Expectations and Incantations Solo Finished

The lavatory was silent, except for the distant dripping of a leaking tap. Isabella stood in front of the mirror, both hands gripping the edge of the sink. Her robes were wrinkled from hours in the library. Her eyes were tired and strained from reading the same page over and over.

Ancient Runes. Potions. Defense Against the Dark Arts. Every subject felt heavier than the last. Everyone else seemed to understand — or at least pretended to. She wasn’t sure anymore.

She thought of her parents back home, both former Gryffindors, both brilliant. She thought of the letters they sent, full of encouragement and pride, and how she hadn’t told them she was barely holding it together. Expectations pressed against her chest like armor she never asked to wear.

Her reflection stared back, pale and uncertain, and she hated how small she looked inside this castle. Her fingers trembled on the edge of the basin. She closed her eyes.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Once. Twice.

The weight didn’t vanish, but it shifted — just a little. Enough to move again. She straightened her robes, tucked a loose curl behind her ear, and lifted her chin. One step at a time. She pushed open the door and disappeared into the winding corridors of Hogwarts.