saige | t.lupin

sixth year

"Miss Stirling."

The sharp voice broke Saige out of her trance, diverting her attention back towards the man seated across the ornate desk.

"I have made arrangements with the headmistress at Hogwarts, you are to return to school early. An auror will accompany you home to collect your things."

The Minister of Family Affairs was a nice man. He was always willing to put on a kind smile to the hundreds of children he saw suffering under their parents care. Not that Saige needed it, she had found herself sitting in his office countless times over the years.

She had used the floo network the day after the incident, one again finding herself seeking out the help of the ministry. When she woke, she was met with an empty house, both of her parents disappeared. She had assumed that the two went to work, but nothing was so predictable in the Stirling household.

Nodding to the man, she offered him a small smile, a rare occurrence for the girl.

-

Teddy had been wandering the halls aimlessly for what seemed like hours. He was so bored, he truely didn't understand how Saige was able to go every holiday all alone in the castle.

Almost as if he had manifested it, a slightly familiar head of golden blonde hair rounded the corner ahead of him. The girl walked purposefully, head down and shoulders hunched. Teddy quickened his pace at the sight of a friend, until he was certain she was aware of his presence behind her.

"Saige?" Teddy called out. The girl didn't turn to acknowledge the boy, her gaze set straight in front of her. At her ignorance, Teddy once again sped up, his long strides catching up to her quickly.

"Hey," he said, grabbing her shoulder. She whipped her head around turning to face him, eyes hard like stone and clenching her jaw tightly.

"What?" she demanded coldly.

Teddy's words completely disappeared at the sight of the girl. Her cheekbone was blue and purple, the bruise spreading up towards her temple. Her lip had a small split, a scab healing over the wound. Her jawline too was littered in bruises. She looked so...fragile, Teddy thought. It was a sight so different from her usual, confident, brash, abrasive self, there was truely endless amounts of adjectives he could use to describe her. Teddy stood shellshocked at the sight of her shattered expression, void of her normal mischief.

"What happened?" Teddy whispered, shock racking through his body.

"Nothing," Saige spat in response. "Now if you'll let me go, that hurts and I need to get back to my common room," she shrugged out of his grip, turning to leave.

"Saige," Teddy moved in front of her, blocking her path. "Tell me what happened to you, please. Who did this to you?" he pleaded.

"Nothing, Lupin," she insisted.

"I'm not daft."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Saige attempted to shift the boys attention.

"Harry's here to meet McGonagall, I wrote to you about it. Did you not read my letters?"

"Of course I did-"

"Then why didn't you send one back?"

Saige looked at the boy flatly, not having the energy to form an excuse.

"What happened to you?" he pushed.

"Lupin-"

"Don't you start that last name shit with me."

"Look I just want to get back to my common room," Saige sighed, defeated.

"Not until you tell me what happened to you," he persisted.