Splitting One's Soul

The Ministry of Magic

In the nights you tossed and turned, thoughts racing in your head prevented you from sleeping although the rest was much needed. During the days you paced restlessly up and down your home, thoughts not one bit quieter, giving you no peace. Tom hadn't shown up in weeks, not giving you a single sign that he was alive and well. Your rent was still being paid but you assumed that was Avery's doing, he was always the main money source behind anything Tom did as you had found out. The way Avery acted... He must know something and it scared him, obviously, but what was it? Tom? His lord as he had called him. Nothing was adding up anymore although you knew Tom really well, you've spent a lot of time with him over the past few months, stayed at his home for days on end and there was never anything off about him. Until now at least.

You balled your fists, nails digging into your skin, as you looked out the window. Another habit you had picked up since Tom's disappearance in hopes that he would just turn up down in the streets but all you ever saw were strangers passing by the house or through the park. Desperate for any sign, you resolved to go back to Avery no matter what he told you, you'd squeeze something out of him even if you had to use some nasty spells. The thought of something having happened to Tom was twisting your stomach. You made sure you had your wand and headed out. Downstairs in front of the door, you ran into your neighbor, Mrs. Morris, an old lady and a chatterbox, the last thing you needed right now, and of course she hurried towards you with the widest smile, waving her hand excitedly.

"Hello, my dear," she said and without waiting for you to greet her back she continued. "Have you heard about the raid this morning?"

"I have no," you replied, confused about what raid she was talking about. "I'm afraid I won't have time for..."

"A whole group of aurors," she interrupted you, completely ignorant of your haste. "They say a dark wizard was hiding out just around the corner."

A shiver went down your spine, now she did manage to get your interest.

"Did they catch him?"

"Yes," she said, grabbing your upper arm with her frail hand. "Rumor has it he's been living there for quite a while."

"Who was it?"

"Something with birds. Avian... Aviary? I'm not sure."

"Avery?" You were hardly able to speak, choking the name out, your chest constricting.

"Yes, that's the one," she said. "But don't you worry, child, the aurors took him away."

The world started spinning around you, countless thoughts flooded your brain at once, making it almost impossible to discern any of them but one of them was louder than all the others combined.

"He killed him," you muttered.

"What was that?," she asked, looking at you with concern and falling silent for the first time.

"Nothing," you managed to say. "Just some stupid thought."

She shot you a smile, padded you on your shoulder and shuffled into the house without another word, clearly uncomfortable with your state of shock.

It felt like a ton of bricks were constricting your chest, making it hard to breathe, you leaned against the wall behind you, fingers finding anything to hold on to and keep you upright. This couldn't be happening.

"Miss, are you okay?," you heard a young boy ask, watching you through a pair of glasses too big for him.

You drew in a deep breath and pushed yourself off the wall, still dizzy but you managed without the support.

"Yes, thank you, don't you worry," you replied and forced a smile.

To not draw any further attention you headed for the park, walking straight through it and rounding into another road on the other side, you kept walking and walking, taking slow and deep breaths to clear your mind. Your legs carried you through several neighborhoods in London, along the Thames, pushing through groups of people, not paying them any mind, blind to your surroundings. All thoughts were lost in the effort to ignore the growing pain in your feet and when you finally couldn't anymore, your focus snapped back to the current moment and your surroundings. The red phone box was a sharp contrast surrounded by the white marble of the buildings, apparently your aching feet carried you to the visitor entrance to the Ministry of Magic.