|In The Dark|

52

Scared

THEODORE NOTT

"Don't say his name!" she said, her voice catching on the last word. The second Enzo announced that he was from Durmstrang, I could see her grow fearful. She tensed up and stepped away from him. I didn't even think about it. How could I be so careless? The last Durmstrang boy she met dragged her into a classroom and raped her. Now I brought another one into her house. Enzo would never do that, he couldn't hurt a fly. But how the hell is she supposed to know that? She doesn't know him like we do. I watched her run up the stairs and I heard her bedroom door shut. I looked at Enzo and he looked lost. "Bloody hell." I mumbled. "What did I do? Was it something I said?" he asked. I sat next to him. "No, Enzo. It's not you. It's just-" I started. I looked to Pansy hoping for some guidance but she looked nervous too. How do we explain this? "The last Durmstrang guy she met- she was- it wasn't good. He wasn't- good." I said. Enzo looked more confused. "What do you mean?" he asked. "She's afraid of you mate." Blaise said. "Blaise-" Pansy scolded. "Me? I didn't do anything!" he said. "No, we know. We know you'd never hurt her but Donovan did. That's why-" I started. "Wait?! Donovan? As in Donovan Anev?" he said. We all sat up. "You know him?" Pansy said. "Yeah, he got expelled last year," he said. We all exchanged looks. "Bloody fucking hell, she's the girl!" he said in shock. I sat down and groaned. "You know what he did, don't you?" Pansy asked. Enzo nodded. "When the upperclassmen went to Hogwarts for the tournament, there was some dance or something. He raped a girl. There were all sorts of rumors. Like people said that he kidnapped her and kept her hidden in the Room of Requirement. Someone else told me the rape was a cover story because he was actually expelled for being a death eater. But I guess now-" he said trailing off. "Shit." Blaise said under his breath. I nodded. "I should probably leave." Enzo said. "No, Enzo. It's ok. Theo will talk to her and-" Pansy started. "What? Me?" I exclaimed. "Yes, you." she snapped. "No. She hates me and frankly, I'm not her biggest fan right now either." I said. Pansy rolled her eyes. "Do you still love her?" Pansy asked. My face paled and I froze. She knows I do. "What? What- what does that have to d-do-" I started. "Do you love her?" she said sharply. I sighed. "Yes." I said quietly. "I know. And I also know she loves you. Any one of us could go talk to her but she wants it to be you. She is probably waiting for you to come up right now. So go." she said. I groaned. "I hate my life." I muttered. Then I walked upstairs and knocked on her door. "Go away Theo!" she yelled from inside. I smirked. Bloody hell. Why is Pansy always right? I opened the door and admired her room. The quilt on her bed, the books on her shelves, the flowers on her bedside table. I ignored the bottles at the foot of her bed and the cigarette buds sitting on the glass ashtray by her bed. I can still smell the Vanilla & Lavender candle she uses every night.

She sat curled up on her bed with her chin resting on her knees. Her eyes were closed and her hands were pressed over her ears. There were tears drying on her face. I remembered this. She was trying to block it out. That night was playing on a loop in her head again and she wanted to block it out. She curled up on the bed to make herself small. "Go away Theo." she repeated. I smiled sadly and walked over. I slowly sat on the bed and put a few feet of space between us. She looked up at me and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, but your friend can't be here." she said. "Belle, he's not like Dono-" I started. "Don't say that name!" she yelled. I stopped and sighed. I scooted closer and she looked at me nervously. "Belle-" I said. I reached out my hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. She relaxed slightly and untucked her knees and sat up. "How could you bring him here?" she said quietly. "I didn't think about it. I didn't even think about him being from Durmstrang or how that might scare you." I said. "I'm not scared." she said quickly. "Yes... you are. I can tell." I said. She looked at me and sighed. "What if he tries to-" she started. "He won't. Belle, I swear on my magic. Enzo would never hurt you or touch you in any way without your consent. He's my friend. My best friend. I've known him since I was 4." he said. She nodded. "You don't trust him do you?" I said. "You know I don't." she said. I smiled. "Then just trust me." I said. Her face saddened and she wiped her tears. "He can stay and I'll be fine but I don't trust you either Theo." she said sharply. "What?" I exclaimed. She stood up and headed for the door. I quickly blocked it. "You left, Theo." she said. "You gave me an out." I said. "That doesn't mean I wanted you to take it." she said. My eyes watered. "I'm sorry Belle. I couldn't stay and watch you destroy yourself." I said. She forced a smile. "I know. I'm not mad at you." she said. "But you-" I started. "I'm not mad. I'm not mad because I don't care." she said. "You don't care?" I said. She nodded. "I used to think the world of you. I thought we'd be together until the end. But at the end of the day, your you and I'm me." she said. "What does that mean?" I asked. "You're stronger than I am. You're strong enough to fight even if you know you'll lose. I used to love that. But now it just makes me tired." she said. Tears spilled down my cheeks. "I'm tired, Theo." she said. "Belle, please. Don't do this, don't say that." I pleaded. "Theo, it's ok. I understand. I want you to be happy. And that's not with me. Not anymore." she said as her voice cracked. "You're wrong. You aren't the girl I fell for, I guess that's true. You changed. But I will always love you. The old you and the person you are now. And I know you love me. I just hope that you love yourself enough to do something. To put yourself back together." I said. "And if I can't?" she asked. I paused and took a deep breath. What if she can't? I can't do this forever. I can't watch her suffer.

"Then I'll let you go. I'll say goodbye and you can go in peace." I said. She nodded.

ANNABELLE LUPIN-BLACK

"Then I'll let you go. I'll say goodbye and you can go in peace." he said. I felt my heart ache a little bit and I just nodded. I kissed him gently on the cheek and smiled. "I'm sorry." I said. "I know you are, love." he said. He's right I'm not the same girl. But he isn't the same guy. Then we went downstairs. Blaise, Pansy and Lorenzo all sat together talking. Enzo looked at me nervously. He stood up and walked over. "I'm not like him. I would never do that." he said. I smiled. "Ok" I said softly. He smiled and nodded. I looked at my friends and sat down. I can't focus on Enzo right now, not when Draco needs me. I have to save him. "Tell me you have a plan." I said. Blaise smirked. "Something like that." he said smugly.

3 hours later, it was dark. We were all dressed and had our plan ready. Blaise grabbed the bag of our supplies and sat in the kitchen. "It's dark. We need to go now before-" Pansy started. "Where are you all going and why are you dressed for a heist?" dad asked. I looked to my friends and they gave me looks of no help. I sighed. "We are going to rescue Draco and the Greengrass girls." I said. "What?!" he exclaimed. "Draco asked us to help. He needs us. Don't worry. We have a plan. It will be fine." I said. He scoffed. "Absolutely not," he said. "What?! Why?" I asked. "It's much too dangerous. I won't have you going back to that Manor." he said. "Draco's my best friend, my cousin. I'm going to get him." I snapped.
"Blaise, Pansy, Theo, and Lorenzo, as your Professor and Anna, as your dad, I forbid you to go to that Manor." he said. They all stared at me and I glared at him. "I won't let you get hurt," he said. "Why don't you just call Grant? Worry about him, not me." I snapped. "That's not fair," he said. "We are going to save our friends. You can just stay here with your new husband and try to forget about me just like you are trying to forget about dad!" I yelled. His face dropped. "Belle-" Theo said softly. "Guys if we are doing this, we need to go now." Pansy said. I stared at my father and we never broke eye contact as I walked out. I shut the door and took a breath.
Then we apparated away.