The Legacy of Our Love

Chapter 5

ASRA

I woke screaming, and to the sound of my door blasting off its hinges, completely taking out one of the spare beds as it flew across the room. That wasn't enough to snap me from my panic, the memory of the dream forcing me to remember that pain I had buried ever so deep inside of me.

"Merlin's fucking tit, Devorak! What the hell is wrong!?" Imelda's voice was too loud, everything was too loud. My chest seized, and I clawed desperately for air as I struggled to catch my breath and recognize my surroundings.

"I can't– I can't breathe!" I choked, the tears streaming down my neck as the horrifically vivid nightmare flashed before me. I watched as Imelda's expression shifted from confused to a concerned understanding. She ran over quickly, feeling frantically for my legs under the covers before forcing them to my chest. "I couldn't stop it... I couldn't do anything!" I sobbed through the panic. I didn't have time to react as she pushed my head between my knees, and rubbed soothing circles into my scalp.

"You need to breathe for me, Devorak. Please. You're having a panic attack, that's all. You're going to be alright." Her voice was softer now as she moved to gently stroke my back. My chest heaved for several minutes before I found a steady rhythm, and several more before I could even consider attempting to speak. "There you go... very good. Just like that."

"I'm... sorry..." My voice shook between breaths.

"Don't be, just breathe..." She whispered. "My girlfriend gets them too, you can't control them, only how you react to them."

It took several more minutes before I was able to raise my head, and Imelda said nothing as I slowly wiped the tears from my face. "Thank you." Was all I managed with a pathetic smile.

"Anytime. I know you don't know me well yet, so I won't ask. But if this is something you deal with a lot, Nurse Blainey makes a fantastic Potion of Dreamless Sleep, and she is very understanding." Imelda got to her feet, brushing off the debris from the door from her robes. "I won't tell anyone, except maybe my girlfriend because she'll kick my arse if I hide anything from her. I swear she can smell a lie." She laughed lightly before waving her wand over the rubble. "Reparo."

"Thank you Imelda, truly." I repeated as she moved to step through the newly repaired door.

"Don't mention it. Just know I won't hesitate to break down your door again if you're screaming like you're being murdered, so make that trip to the hospital wing yeah?"

I nodded, which earned me a smile of approval before she stepped from the room, closing the door gently as she left.

Fuck that was embarrasing...

Shame burned through me at the thought of waking up half the dorm with my screams. Clearly I was doing a piss poor job of holding myself together, and it wouldn't be long before the entire school knew just how much of a blithering basket case I was. I forced myself to swing my legs over the side of the bed, immediately noting a letter sitting on the bedside table that hadn't been there the night before.

I grabbed the letter from the bed, peeling back the wax and unfolding the parchment to examine its contents.

Asra,

Come and see me as soon as you receive this. I've discovered something in the locket we found at Gringotts.

–Professor Fig

Relief washed over me, there was so much I needed to discuss with Professor Fig, and this would be an easy distraction from the memories of my past. They were the last thing I wanted to think about. I quickly got dressed and hurried down to the common room where I nearly ran over Sebastian in my haste.