Surviving Fate // Mattheo Riddle ♣️

Chapter Thirteen - The Cursed Necklace

Word Count: 3,879 words.

Warnings: None. 

I was out in Hogsmeade not long after that night in my room, and at that moment, I couldn't be better. I hadn't heard from Credence in two weeks and the curse hadn't spoken a word. Neither had Voldemort, and although I was happy for the little interruptions to school, it worried me that things were becoming normal again.

The only thing that hadn't changed, that reminded me of my impending death, was my body. The nosebleeds hadn't stopped, making it odd to not see one every day. The headaches had only gotten worse, and I found myself now calling them bad migraines, but that wasn't what scared me the most.

Stood in front of the bathroom mirror, I turned to the side. I had just gotten out of the shower and put on my underwear and bra before noticing something in my reflection.

I had never been the skinniest girl in the world, and I hadn't minded that, but now, as I looked down at my stomach, I could see my ribs protruding underneath.

I brought a hand up to touch them before running it down my now flat stomach. Then bringing my hand up to my arm, I brought my thumb and index finger around my forearm. They were touching each other. I could never do that before.

Then there was my face. I had always had dark under eyes from the lack of sleep I got, but it had never been this bad. I took up Pansy's concealer, lightly applying it under my eyes. It didn't work.

Standing back, I closed my eyes, running my hands up and down my body without touching the skin. My problem was nothing a little magic couldn't fix.

When I looked back into the mirror, everything was as it had been before. My stomach filled out and I could no longer see my ribs underneath it and the bags of my eyes had vanished almost completely.

I sighed, bringing a hand up to brush some hair from my face. I stopped when I realised it was shaking.

I took my hand in my grasp, massaging the palm and turning to exit the bathroom.

"Are you alright?" Pansy asked me as I stepped into the dorm room.

I let go of my hand as I nodded, making my way for my clothes. "Peachy."

I took a deep breath, leaning myself against the edge of my bed. I brought a hand up to my nose, finding my fingertips covered in blood as I pulled them away.

"Hey Pans?" I asked. "Could you get me a tissue?" I didn't turn to look at her.

"Nosebleed?" she asked, rushing into the bathroom and returning with the exact thing I needed.

I took it from her, holding it under my nose. She placed a hand on my back. "What else?" I asked.

She brushed a hand down my arm, turning away. "You're looking at lot thinner than you used to be," she told me. "Is that something to do with the curse?"

"Just nutrition," I lied, taking a deep breath. If only she knew. If only she knew.

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I hadn't been in The Three Broomsticks in a long time and despite myself, I couldn't help the smile that rose to my face when I caught sight of Madame Rosmerta.

"Lyra," she greeted, moving over towards the group of us as we entered. She took me into a gentle hug.

"Hey Rosie," I returned, pulling away to smile up at her.

"I had thought that you were never coming back," she started. "Not after I heard that you were working in The Hog's Head."

She was right. I had been working weekends in the tavern down the road, earning a few knuts a week. I had been apprehensive of going back after what had happened with Aberforth and Albus but upon arriving each Saturday morning, I found that it was only Al in the building.