adored by him | *under editing*

sixth year × 78

TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of abuse

As of now, the quartet had been brought to Professor McGonagall, along with the necklace and the girl who was with Katie.

"And you're sure that Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks, Leanne?" McGonagall prodded with sympathetic eyes.

"It's like I said: She went to the bathroom and when she came back, she had the package. She said it was important she deliver it."

"Did she say to whom?" Leanne shook her head. "All right, Leanne. You may go."

Leanne nodded and dashed out of the classroom as McGonagall turned to the group. "Why is it when something bad happens, it's always you four?"

Ron smiled weakly. "Believe me, Professor. I've been asking myself the same question for six years."

Just then, Snape appeared at the door, eyeing the quartet wearily.

"Severus." McGonagall greeted with a grim voice.

"Is this it?" He asked, approaching the necklace.

McGonagall nodded. Snape took his wand and levitated the necklace from the box, as though it was a dead snake. He looked at it with fascination.

"What do you think?" McGonagall questioned.

"I think that Miss Bell is very lucky to be alive." Snape stated dryly.

"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry piped up. "I know Katie. Off the Quidditch pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was bringing that to someone, she wasn't doing it knowingly." He explained.

Snape eyed Harry levelly. "Yes, she was cursed." McGonagall confirmed solemnly.

"It was Malfoy." Harry concluded. Nadia's head snapped to him, disbelief and anger written into her features.

Snape wheeled, his dark eyes boring into Harry's. "That is a very serious accusation, Potter." McGonagall snapped.

"Indeed." Snape agreed, advancing on the boy. "Your evidence?"

Harry didn't back down. "I just know."

"You...just...know." Snape mocked slowly. "Once again, you astonish with your gifts, Potter, gifts mere mortals could only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One." He spat with venom leaking out of every word.

The trio averted their eyes uncomfortably as McGonagall spoke up. "I suggest you return to your dormitories. All of you."

The quartet nodded obediently and exited the classroom.

Once outside, Nadia stopped Harry and crossed her arms over her chest. "You need to stop."

"I'm not going to. I know what he is and I know what he's doing." Harry hissed. "And I will prove it, Nadia." With that, he turned on his heel and caught up with Ron and Hermione.

Nadia sighed defeatedly, rubbing her temples and making her way to Ravenclaw Tower.

"What begins with T, ends with T, and has T in it?" The knocker asked.

Nadia thought for a minute before it came to her. "A teapot." The door swung open and she was greeted with a sight that she didn't want to see.

Ashton was sobbing her heart out whilst Sam was trying to console her. Nadia immediately rushed over and pulled the girl into a hug. "Hey, hey, hey. What happened?"

"It's Damien." Sam jeered. "He's been hurting her, Nadia."

Nadia felt her blood behind to boil. "Hurting her?" She seethed through gritted teeth. "Hurting her how?"

"Show her, hun." Sam cooed, gesturing for her to remove her robe.

Purple bruises littered her arms and legs. Finger marks clasped her wrists and neck. Scratches dug into her skin. Cuts and scrapes painted her.

Nadia looked horrified. "And there's more." Sam spat, removing a glamour charm from Ashton's face. Her eye was a blend of purple and blue and her lip was slit. "He's been forcing her to...satisfy him."

"That's it." Nadia snapped, rising off the couch and pacing around the room. "I knew there was something off about him. Ever since I met him. I knew it! I should have stopped this! I should have--"

"It's not your fault." Ashton spoke, her sobs dying down. "When it first started, I was fooling myself into thinking that he didn't mean it because he always apologised. But then he stopped. He just hurt me. No remorse, no regret, nothing." She wiped a few stray tears away. "I tried to convince myself that he really didn't mean it. That's why I got mad when you said he was bad. Because, I didn't want to believe it. But you were right." Ashton broke down again.

Ashton cuddled into the girls, breathing heavily.

"We should get to dinner. I'm starving." She croaked after a while.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, brushing her hair from her face.

"Yeah. I'm not going to hide." Ashton said. Sam took out her wand to put the glamour charm back on but Ashton stopped her. "I'm not going to hide." She repeated with determined eyes.

Nadia interlocked her fingers with Ashton, Sam doing the same. "Then let's go."

The three girls walked to the Great Hall hand-in-hand and heads held high.

Upon entrance, all eyes were on them, Ashton specifically. Gasps and whispers were heard about her appearance.

It was then that Nadia noticed a fuming Damien at the Slytherin table.

She clenched her fists and stormed over to him, Sam hot on her tail. "You!" She screamed.

"Look what you've done to her! Look at her face! What in the name of Merlin is wrong with you?!" Nadia yelled as Sam struggled to hold her back.

"So she told you." Damien stated more than asked, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. The Great Hall was in a silent anticipation.

"She didn't exactly have a choice." Sam scrunched her nose. "I saw the bruises."

"Well, she should be more careful then." Damien shrugged non-chalantly.

"She should--? She should be more careful?! She shouldn't have to be because you shouldn't be hurting her, you pig!" Nadia screamed, wriggling in Draco and Blaise's arms, as they had now come to assist Sam.

Damien chuckled. "She should do what I want her to do then."

At this phrase, Nadia escaped from the boys' arms and lunged at Damien, connecting her fist and his nose.

He crumbled to the floor, writhing in pain and blood trickling down his face. "You bitch."

Draco stepped forward, crouching down beside him, his face wearing a dangerous sneer. "Don't utter a word against her. You should think yourself lucky that's all you've got."

Suddenly, Flitwick and the other professor's came rushing over. "Miss Konstantinova! Detention for a month!" Flitwick cried.

Then Snape appeared. "Mr Price, you will come with me." He said before walking off.

Damien struggled to get up before following after Snape, glaring holes into Nadia's head.

"You'll pay for this." He whispered lowly.

"We'll see." Draco, Blaise and Sam stepped forward, mirroring his glare.

Suddenly, Nadia and Sam were engulfed in a tight hug. "I love you both. So much."

"We love you too."