Props And Mayhem - Mattheo Riddle

𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞

"Dad, please!" Estelle yelled, the inferi now dragging her down by scratching down her collar bone, almost pulling her head in.

Regulus pulled her out and the inferi grabbed him instead, dragging him into the deep waters. "Elle!" He yelled, holding onto her hand for dear life as she tried to save her father.

Her grip on his arm slipped, and she reached for it again, only for the inferi immediately dragging him down. "Dad! No- Dad!" Estelle raspily screamed, tears running down her face.

Regulus's horror-filled expression slowly faded into the dark water. She sobbed loudly, "Dad-"

Estelle woke up with a gasp, sweat plastered on her forehead. She breathed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose

"Elle, what happened? There at the Lake?" questioned Barty Jr, Remus and Estelle sitting in 'his' office the next morning, the door locked of course. Estelle kept her head down, "I-I don't know" she stuttered as she spoke, toying with the rings on her fingers.

"Elle, what happened in the water? Tell us." said Remus. Estelle slightly hesitated, "...the grindylows..." she said quietly, "The grindylows? What about them?" Barty raised a brow.

"They began to attack me because I saved more than one person...". "So? They didn't hurt you too bad, did they?" Barty's voice was laced with confusion.

"You don't understand, Barty... they dragged me down into the water by the feet" Estelle moved onto pinching her clothes. Barty's face was still confused-looking, but it instantly clicked in Remus's head.

It took Barty a good minute to finally put the pieces together, and he kneeled down to Estelle's level as she was sat on a chair. "Oh, Estelle.." he said sympathetically.

Estelle hid her face from the two, teardrops falling onto her lap. "Estelle-" Remus was cut off by Estelle suddenly getting up and hugging him tightly, beginning to sob into his chest.

Remus and Barty looked at each other, their eyes filled with sympathy as they've never ever seen Estelle act like this before. "Hey, it's alright.." Remus hugged her back, "You weren't there, Remus.. I don't know what happened to me, I was just so scared, I-I panicked!" She sputtered out.

"We know, Elle... but what matters is that you made it out, and you made it out safe" said Barty. Estelle pushed herself away from Remus and kept her head down, wiping off her tears.

"Estelle, look at me.." Remus raised her chin, her face all watery, red and an expression that was a mix of anger, fear and sadness. "You don't have to hide yourself from us, or your sadness...trust me, I understand" related Barty.

"No, Barty.." Estelle wiped her tears away from her rosy cheeks, "I won't cry anymore, ever, starting now". "Estelle, don't do this, you'll regret bottling up your emotions" worried Remus

"I won't bottle up existing emotions, then. I'm done, I'm sick of feeling like this" Estelle angrily rubbed her eyes, "It'd be better if I just don't feel at all". Remus and Barty exchanged looks of concern for Estelle.

- - -

Mattheo, once again, walked in late along with Theodore into Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the stench of the cigarettes that they'd smoked earlier following them.

"You two again, this is the fifth time you've been late to my class, I'm afraid that qualifies for a detention" said Professor Moody as the two lanky boys took their seats.

Mattheo scoffed as he sat down in his chair, "Now, I want to see your quills only on your desks, we're having a pop quiz" announced Professor Moody, making everyone groan in response.