Run Away ✧ Hogwarts Legacy

chapter fifteen

Dance Macabre by Ghost

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"Thea, you know I love you right?"

"I do."

"And you know that I think you are so smart."

"Des, please get to the point please."

"This is a bad idea," Desmond Esper protested, "Let me come with you at the very least. I don't think it's wise to go alone."

"I won't be alone. Besides I've gone every year with just us girls, it would be weird to everyone if you joined now," She dismissed, "Natti will be with me the whole time. If anything does happen then the two of us will be able to handle it. There is nothing to worry about!"

"Nothing to worry about?" He scoffed, "There is a very particular someone that I'm very worried about." There was a hurt look behind his eyes that was unavoidable. 

Antheia Wynters was growing impatient as she stood waiting for the rest of her roommates. There was nothing left to keep arguing about. She had nothing to comfort the pain that she knew she was inflicting, but it didn't feel like there was a choice.

The Halloween costume left her feeling a bit out of place in the castle and she was eager to get to Hogsmeade soon where everyone would be dressed up. The more she argued with her boyfriend, the more impatient she became. It wasn't like they had ever argued before. Now with everything changing so quickly around her, it was just another pain in her head. Feeling uncomfortable was becoming her new normal.

The couple stood off to the side of the tower's entrance, their voices staying low as students passed by with pointed ears. Her eyes turned back to the door hoping her friends would appear soon. It was either keep looking back or struggle to look Desmond in the eye when she knew he was right.

"You look lovely by the way," He tried to smooth over, but she was already too annoyed for flattery.

"I'm still going." Antheia snapped instead.

Desmond sighed deeply at the fight. It had been like this all day between the two since he had discovered her plan to go into town without him. He was going to find out eventually, but she had hoped that it would be closer to her time to leave. When Natti shared the plan with Andrew, she should have known her time was limited. All morning they had argued back and forth about going. Antheia understood why he was so frustrated, but mostly she didn't care.

Antheia wanted to find Sebastian Sallow, or the demon pretending to be him, or whatever it was. It was the real reason to go without any of their group. She hoped it would lurk him out.

No matter how much more logical Desmond's concerns were, they fell on deaf ears. Her mind was made.

When the cheerful giggles finally erupted from the portrait door of the common room there was a great relief. Now that her roommates were finally ready to go she could leave too. "That's my cue," Antheia tried to dismiss herself.

"Thea, wait a second," Desmond begged as he grabbed onto her wrist.

She took a deep breath and prepared herself for a final lecture. Taking guesses which argument he'd been saving for last. Perhaps he'd make the point about how she panicked before back in Hogsmeade after their date. Or maybe he would give her a curfew like a child. She had been prepping for the worst. 

"I trust you," Desmond said quietly. He knew she'd go regardless and there wasn't a point in fighting it. "But if something does happen, or if you do want help, then promise me that you will use your patrous charm and I'll come find you."