The Blood Curse

Planning

London, 1927

Tina apparated right when Nagini got a hold of her arm, and they were then stumbling through a irregular sidewalk in the busy Shaftesbury Avenue near the Hyde Park.

It was night already, and Nagini wore clothes not so appropriated to the current weather. She hugged herself, feeling the chilly wind burning her skin.

"I thought you lived in New York." She finally said through gritted teeth.

"I have an apartment here that has been vacant for some time, my parents decided to move to New York but they didn't want to sell the place." Tina looked at how Nagini shivered a little. " I might have warmer clothes for you there."

Nagini was relieved to hear that. She could imagine a night where she would have to spend colder than snow, she remembered the harsh winters during her stay at the circus. When she had to sleep on the cold floor with only her jacket to keep her warm, almost reaching the point of a frostbite.

"We are almost there..." Tina whispered to herself, they crossed a narrow street and then entered a larger one with brick buildings lining up until the end of it, they were all alike and hard to differ from each other, but they had a strange kind of comfort with the warm light coming through the front windows. They reached one that had it lights off, a strange missing step to the front door and a faded yellow doorbell. "Here! Nagini you need to touch me to enter, it's a spell related to my bloodline. Conservative and old."

Nagini stepped closer to Tina and then when they touched and the auror turned the doorknob...there was a buzz that passed through them and suddenly they were inside the house.

It was old and dusty. Probably no one had been there since Tina's parents moved out. Even the air seemed harsh and heavy, due to being closed for so long and not being cleaned regularly.

"The last time I was here it was nicer, I swear."

Tina had a smirk on her lips and a tense jaw, because of the work she would have to clean this place. It wasn't as if Nagini could help her. Sure, she could do some wandless spells, but they were all simple and insignificant.

"Come, better go to the bedrooms so I can clean them at least and then we can have a nice sleep. I'm in need of a good bed." Tina touched her own forehead as if concentrating and then sighed.

She started to walk up the stairs to the right and Nagini followed her.

On the second floor of the house, there was a living room with shelves full of books that were unknown to Nagini and probably foreign. They entered a door at their left and it showed a bedroom with three single beds and a massive wardrobe at the far corner. Tina murmured a spell and suddenly all the dust covering the surfaces of the room dissipated, leaving everything the same but without the danger of an allergy going off.

"Nagini, I'm sure I have a dress or a nightgown somewhere...maybe it will be big because my cousin was pregnant when she stayed in this room."

Nagini went to the window that went from the ceiling to the floor and she watched the calm street under it. Two man walked talking to each other while a woman was also watching something outside her window. Tina was going through the wardrobe when she gasped in triumph.

When Nagini turned it was to see Tina showing her a camisole with delicate flowers painted on the hem, which would probably touch the floor judging by Nagini's height.

"Thank you, Tina."

She went to dress herself while Tina looked for something she could wear and when they were finally laying each at their own bed, Nagini could swear that she heard the auror humming a soothing song. Maybe to calm her own nerves or just to calm both of them. Nagini was being to realize that Tina must also have her own monsters at bay, trying to make her lose her mind. And she used a song, something from her childhood...the Maledictus could swear her own mother once sang this same melody to her. And in the middle of some questions and familiarity, both of them were dragged to a soundless sleep, where no nightmare or dreams took a part. Only the need of resting ruling over their minds and body.