Noyade | Rabastan Lestrange [2] ✔︎

00 | PROLOGUE

The sky was crying. Rain was pouring down like tears falling from the sky, crashing down on the floor and turning into small rivers that followed the sides of London's streets. People had fled into the houses to not get pulled into the dark and depressing atmosphere and rather enjoy the warmth of their fireplaces.

All except one: Phoenix Black.

She too was crying, her shoulders trembling with sobs and from the cold. She was just standing there in the middle of a crossroad with her dark hair and blue dress soaked with water. After the disaster that was her father's birthday toast she had spent more than half an hour looking and shouting for Rabastan, but he was gone. She knew it meant that she had lost him to the darkness.

Her mind was completely blank of any thought, as she watched the lights of a car draw closer and closer. Probably if she had been standing under a street light the driver would have seen her, but as she had unleashed her powers in her pain, there was nothing left of the bulb but splinters. It was just as broken as her heart.

Her father had destroyed the one good thing that she had gained during the last year among so many awful ones. With only a few words he had ripped Rabastan and her apart forever. She had given up everything for her family and now they were taking the one thing that she had left away from her.

Of course she hadn't waited until people congratulated her and Jack, when she had seen how Rabastan was leaving. Her shock had finally worn off and she had just left her fiancé standing there and had run out after the boy that she really liked into the pouring rain. That rain that was now falling down on her as she heard the car's tyres screech on the wet asphalt, as the front lights made her body glow and she slowly couldn't see anything but white light. She heard somebody call her name, but it didn't even occur to her that she was in danger. Her brain was numb of thinking and pain.

She was sure that it would be over in just a second when suddenly something bumped into her and her body was thrown sideways. She hit the ground and screamed out just before the air was pressed out of her lungs. She started to hear her heartbeat and a weird ringing in her ears, as her head met the ground.

What had she just done?

The thought only occurred to her for a second before she was hit by all different kinds of emotions – pain, love, joy and embarrassment – and whimpered in pain. Phoenix turned to her side, curling into a ball, when she felt hands on her bare arms.

"Phoenix, focus. You can't let those feelings overwhelm you or you'll put everyone in danger."

However, the young girl shook her head, pressing her hands to her ears as the ringing grew louder and louder and a pressure started to build up in her head. "I can't."

"Yes, you can. Look at me, Phoenix."

Her hair was being pushed out of her face and she slowly recognised the features of Jack's face and whispered, "No."

Despite her pain she tried to move away from him, but gave up when her view started to become blurred.

"Look, this may sound harsh, but I don't want to marry you either. Nonetheless we're stuck in this situation for now and you need to let me help you. Now, concentrate on my voice and take deep breaths. I'll do it with you," the young man ordered, whilst holding her arm in a tight grip. He offered her a gentle smile, as she took a deep breath and he did the same, like he was showing a five-year-old how to play a game.

Phoenix cried out, as another wave of feelings hit her. "It hurts."

"I know, but you have to fight against it." Suddenly he groaned, pressing a hand to his own forehead. "Merlin, stop thinking about pain, will you?"

"I can't control it," Phoenix answered, breathing heavily.

Suddenly he forcefully pushed her onto her back, pressing her down by her shoulders. "Of course you can. Look at me, focus on my face instead of what you feel."

She did like he said, although another wave of feelings made her body tremble. His facial expression showed what she identified as worry, as his eyebrows were drawn together, his lips were only a thin line and his green eyes were full of softness. "Breathe."

Slowly her breathing normalised and her body relaxed. Her mind finally cleared and she felt at peace for a second before she remembered why the two of them were lying on the cold, wet floor in the pouring rain. Almost immediately she pushed him away and got up. "I have to go."

"To a place where you can have another anxiety attack like this one?" Jack questioned, brushing his wet hair out of his face.

Phoenix turned around, pushing him against his chest. "What do you care about what I do? Because you're going to be my husband? Yes, you made it very clear that you wanted to help me, but marring me is going too far, Jack."

"I didn't know about this either," he tried to defend himself, but out of impulse Phoenix slapped him.

"Don't you dare play the innocent one. As if you hadn't known. Of course girls never know who they're going to marry in an arranged marriage, but boys do. I bet it was even your idea because you somehow came to the stupid conclusion that it would be the best way to help me with my powers."

Jack's eyes showed a clear sign of hurt, as he rubbed his cheek. "Do you really think so lowly of me?"

Phoenix didn't answer and turned on her heel. "Rabastan is like a brother to me. I'd never to anything like that to him. For once he thought he had something really good in his life – with you. Do you really think I would take that piece of happiness away from him? I want to help him just as much as I want to help you."

There was it. Rabastan. The reason why she was feeling so hopeless and empty. A tear rolled down Phoenix' cheek and mixed with the rain droplets.

"I'm so sorry, Phoenix."