"Us?" I ask as I rip myself from the two marauders' grips. "Who's us?"
"Why, myself and your beloved, of course!" Dumbledore chuckles, gesturing towards the filthy bed beside me. I turn my head and nearly trip over my feet as I run towards the familiar body of my soulmate.
"Theo!" I cry as I kneel beside the bed, fisting the dusty blankets as I fret over him. He looks absolutely dreadful and I can feel my heart break all over again.
"Mari..." Theo whispers, reaching a pale hand towards my bloodied face that I had forgotten to clean before I left the Tower. I close my eyes and lean my cheek into his touch. He felt ice cold, like a vampire.
"What have you done to him?" I demand, getting up from my position and striding towards Dumbledore. He merely chuckles as I come to a stop in front of him.
"My dear girl, I've done nothing. This is all on you."
"Rubbish."
"I assure you dear, whilst I may have lied to you previously, I am not lying about this. Your dear soulmate has been forced to experience an early creature inheritance, all thanks to your speciality of getting into trouble!" Dumbledore's eyes glint wickedly and I can't help but lose it.
"I only get into trouble because you're the one making the trouble chase after me!" I scream at him and reach for the wand in my jeans, only to come up short. I swing around to face Sirius and Remus.
"Give me my wand." I seethe and Sirius chuckles before taking it from his long-coat's pocket. He holds it out towards me, but before I can retrieve it, I am swiftly interrupted.
"Expelliarmus," Dumbledore sings and my beloved phoenix feather wand flies out of Sirius' grip and into his own. I swallow nervously.
"Now, here's what we're going to do, Mariana." Smiled Dumbledore as he transfigures the old piano and it's bench into an iron-wrought table and two matching chairs. He gestures for me to sit down, but I hesitate.
Fed up with my resistance, Dumbledore flicks his wand again and I'm suddenly in one of the chairs. I try to get up from it, but it's like a heavy weight on my chest prevents me from doing so.
"That's more like it!"
"This is ridiculous," I mumble and look down at my jeans.
'Loki, if you can hear me, you win. You're so much better at coming up with plans, I just blindly rushed into this like a Gryffindor... Like Dad.' I sigh in my head and look up to face my enemies' glistening, blue eyes.
"Here's what we're going to do, Mariana." Dumbledore repeats himself and I stay silent, simply trying to set him on fire with my glare.
"I'll allow you to be with your soulmate." he smiles, and I freeze in shock. That... wasn't what I was expecting him to say.
"But, you will continue your education at Hogwarts. You will follow what I tell you to do."
"Forget it, I'd rather stay here for the rest of my life then follow what you say!" I sneer.
"Well, if you don't want to eat comfortably, sleep comfortably or learn how to become more powerful than that can be arranged too."
I open my mouth to retort, only to stop when the horrible sound of pitiful coughs interrupts me. Somehow, the weight on my chest is gone and I am able to shoot from my seat.
"Theo!" I run over and kneel beside him again, tears brimming in my eyes. How can I help him? I don't know what to do!
Theo looks towards me and I'm startled by his harsh glare towards me, only to realize that it isn't me he's glaring at.
"My little soldier," Dumbledore cooes, his hand on my shoulder in attempt to comfort me. "I'm going to give you a choice, yes. I believe this will be better for all of us! Stay here forever, and I'll help... speed along, I suppose you could say, the healing process for your soulmate. Why, you'll both get to live together happily! No one will be able to take you away from him again, and I'll personally ensure your comfort."
I pause for a moment, doubting Dumbledore's words, but one look into Theo's blue, pain-filled eyes and I close my own. I lean forward, kissing his ice-cold forehead.
"Forgive me," I whisper to him as he slowly reaches for my arm. "But I can't stand seeing you like this."
I pull away, just before he can grab me, and turn to the man I loathed more than anything.
"I want you to swear on your magic," I said to the elder wizard and he smiles kindly.
"I can do that." he answers, and I quickly interject before he can start. "And you can't go hurting the Avengers or their loved ones either."
Dumbledore's mask of kindness quickly melts into irritation before it is put back up again.
"Whatever makes you happy, my dear."
I nod, feeling somewhat pleased. Dumbledore sighs and begins his oath, "I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, swear on my magic that I will help Mariana Dahlia Stark's soulmate and provide them both with a peaceful life, filled with comfort and home-luxuries, providing Mariana follows what we have discussed. The Shrieking Shack will become her new, permanent home and I will not attempt to harm either her or Theodore Nott." He takes a deep breathe before continuing, "I also promise that no harm comes to the Avengers or their loved ones, by my hand, as asked by Mariana Dahlia Stark. So mote it be." A bright light envelopes the room, signalling that Dumbledore was being honest and his oath was accepted by magic. I exhale deeply, filled with relief.
I've just signed my fate, but Theo would be healed and I wouldn't have to follow Dumbledore's future orders.
But, I was now trapped in the Shrieking Shack, and so was Theo, for rest of our lives. I would never see Dad, or the team again.
I won't get to meet my Godmother, Pepper Potts.
I would never hear Thor's deep-bellied laugh, or see Loki roll his eyes at something stupid somebody had said.
I'll never get to hug Nat, or Clint ever again.
Most of all, I will never get to tell my Dad that I love him. Our bond was officially frozen, forever. He'll probably be under the impression that I either hate him, or I'm dead.
I close my eyes, a lone tear running down my cheek as I pray to God that he will help my father and the team move on.
With a deep breathe, I open my eyes and poisonous green meets glimmering, ecstatic blue.
"Help my soulmate, please." I breathe out and Dumbledore tuts.
"My dear girl, did you really believe I would do as you asked before I placed enchantments on this... new home of yours? Let me enforce the barrier and enchantments required then, as promised, I will heal your soulmate."
"Why not now?" I replied, my voice hard as I felt the tears swimming around my eyes. "I'm not going anywhere!"
"And who's to say your soulmate won't try to escape with you once he's healed, before the barriers are placed?"
I can't help but bite down on my lower lip, almost drawing blood as I stare at Theo again. He looks as if he's on his deathbed, and yet I understood where Dumbledore was coming from.
Theo has, to put it simply, shown signs of being fiercely protective over me. There was no telling what he would do if he healed beforehand.
With a sigh, I turn to the greatest wizard of all time and ask him how long the barrier and enchantments will take.
"Oh," Dumbledore waves his hand at me with a chuckle. "No longer than five minutes, my dear. Why don't you sit tight and comfort that poor boy whilst I go and start on it all now?"
"And what about them?" I nod my head towards the two marauders.
"Sirius, Remus. You're dismissed." They both bow their heads towards their leader and retreat from the room, leaving the Shrieking Shack.
"I'm trusting you, Dumbledore. I want that barrier and its enchantments up as quickly as possible, and then I want Theo healed as quickly as possible." I order, ignoring the older wizard's sigh as I sit on the edge of the bed next to Theo, desperately wishing I could hold his hand and mentally beating myself up for not letting Bruce remove the sharp glass from them.
"As you wish." Dumbledore promises before exiting the dusty, old bedroom and leaving me with my sickly, pale soulmate.