Authors note: Thanks for reading my story, also if you want to please leave reviews! But I will only accept CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM AND ADVICE, not harassment!
August 5, 1998 - Monotel Motel, Nouakchott (Capital City)
As soon as Annabelle was back in her hotel room, she collapsed onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling for several long minutes.
The door to her room opened, and Daphne Greengrass (Annabelle's best friend since childhood, and current traveling partner for the sake of the traveling, rather than any vested interest in nonhuman rights affairs, as was Annabelle's motivation) stalked in like she owned it. She was always like that, and Annabelle had done her best to put up with it the past seven years. But for her to be how she was on a day like today...
Annabelle sat up and looked into her best friend's eyes as the latter strode right over to the bed with a purpose. "Daphne, I have had a really long, really exhausting day, so could you please try to be quiet when you-"
Daphne crawled on top of Annabelle, her arms down on either side of her head, and dipped down and kissed her roughly on the lips. It was hard, it was strong, and it wasn't - good. There wasn't anything positive in the kiss, save the tingling pleasures of the body itself. But beyond that, there was nothing wanted about it. Annabelle brought her arms up between them and pushed Daphne off - or, tried to. Daphne grabbed her wrists and slammed them back against the headboard, and just went back to kissing her in that ugly, powerful way she was.
That was when Annabelle's brain finally kicked in, and registered just what was being done to her.
"Get the fuck off, get the fuck off!" Annabelle yelled out, bringing her knee up into Daphne's stomach - again and again. She slammed her forehead into Daphne's face as the latter woman growled at her and went in for another kiss. A loud crack split the room, and blood came spilling down onto Annabelle's neck and chest from out of Daphne's broken nose. Daphne finally let go, sitting up on her and darting her hands over her face. Annabelle twisted to her left and grabbed her wand off her nightstand, and she used a Banishing Spell to send Daphne flying back across the room.
Daphne's hand shot down to her hip, and she drew her own wand out of her jeans and pointed it at Annabelle. The flash of green light that lit up the room in the next moment had Annabelle rolling sideways out of bed without even thinking about it. She fell behind the bed and cast a shield charm around herself, and used a second Banishing spell to slide herself out from behind her cover. She hurled a Killing Curse of her own as she was still sliding; her feet hit the wall a moment later. She deflected another Killing Curse from Daphne by jerking her wand at the dresser to slide it in front of her for even more cover - it didn't last long, though. The dresser exploded, and large, pointy pieces of wood flew back to slice and splinter and even stab Annabelle all over. She jumped to her feet, with a snarl through gritted teeth that betrayed the agony she was feeling in several places, and went into a proper combat stance.
She flicked her wand, feinting a deadly curse, but instead she subtly transfigured the painting on the wall behind Daphne into a cheetah. She saw the confusion on her best friend's- her rapist's face. Daphne was over it in the next instant, throwing a Blasting Curse at her shield. It exploded on contact, knocking Annabelle back into the wall, and blowing out the walls to the adjacent hotel rooms. Annabelle wasn't about to complain. She took advantage of the extra space and apparated a few feet into the room on her left, then she quickly transfigured the beds and dressers in both the adjacent rooms into four ravenous tigers.
Daphne struck two lunging tigers with Cutting Curses strong enough to slice off their heads - but she didn't notice the fourth or fifth coming up from behind her, and they took her the floor and went at her. One went for the throat, and the other started tearing at her exposed stomach. She gave a panicked swish of her wand that blew the tiger that was eating her stomach in half, its guts and blood spilling all over her, and exploded the head off the one trying for her throat.
Annabelle threw a Killing Curse at Daphne again, and a second later magically commanded the waiting cheetah to make its move. Daphne levitated the body of a dead tiger into the path of the Killing Curse, saving her from that - but not from the cheetah. It was on Daphne faster than even Annabelle could have imagined, slapping with its paws and snapping its jaws at her. Daphne screamed as her face was mutilated, but another Blasting Curse of hers did away with the threat of the cheetah.
That was fine with Annabelle: she hadn't intended to actually kill Daphne - just buy herself enough time to get away. More specifically, to focus on apparating. She managed to do it, and she was gone from the room and reappearing on the roof of the hotel.
[Norberta!] she shouted in draketongue. Draketongue was a sister language to parseltongue - the primary, innate language gifted to her by Voldemort when she had been a baby - which she had also inherited from the madman; snakes and dragons were both lizards, after all, and so the languages had come to Annabelle as part of a pair. Annabelle limped her way over to the huge, spiked, golden-scaled dragon curled up in the middle of the roof. [Norberta, wake up! We have to go!]
Norberta's head raised, and her glowing amber eyes opened. She slapped her tail against the roof, her spikes sinking into it. Then she leapt to her feet and lumbered over to meet Annabelle. She dipped her neck and settled on her fore legs, letting Annabelle climb up and swing herself around quickly and easily. Annabelle grabbed hold of the meter long spike in front of her, just behind Norberta's long neck. [Go, please!] Annabelle urged. Norberta did; she leapt off the building and gave her wings a mighty flap, then another, and then another, and then she was gaining height, and then speed.
They soared over the city, and out into the vast, empty desert.
[Who tried to kill you this time?] asked Norberta.
After they had gotten a few hundred miles into the empty desert plains, Annabelle had decided they would stop and sleep the rest of the night away. She had conjured up a tent and blankets for herself, cast protective and hiding spells around the area, and had finished it all off by conjuring up a burning bonfire in the center of their little camp to keep away the desert freezing temperatures.
Annabelle was laying on her side at the entrance to the tent, propped up on an elbow so she could talk with Norberta, who was laying casually in the sand. But although her posture was lazy, as dragon posture usually was, Annabelle knew that it was an act. She knew Norberta's glistening amber eyes were actually taking stock of their surroundings, keeping herself alert for any more, or familiar, threats. And Annabelle loved Norberta for that, right then.
"Daphne. Well, she didn't try to kill me - well, not at first, I mean." Annabelle shook her head, closed her eyes a moment and relished the warmth of the bonfire. "At first she just tried to...to rape me. But I hurt her, I got her off me, and then that was when she switched things up and tried to kill me."
[How exactly did she hurt you?] Norberta's tone was fierce and furious, but mixed in with all that ferociousness was heavy alarm and concern. [Do you need to be healed? I can fly you to a magical hospital, if you don't feel able to apparate. If you don't, I'm still going to fly you to the African Ministry to talk with their law enforcement officials in the morning.]
]She just kissed me a bit,] Annabelle said calmly, switching over from English back to dragontongue. The fingers of her left hand moved to caress the ring on her right hand. This ring was silver, pristine, and held an orange gemstone that soaked up the firelight and shined like a firefly. [I'm fine physically. She didn't even...touch me anywhere. And, okay, in the morning we can do that. But tonight, I just want us to...to stay right here. Like this. Together, and warm, and talking, and- and-]
[Okay,] Norberta said quietly. [We'll stay right here, Annabelle. Right here.]
[Good.] Annabelle smiled. [And, after the Ministry business tomorrow, I'd like to head back to Britain for a little while - spend a few days at home, catch up with Cedric or Millicent or Susan or whoever's available - before we come back and see Nyllia again. But when we do come back here for her - so you know, Norberta - I want to ask her about if there's anything we could do in the United States. I want to know if there's anyone we could help, or get the support of there.]
[We can go back home if you want us to - thanks for letting me know what the plan is,] Norberta nodded her large head. [And, I think it's time to move on already, too. In the spirit of that, would you like me to go ahead to America and wait for you? I've heard it's just an unbelievably vast land, with so many varied environments and weather patterns, and I'd like to explore it all as much as possible.]
[If you'll be fine there without me for a couple days, then yeah, go ahead,] Annabelle assured. [Have fun sightseeing - but please, don't get into any trouble before I get there; we don't want any diplomatic incidents.]
[Oh, we both know the trouble won't start until you get there,] Norberta hissed her amusement. [No need to worry about that at all, Annabelle.]
[Still, be on guard,] Annabelle replied. [If people start thinking I'm sending you out scouting or something, they'll want to attack you on your own - and I don't want that.]
[And you think I do?] Norberta huffed in mock outrage. [I can't control anyone deciding to attack me.]
September 16, 1993
*Ycu, please don't die! Not now, not this year, not with those things all around me!*
*I can't control when I die, you know this,* Ycu's soothing reply came to Annabelle. *You've known this for years. Now, I don't know when I'm going to die, exactly, but I do know it will be in the next few hours. I can feel that much. Annabelle, please, remember everything I've taught you. After I pass, don't linger on me. Don't hurt yourself over me, don't try and take your own life over me. Be controlled, be calm, be alert and be practical. Find yourself a new arachnid, immediately, please; I don't want you isolating yourself from everyone around you because of me. I don't want to be responsible for that - for any of that sort of behavior from you. Do you understand me?*
*I- no- sort of, I mean-*
*Do you understand me?* Ycu repeated, her voice clicking and clacking aggressively.
Annabelle choked on a sob (though the tears still ran) and nodded her head. *I...understand.*
*You will get past me,* Ycu stated, her aggressive tones bleeding away. *You'll get a new partner, you'll spend your time with your friends - Daphne, Astoria, Pansy and Lisa, and Confiance out in the forest - and your grief will recede. I promise you, Annabelle. The grief, the pain, it's all temporary - like the effects of the Dementors. When it's come and gone, you'll feel happy again, you'll feel good again, and you'll smile and laugh and...love again. You'll just...do all of that with someone else other than me. If you don't feel as if you can do this for yourself just yet, then would you do it for me? Do it to...let's say, honor the last request of an old arachnid?*
*For you,* Annabelle whispered in agreement. *And- Ycu, after you- after you go, I promise I won't forget your teachings, and I won't forget everything you've done for me, and- and I swear I'll keep doing whatever I can for your kind! Whoever I meet, whenever and wherever I meet them, whatever they need from me I'll do my best for them. I will!*
*Then our relationship can end,* Ycu said, in the softest voice Annabelle had ever heard from her before. *And it can end with so much love and happiness that even I can't control myself now, despite knowing better...than to...ever...*
*Fuck...* Annabelle breathed. She carefully cradled Ycu- Ycu's body in her cupped palm, and brought her lips down to kiss it. She drew in and let out erratic, whimpering breaths for the next several minutes - and she continued to stream swears at herself. At the situation. Even at Ycu's corpse (though she felt horrible about this last one). It was almost twenty minutes later when she finally, finally stopped it all. Her breathing evened out, and she started to think again. She concentrated on stopping her hands from shaking, and used the back of her free hand to wipe away the tears. She recalled every bit of her Transfigurations lessons, focused her mind and took up her wand. She pointed the tip at Ycu's corpse, narrowed her eyes and bit her lip, and visualized exactly what she wanted - just like Mcgonagall had always emphasized.
Her magic worked, affected Ycu's corpse, and it changed. Changed in a puff of smoke, yes - a crude and juvenile display of her inner power if ever there was one - but it changed. Ycu's corpse transformed into a chipped, dirtied silver ring, with an uneven and overly wide band, and a jagged orange gemstone encrusted in it. The ring wasn't perfect, the gemstone was terribly cut...but it was what it was. It was beautiful, and it was her. It was dumb, wasn't it? A dumb, overly sentimental, emotional human thing for her to have done. But as much as Ycu had always taught and warned Annabelle about being controlled, about being calm and practical in every instance of her life...Ycu had always understood and given Annabelle a certain leeway in the area of her human natures. Despite everything, Annabelle knew that Ycu would have understood this, too - and maybe, just maybe, she would have even felt a little bit flattered by it.
Annabelle slid the ring onto the ring finger of her right hand, took in a few more breaths, and then she got to her feet and left the empty Hufflepuff girls' dorm in favor of the very noisy, populated common room.
August 6, 1998 - African Ministry of Magic
"I'm here to report an incident at my hotel room last night."
A witch of tall stature, dark skin and darker hair gave a serious nod. She gestured into a side room, and led the way in her black robes. "Yes, please, come in - we were expecting your visit sooner rather than later, Ms. Potter; we were alerted to a magical altercation at your informed place of residence here in our country," she added, conjuring up a chair and table (with a tray of refreshments) for Annabelle. "What can the AME do to help you? Are you injured anywhere? Do you have any prior grasp of healing magics? Did you try them on yourself already? I'm African Magi Enforcer Aamina Abboud, but if you would feel more comfortable calling me simply Aamina, feel free to do so, please."
"Enforcer Abboud," Annabelle began, gratefully taking the seat and sipping from the water. "No, I'm not injured - but I do have experience with healing spells - and, thank you for the offer, for the water, and the help."
"All right," Enforcer Abboud said quietly, seating herself across from Annabelle at the table. She offered a smile - comforting, encouraging, kind in every sense. "Annabelle, could you start from the beginning? What you were doing, where exactly you were before the attack, and then go from there?"
Annabelle obliged, and she told it all to Enforcer Abboud: starting with her visit to Nyllia's tribe (though, she left out the goblin attack - that was a matter to take up with the Goblin Nation Queen back in Britain). She talked about the time spent there, included the time she'd gotten back to her hotel room as best she could remember, and she then started speaking about the actual attack. To her own surprise, her voice caught when she talked about Daphne. Daphne coming into the room like nothing, Daphne climbing on top of her, Daphne holding her arms over her head, Daphne kissing her, pressing down on her with that weight, Daphne looking at her so...
"Goddammit," Annabelle gasped, curling her fists on the table as her vision started to blur. "I'm- I'm sorry to get like this, I-"
"No," Enforcer Abboud said gently, shaking her head. "It's perfectly fine, perfectly all right, Annabelle. Know that you're safe here, that you're protected, and that we're going to do everything we can to help you, and to apprehend Mrs. Greengrass. Know that you can take your time to tell me the rest, if you feel like you can. If not, we could set you up in a room here and we could continue tomorrow. Annabelle...it's all right."
Annabelle shut her eyes, and a distasteful feeling rippled across her lips, like a buzzing, and she curled those lips and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I can continue, I can talk, I can do this." She drew in a breath, let it go, drew in another, let it go too - repeated this a third time, then a fourth. And then she opened her eyes again, and she uncurled her fists. She swiped at her eyes and looked Enforcer Abboud in the face. "I can do this," she reiterated, clear and calm.
"Okay," Enforcer Abboud replied, giving another smile. "As long as you feel like you can."
So Annabelle continued her story, going through how she had fought Daphne off (literally so), and going on to the duel, and then to her escape by way of Norberta. When she was done with the tale, Enforcer Abboud informed her that she was good, smart, brave - told Annabelle to wait here in the Ministry's Law Enforcement Department for an hour or so, while she spoke with her Department Head about the whole ordeal. Annabelle did wait, drank the water which kept refilling itself, and put her head down on the table until Enforcer Abboud returned.
"Notices have gone out to every Enforcer in the country to be on the lookout for Mrs. Greengrass," Enforcer Abboud said, lingering at the door and holding it open for Annabelle. "and my Department Head will be contacting yours soon, in case she does or already has fled back to Britain."
"Thank you so much," Annabelle said, heartfelt as she stepped out of the room and into the corridor. She started off toward the atrium, and Enforcer Abboud followed right beside her. "It's been good here, it's been amazing, and the people are amazing, and the food is wonderful, and-"
"And the magi-arachnids?" Enforcer Abboud asked with a light smile on her dark lips. "They were hospitable to you, I take it?"
"They were," Annabelle confirmed, smiling too.
"I can't speak for anyone else," Enforcer Abboud started slowly, that smile still there. "but as for me, when I heard the rumors, then the confirmed news that you would be coming here to try and open relations with Nyllia, I expected that you would manage it without being killed - very few of us here have ever managed to gain any kind of audience with her, save the original meeting eighty-two years ago to establish the territory claim, and sign the treaty she conjured up for closed borders, and the consequences of not heeding them."
"I barely did manage it without being killed," Annabelle said honestly, her mind going to the goblins. "But yes, I did - and thanks. The vote of confidence is very much appreciated; I know there are a lot of people out there who think a great deal of negative things about me and what I've been doing. They're suspicious, they're scared, they're paranoid, or...they're just bigots who can't stand to see nonhumans getting a movement going. Whatever the reason, I know I haven't been too popular across the globe."
"I support what you're doing," Enforcer Abboud spoke, her dark eyes boring into Annabelle as they entered the atrium and stopped near the Floo area. "I don't know their people or Nyllia herself like you do, and despite our country's very open-mindedness and, let's say advanced views on the rights of nonhuman beings, I'm sad to say I've had little contact with any nonhumans in my life...but I still support you in this. If you ever need one more opinion, one more vote, one more hand or one more wand at your side in this - for them - just give me a mirrorcall and I'll be there in an instant. I would love to meet many more nonhumans than I have, and to know their cultures."
"Thank you," Annabelle said, and she managed to grin. She stepped forward and offered her hand; Enforcer Abboud took it, shook it, with warmth and strength. "I won't forget you if that's ever necessary - and...even if it's not."
Enforcer Abboud's eyebrows raised slightly. "Oh?"
"It's always a good thing to have more friends, isn't it?" Annabelle went on, giving a bit of a shrug. "But if you'd rather I not mirrorcall you - if you're too busy, or you don't want to-"
"Oh, no, that's all right," Enforcer Abboud spoke quickly, her smile coming back. "How about I mirrorcall you a few days from now and give you my monthly schedule - it changes regularly, part of the job - and we can go from there? I'd be very interested in hearing about your experiences with nonhumans."
"If that works for you," said Annabelle, nodding in relief. She hesitated. Glanced toward the Floo fireplace. She gave Enforcer Abboud a small wave of parting, and then she grabbed up a handful of Floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. She threw it down and said clearly, "Grimmauld Place!"
Immediately after stepping out of the fireplace in the sitting room, Annabelle announced: "Nikolett, Sirius, I'm home!"
Annabelle's announcement was followed with the sounds of clattering and scraping in the dining room, and then fast footsteps and loud clacking, and then into the sitting room came Nikolett and Sirius Black. Both moved to hug her at the same time. They bumped shoulders, looked at each other, then hugged Annabelle right together. "What's this for?" Annabelle questioned as the life was squeezed out of her. "Did you really miss me that much that time?"
Sirius pulled back and frowned at her. "Annabelle, you were attacked - again!" He drew his wand and flicked it, and a Daily Prophet paper appeared. He flipped through it and all but shoved it into her face. "Read this and tell me it's not true!"
"Over a thousand years ago, the Wizarding Council cursed forevermore the dragon race, robbing them of their intellect, power, and place as a proper civilization in the world. But recent reports around the globe have shown evidence of a reawakening of their-"
"What? Ugh, Annie, not that: this!" Sirius sighed, exasperated. He flipped to another page and jabbed his finger at another article, which detailed her exploits in South America just a few short weeks ago.
"Oh, yeah, that. That's true," Annabelle responded, looking away from the article; she didn't need to read it. She'd experienced it, after all. "But it wasn't a big deal - I wasn't even hurt. I managed to get away easy enough."
Sirius drew in a long breath, held it for a few seconds, and let it all out in a woosh that fluttered Annabelle's hair. "Annie, that's great to hear - it really is - and I've been so proud of you, and of everything that you've been doing out there, but I just can't handle this. Every time you're abroad, every time there's a new article for me in the morning about you being set upon by a gaggle of vampires, or a group of pixies, or that one time with the hag-"
"Can we not bring up the hag incident, Sirius, please?" Annabelle interrupted, flushing. "Besides the fact that that incident wasn't even from any place of malice-"
"Annie," Sirius growled, almost like his dog form. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Just- just- god, Annie, can you promise me you'll be more careful when you're out there doing your thing?"
"I can promise that, yes, but I can't guarantee it," Annabelle agreed. "So: I promise to be more careful when I'm out doing my work."
"That's as good as I'm getting from you, so I'll be in the kitchen," Sirius said bracingly. He flashed a grin over his shoulder as he retreated down the hall. He called back to her as he disappeared through the kitchen doorway, "Would you like eggs, muffin, or what?"
"Eggs and a couple muffins will be fine, thank you, Sirius!" Annabelle called back. She turned her gaze to Nikolett in the ensuing silence. "How have things been here for you? Is that teaching position at Hogwarts still a sure thing?"
Nikolett stepped forward on her hooves, glanced down at the carpet, then took Annabelle's hand and kissed her lips. "It is, yes. Besides the attempt on your life again, did you accomplish what you set out to do there?"
"Yeah," Annabelle said shortly. She closed in on Nikolett and pressed herself against her front, and she ran her hands down along her ribs until the skin under her palms transitioned into fur between her fingers. "Nikolett, I'm so happy for you. I'm happy that you're happy. You are still happy about this, right?"
"I am still happy," Nikolett assured, smiling, and reaching around herself to grab both of Annabelle's hands. "Norberta did not run into any trouble as well, did she?"
"She was far away from all the action," Annabelle said humorously. "When you get right down to it with her, she's still the same scared little kitten she was when she was first hatched."
"That is good to hear," Nikolett nodded. She brought Annabelle's hands up to her face and rubbed them against her cheek, closing her eyes a moment and sighing her content. "I missed you so much. Your godfather is an amazingly kind, headstrong man, and I have enjoyed the time spent here in your home with him, but...but he is not you, Annabelle. And when you are gone, I take solace in the stars to tell me that you are all right."
"You've been stargazing for me?" Annabelle said quietly.
"I have," Nikolett confirmed, with a quaver in her voice that betrayed anxiety. She let Annabelle's hands go and took a step back. Her hands went to her extremely long dark hair, to twirl and twist them around her wrists. "I know we are not meant to, that it is a disrespect and abuse of the gaze of the heavens, but...but I just could not stand to be here and to be so unsure of whether or not you would come back to me again."
"Well, I'm not going to tell anyone if you don't want me to," said Annabelle with a smile. "If you want to keep doing that in order to keep an eye on me, that is."
"I love you."
"Love you too." The hallway was quiet. "Breakfast, then?"
"Breakfast, yes," Nikolett agreed. She took Annabelle's hand and led her down the hall into the dining room.
"So, Sirius, has Remus been by?" Annabelle asked, sitting down at the table and propping her elbows up on it.
"Almost every day," Sirius replied, laughing. He sat with her at the table and slid a plate of instant magic cooked eggs over to her with a minuscule Banishing Charm. "And so has Susan, you know," he added after a quick moment of remembering.
Annabelle paused, mid bite, feeling surprised. "Susan? Why? Is she okay? Is something going wrong with the tourna...Oh. The tournaments. She wants me to come and watch her, doesn't she?"
Sirius smiled and nodded. "She'd like for you to be there to cheer her on, but she's maintained that she understands if you're too busy with your work to make it to any of the matches. Still, though, you're back here in time, and it'd probably be great for all of us to have an exciting outing together, wouldn't it? While the timing is all lined up. We could even rope Remus into it."
Annabelle looked to Nikolett, then back at Sirius. "I can do that. I can be there for her - and I'd love to, really. I'd love to spend the time with you, too, while I'm here. Is this something you've both already talked about?"
"We were considering going, yeah," Sirius chuckled out, running a nervous hand through his disheveled black hair. "You being there with us will make it that much better, though."
"We know your work is very important," Nikolett spoke, an anxious hand of hers going to her own hair to mimic Sirius. "If the timing had been different- that is, if you had not come home right now- we still would have liked to..." She went quiet, and dipped her head to hide behind her hair.
"It's fine," Annabelle said casually - and sincerely. "If I'm away and I'm going to miss something fun, I don't want you two to hold off on that thing because I can't be there." She paused. "When are the matches, how long do they last, and-"
"Don't even ask about the tickets," Sirius cut her off firmly. "I've got more than enough gold for us all to get in and get good seats - you keep your money for your travels and your work, you hear me?"
"Yes, Sirius, thank you," Annabelle said, suppressing a sigh and trying to get some gratitude to show. "And, the matches, the length, the locations...?"
"Right, right," Sirius nodded, flashing a joyful grin that lit up his face. "Ah, well, first match is in three days - Britain against the Americans - and all eight matches will take place right here in Magical Britain for this season, and each of them will last...I've got no clue, actually, sorry sweetheart. But I'm sure the time will just fly by for us all, won't it?"
"I'm sure," Annabelle said, not fighting the smile that came over her lips. "And it'll be nice to see Susan again."
They ate together and conversed more. Annabelle learned that Sirius was considering finding work in Diagon Alley - Azkaban seemed to have humbled him, if anything positive could be said about the place - rather than keep relying on his vast family fortune and hanging around Grimmauld Place for long hours of the day. She spent a long time telling them about her travels, her encounters and triumphs, and even a few of the troubles along the way - except for the trouble with Daphne. This glaring omission was something Sirius latched onto very quickly.
"Where's Daphne?" he interrupted her in the middle of a blow-by-blow account of her battle with the goblins. "Annabelle, you go off traveling, you take her along, and you come back here and you tell us about it all...but you haven't once even said her name. Did something happen to her? Or did you two have some sort of argument? A fight? I know you two have had these - these sorts of little spats with each other since you were kids, but if this one was different, if it was bad enough that you won't even talk about her...Can you tell me?" Sirius leaned forward across the table and set his hand atop Annabelle's. "Did she hurt you? Did you hurt her? Tell me - so I know who to hex over the whole thing."
Annabelle pulled her hand out from under Sirius's, and her fingers went straight to her amber ring - to her. She took a breath. She took another, and a third, and then she spoke. "I don't know why, but when I got back to the hotel room last night she just...walked in and tried to rape me. Just like that, just...fast, and sudden, and I didn't really realize what was going on until...she already was kissing me, and she was pushing me down, and...I threw her off, got my wand, and then she just started trying to kill me. We got away, me and Norberta, and we slept the night away, and then today we just went to the African Ministry, and I made a report, and now...now I'm home."
"You're home now," Sirius said quietly, pale and shaking. He didn't try to reach out to her again. "Annie, sweetie, we're - Nikolett and I - we're here for you. We'll be right here. If you...want to talk, or you don't, or you want to break something and start screaming, or you just want to sleep some more, or...or if you want to get out and about again - we'll be here for you. Whatever you want, whatever you need, we're here, and feel free to do it. Okay?"
Annabelle stood. Nodded. She clutched her right hand to her stomach with her left. "I need to be in my room, and I'd appreciate it if Nikolett would be there with me," she said, with a calm look at her girlfriend. Nikolett shifted on her hooves, her expression a swirl of shock, sympathy, and anger; she nodded, but said nothing in return - she probably didn't trust herself to. Annabelle left the dining room with Nikolett on her heels. They entered the small, darkened bedroom off the ground floor hallway, and as soon as she could Annabelle shut the door and turned the lock. She lowered herself onto the floor mat, sitting with her legs outstretched and her back to the wall, and pulled the blankets up to her neck. She took some more deep breaths as she gazed up at the enchanted ceiling, that depicted forest canopy with peeking glimpses of night sky. A light breeze flowed from wall to wall, fluttering Annabelle's hair and cooling her heated skin. She could breathe easier, here and with this. And with the fact that, in the small, cramped room, it was difficult for Nikolett to rest without brushing against Annabelle. Nikolett was soft, she was pleasantly warm, and her hair glowed a beautiful sapphire under the enchanted ceiling's very real moonlight.
Still, Annabelle felt stinging tears on her face in the dark, despite her every effort to stay calm and cool. It wasn't working, none of it was working, and that didn't make sense. What also didn't make sense was why she was getting like this here, now, when it was a day past and three discussions past the actual incident! So why? Why here? Why now? How could she be this way? So...irrational? So stupid? So pathetic, weak, so- She hated it. She hated herself, she hated Daphne, she hated Nikolett and Sirius, she hated this room, she hated...
Annabelle hated.