A Living Shadow ➣Gellert Grindelwald X Reader!Daughter

Chapter 18 ➛One More Day

My nerves had been acting up ever since I had woken. Grindelwald and I had talked everything over, but still, I felt like something was going to go wrong. I had talked about it with Alyx, who sadly would not be able to come along since Grindelwald didn't want to risk the Ministry interrupting. I had argued with him on the subject, but he would not budge in his decision, and I knew that I would not be able to change his mind.

Besides my common worries for the rally, there were also the flashbacks that kept popping up more and more often now. They reminded me of what Lillian put me through, what my fellow students at Hogwarts had done to me, and what had happened to me at the orphanage.

My feelings had started to build up, creating this enormous pit in my stomach that ached every time when the thoughts returned to my mind, reminding me of every traumatizing thing that I had lived through.

It was at one particular moment that my mind shut off and I was reliving the traumatizing events at the Ministry. My freedom taken from me, tied to a chair I knew many people had sat in while being tortured. The flashes of light filling my vision as excruciating pain filled my body.

My body had fought and fought as if it was back in the Ministry, and as I returned to the present moment, my body ached and I felt sore, breathing hard as I wiped off the sweat.

Maybe Alyx had been, right? Maybe it will get less once I start talking to someone, I thought as I fell backwards onto the soft bed, rubbing my eyes, trying to wipe the tears away, but they refused to go.

Groaning in frustration I sat up and stared at the wall. I can't talk to her. I don't want to put this on her shoulders. She's not supposed to be the one carrying this, I thought as a visualisation of her face popped up in my head when I'd tell her.

I pulled my feet onto the bed and hugged my legs to my chest. But who else can I tell?

☘

I couldn't believe I was actually doing this, but he was my father, so I should trust him with this, and he might be able to help me.

So, ignoring my fears and anxiety I knocked on the door and waited for the first time since I was at Nurmengard for a 'come in'. It was only then that I opened the door and he looked up, curiously watching me proceed into the room.

I took the chair in the corner of his office and placed it in front of his desk so I would be facing him when we talked.

He didn't say a word, as I sat down, leaned on his desk and watched him. ''I need to talk,'' I said curtly as I stared into his eyes, waiting for a reaction. ''Go on,'' he said as he pushed the book he was reading away and watched me seriously.

''If you want me to stop, just say so and I'll go,'' I said. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable in this situation, but I hoped dearly he wouldn't so I could talk about what had been going on.

One of his eyebrows raised slightly in question, but he nodded anyway, waiting for me to continue.

I sought for words to start the conversation. ''I've been having flashbacks about the traumatizing things that people did to me, but they've been growing more constant and it's starting to freak me out because they're getting worse too. I can remember my thoughts, my feelings, the smells, their laughter. It's like I'm back there,'' I said softly, looking down at my hands.

''You mean that you've been through more than just what happened to you at the Ministry?'' he asked, his brow furrowed as his eyes filled with sympathy. I nodded quietly and waited for a moment before I looked up into his eyes and started,

''Do you remember when I was talking in my sleep and I punched you in the face?''

''Do you remember the name?''