it all ends with us: ruins

055

Chapter Fifty-Five:

"A black hole for all eternity."

It was the day of the meeting, Saturday to be exact and there was only a short amount of time before the teens would be heading onto a train back to Malfoy Manor. It seemed like everyone was on edge, the mere thought of what was about to go down consuming all thoughts. Keeping everyone on their toes. It was only a matter of time before someone broke and Atlas hoped dearly that it wasn't going to be her.

It's times like these that she wished she had a time machine. Taking her back to America, her roots. Although she didn't have the best life at Ilvermorny, it was stress free. All she had to think about was her schoolwork, what snacks she could sneak into her dorm and what movie her, and her brothers were going to binge watch the coming weekend.

Her brothers made up most of her life. They were the biggest part of it, they shaped her into the person she is now. One that doesn't back away from a fight. She went from seeing her brothers every day to barely even catching a glimpse of any of them. It was hard to make the adjustment but slowly she had started filling their gaps with friends she couldn't imagine losing.

The plan was simple. Atlas thought about all the possible outcomes that there could be but the one she thought about most was her plan A. The meeting would start as it was but then interrupted by Pansy who would cause a distraction leading everyone away. However, He who shall not be named would linger back and before he could see what had caused all the ruckus, Atlas would then trap him.

The Slytherins would keep their parents as far away from Voldemort as they could. It was pertinent to the plan. Theo would need to cast a silencing charm so that they couldn't get an insight on what was happening in the room next to them. So that the death eaters couldn't intervene. It also meant that fighting between the children and their parents wouldn't happen. The young Lennon felt sick at the thought of fighting her dad, no matter how evil he was. She wouldn't impose that on any of her friends.

Atlas' part of the plan was to ultimately battle against the dark lord. She had tried her best to match his power. She had gotten used to the amount of dark magic coursing through her veins and now all that was left was to use it to her advantage. It was a fool proof plan; all the pieces were in play. Nothing should go wrong. Atlas had already thought through every single possibility, every single thread.

She had even thought through what happens after she leaves, dies. She wouldn't be here to explain but it didn't mean that she could it without at least telling them something. Letters were her first thought, and it was the one she went with. She knew how death felt, knew how it felt to lose someone and not have something meaningful to remember them by. She knew she had to do this, not for herself but for her loved ones.

Writing to her brothers was easy. She knew what to say, knew that they would understand where she was coming from. Atlas wrote to them individually, allowing them all to have something intimate. Writing got harder when it was for her mother, she knew no matter what she said Gaia would be heartbroken at the thought of losing another one of her children. Especially her only daughter. Tears stained most of the letters, but it was too late for her to stop.

Her friends were next; Pansy, Blaise, Lorenzo, Eli, Kiera and even Draco had gotten a letter in their name. Ready to be delivered once the deed was done. The harder letters were written to Ren and Theo. Theo was the love of her life. While some may say it was too early to claim such a thing, Atlas knew in her heart that they were made for each other. Leaving him was one of the hardest things she would ever have to do. And Ren had become her sister at Hogwarts. She made her laugh like no other, made her feel like she was living her life. Unlike how she was when she was at Ilvermorny. A knock at the door broke her train of thoughts.

"The train is going to be here any minute, we need to get going." Ren speaks softly.

Atlas nods, turning to leave but before she could Ren wrapped her into the biggest hug. The two didn't move for a while, just embracing the warmth of the action. Atlas relished in something that she knew she may never experience again. The small sobs of the blonde girl shook the two, but it was still too early for the both of them to pull apart. It was almost as if Ren had a feeling that she may never see the young Lennon again.

"We should go." Ren softly tells her, still in tears.

"Yeah, we should." Atlas whispers back.

The two-walk arm in arm to the train. At this point Atlas was relieved of all nerves. The acceptance had sunken in, and she didn't feel overwhelmed. She parted from Ren and slowly made her way to where Theo was standing. He takes her hand into his and paves a way onto the train. He walks past their normal carriage and into an empty one further down.

"Wait are we not sitting with the rest of them?" Atlas asks, slightly confused.

"They can survive one train ride without you." He laughs.

Atlas didn't have the heart to break it to him that it may be way more than just one. However, she decided that she deserved this moment with him. One moment alone, away from all the chaos and drama. One moment alone with the boy that she loves. It's all that she needed right now. Aside from a very motivational speech from her mother, one that she may never get.

It wasn't long until Theo had pulled her in for a kiss. His hands cupped her face, and her arms were around his neck. It didn't even matter that the two were quickly running out of breath, neither wanted to pull away from each other. Atlas could sense Theo's nerves but instead of addressing it verbally, she placed soft kisses along his neck until she reached the bottom of his chin.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this all?" He questions.

"It's not just you." Atlas tells him. The two have now sat on one side of the carriage, Atlas cuddled into the side of the abnormally tall teenage boy.

"It's not too late to back out." He tries to convince her.

"It is, we're all in far too deep for us to be able to turn back. We have to finish what we started." She answers.

"But why does it have to be you." Theo sighs in a defeated manor.

"If not me then who?"

"Anyone else my love."

"I wish it was that simple." The tears stained her face but were soon wiped away by Theo.

She encases his hand with hers and holds onto it tightly. Trying to memorise the feeling of his rough hand in hers. She traces every line and vein, trying to ground herself with his presence. She wanted right now to be selfish, to back out. To let Voldemort, do whatever he wanted just to be able to spend every waking moment of her life with Theo. But to do that would be to put one person in front of millions and even that made Atlas sick.

The train ride came to an end way before Atlas had time to mentally prepare for what was to come. The group had already gathered outside, waiting for the couple to arrive so that they could apparate to the Malfoy Manor. The pair walked slowly towards them, not wanting to let the moment between them end. Blaise had already stepped forward holding his hand out to Atlas ready to leave.

"Are you ready?" He asks.

"As much as I can be." She responds truthfully.

"Let's get this motherfucker."

And that's exactly what she would do, if that meant losing her life than so be it.