Zinnia's POV Pt 4
Zinnia begrudgingly spent Christmas Day with Hugo. She allowed herself to cry after dinner in her shower and spent the entire rest of the night writing. She wrote out a two page letter to send to George and a four page journal entry in her diary. She felt like once every thought was on the page, she could turn off her brain and go to sleep.
The next morning she slept in until noon and headed out to shop. She popped her letter to George in her mailroom's outgoing box and started her spree at Barney’s. Her driver had the day off so she was forced to take a taxi. Once she arrived, her personal shopper, Patrick, found her in the shoe section.
“There she is! From across the pond! Miss Zinnia Black! It has been too long, girlfriend.” He exclaimed, kissing both of her cheeks.
“Omg!! Hi Patrick! I’ve missed you! And your fashion, being forced to wear a uniform all school year has seriously put my sense of style in a chokehold.”
“We'll fix that! Let’s get to work!”
She gave him her AMEX and shoved the receipt in her new Prada bag, without looking at the total.
“Ok darling, I’ll have the intern drop off the rest of your purchases at the penthouse this afternoon. Still at the same spot?” Patrick asked
“The very same! Thanks again Patrick, I’m feeling like myself again already.”
“It’s my honor to serve you, now you go serve those looks honey!”
She headed back out and the doorman had already hailed a cab for her. She palmed him a $20 bill and scooted into the taxi. If she had her driver she would probably have stopped at Bergdorf's next. She could apparate there …. She decided against it and headed home.
Head buzzing from her retail therapy, she realized she hadn’t eaten today and just spent the last 3 hours sipping champagne at Barney’s. She called her favorite Chinese spot and ordered delivery. It felt good to be back in her city.
***
New Year’s was approaching and she hadn’t heard from her mom or George. She tried calling her mom at the London flat again. Nothing. She left another voicemail. She had no idea how to contact George other than by letter and that could take ages.
Hugo was around but distant in the last few days. Once New Year’s Eve had come, she walked down the few floors and knocked on his door. He lived in their building. No answer.
She knocked again and Hugo appeared with a loud crack behind her.
“Zinnia! What a surprise! How are you?”
“I’m fine Hugo , have you heard from mom? She said she was coming for New Years? Also do you have Arthur’s number? I want to talk to George. “
“Come in, Zinnia, we need to talk. “ He led her inside his apartment.
“What’s up H?”
“Your mom is stuck in London. She called this morning, "the English minister has banned travel.”
“I want to talk to her now. “ she demanded
“Ok, let me try her. “ he called and it went to voicemail and he didn't leave a message.
“Try again.”
“Zinnia. You need to understand, please, she is doing what she can to get here, she said she was meeting with the minister and may even have to take a plane to get here. “
“Ok why don’t I make it easier and go there?”
“He banned all travel incoming and outgoing.”
“This is ridiculous. I’m sure he can allow it, this is a special circumstance, with all the money our family has donated to his election this has to be allowed!”
“Zinnia I’m so sorry.”
“Have you heard from Arthur? Or George?”
“They are all ok.”
“Ok? Why are you being so short Hugo? What is going on”
“I, I’m kind of put in the middle right now Z.”
“Great. “ she spun on her heel and stormed out.
She knew whatever her mother was up to Hugo would never disobey her orders he was loyal to her first always. Once she got back upstairs she tried the London flat again. Straight to voicemail. Mailbox full. Fuck. She felt the loneliness hit her like a ton of bricks. No way back. No way to her mom. No way to George. She was alone and trapped there.
***
Hugo was the most company she was getting. By now she should have been back at school but Hugo was essentially holding her hostage and ‘Homeschooling’ her. All he trained her on was Occlumency. It was exhausting but she was getting to be really skilled at it.
After an hour of training one day the phone started to ring, she ran to it and answered.
“Hello?”
“Zinny? Hi honey” her mom’s silky voice said through the line.
“Mom! Where are you, are you ok? Why haven’t you called sooner?!” Zinnia pleaded through her tears that had sprung out of her eyes.
“Zinny, I need you to listen to me carefully. You are to stay where you are. You are to do as Hugo tells you. “
“Mom- “
“Listen baby please!” She sounded desperate and scared.
“Ok,”
“Europe is no longer safe, you” she stifled back a sob, her voice shaking. “You have to stay safe! Zinnia I cannot lose you! You have to stay, stay there and Hugo will keep you safe!” She had lost control, crying on the other line.
“Mom? Mom! Come back! Don’t stay there if you aren’t safe there please come home please!”
“I will be ok Zinnia, The Order is going to protect me and you and Hugo. We just can’t be together right now ok? We have to be strong! Zinnia, you are my strong, brilliant, and beautiful witch. The best thing you can do for me is to stay there. “
“Ok I will do what you and Hugo say mom. Please please please be safe! Don’t leave me here!”
“We will meet again, Zinnia. I promise you my love.” Her voice had calmed. Reassuring her daughter that it would all be ok.
“We will meet again. I love you mom. Please call again when you can.”
“I love you Zinny.” Click. The dial tone was buzzing in Zinnia’ ear. She sat like that, on the floor holding the phone to her ear, for a while.
Snapping out of it she stood up and put the phone back on the receiver. Walking back to the living room where she had left Hugo.
“That was mom. She isn’t coming back. She’s with The Order and she's safe.”
“Oh Merlin, Zinnia are you ok?”
“I’m fine. Where were we?” She asked and they continued with the lesson.
She didn’t ask her mom about George. She had been writing to him here and there and he still had not replied or called her phone. She added her number to each letter with clear instructions on how to work a pay phone or home phone. He was busy. She was sure. It was their final year and he and Fred had planned to start their joke shop and he had Quidditch. He had a lot on his mind and he was starting to get more involved with The Order. But she didn’t want to think about that. Not about anything bad she just thought, he had school and work and sports nothing heavy nothing scary everything was fine safe happy. Happy thoughts she told herself.
***
It was mid July and still she had no update from anyone in Europe. She wrote to Arthur and Molly, Ginny, Fred George, Hermione, Ron, Harry. She even sent a letter to Percy at the ministry begging for anyone to please write her fucking back and nothing. It was like she was a ghost. Hugo made her wear a tracking necklace so that he could apparate to her exact location if he got a call from anyone. It made her feel better that she could leave the house and not miss a call that never seemed to come.
She was reading in Central Park, close to her building entrance. While she read she practiced her occlumency. It was easier for her that way. Focus on the words on the page, build brick by brick and push her own thoughts behind the wall. Push her memories in there too. Oh a thought about George and his cheeky grin? Behind the wall. George and his eucalyptus shampoo scent while she rode on the back of his broom? Shoving that way to the back, adding another layer of cement. George’s tongue trailing down her- it’s already gone, it’s behind the cement behind the brick and now for good measure a sturdy plaster wall that she added a beautiful wallpaper to. Maybe adding some trim and moldings. Good now she could read. She twirled the locket Hugo made her wear in her fingers. It was a simple silver heart locket from Tiffany’s, there was a clasp to open it but she could never figure out how to work it and wearing it 24/7, it felt like part of her body that she usually forgot was there.
Her moms memories were harder to bury. She worked on it but when she would arrive back in their penthouse, the place reeked of Ophelia. The furniture, the decor, her giant bedroom full of her clothes and shoes and makeup. Zinnia had gone in there and quickly realized what a mistake it was. Losing her sanity in the closet, this dress she wore to drop her off her first day of school. These shoes she let her borrow for the Yule ball. This winter coat that her scent had clung on to, from when they went to the ballet a few Christmases back. Once Zinnia pulled herself out of the room she locked the door and used a charm to cover the appearance of it. Out of sight out of mind. That was what she could do.
As for the rest of the apartment? She called Patrick from Barney’s for back up.
“Ok great we love that for you.” He told her after she lied and said her mom gifted her the penthouse and she would be staying in London. That she wanted to do a total makeover of the place, floor to ceiling everything new. Not one doorknob even to stay the same. He gave her the number of a professional interior designer he knew as he quickly realized this was out of his wheelhouse.
“Thanks Patrick! See you for drinks next weekend!” She said as he left.