𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 (OC x OC) - Full Series

[007] CHAPTER 18 - MY BLOOD

"and God knows i'm not dying, but i bleed now."|| ellie goulding

Louis Lupin

I stare at the girl before me with wide, surprised eyes. I haven't seen her in so long that I had nearly forgotten what she looked like. She looks so different, so much older than she did at the end of last school year. Her facial features are the same but more mature and I can only wonder how this could happen. This girl is nowhere near twelve years old.

"Hello... Louis..."

I quickly pick up on her hesitation on saying my name and tilt my head only slightly. What the heck is going on?

"I know you haven't been expecting to see—"

"Sit down," I demand calmly, pointing to the chair on the other side of the table. She quickly obliges, resting in the chair across from me. I clear my throat before muttering, "First things first, who the heck are you? Because I know for sure that you are no mere witch who came to Hogwarts last year."

She sighs, looking at her hands beneath the table. "Okay, that's... That's fair..." she mutters before looking at me. "I am Penelope. I never lied about that."

"Then explain the no last name."

"Well," she sighs, "that was the lie. I do have a last name, but you wouldn't believe me if I told you what it was. And, also, from what I know of you, you'd kill me if I told you as well."

"Why would I kill you? You know nothing about me—"

She quickly blurts out, "I know you better than I know anyone else in the world."

I am taken aback by her sudden statement. What does that even mean? How could someone I don't even know much about know me so well?

"You must not know many people," I mutter sarcastically. "Explain what you mean."

"I've known you since I was a baby, you just haven't met me yet..."

My eyebrows crunch together in confusion. "I'm sorry—What does that even mean? How could you know me for so long before I even know you?"

"Surely you remember your fourth year at Hogwarts, yes?" she asks. I turn my gaze to the ceiling as I try to conjure some memory from that school year, but then I remember. That's the year I learned I was a werewolf. The year I learned that Father had been lying to Annie and I for a decade and a half about who he really was.

"I suppose I do... What does that year have anything to do with this?" I ask with more attitude than I have ever used with Makayla on purpose.

She sighs, "Do you remember the Time Turner?"

Oh yes... That.

"The thing that Makayla was using that year? Yeah, I remember it."

"How come you only remember that Makayla had one and not Hermione as well?" she suddenly asks, her eyes squinted in suspicion and I suddenly feel targeted.

"Stop changing the subject, Penelope."

"You can call me Penny," she smiles.

"I don't want to call you Penny," I mutter blankly. "I want you to tell me how you know me."

She sighs. "I guess you're still stubborn as you are where I'm from..."

"What do you mean, 'where you're from?'"

"Okay, I guess I better cut to the chase..." she mutters. "I'm from the future." My eyebrows widen and my jaw falls to the floor almost instantly. This isn't hard for me to believe, seeing as Makayla has literally time traveled before, and has helped me do the same. She laughs softly and it reminds me of Makayla's, only less perfect and harmonic. "I suppose that you're familiar with the existence of such a topic."

I nod before clearing my throat. "That still doesn't explain how you know me."

"I know you because... I... I'm related to you," she blurts out. Now I'm even more confused. "My last name is Lupin and I came here to find out who my real mother is because you won't tell me anything!"

I give her a confused look that pierces through her skull. "Why wouldn't I tell you?"

"I don't know!" she exclaims nervously. "Maybe you're scared of going back to the memory of knowing whoever she is, but I think I know her now..."

"Who is she?" I ask, leaning forward in my seat.

"I'm sorry, Louis," she mutters, "but I, unfortunately, cannot tell you. It'd ruin the timeline and you'd kill me for even being here. Which, speaking of, is probably going to happen anyway if I don't obliviate you."

"No, please don't," I protest. "I truly am intrigued by this, I don't want to just forget it."

"That's what every curious muggle says, too, Louis..."

"I'm no curious muggle!"

"You're right," she smiles sorrowfully. "You're half muggle." I roll my eyes as she sighs. "But in all seriousness, I think I found my mother. You've always told me that she was dead, but I saw her alive a few months ago and I simply can't believe it... And I've learned something impeccable about her that I'm afraid that I simply cannot share right now, but I think it's entirely possible that she could be alive where I live!" she explains. "To think that I once believed she was dead... My mother!"

I stare at her in shock as a whooshing sound emerges from the hallway behind me. Confused, I turn my head over my shoulder, seeing two familiar figures. A half smile appears on my face as I completely forget about Penelope and rise from my seat, scurrying to the hallway.

There she is, with Mattheo as a carry-on, but who cares? She's here.

Makayla is here.

She looks at me with a small smile and I nearly pass away with joy. I want to run up to her and hug her, but I simply cannot. I need to play it safe for now. I can't let myself be too vulnerable too quickly. If I do and it's the wrong decision, we're all goners.

Noticing my hesitance, her smile falters and she just looks at the floor for a moment. She sighs before mumbling, "Can we talk?"

I slowly nod and guide her to an empty room, but not before pointing Mattheo in the direction of where Annie is resting. Once we're alone, I close the door behind us.

Before she gets the moment to speak, I break the news to her. "Dobby is dead," I mutter.

Her nervous expression falls to a slightly devastated while entirely shocked one. "What...?"

"Bellatrix's knife stabbed him in the gut and killed him," I tell her, trying my best to keep my voice cold and calm without it going uneasy.

She takes a deep breath, as if to keep her from breaking down, before nodding, "Okay... Um... I need to talk to you about something else that's important right now..."

"Fire away," I mumble, leaning against the wall.

"So... We all know what you saw at the wedding..." she starts.

"Do we?" I inquire.

"What?" she questions quietly, surprised by my random words. Honestly, I don't even know what's about to come out of my mouth, I'm running on autopilot.

"Do we really know what I saw or was I just imagining things?" I challenge, "because I know for a fact that I did not see you, the love of my life, with the Dark Mark resting on her forearm. I know that my best friend is not a Deatheater because you are better than that, Makayla. If I'm wrong, then I'm just disappointed. Not in me, but in you."

Her confused expression breaks and I watch a small part of her heart break, too. I hear her voice crack as she quietly asks, "You're disappointed?"

I sigh, "It seems I am..."

"Louis, I—"

"No, you don't get to do this!" I shout. "I loved you and you lied to me about your intentions like that wouldn't hurt me!"

She's caught off guard by my random outburst, but quickly regains her composure, arguing back, "I had no choice!" We're both silent for a moment before a look of realization crawls over her face and seems to strangle her. "Loved?"