Chapter 22: Goodbye
The Clod and the Pebble
'Love seeketh not itself to please,
Nor for itself hath any care,
But for another gives its ease,
And builds a heaven in hell's despair.'
So sung a little clod of clay,
Trodden with the cattle's feet;
But a pebble of the brook
Warbled out these meters meet:
'Love seeketh only Self to please,
To bind another to its delight,
Joys in another's loss of ease,
And builds a hell in heaven's despite.'
- William Blake
Ice cold wind caused blood to freeze, everything was lost. Bellatrix's dark eyes were aimed ahead. They did not blink but instead, steadily narrowed at Draco, Alex, Emily and Tyle who were all standing further away from her across the room. Edenia peered around the witch's black dress, she was still sitting behind on the couch as Bellatrix stood in front of her like a raging mountain, like a volcano that was about to spit out deadly fire.
"Bella!" Squeaked Edenia from behind suddenly, she jumped up and was about to run towards her but Bellatrix merely raised her hand, silencing Edenia, not even turning around to her. Edenia frowned sadly but she sat back down onto the couch. She would never disobey. Bellatrix's eyes were fixated on the lot ahead, her nostrils flaring, heavily breathing. Her mouth twitched for the split of a second, lips pursing.
"How dare you." She suddenly stated, her voice full of malice but not yet raised. Her eyes were glued on Draco.
"HOW DARE YOU!" She then yelled in a shrill color, it echoed through the whole loft, causing everyone to flinch.
Draco, trying to justify, spluttered out nervously. "She is my friend! She helped me when I needed help, I helped her when she needed-"
"SHE DID NOT NEED HELP!" Interrupted Bellatrix with her wand in her hands, clutching tightly around it. Her index finger brushed along the dark wood ever so dangerously, it lingered there like a snake; wanting to be used.
"Ngh..." Hissed Draco but kept quiet; this little something showed Edenia that, as always, he could not stand strong when directly being confronted with his false behavior. He turned his face away in growing frustration, as though displeased with himself. He thought of a retort, that's what it looked like from afar, snapped for air, snapped for an answer, wanted to explain himself, struggling to be the man he wanted to be.
"Edenia does not deserve the way you treat her. She deserves better." He suddenly said; this surprised Edenia beyond measure. He was standing there firmly in his dark suit, blond hair shining in the moonlight. His chin tilted up arrogantly; confidently. His pale eyes were narrowed, reflecting Bellatrix's posture that seemed to run in the family's habits. He stood up to his opinion, in front of somebody who thought different. In front of Bellatrix Lestrange, the murderous former Death Eater. In front of a woman capable of such dramatic magic that her level had yet to be defined. In front of his dear mother's sister, he stood up. He sounded so much like Edenia used to; she rubbed off on him. Draco Malfoy, corrupted by a halfblood, she could already see and hear his parents crying about it.
"Don't be stupid." Chuckled Bellatrix as she went on.
"I know you fancy her. Been fancying her for a while; yes I know, dear." She said when Draco's perplex expression showed.
"...I did not forget our Occlumency lessons. The pictures I have seen while penetrating your mind!" She purred and grinned but Draco shouted out.
"Be quiet!" Draco barked.
"Been wondering how to tell mommy and daddy...that you have fallen for a halfblood..." Came Bella's baby-mock voice.
"STOP IT" Draco roared, not able to take it any longer; his eyes widened in hatred, gesturing wildly, throwing his index finger at Bellatrix when he again demanded her to stop. But the fun only began for the dark witch.
"Started dating Parkinson to make Edenia jealous..." Teased Bellatrix along.
"SAY NO MORE!" Draco screamed so loudly that it even surprised himself; he pulled his wand out but gulped, not yet sure what to do with the weapon in his hand, as if he pulled out a carrot instead and did not know how to use it against the witch that kept laughing in front of him.
"And now you believe you can rescue her, hah!" She cheered and flicked some curly strands over her shoulder, adding. "While she does not even want to be rescued." Bella exhaled dramatically and shook her head, indicating fake pity for her nephew.
"That's not true!" Yelled Draco but Bella only grinned at his behavior.
"Ask her." Mused Bellatrix in her mocking voice, the side of her mouth twitched up in an evil smirk as she glanced over towards Edenia, nodding, as if she was allowing her to speak.
"Bella is right! I want to be with her!" Squealed Edenia; she wanted to jump up again from the couch but Bellatrix raised her hand again, not permitting Edenia to come closer now.
She was not done with the others yet.
"There you have it...Now that we have that clear. I don't wish to be disturbed anymore. I doubt I will be charitable the next time." Grinned Bellatrix, eyes narrowed in delight at the rest, she abandoned the idea of jinxing everyone and slid her wand back. Instead of fighting, she turned around, about to walk over to Edenia but something forced her attention back.
"YOU DISGUSTING PIECE OF SHIT!" Shouted Alex suddenly, not able to restrain himself any longer. He tried to dash ahead but Tyle pulled him back, much to Bellatrix's amusement. She roared in laughter once her gaze fell on him.
"Hah! Filthy mudblood! There is nothing you could possibly do, nothing at all! Your little brain could never understand-"
"NIA IS OURS!" He yelled behind Tyle, jumping up, trying to get around him. Bellatrix's smile vanished, the amusement in her eyes was gone.
"What did you say." She demanded.
"I SAID SHE IS OURS! SHE WILL NEVER BELONG TO YOU, STUPID CROW!" He growled out.
"Alex stop it!" Yelled Edenia, wanting to jump up but she knew better than to try. The temperature in the room sank yet again, or maybe it got hotter; she wasn't sure.
Bellatrix did not budge yet. Her forehead lowered dangerously, casting a shadow over her face, eyes narrowed. Alex opened a gate to hell.
"She. Is. Mine." She spoke throatily through gritted teeth, one fist clenching tightly as the other grabbed her wand firmer, as if she was now assured to make use of it. Everything in her body told her to go ahead and simply kill everyone. Her eyes, for the split of a second, wandered over to Edenia she inhaled deeply but she could not forget what the mudblood said. Nia belongs to them, he said. He was wrong. So wrong. The girl belonged to her, only her. Edenia was hers. Every fiber in her body continued fighting the urge to destroy him, she knew it would hurt Edenia, however, driven by her temper, she pulled the deadly wand out and aimed it ahead and stood still after a loud bang was audible.
Edenia jumped up and ran to her, she screamed.
Everyone screamed.
Blood dripped down from Bellatrix's stomach area, she clutched to it tightly while sinking to the ground and fell into Edenia's arms. Edenia yelled and cried, it all happened as though in slow motion when Alex had this silver metal thing in his hand; a gun they once called it, or so Bellatrix believed. Tyle and Emily were shouting at Alex, at each other, ran towards to Edenia but she pushed everyone away as she cried hysterically. She screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed Bellatrix's name, gently slapping her cheeks, trying to keep her from fainting, trying everything while her tears hit the witch's face. Bellatrix's expression was calm, she did not raise her voice; was powerless.
She seemed aware.
"Baby..." She croaked while Edenia was at the edge of losing her mind, she tried to keep the blood in Bellatrix's body that was by now covered in a puddle of red liquid. Edenia grabbed Bellatrix's wand, her shaking hand aimed at the wound, she tried hard to think of a curing spell and pointed the dark wood ahead but nothing happened. Crying out in frustration, she screamed and shook the wand severely, aimed it at the wound again, thought hard of the blood dissolving, thought hard of helping Bellatrix but yet again, nothing happened.
"Bella...Bella please, stay with me, don't leave me! What shall I do?!" She cried but Bellatrix stretched her shaking hand out.
"Co..m..e her...e..." Croaked the raspy voice. Edenia lowered her tear-drowned face to Bellatrix's level and stared into her eyes desperately deep.
"No, no. No! Don't leave me. Please!" Yelled Edenia, bringing Bellatrix's blood-dyed hands closer to her lips, kissing them. Bellatrix stared up, a single tear forming in her eyes. It broke Edenia's heart.
"I..lov..e you, baby...you have..to be strong no-w.." Bellatrix said with her pained voice and even though it was the most beautiful thing Edenia has ever heard, it was the worst circumstance imaginable.
"No, Bella...please...please don't leave me! Don't...you can't leave me. You can't leave me! I love you!"
"I...promi-sed yo-u...th-at day that..I...I will...never...leave you..." She suddenly smiled faintly, coughing. Breathing was difficult, Edenia knew it would come to an end soon. Bellatrix just looked at Edenia and Edenia stared at her, eyes round as marbles, tears glistening in the moonlight. Her eyes glimpsed to Bellatrix's wand.
Screaming echoed throughout the room again. Edenia did not scream. The others did. They were screaming her name, running to her - but it was too late. Another puddle of red liquid added to the one next to Bellatrix. Edenia lay on her back, held Bellatrix's hand in one, the other clutched to the wand, the very weapon she used against herself. It was not a wand to safe lives. It was a wand to take them.
They ripped Bellatrix from her and all that Edenia wanted was to follow wherever the witch was going. She had promised it. She said she will never leave the girl. And Edenia would never leave Bellatrix. They would go together.
She never wanted it in the beginning. She never wanted to bow down. Things soon turned out to be just what she has always been dreaming of. She wanted it, every little bit of it. Bellatrix's eyes kept glued to Edenia intensively, a slight smile was spread across her face. A smile that Edenia returned. Bellatrix reached out her arm weakly, and for the last time, her hand ran through Edenia's hair again before it fell back and lay motionlessly on the floor.
They said one would always see their life flashing before their inner eye.
But the girl saw how it had all started.
Edenia remembers. It was definitely a funny way to see how things develop if you just let them. If anything could describe Edenia's feelings at best, it would be inner disunity. When Hogwarts started its last year for Edenia, she was determined to protest against anything that she thought was wrong. Edenia's wand remained pointed ahead.
How they all smiled.
The first encounter didn't want to get out of Edenia's head. Edenia glared up the ceiling but could not move. Everything was gigantic. Snow danced down the sky outside. Darkness. Time passed. It was chilly. With a large frown, Edenia stood still. She arrived late. Shadows. Loud screams echoed throughout time. What was life's value? It felt warm. The question of what was real and what was not didn't matter any longer.
Edenia could feel no more.
Ice cold wind caused blood to freeze, everything was lost.
She thought about the change. Fraternity they said. The terror. Crucio she once screamed. Then there was stagnation. Halloween and Blaise. The invitation for Christmas. She said she would never be one of them. The escape to the muggle world. They came for a visit. Three months passed. Farewell, she said to her friends and entered the prison at Lestrange manor. Attachment and warmth. A Surprise. The Return.
Goodbye.
Thanks for reading. The story is now complete.
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