The Blood Traitor || Oc x Oc

Road to Recovery

The second the five of them touched down, all Sera could do was cry with relief. She cradled Dante gently in her arms, making sure that he was safe, despite the tears that streamed down his cheeks. She started hugging him, forgetting the pain he currently still endured, peppering kisses across his face. 

"You're all right! It's all right! You're safe, Dante. I would never ever let that woman hurt you again. You hear me? God, you have no idea how terrified I was for you!" 

Dante broke down completely. His shoulders shook, letting out sobs of pain. But he felt comforted in Sera's embrace, knowing that she would do everything to protect him, as she had done in Malfoy Manor when she and her friends escaped. She shushed him gently, speaking in soothing tones. 

"It's okay. It's okay. You can let the tears out. You've been through a lot over the past hour." 

"Sera!" her brother called, sounding panicked. 

Sera turned, about to get snappy with him for interrupting their moment. But the moment her eyes landed on her brother, she found the elf who had rescued them, passing away in Harry's arms. 

The elf's body was now still. There was nothing they could do except to bury him. And as much as Sera would love to stay and help bury her elf friend, she wanted to get Dante inside the house and get him on the road to recovery. 

"Let's go get you to the house, Dante, and get you to recover," she murmured softy.

"No," Dante whimpered. He refused to let Sera pick him up in her arms. He wanted to stay and help bury the elf that had saved his life. 

"Dante, you're hurt terribly. You're tired, I can tell. You need rest, and your arm needs some attention." 

Finally, after minutes of hesitating, Dante finally nodded, allowing Sera to pick him up. He wrapped his legs around her waist. His arms hung loosely around her neck. He rested his head tiredly against her shoulder. 

Bill and Fleur were waiting for them at the entrance of Shell Cottage. Sera caught sight of Bill's expression. His face had gone pale with shock, clearly not expecting to see a weakened Dante on his doorstep. From what Bill had always heard from Sera, Dante was a fun, feisty, sarcastic kid who always had some sort of sarcastic response. But never had he seen him look like this. Sure, he's heard Sera tell him Dante's darker past, but he never thought that he'd live to see Dante's horrific nightmares come back to life. 

"What in the bloody hell is going on, Sera?" he finally burst out as Sera drew nearer to the house. She shifted Dante in her arms, making sure that he was more comfortable. "First, you turn up with a weakened Ollivander, who looks as though he hasn't eaten in probably a year. And now, you're bringing me a dead house-elf and your friend? He looks as though he'd clearly gone through some serious torture." 

Sera winced at Bill's words. No, she knew that he was not upset with her. She knew that he was upset with the woman who had done this to Dante. 

"He — He was tortured, Bill," she answered quietly. Her voice barely came above a whisper. She had tears in her eyes. She did not want to relive the events that had happened earlier in the day, ever again. "And quite badly, too. He needs bed rest." 

Bill nodded. "I can tell." 

"I've got a spare bedroom in the back of the house," Fleur offered in a gentle voice. "I can let him recover there, if you'd like." 

Sera's shoulders relaxed and she smiled gratefully at Fleur. 

"Thanks, Fleur." 

She nodded and led Sera and Dante to the room located on the farthest side of the house. Sera gently laid Dante on the bed, where he immediately closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of contempt. Sera smiled sadly, knowing that this innocent boy needed all the rest he could get after being tortured by his horrific aunt once more.