A Hogwarts romance

Chapter 10

What?! Is this a new POV??? Well, yes it is. I'm going to try to get these other relationships in order.

Theo

So... Max and I were blamed for a prank we didn't even pull, and we got stuck in detention for the entire day. I know Max was supposed to go out on a date with Duffy, but we never got a chance to tell him that we'd have to reschedule. And some Hufflepuffs noticed him dozing off next to the doorway to our common room. But when we got there, he was gone.

Max's mood quickly soured after that, and I thought it best to give him space. I knew he'd be okay, but he just needed space to calm down.

But I started noticing how Duffy stopped coming to class. Which in turn made Max increasingly miserable.

***

The next day, I'm heading over to Transfiguration where I notice Duffy absent from class.

I remembered overhearing conversations about how he was previously in an extremely abusive relationship, and how he'd skip classes just to hide the wounds he'd received.

So I find myself waiting outside the Ravenclaw tower to see if Duffy's okay. That's when I spot Sheila looking frustrated.

"Hey, Sheila, what's wrong?"

"I've been trying to get in touch with Duffy. He's skipped not one, not two, but five days worth of classes. I just don't know what went wrong."

"I think I might be at blame for this. Max and I got stuck in weekend detention, and we never told Duffy."

"That might be part of the reason, but I feel like there's more to it. He hasn't left his room in days. Nobody's seen him since he got back a few days ago."

I nod. "I think I'd like to try to talk to him."

She nods, answering the riddle before entering the common room with me.

I head up the stairs to where Duffy's room is, and I can hear sobbing from behind the door. I knock gently on it.

"Go away."

"It's Theo."

"I don't care. Just leave me alone."

I try not to, but his voice is so full of pain that it's hurting my heart.

"Duffy..."

The door suddenly opens, and the dark haired boy appears, furious. "I said leave! I don't want to talk about it! I want all of you out of my life!"

I take a step back, and he slams his door shut. Sighing in defeat, I trudge back down the stairs to the common room.

"So..." Sheila starts cautiously. "I take it he didn't want to talk?"

I sigh heavily. "I'm sorry. It looks like something bad happened, but whatever it is... I can't figure it out."

Sheila sighs. "When Duffy was dating Noah, he had been isolated."

I nod silently, hoping for a little more information from her.

"Duffy would isolate himself from everyone. He would refuse to leave his room for days on end. The only proof he was alive was that he'd always send in his assignments by owl."

I sigh deeply. "I take it he hurt himself more than he let anyone know."

"He did. He hospitalized himself several times, to the point where River and I had to intervene. He fought us, begged us to let him die... but I wasn't about to lose my best friend. So... I created a potion to ease his pain. It worked, miraculously... but I knew it wouldn't be enough."