Memory Of A Dear Place

49. Flames

TW: physical and mental assault

December, 1996

~\~ Bella Huxley ~\~

It feels as though my heart stops when I hear his voice again. I'm completely lost for words as I look at him. Those dark eyes. His eyes show the predator who finally found its prey again after he's been looking it for a while. And Merlin, does the predator look hungry.

My summer is something I remember so clearly yet I barely remember it at all. I pushed every memory of it so far away in a place where they wouldn't be easy to be gathered again, but that doesn't mean seeing a person that's been frequently part of those memories doesn't trigger anything.

It makes my mind rattle and shake. My own mind is trying to bring them to the surface, ready to display them right in front of me like it fancies to do on a regular basis. It's as though my own mind likes to trick me, and ever since it's been tempered with it's gotten worse.

It's a constant game of cat-and-mouse. My mind is trying to trick me with my memories and I'm trying to trick my mind with Occlumency and breathing. Sometimes I win. Sometimes my mind does. We're just waiting for each other to start the next game.

So I breathe in and out, trying to block out everything that's surrounding me. I breathe in. I organize my memories. I breathe out. I organize my thoughts. I breathe.

I push the summer back in its hidden place, but a little bit further this time. I do it carefully, and try to do it without paying attention to the exact contents of that part in my life.

I breathe.

As I open my eyes and get blasted back into reality, I find Sam standing right in front of Rhys, their faces inches away from each other.

A vicious smirk is plastered on Rhys' face, and the normally awfully controlled Sam looks as though he's about to explode. The only thing keeping him from exploding are the hundreds of muggles looking for their correct platforms and trains in the main hall.

"What is this?!" Rhys laughs under his breath as he looks down on Sam. I now notice he's slightly taller. "Are you threatening me, Lancaster?" Rhys says as he amusedly cocks his head to the right.

Rhys bares his teeth as he stares into Sam's eyes and he scoffs. "The pathetic excuse of a pure blood is threatening me?!" Rhys lets out a hysterical laugh, making bystanders look up in surprise. "No seriously," Rhys' face and tone turn completely serious now. "I know all about you, Lancaster. Banished from your home, because you were too much of a little bitch for Slytherin."

Rhys is obviously trying to provoke Sam, and it's very much working. I can see Sam's eyes darken and his muscles tense with every second that passes by.

"The only reason your grades are good is because you have a pretty set of brains inside of that skull of yours." Rhys taps his index finger on his temple as he continues to look at Sam. "But your intelligence isn't going to save you if your magic is pathetic."

Now that I think about it, I've rarely seen Sam perform magic. It's probably because he's a year higher, but even outside of class he's rarely used magic and if he did, it were minor spells or charms.

"Pathetic?" Sam scoffs lowly as he seethes. "I'm looking at pathetic."

Rhys laughs lowly and then takes a step away from Sam towards me. I glance over my shoulder and find Theo and Blaise standing behind me, wide-eyed. They're not daring to step up for Sam, and I don't blame them knowing how Rhys could react if they did.