CONFUNDUS; harry potter [UNDER EDITION]

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Milan's hastiness about Felicia is consuming Lucca. She says there is no time to waste but Lucca doesn't know how to explain to her that retrieving the ring isn't an easy task, not with Felicia's magic concealing it.

"Abuelita said to not —"

"— change the events, I know!" Lucca cuts off Milan.

After the match, Milan dragged him to one of the empty corridors to talk. She didn't like that Lucca told Terry and Samuel to help him to stop the fight before it broke. She says interfering with the events will lead to more trouble than solutions.

"You aren't focusing on your mission," says Milan. "If you continue with your distractions —"

"Harry isn't a distraction!"

Milan crosses her arms over her chest, staring fiercely at him. Lucca shifts on his feet and begins to pace in front of her. They haven't had enough time to actually talk about the whole Felicia and Cedric business. And Lucca knows he should solve it or at least have a hint on how to get rid of Felicia or how to contact the Grim, and he has no excuse for his lack of effort.

Lucca halts in front of Milan, breathing erratically. "Listen, Felicia's ring has various charms. I can't have the ring unless Harry gives it to me."

"So?" She raises her brow. "Ask him!"

"And then what? He'll want to know everything and then help me and then fight the Grim — Milan, don't look at me like that! Harry can't know about Felicia."

"Why?"

"Because..."

Because if Lucca talks, Harry will know the whole truth. Not just about Felicia but the time travel as well, and with that, who Lucca was in his past life. And once he knows Lucca was a Slytherin, he will hate him. It's a secret he wants to keep until the right moment comes. Not now, not when Harry's life is about to turn more difficult with Umbridge there, not when Voldemort is back and the war is about to rise.

"Alright," Milan says after a long minute of silence. "Lucca, I trust you will solve this but do it soon. I don't like what comes next."

Lucca doesn't need to ask what she is referring to. The nightmares about the war are constant in his sleep. Dark marks under his eyes, barely visible under the dim light and his tanned skin, but they are there. His skin does look a bit paler than usual and it's dry compared to the beginning of the term. Lucca feels and looks tired. Without his potions, Lucca can't ignore them. He is forced to remember about the Carrows, the tortured students and the way Milan and many others died.

"I'll fix it. Don't worry," Lucca says and Milan nods.

"By the way, are you alright?" she asks. "Aurora mentioned what Malfoy said —"

Lucca waves her off. Malfoy's words don't mean anything to him now. Harry and Terry took care of that. Lucca isn't sure if he dislikes the idea of Harry defending him but he was hoping to play against him in the future.

"I don't care about it."

"You do," Milan's voice softens. "I know you do. And I hope Flitwick at least does something this time — not only about Malfoy but the others as well."

"I'm fine."

"And I'm still your sister. You can't hide anything from me, Lucca."

The bullying situation is the least of his problems. He will worry about it later, when a demon isn't consuming his boyfriend's magic and the Grim isn't waiting for revenge. Gods. Since when his life got so messed up?