Apart Again
David did everything in his power to comply with Umbridge’s wishes, but it was starting to become ludicrous, it got to the point where the students weren’t even allowed to have any interaction with the creatures he was trying to teach them about. David had had enough the moment he heard about Trelawney being sacked, he raced to the courtyard to see the pour woman tripping over her bags that Filch was piling up.
‘Hey!’ He yelled at the caretaker. ‘What’s going on? What are you doing?’ He grabbed the last bag from Filch, standing between him and Trelawney. David’s eyes found Umbridge and fury burned inside him.
‘Sybil.’ McGonagall rushed over to comfort Trelawney, but all David could think about was how furious he was.
‘Something to say?’ Umbridge tested them both.
‘Oh, there is plenty I would like to say.’ McGonagall spoke up, making sure that Trelawney was well-taken care of.
‘But you won’t.’ Umbridge smiled and David was ready to launch himself at her. ‘David?’
‘Professor.’ David growled. ‘My name is Professor Wales and you would do well to recognise that title.’ He stepped towards her, easily brushing Filch to one side given David’s bulky size. ‘You would also do well to remember the name Lockwood.’ He watched terror flash over her face for just a split second, but it was enough for him.
‘Are you threatening me?’ Umbridge squeaked. David took the last step towards her.
‘If she hears about you stepping out of line,’ David growled, quietly so that the crowd of students couldn’t hear. ‘You’ll wish you had the luxury of a fair warning. Believe me when I say, I am much more reasonable than her, but I will no longer tolerate you at this school.’
Just as she was about to reply, the heavy doors of the castle swung open and the headmaster strode out. He stopped beside David and placed a hand on his shoulder.
‘This is not the time, David.’ He said. ‘Remember your place.’
It took a moment to actually step back, but David did so upon remembering he was no good to Angelina if he went around upsetting Umbridge. His place was beside his best friend.
Dumbledore dispensed with the situation and David understood his position, the best chance they had at calming the situation and not adding fuel to the fire was to comply with the rules they still had power over. Trelawney was allowed to stay at the school for the time being, but he did wonder how long that would last.
The last thing he heard was Harry rushing towards Dumbledore who was disappearing off into the crowds.
David went back to his room and did his best to calm down. Never did it feel more of a struggle not to drink than in the moments he felt he failed. He failed Trelawney, she lost her job and Umbridge was allowed to get away with it. He promised himself to go and see her that night, maybe make her some tea and keep her company for a while, she so rarely had company or friends to stand by her and it was a shame as far as he was concerned. She wasn’t a bad person really, just… intense at the wrong times.
It was difficult to say the least, a constant and internal fight, the battle for control and Darren was losing. He’d been on the bench pretty much all season, claiming one injury after another, but he no longer cared for Quidditch the way he used to, he had bigger concerns. It was like a constant screaming in his head, constant and high pitched, a buzzing sensation that covered his entire being.
His blackouts were getting worse and he was waking up in places he knew he shouldn’t have been, places he knew there was trouble and yet he was always alone and exhausted. Darren meditated every day on the edge of the cliff outside his home, he focused on the memories that were truly his own, the ones that made him happiest and clung onto them with everything he had, but somehow, he always felt himself slipping.
Darren thought about going to see his sister, his parents, even going to St Mungo’s, anywhere where he might have found someone to help, but every time he thought it, his body felt like lead. He stayed in bed most days, not daring go anywhere public. Sometimes, when he felt he could, Darren would go to the training ground and train alone, doing basic drills just to keep his body healthy and fit.
The days all began melting into one and he found himself forgetting basic things like how to fly, it was as if his body and mind had begun to truly slip away from him. He denied it at every turn, but in moments of clarity he remembered the deal he’d made with Remus, if all else failed, he had that deal.
Valentine’s Day had been wonderful with Remus, to have that one day where I felt like I could be myself and love the way I wanted to love was everything I needed to ensure my plan would go ahead, but there was one thing I needed from him that I couldn’t ask on Valentine’s Day.
‘Remus?’ I said, wandering into the living room where my husband was sprawled out over the sofa reading a thick book. ‘Can I have a moment?’
He looked up and immediately marked a page in his book and put it to one side. ‘What is it?’
I gestured for him to follow me into the kitchen where I had been brewing his Wolfsbane for that month. I grabbed the coin I needed him to take and placed it in his hand.
‘What’s this?’ Remus looked down at the coin and frowned. ‘Why are you giving me this?’ I took a breath, but before I went to speak, Remus answered his own question. ‘You’re leaving again.’
I exhaled and looked up at his worried blue eyes. ‘Yes.’ I said.
‘Where are you going?’ Remus was getting annoyed, but he wasn’t stopping me from going or asking me to stay.
‘Bulgaria.’ I tried to tell him calmly. ‘One of the letters was from Aleksander, they’ve been having trouble with a few dark wizards setting up camp near the Sanctuary, there’s a good chance it’s Death Eaters from the Azkaban breakout.’
Remus nodded, frowning as he leaned back against the kitchen counter, he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a moment. ‘Are you taking anyone with you?’
‘My parents.’
Remus made his surprise known by his eyes snapping open to look at me, the table the only thing between us. He didn’t speak for a few moments and I just wanted to know what he was thinking without intruding.
‘You didn’t answer my question,’ he said. ‘Why are you giving me this?’
I stepped towards him, picking up the other coin that I would always keep with me from now on. ‘If you run into trouble, real trouble, you can call to me and I will find you.’
Remus hated this, he hated me leaving to go anywhere dangerous anyway, but I wasn’t giving him any kind of time line and that was more infuriating. ‘Why can’t you stay?’
‘You know why.’
Remus nodded. We both knew he was only asking with the faintest of hope, but I understood that he felt the need to ask anyway.
‘When will you leave?’ Remus held the coin tight and shoved it in his pocket, looking up at me.
‘Tomorrow morning.’ I placed my own coin in my pocket as well and folded my arms. ‘There’s a portkey that goes straight to Sophia, we’ll fly the rest of the way.’
I could see the question just behind Remus’s eyes, I knew he was about to ask it.
‘When will you come back?’ His voice cracked a little as he tried to keep his emotions in check and I was barely holding on as well.
‘The second I feel I can, I will be back by your side, alive and well. I promise.’ I slowly moved towards him and slid my hands up his chest. I felt his guard dropping, enough that I could kiss him softly.
‘Promise me.’ Remus whispered against my lips, his hands curled around my waist. I frowned, not quite knowing what he meant, but suddenly feeling his overwhelming, desperate desire.
‘Remus.’ I breathed.
‘Promise me, properly.’ He begged quietly. ‘Just once more.’
I wasn’t sure what happened, but I felt somehow sadder, like this was it, everything I knew was going to end tomorrow morning when I left for Bulgaria. I kissed Remus softly, I ran my hands over every part of his body, I let him do the same and we committed each other to memory all through the night, needing each other in a new way, to accept that if this was our last night together then there would be no night like it.