|In The Dark|

36

I Can't Give You The Answer You Want

ANNABELLE LUPIN-BLACK

"Please Belle-" he said. I stopped and stared at the floor. "Please, tell me what happened. Tell me what I did. Please. Whatever it is, I can fix it, I'll fix- I will. Just please." he begged.

I could hear my own heart shattering into billions of pieces. "Please Belle, tell me this is some sick joke or there's a reason. There has to be a reason. I love you! You- Don't you love me?" he asked. "I'm sorry. I can't give you the answer you want." I replied. More tears slid down his cheeks as he shook his head. "I don't believe it. I don't believe you. You love me." he said, he held my hands and pulled me closer to him. He smelled like cigarettes and pine. I blinked back tears. "Let go Theodore." I said. He shook his head faster. "No, please Belle. Please don't do this." he begged. I choked back a sob. "Let go." I said a bit louder. "Please, don't leave me. I've never loved anyone as much as I loved you. Don't leave me. Please I can be enough. I'll try harder, please let me try to be enough for you. Please!" he said. Tears fell down my cheeks now.

"Theo, come on mate." Draco said. He stood behind us now, watching the encounter. "Just wait!" Theo said to him. He looked at me again. "Please Belle, please. I'll try harder. Just give me a chance. I'll be good enough for you." he pleaded. Draco walked over and pulled Theo away. "It'll be ok," he said. The look Draco gave me hurt more than anything. It said,

You see, I warned you. I told you what would happen and you hurt him anyway. You said you wouldn't leave him and now look at what you did. You broke him. He's broken and it's your fault.

Draco pointed his wand and waved it. Suddenly, there were barriers around the railings. He knew I wanted to jump, now I couldn't. Draco glared at me as he faced me. "You don't get the easy way out. Not after what you just did. Now you have to live with it." he spat. Then he pulled Theo away. I could hear his quiet cries all the way down the stairs. I punched the wall a hundred times until I felt my bones crack and the blood seeped through the wounds. Then I smoked an entire pack of cigarettes, each time putting out the end on my arm.

I destroyed Theo, the one person I promised myself I would never hurt.

TIME JUMP: 1 MONTH LATER

Remember at the beginning of this year, when I said it can't be worse than last year. Well, I think I jinxed it. I've lost my friends, I've lost Theo, my grades are in the toilet, Umbridge has taken over the school and is now the High Inquisitor, I almost never leave my room and I've become Edmunds slave. If there was ever a time to drown myself in the lake, it was now. Only I can't because if I do, Edmund will expose my dad. I'm so fucked.

"Miss Lupin," Umbridge said. She pulled me from my thoughts and back to the lesson. She was covering for my dad again. She always does it after the full moon. If she didn't have her head so far up her ass, she probably could have seen the pattern by now but I'm glad she hasn't. "It's Lupin-Black. I use both my fathers last names, ma'am." I said. I've told her this 100 times. She is very clearly homphobic. I've seen her giving my dad dirty looks, refusing to acknowledge him as a teacher, all this bullshit. "Yes, you've mentioned." she said. "Great, call me Miss Lupin-Black or don't call me anything. I'm sick of watching you treat my father like he's less than. I guarantee everyone in this classroom would pick him as a Professor over you." I snapped. Everyone tried to conceal their smiles and laughter. She gave me a smile. "Detention, Miss Lupin-Black. My office, before dinner." she said. "Can't wait." I said sarcastically. Harry looked at me nervously and I just shrugged. Somebody had to put this bitch in her place. Later that night, I was standing outside of Umbridge's office and waiting. Finally, the clock struck 6 and I knocked. "Come in." she said. I walked in and I was blinded by the pink. It was vile.

"Nice office." I mumbled. "Sit." she said plainly. I sat at the desk and there was a sheet of paper in front of me. "Now you are going to do some lines. I want you to write: I will not cause trouble." she said. "How many times?" I asked. "Until the message sinks in." she said. I nodded.

I began to write when I felt a sharp pain in my hand. The more I wrote the deeper it went. I finished 3 lines when I noticed the blood. I will not cause trouble was carved into my hand. I immediately pressed my shirt to the wound and she looked at me. "Think about this next time you feel the urge to disrupt my class. You do not get any free passes because of your father, not with me." she said. I bit my tongue and clenched my fists. "May I go?" I asked. "Yes." she said.

I rushed all the way back to Gryffindor and made it to the common room before I was stopped.

"Annabelle!" Harry yelled. He would kill Umbridge if he saw this. No way, I can't deal with any more problems right now. "Sorry Harry, I really have to go. I have homework and-" I started.

"She used the quill, didn't she?" He called after me. I stopped in my tracks. He walked over and I turned around to face him. "How did you-" I started. "Come with me, I'll fix it up for you." he said. I nodded and we went to his dorm. We went in and it was empty. I sat on his bed and he got the healer's kit. "She made you do it too?" I asked. He nodded. "On the first day, because I was talking about Voldemort. Mine says I must not tell lies." he said. "Creative." I mumbled. "Here, give me your hand," he said. I held out my hand and he rubbed a cream on it. "There, that should help with-" he started. Then his eyes widened. He yanked up my sleeve and there were dark bruises. Handprints, from Edmund. Shit, I forgot to cover those. "What the fuck is this?" he yelled. "I- it's-" I started. "Don't you fucking dare tell me you tripped on the stairs because that was obviously a load of bullshit too." he spat. "Harry, please. You don't understand." I said. "Did Theo do this? Is he hurting you because you broke up with him?" he asked. "No! Theo would never hurt me." I said. "Tell me what happened right now," he said. I shook my head as my eyes filled with tears. "Fine, then I'm sorry about this," he said, drawing his wand. "Harry, what are-" I started. "Incarcerous!" he said. One rope wrapped around my wrist and tied me to the bedpost. I yanked on it as hard as I could but it wouldn't untie. "Harry Are you insane? Let me go!" I yelled.

"If you won't talk to me, you can talk to Remus," he said. "No!" I yelled but he walked out and shut the door. A few minutes passed and the door opened. "Harry, please just-" I started. But in walked Edmund. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "I could ask you the same question. Do I need to remind you what happens if you tell anyone about our arrangement?" he asked. I yanked on the rope but it held strong. "No! Edmund please. I swear, nobody will know. I'll make up an excuse. I swear." I said. He chuckled. "I don't know, you seem screwed from where I'm sitting." he said.

"Please Edmund, some people want to kill him just for being a werewolf one night a month. Please don't tell anyone!" I said. He just smirked at me. "Please! I did everything you asked. I broke up with Theo, I abandoned Blaise and Pansy and Draco. I have sex with you whenever you want. I do whatever you want. Please, don't tell anyone about him." I begged. He just laughed. ''We'll see," he said. Then he walked out. "Wait! Edmund! Please- Wait! Don't tell anyone!" I screamed. But the door was already shut and he was gone.

I sat there trying to get free for another 20 minutes. Finally, the door opened. This time, Harry, Ron, Hermione and my dad came in. "You tied her up?!" my dad exclaimed. "Well she didn't exactly leave me with a wide assortment of options." Harry said. "Fuck you!" I spat. "Annabelle, language." my father warned. Hermione locked the door with her wand. "Ok, untie her." she said. Harry waved his wand and the ropes were gone. I ran at him and pushed him to the floor. "You idiot! Why can't you ever just mind your own fucking business!" I yelled as I pounded my fists into his chests. "Annabelle, get off him!" Remus yelled. He wrapped his arms around me and dragged me off him. "I want answers now," he said. "Your godson has gone mad! He tied me up and left me here!" I said. "Check her wrists, and her ribs." Harry said. Remus looked at him with concern. "Get away from me." I said backing up. "If you have nothing to hide, you won't mind showing us your wrists or your ribs." Hermione said. "Shut up." I spat. Remus looked at me and I blinked back tears. He stepped forward slowly and reached out. "Just show me kiddo." he said softly. I'm so fucked.