b l a c k o u t

t e n

☬

It was the last lesson of the day before we finally had free time.
Hannah were in Herbology, the class I wasn't allowed to attend. Not yet, Remus had said, and that he would take care of it when he arrived but...question was now if he would arrive at all. A good week and a half had passed since our last phone call and I was slowly losing my nerve...
Umbridge's high heels echoed across the tiles. I and a good 60 others were condemned to sit in her dictation while she was constantly running around and chattering.

Our task was to write a 500-word essay about the Ministry of Witchcraft and Wizardry in one hour.
I was as good as finished and lowered my pen with a sigh. For a moment I stared through the large open window to my left. The afternoon sun bathed the tall blades of grass in the meadow in golden light and they swayed gently in the breeze.

My eyes wandered around the room for a moment. I could make out the Slytherins in the far corner. Draco was tussling his hair full of stress, Theo was leaning relaxed on the chair and running the quill through the fingers. Nic seemed to have no problem with the task as he looked highly concentrated. Enzo didn't even try and kept peering under the table to copy from his pen. Blaise, who was sitting behind him, was copying from Nic and Goyle...oh, I don't know what happened to Goyle.
I just stifled a laugh at the sight of them.
Suddenly my eyes crossed with those of a Gryffindor who was staring at me.

As he winked at me I fowened. His face disgusted me from the very first second and I looked away nervously so as not to attract any more of his attention.
I folded the collar of my jacket up to hide my face and buried my hands in my coat pockets. My fingertips touched something. When I pulled it out, I recognized the little paper rose from the stranger this morning. I looked at it for a few moments and turned it between my fingers. Suddenly I made out ink on the stem and I realized that there was something written on the piece of paper. So I unfolded it, careful to remain inconspicuous.

I recognized the writing immediately. It had the same vibrations and structure. I gently ran my fingers over the individual letter.

T

The next moment, the piece of paper burst into flames before my eyes. I looked around, stunned, only to look back into the dirty grinning face of this guy who seemed to get a kick out of scaring me like that.
Suddenly I realized I was getting angry and a switch flipped. I felt my pupils constrict and from then on I knew that I had no control over what was about to happen.
My hands clenched into fists and I tapped them on the tabletop.
The Guy's tabletop burst into wild flames and he fell over with his chair, startled.
He got up and tried to save his essay. He burned himself and screamed. As he screamed, I was grabbed by the arm and pulled to my feet. At the same moment, I regained consciousness and let the fire go out.

"FILOU BLACK! What on Earth has gotten into you?! Have you lost your Mind!?"

Umbridge's fat gand clawed into the skin of my upper arm and she shook it furiously. Her shrill voice rang in my head. I was so beside myself and didn't even know how to speak. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't defend myself.
Umbridge dragged me behind her and shrieked hysterically, telling the students to take, I quote, the poor Mr. McLaggen to the infirmary immediately and treat the wound. A couple of students did as she said and escorted the boy outside, who howled like a little girl and held his arm.
What a fucking pussy!
I heard Hermione shouting what Umbridge was going to do to me.
Suddenly the Slytherin got up too.
"Yes, she's right... don't be so rough..."
"Mr. Malfoy, sit down! All of you!"
hissed the little woman.
"Ms. Black deserves to be punished. She could have killed the boy! She'll only suffer the same."
She tugged me over to her table, where she ripped open a drawer and pulled something out.
"Listen, Professor, she didn't do anything. Mc Laggen was teasing her-" Enzo tried to defuse the situation but Umbridge interrupted him.
"Be quiet!
You all should see this as a memento of learning, children."
Her voice sounded jittery and almost euphoric as she placed me in the middle for all to see. Then she grabbed my wrist and yanked my sleeves up.

Suddenly it all seemed very familiar.

"The home you came from gave me this with their best recommendations in case you don't track."
she whispered in my ear as the shackle tightened around my hand. I looked at her with a piercing gaze.
I had to obey. I had no choice.

"As you all know, elves are resistant to the three death curses and for a long time it was believed that there was nothing that could defeat them. Until recently...What?"
She actually looked around for people to come forward to answer her bullshit question. As it remained quiet she moved from me by pulling of forcefully, continuing walking trough the rows of students, who looked terrified by the whole scene. I couldn't blame them. If i wouldnt be used to this...I as well would freak the fuck out by now.
Umbridge stopped at Hermione, who was already in tears.
"Any idea Ms. Granger? You usually know everything."
Draco clenched his fists as she replied, sobbing.
"Iron."
"Correct. Iron."
With those words, Umbridge waved her wand and from then on I knew there was nothing I could do. The chain around my hand flipped open and in seconds, rings of iron wrapped around my arms, ankles and neck.
It was like I was transported back to that room from the home, with the white walls and no windows, just a chair in the middle...

The familiar pain set in. The first few minutes i kept my face straight and showed no pain.
Dont show her that your vulnerable!
The iron burned into my skin like burn marks. Tears rolled town my cheeks but i didnt even realized that. my body felt limp from the cramped position that i assumed.
Keep standing...just keep standing on your feet.
The pain hot worse and i my eyes went closed but i kept my blank expression.
People screamed as the rings started to melt into my skin with a hissing sound but nobody dared to do anything to stop it.
"Let her go."

The dark voice filled the room and everything became very quiet. Umbridge spun around in shock and dropped her wand.

The burning pain stopped and a soft cry escaped my lips. Blood poured out of my nose fastly and ran down my chin and neck creating a pale taste in my mouth. My breathing was heavy and I could barely stay on my feet. As in tranny, I looked up. My vision was too blurry to see the person who had to be held by several princes so that he didn't attack Professor Umbridge. To the left of the person I saw Blaise saying something loudly to him and there was Draco pulling him back with all his strength by the sleeve.
My feet gave in and i sank to the ground. Dumb sounds reached my ears.
I narrowed my eyes and looked up closely at the boy infront of me.
Wild black hair.
angular face.
Bloody lips.

Dead eyes.

It was him.
His eyes were wide and sparkling with anger. Everything was like in slow motion. He began to curse and bared the Professor. Threatening her to kill her
Viens showed on his nevk and arms as he tried to drag himself out of their grip.
I gasped to regain some more control.
Suddenly everything started to spin and with one moment I felt something inside me. It was like a light that rose up and filled me with strength. Just like a memory, only more real, tangible.
I felt a force that was very close... and it was calling me.
Like spelled, I looked outside through the window. It came from there.

I had no idea where I got the strength from, but I managed to get up.
I can't explain what happened next. I just can remember what noise it made as the rings fell off my body and onto the ground.
I hurried to the open window, took a running start and jumped off.
I heard shouts and someone was definitely running after me, but I didn't care.
I ran as fast as I could in direction of the forbidden forest.
The world passed me by and was nothing more than colorful stripes. The tall grass whipped my feet as I sprinted through. Wind caught my face and had a cooling effect. It roared in my ears. This and my fast heavy brath was all i could hear.

Then something appeared in front of me and I braked. I stood there and couldn't believe it.

A good five feet in front of me stood...Remus.

He had a large bag on his shoulder and his clothes were completely dirty. His face was marked with a few scratches and he seemed completely exhausted. But none of that was relevant to me. First I had to understand that it was really him. After a glance in which we stared at each other, unsure whether the other was really standing in front of us, I dared to come a little closer and closer.
Remus lowered the bag and now stood upright. Then I shot towards him and threw my arms around his neck. He laughed in surprise and then hugged me tightly. I clung my fingers into his collar and pressed all of me against him as i still had ro prove this was real. That he was really here. The only family ive left.
Now i felt the tears...but they were good ones. And there was no pain i felt anymore. Sobbing came from deep down my body. All that i held back for so long. But it was ok now. I was save and ok. I almost forgot how that felt.
Safety.
I felt like coming home.