HP • Legilimency | 𝐍. 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐅𝐎𝐘

𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞

This is dreadful, truly dreadful. I hesitated to post it still, but I promised to post yesterday and I'm already late. Nevertheless, I still think it needs further improvement urghhh. But here it is.

Lethargic, yet updated.

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Time seemed to have stagnated, as if the cosmos had held its breath. Astria felt her heart pulsating so intensely it seemed ready to rupture her chest.

She approached the blonde woman with the caution of a child taking their first steps, fearing she would disappear at any moment. Her legs trembled like jelly, her steps were slow and uncoordinated. She could hardly believe what she saw. It was her. It was Narcissa, truly, not a dream.

"Ciça?" She whispered, her voice choked, extending her hand, touching the woman's face, as if wanting to make sure it was real.

"Oh, my dear," Narcissa replied, holding her by the waist to stabilize her. "I've missed you so much."

"You really thought you could escape us?" Draco taunted, adjusting the tie of his suit. He was elegantly dressed, pretty handsome , but there was a weariness in his gaze. And despite speaking to everyone, his gaze was fixed only on Harry. "I should hex you, you know? Where are the thanks?"

Harry blinked, incredulous, for a few moments. His face was swollen and deformed. When he finally spoke, his voice was choked, as if he was on the verge of tears. "Thank you. I can't believe you found us."

"Yes, pumpkin head," Draco snorted, rolling his eyes. "Now tell me, which of these idiots messed up your face? I want revenge for them hurting my boyfriend."

Astria stifled a laugh on Narcissa's shoulder, squeezing her even closer. She looked around, seeing the scene of horror that surrounded them. Three of the kidnappers were unconscious, one with half-open eyes and the last, Astria couldn't tell if he had died or not. There was a pool of blood between his arm and the junction of his neck.

"We need to get out of here," Hermione said, nervously shifting from side to side. "I can erase their memory. But... And this body?"

"I'll take care of that. You go get your things. There's a safe place," interrupted Narcissa, squeezing Astria even harder, showing no intention of letting her go. Her face still had a bloodstain on her lips. "Bill Weasley also annoyed the Death Eaters. He's on the run at the moment. His house is isolated and safe."

"I was going to suggest that too. It's the Shell Cottage. He made me promise we would go there if we needed to," said Ron, adjusting the strap of his backpack and kicking one of the unconscious kidnappers on the floor. "Let's get rid of these guys first."

With a quick and precise movement, they disarmed the unconscious kidnappers, tying them up with conjured ropes. Narcissa stayed behind, staring at the last kidnapper with a cold and relentless look. She raised her wand, murmuring something that Astria couldn't hear. She didn't want to know what she was going to do with him. She just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Then that, they went back to the tent to get their things and then returned to the center of the forest. The air was charged with tension as they prepared to disapparate. The sensation of Disapparition is always uncomfortable, as if being squeezed through a tight tube, but this time it was even worse due to the stress of the situation.

They then stepped on solid ground, feeling the salty aroma of the sea in the air. Astria felt her feet sink a little in the sand. She squinted to see in the darkness. There seemed to be a cottage a short distance away, under a vast starry sky, and she thought she saw a movement outside.