ARCANE - G. WEASLEY

1

"Kill the spare,"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Once more, the halls of Grimmauld Place are inundated with anguished cries that reverberate through the stillness of the night. This has become a nightly occurrence, where in the early hours of the morning, horrified screams pierce the air as Reyna Lupin is wrenched from yet another harrowing nightmare.

The horrors of Caleb's death haunted Reyna even in her waking hours, images of her best friend's lifeless eyes staring back at her after her mother tore his soul from his body with two lethal words. The witch had become a shell of herself, spending most of her time hiding away in the attic with Buckbeak and Scout, the two animals providing her with wordless comfort.

Her door creaks open before Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger enter the room Reyna occupied. The two younger witches perch themselves on either side of the bed as Hermione gently begins dabbing a damp, cool towel on Reyna's face as Ginny moves the strands of matted hair from Reyna's forehead.

"Let's get the bed sheets changed, sleeping on them after you've sweated isn't good for you," Ginny whispers, gently helping Reyna from the bed before handing the witch her wand.

"I can't sleep," Reyna's voice was hoarse.

Reyna flicks her wand and the mattress lifts into the air before spinning as the bed sheets fly into the laundry basket. Fresh sheets fly from the cupboard before fitting themselves onto the mattress which settles on the bed once again. She hadn't turned seventeen yet but the enchantments that had been placed on Grimmauld Place meant the Ministry wouldn't detect the use of underage magic.

The three witches settle on the bed once again, watching as Scout climbs onto the bed using the small steps Reyna had built for that very purpose. The niffler crawls into Reyna's arms, concern gleaming in the intelligent animal's eyes. He reaches a paw up, placing it on Reyna's face and a feeling of warmth fills the witch's heart, no matter how temporary it resided there.

"He truly loves you," Hermione smiles, her voice soft.

"His entire family was slaughtered because of me, Caleb is dead because of me," Reyna replies. "My mother was right. I have no family, my father won't even look my way, all I know of my mother is that she is a murderer, I have no biological siblings who understand what I'm going through and these feelings- These feelings make me want to die"

"Caleb died because of your mother," Hermione states. "Scout's family died because of your mother. You can't hold yourself accountable for your mother's actions"

"As soon as I saw her I should have stopped her," Reyna murmurs. "But I froze, I don't know why. It was like I left my body for a second"

"You saw the woman who was supposed to love and nurture you," Ginny takes Reyna's hand into her own. "But she didn't, she wanted to weaponize you. She sent creatures to kill you because she knew that she couldn't defeat you because you're powerful Reyna"

"Power isn't all it's cracked up to be," Reyna murmurs as she absentmindedly strokes Scout's head. "Sometimes the most powerful are the easiest to destroy in all ways but physically"

A knock at the door causes the three girls to look up as Remus Lupin enters the room. Hermione and Ginny are quick to exit the room, not wanting to get caught in the middle of whatever was about to happen.

"Why are you here?" Reyna sighs. "I don't need your excuses"

"Reyna, you're hurting and I'm your father," Remus says and Reyna scoffs, gently placing Scount on the bed before getting to her feet.

"You say you're my father but where were you, huh?" Reyna snaps. "Where were you when I was hurt? When I needed someone? When I needed my dad? You weren't here but do you know who was? Sirius. Sirius is more my dad than you've ever been"

"Reyna, that's not fair,"

"No, what's not fair is you abandoning me," Reyna shakes her head.

"I'm sorry-"

"You destroyed me and the best you can come up with is sorry?!" Reyna exclaims, her voice rising in volume. "I was a child, your child and when things got tough you threw me away like it was nothing. Like I was nothing"

"What can I do?" Remus' voice was pleading. "Reyna-"

"You can pack your things and leave," Reyna's voice was cold. "Seeing your face reminds me of one small fact. That I hate you, I hate you so much because you made me hate myself and I know I deserve better than that"

When her father leaves, that's when the dam breaks and the tears begin to fall. Dripping from her face, splashing to the floor as she slowly slides down the door. She brings her knees to her chest as Scout comes running over sitting on her shoulder before wrapping his arms around her neck.