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in the dark, moonless night which reminded bradley of his future, he apparated in front of an abandoned building which appeared to be useless but in real it wasn't.
the smile which moments ago rested on bradley's face while he was watching aurelia torture theodore by deciding not to talk to him frequently. he felt all his mental frustrating drain off when he was with zenith. the black heir went through so much and yet here bradley was, standing alone in the place where his darkest secrets were rooted.
preparing to face his father who did nothing except glaring and yelling at him, bradley stood in front of the wrecked door.
"alohamora." he whispered, clutching his wand tightly in his hand.
the sound of the lock getting unlocked was soon accompanied by a nerve-wrecking creak when bradley opened the door. it wasn't only the sound of the door that was nerve wrecking ; everything inside that building was bradley's fear.
magic truly is amazing. that's the thought one would get one he passes the wrecked door. from outside it may look like the entire building was abandoned but from the inside it was as beautiful as manors owned by wealthy pure bloods.
not wanting to bump in his father, bradley made his way to his room and sat by the fireplace. he held the crystal ball in his hand, passing it from one hand to the other and finally kept it on his lap.
white smoke clouded the whole ball making bradley's eyes go wide in terror. he got up on his feet in an attempt to keep the ball back on the rack but the way his eyes were glued on it, he couldn't move himself. his hands trembled with fear causing him to drop it on the floor and it to break in millions of small pieces. his vision blurred and he tripped on his own steps, ending up on the floor.
anthony, his father came running inside his room when he heard the loud sound of something being broken. finding his son on the floor, anthony rushed near the passed out young man.
"bradley?" he called, helping the young man to get up back on his feet. closing his eyes, bradley tried to get up straight and afterward wiped the sweat beads off his forehead.
"you saw something didn't you?" anthony smirked, crossing his arms across his chest while bradley pressed three of his fingers on his forehead. the question startled bradley but he tried to act normal.
"no."
"who are you lying to bradley?" anthony's menacing laughter made bradley extremely terrified,"now tell me, what did you see?"
"nothing, nothing at all." bradley confidently denied.
"don't lie!" anthony screamed, slapping bradley hard across his face. bradley's cheeks burnt as hell but he kept his face straight. anthony grabbed his son's chin and forced him to look him in the eye. bradley knew his father was trying to penetrate in his mind and he could do nothing.
"potter." seethed anthony, letting go of his harsh hold on bradley's chin. he paced around, being watched by bradley with a terrifying look when suddenly anthony stopped and smirked to himself.
"i know exactly what to do."
"no!" bradley screamed, joining his hands together,"no, not them. please. i beg you. don't hurt them."
"shut up." anthony glared,"you wanted to meet zenith and i allowed you. now, keep your mouth shut!"
"not them." bradley tried again, tears brimming at the edge of his eyes. with a last swift, piercing look at his begging son, anthony left the room.
**
christmas arrived in a blink. as always aurelia was at the weasleys to celebrate her christmas with all her loved ones.
"hi teddy." aurelia smiled, playing with the little baby boy in her lap. as harry was teddy's godfather, he put forward his wish to invite andromeda and teddy on christmas which andromeda gladly accepted.
"he's always sleeping." andromeda laughed, eating her dinner.
everybody was lounging in the whole living room after a hearty dinner. theodore and ron were having a match of chess while harry, ron and arthur weasley were intently watching the game. george had venus in his lap and was talking to her while luna, hermione and ginny excitedly waiting for george to hand venus to them.
"how are things with theodore?" andromeda asked after she had kept her plate in the sink.
"great." aurelia responded,"we had some ups and downs but other than that life's great."
"you deserve it sweetheart." molly smiled, patting aurelia lightly on her back.
"you do." andromeda grinned widely, her skin crinkling by the eyes.
after loosing the match to ron, theodore got up from his place and walked outside to get some fresh air. zenith pulled aurelia aside when he noticed theodore alone outside.
"come on stop torturing him." zenith whined causing aurelia to look at him with a questioning look on her face,"don't act like i haven't noticed it. you practically ignore him, only talk to him when it's necessary. it's hurting him aurelia."
"but i can't just forgive him." aurelia reasoned.
"it's been half a month since that incident. come on." zenith frowned,"tell him that's it okay." aurelia knew she was being too extra by ignoring theodore and that it was hurting him in several ways.
"fine."
zenith smiled happily and pushed aurelia towards the entrance door from where aurelia could see theodore standing in the open air with one of his hands tucked in his trouser's pocket. the cold air hit aurelia's face as soon as she stepped outside and made her way towards theodore, noticing the smoke nearby him.
"smoking isn't good for your health."
startled, theodore dropped the lighted cigarette on the floor and stomped on it before turning on his left to find aurelia.
"like you care." he scoffed, rolling his eyes.
that did hurt aurelia but she pretended to be fine before clearing her throat to speak,"i do." theodore just let out a laugh before he stopped abruptly, realising that he was being rude for no reason.
"sorry."
"i am sorry too." aurelia admitted, fiddling with her thumb,"i shouldn't have ignored you after you apologised."
"it's fine anyway i deserved it." theodore said, facing aurelia,"these days were just so stressful and i didn't know how to balance everything and just ended up finding peace in smoking. i am just scared for venus."
"she's okay theodore." aurelia assured, squeezing his hand. theodore nodded and leaned in closer to her, wrapping his arms around aurelia's waist.
"i love you." he whispered, the smoke tickling aurelia's face as she scrunched up her nose in disgust causing theodore to let out a chuckle.
"i love you too." aurelia smiled, pressing her lips into theodore's which tasted like cigarettes which oddly provided a feeling of frisson to her.
