The Story of Sheila Riddle (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Sheila & Barty: The Untold Story

Love is a hard thing to live without, especially when you have your eyes set on someone you can't have. And being stuck in a love square was definitely no picnic. Barty had his eyes set on Sheila, Sheila was in love with Snape, and Snape was in love with Lily.

Sheila's hunger for affection was so strong sometimes, she thought she'd rather die than suffer it.

Tonight was one of those times.

Sheila was at the Death Eater Headquarters. They had frequent meetings in those days, one of which had just concluded. A few people lingered, conversing quietly among themselves. They would all be heading to their homes soon. Well...those who had homes.

Tom always went off to heaven-knows-where, while Sheila was forced to return to her lab, the place she both hated and loved.

But she didn't want to. She couldn't. Not tonight, when she was suffering her appalling loneliness. She just couldn't face it anymore, and she had no one to confide in. Snape would forever be pining for Lily, Tom couldn't be bothered with such things, and she didn't want to trouble Narcissa with the worries of her heavy heart, due to the fact that her friend's occupation with her pregnancy.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sheila spotted someone lingering nearby, watching her.

Barty.

Her usual reaction would have been to tell him to buzz off, and find someone else to gawk at. But she didn't say anything, merely continued to stare at her folded hands as she sat in silence.

Barty crossed the room and sat down next to her, watching her intently but not saying anything. He was waiting for her to speak. Finally, she turned to face him.

"Aren't you heading home?" she asked.

Barty nodded.

"I have a lovely home," he said, "My family's very wealthy, as you know. You should see it sometime." His staring intensified. He leaned toward her, his eyes gleaming. "You could come now, if you like. My parents are gone; the house will be all ours. Will you come?"

Sheila went back to regarding her folded hands.

"Barty, I have things to do..."

"Forget them," Barty murmured, placing his hand on hers, "Just for tonight. It'll be fun, I promise."

Sheila stared at his hand, which was firmly grasping hers.

"Alright," she replied quietly.

She was aware of Barty tightening his grip even further. Then, for a second, everything went dark, until they suddenly reappeared in a beautiful, carpeted sitting room. A gorgeous chandelier hung from the ceiling, and moving pictures adorned the walls.

"Go ahead. Have a seat," Barty invited.

Sheila moved to the couch and stretched herself across it. It was deliciously comfortable. She immediately snapped upright as an embarrassing realization struck her. She looked up at Barty.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm just..."

She couldn't think of the words. When she had been younger, she had had a nasty habit of making herself comfortable in other peoples' homes. She had eventually outgrown it and learned to act a little more considerate toward hosts, but in that moment it had just felt so natural...

"So would your parents mind if they knew you brought a lady home while you were gone?" Sheila blurted.

She had to stop from smacking herself. Why had she asked that? But Barty merely smiled rogue-ishly.