The Darkness Between Us

Chapter Four

Charlie POV

First day of classes at Hogwarts was always a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation for first years.

I woke up early, the events of yesterday and the tension running through my mind. The light was streaming through the curtains of the Slytherin girls' dorm. Daphne was already up, brushing her hair and chatting with Pansy about the upcoming school year. I got up and made my way in to the bathroom to get ready. I got dressed in to my robes, the familiar green and silver of Slytherin giving me a sense of belonging.

Daphne turned to me, her eyes sparkling. "Ready for another year, Charlie?"

I smiled, trying my best to reassure her. "Absolutely. Let's go."

We headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast, where the long tables were already filling with students. I spotted Draco, Blaise, and Theo at the Slytherin table and made my way over to them.

"Morning," Draco greeted me with a warm smile, his eyes lighting up as he saw me.

"Good morning," I replied.

Theo gave me a nod, his expression serious as always. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Eventually I did. Always takes a bit to settle back in," I said, taking a seat beside Draco.

We ate breakfast quickly, the conversation flowing easily among us. It felt good to be surrounded by friends. After breakfast, we received our class schedules.

I glanced at mine, noting the subjects for the day: Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Charms. It was going to be a busy day.

"Looks like we have Potions first," Blaise said, looking at his schedule. "With Slughorn."

Draco nodded. "Let's head to the dungeons then. Don't want to be late on the first day."

I couldn't shake the feeling that this year would be different.

Most of my classes were also with Adrian, and our relationship, already fraught with tension, was only getting worse.

We arrived at the Potions classroom and took our seats. Professor Slughorn greeted us with his usual perky demeanor, launching into a lecture about the properties of various potions ingredients.

"Now before we begin. Let's sort you out in to your partners for the year." Slughorn begins calling out pairs. Draco and I are partnered alphabetically.

As I settled in to the lesson, I noticed Adrian glaring at us from across the room. His eyes dark with fury, and his jaw was clenched tight. He didn't like being separated from me, and the fact that I was sitting next to Draco only seemed to anger him further.

Throughout the class, Draco's demeanor was relaxed and composed, but I noticed a smug glint in his eye every time he glanced in Adrian's direction. It was clear that Draco took some enjoyment in the fact that Adrian couldn't control the seating arrangements. Adrian, on the other hand, looked ready to explode.

When the class finally ended, I gathered my things, preparing to leave for my next class when  Adrian approached, his expression thunderous. "Charlie, a word."

Before I could respond, Draco stepped between us, his expression cool and composed. "She doesn't have anything to say to you, Pucey."

Adrian's face twisted with anger. "This isn't your business, Malfoy."

"It is when it concerns Charlie," Draco replied, his voice icy. "Now, back off."

Adrian glared at him but didn't push further. He stormed off, leaving Draco and me standing in the corridor.

"Thank you," I said softly, my voice trembling slightly.

Draco simply nodded.

Defense Against the Dark Arts followed, with Professor Snape as our teacher. His piercing gaze swept over the classroom, and I felt a shiver of apprehension. Snape was known for his strictness, and I was determined not to draw his ire.

"Today, we will be covering nonverbal spells," Snape announced, his voice cold and authoritative. "A skill that requires focus and discipline. Two qualities I hope you all possess."

We spent the lesson practicing the incantations silently, concentrating.

The final bell of the day rang, a merciful end to the torturous hours spent in feigned normalcy. I gathered my things slowly, allowing the other students to filter out of the classroom ahead of me. As I made my way toward the door, I felt a familiar grip on my arm. Turning, I found myself face-to-face with Adrian, his expression a mask of controlled fury.

"We need to talk," he hissed, his voice low and menacing.

I nodded numbly, knowing that resistance was futile. Adrian's grip tightened as he steered me away from the busy corridors and into a secluded alcove. His eyes burning with a mixture of rage and betrayal, and I braced myself for wrath that was about to come.

"You think I don't see through your games? You're nothing but a manipulative, lying slut."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I forced them back, refusing to let Adrian see my vulnerability. I stood in silence. My gaze focused on the floor below us.

Adrian tightened his grip painfully on my arm, and I winced. "You're going to tell Draco to back off," he ordered, his voice cold and threatening. "You're going to make him, your brother and the rest of your little group that you're happy with me. Or I'll make sure your father knows."

The threat hung heavily in the air between us, and I knew that Adrian meant every word. My father's wrath was a terror I couldn't bear to face. Nodding reluctantly, I agreed to Adrian's demands, the weight of his ultimatum pressing down on me like a vice.

As Adrian released his grip and walked away, I slumped against the wall, my body trembling with a mixture of fear and helplessness. The corridors were now empty, the silence oppressive and suffocating. I felt the urge to run, to escape the shadows that seemed to close in around me, but there was nowhere to go.

With a heavy heart, I pushed myself up and made my way back to the Slytherin common room. The thought of facing my brother and friends, lying to them, filled me with a deep sense of dread. But as much as I knew that protecting them—and myself—meant making sacrifices.

As I descended into the depths of the dungeons, I prepared myself for the battles yet to come, determined to survive no matter what it took.