The Shadow of Slytherin

Escaped

Your entire body aching, you sit up in bed and stretch, but whimper. The last Quidditch training has taken such a toll on you, Atticus with his Bludger, and Akira refusing to let you win, that you can barely move a muscle.

Taking a sip of your Wiggenweld potion, you shiver at the bitterness and then climb out of bed to put on some clothes. Your heavy body dragged out of the room into the wash room, you sigh, brush your teeth, grab a towel and head to the showers to have the hot water wash away all your worries.

"How can that be?"

"He was in the most secure part of the prison" the familiar voice reaches your ears, distance and muffled, but you can understand them enough. "Is he out to find you?"

"I don't know" Atticus growls, your eyes darting in direction of the voice. "We were not on the best terms when he was arrested, all right?" His feet stomp on the ground as he walks closer, the wall vibrating as his fist bashes against it. "He needs to be stopped. If he stays free, all Muggleborn are in danger-" A sigh comes over his lips, the tiles on the walls clinking as he uses a spell to repair them, the shards flying up to their original spot. "He cannot find them, I won't let that happen"

Shivering, you turn the water back on as soon as you hear a door creak, and wash off the previous day, the ache in your arms from clutching the broom, the strain on your legs from having to sit on the narrow seat for hours. It spirals down the drain while you brush your fingers through the soft strands of hair, the towel turning dark as you rub your body dry, dressing yourself in comfortable clothes.

The sleep rubbed from your eyes, your body presses against the door to the great hall for breakfast, the smell of pumpkin juice and waffles in your nose drawing you closer when another voice appears behind you.

"You think Gray will stay at Hogwarts? Now that his father has escaped and is probably already torturing innocent Muggleborn?"

The head turned, you spot Leander and Garreth stroll down the stairs towards the great hall where you still lean against the door, unable to move as the words linger in your head. "Escaped?"

"Well, good morning, Morningstar-" Garreth stares at you, shaking his head at his own words, "Saw you at practise yesterday-" his arm flies over your shoulder as he opens the door and guides you through it towards the great hall, "It is good to finally have some competition"

With a snort, Akira approaches from your left, gripping Garreth's arm as he lifts it off your shoulder and pushes him away while resting his arm on you instead. "Don't mind him, after his beloved Sallow left the team, he is afraid no one will flirt with him any more"

Sniggering, you follow Akira to the table while Garreth utters some inaudible words, his face bright red. As you have a seat next to Atticus, you spot Garreth, Leander dragging him to the Gryffindor table, but the robe stretches with how much force Garreth pulls against it.

After eating in silence, you eye Atticus, the dark circles under his eye, his hair unkempt and drab, hanging off his shoulders, not tied back as he tends to wear it, but pressed flat under his robe. "Are you all right?" you breathe, not disrupting the others in their munch.

His blank stare reaches you, slow, listless. Without a word, his shoulders shrug before he returns to the mug in his hand, the steam rising, but he does not drink from it.

With a sigh, you place one hand on his shoulder. "If you need anything, I am right here" you whisper, placing some bread on his plate, covering it with honey and marmalade, then put cheese on top. Although you do not believe he will eat, it at least gives you the feeling of helping.

"Thank you, Salem" Atticus sighs before lifting the slice of bread and taking a bite. The corner of his mouth lifts as he takes another bite, and a third until the bread has vanished, then drinks the hot pumpkin juice in his mug. "If you don't mind, I would like to talk to you later"