Till Death do us Part

Trust Issues

Awkwardly, I sat on my bed, everyone sitting on their own staring at me. We were not talking as I ran my fingers through my blanket. Ama curled around me protectively, glaring at the other Badgers.

"So, are one of you going to tell me what is going on?" 

Looking sheepishly at Roger, I brought out my book. 

"No, we all know you can talk now. You tell us so I know you aren't lying," Justin snapped, grabbing the book from my hands.

I didn't know what to do, I couldn't speak English- or any other human tongue- so how was I meant to tell them? Sighing, I petted Ama's head before taking a deep breath. "I can talk but not human tongue. So if you want to understand a thing I say, I suggest you give me the book back." Holding out my hand, I smiled as Wayne grabbed the book out of Justin's hands and passed it to me. 'Thank you. As I just said, I can speak but not in the way you do.'

"What do you mean?"

'Well, as I told you, my vocal chords were damaged when I was young. While I can still talk in the old language I cannot speak in most languages on this planet.' I gave Wayne a smile as recognition glistened in his eyes. 

"Can I ask why we are focusing on the speaking part when he said he is a corpse? I want to circle back to that," Roger stated, looking at me with suspicion. 

'I'm not crazy. I don't even know how it happened, it's just always been like this.' I focused my magic in, temporarily disabling the magic holding the glamour up. I heard gasps coming from the others as they paled. Justin bent over the edge of the bed he was sitting on, herlling up on the floor. I instantly put the glamour back up and scuttered into a ball by my pillows. 

Wayne glared at the others who were still gagging. "Hey, it's okay. Sorry about them-" I stopped him before he could say anything else.

'Do not apologize for them. I am used to it anyway.'

"You said you lived in a cupboard, is that true?"

'Yep. Didn't mind it though. I liked the small space and the few things I had. And like I said, this is how it has always been.'

Wayne gave me a sad look, moving so he sat next to me and pulled me into a side-ways hug. "I'm sorry for what you've gone through. You shouldn't have to live like that."

"Who gave you those?" Kevin reached out, gently brushing his fingers across the scars on my skin.

'Mostly, Vernom gave them to me. He doesn't like me. Auntie gave me some too and Dudley but I unsettled them and they don't like going near me.' 

"Oh gosh, your guardians abused you," Roger gasped looking over me like I would fall apart at the seams.

I shrugged my shoulders, I didn't care. 'I really didn't mind. I like pain anyway. It's fun.'

You could practically feel the shock coming from the others, I tilted my head slightly. Why was that so shocking? Pain is funny. And it's not like I can feel true pain anymore anyway, I lost that sense a long time ago. 

"What do you mean by that?"

I smiled at Roger, holding out my hand and pulling up the sleeve before showing him the page. 'Pain hurts at first, but when it dulls, it can become something else. You can let in make you angry or distant or amazing.' I focused my eyes and removed the glamour on my arm. Stitches danced along the skin and bits of fabric was shown in. 

The others looked disturbed by my statement as Wayne took my hand and lowered it. "The transplant... It was a skin transplant."

Nodding, I frowned. 'I prefer this skin but Poppy says I have to have other skin.' 

Wayne looked so sad. Justin looked horrified. Kevin looked angry. And Roger... And looked indescribable. I couldn't read him.

Yawned, I stretched my arms behind me. 'I'm tired. Can I go to sleep now?'

Wayne gave me a sweet smile before shooting the others out. I wasn't sure why they were leaving. 

Grabbing onto Wayne's hand I gave him sad eyes. 'Did I do something wrong? Did I scare you off? Do you hate me? Am I bad?'

Wayne quickly took the pen from my hand, prying the book out of my fingers and placing it on the desk nearby. "No, you did nothing wrong. You haven't scared me off. I do not hate you and you are more definitely not bad. Okay?"

Nodding, I smiled as he ran his fingers through my hair and let me lean back. I curled under the soft sheets as Wayne walked away. 

"Thank you."

Justin collapsed on the sofa, running his fingers through his messy hair. This was not what he was expecting when he got told he was going to Hogwarts. "Do you believe him?"

"You think he is lying?"

"It's just, he is Harry Potter. Dumbledore wouldn't let him get hurt... right?" Justin looked at the others, practically begging them to provide him with answers to the questions running through his head.

"It is clear, no matter how it happened, that Sly has been hurt for years," Rogger snapped, glaring at Justin.

"Why are you getting so upset? It's not like you and he are particularly close."

"Why does that matter?!" Rogger slammed his hands down on the table before taking deep breaths and whispering to the group. "No matter what you think, someone is abusing Sly. And right now we should be supporting him, not calling him a liar." Rogger pushed the table away as he stormed up the stairs and back to their room.

"What has got him so uptight?"

"I don't know but I think we should drop this for a while," Wayne suggested, his own eyes sunken and sad. "Sly will need us. He trusts us and we should trust him."

Wayne gave one last look to Justin before walking off, Kevin following him. Justin watched from his seat unmoving until the prefect told him to leave.