I hear noises that half wake me up but a nice smell wakes me up completely and I quickly throw the covers off the couch.
I walk towards the kitchen table zombie style, arms dangling by my sides, eyes half open and a yawn that escapes my control. I sit down slouched, Gellert has prepared sausage, eggs and bacon. Credence joins us in the same way as me, Percy behind him rubbing his eyes. We eat in silence.
Shortly after we finish I call the attention of the others at the table.
"I asked Gellert to ask Tina to come over in the afternoon. After lunch we have a very difficult conversation so for now, let's relax"
Creed and Percy absorb the news easily, Creed is probably lost in reliving the scene of when Tina caught his mother in the act while she beat him with the belt.
They were real assholes not to do anything to take him away from that woman. Tina attacked her on impulse for what she was doing to Credence.
She was raised as an Auror for trying to protect a Muggle, which Credence isn't, but damn, she was hurting him, at least she tried to do something.
They're just spineless half-wits to leave children to that kind of abuse and violence.
I shake my head slightly to bring myself back to reality and ask Percy,
"Do you have any books from your school days, any spell books? So Credence and I can look through them and pass the time ?"
He gets up and checks, first rummaging through the bookcase behind us in the living room and then going to the bedroom. We hear some noise and after five minutes he comes out with some books in his arms, dropping them on the table in the center.
Credence picks up a book at random, I think they're healing spells. I grab a smaller black leather one that's about defensive spells.
In the meantime that we choose Gellert and already immersed in reading a book on the armchair, Percival has also settled on the sofa next to Credence.
Taking the book I have and I go towards Gellert. I hope he doesn't kill me. I sit between his open legs and then turn sideways so as to put my legs over the armrest of the armchair.
"Do I look like a chair to you?" He asks calmly, too calmly.
"No... I... I seek contact, I need physical contact." I say without looking him in the eyes.
I feel my face warm, I blush.
"And do I seem like the right person to take away this lack for you?"
"Surprisingly, yes. Credence is not used to being touched with affection or kindness, I don't want to force him, it would do more harm than good. Percy, I don't know, I don't want to push him. They were recently marked and I think they both need to get used to the fact that they have someone predestined for them. And you… who knows how long it's been since you received a hug, a simple caress or comfort."
As I speak I look at Credence and Percy who have stopped their reading, Gellert seems angry. Not with me but with himself, perhaps to show some kind of weakness to someone else.
" We are human, not God. We have our needs. And wanting affection, love or any other feeling, or anything else, is not weakness. Separately we are just one individual but together we are stronger, because we can cover each other's backs." I say softly, slowly but firmly, I want him to understand, for everyone to understand, for it to enter their heads.
"I want to try… I don't want to be afraid. I mean everything my mother told me was false. She said witches were bad, but if they are, why didn't you hurt me? Why did Mrs. Goldstein try to stop my mother when she was trying to punish me, when if you were what my mother describes witches to be, she wouldn't let her continue? She was so angry, sad, and in pain as if she felt it herself, for me, as if she were the cause. Why?" He says, his voice like a whisper and then raises his voice shocked, disheartened, disconcerted not understanding why.
I get out of my seat and fall to my knees in front of Credence, taking his hands in mine.
I rub them trying to give him some warmth.
"Credence your mother is just afraid of someone who has more power than her, of something she can't understand because it's different from what she knows. Fear makes you do and be someone different from yourself. There is good and evil everywhere. Both among wizards and non-magical beings. Everyone forgets that there is not only black and white, but also gray. There is good, evil, and in between there are many other shades. I am in between, in one of those shades; there are those who would say I am bad, those who would say I am indifferent and those like me who understand. The choices we make have consequences, and how we decide and deal with them determines our being, our essence."
"I lost someone I loved, I stupidly thought I knew the people next to me but I underestimated them, I lost them thinking that my 'family' wouldn't do something like that and that they had some sort of morality"
I say frantically to try to explain to him a little how I feel, my eyes moist, I look between my soul mates.
"I will not be caught unprepared again, I was stupid once and I lost the people I loved the most, I will not repeat the same mistake. I will not look away from people like that because they are dangerous, their hatred for the different and for the things they do not understand, infects this world. I will not let them touch the people I love, not again. Never again."
"I will protect my family. You are my family."
"You are my life, I could not lose you, it has already happened and I would not be able to live" I slowly rest my forehead on Credence's joined knees.
My breathing is fast and I try to hold back the tears. I try to calm myself, I try to focus on my breathing.
I feel a hand run through my short hair, and a hand on my shoulder, I jump and lift my head. Credence still has his hand in my hair, Percy has his hand on my shoulder and he squeezes a little.
With their touch I manage to ground myself, I manage to calm myself and I give him a look of gratitude.
"From what you told us about soulmates, of any kind, the more they are together the stronger the bond. We have plenty of time to get to know each other and help each other, and do everything with him" Percy says a little warily pointing at Gellert.
I nod, I don't trust myself to open my mouth now. After this conversation we go back to what we were doing, reading. I go back to my previous spot, between Gellert's legs.
After I settle in as before, he puts his hand on my neck and pulls me closer, his mouth close to my ear whispering:
"Your trust and loyalty for something that was forced on you is absurd and very stupid."
"I trust Fate. I have seen enough in my visions and I know that they are meant for me. You also have my trust and loyalty, do not throw it away." I say calmly without whispering like him.
He does not answer and goes back to reading, as do I and the other two sitting on the couch.
We spend the morning reading. For lunch Gellert makes a chicken pie, a savory pie filled with chicken. After lunch we go back to our places and our books.
After 10 minutes I start to blur the letters and put the book down on my lap. I rest my head on Gellert's shoulder and fall asleep.
I wake up with my eyes wide open, a sensation made me wake up. I look around; Creed and Percy are still on the couch, they have moved a little closer, their shoulders and knees are touching. I tilt my face to the left and look at Gellert still immersed in reading, I rest my head on his shoulder and move my hands so as to hug him, I relax and close my eyes.
After half an hour someone knocks on the door, we all wake up from our world. We all raise our heads, we look at each other and Percy finally gets up and goes to open the door. It's Tina.
As soon as she enters she stops and looks at us all, her eyes widening more and more, first Percy himself, Credence still sitting on the couch with the book open on his lap and finally her gaze falls on me, sitting on Gellert's lap, her gaze rises from me and falls on the person I'm sitting on.
It all happens so fast, one second everything is quiet and the next, Tina draws her wand pointing it at Gellert but I am in the way, she casts a Diffindo.
I stand straight between Gellert's legs, instinctively covering him, taking the spell.
He has cut my forearms and both sides, the cuts are bleeding immediately.
I put my right hand on the cut on my left side, gritting my teeth.
"Stop her," I growl, addressing the man behind me.
My order seems to have awakened everyone, even Tina.
Credence and Percy quickly approach the chair, one on each side. The bond must be making them feel my pain.
Gellert erects a shield protecting us all just before Tina casts another spell.
Percy has removed my hand from my side replacing it with his, applying pressure to slow the blood.
"I might lose control. Let's try to talk to her." I say softly to Percy who has crouched down, still dabbing the wound and bringing his face closer to mine.
Outside the shield Tina still casts spells, Gellert returns them.
With my left hand, bloodless, I take Creed's hand, squeezing it. I look at him, he looks at me with anguish and pain in his eyes.
"Mrs. Goldstein please stop. You're bleeding, you're hurting. Please." Creed says terrified.
"He's a murderer. The one behind the girl is a murderer." Tina doesn't stop, furious.
Percy moves to take the wand but I stop him, he still has to recover.
"Heal me" I say, Gellert is distracted for a second looking at me, thus allowing Tina to break the shield. She throws an Everte Statim that flies towards Percy.
I get up, push him and put myself between him and the spell that throws me in the kitchen. I try to protect my head, I hit my back, the crash is strong. I fall to the ground, the air knocked out of me.
I take a deep breath and get up as fast as I can wincing at the pain. I return to the living room the fight has started again, a shield comes between them again.
My corporeal form is slowly dissolving, tendrils and smoke take their place rustling and hissing near me, I stand in front of the shield.
"Enough" my voice thunders furiously, the blows thrown hit me, but I don't give a shit. I welcome the pain that comes with it. She was about to hurt Percy.
"I had Gellert write to you to come talk like civilized people. Lower your wand, Gellert won't hurt you." My voice sounds low and growling and it exudes anger, pain and danger.
I don't want to be behind a shield anymore. We didn't attack first, we defended ourselves, that's enough.
She looks shocked for a moment but then explodes.
"That man killed Muggles, he puts us in danger to make himself superior to us, wanting to be discovered by them" she shouts angrily
"Yes, it's true. That's why I want to make a deal with him, talk and try to find a different path. And damn, just the fact that Percy is here is a start." I tell him calm down
"Sit down and let's talk" I order, pointing my finger towards the other chair, he reluctantly goes slowly towards it, glaring at me but, in the end, he sits down.
I turn to Gellert who is still standing in front of the chair, the others behind him.
"Are you okay? Did he hit you?" I ask, approaching the older one worried, putting a hand on his neck, then I check Creed. No injuries.
"Thank you, for protecting them. Are you okay?" I ask, approaching Gellert.
"You blocked the first blow. You protected me. I'm fine. And that was the least I could do." I sigh, relieved, no one was hurt. Well except me, but that's okay.
I ask Gellert to heal the deeper wounds, later when Tina leaves we'll take care of the other superficial cuts.
When he's finished, I turn to our guest who looks at us puzzled and astonished. We take a seat too.
Credence, Percy and I on the sofa and Gellert in the other armchair.
"I asked Gellert for a deal. I would also like to talk to Newt, your sister and Jacob, all together. To find a different way for what Gellert wants, but without putting us in danger and exposing ourselves to the muggles. He wants to show himself to the muggles to show himself superior to them, he wants to control them. I don't want exactly that. I want to change the law on secrecy. I want to protect kids like Credence. I know you tried to stop his mother and I will always be grateful to you for that" I try to explain calmly, which I lose slightly at the end when I think about the way that woman treated her son, my soulmate.
I am furious about this, I can't wait to get her out of the way.
"You want to help him?" she says shocked and then asks me if I'm crazy.
"There is someone far worse out there who wants to rule both worlds. If he controlled the muggle world do you know how many children could be saved, how many people, families?! It seems easy for me to try to think about now and the future when he has kidnapped, hurt, and manipulated my soulmates. I'm pissed. But I'm safe now, if we don't think about the future in 70 years the wizarding world will be sunk in darkness because he will have sunk into their minds and they will all be subjugated. " I say irritably, my voice angry, but I don't shout.
"He kidnapped who? Graves! Soulmates? And who would be worse than him?" She acts hostile. She looks at everyone in turn.
"He kidnapped, hurt and impersonated Percy, he manipulated Creed to find the Obscurus; and he is her ex"
I answer her questions calmly
"My soulmates are Percy and Creed. Don't ask questions I will tell everything when we are all together, I hate repeating myself." I stop her before she starts with the questions
I stop her again "Albus Dumbledore, he is her ex" she remains speechless, shocked.
"Wait. How do you know about Jacob?" she asks suddenly
"Invite us to dinner tomorrow so we can all talk about it together. They need to know too."
"Don't be rude…" Percy tries to calm me down by putting his hand on mine that rests on my knee.
"I'm sorry I invited us, but I'm tired and overwhelmed. He tried to arrest him by attacking him and you got in the way, he saw that you were behind him but he continued. I can forgive but not forget. He'll have his answers along with everyone else." I say frustrated, the other wounds burn and pull, we still have to heal them and even if they're not as deep as the one on my side the others are throbbing and I can't take it anymore.
I'm hungry, I want to comfort my soulmates, our roommate and I'm sleepy.
Tina is a little incredulous but comes to her senses, and gets up and goes to the door. Percy goes with her, opening the door for her, he says goodbye and closes the door.
I sigh in relief. Percy sits back down.
"You didn't tell me there would be a muggle with us." He measures each word, calm.
"Answer my question. What are we?" I stare into his eyes.
He stands up even more, chin up, eyes proud and chest out, proud.
"Magicians"
"No, we are all human beings. Born Lady Magic, she began to choose us by giving us this gift. If there were no magic we would not have it, we would only be human. Your magic is a gift that was given to you and must be respected. By putting yourself forward as superior to someone who cannot even begin to compare to you, what does that do? As if a man were to compare himself to God. All those people who believe themselves superior to him or who put themselves up as the Messiah ultimately pay. You are a powerful magician, yes. But do not believe yourself greater, there will always be someone greater than you"
I did not mean to be so harsh and direct, but I am tired, I really would have liked to take the subject more calmly. I have no patience now.
After I finish he falls silent, thinking about it. Different emotions pass through his eyes: anger, skepticism, suspicion, impotence and finally understanding.
"I'm sorry for telling you so rudely but I don't feel well, my back hurts, I'm hungry and sleepy… And I want to cuddle" I say apologetically, then whine.
Gellert gets up and heals the other wounds, then goes to make something to eat, all in silence.
After dinner, Percy goes to the bedroom and Creed sets up the sofa to sleep on. Gellert goes to the guest bedroom, I follow him.
He's already under the covers. I slide under the covers too. He looks at me but doesn't say anything. I go over to him, hug him.
"I know you still love him. I know you're hurt, betrayed that he left you. But if he truly loved you, he would have been by your side. He could have tried to change your mind, or just to take what you want differently. You tried your best, but things don't always go right. Sometimes they have to change, and maybe sometimes they change for the better. You will be loved, the day you can show your weaknesses, without the other using them to assert his strength.."
"He had the same aspirations as me, ambitions; I thought we were on the same wavelength. I was wrong," he sighs, sad, unsure.
"He was. But he will always want more; more power, more fame, to rule the muggles and lead the wizarding world, everything, after stopping you and being acclaimed he will always want more."
"I will be with you. I will not abandon you. I do not want to. I will stay even if you have crazy, stupid or nonsensical ideas. But do not listen to my words, watch my actions, the facts. These are what matter."
He just nods. I say good night.
A short time later I fall into the arms of Morpheus.
Note : I wanted to inform you that I am not a native English speaker, I am Italian and, to write the story I am using google translate. So if you find any mistakes or incomprehensible sentences or words please let me know and I will try to correct them as soon as possible.