Chapter 28: Down we fall
Well, this was just uncomfortable.
Their idea of a lunch proved to be sitting cooped up on two benches around a long table. I was squeezed between my sister on my left and Tails on my right side, Serpen coiled behind me, pressed close to the wall, to avoid getting stomped on.
I sat with my back straight, my chin raised and a stiffness to my hands, avoiding all unnecessary contact I could. But it seems that I was the only one to maintain some semblance of classiness and elegance.
This people slouched as they walked, stomped, leaned on each other, bumped each other, and generally had too much contact for my tastes.
And I cannot even begin to describe the way they ate. Ronniekins dearest seemed to have no more table manners than a wild animal would, talking with his mouth full, making my stomach twist in disgust, not closing his mouth as he chewed, scarfing down his food, not bothering to chew, merely swallowing. Bits and pieces seemed to simply fly from his mouth as he ate, and I leaned back a bit, despite being seated at the opposite end of the table. How barbaric.
Not to mention the state of the house. It was dusty, dirty and smelly. What in the name of Merlin was that house elf doing? I would have disciplined him by now, this place was positively horrendous.
As was the atmosphere at lunch.
We were served some sort of beef stew, and I took some out of sheer manners, taking a small bite and judging that it was edible, even somewhat tasty. And I knew all eyes were on me and I heard whispers all around the table, mentioning my name more times than was healthy.
The tension was tangible, as if they waited for me to explode and start throwing curses all around. Even Arielle, seated between the obnoxious ginger twins, did not joke or laugh, feeling the strain of the situation as vividly as I did.
Sirius had not spoken to me, not having gotten the chance, and I was somewhat relieved. I did not want his apologise, they would only serve to anger me.
But the silence was rather awkward, and he seemed to have sensed that too, as he spoke up after a while.
"So Lindy" spoke he and all conversation died down immediately. Really subtle "been sorted into Slytherin I take it?"
"Yes." I replied, feeling something choking me, stopping me from telling him more.
"That's…. nice." Replied he, and I watched as Lupin almost choked on his drink, having to be patted on the back by Potty repeatedly to survive.
Arielle giggled at that and Sirius gave Lupin a nasty look.
"And you Melody?" asked Tails, trying to keep the conversation going "Where were you sorted?"
"Hufflepuff." Replied my sister proudly, and I lowered my gaze to my plate, wishing sincerely for this conversation to end.
"And how are Snakes treating you?" asked Sirius, and Ronniekins seemed to be unable to keep his mouth shut.
"How would they treat her? She's bloody one of them! I bet you lot stay up all night just to plot how to torture people around you!" yelled he, thankfully without stew in his mouth.
"Ron!" yelled the know-it-all, and in the same time his mommy called "RONALD!"
"Rather well." I replied, not bothering to address Ronniekins, who yelped, exclaiming that something scratched him under the table. Good going Shadow.
"She's the Queen." Added my sister and blushed as all adults, excluding Lupin, who had learnt about the term, stared at her.
"The Queen?" echoed Sirius, trying to recall if he had heard of the term before. But he could not have, since I was the first to be named a Queen in a long while.
"She's the most powerful snake currently at Hogwarts, and therefore has the respect of her house." explained Arielle, putting things rather simply.
"Oh, so you're pretty high up in the hierarchy?" asked Sirius, slightly more interested in my answer.
"At the top." I responded curtly, a smirk on my lips. "And I have no intention of losing my ranking."
He laughed outright at that and I turned my head to observe him, my eyebrows furrowing.
"Is something funny?" I asked, listening to the bark of a laugh.
"No…" gasped he "it's just….you remind me so much of him."
His big grey eyes focused on mine and I looked away promptly, focusing once more on my meal "That sounds exactly like something your father would have said."
Warmth blossomed in my chest as I heard him. So I really did resemble my father somewhat.
"He was a good man Lindy" spoke Sirius, and suddenly, the Weasleys, one by one, left the table under some excuse, only Ronniekins not catching up, being dragged away by Potty and the know-it-all.
Arielle stood up as well, making to leave, saying "I have something to talk to the twins about, you three take your time."
"Stay." I spoke and her eyes widened.
I looked back to Sirius, not wishing to give her any hints as to why she needed to be here. I wanted her to hear just what sort of a man my father was, just what sort of a man had died to give her life. I wanted her to learn from him.
"What was he like?" I asked, addressing Sirius, curious beyond belief.
He didn't answer for a while, and I heard confusion in his voice as he asked "Have your grandparents not told you about them?"
A moment of silence.
"No." I spoke and my sister took my hand in hers, her falcon squawking, voicing her distress.
"Desmond was a good man girls, maybe the best I have known." Spoke he "When my family abandoned me, he was one of the rare purebloods who took my side, he was just powerful enough for him not to have that rock his reputation. He was a kind man, a generous man, a skilled duller and a great wizard."
A moment of silence passed.
"And mom?" asked Melody, she too curious.
"Crysanthia was one of the most beautiful women ever to have lived. You look a lot like her. And she was a strong woman, never let anyone tell her what to do. She had a sharp mind and a sharper tongue. A great witch, a furious duller."
His voice was distant as he talked, and I saw that his hands were curled into fists.
I noticed tears drip down my sister's face, and I squeezed her hand, offering my comfort.
"They are dead Sirius." I spoke, fixing my eyes on him.
"I'm sorry." Spoke he, and I stood up suddenly, angler flaring in me.
"Yes, well, so am I." I walked out of the room at that, not minding the yells of my name.
"Linds!" called Arielle, running after me in the hallway.
"ROSALIND!" bellowed Sirius behind me, as I was about to reach the front door, needing to get some air.
Suddenly, the dusty curtains on a portrait I had passed on my way towards the doors opened and I stopped as I heard a female voice scream.
"MUDBLOODS! SCUM! FILTH! STAINS OF DISHOUNOUR! HALF-BREEDS!" screamed the voice and Serpen hissed his distress, "TAINTING THE HOUSE OF MY ANCESTORS!"
I walked back to see a life sized portrait of an old woman with a back cap, and after a moment or two, I knew who I was looking at. Walburga Black.
"TAINTS OF MUD!" screamed she, and just as Arielle, Melody and Sirius were about to reach me, her eyes met mine.
She stopped herself in the moment of screaming something about Mudbloods, her eyes becoming cold, guarded.
"You." Spoke she levelly, her tone now back to normal levels.
"I have but two words for you. Be quiet!" I hissed, and for the tiniest of moments, she obeyed.
But then, the three of them came into view.
"Blood traitor!" screamed she as she saw her son "Shame of my blood, rot of my flesh!"
Her eyes moved to Arielle, and I was rapidly losing my patience "You! FILTH! CHILD OF DISHONOUR! TRAITOR! HALF BREED!"
And finally she noticed my sister, mistaking her for our mother as she screamed, pushing me over the edge; "YOU SHOULD BE DEAD WHORE! TRAITOR OF BLOOD! VICE OF YOUR FAMILY!"
I was in front of my sister in the next moment, my wand raised.
" . . !" I hissed at her, and rage pushed me to hiss once more "MUFFILATO!"
The old slag opened her mouth once, twice, but no sound came out.
"Impossible.." whispered Sirius and I flicked my wand decisively, closing the curtains.
"It was nice seeing you Tails… I'll come again." I spoke, not looking him in the eyes and turning on my heel, walking out of the house, where he could not follow me.
I was soon joined by my sister, who looked thoroughly shaken, and Arielle, who seemed distracted, being the last to talk to Sirius, and in a moment, I cast the spell, sending my world spinning once more.
This time, there were no screams.
No, this time, there was only silence. I was sitting in my couch in front of the embers playing in the fireplace, with Serpen coiled up beside me, his head in my lap and my fingers absently stroked his scales.
My mind wandered and my eyes once more beheld my cousin, remembering each word spoken, each wrinkle on the face that had aged so much, so quickly.
I was warm in one moment, a blanket wrapped around my legs, and in the next, I felt cold, so very cold. As if a hand had reached through my couch, through my back, through my spine, through my ribcage and to my heart, grasping a hold of it, pressing and spreading cold air through every pore of my being.
Someone would die tonight.
I rose to my feet, folding up the blanket and placing it back on my seat, ushering Serpen to my bed, promising to be back soon, urgency to my words.
Perhaps that was what alarmed him, and his eyes followed as I paced in front of my bed, waiting.
My hand was clenched around my wand and my gaze was fixed on my bracelet.
As I watched, the temperature of the metal rose noticeably, letters appearing on the small metal surface.
"Ready.G."
I took in a deep breath, slight shakes beginning to claim my hands, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I waited.
"Ready. H."
One more, just one more, and the battle will start. My eyes wandered across my room, memorizing every detail and an unbidden though arose in my mind.
Maybe I would not make it back.
No. I would be back, we would all make it back. I had to think positively, I had to make myself believe that everything would turn out well. That we would save those people.
As letters once more appeared on my bracelet, I felt my heart skip a beat.
"Ready. R."
"I will be back soon Serpen, sleep well." I spoke, but I knew well that he did not believe me.
I tapped my wand against the bracelet speaking clearly. "Ready.S."
I gave my snake a glance once more, and then spun on my heel, allowing the trunk to assume control over my destination.
Pressure arose from all sides and I felt my lungs constrict, struggling to get some air, as invisible bars pressed from all sides, constricting my body, pushing it in itself, making me shut my eyes, which only intensified the pressure. But after another moment, the pressure began to ease, and I struggled to open my eyes, forcing my hand up in a duelling position and pushing my right leg forward in a step forward.
I blinked once as the pressure died down completely, my feet sinking in snow up to my ankles.
I could not see, and I felt panic rise up like a wave in my mind, as I spun on my heel, my eyes frantically trying to make out enemies.
It was a moonless, cloudy night, and my eyes had just barely adjusted to make out the lines of tree barks as Claudia apparated next to me, in swirls of bronze and blue.
There is no way they could have missed that, so, where were they?
I shuddered, wondering briefly as to how thick the robes we were appointed to wear were, for they seemed to do nothing to ward off the cold.
Panic quickly turned to despair, as I still could not find a sign of our opponents, and as I dared not speak a word to communicate with Claudia, who I sensed to be beside me.
If I cast the first spell, I could not be certain that I had hit my target, and would be giving away our position pointlessly.
Swirls of red and gold on my left and swirls of black and yellow to my right alerted me to the presence of my sister and Arielle, but also made me notice that my breath was coming out in small puffs of smoke.
I felt like I was losing hope, and something clicked in my mind as I heard the crunching of snow as my comrades moved. The temperature had been going down bit by bit since we had apparated, but only slightly, so that it was incredibly hard to notice.
But now that I had noticed, I knew well that we were surrounded and my wand shot up as a memory of an ordinary day shone in my eyes. Lunch with my friends, chess with Daphne, my legion.
"Expecto patronum!" I called, and bright white light shone from my wand, taking a corporal form and dashing into the woods, illuminating at least a dozen dementors and almost having my heart give out on me.
I was not afraid of their numbers, for it only took Claudia's horse to join my patronus to disperse them.
I was surprised, shocked even, by the form my patronus had assumed.
Instead of my trusted, big, great white shark, a small, furry, quick animal appeared, dashing forward and opening her snout in a snarl. It wasn't a shark, it was a vixen.
I was shocked beyond words at that, never having heard of a patronus changing its form, but my sister's words brought me out of my thoughts.
"Is… is that it?" asked she, her voice trembling.
"Not likely" I spoke, and as a confirmation, I noticed bright blue light rushing towards us through the air.
I raised my wand reflexively , calling "Abigo Maleficium!"
A shield immediately appeared, and not a second later, the spell made contact, shaking the shield but unable to break it.
"It's her!" I heard someone yell, "She's the Dark Arts user."
Of course, they couldn't tell which one of us it was that used the Dark Arts, and they tested us by casting a dark curse. Curses.
The wind moved and branches groaned as two figures apparated in front of me, both exclaiming "Avada Kedavra!"
I jumped to the left, narrowly missing the curses, hopping that Claudia had moved as well and hissing out "Stupefy! Impedimenta!"
The one on my right had summoned a pretty sturdy shield, capable of withstanding a spell of mine, albeit not one of my best, but the other one had my jinx pass his shield, and got hit square in the chest, the hex throwing him back through the air.
I would have cast another, more powerful hex, had it not been for Arielle's scream as she recognised her opponent.
"DOLOHOV!" bellowed she, and blood chilled in my veins. I glanced back for the tiniest second to see her battling him with a ferocious precision, yet not enough skill. She was losing, and I needed to help her. Now.
But as I turned around, I nearly lost my life, leaning left reflexively and missing the killing curse by inches.
"Tenebrae restringo!" I hissed, narrowly missing my target, enraged that I could not see my targets in the dark of the night.
They could not see me either, but had no restraint in casting the killing curse.
"Stupefy!" I exclaimed, smirking as I saw my victim hit by the curse, passing out.
I would have finished my other opponent off too, and I was thrilled as I watched fear shine in his eyes, had my own fear not choked me back, after hearing a blood hurtling scream from my sister.
My heart stopped and I whipped around, running back, not even having noticed that we had moved away from the clearing we had first apparated in.
Curses whizzed past me, and I ran forward in desperation, not caring for my life in the very least.
Sweat dripped down my neck and I swung my hand back casting a stupefying curse in the general direction of my opponents, breaking out on the clearing just in time to see Arielle fall down to the floor, Dolohov raising his wand to cast the killing curse, and I raised my wand, pure anger spurring my actions.
But my sister was quicker, screaming out "Stupefy!"
The man had not been expecting this, and the curse threw him back like a wooden doll, crashing him against a tree bark, knocking him out.
But my sister had not been paying attention to her own opponent and he cast a spell at her, but I was by far too quick for him.
"PROTEGO!" I bellowed and the force of the shield threw him back at least ten paces.
I was still running and I spun on my heel suddenly, hissing out "Avada Kedavra!"
The curse was a miss, splitting a near-by tree, and I watched as Claudia ran across the clearing, dodging a killing curse and I turned around once again, "Incarcerous!"
Claudia fell to her knees next to a motionless Arielle, and she looked up, my eyes noticing tears in hers as she disappeared in a swirl of blue and bronze, taking Arielle with her.
My sister was duelling two Death Eaters simultaneously, her sorrow fuelling her actions and I ran up to her, taking her position and hissing out "Petrificus Totalus!"
"GO!" I hissed, turning my back to her, and disarming one of the Death Eaters duelling me.
I noticed a swirl of black and yellow as she disapparated and I turned my head from side to side, now surrounded by two Death Eaters, both of which had their wands raised at me.
"Your friends left you bitch!" hissed one and I smirked.
"By no means," I hissed out, my voice turning poisonous as I continued "they let me have some fun. You DARED touch a friend of mine, and for that, BOYS, you will burn!"
They raised their wands and I responded in a likewise manner, hissing out "Bellua peruro!"
Two giant flame serpents rose from my wand, swallowing the curses intended for me and opening their jaws in a hiss, spouting flames. One of my opponents was frozen in fear, and the fire consumed he momentarily, but the other was smarter, and he ran for his life.
I had no time for his stupidity, and I ended the curse, disapparating on the spot, headed for the guest room of my manor, the one right next to mine, where I knew my wounded friend was waiting.
Silence greeted me as I apparated into my guest room. For the tiniest of seconds, all was quiet. Not a yell of pain, not a sniffle, not a sob. Just silence.
And then, she screamed.
It was the highest I had ever heard her voice go, and the tone spoke of unimaginable pain, high, loud and heart-braking. I felt cold sweat appear on my neck and I shivered in fright of the sound, my head snapping from the bed, where I had expected to see her, to the couch.
Claudia was bent over her, her palm raised over the wounds, her wand pointed at them as she murmured, her hands shaking.
My sister was right next to her, covering her mouth and nose with her hands, staring in silent horror, helpless, condemned to waiting and hopping.
As Claudia cast another spell, Arielle once more opened her mouth, screaming once more, the sound breaking my shock, pushing me forward.
I broke out into a run, urgency in my every thought, time being of vital importance.
I came to an abrupt stop in front of the couch, and as I saw her wounds, Arielle screamed again.
Had I been privileged with any less endurance, or had my stomach been any weaker, I would have surely lost my dinner at the sight before me. Her robes, her clothes, all that fabric had been slashed, cut through effortlessly as the curse caught sight of its prey. It slashed her skin, creating a line from her right shoulder all the way to the ending of her shoulder blade. Blood seeped out of the wound, forming an endless stream around her body as she lay there, screaming in endless pain. And Claudia was only hurting her more.
"Get out of the way you fool!" I sneered, pushing her away roughly, not caring that she fell backwards, and pulling out my wand, knowing that I had to act quickly and knowing that I had no room for mistakes.
Arielle was just barely conscious, and were she to fall asleep, I knew she would never again wake.
"Arielle!" I called, knowing that she must be kept awake, "Arielle, can you hear me?"
She didn't answer me, merely taking deep breaths.
"ARIELLE!" I yelled, and she flinched, as if she had heard me. "Listen to me, what I'm about to do will be very, very painful, but you must stay awake. Do you hear me, you must!"
I then looked up, to see that my sister was observing the scene horror stricken, perfectly useless.
"Melody!" I called, but she wouldn't answer "MELODY!"
She flinched, focusing on me now, panic and pleads in her eyes.
"Talk to her, keep her awake, slap her if you must, just don't let her go to sleep!" I hissed and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, willing my hand to stop shaking.
"Ostendo malivolentia!" I spoke, tracing my wand across the wound I was facing, creating a silver mist that seeped into the wound. It must have been positively torturous, for Arielle screamed once more.
Impossible, I thought, watching as the mist disappeared, information seeping into my mind. The curse was designed to target the nerves in her flesh, cutting each one with terrifying precision, and to add to the pain that would be enough to drive anyone insane, it burned the flesh around the nerves, driving the afflicted insane with pain.
I had never known a spell that had this effect, and it was one of Dolohov's own creation, I was sure of it. Which only frightened me more, for rumours had it that he was one of the best creators of dark curses the Dark Lord had.
Damn it all!
No, I thought, calming myself, all was not lost yet. I simply had to be better than him.
I looked up to my sister, taking off my robe simultaneously and folding it, passing it to her.
"Put this into her mouth, she might bite her own damn tongue off, tell her to bite!" I spoke, knowing that there was no way to ease her pain from the next spell I was about to perform. The revealing charm I had cast was no use, merely alerting me of my ignorance, making me realize that I would have to learn, to understand this curse. And quickly.
I put my palm to my face, urging my brain to work quickly. What were the basis for this spell?
"Help her sister!" called Melody, terror in her voice.
But I couldn't be bothered to respond, only having heard her with half an ear.
Think Rosalind, think! He would have to cut through her skin, through the flesh with terrifying precision, which could be achieved by the basics of any cutting curses only, and to aid guidance, he would have to envision his target and then guide the curse, so there is a mental projection of the pain involved, and then the burning part….
I took in a deep breath, closing my eyes momentarily and recalling the spells I needed, all Dark Arts material.
I raised my hand over her shoulder, where the wound began, spreading my finger and pointing my wand at her flesh, rather uncomfortable with the angle as I was short, and the bloody couch was high.
But I could do it. I had to do it.
"Defervesco carnicula!" I called, following my wand with my hand, watching as flesh red and sizzling cooled, the invisible fire that burned it now gone, leaving me to deal with the aftermath. " Defervesco carnicula!"
Now that I had stopped the fire, I needed to stop the cutting of nerves. But I couldn't do it without risking the curse going rampant. Curses. What now?
If I could just assume control.
But I could.
A smile spread across my face as I once more focused on the beginning of the wound, now more gruesome than ever, saying "Potior arbiterium!"
Small, invisible strings spread from the tip of my wand to the remnants of the dark curse, and I felt like I was holding a living, wriggling creature that was doing its best to control me.
I felt the curse turn towards me as I tightened my hold on it, a gash appearing on my collar bone. But that was not nearly enough as I once more reinforced my hold on it, imaging tightening the collar on a wild beast, more and more, until finally, with two more gashes; I alone controlled its will.
Disappear! I commanded, and with one last, desperate pull, the curse was gone, leaving behind torn flesh and severed nerves, surrounded by burns that would not heal easily.
"Vulnera sanero!" I called, tracing the air above the wound once more, healing the burns. "Vulnera sanero!" Once more, the incantation healed, this time mending broken nerves. "Vulnera Sanero!" I called the third time, the limit of the curse's powers, closing the wound and stopping the healing. But I could do nothing to remove the thick, deep scar in the light pink tissue. She would have to live with it.
Her screams had seized, and I saw that my sister looked up, panic in her eyes.
"She fell asleep!" she called, and I gave her a small smile, easing her worry.
"Let her, she needs to rest. Once she wakes up, we move her to the trunk." My sister gave a relieved sigh, and I turned to Claudia, who was curled up on the floor where she fell.
I walked up to her, noticing shock in her eyes as she looked up. She looked so young, so very young, and I took pity on her.
I crouched down, and raised my hand.
She flinched, as if she expected to be hit, but I merely placed my hand on the top of her head.
"She will be fine, I removed the curse." I spoke and tears finally flowed from her eyes. "It wasn't your fault, Claudia. She's okay now, she is. I'll stay awake with her and you two use the bed, I know you won't get any rest anywhere else. Go, sleep. "
She didn't move, but my sister stood up, taking a hold of Claudia's hand, leading her to the bed.
"I will notify their parents" I spoke, and Melody turned towards me, looking so tired.
"Thank you Linds." Spoke she, and then disappeared behind the curtains of the giant, four poster bed.
I sighed, turning back to Arielle and approaching her couch once more.
I put a pillow under her head and moved her gently so that she would be more comfortable. I then covered her up to her waist with a blanket.
I turned and walked to the doors, opening them so that Serpen and Merlin, who had been waiting, could enter. They must have sensed our return and I walked up to the couch opposite the one Arielle was on, folding my feet beneath me and summoning a parchment and a quill to me.
Serpen slid up beside me, and I glanced at him, giving him a tired smile.
"I told you I'd be back, " I spoke, leaving my quill for a moment and petting him, "how about you sleep here tonight? I am going to have a long night."
I looked to my left slowly, watching as the first rays of sunlight made their way through the high manor walls. It was early morning now, but my mind was awake just as much as it would have been if it were noon. After all, I had not slept, and I had to do something to keep myself awake. So I thought.
It was amazing just how fast time flies when you're immersed in your own thoughts, when you're seeing things that have long since passed.
I remembered how I had cast the Patronus charm, I remembered how I had taken it for granted that my trusted shark would appear, and I remembered the shock, the fear as I saw a vixen charge those beasts.
I remembered the moment when I broke out on that clearing, and it seemed to have been an eternity ago. I remember how her red hair was flying around her as she was falling, how she hit the ground with a thud.
I remembered how my sister's curse hit the man in the middle of his chest, how he had been thrown backwards like a puppet. I remembered how his head snapped backwards as his back made contact with the bark of the nearest tree behind him.
I remembered Arielle's wounds, and my stomach turned once more, as the images, so vivid, ran through my mind.
And then, every now and then, I would remember him. I don't know why he crossed my mind, I don't know why I kept recalling the last time I had seen him, I don't know why I found this awful feeling settle in my chest when I thought about our encounter in the dungeons. I don't know why I regretted hurting him. And most of all, I don't know how I had become so certain, so sure of the fact that he was not lying. That he liked me.
A groan from opposite me stirred me out of these dangerous thoughts, and I blinked, regaining my focus. I wished to rise from my seat, but I did not, for Serpen had moved during the night, coiling up beside me and laying his head in my lap, tucking it away under my arm.
Before I could make him move, Arielle gave another groan of pain and turned her head towards me, her eyes opening slowly, laboriously, as if they weighed more than anyone could imagine.
"Lindswhathappened?" she groaned out, and I struggled to make out the meaning of what she had just said, contemplating briefly whether my spells could have somehow affected her mind.
"Come again?" I asked, gently placing Serpen's head on a nearby pillow and rising from my seat.
"What… Happened?" managed she, her eyes closing every now and then.
I walked up to her, my heels making soft clicking noises on the floor, and she struggled to look at me.
"What do you remember?" I asked, gently lowering myself to my knees beside her.
"Mmm…" hummed she, and then her eyes snapped open "Dolohov."
She made to stand up, but hissed as she tried to move her arm. I reached out, pushing her down gently, mindful of the injury, a stern look on my face.
"Remain lying down, your wounds were severe. What is the last thing you remember?" I urged, needing to know just how conscious she had been of what had gone on around her, a certain dread settling in my chest.
She frowned at that, trying to remember and then she focused on me.
"Being hit by the curse, I remember the pain…. And nothing else. What happened Linds?" she was afraid, panicked, but I knew only of the relief that settled in my mind. She did not know anything, nor would she ever know that I was the one to have healed her.
"Melody and Claudia saved your life." I responded curtly, standing up and making to walk over to the bed, but what she said next froze me on the spot.
"Linds… I lost." She looked down at that, appearing so sad, so broken.
"Indeed." I responded, slightly angry at her, and at myself. I could imagine how it would feel to face Bellatrix and then be utterly defeated. But there was one other thing that she had to consider, one single thing she had managed to do. "But, Arielle Hayes, do not be ungrateful. You survived, one Death Eater did not."
I woke my sister and Claudia, and they jumped out of the bed, rushing towards Arielle. And she didn't even look at them properly, avoiding their eyes and looking away. I knew she was sad, and that she was facing a great turmoil, but she would have to learn to grow from it. She owed it to those two overjoyed girls hanging to her every word. She owed it to me.
We all knew that this would not be some child's play, we all knew that we would be risking our lives, but perhaps we did not understand, did not consider, that aside from killing people, we too could get killed.
And seeing Arielle fall to the ground on that clearing, seeing her wounds and watching as blood pooled around her lifeless body was a harsh wake up call.
We were strong, we were powerful, but we were still just witches, just under aged girls. We were vulnerable. Mortal.
We all took that blow pretty roughly, perhaps I was the one to have taken it the best, and it was noticeable at the barest glimpse on each member of the group.
Melody was distracted, biting her lip often, getting lost in her thoughts.
Claudia hesitated each time she had to cast a healing spell, her last attempt at helping a wounded person having traumatized her.
And then, there was Arielle. She kept her distance from Melody and Claudia, as if she were ashamed. She wouldn't talk to them, merely giving them curt or vague replies with no real meaning. She spent her days closed off in her room, Shadow the only being keeping her company. The founders tried talking to her, as it was only natural, Gryffindor giving his damn best to reassure her that she was still a brilliant witch, but all their efforts were in vain.
There was only one person to whom she talked to, and that was me. Because I understood.
I knew what it was like to want revenge, to need it, and to feel like you might never reach it. I knew what it was like to feel that you have let everyone you cared about down, and I knew how it felt to be so damn helpless.
Yet there was another matter that plagued my mind, and I walked through the barren halls of the trunk with Serpen slithering beside me, seeking the counsel of one very sad friend.
I raised my hand and knocked twice, letting myself in even though there was no reply.
I walked through the dimly lit room with sure steps, taking a seat in an armchair, Shadow greeting me and my familiar with a purr. Arielle did not even look up, lying in her couch with her eyes closed. But I knew well that she was not asleep.
I did not ask her if she was well, as manners would normally dictate, for I already knew the answer. She was not, and sadly, there was nothing I could do to relieve her pain, for it was not the physical kind, her shoulder having almost completely healed, but of the mental kind, the kind that tore through her like one thousand Cruciatus curses.
"I have a problem." I spoke, and she gave a sigh, sitting up slowly, tiredly , and opening her eyes.
"What happened Linds?" croaked she, her voice sounding as if she had not used it for a while. Shadow jumped up on the couch next to her, settling beside her and putting her head on her lap.
Arielle looked tired, as if she had not slept for a day, and I assumed that this was entirely possible.
I stared at her for a while, and then I pulled out my wand, observing it for a while, before moving it in a small, deliberate circular motion, recalling the first time I had taken my wand in my hand, the moment I felt a sense of belonging, of power coursing through me.
"Expecto Patronum!" I called, and as I had secretly feared, from the tip of my wand emerged a small, furry creature, raising its snout lightly and sniffing the air.
I held my wand up gingerly, reluctant to admit that this creature was my Patronus.
Arielle's eyes widened, and she seemed to have been shaken out of her stupor, jumping up to her feet. She approached the small silver creature who was standing in the middle of the room and walked in a circle around it.
"When did this happen?" she asked, observing the vixen with curiosity.
"I don't know…" I spoke, looking at the vixen warily, "but I found out at the clearing."
She didn't respond, just stared at the vixen for a while.
"Arielle" I called, and she turned towards me, "I have never heard of a Patronus charm changing its form. Is this normal?"
I was worried, never having liked it when my magic changed unpredictably, acting on its own.
"So you were surprised…." Hummed she, thinking about this. But to say that I was surprised would be the greatest understatement in the world. I reckon I would have been less shocked to see Severus Snape, dressed in a pink ball gown with his hair washed, dancing a passionate Tango with McGonagall.
"Very." I responded and flicked my wrist, ending the spell. "You know I am not well versed in light spells, especially of the defensive kind…"
It was the closest I had ever come to asking for her help, the plea itself having been left unspoken.
But she heard it, and she sighed, seemingly exhausted, coming to rest once more on her couch.
"Don't worry Linds" spoke she, offering me a small smile. "There's an explanation to this, I am sure."
I remained seated, still observing the place where my new Patronus had vanished, Serpen offering me his support.
"Have you been through some sort of a strong emotional experience before you noticed the change?" she asked in a business like tone.
"Emotional?" I echoed, clearly waiting for an elaboration. I was never the sort of a person who went through intense emotional experiences, that part of my being having been suppressed both consciously and otherwise for a very long time.
"A patronus can change in reflection of intense emotional experiences." She explained, but since I merely responded with a blank stare, she sighed, counting such experiences. "Intense sorrow or happiness, maybe the loss of a loved one, or something you hold dear, or… falling in love."
I felt like she had slapped me and rose to my feet, turning around and walking briskly towards the doors.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." I responded as I was nearly at the doors.
She didn't say anything, and I allowed the sound of the doors slamming behind me to mark my farewell.
I had lied, and we both knew that, the truth of the matter etched deep into my soul, the answer to her question ringing in my ears. But I would not voice it, not even to myself, it was by far too horrific.