Redamancy (d.m)

Chapter seventy two-meddlesome pigs

"Oh my god, (y/n), what is that?" I looked up from my plate as Westeria's sudden remark made the chatter at the breakfast table the next morning die away
"What?" I questioned, eyes widening as I saw her gesture to my neck, my fingers brushing over the discolouration that adorned my skin before quickly brushing my hair over it, "oh, that's nothing"
"It's definitely not nothing" Aletheo said grimly, and being the closest seated to me, reached a hand out in concern before I swatted it away dismissively, determined to avoid the gaze of the boy who had inflicted my bruises
"Just drop it, okay?" I said, forcing what I guessed was a casual smile, "I fell out of bed this morning"
"And hit both sides of your neck?" Aletheo pressed with concerned disbelief
"I said to drop it" I snapped sharply, and though I was immediately inflicted with guilt at the hurt look on his face, he refrained from the topic for the rest of the meal

"Don't-"  I began with a threatening look as Aletheo grabbed my arm gently on the way out of the dining hall
"I'm not going to" he said with sincere eyes, making me sigh with shame
"I'm sorry" I said softly, my face trained on the floor in front of me, "I didn't mean to lash out"
"It's alright" he said, exhaling with a chuckle, and I picked my gaze from off the ground to smile back, "but if you think I'm going to let you walk around with purple all over your neck then you're dumber than you look"
"Fuck off" I said, biting down a laugh, and he slipped a hand into mine comfortably

Comfortable

"Let's go, I asked a house elf to bring a bottle of Murtlap and some Approtisere leaves to the kitchen" he said, nodding his head towards the room he mentioned

I grinned widely when Bubbsy wobbled into the kitchen moments after I arrived with Aletheo, medical supplies balanced precariously in her feeble arms

"Bubbsy is bringing everything sir Castell is asking for!" The elderly elf squeaked proudly as Aletheo swiftly placed the bottles on the kitchen counter
"Thank you Bubbsy" I said gratefully, and the house elf's beaming smile wavered when she caught sight of my neck
"Miss is injured!" She remarked, pointing a wrinkled finger at the bruises
"Not for long" I responded reassuringly
"That's all, you may go" Aletheo ordered impassively, and the elf bowed her head low before scurrying off

He spoke again as he uncorked the murtlap essence and dabbed it onto a cloth

"You're nice to them" he said callously, bringing my hair to a side and leaving the other exposed, "the house elves"
"Very observant of you" I said sarcastically, hissing lightly as he tugged sharply on the collar of my shirt to reveal more bruising
"Sorry, it's just difficult trying to get at all of them" he mumbled with an abashed smile, and after causing more painful straining I pulled off my T-shirt in a huff
"Eyes up here, Castell" I said pointedly, snapping my fingers sharply in his face, making his roaming eyes come to an abrupt standstill
"Um...right" he said, slightly breathless at the sight of my bare chest covered solely by a lace bralette, "And, it's just surpring, is all" he said, setting the cloth down and placing four large approtisere leaves out on the counter beside where I sat, "being nice to elves with you being...you"
"Excuse me?" I said with my brows knitting together in slight offence as he sprinkled Inferni powder onto the leaves, which immediately glowed bright orange, "what's that supposed to mean?"
"A death eater befriending a house elf?" He said with raised brows, blowing lightly onto the enchanted leaves before gently pasting them against my neck, causing a numbing sensation to spread underneath, "I mean, that's pretty much unheard of"
"I think that's bullshit" I said with a faint scoff as he laid down each leaf with precision, "I'd kill a man quicker than I'd kill Bubbsy"
"So you'd kill me over a house elf?" He said with a mocking smirk
"Don't even start with that" I said, rolling my eyes as he sniggered, continuing to tend to my skin, "you do not encompass the entirety of mankind, Castell"