Suffering Part 6: No Longer

Chapter 26

Later that night, the castle is enveloped in a tranquil silence. The children are sound asleep in their beds, and the comforting presence of Severus and Lucius in your bedroom helps ease your mind. They lie peacefully asleep in bed, their faces softened in the gentle moonlight streaming through the window.

You, however, find it hard to relax. Sitting in a nearby armchair, you are reading on your spellphone. The book, "The Ghobin Ghoul of Garange," a dark romance, provides a welcome distraction from the day's events. The gripping story temporarily pulls your mind away from the worries that have been weighing you down.

Just as you start to lose yourself in the narrative, a pop-up notification interrupts your reading. It's a text message from an unknown number, marked as restricted. Your heart skips a beat, dread pooling in your stomach as you open the message.

The screen displays a picture of Samhain, your beloved bunny, eating a plate of salad. Relief washes over you briefly—she's alive. But then your eyes are drawn to another part of the photo: a box filled with polaroid photographs. Your intimate photographs.

Your hands tremble as you take in the image. The reality of the situation hits you hard. Theo has Samhain and the photographs, and he's taunting you with this message.

Your mind races, trying to process what to do next. You feel a surge of anger and protectiveness. This has gone far enough. You need to act.

You glance over at Severus and Lucius, still peacefully asleep. Not wanting to wake them just yet, you quietly rise from the armchair and step out of the bedroom, closing the door softly behind you. Once in the corridor, you immediately contact Pansy.

"Pansy," you say urgently when she answers, "I just received a text message from an unknown number. It was a picture of Samhain and a box filled with the stolen polaroid's."

Pansy's voice is firm. "Send me the picture. We can trace the number and find out where it came from."

You quickly forward the message to her. "Please, we need to find him fast. He's escalating."

"We're on it, love" Pansy assures you. "Stay safe. We're doing everything we can. I promise."

Ending the call, you take a moment to steady your breathing. The castle feels both protective and isolating in the moonlit silence. You know you need to tell Severus and Lucius.

You return to the bedroom, their calm, sleeping forms offering a momentary solace. You gently wake them, your touch light but urgent. "Severus, Lucius, wake up. There's something you need to see."

Severus is the first to stir, his instincts immediately alert. "What's wrong?" he asks, sitting up and pulling Lucius with him.

You show them the text message, your voice trembling slightly as you explain. "Theo sent this. He has Samhain and the photos."

Lucius' expression darkens as he examines the picture, while Severus' eyes narrow with a cold fury. "This has gone far enough," Severus says, his voice deadly calm. "We will stop him."

Lucius nods, his jaw set. "We need to stay vigilant. He's foolishly trying to provoke us, but we won't let him succeed."

You sit down on the edge of the bed, feeling the weight of their determination bolster your own resolve. "Pansy is tracing the number. She said they're doing everything they can to find him."

As the night wears on, the three of you remain on high alert, discussing strategies and ensuring every precaution is taken. The love and unity between you, Severus, and Lucius provide a fortress of strength, and you hold onto the hope that soon, this nightmare will end.