"Stop staring at me," I hissed.
Sirius cocked his head to the side and he awkwardly frowned. His eyes flickered to the side to combat the discomfort. Remus sniffed his hot chocolate, a long whiff above the mug. Steam fanned his face and his nose twitched at the humidity.
"After this whole time and I can't even look at you? I think this is illegal," he murmured.
"Gross," I shortly responded.
Pandora scratched her cheek as her gaze wandered the dining room. Stark gray portraits on the walls, peeling wallpaper, and lowly lit candles. People I don't know moved in their paintings.
This place is a wreck. Chairs and other furnishing were thrown haphazardly. Mold crawled from the corners of this discarded home. If we were completely silent, the chitters of rats would be audible on the cusp of our hearing.
"Anyways... why were you two at the Ministry?" Remus interrupted.
I side eyed Pandora and she glanced back at me the same time. They both stared expectantly. The tip of Moony's nose was pink, matching the color of his mouth. He held his cup with the sleeves over his hands. I blinked when he took a sip from his hot drink.
"Well, it's a long story."
"Speaking of a long story, please explain why, uhm, you're alive?" Sirius interjected.
"Pandora, why don't you take this one?" I dismissed.
She furrowed her brows and a hard look directed towards me. Her mouth opened for a moment but quickly closed again when she realized I probably will never retell the events of the past year and a half.
Nor the build up of the death I temporarily experienced in the train station. I ignored her expression and twiddled my thumbs.
"You see– I suppose– Back in– Actually–" she stammered.
"Did you hear that?" Sirius whispered.
His back straightened and he looked off over my shoulder, gears working his brain. His ears slightly wiggled and I scrunched my brows more so at this new ability I didn't know of? Either way, he remained alert.
Bangs suddenly fell into my vision and I could feel the draft along my nape. My lashes no longer grazed my cheek when I fluttered my lids. My reflection replicated a brunette I briefly brushed passed earlier this morning.
Our voices quieted and I could hear my own heartbeat. My hand curled around my wand and I breathed in. A drumbeat thrashed in my ears and my blood ignited.
The thing about dangerous situations people don't talk about is how addicting it is.
When your body numbs and your only thought is survival. We revert back to our natural human behavior and automatically switch to the method that we are used to. Flight or fight.
The addiction settles in the choice: will I run or jump into the storm?
You flee; the wind whistling through your hair and the chase begins. Are they hot on my heels? Have I lost them? How far should I go?
You fight; your heartbeat pounds against your eardrum and pain doesn't even erupt. The adrenaline already pumps through your veins. No thoughts, just movement.
As I let out my breath, green shot above us.
Our chairs fell to the ground. Glass shattered, the candles blew out, the emerald curse fizzled away in the corner.
"Deatheaters!"
Black smoke of the killers sped across the dining room. A red light aimed my way and I raised my wand, deflecting it. One revealed themselves, a mane of black curls and chaos.
Her fishnets wove along the muscles of her shoulders, a zealous posture to compliment her forbidden curses. A crazed grin tore her face, her tongue darting out to utter the names of her magical death.
With a familiar deep cut cheekbone, she advanced in on Pandora. An ironic performance of light versus dark.
The latter slowly backed up, her usual sleek platinum hair fell over her shoulder messily. The soft features contained a fierce look to conceal the fear. Her arm raised and I couldn't look more, for I accompanied another.
"Malfoy," I spat.
He slightly smirked, amused by the tone of my voice. He replied, "And you are?"
"You don't want to know," I angrily told.
"Doesn't matter, I'll kill you anyway."
A red curse burst from his wand and headed my direction. I ducked, my hands hitting the ground. Before I could even let the thought pass, I snatched the rug end.
Tugging the rug, I watched his feet slip. As I scrambled to get up before he fell, I took a short scan of the room. There's no way we can fight against this many death eaters and make it out alive.
"We need to get out!" I shouted.
The thud of Malfoy's body was a guilty delight when I heard it. Nevertheless, I refocused.
"Agreed!" Padfoot yelled back.
Hurrying, I tried to find out our best escape route. There's none. They all are hording the area in this small space.
What's that thing James told me? When in trouble, blow it all up.
Pointing my wand to the wall, I cast, "Reducto!"
The building exploded, a mess of poor construction.
The glass on the picture frames are now pieces that crumbled under our shoes. A large hole in the home appeared through the dust. From the sounds of it, the whole thing will come down if we don't get out now.
"Let's go!" I urged.
Pandora zoomed passed me, her figure disappearing through the dust and rubble. Remus followed, turning to look over his shoulder and deflect more offensive spells.
"Padfoot, come on! We have to go now!"
Deatheaters followed us into the street. Sirius approached the opening, grabbing my wrist and pulling me onto the ruined front yard.
"Leaving already, blondie? Let's play some more!" the gothic beauty teased.
She sauntered over the broken building pieces. The rain soaked us once more, a reminder of the good we found in it from the early evening.
The power I never touched since the cleansing ritual bubbled in me and begged to be used. Bursting from my palms, not even bothering to contain itself in my wand.
"Dora, take them home. I'll hold them off," I said.
"What? No, we go together," she argued.
"You're separating us? What's wrong with you?" Sirius exclaimed.
He tightly took my forearm and dragged me back. His nails dug into my skin and I know he doesn't want me to argue anymore.
But we can't safely apparate back when they can just intercept it. We'll get splinched. I tore my arm from his grasp and shoved him away. He stumbled into Remus.
"Dora, come on."
From the corner of my eye, their figures disappeared.
-lana
YOU ARE READING
Shut Up, Padfoot!
Fanfiction"Cry! Take that whip cream out of your mouth this instant!" The loud and fake obnoxious voice echoes across the Gryffindor table. The intended girl, Cry, laughs and yells back, "Shut up, Padfoot!" - She frowned. Her dress dampened with water and her...
