𝐍𝐨𝐱 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐫𝐚 𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐬𝐭 |𝐂. 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

𝐋𝐞𝐨, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲𝐬

Once her breathing had even out, Charlie sat Polaris down on her bed and held her close.

"What was that, Charlie?" She asked, afraid of what just happened to her.

"That was a panic attack." He didn't need to explain more as she just nodded, "Have you had them before?"

"No, never." Polaris swallowed harshly and she was still slightly shaking.

"Talk to me, Polaris." But the woman just shook her head at his words. "Please."

Polaris closed her eyes before starting, "I can see it before me, the whole time." Charlie squeezed her shoulders in assurance. "The whole time it's like a broken record repeating the same tune and I can't get it out of my head." There were tears flowing down her face again as she continued. "I can see Sirius before me the whole time, the way he-" Polaris stopped, "I-I was like frozen, I could n't help him, Charlie, if I could have he'd still be alive."

"Polaris, that Sirius died is not your fault. There were tens of other wizards and no one could help. Sirius was a skilled duelist but so is Bellatrix. It's not your fault."

"It feels like it though."

All the words in the world couldn't describe just how Charlie's heart broke in that moment for Polaris. He had seen her in various states, some in which people would think the most vulnerable ones but Charlie disagreed with them. He was certain that this was the most vulnerable state Polaris could ever be in and he knew that he could never know just how she felt.

The man held her tighter, not wanting to let her go. Polaris pushed him away from her though, feeling like she suffocated any moment.

"Stop it, Charles." Polaris whispered, her voice growing stronger as he didn't let go, "I said let go, Charlie!"

By now she was standing up and Charlie looked at her like she was crazy.

"Stop treating me like I'm made of glass, Charles." Polaris said, "Just leave, it's better that way anyway."

"I just walked in on you having a panic attack and not even knowing about it, Polaris, I'm not leaving you now." Charlie responded back, his voice still gentle but firm, "You just lost your uncle."

"Don't you think I know this? In case you have a memory leak now, I was there." Polaris screamed back, not caring about the fact that everyone downstairs could hear her.

Charlie stood up now too, his hands going back to her arms to hug her. He knew her emotions were all over the place, after all she had just lost the last person she called family aside from Kreacher.

"Why are you so afraid of letting me in?" He asked her, an honest curiosity in his voice.

"Because everyone I ever let in ended up dead. I'm not risking your life for something we do not even know for sure is a good thing. You have a family that needs you." Polaris answered, a tear beginning to make its way down her cheek again.

Charlie followed that tear with his eyes for a short moment before wiping it away. "I know that this is a good thing, Polaris, I can feel it."

The young woman still shook her head at him while he still held her face, "It's too dangerous now, Charlie." Polaris didn't try stepping out of his embrace though, "Voldemort knows about me now and Bellatrix even before that. I don't want nor do I need you to get stuck in the middle of this witch hunt."

"How do you even know that he's coming for you?" Polaris tilted her head at his question, his hands going with the motion.

"Because he knows I'm not Sirius' daughter. Bellatrix knew it. What do you think he's going to do now that he knows his right hand had a daughter he didn't know about? Not to mention that she's not actively fighting with him?"