Finding Neverland | George Weasley ✓

Chapter Fifty-Four

Thea tossed and turned in bed that night, whimpering sounds leaving her mouth every now and then. The nightmare ever-present in her mind. She watched as her memories intertwined with her family and friend's faces popped up in her mind.

"We never loved you."

"You are a disgrace to this family."

"You should just break up with him, he doesn't understand, he doesn't what it's like, he's never lived without love in his life."

"Did you seriously believe that I could ever love someone as broken as you?"

"I'm glad, we've gotten rid of you. You will live the rest of your life miserable with a murderer as a guardian."

"Thea please keep your sass in check. You will be representing our family there."

"Yes, Thea's brother is such a star, he's the perfect son and Thea is the problematic child, always getting into trouble."

"Yes, that's right Matilda, rip the photo right there. When I show my friends I want to show them the perfect family of THREE we once were."

"Understand what?"

"THAT I LOST A BROTHER TODAY!"

"You know how we were both obsessed with Peter Pan as kids? I've always wanted to be a lost boy. Be able to run away, escape life, get lost."

"You are so going to fail your exams. Did you ever seriously think that you were smart enough to become an Auror.

Memories both imagined and real life accumulated into a giant emotional storm in Thea's mind. Her parents, her brother, George, Fred, Remus, and Sirius were just some of the figures that constantly came to her as she went through her worst nightmare. Where no-one really loved her, she was too broken for that anyway, where the only person who did, her brother was gone, where her worst fear was confirmed, her parents didn't love her, didn't want her.

"Break up with him, already."

"Come on, Thea."

"Come on, Thea."

"Yeah, come on Thea."

Thea woke up with start, feeling how hot her body was under the sheets, the beads of sweat on her forehead, the sticky trails that her tears must have made down her cheeks, the tears still in her eyes ready to fall, her throat hoarse from screaming. She looked over at the clock she had on her bedside table, sighing when she realized that it was still in the very early hours of the morning. She had tried her hardest to go to sleep the night before, hoping that a good night's sleep would stop her from stressing too hard about her exams that day, no such luck.

The nightmare had left her dizzy and disorientated, confused about her emotions and what was right from wrong. However, Thea quickly turned to one thing that had always helped her to clear her mind when she was younger, a warm shower, grabbing her things, Thea tried to leave the room as quietly as possible, not noticing the eyes that followed her out of the room.

Max was extremely concerned about Thea. She had heard her screaming and had quickly set a charm barrier around their beds, so the other girls wouldn't wake up. Max had listened as Thea screamed and pleaded with whoever was talking to her in her nightmare, tears constantly slipped down her cheeks. Max wanted to help her former friend more than anything, Max had watched as Thea seemed to be slowly on the road to recovery, but this nightmare and her nightly habits seemed to be holding her back. It had taken everything for Max not to wake Thea up, unable to listen to her friend's tortured screams but she knew not to wake her up because it could lead to repercussions for her and for Thea.

Thea sat in the base of the shower, feeling the nightmare slowly come back to her in waves.

"You should just break up with him, he doesn't understand, he doesn't what it's like, he's never lived without love in his life."

That had been her brother, telling her everything she needed to know. It was true. Thea had noticed it, particularly over Christmas, despite the amount of time that the twins often disagreed with their mother, they still loved each other unconditionally. And as much as Thea didn't want to admit it as much as George tried to comfort her, he simply didn't understand, he had never lost a brother, he had never had to deal with the pain.

"Did you seriously believe that I could ever love someone as broken as you?"

George had chimed in, only confirming another one of her worst fears. That George was only friends with her because he pitied her, he really didn't want anyone as broken as her, leaving him to pick up the pieces and try to put her back together.

"NO!" Thea screamed into her hand, so she didn't wake up the others. "No, I won't." She was fighting with the nightmare and her fear against her reality and feeling. "I can't..."

"You must..." The voice whispered back at her.

"I will......" Thea whispered into the silent air. "He doesn't deserve to have to deal with someone like me. Then it's decided then, I'm so sorry George Weasley."

Thea sat in the Great Hall huddled over her lunch, her eyes still red-rimmed from crying, her throat still roar from the screaming, however, the nerves about her exams had dissipated as she had just finished her last one. SHe just hoped she had done well and that all her study had paid off. Her hair was a frizzy mess from where she had tugged at it throughout the examination, she quickly pulled it back into a ponytail. The very thought of seeing George had her stomach in knots, she felt so bad for putting him through having to deal with her for such a long time.

The second George entered the Great Hall and noticed Thea sitting hunched, he could tell that something was wrong. As he grew closer and took in her messy state and red-rimmed eyes, the concern only grew. Had she simply had a bad night or was something really the matter?

"Hey, Thea. Are you alright?"

Thea looked up to George as it felt like her stomach did a 360° turn.

"Um......yeah I'm alright. Listen, can we talk?"

"Of course. In here or do you need some privacy."

"Um...let's go out to the hall."

On the way, they passed Fred who seemed a little concerned by Thea's state as well but didn't voice it.

"We'll be back in a second, Fred. Do you want to save us a seat?" George asked.

"Of course. I'll see you two, soon."

Once they had walked a safe distance away from the Great Hall, George turned to Thea, concerned about what all of this was about but he couldn't ignore the bad feeling he suddenly got in the base of his stomach.

"What did you want to talk to me about Thea?"