Paradox | T. Riddle ✔

~•5.6•~

~TW: This chapter contains content dealing with sensitive themes of post-traumatic stress, victim blaming and self-loathing. Reader discretion is advised.~

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Esmeralda sat beside her younger sister, concern dripping from her features. They had been able to bring Eleanor back from the Dark Lord's hideout but she had been terribly injured.

Two members of the Order were Healers and they had examined her, deeming her state to be very damaged. They clearly stated that if she had not been rescued in time, she could have died from the torture wrecked upon her.

She had suffered severe internal damage and as there was no knowing what extent of mental torture she had been put through, the Healers couldn't predict what effects it would have on her. That could all be determined if she woke up and right then she had been in an unconscious state for too long.

She had been given the drought of sleeping death to help her body heal internally through her being put to sleep. But other than that there was not much they could do to heal her.

Also with the Order put under turmoil after the attack at the hideout, there was a lot going on already.

They had had to switch headquarters in a hurry because the Death Eaters had somehow managed to track them and if they stayed there, that could be a risk to all of them. Lord Voldemort was indeed very furious about that attack and would not stop at anything to get revenge for it.

That attack on the hideout had been taxing on the Order too. They had lost two of their Aurors, Gideon and Fabian Preweet, in the crossfire. Regulus had also very nearly died, suffering an extreme curse from Antonin Dolohov who had spotted him.

His chest was engraved with a deep scar that had kept bleeding until Remus suggested using a mix of silver and dittany upon it to seal it, thus saving Reg's life.

The rest of the members had gotten hurt too so the healers already had a lot of work on their hands rather than tending to Eleanor only. So Esmeralda had been sitting beside her sister ever since, waiting and praying for her to wake up.

At last, those marble green eyes flickered open and Eleanor looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. It wasn't the room she had seen earlier with Regulus so the fear of it all being a dream and her still being stuck with the Dark Lord gripped her heart.

"Ellie, it's alright. You are safe," Esmeralda came closer to her, seeing that her breaths were jagged and panicky.

She seemed to be going through a panic attack again. But seeing Esmeralda's features and letting her hold her hand slowly began to calm her down.

"Esme?"

"Yes, darling, I'm with you," she reassured her, stroking her head gently, "take a deep breath and don't panic, alright?"

She guided her through her breaths until her spiked heart rate returned to normal and her wide frightened eyes finally accepted that she was not stuck in a dream. She was really back at the Order hence safe from Voldemort for the time being.

"Esme, don't ever leave me again," her eyes welled up with tears as she sat up, arms reaching out to her in a desperate request to be held close. It tore through Esme's heart to see her sister as such but she quickly took her in her arms, comforting her the way she used to do earlier as well.

"I will never, my dear, I will never leave you," she stroked her head gently, placing a kiss on her forehead, "I wouldn't have left back then either but you were so insistent about it and..."