Cutting Corners | T N ✔︎

TWELVE ⁂ NOTT

The moment I watched Gryphon Bloodvest challenge the Minister of Magic, the public, and the entire Wizengamot, I knew she was meant to be mine.

After Hayden's charges were dropped, Gryphon's hand laced through mine and she stormed off away from the room, dragging me behind her as she ignored the judgemental stares from Hayden's brother.

The way his knowing green eyes pierced through mine and then flicked to my left wrist had me adjusting my sleeve. I could feel the inky black coils of the snake wriggle and burn beneath my skin and a blinding white pain sears through my mind.

I drop to my knees in the middle of the hall, my hand ripped away from Gryphon's as I bring them to my ears. A groan slips through clenched teeth and the last thing I see before squeezing my eyes shut is Gryphon whipping around, all anger void from her face and replaced with concern.

A grunt leaves my mouth and everything inside of my head is exploding with agony.

The only answer my mind can form is that Voldemort is near.

He, as Snape has said, is one of the worlds strongest legilimens. This pain is something he used in order to torture his traitorous foot soldiers into madness. Their minds exploded with pain until their consciousness was thrown into oblivion.

I can feel hands on me, but every movement--every touch, burns like a million tiny fires beneath my skin. The world warps around us and I moan in pain as my back collides with a colder surface.

Ooze drips from my nose and I writhe in pain, my groans dying down as the hurt begins to subside. I keep my eyes closed, every nerve in my being is aching. I can feel Gryphon's panic through our bond but I don't have the energy to send her a wave of reassurance.

By the time I can hear what's happening around me, the initial hurt fades until it's nearly mute in the background.

Gryphon's in front of me when I finally risk a glance around my surroundings. The sheer terror in her face is enough to haunt my dreams for weeks to come, her glossy eyes rimmed with red and tear tracks running down her cheeks.

And the moment she understands that my eyes are open, she's launching herself around me, squeezing me impossibly tight as silent tears fall from her beautiful eyes.

Even scared, Gryphon is an angel descended just to bless me.

I don't deserve it.

"What..?" Gryphon chokes out, pulling back and cupping my face. Her thumb strokes my cheek until eventually dragging across the blood from my nose.

"Mister Nott," Dumbledore starts warily, his gaze knowing as he struggles to hide his judgment, "is there something you'd like to share with us?"

I finally look around, understanding where we are.

Dumbledore's quarters, with Harry and Hayden Potter, Gryphon, and him.

"Give him a moment." Gryphon warns, her gaze unwavering from mine as her voice drops to a whisper. "Just a second."

My nerves spike and she recognizes that. I can see it in her eyes.

Fuck, I need a smoke.

"A moment is not what we have." Dumbledore says, his voice strained with frustration. "It's time to shed light on secrets, mister Nott."

I grimace, rolling up my left sleeve. I let my eyes fall shut as Gryphon's scalding glare stings into my skin. I can feel her eyes moving along the dark mark, betrayal, anger, and disgust filling the flood of our bond.

I slam up the walls between us, praying she didn't feel the hurt that caves a hole through my chest. Gryphon gets to her feet and I let my eyes open, looking up at her. And her face is tugged into a sneer. Her eyes hold distrust, unfamiliarity puncturing a gash in my heart.