War Of Hearts | Remus Lupin

13. Revelations

MEGAERA NOT ONLY SAW IN THE MIRROR THE HEAVY UNDER EYE BAGS SHE WAS SPORTING, BUT FELT THEM. When the witch woke up that morning and went into the bathroom to refresh herself, it was the first thing that she noticed.

It was as if they were mocking her, of her very own misery.

Nevertheless it's a result of the many sleepless nights the Slytherin has encountered.

Last night was restless, Megaera couldn't even catch a wink. Between the conversation with the group of Slytherins and Mulciber's taunting words, she kept tossing and turning all night long.

Her morning turned bitter when she found Mulciber waiting for her by the fire in the common room. When noticing her presence he immediately glued himself to her side, knowing better that the girl was pretty capable of fleing the scene at any given chance.

"Morning, love". He called once he reached her.

Why do the people she hates the most insist on calling her such term of endearment? First Lupin and now Mulciber? Megara didn't know which one was worst. The thought of trying to find something good I'm the character of both young wizards made her shiver in disgust. She preferred neither one of them calling a 'cute nicky '. (As Lily likes to call terms of endearment).

Knowing she didn't have a choice, she wordlessly grabbed his extended arm and exited the dungeons.

She hated this feeling. She hated feeling this submissive, this powerless. She casted her head down and let the brute guide her towards the Great Hall.

When arriving, she sat besides her sister. Megaera sighed and lightly rubbed her temples while closing her eyes.

She opened her hazel orbs by the sound of a plate being placed in front of her.

She had to double blink just to make sure that the her sight wasn't betraying her.

She had expected a cup of tea on her plate or a thin piece of bread, but what she wasn't expecting was an assortment of fruits to meet her sight.

Sliced strawberries and peaches greeted her, alongside some green grapes, three cubes of cheese and a thin slice of bread.

She clenched her fist on her lap at the mocking gesture.

Did her sister thought of this as funny? Pure gold comedy?

Megara clenched her jaw and turned to look at her older sibling, who only raised her eyebrows at her glare.

"What's the meaning of this?", the younger Carrow muttered. Alecto looked at Megaera's plate and back up to her sister's hazel eyes.

"What does it look like to you, Megaera?"

At the condescending response the younger sibling harshly breathed through her nose. Alecto smirked at Megaera's obvious rage.

It's not as if  no one sitting at the table took notice of this, because they did. If one thing harshly differenced the Slytherins from Gryffindors for example, was the hero complex. If any Gryffindor for instance were to hear about Megaera's quarrel with her sister, they would immediately step in to her rescue. Put an end to that emotional torture.

And that's what Megaera mostly hated about those lions. She hated their constant need to save everyone. They were too nosey and lacked self control.

Slytherin were quite the opposite.

They knew to keep to themselves. They are quiet, cunning, and calculated. They didn't act on impulse.

Mulciber who was seated next to Megaera turned to chat to Crouch who was positioned infront of her. Both of them, as the rest of the Slytherins surrounding them, paid no mind to the quarrel.

Megaera thickly swallowed and looked around, she felt humiliated. A heavy feeling settled in her chest and her hands started to shake in anxiousness.

"Eat up, sister." Alecto whispered to her. Megaera turned to look at her and narrowed her eyes, trying to mask her true feelings.

Alecto rolled her eyes and backed away. "It's just food, Megaera. No need to be so prissy about it."

Megaera sharply inhaled. It wasn't just food and Alecto knew that. Megaera lowered her voice, "You fucking know-"

"It was Mother's others".

It was what?

Why would her Mother suddenly want that? Megaera swallowed a gasp that almost threatened to come out. She discreetly shifted in her seat and nodded at her sister's words.

She hesitantly started eating some fruit. It all felt odd. It felt weird eating alongside her house mates. She catched Lily's eyes from the Gryffindor Table.

The red head widened her eyes at the sight of Megaera publicly eating and the Slytherin subtly shook her head at her. Neither did she have a clue as to what was happening.

She swallowed the food as she swallowed the humiliation burning in her chest, with difficulty.

She felt humiliated because Alecto seemed to treat her like a dog. Or at least that's what it felt like. She felt like a stray dog jumping at any bone being thrown at it.

Desperate, humiliating, and guilty. But she was just eating, its human nature; normal.

She nibbled on the piece of bread that was placed on her plate.

She hates how much of a stranger she has become in her own life. She doesn't know what was happening and what was going to happen to her in the future.

She followed Mulciber's arm as he reached over her to grab the jar of mermelade. Following his actions as he spread some of the thick red concoction on to his toast. He looked down at her when feeling her piercing gaze. Megaera didn't even seemed embarrassed at being caught obviously staring at him. The brute winked at her, making her roll her eyes and turn to look at her plate.

But then, everything clicked.

"I guess mommy and daddy haven't told you the big news"

The food threatened to come back up through her esophagus.

Now everything made sense. It's one thing to suspect of something, but for it to be indirectly confirmed to you is another.

Megaera's hands started to shake at the—not so newfound—discovery. She broke out in cold sweat, her breathing quickening.
She felt like throwing up her breakfast, that would be a pity.

She was luckily brought out of her anxious state by a shove.

"Pass me the bread basket, will you?". Jannet, her roommate asked.

The witch wordlessly obliged. As soon as Jannet's claws touched the basket Megaera shot out of her seat, creating a big commotion. By the extreme rapidness and force she stood up with, a domino effect was caused. Her knee slammed onto the table making the silverware clatter, making her juice goblet spill over to Crouch's plate, ruining his breakfast.

But Megaera didn't care. She was and felt undeniably doomed.

"Oi, you bitch". Crouch expressed as the raven haired witch exited the Great Hall.

After feeling everyone's stare, the skinny boy muttered a half-assed 'sorry'.

The commotion caused everyone to silence, even the rowdy Gryffindor table. Whose golden group remaind stilled, some out of worrisome and others out of curiosity. Regardless of a particularly scarred prefect who tried to mask his curiosity with annoyance. Alongside a five seconds delayed eye roll.

Even the professor's table was perplexed after witnessing such event. Specially Dumbledore, who only announced, "I'll be deducting five points to Slytherin".

The old wizard cleared his throat at the protests of the puppils, making them immediately shut up.  Even a
fifthteen minutes later, some students couldn't let go of the worry nagging at them. The headmaster included.