There is a scene in here that requires a TW. I've sectioned it off so you can skip through it. Actually, this entire chapter is a bit heavy. It touches on emotional, mental, and physical abuse. There's nothing really in here that's important plot wise, but more so character wise. Either way, I'm sorry this is so late. I had writer's block and had to talk to the original author about a few things. Mostly, this chapter remains unchanged. I felt it was important to have these next few stay as close to the original as possible.
Rookwood reclined against a tree with Travers beside him. Across the way, Bellatrix paced the patio like a caged animal.
"Bella. They'll be fine," he said for the millionth time.
"That first test almost killed them," she growled.
"I would have never let it get that far," he argued.
Bellatrix stopped and shot him a look.
"I am allowed to worry about my fiancée and her friends," she hissed.
"Maybe you should go into the kitchen with the others, Bella. I promise Travers and I can handle this."
Bellatrix tugged at her hair and stormed inside. Travers handed him a half-empty bottle of firewhiskey.
"You know if you screw this up even a little bit, she'll skin you alive?"
"That's why I told her to get lost. I need a thirty second head start," he muttered.
"What are the questions for the next part?"
"The spell is programmed to take their blood and find their weakest points," he said.
"Well, fuck me. You have no idea, do you?"
"No," Rookwood muttered.
Travers chuckled and said, "I'll be sure to shower for your funeral."
Rookwood glared at him, but he turned back to the six teens lying flat on the grass. He swallowed roughly and hoped he did the spell right. The last thing he needed was the full force of the family on his shoulders.
Neville
"At the chance of having your parents healed and back into your life, could and would you betray Calliope Black?"
Fred
"If you could only save one member of your family beyond your twin, who would you save?"
Draco
"Are you afraid of your reflection?"
Daphne
"What happened to your daughter?"
Blaise
"Why did you kill your mother?"
Calliope
"Will you do what it takes to win this War? Even if it means killing the one you love the most?"
The six groaned as they came to and grabbed at their heads. They blinked at the sudden sunlight and found themselves in an oasis. They breathed in the air and basked in the sunlight.
Confess.
The voice echoed around them as they got to their feet. Blaise chewed on his bottom lip and stopped in front of Calliope.
"I killed my mother," he blurted. "And I don't regret it."
No one commented on that. Fred was the next to step up to her. She had no idea when she became the one to confess to, but she wasn't going to turn them away.
"I ask that you spare my father," Fred said softly.
Calliope kind of expected that request at some point, but she gave Fred a reassuring nod to show she understood. Fred stepped back, and Daphne took his place. Calliope shot a look at Draco, who refused to look in her direction. She frowned and barely managed to catch Daphne's confession.
"I was pregnant," Daphne murmured. "I lost the baby shortly after the first task of the tournament."
Calliope blinked. She watched the normally stoic blonde rub her stomach.
"I had been using spells to hide my stomach. One night, while I was in the common room for a little break, Nott stumbled downstairs, drunk out of his mind from the firewhiskey his Dad snuck into his trunk. I thought I was alone, that everyone had gone to sleep, but before I could hide my stomach, Nott saw it. Things got out of hand, and well, one of the paintings saw me stumble into the hallway. He went and summoned Professor Snape, who took me to the infirmary. I asked him not to say anything."
"That son of a bitch!" Blaise shouted. "I'm going to fucking kill him!"
"Please don't," Daphne said. "While I am upset, I… just leave Nott alone. Please?"
Calliope ground her teeth but nodded. Daphne bowed her head and went back to her spot by Fred. He draped his arm over her shoulder and brought her into his side protectively. Neville was next, and he seemed hesitant.
"I was asked to pick between you or my parents," he said.
"Neville, you-
"I picked you," he cut in. "I've lived without them my entire life. I wish I had the opportunity to at least talk to them, but I can't pick two strangers over my friend."
Calliope kissed Neville on the cheek and glanced at Draco. Her brother folded his arms and scuffed the sand with his bare feet.
"I hate who I see in the mirror," he confessed softly. "I used to see my father. Then, I would see my mother. But now, I only see me, and I'm afraid of what that means. I'm not ready to be on my own."
"You're not on your own," Blaise said. "You have us."
"And the man we see you growing into is someone worth sticking around for," Daphne added.
"I thought you were a little ferret," Fred teased. "But it turns out you're worthy of the nickname Dragon."
Draco quickly wiped at his eyes, and Calliope knew to take the attention away from her brother.
"I was asked if I would pick winning the war at the risk of losing Bellatrix," she said.
"And?" Neville asked.
"I picked the war," she confessed softly.
Even Draco seemed surprised at that.
"We need to go home," Fred said. "We can worry about all of this later."
The group silently agreed, and the heaviness was pushed to the side as they turned to a large cabinet in the middle of a lake. There was a plaque on the tree near the water that Daphne read aloud:
"Embrace your fears. For they will soon save your life."
The group looked at the cabinet, and they call came to the same realization at the same time.
"Oh, fuck me," Blaise groaned.
"A boggart," Fred said.
"We have no wand to cast a spell at it," Daphne grumbled.
"Which means we have to dismiss it without magic," Calliope sighed.
"Great. So. Who wants to go first?" Blaise asked.
No one immediately raised their hands. Neville sighed and stepped forward.
"Might as well be me," he said.
"Neville, wait." Calliope gave him a hug and whispered in his ear, "I am ashamed and proud to say that you have been my friend far longer than I have been yours. I trust you with my life, and I love you. Always remember that."
"I hope you mean that even after you see it," he whispered back.
Calliope gave him a weird look, and Neville pulled away and toed off his shoes. He stepped into the water, and the lake thrummed to life. The water became bluer as he walked to the cabinet. He stood tall as the door opened. Out of the darkness, a version of Calliope stepped out. Neville stared into blood red eyes, and he had a hand around his neck before he could blink.
"You will die searching for her," the creature hissed.
As the hand tightened, Neville understood what the creature meant. He'd still been looking for Hermione in Calliope. He needed them to be the same person because if not, what did that say about him that he was so willing to die for someone so twisted, so evil, and so dark? Neville closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the voices screaming at him to stay loyal. The voices were a mixture of people: Harry, Ron, Seamus, Hannah, and even Professor McGonagall. He even heard the Headmaster pleading with him to stay on the right side, the Light side, but Neville saw sides of the Dark they didn't. Neville knew their goals, their dreams, and he couldn't deny that he understood and agreed with a lot of their ideas. No one on Calliope's side enjoyed killed, maybe Bellatrix and Travers, but they were no different than the Light at times. They had needs, wants, and desires. They had realistic expectations of the human world and the wizarding world. The Dark knew that muggles were fickle and dangerous beings, and if they encountered something they couldn't understand, they would experiment or try to turn it into a weapon.
They would even kill it, and Neville couldn't abide by that. His world was not one to be exterminated. Neville stared into the black eyes of the girl he didn't know. The grip lessened when he smiled genuinely.
"I see you, Calliope," he whispered. "I'm sorry it took me so long."
Black faded to red, then to brown, and the creature released its grip. Neville gasped for air and fell to his knees into the water. The creature stepped back into the cabinet and cocked its head for a moment before it disappeared into the darkness. The door slammed shut, and Neville got to his feet. He jogged back to the sand the best he could and stopped in front of Calliope.
"You aren't her. You never were, were you?"
Calliope chuckled and said, "No, I am afraid not. She and I have things in common, but she is not me and I am not her. But I forgive you. I had no doubt in my mind you would see it for yourself."
Neville bowed his head and stood off to the side. Daphne leaned into Blaise as she removed her shoes.
"Are you sure you want to go next?" Calliope asked.
Daphne frowned and looked off to the cabinet. "I think- I think I need to do this," she said.
An odd feeling settled in Calliope's chest, and it grew when Daphne stepped into the water. It turned red, almost like blood, and Daphne carefully made her way to the cabinet. Soon, the door opened, and out stepped-
"Is that… Vincent?" Blaise whispered.
Calliope narrowed her eyes on Daphne's back as she stood frozen in the water. Vincent Crabbe towered over her, and the world around them grew silent.
(TW)
"You look really pretty in that dress, Greenie," Crabbe slurred.
Daphne flinched as his hand caressed her neck. He wrapped her in his arms, and she could smell the liquor on his breath.
"It'd look better on my floor though," he laughed.
Daphne gasped as the memories of that night floated through her mind. She never struggled. She let him have his way. She went limp as he thrust into her over and over and cried into the pillow. She stayed there until he finished and never moved until that next morning. She cleaned herself off and pretended like nothing happened. Two months later, she discovered she was pregnant. Prior to that night, she'd been a virgin. She should've fought harder. She should've screamed. She-
No.
Daphne clenched her fists. She stood up straight and looked the creature in the eyes.
"No more," she gritted out.
The Creature distorted into a mirror, and Daphne looked at her reflection. In the background, she saw Draco, Calliope, Neville, Blaise, and Fred standing at the edge of the lake. Waiting. Daphne felt at peace for the first time in a long time. The mirror swirled into darkness, and Daphne made her way to the sand. Blaise caught her before she fell.
(END TW)
There was an unspoken agreement that Fred would go next. He squeezed Daphne's shoulder before he followed the same routine of the first two. His water turned a rust-color, and Fred steeled himself for whatever came out of that cabinet. He didn't even make it halfway before his family spilled out of the cabinet. Fred stumbled back and frowned. Why were they his biggest fear?
"Fred! Enough with the tantrums," Molly scolded.
"Yeah, Fred! We get it, you're your own person, blah, blah, blah," Percy said.
"Son, think of your mother. She would be heartbroken if you didn't stay at school," Arthur sighed.
"Pranks this, jokes that, inventions all over the fucking place," Charlie growled. "I can barely sleep without you tinkering on something."
"Why can't you buy me this? You have money now," Ron whined.
"This is a waste of talent. You could be so much better than this. Join me at Gringotts. It'll be good for you to get a real job. The family can finally get out of that stupid old house once you and George get your heads out of the clouds," Bill said.
"Fred this, Fred that. You're not even here anymore, and they're still paying more attention to you than me!" Ginny shouted.
Oh. Fred looked down into the water. George was more than his twin. He was his support system and best friend too. Without George, Fred was the ultimate failure of the family. He liked to pull pranks, to make people laugh, and he loved to create. That was the whole point of the shop. George was the brains, the planner, but Fred was the designer. Fred picked the colors, the packages, and the cool and funky names. It was the only dream he had. It was his purpose. Fred wanted to design uniforms for the Aurors, for the ministry. He wanted to build a car that ran on magic and gas without falling from the sky. He wanted to build a plane, a boat, and anything else. It was all he ever wanted. But to his family, Fred was too much of a dreamer and too childish.
"I see you."
Fred felt tears well in his eyes. His family still yelled, turning red as they pointed and ranted, but a face shimmered in the water beside him. He glanced down and smiled shakily at his little moon bird.
"You are more than enough," Luna said.
Over the last few weeks, Luna had become like the little sister he always wanted. She made him laugh, she made him cry, but she never gave up on him. She came to him when she had questions about her relationship with Draco. She trusted him with her mother's journals. Luna was his anchor. George was his rope, but Luna was his anchor. He looked up at his family. Fred mentally and emotionally gave up in that moment. He didn't need them anymore. Fred exhaled and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his family was gone, and the cabinet door was closed. Fred took his time returning to the sand. When he arrived, Draco gave him a weird look. Fred laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Luna is the sister I prayed for, mate. That's all."
"I know. I'm just curious how you got her to show up. Think she'll show up in mine?"
Calliope and Fred both rolled their eyes. Daphne had moved away from Blaise and was currently sitting on the sand with Neville. Fred joined them, and the last three stared warily at one another. Blaise chewed on his lip and nodded his head.
"My turn," he murmured.
Neither Calliope nor Draco opposed. Blaise stepped into the water, and it turned orange. Blaise practically ran to the cabinet and waited for the door to open. To the surprise of everyone but Blaise, a version of himself stepped out into the water. This Blaise was nervous, skittish, and whimpering. Blaise twitched. He knew that version of him. It was the one beat on as a kid. It was the one left behind when his mother went on trips, the one that got ignored by every man that walked through the doors, and the one that was never wanted by the person that mattered to him the most. It was the kid that spent more time talking to elves and walls. It was the kid that swore to never be hurt again. That Blaise was buried deep under false arrogance, a cold heart, and a shit ton of emotional deflection.
Everyone always hurt him. No one cared enough to stick around long enough to get to know him, to love him as he was. But Blaise instinctively knew it wasn't himself he was angry at. He sighed and dropped the deflection around his mind. The boggart transformed into his mother. She sneered at him, and Blaise could see the bruising around her neck. His own fingerprints. She said nothing, but her eyes said everything. Blaise glared at his mother and brought himself to his full height. He looked his mother in the eyes. He stood there under her hate-filled and spiteful gaze. Blaise didn't back down. He smirked and held out his arms.
"Guess what, bitch? You can't hurt me anymore!" he said cockily. "I'm the one that lived. And you're the one rotting like the piece of shit that you are. I'm not afraid anymore!"
The boggart screeched and was literally yanked back into the cabinet by an unseen hand. Blaise brushed off his robes and turned around. He stopped in front of them and dropped down to the sand. The tension grew when Draco turned toward the cabinet. He ran a hand through his hair before he stepped fully into the water with his shoes on. His water turned orange as well. Draco sauntered to the cabinet with that Malfoy swagger. The door opened and out stepped Sirius Black.
"Cousin," Sirius drawled. "What a surprise."
Draco flinched. Sirius, the Black that went against his family. The outcast. The traitor. Draco knew all too well why that was his fear. Draco wasn't interested in politics or healing. He wanted to have a bar and own a vineyard. He wanted to marry Luna and not have to run off to the ministry or to some conference all the time. Draco wanted to be his own man, but he didn't want to be like Sirius. He was afraid his desires would have him cast from the family.
"You know," Sirius mused. "I wonder if they'll burn your face off the tapestry too."
Draco trembled at the words when suddenly, a rock hit the back of his head.
"Ow! What the-
Draco spun around and saw Calliope with rocks in their hands.
"How about you get out of your fucking head so we can go home!"
Draco caught the next rock from Calliope and dropped it in the water. She arched an eyebrow, and Draco laughed. He turned back to the boggart.
"I am nothing like you. I am a Malfoy just as much as I am a Black. And I will not abandon my family like you did."
Draco sniffed and turned his back on the boggart. Sirius melted into nothingness but remained outside of the cabinet. Calliope knew it was waiting on her, and she knew exactly what it would be- who it would be. Calliope had no disillusions about her biggest fear. As soon as Draco exited the water, Calliope stepped into it, and the water turned black. Calliope made it halfway before the boggart grew and great until it cast a shadow over the entire lake. Calliope grimaced at the twisted image of her mother.
"My daughter would not be so weak," Rayna spat. "She would not risk the life of her family for love."
The boggart got closer.
"You are a failure!"
And closer.
"Pathetic!"
And closer until it hovered directly over Calliope. It dropped down until they were eye to eye.
"I died for nothing," it hissed.
Calliope knew she wanted her mother back. She never got a chance to know her like the others. Everyone else had stories. Calliope had fragments. None of it was fair, but neither was holding onto a dream. The boggart was like a statue. Frozen with the anger and rage. Calliope pursed her lips when she recognized the look in its eyes. It wasn't just her mother she stared at, but a version of herself. Calliope closed her eyes and forced herself to stop striving to avenge her mother. The War was about more than that. Calliope's anger bled into determination and resignation. Her mother was dead, but she was still alive. Calliope walked backward to the sand, not once taking her eyes off of the boggart. As soon as she touched solid ground, the boggart faded out of sight. As did the cabinet. The world around them began to shift, shake, and the lake went dark.
The group collapsed into unconsciousness.
