Black, Dalia

The next day after classes I couldn’t help but want to run away. Everything felt like too much, the students are too obnoxiously loud, they smelt and worse they kept bashing into me. Leaving my last class of the day a Gryffindor had barged past me, spitting ‘watch it Black’ as he passed. Something just snapped and I had blasted him down the corridor, Flitwick had come out the classroom quickly, worry covering his face as he took in the scene.

‘What’s going on here?’ He had squeaked, I stared the boy down until he muttered nothing and walked away. I walked the opposite way, breaking out into a run as soon as I was out of sight of the professor. I ran straight out of the school and into the hills just beyond the gates. The grass was completely frozen over here, the dementor clearly having just patrolled the area.

Finding a rock, I cleared it of ice and sat down. Grabbing my notebook from my bag I began to draw one of the clusters of white bell flowers strewn around. I hadn’t been sat long when I spotted a dark shadow moving in the distance. I panicked at first, thinking the dementors were returning, just to look up and see Professor Snape walking through the fields and towards the forbidden forest, that was until he saw me and started making his way over to me instead. I hastily looked back down at my drawing, pretending I hadn’t seen him.

“Miss Black, there is a dangerous criminal on the loose and dementors patrolling the area,” He drawled “what made you think it was a good idea, or even acceptable, to leave the castle grounds…” He questioned, folding his arms and looking down at me.

“While that look may intimidate others Sir, you don’t scare me.” I stated, looking up to him, challenging him. Then I smiled, “In fact I don’t see how anyone could find you scary, much less be terrified enough for you to be their boggart.” I teased.

He simply scowled, but it didn’t have any anger in it. I could tell. I’d spent a lot of time watching the different professors, he may be the hardest to read but I was figuring him out. Finally, he gave in.

“It’s utterly ridiculous.” He hissed, “His grandmothers clothes! Of all things. Of course Lupin would give the boy such an idea.” The professor began to rant. I cut him off with a curt eyebrow raise, a trick I was mimicking from the man himself. He turned away continuing to mumble angrily to himself.

“Oh, I don’t know, I think perhaps you’d suit an oversized witches hat topped with a vulture...?” I ventured, he spun around and stepped closer, his breath tickling my face as he’d bent towards me.

“Well perhaps you can request one of the students give you the memory, you could watch it over and over again in the pensieve if it pleases you so much.” He sneered. I leaned in closer too, our noses practically touching as I stared him dead in the eyes.

“I’d rather help you round up everyone who saw and obliviate them all of the event.” I say smiling almost vindictively.

I had clearly shocked him into silence because he almost stumbles back slightly, staring at me wide-eyed.

“Why?” He stammers, looking at me in confusion. I snap my book closed and gather my things as he watches, just as I’m about to walk away I stop next to him facing forward as he continues to stare at my profile.

“Because no one should suffer being ridiculed that way.” I state and walk away.

Xx

I sit in Defence Against the Dark Arts reading, I hadn’t see the professor for some time now, a couple days perhaps as he seemed to be avoiding the Great Hall until the gossip died down, but he had mentioned something called a pensieve and as I hadn’t heard of it before, I was reading up on them.

Professional Lupin came in late, looking extremely tired, calling for us stand and push our desks to the sides of the class. My heart lurched while the rest of the class was a buzz, clearly, we too would get to face the boggart…

I stood at the back, hoping one of the students would react badly or the clock would chime, anything to stop me from taking my turn, but I had no such luck. I stood now at the front of the line, the entire class whispering amongst themselves as they watched me.

The boggart in front of me began to change, until finally its form settled. In front of me was a beautiful young girl, she would be a year younger than me now. She had bright auburn curls trailing down to her hips and an almost sheer dress on. She glided towards me, as I stumbled back.

“Hey, doll.” She said, smiling ever so sweetly and reaching out towards me. Both the class and Lupin stood behind me, confused and transfixed by this alluring young woman. I raised my wand, my hand shaking.

“Rid-“ “Do you remember?” The girl said, a tone changing to something much crueller, and I froze. “Do you remember what you did to me?” She screamed, her face contorting in anger as she charged towards me. My wand clattered against the hardwood as she tackled me to the floor, her hands around my throat.

She was smiling down at me, a grin with far too many teeth and her eyes were bulging with the sick pleasure of choking the life out of me. I closed my eyes as I clawed around the floor, trying to find my wand but then she was just gone. The wardrobe clicked shut and I staggered to get off the floor. Tears were streaming down my face, I realised, as I rubbed my throat.

“Dalia…” The professor asked, slowly walking towards me with his hands out in front of him. I leaned down to grab my wand and ran from the room.

It was too warm, I needed air. I pulled at my tie, yanked at my collar. I couldn’t breathe. Still shaking, still too warm, the halls felt like they were spinning. I scratched at my throat, my lungs were burning, I think I’m going to be sick. I reached out, grabbing for anything nearby. Metal, cold, a railing. I slumped down beside it. The room still spun. I kept gasping for air, but nothing made it to my lungs. Tears dripped from my chin, they burned too. I scrunched my eyes shut.

Hands were grabbing my shoulders, then I could feel them everywhere. My sides, my neck, my chest, between my… NO. I screamed, kicking out, I could hear them laughing, I could feel their eyes on my naked body. I could feel their breath as the loomed over my back. They were everywhere. Fingers were on my lips, forcing them apart. Something thick was sliding down my throat, it tasted horrible, but it didn’t taste like…

“Dalia!” My eyes flew open, I looked around frantically before my eyes landed blearily on the dark figure of Severus Snape, I grabbed at the fabric of my uniform. It wasn’t real. It was only Snape, who sat kneeling in front of me. My vision cleared; he looked terrified. He grabbed my hand gently, and pulled it towards himself, resting it on his chest.

“Breathe with me.” He soothed. “Just breathe.”

We sat there for ages, it felt as though an eternity was squashed into the space of minute, but eventually I was able to breathe again. I wiped my face and leant back against the railing; it was freezing. Above me was a spiral staircase of black metal steps, ah, I was at the base of the astronomy tower. He lets my hand go.

“Are you okay now, Miss Black.” He said, his voice quiet like he was too afraid to speak any louder. I looked back to the man knelt in front of me.

“It was Dalia a minute ago.” He looks at me, considering, and then, “Are you okay, Dalia.” He asks again, saying my name awkwardly, like he doesn’t quite know how the word was supposed to sound.

I look to the side, seeing an empty vial on the floor.

“What did you give me?” I ask, picking up the vial and twirling it between my fingers.

“A calming draught.” He takes the vial back from me, fingers brushing mine as he does.

My knees are up by my chest, I relax one on the floor beside the professor. Behind where it was I can now see a dusty footprint.

“Did I kick you?” I lean forward brushing my hand over the dirtied fabric, his breath hitches ever so slightly.

“What do you think?” He says, though there’s not a trace of bite, he’s not even trying.

“Sorry.”

“It’s,” he hesitates slightly, watching as I brush the dust from his cloak before grabbing my wrist to stop me, “It’s fine.”

I take my hand back and pull myself off the floor.

“Thank you, professor.” I say, being as polite and composed as I can manage. He too gets off the floor, the dust from the floor disappearing from both of us with a flick of his wand. He just nods. I turn to walk away.

“Who was she?”

I paused, should I answer?

“I never knew her name.” Was all I said before I continued to walk away.