the dark arts work, but now I wonder if he hadn't just wanted to learn all the defences he could. He must have felt very threatened.'

'I didn't even guess there was anything more to it than that... I should have seen something.' He said.

I couldn't help myself and I cried with huge, unashamed sobs. He was two years older than me and I thought him strong, but Apollo was two years older than him. He must have looked on Sareph as a younger brother. It was consistent with the grief he showed now. What was my excuse? It was just so sad, to see a person feel there was no way out but by dying.

'I'm so sorry, Apollo.' I said. I hoped I did not annoy him.

'I don't have it in me yet to be angry. I'm just...' Apollonius sighed. He could not frame his thoughts in words. The jovial boy he had known had been hiding his pain from such awful bullying. He would have to find the body and safeguard it. It was just an empty vessel now, but it was the sign that he had left.

'I am sure that other Hufflepuff will be more haunted by what has happened here even than either of us. I can only hope he shows contrition for his misdeeds.'

'I can't believe anybody here would be capable of that.' I said, still crying. 'I was always told yours was the house of bullies, but I can see that is not true.'

Apollo shot me a glance. 'Don't worry,' I said, 'I won't tell anybody.'

Apollonius reached the base of the tower and found Sareph's crumpled body. Apart from the odd position of his limbs and the trickle of blood that leaked from his ears, he might just be sleeping. With a shaking wave of his wand, he caused the blood to fade to nothingness and brought his splayed arms and legs into a position more consistent with a gentle repose.

He wiped a tear from his cheek with the sleeve of his robe. If anybody saw him so emotional he would die of embarrassment. Die. He thought. I shouldn't use that word.

He didn't know what to do. What's a fitting thing to do? He asked. With a second wave of his wand, sprouts rose from the ground on either side of the body and formed garlands of red flowers that bookended his body, and with a final wave of his wand, he conjured a clear class cover to shield the body from the elements and animals.

He turned to Lavinia. 'Are you alright?' He realised she was only eleven years old and he was so much older; it was his job to provide comfort, should she need it.

'I saw somebody die once.' I said, the words just flowing from me. 'He was the son of our gamekeeper and my father had organised a shoot. He went into beat—that is, to drive out the pheasants, and he wandered into the line of fire and was shot. I didn't realise it then, but it doesn't get any easier to see somebody die.'

I was overcome with emotion and I grabbed Apollo for support. He patted me back as a gesture of comfort, and I realised how deep still waters run. 'What do we do?' I asked.

'I think that's lovely.' I said, admiring Apollo's handiwork.

'I... I don't know.' Apollonius's voice faltered

'I sent a message to Amy... I hoped she could make him feel better, but I am glad she did not witness this. I am only sorry that you had to. Nevertheless, she will have to be told what happened here.' He said, regaining some composure.

She stares up. At the sky with a distent look on her face