The great hall was loud with the chatter of all the students filing in from late classes, ready for dinner. Granger and I were the last through the doors, ushering some of the first years to their respective seats. It had been a long day and we had tried not to speak too much to each other. Neither of us mentioned it but it was one year ago today that I was forced to watch my classmate writhing in pain on the floor of my living room as my aunt tortured her half to death. We had also both skipped our History of Magic class, knowing full well the clipping of escaped death eaters had a picture of dear old Aunt Bella, and while it was normally very easy to just ignore the insufferable with, today just didn't seem like the day to try to pretend everything was just fine. Despite our attempts at ignoring each other, I had noticed that Granger had been scratching her left forearm an awful lot today.
We sat at our tables and avoided eye contact some more as McGonagall began a short speech, announcing all the comings and goings on for the coming weekend. A Hogsmeade trip for upperclassmen, the dueling club had a meeting and there was a Quidditch game tonight between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder echoed through the great hall. Silence followed until a few people laughed awkwardly. McGonagall continued but I found my eyes drawn to the painting behind her. It was of Dumbledore. He seemed to be staring directly at me. Every few seconds he would glance away and then continue to glare me down. My brow furrowed as this continued. What was he doing? I followed his glance over towards the Gryffindor table and found myself staring at her.
She was shaking. Hard. And staring down at her arm. I saw a red stripe and I realized that her old wound was bleeding. She suddenly looked up, staring as something that wasn't there. She whispered something and though I couldn't hear her across the hall I could read her lips and the very word brought a chill to my blood. Bellatrix. I stood up and practically tripped over the bench as I tried to get around the table to her side, but before I could even get past the Slytherins, she let out a scream. A scream so shrill and so full of pain that people were diving under tables to take cover from whatever was attacking the school. But it wasn't going to hurt anyone else. Just her. My heart wretched as I listened to that scream, so familiar, so like the scream I heard again and again in my nightmares as I dealt with the reality that I had done nothing to save her. That I had just watched. That in watching I was just as guilty as my aunt. I pushed first years aside as I sprinted to her. No one had done a thing. Everyone was just staring at shock as the Head Girl went crazy. She was lying on the floor, begging for Bellatrix to stop. Her arm was washed in blood, through the grey jumper she wore and I didn't hesitate to rip the knit fabric off her as I fell to her side gathering her in my arms. She reached for me and for a second I thought she was going to slap me but all she did was pull me close and bury her face in my shirt. I threw her torn jumper aside and looked at her arm. It was bleeding far worse than it had that fated day in my mansion and it had a distinct glow of magic about it.
"That bitch." I swore loudly. Still no one made a move to help, still in utter shock of what was occurring. "Oh for Merlin's sake, will someone get me some dittany?" I yelled. The girl Weasley muttered an 'accio' charm and rushed to my side with a small bottle. I poured it over her arm and she shrieked even louder as grey and green steam rose from her wound. When it had stopped the blood has ceased flowing and her shrieks became soft cries. She whimpered like a wounded puppy as she clutched me closer and pressed her face into my (now tear stained) shirt. I rocked her back and forth slowly.
"Shhh, Granger, it's okay. She's not here. I swear she's not here. It's just a curse. She's dead. She's dead and gone. It's just a curse." Her cries softened and I became hyper aware of the crowds around me. The little Weasley girl was giving me an odd look.
"What curse? What's happening?" She asked shakily, not sure what she should do.
"Her arm wound was cursed, I guess." I returned quietly. "She's reliving what happened one year ago." I glanced around the great hall and saw hundreds of eyes staring back at me in shock. "Come on Weasley. We've got to get her out of here." I scoured her up bridal style and stalked down the aisles Weasley at my side softly murmuring to Hermione comfortingly. "Yeah, thanks for the help, everyone." I called out as sarcastically as I could manage as we strode out the doors.
We sat at our tables and avoided eye contact some more as McGonagall began a short speech, announcing all the comings and goings on for the coming weekend. A Hogsmeade trip for upperclassmen, the dueling club had a meeting and there was a Quidditch game tonight between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder echoed through the great hall. Silence followed until a few people laughed awkwardly. McGonagall continued but I found my eyes drawn to the painting behind her. It was of Dumbledore. He seemed to be staring directly at me. Every few seconds he would glance away and then continue to glare me down. My brow furrowed as this continued. What was he doing? I followed his glance over towards the Gryffindor table and found myself staring at her.
She was shaking. Hard. And staring down at her arm. I saw a red stripe and I realized that her old wound was bleeding. She suddenly looked up, staring as something that wasn't there. She whispered something and though I couldn't hear her across the hall I could read her lips and the very word brought a chill to my blood. Bellatrix. I stood up and practically tripped over the bench as I tried to get around the table to her side, but before I could even get past the Slytherins, she let out a scream. A scream so shrill and so full of pain that people were diving under tables to take cover from whatever was attacking the school. But it wasn't going to hurt anyone else. Just her. My heart wretched as I listened to that scream, so familiar, so like the scream I heard again and again in my nightmares as I dealt with the reality that I had done nothing to save her. That I had just watched. That in watching I was just as guilty as my aunt. I pushed first years aside as I sprinted to her. No one had done a thing. Everyone was just staring at shock as the Head Girl went crazy. She was lying on the floor, begging for Bellatrix to stop. Her arm was washed in blood, through the grey jumper she wore and I didn't hesitate to rip the knit fabric off her as I fell to her side gathering her in my arms. She reached for me and for a second I thought she was going to slap me but all she did was pull me close and bury her face in my shirt. I threw her torn jumper aside and looked at her arm. It was bleeding far worse than it had that fated day in my mansion and it had a distinct glow of magic about it.
"That bitch." I swore loudly. Still no one made a move to help, still in utter shock of what was occurring. "Oh for Merlin's sake, will someone get me some dittany?" I yelled. The girl Weasley muttered an 'accio' charm and rushed to my side with a small bottle. I poured it over her arm and she shrieked even louder as grey and green steam rose from her wound. When it had stopped the blood has ceased flowing and her shrieks became soft cries. She whimpered like a wounded puppy as she clutched me closer and pressed her face into my (now tear stained) shirt. I rocked her back and forth slowly.
"Shhh, Granger, it's okay. She's not here. I swear she's not here. It's just a curse. She's dead. She's dead and gone. It's just a curse." Her cries softened and I became hyper aware of the crowds around me. The little Weasley girl was giving me an odd look.
"What curse? What's happening?" She asked shakily, not sure what she should do.
"Her arm wound was cursed, I guess." I returned quietly. "She's reliving what happened one year ago." I glanced around the great hall and saw hundreds of eyes staring back at me in shock. "Come on Weasley. We've got to get her out of here." I scoured her up bridal style and stalked down the aisles Weasley at my side softly murmuring to Hermione comfortingly. "Yeah, thanks for the help, everyone." I called out as sarcastically as I could manage as we strode out the doors.
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