𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮? (𝘑. 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳)

0.9 | Set Me Free

0.9 (How dare you disobey me polaris) Set Me Free by Joshua Bassett

Polaris woke up in the dimly lit hospital wing, her body feeling heavy and disconnected. The ache in her limbs and the fog in her mind made everything seem distant and unreal. As her eyes fluttered open, she saw James's face illuminated by the soft glow of the lantern beside her bed. His eyes were filled with a mixture of relief and anguish as he leaned over her, his fingers gripping hers tightly.

"Hey, darling. How are you feeling?" James's voice trembled, barely concealing the raw emotion underneath.

"M' okay, kinda tired. What happened to me?" Polaris asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she yawned, struggling to piece together the fragmented memories that plagued her mind.

James's face fell, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Oh, my love, you were struck with the Cruciatus Curse. You've been unconscious for three days now. I was so scared you wouldn't wake up. I tried to fight them off, but Madam Pomfrey held me back. I couldn't stop them. I'm so, so sorry." His voice broke at the end, the weight of his guilt crashing down as he sobbed openly.

Polaris's heart ached seeing James so distraught, but her own confusion and pain made it hard to fully comprehend his anguish. Her mind slowly connected the dots—the Cruciatus Curse, her father's face twisted in rage, the darkness that had enveloped her.

"Oh, James, it's not your fault," she said softly, pulling him into a weak hug. "You couldn't have done any better. Trust me."

Madam Pomfrey's voice cut through the emotional haze, her tone warm but professional. "She's all good to go back now." She offered a tired smile, signaling that Polaris was ready to leave.

James helped Polaris up, their fingers entwined, but the walk back to the common room was heavy with unspoken fears and unresolved pain. Every step felt like it was weighted with the memories of what had transpired. The halls of Hogwarts seemed to close in on them, echoing with whispers of pity and concern from students who had witnessed their struggle.

When they finally entered the common room, a cheer erupted from the Gryffindors, their joy tainted by the somber reality of the situation. Polaris managed a small, strained smile as she pulled James into a gentle kiss. Her hands found their way around his neck, and his rested on her waist, but the moment was bittersweet. The warmth of their connection contrasted sharply with the cold reality of their circumstances.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Lily Evans said, approaching them with a heavy heart. "I need to talk to both of you." She guided them into James's dorm, her face etched with guilt and sorrow.

"I did something terrible out of jealousy, and I'll never be able to forgive myself," Lily began, her voice breaking. "Sirius has been going mad trying to find who did this to you. I need to come clean. Severus and I devised a plan—he'd be the one to communicate with your parents, keeping them updated while I took photographs and recorded your relationship. It was a stupid, selfish way to break you two up. I'm so incredibly sorry." Her tears flowed freely, mingling with her words of regret.

Polaris looked at Lily with a mixture of sadness and understanding. "Hey, hey, it's okay. I mean, yeah, you did a terrible thing, but you don't need to be so upset. I forgive you, Lily, honestly." Her voice was calm, but a flicker of something deeper shone in her eyes, a resignation to the painful reality she faced.

"Why?" Lily asked, confusion and sorrow mingling in her tone.

"Well, my parents were going to find out sooner or later," Polaris explained, her voice steady despite the ache in her heart. "I'm still stuck marrying Evan, so there's nothing for me to be upset about. You're obviously destroyed by what you did, and I couldn't give a flying fuck what Severus has to say. It's simple." Her words were blunt, but there was a tired acceptance in her tone.

Lily's face softened, and she hugged Polaris tightly, whispering a heartfelt, "Thank you."

James, holding Polaris close, buried his face in her hair. "I don't know what to think, but I'm good with whatever Pol wants," he murmured, his voice filled with a resigned sadness.

Lily hesitated before leaving, her final words hanging in the air. "I need to warn you—Severus has already sent another letter. He mentioned that James wouldn't leave your side, and I can only imagine that isn't going to end well."

"Fuck," James muttered, the realization of their predicament crashing down on him.

"Merlin, we aren't going to get a break, are we?" Polaris asked softly, turning to face James, her eyes reflecting the hopelessness she felt.

"No, my love, I don't think we are," James said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. The pair stood there in silence, their shared despair a heavy, unspoken burden.

As the days passed, the weight of their situation seemed to grow heavier. The entire school was aware of their plight, their story a mix of sympathy and curiosity. Polaris and James had retreated into a cautious shell, their interactions limited to avoid further scrutiny and pain.

One day, as Polaris walked to class, an unsettling coldness gripped her. Before she could react, a powerful spell immobilized her, rendering her unable to move. Her mother's voice cut through the air, laced with disdain. "How dare you disobey me, Polaris?"

Students scattered in fear, their panic spreading through the corridors like wildfire. Polaris's gaze was locked on her mother, her heart pounding with a mix of dread and resignation.

"What, cat got your tongue?" her mother taunted, her twisted grin a cruel reminder of the darkness that now encircled Polaris's life.

With a sickening sense of inevitability, Polaris felt the Cruciatus Curse again, its effects more intense, more agonizing than before. She stood there, enduring the curse with a fierce determination not to give in to her pain, but inside, she was breaking apart. Her resolve was a fragile facade, cracking under the pressure of the relentless torment.

Professors and students alike rallied to her aid, casting spells to subdue the White family. Polaris could barely comprehend their efforts, her mind consumed by the searing pain. The battle of wands and magic seemed distant, muffled by the roar of the curse.

"You little twat, you're coming with me," Elara White snarled, seizing Polaris's arm and Apparating them away from Hogwarts. Cyrus White followed, grabbing Evan Rosier and vanishing with him as well.

As Polaris arrived at the location of her forced wedding, she was met with the sight of her new, grotesque reality. Dressed in a white gown—a symbol of purity she felt was now tainted beyond recognition—she faced her father, his face cold and unfeeling.

"Are you ready, daughter?" Cyrus asked, extending his hand to guide her down a makeshift aisle.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied, her voice hollow. A single tear escaped her eye, a silent testament to the despair that consumed her.

The doors opened, and the world she had once loved felt alien and cruel. Everything she had cherished now seemed grotesque, a mockery of the life she had once dreamed of. The path ahead was filled with a suffocating darkness, and she wanted nothing more than to run away, to escape the nightmare that her life had become.

A/n almost 1k words anyways last chapter will be up soon

2024 Edit: its now 1.2k words :))