Crossroads | Marauders

Chapter 20: Curses

        He regretfully sighs, "Not that I'm aware of I'm afraid."

        And with those words, as if your legs had a mind of its own, you leave Lyall's study and step out into the hallway.

        No. You tell yourself. There must be a way. There had to be. It couldn't possibly be the end for you. Your foremothers may not have found a way to stay human and ultimately met their fates, but not you.

        You might not be the strongest witch but you are a great potioneer for your age; capable of brewing highly complicated potions. And until the fated day comes, you will spend your days finding a way to break the cursed bloodline.

        "Y/N?" You hear Remus stepping out from his room, flashing you his tender warm smile.

        Your head whips at the sound of his voice. Remus stood in the middle of the hall, a letter in hand while holding what looked like a shiny pin. And then without warning, you felt a great pang in your chest, realising the days ahead of you with Remus grew dark and dim. It wasn't like his transformations as a werewolf; his were temporary, lasting only a few days. Yours was forever.

        And you'd just realised your feelings for Remus and Sirius. But now? It seemed such a trivial thing. And yet, the hurt stabbed much harder. Your days together were numbered but for how long?

        Remus' face fell upon looking at your crushed expression trying to hold back the tears that pooled in your eyes. A choked cry for help was forcing itself up your throat, and you felt a tear stream down your cheeks.

        Remus takes a careful step towards you, "Y/N? W—"

        And you stagger backwards, hurtling through the house until you find Tibly entering the empty kitchen from the back garden.

        You immediately made a dash for the elf, "Tibly, meet me at the end of the river." The elf's bat-like ears perked up in surprise, standing up straight in immediate attention. Before Remus could catch up to you, you pleaded, "Now, please."

        "R-Right away, master Y/N." He salutes and with a crack, he Disapparates out of the kitchen.

        Desperately trying to hold it together, you didn't want to cry. But your body did want to run fast for the hills. All you knew was that you needed to get out. You needed to fly — to escape. 

        You made a break for the front door. As soon as you stepped out and your feet touched the grass, you willed yourself to transform.

        You felt yourself grow small, feeling lighter. Your arms expand, transforming into light feathers. You flapped your wings, soaring high up to the sky, putting as much distance between you and the letter.

        Finally feeling the cold wind hit your beak, the adrenaline floods through your system. All you could see were loose forms with colour on the ground and knowing the area by heart, you didn't need to follow the trail of water that passed through the forest.

        You flew higher and higher as quickly as you could until your arms hurt and the cottage was but a mere speck on the ground. Flying faster until you disconnect from everything but the ever present sound of your drumming heart.

        Despite the scorching weather the sun was giving off, it was completely unfair how pretty the sky was today.

—

        By the time you had met up with Tibly at the end of the river, the sun was starting to set. You transformed back into your human self as you landed next to the elf. Where the river meets the sea, you look up beyond the horizon, watching as the golden sky turns dark. The sea air gave you a nostalgic feeling. It had a way of doing that, of anchoring the memories and emotions to you.

        And then one by one, familiar faces flash in your mind: Hope and Lyall, the ones who devoted their lives to raising you.

        Your friends: Marlene, Lily, and Severus.

        James and Peter.

        Feeling another large pang, you clutched your chest with a desperate need to breathe.

        Sirius.

        Pang. 

        Remus.

        Another pang.

        If you didn't find a way to break the curse until you're changed forever, then one day, all you'll be to them is a liability. You wanted your affliction to be of good use, not a burden or a hindrance on their lives.

        Feeling your legs weaken, you collapsed to your knees on the ground. You strained your vocals but nothing came out, still you screamed, knowing no one around was there to hear. Suddenly, your whole body wracked with raw sobs and you shook like a fragile leaf in a storm. Fright and heartache consumed every fiber of your being, swelling them with terror.

        Tibly warily steps beside you, making a whimpering sound as he places a comforting hand on your shoulder, "M-Master Y/N."

        With every second, you practically felt the rise of your blood pressure, but you knew that this was the least of your worries.

        You wipe your tears in frustration as you stand back up. With no time to waste, you find the resolve in your voice, "I need your help to Apparate."

        "O-Of course, master Y/N. Where to?" Tibly raises his hand for you to take.

        Despite being a great potioneer, your knowledge only extended to those of what was written in books. You knew your prowess at potion-making won't be enough.

        You needed the help of one other person.

        Someone who was skilled in the Dark Arts, a specific talent for curses. Someone who had the knowledge of deep secrets of the wizarding world.

        "Spinner's End."

Mischief Managed