With the simple questioning done, everyone relaxed once again and after a few minutes of silence it was Hermione that spoke up.
"Let's take a break for today. I'll leave the book right here in this room so that it can stay here for whenever one of us needs to read it for as long as we're free."
Hermione's gaze swept through for anyone to reject her idea, but no one did since they all found it reasonable.
And with that everyone left the Room of Requirements together, walking away towards their dorms as they mulled on the nature of the incident they had become involved in.
Harry and Hermione left together since they needed to go to the Gryffindor Tower, while Loki, Astoria, Cedric and Luna all moved down the castle stairs together.
Their walk back was mostly silent, except Luna constantly giving Loki a deep look as she openly scanned him from head to toe. But since Loki said nothing, everyone else didn't interrupt Luna in her 'medical exam'.
Luna was also the first to split up towards the Ravenclaw Tower after Loki simply flicked his wand.
Cedric and Astoria were confused again, but since Luna didn't say anything this time they said nothing again, even though they recognised that Loki had cast a tracking charm on her.
Continuing their descent, Loki picked up his pace as he stepped into rhythm with Cedric's pace.
"Cedric…I had a question…"
Cedric gave Loki a side eye, smiled a little and then laughed while responding, "I do too…we all do don't we?"
Loki nodded with a smile and after a short pause asked his question, "Are you guys protecting the doors at the Department of Mysteries too?"
Cedric's smile faltered for a moment before he shook his head, "I'm not supposed to say this to anyone…but…no. We aren't part of the same task force. We work on the other side of the door you guys guard."
Loki's pupils narrowed.
"The other side? So you know what's there?"
Cedric shook his head.
"No. It isn't possible to know anything about that place. Not just because I don't have any memories regarding it, but any divinations regarding it fail in the worst possible ways. I know several Nobles who've tried using mystical items to pry into fate to look at it all, but none of them have worked. They've all also mysteriously vanished…become a mystery of their own in the process."
"Hmmm…I see…"
Cedric then paused for a second as he sent Loki a passing glance before speaking in a whisper, as if he were revealing a secret, "I've heard that the Headmaster knows what's inside it…"
Loki's eyes widened slightly.
"That makes sense, but...thank you for letting me know about it."
Cedric nodded and quickly stopped at the fork in their paths, "I'm off to the Hufflepuff dorms now. I hope you're able to sleep tonight…well, but given that you're part of the Black Family now, do you also stay awake throughout the night like them?"
Knowing Cedric was just joking with him, Loki laughed a little before teasing Cedric instead, "And what about you? I remember seeing you holding your wand and trembling!...you sure you'll be able to close your eyes without holding another Hufflepuff in your room?"
Cedric's gaze turned hollow for a second as he remembered the fright of the night before he deadpanned while shaking his head and laughing as he turned around waving his hand, "Very funny Loki."
With Cedric gone, Loki kept walking alone until Astoria manned up enough to grab his hand.
Loki, however, still remained silent. If the person beside him was Elane, Loki wouldn't have been able to keep quiet for a second. Wanting to hold and pamper her to the best of his wishes.
But Loki also knew how best to comfort Astoria. He knew talking to her would only make her question things more, something which he couldn't encourage given the situation at hand as it involved deities and possibly outer gods themselves.
But Astoria was too curious already. Something had happened to her during the ritual that she hadn't shared with anyone yet. Something which had created a burning ember of curiosity within her.
As such, Astoria asked the question that had been on her mind ever since.
"I felt closer to Daphne when the ritual occurred.", Astoria mumbled and as she did, she felt Loki's hands tighten around her for a moment, but he remained silent.
Astoria looked at Loki to gauge his reaction, but Loki had already closed his eyes as he began to ponder about what Astoria had just said while walking with her aid.
'....that thing I guessed about…'
'Could Daphne be connected to it in some way?'
'But is what I guess really the truth?'
'...I don't think I can really even divine about it if that is actually the truth.'
'It's also probably why the Goddess of Fortune has survived all throughout the history of men…and god…'
'But that still doesn't explain Daphne…'
As Loki walked while being guided through the dungeons by Astoria, they stopped when they arrived at the wall to the Slytherin common room.
"Do you know the password for this week?" Astoria asked Loki as she clipped his nails with her own.
Loki nodded, "Rainbow Cat." he said calmly while trying to contain his smirk.
Astoria was about to laugh, but her eyes widened when the wall soundlessly slid open.
Loki's eyes were still closed, as if he hadn't just pulled off what was possibly the biggest magic of the century, causing Astoria to stare at him as if he'd just grown a new head.
But Loki didn't explain. Instead, he just pulled Astoria along with him to the common hall where he finally opened his eyes.
"I have some theories as to what it might be…but I'm not sure, yet." Loki said.
Astoria tuned into Loki's serious gaze and nodded with understanding herself before giving a look filled with self-pity as she complained while looking at her feet-
"You're the only one that believes me you know…not even mum and dad…things aren't very nice at home anymore…mum and dad argue a lot…I don't think they even talk to each other anymore…they send me their own letters and rarely know what I'm talking about if I don't tell both of them about it firsthand."
Loki smiled as he brushed Astoria's hair as he spoke in a warm tone.
"...do you know what's the problem, Tory?"
Astoria still looking at her feet shook her head.
"Its simple…there's someone important missing from their life."
Astoria froze and then trembled as she spoke with fragility-
"But…sniffle sniffle but I can't be as good as her…sob sob I can't be like Daph…" Astoria said, but Loki gently patted her head.
"Isn't that what's missing in all of this?" Loki asked.
In Loki's mind the problem was simple.
Could two people who could divine so many things so easily have easily let their burdened daughter know that they were fighting?
Loki hadn't seen or heard much about Mr. Greengrass or even Mrs. Greengrass, but from what little he'd heard about them from Daphne and Astoria, they seemed to greatly care about their children.
As such, it didn't take much mental power for Loki to decrypt Astoria's puzzling situation.
The Greengrass were trying to bring back Astoria to her usual self. They no longer wanted to see her trying to fill Daphne's shoes and burning herself out.
The first clue regarding this was that Astoria's mother had allowed Astoria's no doubt uncouth letter to be sent to the Malfoys as response to their marriage proposal.
It meant that Mrs. Greengrass was ready to let her daughter vent even though it could harm their family's reputation.
Secondly, Loki could see just how unhappy Astoria was with all around her. She wasn't the same jovial person she used to be, every topic that she thought about would remind her of Daphne and every little joke was related to her death in some twisted way.
What was once a method of creative outlet for Astoria, her ability to gossip about anything, had slowly turned into a trap for herself.
As such, Loki pulled Astoria's chin up and spoke while looking into her eyes, "No Tory. Daphne isn't missing from their lives. She isn't in a place where you can 'find' her anymore."
"....?" Confused Astoria matched Loki's gaze. Tear drops shimmered at the edge of her eyes as she asked, "Then…who?"
Loki smiled as he wiped away the tears threatening to leak from the corner of her eyes as he explained, "It's you. You're missing. Even though you're with them you're still left behind…somewhere where only pain lies."
"Ah…"