security blanket

Penelope jolted awake, her heart racing, as she gasped for breath. Her wide eyes scanned the darkness that enveloped her room, the remnants of her dream lingering in her mind. Trying to steady her racing thoughts, she reminded herself, "I'm at school... It was just a dream." She lay back down, pulling the covers closer, and turned onto her side, hoping to find comfort and solace in the embrace of sleep once again.

However, time seemed to stand still, and sleep eluded her like a fleeting shadow. Frustration tinged her tired sigh as she tossed and turned, the restlessness refusing to subside. Realizing that sleep might be a distant companion for the night, she made a silent decision. Sliding out of her bed with nimble footsteps, Penelope crossed the quiet common room, her senses heightened in the dimly lit space. Carefully she opened the door to Preston's dormitory door, and tiptoed over to his bed. “Prest,” she whispered his name, urging him to make room for her.

For once he was actually sleeping quite good, which was shocking seeing how it took forever for his mind to shut down at times. He wonders if sleeping potions would do him any good, but then again were scared of not waking back up. Hearing his twin softly call his name he woke up and scooted over to let her in his bed. He didn't have to ask what happened or why she was here he knew all to welll, dreams of being home haunting her like it did him. Pulling her into a hug he played with her hair calming her down.

"It's ok Penny, he's not here he can't hurt us here we're safe and so is Patch." He had to keep reminding himself of that as well, although it was always Patch protecting them from ang harm that may come to them. There was no doubt Patch was a Gryffindor but he was also had traits of a Hufflepuff as well. "I got you Penny, it's ok. " Rocking her back and forth he held her close to him.

Penelope sought solace in the comforting embrace of her brother's bed, nestling herself against his form. The gentle radiance of his body's warmth enveloped her, imbuing her with a serene tranquility that only he could evoke. In hushed tones, she whispered, "We're safe within the confines of our school, dear brother." Their bond as twins had always been an unbreakable force, a resolute pillar of support. Preston possessed an innate understanding of how to assuage Penelope's worries, just as she had always been there for him in times of need.

Preston nodded. "We're safe in the cofines of this school." Repeating what she said; but he couldn't help but not worry about how much longer they were safe before going home. There was time that Patch would take them and they would take knight bus to the Leaky Cauldron. He remembered Patch working there most majority of all summer to keep them safe from their father. He couldn't wait until Patch was able to get custody of them, they could all live happily without fear. "Want me to tell you one of mama's poems?" He knew that always made her smile and happy.

As she nestled closer to Preston in their shared bed, a sense of comfort began to envelop her fragile being. However, her mind remained restless, struggling to find its way back to peaceful slumber.

The remnants of fear lingered, casting shadows upon her thoughts, making it difficult to let go of the unsettling images that had plagued her sleep. With each passing moment, she longed for the soothing embrace of tranquility, yearning to find solace within the familiar haven of her brother's presence.

In the hushed stillness of the night, Penelope whispered softly, her voice laced with vulnerability, "Will you please?" The weight of her words hung in the air, a testament to the depth of her emotional turmoil. Yet, she found solace in knowing that her twin, her steadfast pillar of support, was right beside her.

Preston knew it was going to take her awhile to go back to sleep if she did like him it was impossible to sleep knowing that those horrible things haunt them even in their deeams. Sometimes he wondered if a dreamless potion would work or so, he was always scared of taking them and not waking up.

Preston knew all about those unsettling images, what was more terrifying was that these dreams were their reality. Playing with her hait, he rocked her back and forth. This was their normal if Patch wasn't here to soothe them, and he was glad that Penny was at least sorted into the same house as him.

Nodding his head softly he thought of one that he knew that their mother always told them. Smiling softly at the memories of their mother reading this to them almost every night telling them she'll always be with them in their hearts.

"A moment of happiness..

A moment of happiness you and I sit on the verandah, apparently two; but one soul you and I. We feel the flowing life of water here, you and I in the gardens beauty and the birds singing.

The stars watching us, we will show them what it is to be a thin crescent moon. You and I will be together indifferent idle speculation you and I. The parrots of the heavens will be singing ss we laugh together you and I. In one form on this earth, and another one in a timeless sweet land."

He always loved that poem and when their mother read it to them it was a beautiful melody in his ears.

Nestled within the sheltered curve of his neck, Penny found solace as their arms entwined, a gentle rhythm of reassurance. In the confines of school, her father's distant presence, she sought comfort in the knowledge that Preston, her beloved brother, could be by her side. The only other person who could make it better was Patch. They were her steadfast protectors, her guardians. "I miss Mama," she whispered, her voice tinged with longing, a delicate veil of tears poised to overflow.

Caressing her cheeks he wiped away her tears and smiled sadly but weakly. "So do I Penny, so much it hurts my heart how much I miss her." As bad as it was, he wished their father would've died instead of their mother from Leukemia. "Hey... remember when we were little and we made Christmas cookies with mama? The whole kitchen was covered in flour as well as us." Chucklkng softly at the memory he smiled to himself trying to make Penny smile and laugh. He hated seeing her sad and upset like this, it made his heart ache even more.

Her heart danced with anticipation as she conjured vivid images of the day he described. A nostalgic vision emerged, painting a picture of Mama, her mischievous brothers, and her own tender self, enveloped in the familiarity of their childhood abode.

A gentle flurry of flour transformed the air, as if enchanted, filling the room with a whimsical aura. Delighted laughter bubbled up from deep within her, overflowing in melodic giggles that cascaded like tinkling bells. With gleeful abandon, she scooped up a handful of the snowy powder and playfully flung it at Preston, her brother and partner in mirth.

Time stood still, etching this scene of pure bliss into her memory. The symphony of affectionate banter, clinking utensils, and sizzling aromas intermingled harmoniously, creating a symphony of familial affection. In this tableau, every second brimmed with radiant happiness, transcending mere memories to become an eternal emblem of love and togetherness.
"That was a good day."

That day was forever in his mind, he remembered Patch asking what was going on before their mother threw flour ar him in response laughing her beautiful melodic laugh that made anyone in the room laugh along with it. The three of them along with their mother having fun covered in flour from head to toe, and the kitchen a mess but their mother didn't care. He knew now that she just loved seeing a smile on their faces and happiness in their eyes. Biting back tears that were trying to escape his eyes, he cleared his throat to hold them back. "Yeah... it was, a day I'll never forget as long as I live." Which was a true statement indeed.

Besides Penny reminding him of how their mother looked, she almost spoke and laughed the same way their mother did to him, which made him happy and smile. It was like they still had a piece of their mother in all of them, Patch through his compassion and love of poetry, Penny through her looks smile and laugh.