ARCANE - G. WEASLEY

16

"What is that?"

As soon as Caleb's voice reached her ears, Reyna swiftly shifted her gaze towards him. Her attention, however, was momentarily drawn to the adorable niffler perched on her shoulder. The tiny creature met her gaze with its round, beady eyes, its magnificent coat of golden and white hues shimmering brilliantly under the bright sunshine.

"A mouse,"

"Nice try,"

"What does it matter to you?" Reyna asks. "I should probably get back to weeping over my father who abandoned me right?"

"I'm sorry," Caleb sighs, sitting on the bench. "I shouldn't have said any of that. Part of me thought you were jealous or something"

Reyna couldn't help but emit a snort of amusement at Caleb's words, the sound escaping her before she even realized it. The niffler on her shoulder lets out a high-pitched squeak, making Reyna laugh even more. Caleb, meanwhile, simply rolled his eyes in response to their antics.

"You were right," Caleb says. "I entered for my father but now if I win this, I'm winning it for me. Not to be out of Cedric's shadow, not to get a cushy job at the ministry. The win would be for me"

"You never did like it when I was right," Reyna smiles as the niffler shows her the necklace she had given him.

"What's his name?"

"Scout," Reyna dangles the necklace in front of the niffler who happily swings from it. "Something got to his entire den, I couldn't leave him alone"

"Where did you find him?"

"The forests bordering Hogsmeade," Reyna murmurs as she tickles Scout's stomach. "He found George and me"

"How are things between you and him?"

"They're good,"

"That's all I get?"

"Consider it your punishment for being a twat,"

"Fair enough,"

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"Reyna!"

Reyna, Caleb and Scout looked in the direction of where the shout had come from. Hermione, Harry and the Twins were sprinting over, a newspaper clutched tightly in Hermione's grip.

"What now?" Reyna sighs as Hermione thrusts the newspaper into her hands.

"It's your mother,"

"Raising an army of incensis, a picture of Reyna Lupin found at the site of the ritual," Reyna reads snippets of the article aloud. "Recent attack in the forbidden forest, animals turning up dead, wards to be reinforced by Unspeakables for the protection of Reyna Lupin and the rest of the Hogwarts population"

Reyna could feel her hands trembling, a slight amount of fear coursing through her. Marianne would never stop hunting her, never stop putting Reyna's loved ones in danger. Her father was right to cut and run, that's the only way anyone was safe.

Familiar giggles fill the air and Reyna looks up to see the trio of girls who were obsessed with Reyna's life and were clearly enjoying watching it falling apart. The witch hands Caleb the paper and Scout before getting to her feet.

"She's going to kill them," Hermione murmurs.

"Not like they were really contributing to the betterment of society," Harry shrugs and Hermione slaps him upside the head.

All eyes follow Reyna's movement as she snatches the paper from Angelina's hands before drawing her fist back. Angelina lets out a pained cry as blood begins to gush from her nose before Reyna grabs her by her hair, yanking her down so the witch can slam Angelina's face against her knee.

"What about you Eloise? Marietta?" Reyna jeers. "Do you want to give it a go?"

"You're exactly like your mother," Marietta sneers. "Death Eater scum"

"At least come up with something original,"

"Reyna, that's enough," George steps forward and Reyna rolls her eyes.

"I can handle myself," Reyna snaps. "Just because we kissed it doesn't mean you're my knight in shining armour. I'm not some pathetic little girl that needs protecting so just stop"

"Reyna come on-"

"Just-" Reyna sighs. "I just need to be alone"

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Reyna had taken residence under a willow tree that resided on the edge of the Black Lake. Her eyes were scanning the pages of Frankenstein as the sun's light slowly begins to disappear behind the shoreline as a small squeak distracts her from the book in her hands. Scout stares up at Reyna who places her book down, allowing the niffler to sit in her palm.

"At least one of the men in my life won't ever piss me off," Reyna smiles at the niffler, gently tickling his stomach.

"Reyna"

The witch's head snaps up at the whisper of her name, the voice was all too familiar and hearing it made her feel sick. Her eyes scan the area as she gently lifts Scout onto one of the tree branches to ensure his safety.

Reyna pulls her wand from her boot, gripping the piece of wood tightly as she scans the area for her mother. Her eyes lock onto the raven-haired witch who was standing at the edge of the forbidden forest. The flickering in Marianne's appearance told Reyna that the witch wasn't foolish enough to actually show her face this close to Hogwarts.

"All of this destruction could end if you joined me," Marianne's voice was sweet, too sweet. "Together we'd be unstoppable and I could give you something you always wanted, a parent who would never leave you behind"

"No,"

"I can feel your pain darling," Marianne croons. "A mother you never got to know, a father who abandoned you because he can't stand the reminder of the monster within, no siblings to share the burden with. That feeling inside that's all-consuming, that makes you want to die? It will never go away"

"Shut up," Reyna whispers. "Shut up. SHUT UP!"

"Think about it dear," Marianne murmurs. "Because eventually all of those feelings you're suppressing will surface and everyone will know you as one thing. Dangerous. How could anyone love a ticking time bomb?"