Prince of Ruin

Chapter Thirteen: Coco

It had been Easter break of Seventh year.

The year had been terrible, everyone was miserable. When the school year started there had been celebrations on the train from Purebloods and Slytherins thinking that this was going to be our year. That everything was going to be amazing. No more Harry Potter, no more Dumbledore, and no more Gryffindor favoritism.

By the time the Welcome Feast was over we had already seen it was not going to be like that.

The Carrows were there to make everyone miserable. Snape was the new headmaster and he had all the charisma and patience of a wound-up rattlesnake. The vibe around the school was dark and tense and it seemed like all the cheer had been left behind on the train.

We all dragged to our dorms defeated before anything started.

I spent the entire year being harassed by the Carrows, especially Amycus. And by Bellatrix whenever her crazy ass decided to show up to the school. It was basically open season for the Deatheaters to show up whenever they felt like fucking with some kids.

When I went home for Easter break, it was with the determination that I would talk to my mother about not going back. I wasn't going to be going back to the school, not while Snape was in charge.

On the first day home, my mother didn't come to pick us up from the train. Baz and I made our way home- we had already been given our Apparating certifications so that wasn't a big deal but it was mildly annoying. When we got home we found out why she hadn't made it- she was laid out on the couch, already having taken her sleeping potion, it was noon.

I didn't get to talk to her that day. Baz went up to his room- he was battling his own demons at the time. Something he still won't talk to me about. He went up to his room and by the time evening hit, I was tired of sitting in my room by myself.

I decided I would go out. I got changed, Bastian and I had just had our birthday, so I was officially seventeen, so as long as I went to a wizarding club, I didn't even have to figure out how to sneak into the club.

I stood at the bar, waiting for the bartender's attention when a man sidled up to me.

"What are you drinking?" He asked. I indicated the empty bar in front of me.

"The sights," I answered. He laughed, it made me feel good, made me feel clever, something I hadn't felt in far too long.

"Let me buy you a drink."

The two of us spent the entire evening together. We drank, we danced, we talked. At the end of the night, he asked me my name.

"Maybe I'll tell you tomorrow." Was my answer.

I came back the next night and he was there. It was the same thing all over again, dancing, drinking, talking.

"What's your name?" He asked. I told him that maybe I'd tell him tomorrow.

It went on like that for a week. Suddenly my Easter break was saved. I had something to look forward to every night. I would get dressed up and go out and feel like I was special and brilliant and gorgeous. I was so excited I completely forgot to ask my mother about not going back to school. What did I care about silly school problems? I was in love with a man who didn't know my name.

I knew his, of course, he'd introduced himself on that first night.

Calvin Danworth.

We were going to get on the train Sunday to go back to school. I was devastated. Friday night, before we parted ways, he asked me my name. I told him that if he got us a hotel room for the next night, I would tell him my name.