Chapter 1: Op.19, Overture. The King of these Lands
Chapter Text
Fourth year at Hogwarts
We were all expectant. There wasn't a soul who hadn't heard the news during the summer break when rumours flew from owl to owl. Honestly, it was amazing what money could do. According to the best gossipmongers, the ladies I sometimes sat with for tea in Hogsmeade, this particular individual who would eventually walk through those giant doors with the first years had been involved in multiple situations at his previous school, Durmstrang, which had led to him being dragged back to England to apply to Hogwarts and study at the same school that all his siblings had gone to. The tension could be cut by the air we all held in our lungs in a shocked silence that had left even Headmaster Black speechless, if one could get a good look at his face he looked much more expectant than the rest of us as well as nervous.
And I could understand him, we could all understand him. After all, no one doubted the amount of money Bruce Wayne himself must have paid him to keep things quiet and for him to agree to receive him. According to the rumours that had spread around the table a few minutes ago, on the last day before the summer break, a Ravenclaw student had watched Black and Bruce Wayne make their way to the office and Mr. Wayne had such fine and expensive robes that the student, who was a fan of the magical fashion world, fainted in the middle of the corridor after catching such sights. They said it could be worth millions what he wore to a simple meeting with Black. If I had that kind of money to buy the one and only, eccentric and disgusting, hideous and dictatorial headmaster of Hogwarts and also to wear clothes that were possibly worth more than my life and the lives of everyone inside this castle combined and multiplied by three I would never work again in my life. Not even lift a finger.
Then it happened. The doors of the Great Hall opened loudly as trumpets heralded the arrival of the shy creatures about to face their first year and, behind them, his figure with that dark aura that dulled the glow of the little ones' joy with his scowl and his hair combed and pinned to perfection. Imposing. That's what he looked like, but it must have been more so because he was surrounded by children who didn't even come close to his shoulder. Everyone followed him with their eyes as he walked forward with his head held high and with all the confidence you could buy in this world. My vantage point wasn't very good, after all I was closer to the doors as I was turning my back on the Slytherin boys who were quietly placing bets to see which side would belong to the one they were beginning to nickname "The King of Hogwarts".
Then I got bored. My fellow classmates all around me whispered to each other as the names began to be passed around in alphabetical order as everyone knew that the cherry on the cake would be the last one whose name was called out. I began to play with my orange hair as I could since it ended a little below my ears, moving my fringes back to leave my forehead and eyebrows uncovered. Then I started to play with my tie, undoing it from my collar and adjusting it again, counting the yellow stripes on it and then black before dropping my forehead on the empty table waiting for the show that had everyone waiting to end. I felt sorry for those poor kids who had to be forced to take part in that sorting ceremony when everyone was waiting for the main event.
Damian Wayne
Sun-browned skin and black hair, bushy eyebrows and a strong jaw. Eyes annoyed, dark gaze that didn't let me see the colour of his eyes from afar. Rather thin lips that I had seen pursed in a thin line when he had made his way. He was annoyed or bored, tired of this whole situation or tired of being surrounded by people who were nowhere near his social level. Maybe even tired of being around those who weren't purebloods, after all Durmstrang only accepted those.
—Damian Wayne.
After the applause for the previous boy who had been greeted with whistles from my house - Hufflepuff - the hall returned to the blistering silence that made me raise my head and stop theorising about why this Wayne's face was so sour. When I looked up he was already sitting in front of everyone with his gaze fixed on the back of the room as Deputy Headmistress Weasley began to lower the Sorting Hat onto his head.
—No doubt about it... Slytherin!
Needless to say, Slytherin were celebrating as if they had won a whole Quidditch cup behind me as the other houses celebrated the new student who would become the target of attempted friendships of convenience and, from now on, the most popular student of the year among girls desperate for a taste of their fortune. The noise wouldn't let Headmaster Black start his speech that no one really cared about, his reputation hadn't been the best when in my first year he appeared to ban Quidditch which led to multiple detentions and punishments for people who started playing it outside the school grounds in the forest and ended up losing many of the equipment in acromantula nests, big losses for Black's pocket that didn't stop until he allowed the sport again.
—Radchel, Radchel. —a voice to my right called my name, and I didn't hesitate to turn and look at her as she met my gaze with a smile. —What do you think?
—Of what? Black's boring speech? Well, I hate it. —I answered quickly as I tried to divert the conversation, knowing what she was asking me in particular.
It made no sense whatsoever as I was up against someone who was well on her way to studying journalism as soon as she graduated from this place.
—You know what I'm talking about, Reid, don't play dumb. —Leo's voice focused on my eyes again with those big orbs watching me intently, looking not to miss any of my expressions. —What do you think of Damian Wayne? —a sigh left my lips as some of the hairs of my fringe covered my forehead again and others were left behind as I had put them, undoing my tie as I tilted my face to the side without breaking eye contact.
—You know my opinion. —my voice sounded harsher than I expected. —I don't care much about him, not that there's anything to highlight about him. —I raised my shoulders as I placed my left elbow on the table and shifted my head so that it was now resting against my palm, my back to Black who was talking nonsense. —But you know what I think of people with big money....
—Don't start again, Radchel, they're not all like that. —Leo's voice reprimanded me as her gaze softened and her eyes began to sparkle, being empathetic even though she didn't know the full backstory.
—You mean not everyone is like you, Leonor. —I rolled my eyes as I slipped my right hand into the inside pocket of my black robe as my fingers brushed my wand and the top of my golden watch, feeling its details with my fingers.
—But don't you think it's sad? Everyone will want to be his friend just for his money.
—Sad? Oh no, not at all. —a chuckle escaped my lips as my slitted eyes looked up at the candles hanging from the ceiling and the majesty they brought to the atmosphere. —I'm sure he knows, whether he's fooled is up to him.
—Reid...
—After all, that's what people with money are like. —as I noticed the fire of the candles, I couldn't help but look down at the anxious throbbing that had taken over my chest at the memories, feeling the burn of the hand against my cheek combust along with the fury that had taken hold of me. —They use and discard, people are nothing more than puppets for them to move in their favour with the power of money and, when you don't let them use you, you watch as you are left with nothing as they take it all away from you.
—Excuse me? —a male voice sounded behind me with a serious and grave tone, a shiver ran up my spine as I had my back to him and I couldn't help but notice the way Leo was looking to the side to see the figure that was most likely sitting behind me.
—Excuse you. —I didn't have to look at him to know the situation I'd gotten myself into, but the anger that pulsed as my hand gripped my pocket watch tightly gave me no reason to consider what I'd said and behind whose back I'd said it.
—What did you say? —I wanted to ask him if he was deaf or if he wanted me to repeat everything I had said, but I didn't want to get worked up and have points taken away from my house on the first day back at the castle.
—I didn't know I was having a three-way conversation, but if you're so interested I can tell you word by word everything I've talked about up to this point. —a bored sigh came from my lips as I slurred my words trying to be cordial as I watched Leo's face turn with each of my words into a face full of panic. —Though I suppose it's not necessary... if you're making such a fuss, it's because the shoe fits you.
I might be a Hufflepuff, but that didn't mean I was nice. I'm not kind, I'm not honest, I know I'm often prejudiced and sometimes I'm not even loyal. For Merlin's sake, people often ask me why the hat put me in this house and not Gryffindor. Even I wondered that myself. I knew I was making a bigger deal out of it and attracting more attention than I should have while Black was talking on the other side of the room, but part of me didn't really care. I could have told him that I was talking about people with money in general and not him and his family specifically, I could have been kind and understanding to him who had just come from far away just to come and complete his studies. Maybe he had a sad backstory that would make us cry until we cried blood from the sadness of his life full of luxuries and money that made him feel lonely deep down. That is, if I really cared.
But just his voice with that hint of that foreign accent he possessed was enough to make my blood boil and bring heat to my face from how much I was holding back the urge to argue.
—Do you think that's funny? —his voice sounded low, but charged with anger behind me.
—This situation? Of course. —I turned my face slightly and met her emerald gaze, which was throwing all sorts of curses at me behind it. -You've turned this whole dinner into a show just like a clown would do, I can't help but laugh, can I? —my tone turned more innocent for seconds as a small smile broke out on my face, which soon turned into a grimace.
—It's not like I want to be here sharing space with those with so little regard for both school rules and respect for their fellow students. And I can see that those are qualities you clearly possess.
—And it's not as if I want to be wasting my time with a person who has so little regard for other people's conversations that he feels he has the power to come and intervene where he's not called and consider himself the centre of the conversation anyway. I see it is a quality you possess, so severely. —I ran my tongue along the edge of my fang as I made sure to keep eye contact, feeling people start to whisper around us, clearly more attuned to what was going on between him and me than to Black talking in the background. —Meanwhile to what you said about respect... a few minutes ago I used to have it for you, but I lost it as soon as you started talking. So what are you going to do? You gonna try and buy a new one?
The bright smile on my face as I teased him seemed to irritate him, which made me smile even more as I watched his jaw clench and many incredulous looks from people I knew around me fixed on me. I couldn't deny that this was the third time I had seen myself in some way antagonising one of the richies who thought they could come in here and do whatever they wanted. However, the previous two times had been focused on helping other kids who had been tormented by those kinds of people and I had done everything I could to protect them. That had earned me a reputation that I didn't really care about and that was breaking in front of their eyes.
There was nothing I liked more than emotionally screwing those rich people who thought they were the sun and all the stars. I fucking hate Astronomy.
—Silence! —Deputy Headmistress Weasley's voice flooded the space without a tone of reproach as she tried to draw attention to herself. —We understand the joy of familiar faces and new experiences, of fresh faces and upcoming endeavours, but we must also understand that we are here because we have a pure desire to learn and great goals to achieve, which is why I find myself interrupting Headmaster Black right now to encourage listening to the topics of your interest that are being discussed today. —her subliminal message implied that we should shut our mouths if we didn't want Black to shut down Quidditch again, which we all seemed to understand. —Thank you very much, you may continue as you wish.
I turned back to Leo, turning my torso until I was facing the table again with my back to the Slytherin table leaving the Wayne possibly speechless.
That's the power I have over people.
I could only hope that the Wayne's presence wouldn't affect this school year so much and it could be a year with some peace of mind as his presence was repelled from mine.
Fifth year at Hogwarts
I hate that bloody bastard Damian Wayne al Ghul.
Chapter 2: Op.19, Act I, Scene 1: No.1 When you're a stranger
Chapter Text
Needless to say, things between Wayne and I had not gone well.
Not well at all. Horrible, if I had to describe the situation in one word.
The year before we had every single one of our classes together and many times we were forced to try to work as a team because the teachers didn't find it any funnier than watching two people who with each day began to hate each other to death fight and bicker in their classes endlessly between whispers and hurling curses and tired sighs every time the other would open his mouth, including my constant teasing since I realised I used to be taller than him that made him go mad with rage.
Plus the Quidditch tournament last year that left the Wayne in the infirmary after he pitifully fell off his broom with his bat in hand after being hit in the head by a bludger when it was redirected by one of his teammates who had tried to block it after Mercer and I executed a perfect Dopplebeater defence in his direction. Just remembering that moment made me laugh, I was sure that as he fell I had seen him try to hide my wide grin under my palm. Lucky for him that Professor Kogawa threw a Arresto Momentum at him before he hit the ground, though it didn't save him from his date with Nurse Blainey.
And, without counting all the duels we had in secret, the duel we faced during D.A.D.A. in which my body flew through the air, almost shattering Professor Hecat's beloved skeleton. A terrible humiliation that had made the rest of the class laugh as the teacher found herself having to levitate me to keep me from smashing my head against the floor.
But I had been right about one thing. Damian Wayne was a fucking son of a bitch to everyone.
The number of people who dared to approach him could be counted on one hand, in fact, as everyone knew their names it was impossible not to mention them. Jonathan Ken, Gryffindor son of two of the best known journalists of recent years, and my friend the traitorous socialite Leonor Sander. I didn't know when she had become so close to Wayne, but I wasn't surprised either. Apparently Damian Wayne has a particular taste in journalists. After that, no other person dared to approach him unless it was for something extremely necessary. Like Quidditch, or some declaration of love from a foolish soul who thought it would be reciprocated.
But now we had started fifth year and I had more priorities that couldn't be interrupted by Wayne's annoying presence. So far the beginning of the week had started off without any interaction with him which looked flattering.
—Reid. —I heard my name being called as I walked out of the Great Hall after breakfast, walking faster as I listened to her somewhat heeled shoes hit the floor. —Radchel Lizh Johnson, stop right there!
I kept ignoring her as I made my way through the large doors of the Great Hall to the small transitional hallway where two statues were fighting and hacking each other to pieces with their swords. I scurried over to the other door to push it open as I looked behind me hoping that Leo wasn't following me as she had been doing all these days, listening as the door hit something on the other side. I moved my face through the available space to find Jon Ken's pained face clutching his nose and glasses in his hands. His friend might be a huge troll, but he was like an annoying angel descended from heaven.
—I'm sorry, Jon. —I apologised as I pushed my whole body through the door opening and closed it behind me, reaching into the inside pockets of my tunic for some Wiggenweld potions. —Take this as a quick apology, I'm late.
A small smile came from my lips as he accepted them smiling with one hand still holding his nose which seemed not to be bleeding luckily, he waved goodbye and so did I as I walked past him and started to scurry up the stairs looking to run away from Leo's voice, her voice calling out to me made me turn to look as she was surrounded by Ken, who had tried to open the door at the same time as her, causing him to startle himself with the thought of hitting his nose again, and Damian, who was holding the door between his fingers as he concentrated on looking at his friend with an expression I didn't know.
When had he appeared? It didn't matter.
I didn't hesitate to turn and continue scurrying up the stairs hoping none of the prefects would see me. Maybe it was childish of me to give her the law of ice for appearing overnight on the train talking in the friendliest way to the boy I hated at first sight and also the fact that she hadn't even noticed my presence that day, making her go and sit peacefully with them instead of with me when she had promised to wait for me to go all the route together. But these things happen. At least I had time to reconnect with the Quidditch team who were already making their plans to win this year.
As I had said, I had more important things to concentrate on that didn't involve Damian Wayne's presence and if my darling Leo wanted to spend her time with him there was nothing I could do. The O.W.L.s were already this year and I had to focus on getting through them perfectly.
Which meant getting to all the classes early and trying not to fall asleep in the middle of them.
I made my way through the castle to the classroom of History of Magic where the lethargy was felt as soon as one opened the doors and realised that Professor Binns was already there pacing around as he read some of his notes. I made my way over to him, flattening my long skirt as I felt the fabric and saw its black and yellowish colours.
—Good morning, Professor Binns. —I greeted him with a smile as he turned to greet me in his bored tone. —Do you need any help organizing your notes for class?
—Oh, it's you Johnson. —he seemed to recognise me, which lifted his mood a little. —If you could put these notes on the table, the room has been a bit messy as I was planning lessons for this year... you're excellent, but I hope you'll take fewer naps during my class.
—I'll try, Professor. —another smile came shining from my lips as I put my hands in motion holding all the parchments on the students' tables, feeling comfortable enough around the ghost to hum songs.
—Try as hard as you can, Miss Johnson. —his reproach sounded light as he walked through me to his desk, leaving me shivering. —I've heard from other teachers that you've worked hard since you entered school, and I've seen it in your every assignment, but your arguments with other students and your noticeable dislike of some classes have earned you a reputation.
My naps in Professor Binns and Professor Shah's class were certainly something that annoyed them, but they couldn't deny that the little effort I put into each of their assignments was enough to leave me flying past both classes with flying marks. Although with Professor Shah it was more about luck because I hated opening the books she had sent me to buy just to waste my money on her nonsense. And if he was talking about arguments, it was because he knew how much trouble I had gotten myself along with Wayne with our constant bickering.
—Relax, Professor, I'm focused on my studies this year. —my nonchalant tone made him turn to look at me with surprise. —After all, I need to pass my N.E.W.T.s in Outstanding in a few years. —I explained as I dropped all the parchments onto his desk, careful not to let any of them roll or get any more crumpled than they were. —But I can't lie to you, I'll most likely find myself not being able to take this subject anymore next year.
—It's a pity. —his sad tone wounded my heart, the professor could be a very sweet ghost if you took an interest in the things he said and tried to talk to him regularly. —You would make an excellent Archivist or Historian. —a hearty laugh came from my chest as he smiled and looked at me with a wistful gaze.
—Don't worry, I'll see what days I'm free next year to come sleep over in your class and keep you company. You won't get rid of me that easily. —I leaned back against one of the tables as I watched my ghostly teacher turn around and pick up the long parchment I would be reading today. —What better than a good nap while I listen to your notes on the Goblin Rebellion of 1752?
A smile escaped my lips as I saw his tired face and other students enter the hall, two of them being acquaintances of mine. Eamon Parker, one of the Gryffindor Chasers, and his best friend Briar Mercer, my batting partner. I greeted them both with a smile which they smiled back at me as they approached me with their heavy books in hand, waving boredly at poor Professor Binns.
Eamon was taller, red-haired with sky blue eyes and an imposing nose that gave him his charisma. People usually got him mixed up and instead of his surname he was called Weasley because of his resemblance to the Deputy Headmistress. Briar was a little shorter, but stronger from the constant exercise we did together in the afternoons before team practice, his blond hair shining and his dark blue eyes had a small scar under his right eye that made him look menacing to those who didn't know him. Mercer was one of the nicest people I had ever met. Together they were Parker and Mercer, two brains and a single neuron that split to think the same thing in both bodies at the same time. One person split in two.
—Reid, you look wide awake. —Parker's voice echoed through the room as he dropped the books he was holding onto one of the tables. —It's surprising. Are you sitting with us today?
—Of course! —then there would be no way Leo would try to talk to me during class. —You know, sometimes I can try not to fall asleep if I put my mind to it. All for the O.W.L.s.
—Wow, that's a lot of motivation... —Mercer's voice sounded bored as he looked me over from head to toe before smirking broadly in my direction. —For someone who didn't bring the materials for class. —laughs came from his and Parker's lips at the same time as they slapped my shoulders hard as they hunched over to laugh at my supposed absent-mindedness.
—Do you want to see a magic trick? —I said, pulling their hair before making the heavy books appear in my hands and hitting their heads with them, making them both groan in pain at the same time before the three of us burst out laughing.
I felt my chest tingle as both boys moved me to finish sitting down, me ending up in the middle of them, as we continued to laugh like hyenas as the course got more and more crowded.
I cupped my chest with my hand as I felt the fabric of my waistcoat, crinkling the fabric between my fingers as small tears came out of my eyes as I tried to breathe normally, which I failed to do after seeing Parker's face trying to hold in his laughter with his eyes and cheeks red from the attempt, laughing again with the boys as we covered our mouths with one hand so as not to make so much noise. Opening my eyes slightly, I caught Leo's gaze through my tears as she had come through the door and stood static looking in my direction while Jon stood next to her talking about something with Wayne and the urge to keep laughing disappeared. Everything had gone so well so far, why did we just have to have this class together?
—Guys, guys. —at least I had them to distract me. —What classes are you taking this year? I've decided to drop Divination once and for all, I don't have that kind of talent. —Parker complained as he rested his head on the table. -I think I'll take Magic Theory this year with the new professor, they say he's brilliant, and I'll continue with Care of Magical Creatures.
—I'm with you on that, I'm not going to stand there while I pretend I know what the tea leaves say and crap, after that suffering from Divination I don't want to know about tea anymore.... Magic Theory doesn't sound so bad after all that suffering. —Mercer continued his best friend's complaints as he messed up his hair and sighed heavily.
—I'll continue with Arithmancy and Ancient Runes Study, see if next year I can convince enough people to open an Alchemy section. —the excitement in my voice made both boys look at me quizzically for seconds before they ruffled my hair with their hands, lowering the bad feeling in my chest at the lack of Leo's presence.
—I hope you get your Alchemy class, imagine all the money we could make.
—We sounds like a lot of people, Parker.
—Oh please, Reid, we know that once you get out of here you'll be a millionaire overnight. Most people know you're even working behind the school's back. —I tried to silence Parker with my hands as I turned my gaze to Professor Binns who was more focused on reviewing his notes than paying attention to the room.
—And you say it so loudly like you want the whole school to know about it. —I threatened him with my finger as I covered his mouth with one hand. —Say it out loud again and I'll make sure you eat shit in our next practice game against your house.
He raised his hands in surrender, backing away from me as far as he could until he nearly fell backwards off the bench as he came too close to the corner causing Mercer and I to sneer at him as Binns stood at the front of the room with his long scroll announcing the start of class along with the bell in the background. As soon as silence fell in the room all at once sleep came to me like a slap in the face as did the look on Leo's face as he watched me laughing my lungs out with Parker and Mercer and how his lips had pursed into a thin line and his eyes saddened. There wasn't much I could do about that, I wasn't supposed to have time to concentrate on that either.
—Today's topic is the origin of Dragon Pox and its impact on medicinal potions... —Professor Binns' monotonous voice bounced around the silent hall and shocking everyone with its magical properties of boring at first listen, I remembered this topic from my second year when he gave us that horrible long paper on Dragon Pox.
I opened my book, standing it up on the table as I laid another hardback behind the book I had just stood up and lay lightly on it as I tried to absorb the knowledge of the book that brushed my hair and the words Professor Binns enunciated. I was trying my best not to fall asleep, my mind drifting to the happy face of the person I called my closest friend glowing as she spoke to one of the people I hated the most, the feeling of her happiness with him making my chest heavy as I closed my hands that held the book I was resting my head on. I was upset, but I knew I couldn't be upset if it made her happy. The most I could do was let her live and if what made her happy was talking to a person I didn't even want to see, she could do that. I won't stand in the way of her growing friendship, I won't try to antagonise her about it and make her share my dislike of him, but I won't stand where I feel displaced and forgotten either. As much as it pains and annoys me.
But why did it have to be him?
Chapter 3: Op.19, Act I, Scene 1: No.2 When you're a stranger
Chapter Text
We were not friends, we were not acquaintances, but we were not strangers either.
But now Johnson seemed no more than a stranger in my eyes.
I hated her, hated her because since the first day I set foot in this institution she had taken the time and trouble to annoy me with her absurd remarks and antagonise me as if I was the one who was wrong for stepping foot in her school. In my head I could hear the sound of her voice with that mocking tone she always used to address me with and that smile that showed every single one of her teeth and her shiny fangs as her eyes narrowed to denote that strange reddish glow between her blue eyes. And because I hated her I knew her more than anyone else, and that look that had connected with mine at the welcome home dinner this year was not the Johnson I knew, not the Johnson that covered her mouth as I fell to my possible death while hiding an obvious smile.
I knew she possibly felt betrayed by her best friend who found herself whining now every day in Jon's arms after they had become close because of the sudden meeting of the two families on a trip to America in the summer, which had led to me starting to have casual conversations with the girl who hadn't turned out to be as horrible a person as the one she called her best friend. I wasn't blind or an idiot not to notice her casual glances towards her friend when she was distractedly talking breathlessly with Jon about the things they both saw during their trip and the anecdotes they shared, yet there was something else deep within those glances that had let me know that wasn't the only reason she was pulling away from Sander and, if she painted it that way, she was only lying to herself.
We had most of our classes together and she didn't seem to notice my presence in most of them as long as I arrived after her in the classroom, every time I could see her in the corridors she would scurry past and draw attention to herself without noticing her surroundings seeming too wrapped up in her own self to notice the things around her. Multiple trips to the library that ended with her leaving in whimpers with her arms folded as she kicked like a little girl no matter who was watching. I couldn't help but hear whispers about her wherever I put my feet and people began to rumour that our apparent guerrilla warfare had disappeared after the summer break.
I should be happy because after all she wasn't in my shadow waiting for me to get something wrong to annoy me, but somehow it all felt so wrong and out of place that I couldn't just be happy about the lack of her constant nagging.
So I began to investigate, everything proving easier having Johnson's greatest source of information on my side whining information wherever she moved as her eyes kept tearing up whenever the attempt of a girl with her phosphorescent orange hair was on the scene. Her black hair scattered on the table as Jon kept an arm behind her back comforting her and trying to keep her hair out of everyone else's breakfast.
—Why don't you try talking to her today? —Jon's advice was useless, but it seemed to lift her spirits. —Don't you have classes together today?
—Yes, we all have History of Magic today, then I think she has Charms a bit more in the afternoon and then Arithmancy right after that. —she thought back in her head as she looked again for the orange-haired girl who was softly conversing with someone from her house. —My only chance to talk to her would be in History, maybe if she spends her free time trying to convince the librarian again I can try to talk to her in the library.
—Convince the librarian? —Jon asked the question that crossed my mind as the girl straightened up in her seat and tucked her hair gently behind her ears.
—Reid has been trying to convince the librarian to let her have a look at the Alchemy books in the Restricted Area of the Library since she first set foot in Hogwarts and to no avail, I've always found her interest in Alchemy quite strange and she's never mentioned anything about it to me about it, but as far as I could hear when I was looking for her to talk to her, her attempts this year were again a failure. I thought she had given up her attempts last year with.... everything that happened, apparently not. —the information came quickly from her lips as I pretended not to be more than attentive to my food as the two of them were engaged in their side-by-side conversation at the table in my house without noticing the glances that were directed in our direction every so often. —But that's not what has me most worried about Reid.... We're supposed to sleep in the same room, but since we started the year there's been no sign of her sleeping with us, I can't even catch a glimpse of her at night.
Alchemy?
Johnson?
Certainly she could be incredibly intelligent when she had a purpose in mind, for example, when she was trying to make my life hell. She was a creative mind and quick to do the things she had proposed and that was the only remarkable thing about her. But it all made a little more sense. If Sander reported not having seen her enter their common room at any time and not having seen her at night during curfew hours, her bed that hadn't been touched during the entire beginning of the year would have something to do with her constant napping during class. Maybe this behaviour went back years, maybe Johnson had been sneaking out of curfew years ago which represented those complaints the teachers had about her falling asleep in classes that she seemed often not to care about even though she didn't end up dismissing the subject like those countless absences in Astronomy.
—That's strange, do you think her insistence is related to the O.W.L.s? —the question left Jon's lips as he frowned, making his best thinking face while his eyes were solely focused on Sander.
—Maybe, although I have no idea what subjects Reid wants to excel in for the N.E.W.T.-level classes since she never mentioned it to me. —Sander proceeded to put on her best analytical face as well as she placed her hand on her chin, resting her elbow on the table as she turned to look only at Jon. —She hasn't even mentioned to me the jobs she's interested in, every time I asked her the question she either glossed over it or ignored it.
—I heard that last year Professor Hecat was focused on trying to convince her to study to be an Unspeakable, for some reason the professor was so focused on convincing her, though it was never clear what the conversation turned into. —Jon added as he bit into some carrot with his fork before starting to chew.
—Really? —Sander's surprise caught the attention of both of us, as a look of frustration formed on her face as a sad, twisted grim grimace made it more than obvious that it was something else she didn't seem to know about Johnson.
—You didn't know? —Jon asked the obvious in what worsened the look Sander had placed on her face.
—She never mentioned anything about it to me....
The obvious had been laid on the table. Radchel Lizh Johnson was much more cautious and secretive than she made it seem. So if I wanted to know anything about her mysterious actions around the school all these years I had to investigate for myself since Leonor Sander despite knowing her since they entered the same house together didn't seem to really know anything about this person she called a friend. Curiosity was evident in the faces in front of me although they were tinged with different colours with the lights coming into the Great Hall, eyes turning to the person on whom this topic of conversation revolved who seemed to shine through all her falseness flashing small smiles at the people around her as she spoke.
—You guys can go ahead, I'll try to talk to her before class.
I didn't hesitate to stand up, which made Jon pay attention to me for the first time in the morning as I walked to the door quickly with him following in my footsteps. Watching out of the corner of my eye as Johnson stood up from her table holding that clock she always seemed to have up as she said goodbye to the people she was talking to, with Sander walking towards her as we walked through the doors and started down the hallway.
—I know you hate Reid, but.... —Jon's words began as we walked through the other door that led to the various staircases that scattered people around the castle.
—You want to know what I think of this whole situation. —he nodded in response to my affirmation. —There is something suspicious about all this.
—I think the same thing, and although I haven't had the same experiences as you with Reid, since she's been so good to me all these years and all, there's something very fishy about all this. —Jon wrinkled his nose as he patted his pockets, his eyes widening as I realised what he was looking for and a snort escaped my lips as he put on a nervous smile. —I think I left my wand on the table.
We approached the door again, retracing our steps as Jon laughed at my annoyed expression as he placed his palms on the wooden doors to push it open when I heard a thud and saw Jon's face pressed against the door he had tried to push open and as he held his glasses and nose between his fingers as the one responsible for hitting him peeked through the door with a small smile on a worried face.
—I'm sorry, Jon. -Johnson's voice caught my attention as she seemed focused on the void rather than Jon's pained face, pulling multiple potions from her robes that had no reason to be there in such quantity —Take this as a quick apology, I'm late.
A small smile left Jon's lips despite the pain on his face although thankfully he wasn't bleeding, waving goodbye as Johnson returned his goodbye as she moved hurriedly up the stairs as she heard Leo's voice approaching calling her by her nickname and it was obvious what would happen next if Jon didn't get out of the way. Johnson didn't seem to have noticed me during the little conversation she had with Jon, which made it clear to me that she was distracted enough to be oblivious to her surroundings. Before, she wouldn't have let me go unnoticed even if I walked into a group full of people who looked like me, her sights always pointed at my head as long as she could annoy me with all her might.
I held the door between my fingers before it impacted Jon's nose again, revealing Sander's face as she screamed her friend's name loudly causing her body to turn from her position on the stairs meeting her sharp gaze with the girl's teary eyed gaze from below as Jon fearfully held his nose. As I turned she had already disappeared up the complex stairs.
—Damian. —Sander's voice called to me as he interlaced his fingers and placed his hands in front of his chest. —I know you hate her, I know it's a lot to ask and I wouldn't do it if I wasn't desperate, but I know thanks to Jon that there's no one better at this than you.
Can you find out what's going on with Radchel for me?
I wanted to turn her down, I wanted to ignore everything that was going on since I had finally been presented with the opportunity to get Johnson to leave me alone once and for all and not have to be involved in the problems that were created every time I was around her. But I had made up my mind that I was going to find out what was going on with her before Leonor Sander begged me to in that ownerless puppyish look of hers. Maybe it was the act of saying it that made it... real.
—I'll do it.
Chapter 4: Op.19, Act I, Scene 1: No.3 When you're a stranger
Chapter Text
I had managed to get out of the class with no problems, even surprising Professor Binns after he called me to ask me one of those silly questions to find out if I had actually fallen asleep in his class again, which I did, but ended up answering it correctly which earned my house points as he was happy to think that I hadn't fallen asleep in his class again and that I had actually devoted myself to paying attention to him this time. As soon as the end of the class was announced I made my books disappear into thin air before rushing off without first saying goodbye to the boys and Professor Binns who made a point of mentioning again as I was leaving what the tedious homework would be this time. I had a few hours to spare until Charms and I was going to make the most of them by getting out in the fresh air and avoiding being inside a castle where people I didn't want to talk to wanted to talk to me and break all the ‘no fighting’ progress I was making.
I would take advantage of my moments of fresh air to start executing my plan B. This was already the fifth year that my request had been rejected by Madam Scribner, blocked by Headmaster Black's useless orders, so I had already started to look for other options in the face of her constant rejection to get what I wanted. I scampered back through the castle to my common room without first passing through the kitchen and chatting with the elves over a cup of tea, watching the time as I avoided bumping into Leo who, according to her routine, should be leaving the room to go to one of her classes or searching the castle for traces of my soul. When I reached the common room, I went upstairs to the dormitory, taking out some ordinary clothes: a long-sleeved black shirt and a high-waisted red skirt that came down to my ankles with a pair of black heeled boots. I left a few buttons of the shirt unbuttoned before tucking the shirt into the skirt and placing a black cloak over my shoulders in which in its inner pockets I placed my watch, my wand, and two of each of the potions I had in my possession.
The weather had been calm although small clouds were looming in the distance with a hint that it was likely to rain a little on the way, so I had better leave now before the rain made me last longer on the way to Hogsmeade. A long walk where I would have a lot to think about as I was alone with my thoughts, which were not the best company. Because sometimes I considered myself obsessive about things. Sometimes I was obsessed with getting everything done on time, planning things in advance, knowing schedules or that people wouldn't spoil my time. Other times I obsessed about the things I wanted to do, the things I wanted to discover, the things I had planned, the things I decided on, my future.
Sometimes obsessing wasn't a bad thing, at least I couldn't see what was wrong with it. Maybe that's why I couldn't get out of my head that obsession with Alchemy that kept filling my every thought since the beginning of my first year and that once again resurfaced in the air in the summer with such force putting on hold all my accumulated hatred and my desire to keep annoying the Wayne to the grave and maybe that's why I didn't want to spend my time in a drama with Leo for her new found strange friendship with that son of a bitch. Although the latter was more of an excuse than anything else. I knew it was just an excuse but I still kept justifying that that was the reason so my brain would at some point believe it.
The smell of earth was strong outside the castle, the wind was blowing my hood hard as my legs scampered across the still dry earth as I could see groups walking in their uniforms in front of me, crossing their sides as my legs kicked at my skirt that fit just below my ribs with a strength that made it clear that I wasn't made to run in it. The exercise I had been doing all summer had increased my speed and leg strength, of that I should be proud, as I didn't feel tired even after running out of the dungeons of the giant castle I could still see in the distance despite the slight wall of trees halfway up the hill.
Hogwarts looked imposing, blurred by the distant mist that made the road I was running on colder and wetter. Its silhouette was enough to leave me as awestruck as the first time I had been able to see its full splendour in person on the night of my first year when the path down the hill from the train station was illuminated by the lamps now hanging unlit around this path of stone and earth and generating a light show as I watched the masterful castle lit up for the night like those princess stories my mother used to tell me as a child. I felt tiny even looking at the castle from afar and feeling the cold surrounding air rushing into my lungs burning them before coming out hot and hitting my lips.
If I focused long enough in the silence I could make out the sound of the lake and the conversations of the people around me: some who had passed me on their way back to the castle, others sitting on the lookout talking as they watched the incredible landscape that was our school and others walking slowly as they conversed with my own destination. The smell of freshness was a strange relief to my thoughts that had turned white and soft in the face of nature and its peace.
That is until I came upon the small roundabout of Hogsmeade with its cheerful music that could be heard even before crossing that small bridge at its entrance and with all those scattered signs that would confuse anyone who hadn't heard of the place, taking the fabric of my skirt between my fingers to lift it as I ran faster to the small stone bridge that gave the impressive view of all the shops that were surrounded by a warm touch that I didn't know if it was the atmosphere or my memories of the place that gave it to them. Finding my destination after crossing by some wizards who were laughing at the end of the bridge under the wooden roof that gave that homely look to their entrance, I took a deep breath as I made my way through the people with a small smile as I let my hood cover my head.
My hands enclosed the tome of Tomes and Scrolls door, a bell ringing over my head as I made my way through the space with the smell of parchment and old books filling the air with a familiar warmth. My hands arranged my hair over my face, removing my hood, before flattening my skirt as I made my way to the counter where Mr. Brown still had his back to me as he hummed an old song he had mentioned he sang to his daughter when she was little, finding himself too distracted within his memories not to hear me pass by.
—Good morning, Mr. Brown.
—Oh, it's you, Reid. Good to see you again, do you need anything today? —he greeted me with a warm smile as he turned slowly in my direction.
With a black jacket over his shoulders and a caramel-coloured inner jacket with white and gold embroidery that made the garment shimmer in the light and contrast between his other dark garments. I could see that it was new, possibly a gift from his wife or daughter, but I couldn't help but see his growing happiness as behind it stood a white cloth and a portrait of him and his family looking very happy together and him wearing the same garment he had been caught in the photograph. My heart pounded at the happiness and the compression that filled my chest at seeing the happiness of that man and his family all together, biting my tongue and tasting the taste of blood as soon as one of my fangs scraped the muscle.
—Do you have an edition of the Advanced Potions Making book? —a false smile left my lips as I avoided mentioning anything related to Alchemy, clutching my fate to that book alone.
—Of course! I remember you mentioned to me during the holidays how you intended to advance in Potions and try to get an Outstanding in this year's O.W.L.s, so I guess you're doing well. —he was more excited than I thought as he moved out from behind the counter for me to follow him down a corridor that had opened up with his hand signal leading to the inventory area.
—I am doing fantastic, thanks to you and my teachers during my time off during the break I was able to learn a lot of things.
—Did you have time off during these summer break? Whenever I heard about you I was told that you had your hands full with something new. —his revelation warmed my cheeks as I scratched the back of my neck and let out an awkward laugh that passed for a nervous one.
—A little bit, but during my jobs it wasn't hard for me to discover something new. —I watched as he pulled the book out from among the many others and blew its cover causing the dust to fly into the air as it fell softly to the ground where pieces of it remained in the air and glistened in the soft yellow light that illuminated the space.
—Here, you don't have to pay me for it. —his hands passed me the thick book as he smiled warmly at me. —It's a thank you for all the things you've done for me and my family. —my heart contracted as I looked down at the book in my hands, feeling my nose heat up along with my cheeks as I blinked rapidly.
—Thank you very much, Mr. Brown, I really can't thank you enough. —I tried not to let my voice break as I avoided looking at him, knowing that he was still looking at me with a warm smile highlighted by his beard and eyes that were like hot chocolate and bedtime stories.
—Keep learning, with that you thank me as much.
I left the tent with my eyes downcast without first saying a gentle goodbye to Mr. Brown as I tried to contain the knot that had settled inside me as I hugged the book to my chest and waited for my nose and cheeks to stop feeling on fire as the breeze stirred against my face with its damp coldness, not hesitating to pull the hood of my cloak over my head to block out the feeling. The sun not yet reaching noon as I began to walk to the exit of Hogsmeade with what I had come for, all this way just for this one thing that had been all I had wanted years ago and had been so easy to obtain. Walking quietly, hoping that the long stretch back on foot would be enough to calm my heaving chest and put that mask back on my face.
Because I was Radchel Lizh Johnson. I was the troubled girl who was usually sent to detention for not letting others trample on the weaker ones, who was sent to detention because my words made me a troubled girl who liked to provoke others and make them fight. I was the girl that the teachers complained about because despite all my problems I was diligent and disciplined enough when it came to studying and working, which made me a good student. I was the person that those who saw me as a stranger or an acquaintance thought I was fantastic when in reality they didn't know me, who was brave and who was one of the true visions of what it meant to be a Hufflepuff. When the reality was nothing more than the opposite.
The book on my chest was nothing more than a selfish wish, one more of many, that would lead to another selfish wish that I would not rest until I obtained no matter what it cost to hold it in my hands. I was no Hufflepuff, I was nothing more than an outsider trying to belong. I could feel it in every plant I touched between my toes, in the dust of the road that clung to my boots as the sky darkened from the rain clouds that were gathering over the clear and lovely landscape, making the smell of wet earth rise. That character I had created all smiling was nothing more than a lie for the excuse of disaster that represented me. Someone who only really knew how to fight, and even that wasn't enough.
Crossing under the arches and over the bridge I felt a strange chill on the back of my neck that made the book disappear between my fingers as I walked slowly and flexed my fingers slightly in preparation for anything, I knew the hood blocked my vision as I turned slyly to look around but that didn't take away the bad taste in my mouth I suddenly had. I trusted my instincts and, right now, they were telling me something was wrong. A small clap of thunder echoed through the air and made my hair stand on end as I walked the other way, instead of turning right and running all the way back to Hogwarts I headed left, crossing to the side of the roundabout and hurrying down the steep stairs before the rain started to fall on my head.
I felt my breathing falter as I hopped down the steps looking at more stairs in the distance behind the thick layers of fog and the small wall on the right hand side that ran along the ground a little to the right of the stairs, the first drops falling on my head before I had time to process the curtain of rain that began to form around me. One thing I hated about this weather, from the sound of the first clap of thunder the whole sky was falling apart. The smell of rain was intense and I could feel how I was completely soaked in it making useless the hood that covered my hair all soaked, but it gave me an advantage in the new darkness that surrounded the lands since my hair was not the most suitable if I wanted to go unnoticed.
In the rain I heard footsteps behind me, although when I turned around no one appeared, because the person who was following me knew that I knew he was there and yet he was not showing himself. In the worst case it could be the poachers whose rumours said they had been hunting students for a few years in search of some kind of revenge, but the poachers were also not so sneaky and mysterious as to follow someone so stealthily for their accounts. They tended to be too noisy for their own good.
Between the mud puddles and my sodden body I spun with speed at the open gate at the end of the long stone wall running off the path until I met the slope of the earth head on, using my speed to slide along the ground and hold on tightly to one of the wet stones that jutted out rough between the slight fall cutting light lines of blood on my fingers with the edge, dropping lightly to the ground a few feet below, bending my knees and pulling up my skirt as I hid in the trees waiting for the figure to surrender as the branches sheltered me and I crouched down to try to restore my breathing which had become agitated.
Ahead I could see the muddy path leading straight to the Black Lake and the stone path that would be longer to follow, but no matter which way I followed the curtain of rain could not hide my body in the open field represented by both paths that were becoming more and more treeless. But, at the same time, if I wanted to know who the person following me from the shadows was, the beach would be the best spot since no matter what spell he had put on himself or what potion he had taken, it was clear that the reflection of his figure would be seen thanks to the rain.
I pointed my hand upwards, running quickly out of my hiding place before whispering a diffindo through the rain that hit one of the trees further up the stone path I had avoided with horrifying force, looking back slightly as a tall figure recoiled in surprise removing the previously imposed enchantment, his hooded gaze like mine turning in my direction before I began to run down the hill praying in Merlin's name that I didn't fall through all the mud and water that slid down the path that had formed between all the mounds to the small beach in front of the castle. I heard the remnants of a spell being flung in my direction as I jumped and a small grunt escaped my lips mixed with a groan at the slip I had taken that had only saved me the entire descent as I rolled the rest of the way down to the sand.
—Who the hell is out there?! —my voice was swallowed up by the rain as my hands went deep into the soft sand grasping my wand that had slipped out of my pocket as I looked around trying to look over the curtain of rain feeling sand sticking to my face as my breathing came out heavy from my chest. —Revelio!
I made the right thing to do, not putting at risk innocent children who might have been walking to school. I was alone in a rain-covered place where no one would see or hear me as I took a deep breath and stood up as I watched the drops fall all around me and how everything had gone downhill so fast. A choked smile left my lips as in front of me a group of over 10 men revealed themselves with their wands pointed in my direction ready to attack as soon as I moved. I tried to get the words out of my mouth, holding my body with my right hand as my wand was held tightly in my left hand.
Shit.
—Fumos! —came from my lips as I rolled into the water, dodging two attacks aimed at my position, scrambling to my feet as I stepped on my long skirt and the rocks that decorated the shore as the entire surrounding area filled with the smoke that billowed from the tip of my wand.
—Expelliarmus! —and so my wand flew out of my hands through the mist by one of the guys who could no longer see me through the dense fog.
I began to run as I summoned my wand extending my hand behind me with it listening as it moved through the thunder and the spells disappearing under the rain, feeling my fingers wrap around it again as I looked around carefully before continuing to move forward with my eyelashes full of dirty water that didn't let me see in the distance.
—Reducto, deprimo, stupefy, deletrius, diffindo. —all the spells I had in my head flew from my lips as I waved my wand at pure speed as my attacks broke through the curtain and generated screams of pain from the area I had escaped.
The word diffindo was the word that came most often from my lips beneath the dense curtain of fog in front of me as I listened to other incantations coming from the low voices of men slowly approaching my direction as they heard the sound of my voice as I dodged multiple red bolts of lightning exploding behind me in the sand and the fire that was quickly extinguished by the rain, my heart racing as my hair covered my eyes and the rain began to get much more agitated.
—Cruci...
—Confringo!
Chapter 5: Op.19, Act I, Scene 1: No.4 When you're a stranger
Chapter Text
A hand slipped around my waist as a dark voice echoed against my ear and I felt the magic vibrate to my right through the arm that had been draped over my shoulder as I felt myself being glued to a cold, soaking wet body, moving my elbow hard behind me as I heard screams of pain in the mist and as the same hand of the person who had cast a spell on my shoulder caught my elbow before it impacted with his side turning me so that my head impacted with their collarbone and the beginnings of their chin as I tried to remember that deep voice that had sounded behind me.
I looked up as I placed the tip of my wand against my side ready to cast that spell that had been heard unfinished in the rain, my face soaked with some traces of dirt as my hair forced me to squint my fine eyes more than I should have because of the drops that slipped through the strands. My brow furrowed as I raised my gaze and separated my torso slightly from the one that was attached to mine, letting my eyes analyse the behaviour of the person who was holding me.
—Wayne? —his wet hair splashed in my face from the raindrops falling on it, his green eyes looking much darker because of the weather as his frown was severely marked with an expression of displeasure as he lowered to meet my gaze.
What was most noticeable was a cut on his cheek that dripped blood that was quickly washed away by the rain that washed the crimson away as I felt his hand crumple my clothes between his fingers as he pressed me tightly against him and I pulled my wand away from his side feeling my palms burn from the cuts I had caused with the rocks.
Wayne?
What the hell was he doing here?
—Protego. —it came quickly from my lips as I listened to Wayne whisper another confringo as the mist began to blur through the raging storm that roared overhead, the sound of the explosion making me shiver slightly.
Wayne quickly pulled the hood of the cloak over his shoulders that hid his face perfectly from the distance as the men still standing approached us, only six remaining from the large group that had cornered me moments before. I couldn't get out of his thick grip as my burnt fingers trembled holding my wand as I shifted it to my right hand as best I could from Wayne's intense grip on the back of the fabric of my skirt at my lower back. I didn't have time to struggle against him either, not now that I'd grown big enough to be able to cover myself completely if he turned his back on the poachers.
I wanted to ask him, I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to curse him for life if I could. I wanted him to explain to me what was going on even if he had no answer to what was happening, I wanted to know why he was holding me so tightly in his arms and not letting me go so I could finish the fight by tearing my enemies apart just as I had done with the spells that had left my lips and I could see torn and mutilated bodies hidden in the sand and the rain. But I knew that now was not the time and that after we were out of here I could bring out all that I had in my chest against him as the thunder would swallow up all that had happened just now. I guess my eyes on his said it all because when he looked back at me he seemed to understand what I was thinking as he refocused his eyes on the people silently surrounding us again.
—Expell...
—Bombarda Maxima. —Wayne's voice echoed in my ears before his wand passed over my shoulder in the direction of the accumulated group of people recovering as I proceeded to be slightly deafened by the sound of the resulting explosions.
—Diffindo! —I arched my back just enough so that I could see the targets head on without having to turn my neck so much because of the horrible position Wayne had me in, watching as three of the men fell to the ground after being knocked down by my cut in combination with the explosions that were still alive in the background, listening as a stupefy made his way towards us. —Protego, stupefy.
—Levioso. —Wayne picked up the most alive looking of the group after our series of attacks, I could see the horror filled face of the man who hadn't had time to cast any spells with his team of sneaks to defend himself from Wayne's bombardment. —Accio.
—Can you let me go now? —the question left my lips as I felt Wayne's palm press against my lower back causing me to stand up straight in front of him again, my eyes on his before I felt him squeeze my clothes between his fingers again.
—Quiet, Johnson. —his voice sounded cracked as he held the guy in the air and focused his gaze solely on my face with that scowl that seemed to contract his entire face.
He bumped me against his chest again as he forced me to hold his wand as I felt his hands enter my robes patting my pockets searching through my potions, I squeezed his shoulders between my free hand trying to push away the feeling of his wet clothes against mine and make myself free to search for what he wanted myself instead of having him grope me in front of a guy who now more than nervous was as uncomfortable as I was. I heard a grunt in my ear as I pulled my hand away momentarily to notice how my palm was red with rain wiping it clean.
—You don't know when to stop, Johnson. —his words went straight into my ear as I found what I was looking for and swallowed it over my shoulder quickly, I guess it was the Wiggenweld potions.
I knew what he was talking about. He had been one of those affected by my heavy rain of diffindo in the fog I had created but, in my defence, I didn't know that he would appear out of nowhere to come and imprison me in his arms as I found no way to escape from the tight grip he had on me. This was the first time I had noticed his presence enough to realise that he was certainly much taller and stronger since the last time I had seen him, with that irritating face of his that made me want to punch him until my knuckles were red and blood was running down them.
—What are you doing here? —I pressed our wands hard against his chest several times as I let anger consume my voice for the first time in this failed start to the year, his palm dropping the vials into the sand as he focused on holding my hand so I wouldn't keep stinging him. —How did you know I was here? What were you doing in the fog?
—You're asking the wrong person the wrong questions, Johnson. —his jaw clenched in the drops that fell with the same rage that existed between us, slipping between my cheeks as I grabbed Wayne's arm behind my back under my cloak with my clothes between my fingers that I'd crumpled so much that I was feeling the cold heat of his skin directly on my back.
—I don't care who he is, my problem is you. —the words came out of my mouth so pure it almost sounded like I was shouting them. —You don't know how hard I've worked to leave you alone, to avoid fighting you, and you're here again like a disease I can't escape!
—You're a liar.
My chest tightened as I heard the pure darkness in his words coming like a hot sigh from his mouth with that silent hatred that characterised him, the truth vibrated through my body as if it finally understood the cold draughts of air around us and how long I had spent bathing in this rain that worsened every moment I stood with Damian Wayne. Because that was the purest truth, I'm a liar. But that didn't let on that he was ignoring my questions and avoiding them as I could feel his nails lightly scraping the skin on my back thanks to the strength with which he held me to him.
—So are you. —and he knew why I said it, since I knew some of his secrets while he still didn't know mine, so I could see how the vein on his forehead rose under his skin as he tried to contain something inside himself.
—Silencio. —he moved my palm as he recited the spell causing his wand to respond and the words could not come out of my mouth.
Literally.
—Petrificus Totalus. —this time the spell was not directed at me, but at the poor soul that had been floating until it fell dry on the ground, causing a little silent, mocking laugh to escape from my lips. —I see you laughing a lot, Johnson, do you want me to keep you quiet like that too? —a mocking smile came out of his lips that was swallowed as soon as my boots stepped on his expensive shoes that were dirty with mud and sand, soaked with water as well as his socks.
Although our shoes were the same, there was no way they wouldn't be if we were getting soaked to the skin under this horrible rain.
I tried to make a remark at Wayne's words, the words unable to leave my lips which brought that smile I had stomped on back to the surface as I felt him remove his hands from my back and slide them against my hand that had tried to free his hand to no avail, watching as he placed both of my wrists together against my will before placing his wand between them with a touch that left them stuck together, opening my mouth trying to get out an expression of disgust that only fed his large and twisted ego. Not only had he settled for forcibly silencing me, but he'd practically handcuffed me as well.
—Hell, you don't know how long I've wanted to shut you up. —his right hand pressed painfully into my cheeks, so I kicked his calf as I focused my mouth on calling him a pervert very slowly so he could read it while his eyes were half-open as he recovered from the pain.
A silent grunt escaped my lips as I felt my body drape over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes as I gave a quiet locomotor to the furtive behind my back as he began to walk while ignoring the blows he was receiving from me. Now that I was on his back I could see the traces of my beloved spells on his body and how his cloths were torn at various points on his back showing the traces of the wound on his skin underneath that had stopped bleeding, I could see at least that he had been hit by three of my spells on his back the largest being the one that started on his shoulder underneath my body to the centre of his shoulder blades. Which reminded me that Wayne had kept my wand after snatching them both from my hands to petrify our kidnapped enemy who was flying slightly to one side of us.
I could feel my air go out with every step Wayne took causing my stomach to crash against his overgrown shoulder muscles, causing me to raise my head slightly as I felt dizzy as I lay on my stomach quickly raising my hand in front of us as I let a blast of diffindo come brutally out of my hand in silence as I watched in the distance as one of the men got back up again, listening as it cut through the air and rain and large rocks on the way to its target who screamed in pain as it fell and caused Wayne to turn violently to see what had happened as I folded my arms innocently behind his back.
The arm with which he held my waist against his shoulder pressed lightly against my skin before leaving his phantom touch burnt by the cold on my system that seemed to feel his palms burning again against my skin as he made his way uphill on the muddy road. I could see his ankles drowning in the mud as he struggled to carry my body on his back as I felt my eyes close along with the rain as I felt the exhaustion fill my body along with the pain of my wounds. I could hear his grunts now closer to my ear as I blinked heavily and felt my body tremble over his body, I could see the traces of the signs of the long steep stairs I had come down before the battle as my body gave small jumps over Wayne's as he slowly climbed the stairs, feeling myself slip.
—Johnson, are you still alive? —a grunt would have left my lips if I wasn't silenced, so I tapped him twice on his back with my palm. —I should have let you drown in the lake.
I felt my legs hit the floor as he passed me his wand again and I dropped the petrified guy painfully onto the stairs, my legs shaking as I tried to stay awake even though my vision was blurring at times. I could see my hands where my wrists were clasped together and Wayne's arms holding onto mine where he was one step below me on the stairs, my scuffed hands holding his wand in front of his eyes where his gaze was the blurred part of his stare. I could feel his heavy sigh on my nose with a certain smell of mint and blood as he bent down to place my hands around my neck and feeling a weight less on my legs as the cold air hit my knees and I heard him curse waking me up completely as the adrenaline to fight pumped through my veins as he lifted me up again forcing me to intertwine my ankles behind his back.
If I looked down I could see part of the fabric of my skirt on the stairs torn to shreds, a skirt that I had bought with my money and my hard work after having gone to the shop a thousand times to make sure it was still there and nobody had taken my size. Even if it was a bit ruined by the battle before, that was no reason for this perverted animal to come and cut it up as if it was worthless. Fucking millionaires. I felt his right arm go under my thighs as I moved my hands to his hood to pull it down with his hair as I hit him with the spiky handle of his wand, if he wasn't going to let me talk I would hit him until my blows learned morse code and shouted everything I couldn't say to him right now. Certainly this was a sign from heaven that I should spend my whole life making his life miserable for the crime he committed against my beautiful skirt.
I could see Wayne's eyes still on mine despite his chin tilted up as my fingers tangled in his black hair with those green eyes just glaring angrily at me as he snatched his wand out of my hands again not even paying attention to the tugging I was giving his hair as his arm pulled me up for a second drawing a silent gasp of surprise that he hadn't missed, raising an eyebrow before pointing his wand at the guy again to continue levitating him. And that's when the questions came back into my head.
What would Wayne do with the guy he'd kidnapped? Why, if he hated me as much as he hated those guys, wasn't I petrified levitating next to him and taking all his perverted trouble to carry me? How had he even figured out that I was in trouble?
Why had he decided to help me?
The silence between us was horrible, as was the closeness that forced me to keep my head on his shoulder as he finished climbing the stairs since I preferred to see the landscape covered in rain and fog rather than have to see his face the whole way. It also served to conceal my identity a little by hiding my head between the hollow of his shoulder and his neck with my soaked hair showing darker shades and my clothes covered by my robes that the only things they did not hide were my head and my now uncovered legs through which the drops hit cold as they slid down and filled my stockings. This silence could easily be resolved if Mr. Dictator here would let me speak, but no, the bloody bastard was surely humming inside his head knowing that right now he could say anything and I could do nothing but save them all for later.
I felt the warmth of Hogsmeade once more as I felt Wayne's arm leave its supporting position to pull my wet hood over my head causing all the water I had collected to wash all over me and his shoulder as I shivered from the cold and avoided pulling his hair with all my might once more, as he returned to accommodate me as he made his way across the square and I opted to hide from the public embarrassment of being carried by this guy's arms who out of nowhere would have me end up on the front page of the Great Prophet.
Maybe it was the new darkness along with the sound of the rain and the light music in the background along with all the adrenaline that had been pumped out of my body, but I couldn't help but blink heavily again as I sighed and went straight for his neck and felt the energy finally leave me.
Chapter 6: Op.19, Act I, Scene 2: No.5 Words like violence
Chapter Text
Apparently finding out about Johnson's personal life wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, but I knew that following in Johnson's footsteps wouldn't be easy, nothing with her was easy.
That had been proven by everything that had happened and the way she was asleep with her breathing brushing the skin of my neck with every heavy breath she took even though she didn't know that right now we were being watched up and down by Deputy Headmistress Weasley who had a frown on her face and her arms crossed in front of us.
To go over how we had ended up in this position we had to go back to a few hours before all this happened.
As we entered the classroom I could see her sitting in the middle of two Quidditch players breaking Professor Binns' two person per seat rule although he didn't seem to give the group a mind at all as he checked his parchments, her laughter was so shrill and loud that it could be heard from the aisle over the laughter of the two boys next to her as the three of them squeezed into their seats in a fit of incomprehensible laughter. Johnson's laughter sounded so unfamiliar to my ears and the way her face scrunched up in such a way that she looked like she wanted to cry between the guffaws coming from her chest, her hand gripping her uniform waistcoat tightly between her fingers as she squeezed and continued to laugh, cheeks and nose tinged red as droplets trickled down her face as she looked at one of the boys and continued her fit of laughter that bordered on tears.
Johnson was not happy at all, the happiness on her face was nothing more than a mask whose edges had become evident in front of me as soon as I could see her for a moment in silence without her rude remarks and passive-aggressive comments.
I could see her raise her gaze to our position so I turned my face to pretend I was listening to the words coming out of Jon's mouth, watching the slight eye contact that occurred between the girls who had called each other friends and as Johnson's smile quickly disappeared before being replaced by a smile from her that I did know well, that fake smile that could be seen on her face every day in what everyone else thought was her real smile. I could quickly watch as she was once again engaged in a conversation with the boys around her about the classes they would be taking this year as we crossed the sides of her table and Jon broke away from me with a small smile to go sit next to Sander who looked on the verge of tears again.
I had taken a few seats behind the trio and could still hear their comments and see Johnson's vibrant hair from my direction as I rested my cheek on my palm and began to listen to the noisy group focusing on gathering information from Johnson's lips as Jon gave me a thumbs up from his position, keeping Sander from seeing the signal.
"I'll continue with Arithmancy and Ancient Runes Study, see if next year I can convince enough people to open an Alchemy section."
The emotion in her words made the sentence sound like an unknown language, which only raised more unanswered questions as to whether she was now speaking so freely about her taste for Alchemy as Sander seemed to be unaware of much of the reasons behind it.
"...Reid, we know that once you get out of here you'll be a millionaire overnight. Most people know you're even working behind the school's back."
I could see Johnson's face turn dramatically towards the voice that had brought her information out into the sun, I could see her eyes widen as she pressed her hand against the lips of one of the boys and turned her neck sharply in the direction of Professor Binns who seemed too focused on his notes to notice the things going on around him, so her posture relaxed as her shoulders slumped and she let her head hang off her shoulders for a second before she began to threaten under her breath with all her might.
I could see the group fall silent as Professor Binns stood at the front of the room with one of his scrolls in hand as the bell in the background announced the start of class as the words came out of the ghost's mouth indicating what today's topic would be, automatically generating multiple nods from many of the students seated around me, including Johnson, who didn't hesitate to open one of her books to stand it on the desk and lean on another book she had placed in front of her. Her orange hair tousled between the book she was lying on and the book that hid her sleeping face from Professor Binns leaving only the view of the back of her neck from my position, her back rising and falling with her breathing.
Needless to say, she had slept through the entire class, waking momentarily when Professor Binns called her name with a question that she somehow answered perfectly before falling back asleep in her seat, a smile appearing evident on the ghost who thought she was still awake behind that book hiding her face when I could be sure she was drooling in her seat. That is until the next bell rang and she seemed to get up at the first bell and gathered her things with speed as she disappeared her books into her hands and tried to comb her hair with her fingers making sure the hair that fell across her forehead didn't get into her eyes. I watched as she waved goodbye to the boys she had been talking to and the teacher who made sure to repeat the assignment as she ran out of the class the same way she had spent her week doing.
That didn't matter. My father had taught me to be patient. Besides, a person who creates such a fuss everywhere she goes could not easily go unnoticed, especially with that shiny hair on her head. So I waited in a place that would let me see those places she used to frequent, following with my ears the words of the people talking about her and the poor whining of Sander who had complained about her disappearance once again. Knowing Johnson she was most likely watching her friend's position before she came out of hiding, which meant that as soon as Sander's next class started she would come out of hiding to keep moving in the strange ways she was doing.
And so she did. I could see her walking up the stairs that led to her common room from a few floors above, watching as she walked through the corridors with her fists ruffled in her crimson skirt as her robes moved slightly in her wake thanks to the air. Her brow furrowed as I set the cup of tea I was drinking down on the handrail of the staircase I was standing on watching her exit the castle to begin moving stealthily steps behind her knowing she would be too focused on her thoughts to notice as she had shown all these days.
He knew that the Johnson family hailed from Cragcroft where they had resided prior to Johnson's entry to the school, information coming from Sander who mentioned the times during their first year when Johnson had remarked on the beauty of the area and the ease of seeing the coastline from there. But apparently her family now resided in Pitt-upon-Ford in a house away from town closer to the mountains, which seemed like a somewhat drastic change that must have brought with it a stressor that would lead someone like Johnson to become obsessed with Alchemy. Perhaps it was her problem with money and her irrational hatred of people of wealth that had led her to become interested in Alchemy, the fact that she could transmute objects into gold would be enough to get her attention, but her neutral reaction to her friend's comment before class when the subject was brought up meant that she wasn't entirely after gold.
About Johnson's family I had managed to hear from Sander's words that it seemed to be only his mother, stepfather and stepsister. Needless to say, they had all taken her stepfather's American surname, so it was unknown if her family was related to any influential family in the magical world, although not much was known about her stepfather and her mother either, as Sander said they were not very open people and she had not met both of them in all the time she had known Johnson, but she had managed to meet her sister. Sara Johnson had been an exceptional Hufflepuff, becoming prefect of her house and it was one of the reasons why Johnson's name resonated so much in the corridors of the school, most of the words being comparisons to her older sister that exposed nothing but imperfections in her person.
And every comparison was nothing but right in every single word, for behind the apparent sweetness that her sister possessed according to everyone who got to know her during her time at Hogwarts could testify that Johnson was nothing more than a cruel weed with her thorns ready to stick into anyone who saw her bad face.
She is cruel, disgusting, hateful, spiteful, manipulative and untruthful. The day she would be good of her own free will without expecting anything in return the world would explode.
So I followed in her footsteps with my cloak wrapped around my body, I took advantage of the time she had been missing around the palace to change my clothes before waiting for her to resurface from where she had gone, watching her scamper across the cobbled path with her hair hidden behind her hood where every now and then I could see her nose protrude in a sharp reddish point as she turned her face to see the castle rising out of the mist and look around at the people who were surrounding her. It was boring, but her attitude made her look suspicious of something, though I don't know what yet. Possibly the fact of the mention that she had been working during the summer, which entailed the possible use of magic without the school's permission, apart from the fact that students were forbidden to work. I didn't know what kind of work her classmate had mentioned when he made his remark but it had certainly got her mind focused on one thing in particular and that was Alchemy.
I put on a disillusioning charm as soon as we got close enough to Hogsmeade, watching as her shoulders relaxed and her figure crossed carelessly around the others, and several people seemed to recognise her as she passed, and she quickly turned to one of the shops and entered without a second thought. I could not enter the shop behind her, Tomes and Scrolls had a bell that would announce my arrival regardless of whether they could see me or not, but from where I stood I could see perfectly not only the merchandise that would be in Johnson's hands when she left the shop if she was not so cautious and could see beyond the entrance to Hogsmeade to the roundabout where some of the students were even walking with quick steps as they whispered.
My brow furrowed at the slightly altered faces as they made their way into the village, which were wiped away after they crossed the bridge. I was about to look back when the same bell rang and I could hear Johnson's squeaky voice say goodbye to the owner with a tone that sounded most unfamiliar on her lips. Guilt, it sounded like guilt and melancholy. Her face reddish from under her eyes to her cheeks and nose, to the beginnings of her collarbone were red with an expression that looked as if she would cry at the first push of her feelings as a book was pressed tightly against her chest that I recognised well. It was a book of advanced potions that were required for the specialised sixth and seventh year courses, which also spoke of the beginnings of Alchemy and related. She hid her face with her hood as she walked to the Hogsmeade exit at a leisurely pace.
I decided to step forward as I remembered the agitated looks of some of the students who had just entered a few minutes ago, passing by Johnson who had not yet demurely acknowledged my presence, passing by the rock bridge with a cold breath between my lips as I saw something I hadn't planned on. Multiple Black Mask men drinking invisibility potions at the entrance in front of the rotunda as they disappeared from sight and blended into the silence. Black Mask had made a name for himself after the murder of his competitor a few years ago, Victor Rookwood, his name growing bigger and bigger among poachers and criminals and being known as far away as London where my father's mansion was located. The fact that they were all gathered in one place waiting for someone to leave the village to attack could have several meanings: one is that they were looking to kidnap someone on behalf of their boss who wished to have an unfriendly conversation with that person, another is that they were prepared to attack someone on behalf of their boss who had stood in their way and was a danger to the stability of their business. Revenge.
I could remember the memory of my father and his encounter with Black Mask a few years ago when he didn't have as much power as today when I was far away in my mother's lands and focused on my studies, I didn't doubt that he had some kind of resentment towards my family with the situation that led him to hide his face under that mask that had become his name. But no one had seen my face since leaving school. I doubted this was about me.
As I turned around I could see Johnson's book disappear between her fingers and her face twist into a grimace like the one she used to wear every time she got us in trouble for a fight, I could see her gaze sweep over her surroundings from the road we had come down to the students in the distance walking in the distance and I realised that she knew there was something wrong. She was, within her constant distraction, somehow very attentive to her surroundings. Or at least she was being so at the moment. A clap of thunder echoed through the air, which caused something in her to activate as she crossed my side and began to walk to the opposite side from where we had arrived, a very bad choice if I wanted to ensure her safety. But it was also the smartest option as these men were surrounding the other exit and could easily crash into one of them and let it be known that she knew they were there. It also ensured that she would not endanger the other students walking in the distance. But Johnson couldn't possibly know all this and hadn't even managed to see the poachers.
I walked behind her as I listened to the undisguised footsteps of the poachers begin to move behind us, which made it clear to me who was the person they wanted at this moment. I could see how she tried to be natural to show that she hadn't sensed something was wrong, the way she came down the steps in a hurry and her face became hard as if she was about to throw curses in the air as she was about to fight. But this was much darker than those moments. I could see her scanning her surroundings just as I had been taught to do when going into battle, I could see her trying to create distance by rushing down the stairs as the first drops were falling fast on our heads and the smell of rain was intensifying.
The water washed over us quickly as I followed her at a brisk pace up the steep staircase as the furtive footsteps began to sound as one behind me and Johnson's body seemed to alter with each passing second. At the bottom of the stairs, she gained ground with her speed as she turned into a gate leading to the Black Lake causing me to lose sight of her as I tried to search for her with my gaze around the area, being pierced by a tree with a prolific cut at its base falling in front of me and breaking my spell as I could see Johnson look at me in the distance as she ran thinking I was the person behind her. What I gained by wanting to investigate her. I didn't hesitate to re-set the spell on me as I heard the footsteps approaching and coming down the path towards the beach as I could see from a distance how Johnson slipped in the mud and rolled down the remaining path, leaving her defenseless against the group speeding down the path towards her.
Defenceless?
Oh, how wrong I had been to think of that.
To think of her as a helpless girl to protect was just not possible.
By the time I made my way down the beach the fight had already begun, the thick mist surrounding everything that dared to pass through it as spells were shouted endlessly and I regretted ever leaving the castle. Johnson's voice bounced off the raindrops as her spells cut through everything in their path, she had shattered a man who received her reducto beside me and the screams of pain came through with her spells that were not meant to be used on people. But the worst were her diffindos. If I already hated them because of all our confrontations where my body had been severely cut by her words, this was much worse. It seemed to be the only word her lips knew perfectly. But there were too many people for her alone, so although I had not imagined myself ever doing it I was there fighting beside her between silent spells taking care of those people in the mist who prepared their spells silently to her as I followed her voice.
The thick curtain of mist she had created disappearing leaving me to see her cut face and the beginnings of her burnt skirt though her eyes seemed to be so wide she didn't even blink, her orbs looking almost round in the way she held her eyelids open towards her enemies. A look of pure shock as she could see her breathing heavy as she held her wand out in front of her and took a deep breath before casting another intense flare of spells. She could hear a curse about to be cast in the distance, but it didn't matter.
I had read the words that had begun to silently leave Johnson's lips that forced me to cut off both spells making my presence noticeable as I held Johnson before she did something she might regret.
I didn't care how she knew those words along with the movement of the wand, nothing mattered at that moment as long as those words didn't come out of her mouth.
The blood pouring from my wounds, the blood on Johnson's hands, the tight grip on her wand without feeling the pain, my tight grip on her waist that made her stop and think. Fuck, it was better for her to think about the hatred she had for me than to think about nothing at all as she had been doing with that empty look on her face as she cut everything in her path. I brought her back to reality by force. I could see how her reaction to run or fight had vanished as I slammed her into my body hard and used her to keep me standing as my body felt the weight of the wounds she had inflicted on me. I never thought I would be happy to see her face full of contempt until her lips called me by my surname as she identified me.
I could feel her body trembling against mine as I cast spells over her shoulder and she tried to see the men at her back casting protective spells over us. With each explosion she seemed to tremble more against my fingers as I held her still so she wouldn't rejoin the fight and finish reciting the words that never quite left her lips. If I lowered my gaze I could see how her eyes longed for an answer amidst all the accumulated hatred she could not express, how she wished to curse me until the answers I did not have came out of my mouth and quenched her curiosity, but she seemed to understand that this was not the time for that. So we kept fighting.
This time not fighting each other, but united in a kind of dark truce.
I felt her back arch between my fingers with that flexibility I knew as her body vibrated from the spells that came heavy from her mouth, her new position denoting more skin thanks to her poor ability to put her clothes on correctly, more cuts on her skin than I expected as the blood was washed away by the rain that made the fight difficult for us. Although she wasn't the best with her spells the force with which they came out of her wand was matched as if she had a gun in her hands ready to shoot to kill with every spell.
Which brought us to now.
She was still lying comfortably on my body as the water we had accumulated over the rain fell on the wooden floor of the second level of the Three Broomsticks with thunder rolling in the background and Sirona was watching us along with Deputy Headmistress Weasley who had been called by Officer Singer. I knew that the Deputy Headmistress had initially thought that the two of us had fought again at her quick arrival in Hogsmeade at the message the officer had sent her without giving any details of what had happened, but her gaze seemed more displeased to see me carrying Johnson as her legs clutched my aching chest tightly and her hands were still clasped behind the back of my neck. The body of the man I had taken prisoner to prevent his escape on the ground still petrified under the officer's gaze.
—Damian, can you explain to me what happened? —her words seemed gentle in what bordered on seriousness and perturbation. —If it is possible to wake Radchel to explain her part as well.
—As much as I wish I could, I doubt I could wake her now, Headmistress. —I sighed my words as I frowned and tried to shake the discomfort from my chest as my arm covered by the black sleeve of my shirt felt the warmth of Johnson's thighs under the skirt I'd had to cut off. —Johnson went through an adrenaline crash after all that had happened which had led to me having to be in this pitiful position, I had to restrict her movements since after all the fighting she wanted to start fighting me as well.
—This is a Black Mask man, how could you students fight against them? —the Officer's words made me take another deep breath as I fixed Johnson who was knocked out breathing deeply against my neck generating an obvious twitch in my eye.
—I was in Hogsmeade hanging out waiting for the time to arrive for my Charms class, which I share with Johnson, when I noticed suspicious movement at the entrances to the village thanks to the concerned looks on the faces of some students who were just entering. —I began to explain, twisting the truth in my favour. —I saw Johnson come out of Tomes and Scrolls and noticed how she caught the group's eye and how they started drinking invisibility potions, so I figured they were after her for some reason, so I followed them.
—I thought you hated each other. —Sirona's deep voice broke the mood as a snort escaped my lips and I felt Johnson squirm, silently settling in, her eyelashes brushing against my skin and creating an inexplicable itch.
—And I hate her, you're right. —I tried to keep my newfound discomfort from being obvious to the three women around me, clearing my throat as I tried to move Johnson's breath and eyelashes away from my skin. —Which makes me the prime suspect if she turns up dead overnight since we were both in the same place with no company to secure an alibi. I wasn't going to push my luck. I hate her, but I don't want her dead.
Sometimes I do, just not right now when I could be branded guilty.
—How many men were there? —asked the officer as she focused on the man who was rolling his eyes desperately on the ground as if begging for luck to come to him.
—About fifteen, which I find strange if they were focused on catching a student. —I admitted as I held back a grunt at the way I now felt Johnson's lips and the tip of his nose against my neck as the droplets that fell on his hair drifted over my skin, clenching my fists as I tried to keep my mind calm to avoid throwing her from the second floor of the tavern. —What makes me think they know Johnson's strength and reacted in measure to it.
—From what you say, the attack was not random. —the Deputy Headmistress nodded in agreement with my theory. —You mean they were already targeting Radchel in the first place, the question is why. Do you know anything about that, Damian?
—No, it goes without saying that Johnson and I aren't close at all, plus I don't quite understand why a rising criminal such as Black Mask would want to have business with a student.
—I've known Radchel since I was a child, her mother and I were members of the same house even though I'm a few years older. Her mother, Lizh, was an Unspeakable and in the summers she used to leave both of them in the tavern under my care, though she quit her job a few years ago and I have not been able to contact her. Maybe Black Mask is looking for contact with someone who will give him passage to the Department of Mysteries or maybe Lizh's family has gotten into trouble somehow. —Sirona seemed preoccupied as she looked only at the person who had ended up in my arms, revealing more information important to my investigation.
—If Johnson's mother is no longer working and is practically isolated, what about his stepfather or sister? —the three women looked at me again, all three with a raised eyebrow as I returned their looks with confusion.
—Her sister works as a healer at St Mungo's and her stepfather hasn't been heard from for years, said to be in America right now.
I noticed movement in the body clinging to mine, causing me to lower my gaze and meet Johnson's eyes flickering tiredly over my skin as she seemed oblivious to the position or where she was, raising her gaze to my eyes where I could see the blue with reddish tones instantly alter and her sharp eyes turn round at a single glance. Needless to say her silent curses came from her lips as she began to pull my hair and disengage her legs from my torso letting her feet touch the ground as I leaned down with her in tow, watching as her face reddened along with her neck as if it would explode as my eyes couldn't keep up with her lips moving without a word making a show of the three women in front of us, Feeling air coming from her legs I held her calf before it impacted between my legs as she continued to pull my hair and I held back from cursing in front of Headmistress Weasley who with a single throat clearing took Johnson's attention and turned her angry gaze to her until she realised who it was.
—I told you she had started to fight, I had to silence her for the sake of my peace of mind. —I raised my shoulders as the girl ran her hands over my head, releasing my hair, and gave a little bow as she flattened her skirt, taking in the torn edges that reached her knees and caused a vein in her neck to show as her face reddened even more.
Sirona was on the verge of tears behind her palm with which she hid the laughter that spilled from her lips as did Officer Singer who was a little more serious, but still got a kick out of the situation. A snort came from me as I gave a sly chuckle to Johnson who watched me from the corner of her eye as she formally greeted Deputy Headmistress Weasley as best she could, making her momentarily not care that the teacher was in front of us again as she tried to hit me with both arms linked together as she stomped her heel hard on my left foot making one hand go straight to her hair to give it a yank as the pain came out in a hiss from my lips.
We stood facing each other pulling our hair in front of the three women who looked us up and down and shook their heads, with Deputy Headmistress Weasley separating us with a single wave of her wand without a word as Johnson fiddled with her wrists trying to pull them apart while looking at me in disgust and every now and then looking down at her skirt with a sad expression. Maybe she liked it, too bad for her. I tried to straighten up, being knocked back by the pain in my back generated by the cuts Johnson had made on my skin and feeling my face burn from the cut that was still alive on it despite the potions, holding the growl in my throat as I could see the same discomfort reach Johnson who had her gaze on her bloody hands and her shirt that had been unbuttoned too much during her fall and had been hidden when it was against my chest. Both still full of mud and rainwater, soaked from head to toe with blood pouring from the wounds we had not yet healed.
—They're much worse than I thought.... —Sirona's voice echoed as we both lowered our heads silently. —Damian, can you turn your back on us for a moment? —damn it.
I glanced sideways at Johnson who was looking back at me before sighing heavily and turning my back to the women revealing my back between my torn shirt and robes, the fabric luckily on my skin from the intensity in which the cuts had been pronounced by Johnson's lips that had only been thinking of survival. As I turned around again I could see the women's worried and pale faces as Johnson averted her gaze from me and seemed to be trying to cross her arms without succeeding, I could see her playing with her fingers and the burnt skin on her left hand that characterised her amongst the others and added another point to investigate about her.
—I'm fine, I took some potions although they weren't enough. —I took my wand from my pocket, touching Johnson's wrists and lips and then wiping the wood with my wet clothes.
—My wand. —were the first words from her lips as she waved her fingers over her palm, signalling for me to pass it to her, which I did.
—Did the poachers do all that to you? —I could see how Johnson was more focused as she ran her hands over her wrists as her frown looked down at them, I could avenge all the injuries she had done to me right now and put her to shame.
—Yes, —my answer made her turn her face quickly towards me as if that wasn't the answer she was expecting. —Johnson raised a smokescreen, poachers do not have very good aim.
—Radchel, how are you feeling? —the Deputy Headmistress didn't hesitate to ask since she saw her folding her arms, hiding her injured palms in a frown.
—Very much alive, regretting all the money I saved to buy this skirt and had it ripped to shreds by a thoughtless primate without consideration. —the words came out as a snarl from her lips as she tried to bite her comments under her tongue, I could feel her eyes on me as I folded my arms and let my gaze linger on the people in authority. —You fucking pervert. —her whisper went straight to my ears causing me to clench my fists and frown as I closed my eyes. —I could have worked it out on my own.
—Of course, spoke the one who couldn't even stand up after a fight. —I held the bridge of my nose tightly as I kept my eyes closed, holding back the urge to curse at her.
—I was fine, it was you who couldn't even stand up as you used me as your fucking cane. —I felt her finger jab against my chest, hitting her palm before I could do it again as I opened my eyes to see her right in front of me.
—Have you ever looked in a mirror? You lack the strength for me to even lean on you. —my finger jabbed against her forehead between her disorganised hair, creating a red spot where my finger had hit.
—Just because you've grown a little doesn't mean you've changed too much, did taking a few inches off me go to your head, shorty? —her eyes glowed with that reddish hue they took on every time she got into a bad mood as her frown became more and more pronounced.
—Maybe it's the fact that you have to put your head up now is what's putting you in a bad mood, Johnson, isn't it?
—You'd like that, but you seem so pleased with your growth that you feel you have the power to do whatever you want, don't you? Maybe what's underneath didn't grow as much as you expected. Do you think you're a man now because you've grown a few inches, Wayne?
—And you think you're a woman? —I raised my eyebrow, looking her up and down as an attempt at a smile came to hand along a sigh before I pulled a grimace over my face. —I thought you were a man the first time I saw you and you haven't changed much since then.
—Do you really think I swallow your words after you cut my skirt just to lift me up against my will? Don't you remember what you said to me right after you threw that fucking silencio at me? I can remind you if you want, tell you word for word.
—Come on, say it. Say it so I can explain again why I said it, although it's being explained very well at the moment since all I can hear is your horrible shrieking voice bouncing around like a bloody pestilence in this space.
—You sai-
—You two, that's enough. —Deputy Headmistress Weasley's voice made me realise how much closer Johnson was getting to me with that fire in her eyes that showed with her fists clenched and ready to hit me. —If you have the energy to fight, you have the energy to go straight to Nurse Blainey when you get to the school and, likewise, attend your classes. Isn't that right, kids? —a grunt escaped my lips as I ran my hands over my face and slapped my shoulder against Johnson's, coming down the stairs behind Sirona, nodding softly at the Deputy Headmistress's question as I heard Johnson sigh loudly behind me.
I let them both pass in front of me once we reached the bottom of the stairs, walking a little slower in order to catch the Officer alone for a moment to discuss those things that were going through my head as I glanced sideways at Johnson's heavily dripping orange head as she spoke to Sirona.
—Officer Singer...
Chapter 7: Op.19, Act I, Scene 2: No.6 Words like violence
Chapter Text
My mouth still tasted like blood, my fangs had broken part of the muscle of my tongue as I tried to choke the pain between my lips to swallow it as venom. I felt everyone's eyes on me, the way I hobbled down the corridor and the way the prefects wouldn't let me out of their sights. Confined to this castle until the truth was revealed, a truth that I swallowed along with my blood and my pain with pride as I again avoided anyone who would stand in my way.
It was difficult, but not impossible.
I could recognise Wayne's scent from a distance from that day, Leonor's voice as she walked down the corridors by the way it bounced off every wall as if it sought to announce her presence as well, Jon was just... Jon and I had no need to avoid him. Though the way he and his best friend were attracting girls like flies to the rubbish it wasn't hard to tell if they were around. And not that I'm comparing Jon to rubbish, but to that pillar who always stood behind him like a shadow whose emerald eyes burned into the back of my head every time we were in the same room.
I could see the bandages on his shoulders through the collar of his shirt when he didn't fasten his tie properly and I knew that those bandages would go to his back which I had seen destroyed by my spells. What a pity, what a shame. I could also see the bandages on my hands that had been disappearing day by day, deep wounds that burned my skin and slowly disappeared without a trace.
But I could not distract myself with useless thoughts at this moment. I had a mission to accomplish and its planning had taken me weeks to complete.
I had started my day by distracting Peeves. I had my ways of making people laugh and creating chaos around the castle, which is why he considered me his greatest rival. Last year I remember how annoyed he was with me because my problems were heard more than the mess he made around the castle and the attention to his.... person was diminished.
I had walked past him carefully after my breakfast whispering through my teeth that I planned to make a big fuss during the night by infiltrating Headmaster Black's room and saying I would steal his underwear and hang it over every corner of the castle, focusing that it would be a shame if someone else did it first. Needless to say, he had taken the bait right out of my hand, running away in laughter that I could still hear in the distance as he mocked the headmaster's underwear and causing chaos for the prefects.
So, with both groups occupied, there would be less watching the lower floors of the castle as it had been the first area attacked by Peeves, who must now be making his way up the towers throwing the underwear down the corridors. My path cleared to go down the stairs to the library entrance and place a disillusioning charm on myself before carefully pushing the door open and entering.
The second part of my plan was this moment. And, while Mrs. Scribner had eyes up to the back of her head and many years of experience fighting troublesome students, I had a ready-made distraction for her as well that I had planted during the afternoon. The smell of the cheese in my pocket should be enough to draw him to me.
I crawled across the floor, my legs bruised and my knees scraped, placing myself in an aisle of books listening to the sounds of the animal approaching from a distance, running smoothly through the library, not caring that he just passed the feet of the librarian who had nearly had a stroke from the scare my little fast creature had given her by running his hair over the shoes she was wearing.
Swiftly, I changed aisles, leaving a small piece of cheese behind to stop the little mouse in its tracks for a moment. Watching as the woman approached with wand in hand behind the animal, my legs in motion to walk to her desk and grab the keys to the door to the forbidden area of the library. My hair fell heavy over my face and my fringes blocked my vision at times, lips cracking as I tried to remember the shape of the key between my fingers, listening to Mrs. Scribner's silent shrieks as she chased after the mouse trying to catch it or kill it. His sacrifice would be well remembered, he would die a soldier's death for the greater good. My good.
And I couldn't waste any more time, I had an approximate two minutes and forty-eight seconds lead on the librarian before she had enough determination or my lazy little friend would get caught. Squatting down, I trotted around the library trying to make as little noise as possible and holding my breath as I heard some books falling near the aisles where I had left my accomplice, along with more quiet squeaks. My sore fingers gripping the bars of the metal door, leaning my body carefully against it as the key entered the hole, sweaty hands on the handle as I moved it carefully so as not to make a sound.
I couldn't make the slightest sound or she would be suspicious.
She would suspect and she would not doubt that it was me who was infiltrating the library at this hour of the dawn.
I felt the air rush into my lungs after the key had turned all the way and I opened enough of a gap in the door to walk through the corridors, breaths ragged in what was still, technically, invisible. Quick footsteps and eyes running over names of dusty tomes whose names were not what I was looking for, dull books that had no reason to be locked away with such fervour.
None of the Alchemy books were on the first level, but all the other books that Headmaster Black had ordered to be locked away for no reason. But I would have them now, at my fingertips.
My school skirt at my knees, short so it wouldn't blend in between my legs when I ran, long stockings covering the weak skin that was still healing, and black shoes with which I carefully stepped on the beginnings of the wooden stairs, looking around so I wouldn't meet any curious ghosts. My shirt out of my skirt without my tie or my gown, rolled up to my elbows and, now, with my wand in hand ready to strike should I have to. Uncombed hair flowing down my face, somewhat puffy from the humidity and with some curls that made it look shorter than it really was, still not taking away from the fact that my fringes covered an important part of my visual range.
Grip marks on my wrists showed that things had not gone so well a few weeks ago in the infirmary after the very exciting encounter I had had with Wayne on the beach.
Nurse Blainey had looked at me like I was the most pitiful, kicked and dirty wet dog she had ever seen in her life. And I couldn't blame her. I had felt the same way.
Defeated, tired, frustrated, embarrassed. Most of all, furious.
The whole way was like a march of shame as I held the edges of my skirt and looked down at my scraped knees, holding my body from the walls or the handrails as we climbed the endless stairs to the infirmary. Silence was something that never reigned whenever and wherever Wayne and I found ourselves in the same space, but those flights of stairs had been an achievement in our mutual hatred of each other because of the silence that reigned with only the sounds of the paintings talking in the distance and our heavy breathing.
But the silence never lasted between him and me.
Even when she cast that Silencio, her eyes were still looking at me with the same expression that mixed sorrow with weariness and hints of annoyance, watching me writhe over my own body as a needle entered my neck with that deep red bloody liquid that made Crucio sound like a fairy tale next to it. And feelings had swirled in my chest because it was the first time Wayne had been within a few feet of me as that injection entered my veins, increasing everything I still felt in my chest.
Nothing lasted, only the hatred.
And I didn't believe him. I didn't believe anything that came out of his mouth. I didn't know why he was there at that moment and I knew that with a person like Damian Wayne around, causality wasn't something that really existed. He had been there for a reason, perhaps the same reason I felt traces of his scent behind my back so faint it would leave me wondering if I had gone mad or not.
He was following me for a reason, and I intended to find out.
I knew him well. I knew him as well as he knew me, and I knew him so little at the same time that I couldn't even get it into my head what kind of things he might be planning to follow me about other than to get evidence of my wanderings without permission to get me into trouble. But, at the same time, I knew it wasn't that. If it had been that he wouldn't have helped me a week ago and would have left me to die on that beach.
More taste of blood in my mouth. I stuck out my tongue and ran two fingers over it, feeling my sweat stinging on the new cut and smelling my blood on my fingers, swallowing hard to let it run down my lips with that taste I didn't dislike. And I hated that I didn't.
—I hated being here, as soon as I finish this round I'm leaving. Missing out on the party and bingo just to look after books that no one reads.
My steps stopped dead in my tracks at the edge of the staircase, not hesitating to crouch as low as possible against the wall, watching as the ghost passed right in front of where I was supposed to cross. Not only did my footsteps stop, but so did my breathing. The wall was cold against my back sending shivers throughout my body and my tongue flicking between my fangs again looking for a distraction.
I wasn't sure if I could actually feel my legs, but I could see their silhouette trembling beneath me despite the enchantment.
I let myself fall backwards as soon as the ghost disappeared through one of the walls, letting my lungs breathe heavily for a moment and then I made my way through the corridors, moving further into the forbidden section down more stairs looking for the feeling of safety as I was further away from where I had found that series of ghosts and paintings staring down the corridors looking for something to catch their attention. Then I would have time to look for what I planned to take.
The spell was no longer necessary, but my wand was still gripped tightly between my trembling fingers and the burn that tugged at my skin making my grip more unstable. I pointed into the void as my body became visible, squinting my eyes and, with my right hand holding the keys, brushing my fringes back from my forehead to see more clearly. The sound of my heart in my ears as I took a deep breath and kept pointing around me, at the edge of my lips the beginnings of a new spell.
Maybe I was going crazy.
There was no one around. Just the ghosts that had retreated, the paintings that had chosen to go elsewhere to rest, and me. And all the knowledge that had been locked away without explanation.
I lowered my wand, taking another deep breath to calm my still alert heart, focusing on reading the names of the books that surrounded me with their words. Some having titles both interesting and disturbing that only drew my gaze further. One of these had such a peculiar name that it caused my fingers to brush its cover and switch my wand to take it between my fingers.
"The Imperius Curse and How to Abuse It."
The name just sounded like bad things, but it sounded so good at the same time. It sounded like the perfect light read. I didn't hesitate to skim its pages, daring to open the cover slightly to see the first page that repeated the title and author's name, feeling its texture along with that of the leather covering it.
—So that's what you've come for inside the restricted section, Johnson.
I felt his breath against my neck, every hair on my body rising as I turned around and my back hit the bookcase hard. The shock was quick to disappear from my body, replaced with the hot hatred that had simmered inside my chest as his face was uncovered by nothingness and I understood why I had failed to notice him as I tried to point into the void.
Only his face appeared, his body wrapped in a kind of cloak in which his hand was uncovered and he was heading towards my body. I understood immediately what he intended.
—Only Merlin knows that it was my curiosity that called me to this book. —I pointed at his chest with my wand in my right hand and tucked the book behind my back, lifting my chin and squinting to sharpen my gaze. —What do you think you're doing here, Wayne?
—That's what I should be asking you, Johnson, after all the mess you've made of this castle that's got everybody restless. —he took my hand, tightening his grip on my wand and the way it was pressed into his chest.
—I've done absolutely nothing, or do you have proof to contradict me? —a sly smile left my lips as he frowned and leaned closer, I knew he was looking for me to let my guard down so he could snatch the book from my hands. —I didn't think you would dare so much, even following me, did I charm you so much that you can't live without me?
I didn't give him time to counter, lifting my leg with speed and force knowing where I wanted to hit and holding back the surprise in my expression as I felt him grab my ankle with his hand without much trouble to throw it backwards and my whole leg hit the bookcase again, moving some books that groaned in the process.
What he didn't expect was the kick his ribs received from the same leg that lay sore from his violence, leaving me the space to get out from between the sword and the wall. Avoiding with my head his hand that had come straight to try to grab my hair, I used my new freedom to give him a spinning kick straight to his chest as I threw my wand and the book into the air so that I could change hands.
But my kick was caught by one of his hands that wrapped itself around the soles of my shoes and pulled my body forward to decorate my face with a clean punch to my jaw and topped off with a knee to my nose that made my mouth flood with more of the taste of blood that hadn't left me.
I almost fell backwards, but managed to steady my body as I carried on with the book, the keys and my wand in my hand. He wasn't going to get any of those things away from me. I didn't even really want the book, but now that he was fighting so hard for it I couldn't shake the urge not to give it to him.
—I didn't know the Wayne's spoiled brat was so aggressive, imagine what they'll think since they see my beaten face again and you're the only one on the scene. Or what are you going to say, that they infiltrated the castle to kill me and you protected me? They're going to think you really loved me after that.
My words only aggravated their mood. I loved it. I needed to see his face twist more in anger.
—Depulso.
His body flew into one of the bookcases, his back hitting a corner and causing it to rock slightly back and forth to return to its original position, drawing a sigh of relief and a smile from me as I heard his grunt and saw more of his body exposed by the movements of his invisibility cloak.
I could run, flee from him with this book and leave without fulfilling my purpose knowing that my chances of getting back in were reduced if I failed to create a copy of these keys and knowing that the librarian would be more alert. Or I could continue to fight him in hopes of knocking him out and pursue what I had intended all along, to leave his unconscious body in here with the keys and make a scene to make it look like he was knocked out by one of the spells that protect the older books.
My vision was blurred and my head was throbbing with pain, my mouth and nose were bleeding slightly. Did I have a chance of beating him?
Yes, I do.
—Confundo.
I wasn't going to let him move from his position. Not when I was lasting longer than I'd planned to in here. I could see him grunting against the floor, not even being able to try to stand up without falling on his face, so it was time to start running and find that book while the spell gave me a few minutes.
I had already understood that this level was where all the dark arts books were located, which became clearer to me after passing by another one with a horribly striking title that almost made me want to brush this black leather cover with my fingers to feel its texture.
"Secrets of the Darkest Art"...
Well, it didn't cost me anything to borrow yet another book. I took both books, and the keys, out of my hands as there was still a chance that the Wayne might get up to try and take it and I needed to have more freedom in my hands.
I ran towards the stairs, wasting no time in looking back and wiping the blood that had slipped down to my upper lip with the back of my hand. Wayne was at a disadvantage, if I thought about it, because all the spells he specialised in would either blow up all our surroundings or set everything on fire, which only spread my smile as I reached the top floor and began to go over the titles of the books on the high bookshelves on the walls and in the lower ones in the middle.
I only had to find one book, just one, to know where all the others were.
Just one...
—Expelliarmus, Accio!
Fuck.
Another punch slammed into my face, sending my body flying in the opposite direction and knocking over one of the smaller bookcases, creating a noise that only by some miracle didn't echo all the way to the first floor of the library. More blood rushed to my lips, forcing me to swallow my toothache and lift my face as I tried to make out where my wand had gone flying.
Wayne was staggering, looking very much under the effects of my spell, which was much stronger than I expected. That didn't detract from the fact that his aim was incredible even in that state, which didn't do me any good.
Two could play the same game.
—Accio.
He came at me pulled by his belt, receiving a punch to his face accompanied with his neck being taken in a headlock between my torso and my left arm, letting my body fall to the ground with his, his head being the first to take the impact. I summoned my wand to my closed mouth as I tried to get up from the ground surrounded by dangerous magical animal books and how to confront the effects of the Veritaserum, I had fallen badly and now the pain was taking its toll.
Wayne's arm barred my path, his fingers digging hard into the skin of my waist. Saliva caught in my throat as his hand squeezed against my neck, slamming my head hard against the floor and not hesitating to place his full weight on my torso so I couldn't move. Tears wanted to fall from the edge of my face as one of his hands tightened around my neck and the other wrapped around his wand that pulsed energetically against my forehead. My wand had rolled out of my fingers again, lost in the trail of books, and my hands were trying to loosen the Wayne's grip on my throat.
—Why the hell are you here? —the question came more as a roar from my lips than coherent words, yet I was sure he would get the message. —I'm not blind or stupid- nor can I swallow your lies like Professor Weasley, why are you spying on me?
His face was serious, blood trickled down his nose onto my cheek and across some cuts that had been made on his right cheek. He looked horrible and it made me happy, it put a smile on my face to see how much he disliked being near me.
Is he a masochist or is my attention something he can't live without? After trying to push me away now he's the one attracting trouble to me. Is this my karma for annoying him so much last year?
—I don't need to answer you.
—Oh, like hell you do. I need a clear and concise explanation- agk.
He squeezed harder, a warning squeeze, as his green eyes scanned me. A shiver ran up and down my body with intensity, stopping my struggle against him to look down the stairs to where we stood and tuning my hearing. I only needed to reconnect glances with him for both of us to rise from where we stood as best we could, Wayne with his hand still around my neck which he used to guide me to a corner between a bookcase and a wall, opening his cloak to pull my body into it and then watch as he pulled his hood back on.
His breathing was heavy, his heart pounding and a strange slowness beneath my fingers, anxiety surging through my veins because I couldn't imagine that under his invisibility cloak he could see his surroundings clearly as if it didn't exist. I could only confirm that I had the fucking cloak over me by the warmth and texture of its fabric. Pressing us against each other as Madam Scribner made her way across the scene, thousands of curses on my lips as she approached the books that had been knocked over by our fight and remembered that my wand must be lying around.
I had to create a distraction, anything to stop the woman from finding my wand.
The woman had begun to look around, searching for the culprits with her wand in hand, it wouldn't be long before she crossed near us. She was strangely silent and I could see her going over the titles of the books as she passed, surely checking to see if they were all still there or not. I cleared my throat slightly, feeling Wayne tighten his grip on my waist against his chest and give two light squeezes as a warning. But he should start thanking me, because thanks to me we'd get away with this today.
After a year of getting into trouble and having the world's number one spoilt child and the most hated poltergeist by every wizard who has ever passed through this school as my rival, there was a laugh and a voice that I knew how to imitate perfectly.
—Peeves, come out wherever you are, Peeves!
—I'm going to throw the headmaster's knickers over here now, bye-bye!
—Peeves!
We watched as she sped up the stairs in what seemed like chasing a ghost that wasn't with us, and I had to hold back my laughter at Madam Scribner's expression of sheer terror as she dealt with Peeves.
However, reality came crashing down hard and cold on my shoulders as I realised that Wayne's hands were between my neck and my waist as he pressed his body against mine as if to leave me no escape.
And I received all of his twisted affection with a headbutt that left us both reeling away from each other's touch and letting me escape from under the invisible cloth that covered us, summoning my wand to my hand and running through the fallen books, noticing a nameless cover that caught my attention and took my breath away. Its illustration being something I had heard multiple times and it was just what I was looking for.
I stopped dead in my tracks, bending down to take it between my fingers and sprinting away again with trembling hands, instead of looking ahead my fingers underlining the speed of turning pages to close it tightly against my chest, enjoying the moment of triumph before I felt a spell pass over the side of my head. Damian Wayne sure knew how to damage my good times.
—I've got what I came for tonight, see ya! —I swiftly waved the book before disappearing, wand in my left hand with the spell brushing my tongue. —Confundo.
Marceloo on Chapter 1 Thu 04 Sep 2025 06:16PM UTC
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