You couldn't care less…
Chapter 19
Tell me you're sorry
Days went by and Regulus stayed true to his words, staying by her side as much as he could. Tatum knew he was trying to prove himself. Not just to herself, but to his brother two. There had always been that all to familiar rivalry between the two boys and right now, she was in the middle of it. Not that she really cared though…She had reacquainted with a friend after all, there was absolutely no reason for her to whine about the motivation behind it.
She smiled as she saw the familiar figure standing before the room she and Lily shared. Ever since that day on the fields, he'd been picking her up, bringing her back. Not leaving anything to chance.
"You do know that I can find my own way to the great hall right? I've been there before" she joked as he stepped out f the shadows.
"I know, but I would not want to keep you from my wonderful presence. How could you ever survive that?" he asked her and she laughed, while saying her goodbyes to Lily and James. They really didn't like Regulus nor did he like them. But on the bright side…Lily and James seemed to be getting awfully close.
Tatum sat down on the Slytherin table, next to Narcissa and Regelus and smiled at all the appalled faces.
"Hi guys I'm back, have you all missed me terribly?" she asked going back to her Slytherin nature. She wasn't all sweet and shy…there was actually a bit of unkindness and sarcasm inside of her. The people before her grumbled angrily and Narcissa just laughed. She was getting her friend back.
A few minutes passed by before things changed however. Rabastan sat down across the table.
"Hello old friends" he said smirking and kicked Tatum underneath the table.
"Well that's a low blow" she said rubbing her leg but not losing eye contact.
"What did you expect, a nice welcome hug?" Nina asked and Tatum snorted.
"Since when did you become such a smart ass?? Anyway I could do without the hug. A painful death to both of you would work just fine for me" Tatum said and Narcissa smirked, though keeping her hand close to her wand now. She was glad Tatum was sticking up for herself but the odds weren't on their side.
Her friend seemed to notice this as well, because she grabbed another piece of toast before standing up.
"Care to join me in class, Cissy? " Tatum said calmly and Narcissa stood up, followed swiftly by Regulus.
"Sweetie, I really am happy you are sticking up for yourself, but should you be looking for trouble? Seriously?" Narcissa said carefully and Tatum smiled.
"You're with me right? Both of you?" she asked and both Narcissa and Regulus nodded in reply.
"How lovely…why don't you try a group hug?" Rabastan's voice boomed from a few metres away.
"Jealous?" Tatum asked and turned around to face him. She could not turn her back to him now.
"You wish, filthy little…" he began but was cut off.
"Shut up Rabastan" Regulus said and he pointedly took a step forward.
"Should have known you'd be like that bloodtraitor brother of yours" Rabastan said, knowing it would piss his old friend off.
"I'm nothing like my brother…we just both happen to have grown up with this girl" Regulus said calmly. Not giving the response people had been waiting for. Tatum smiled and the three of them stated walking again.
"Walk away, be the little cowards you are" Rabastan called and Tatum stopped in her tracks. He was right, she thought, she been avoiding confrontation for nearly two years now. It was time to stop hiding.
"You're with me right?" she asked again and they nodded once more.
"Hey Rabastan!!" she called out and as he turned around she shot the first curse. Quickly he tried to dodge it but it hit him in the shoulder still. His arm twitched and he cried out in pain.
"Let's see who's the biggest coward here" Tatum yelled and shot another curse his way. This time he saw it coming and put a shield up before yelling a curse himself.
Narcissa jumped forward and did what she always did best, protect those she loves by putting up a shield as well. As the spells jutted off from her shield, Rabastan's cronies jumped into action. Tatum kept firing spells but knew the odds were against them. Ten of them while they were with three, it would be a miracle for them to win this duel.
That miracle came ten minutes later in the form of the marauders and Lily. Though they were still with two less, they were most definitely stronger in the duel.
And then with one last spell shot at Rabastan, Tatum ended the duel all together. As he slumped down to the floor, Nina went down with him and everybody fell silent.
Hurt and tired, Tatum didn't stand and linger but pulled her friends along and ran towards the room she shared with the head girl.
"Let's stay here for a little while, catch our breaths" Tatum said and nobody disagreed. Lily enchanted a note for the teachers and then laid down on the couch with the rest of them.
"what happened?" James asked, sitting unusually close to Lily, who did not object.
"Right now? Or do you want a reminder of the past two years?" Tatum asked and James just shrugged and dropped the subject all together.
As the hour was nearly gone, they stood up and grabbed their belongings. While Lily, Narcissa and the marauders weren't injured, Tatum and Regulus had not comer out unscathed.
"Why don't we go to the hospital wing" Regulus mentioned and Tatum agreed eagerly. Her right arm was throbbing and she truly needed it…it was her wand arm after all. Besides she really wanted to get away from a certain marauder, his pleading eyes were killing her inside.
In silence they walked the halls together, both dealing with their own thoughts. But the silence was ended when they reached the hospital wing where a crying Nina jumped into the arms of Tatum. With disgust written on her face, she pushed her away.
"What is your problem" Tatum exclaimed and roughly walked past the girl.
"I thought we were friends again?" Nina asked her confused and Tatum turned around.
"We? Friends? You've obviously got me confused with Bellatrix" Tatum yelled at the girl before her and Nina just inhaled deeply.
"Where do you get the idea that Bellatrix is my friend?" Nina asked and both Tatum and Regulus laughed loudly.
"try and fool someone else, Nina" Regulus said and pulled Tatum in the direction of the school nurse.
Regulus was allowed to leave moments later but due to the awfully stinking potion Tatum had to drink to mend her broken arm, she had to stay behind for another hour of two.
"She might experience dizziness and such." The nurse said and pushed Tatum on a bed gently.
"Then I'll stay two" Regulus said and Tatum smiled at him. And though the nurse was not happy at all, she made no attempt to get him out.
A few beds down the line was Nina, still crying her eyes out. Nobody by her side.
When their headmaster Dumbledore walked in, however the atmosphere seemed to change.
"this is the girl?" he asked the nurse, while pointing at Nina and the nurse nodded.
Quietly they spoke on but Tatum was able to hear a few words, 'spell … Bellatrix … purpose….dark lord'.
She strained her ears but got nothing more. So when the conversation ended, she stood up and called her headmaster.
"Excuse me. Could somebody explain this all to me" she asked and tried to stay vague in the hopes of getting more information.
"Your friend here seems to have been under a spell for quite some time" Dumbledore said and Tatum looked confused.
"What kind of spell?" she asked and he shrugged.
"We are not sure just yet. It seems that she has no recollection of the past months." He said and Tatum looked back at Regulus.
"She doesn't know? Did you know about that?" she asked and Regulus shook his head.
"They did not let me in on much, they feared I would turn out like my brother." He said and looked at the now sleeping form on Nina.
"Seems you can trust people every once in a while" regulus said and Tatum smiled.
Maybe he was right. Maybe more then one person could be trusted a little more.
Well I hope you enjoyed this one!! Let me know please!!