Author’s note: Thanks for bearing with me guys! I know every two weeks is a long time in between updates so I really appreciate all of your support. Hopefully within the next week or so, I’ll get Marauder Moments updated too!
I obediently swallowed the potions Narcissa shoved at me. Energy and strength flooded through me, and all the pain of my constant injuries instantly dissipated. “Greyback’s still here,” she informed me dryly. “See what you can do to convince him you need to go outside.”
I hadn’t had to deal with Greyback since the full moon. I grimaced, but nodded. She spun on heel, disappearing down the hallway. She returned several minutes later, Greyback in tow. I began frantically pacing around my cell, throwing my body against the bars and emitting animalistic shrieks. Greyback crossed his arms angrily. “What the bloody hell is wrong with you girl?”
“Outside!” I whined desperately. “Outside! I need to be outside! Can’t spend one more fcking minute trapped! Let me out damn it!” I threw my head back and let out an impressive impression of a wolf’s howl.
Greyback gave a harsh bark of laughter. “All those bloody experiments are messing with her mind. But it’s about time she finally started embracing her inner beast.”
“Perhaps we should let her out? If we let her, as you put it, embrace her inner beast, maybe she’ll be more likely to finally finish this transformation nonsense.”
Greyback studied my thrashing, then shrugged. “Either that or she’ll make a break of it and we’ll have an excuse to kill her.”
Thanks dad, love you too.
He and Narcissa led me outside at wand point. Draco saw us and joined our procession, commenting loudly about stupid mutts losing their minds. He only shut up when Greyback bared his teeth at the blond. I wasn’t really sure what to do once we got outside, so I threw myself on the ground and began rolling around in the grass. I didn’t have to fake my enthusiasm; I felt a deep rejuvenation at finally being reunited with the outside world again. Thank goodness it hadn’t snowed or I’d probably be facing hypothermia.
Narcissa waved Greyback away, saying she was perfectly capable of handling the ‘little mutt.’ The two regarded each other with snarls, and he disappeared into the house. Narcissa prodded Draco forward as I scrambled off of the ground. “You only have a few minutes before they come back. Run!”
I grabbed Draco’s hand and took off; the poor boy could barely keep up with me. The yard around us became engulfed by trees. Several minutes later and I heard enraged yelling. Greyback was following us.
A curse whizzed by me, and I veered too far to the left, loosing balance. Greyback was on me in a second, shooting another curse at me—I just barely rolled out of the way. He jumped on me, knees digging painfully into my stomach, mouth forming another curse, when Draco yelled something. Greyback fell over, but recovered before I had finished scrambling up, and disarmed Draco. He moved to attack the blond when I sprung up and knocked the wands out of his hand. He punched me, sending me to the ground again, and stomped on my arm. The bone gave a sickening crack, and I screamed in white-hot pain. He swooped down and grabbed the closest wand to him—Draco’s—and shot a stupify at the teen, then turned to me, snarling. With a smooth flick of his wrist, he shot a red slash down my body; blood began to spurt from my shoulder to my hip. Crying out, I heaved myself forward and sunk my teeth into his leg hard enough to feel his skin gave way. He gave a roar of pain, grabbing me roughly by the hair and slinging my body effortlessly away from his and into a nearby tree. I gasped, momentarily stunned by the sharp stab of pain shooting up my spine. My vision grew dark for several long seconds, but when I opened my eyes, I saw a wand laying uselessly on the ground. Clumsily I lurched towards it; Greyback was too distracted mocking Draco to notice me. He must have thought he’d knocked me out.
My fingers closed around the wand. “Stupify.” Nothing happened.
Greyback slowly turned towards me, eyes flashing crimson. “Don’t bother. It won’t work for the weak.”
Weak. If there was one word in the English language I abhorred more than anything else, it was ‘weak.’ Anger surged through me, nearly chocking me with its ferocity. I was not weak. I looked down at the wand in my hand. You hear that you useless twig!? I am not fcking weak. You obey me this instant or I am going to snap you in half. Magic and rage course through me into the wand, making it spark dangerously. “STUPIFY!!” I screamed, putting all of my frustrations from these last few weeks into it.
The spell hit him square in the chest, and he hit the ground. His mouth was still frozen in a mocking snarl, but his eyes had just begun to widen in shock. The pain from my injuries was beginning to go oddly numb; whatever Narcissa had slipped me must have been laced with some strong pain killers. Slowly, I made my way to my feet and unsteadily walked over to him. I wasn’t exactly sure what to think or feel. This man was biologically my father, but I’d always hated him; parts of me even feared him. He was a horrid, evil man. He deserved to die, he needed to die… it would be so easy to end his life…
I looked over at Draco. His face was ashen, and he was watching me with disturbing wide, innocent eyes. It was absurd because I knew Draco had seen dark things all of his life, but for some reason, I felt that ending a life in front of such wide, child-like eyes would be an unforgivable sin.
I shook my head hard. What was I thinking, killing someone? Yes, it would benefit society…maybe even save lives…but….I swallowed hard. I just couldn’t do it. “Draco,” I called out in a small voice, “do you know how to do an obliviate spell?”
The blond stood up. “I-I know the incantation and wand movement, but I’ve never performed it…”
“Well there’s a first time for everything.”
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Several botched obliviates from both of us later, and we were on the run—err, walk—again. We’d left Greyback stunned and glassy-eyed Draco had a small supply of blood-replenishing draughts, so I was able to keep trudging on for the time being.
The woods were coming to an end. “Draco,” I coughed, “lend me your cloak.”
He wordlessly took it off and gave it to me. I’d look weird with it on, but it wouldn’t attract as much attention as my injuries would. Okay, when we hit the town I needed to find a hospital. Normally I avoided muggle hospitals, but it seemed unavoidable this time. I needed to keep Draco safe..maybe he could fake an injury until I was recovered enough to get him to the Order….
I gasped as the trees opened up to the first buildings. I knew this town—this was where Kayla, Damon, and I had lived less than a year ago. The unbreakable bow suddenly tugged at me; Now that I knew where we were, I could get Draco help before myself. My feet seemed to move of their own accord, automatically following an old, familiar path. Draco had run out of potions to give me, and I was starting to grow dizzy. Draco slid an arm under my shoulders, supporting my weight. We came to a beat up rent-house with chipped brown paint. I raised a shaky fist and knocked on the door.
I blacked out just as it opened.
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Pounding. Pain. So much pain. So heavy. Need to open eyes. Draco. Greyback. Death eaters. Pain, pain, pain.
“That’s it sweetie,” a feminine voice soothed, “come on, wake up.”
I obeyed the voice, blinking several times. The woman standing above me slowly came in to focus: Desha. Desha was the girlfriend of my long-time acquaintance Link. She was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever known with skin the color of lightly creamed coffee, long-lashed black eyes, full lips, and small features. Everyone called her Surge because she planned to be a surgeon one day. Both of her parents were successful doctors, so she already had a vast knowledge about the medical field, and last I’d heard, she had been attending a university for a few years.
My arm was hooked up to an IV. Surge smiled. “Nicked it from the hospital. Link drove you there, let them patch you up, then brought you back here to rest. Not gonna lie, you look like shit right now, girl. You’ve got muscle tears, broken bones, fractures, bruises, cuts, and a line of stitches all up your torso. What the hell happened to you?”
I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to combat the pain. “Long, long story. How’s Draco?”
“Little blond boy? He’s fine. He hasn’t really said much. He keeps muttering about a bunch of weird things..is he like you? Not entirely normal?”
Surge and Link were both muggles, but they were aware to some degree of the magical world. They knew I wasn’t entirely ‘normal’ and that I avoided hospitals because I was afraid that someone would find out. Speaking of Link… He and I hadn’t been ‘close’ per say, but we had been friendly since I was just a kid. Link was a self-proclaimed con-man. He’d taught me how to blend into muggle society and easy ways to get a hold of the things I needed: food, water, shelter, sympathy. We’d had a falling out though because he’d begun hanging out with a few gang members I didn’t approve of. Link had always been a good guy, but I didn’t need to hang around someone who could bring the attention of the law enforcement around.
I nodded in answer to her question.
“Ms. Bates is also here.”
Kayla’s mum? “Why?”
Surge snorted. “Maybe because she cares about you? Besides, she’s the only person close to being your next of kin that we knew of. I should probably go get her. She’s cooking right now, but she’ll want to know that you’re awake.”
“Could you slip me more pain meds first?”
“Sorry hon, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. You’re on a pretty high dosage now, and I don’t know how to account for your metabolism…though it would help if you told me what on Earth you were.”
“Not gonna happen.”
She checked the IV attached to my arm and left. I looked around the room I was in. Link’s room. Simple bed, desk, chair, computer, lots of band posters. A lot of female clothes were lying around. Either Surge had moved in with him, or was just bad about leaving her stuff at his place.
Kayla’s mum came in. Her wheat-blond hair was thrown into a messy bun. Her thin frame looked even smaller than I’d remembered, almost frail, and she had deep circles under her eyes. She gingerly sat on the bed beside me and reached down to stroke my hair. “How are you feeling? What happened?”
“Good. Could be better. Let’s just say that I ran into some bad people.”
“Kayla told me that you’d gone missing. She’s been telling me a lot about you, really. Did you like Hogwarts? Are your guardians good to you?”
“You and Kayla talk about me?”
She gave me a dry look. “Of course. After all, someone has neglected to spare a poor old woman a phone call.”
“You’re not old Charlotte. And sorry..I guess it just didn’t occur to me to call you…” I’d lived with Kayla and Charlotte for a few years. I loved the woman and had gotten fairly close to her, but I hadn’t realized how much I missed her until this moment. I shook my head. There were so many people in this town that I had cared about but just let fall out of my life; Charlotte shouldn’t have been one of them.
“That’s okay. You’re a teenager; I don’t expect you to want another authority figure in your life. Now about those men you’re living with—“
“They’re nice gents, I assure you.”
“They’d better be.”
I was starting to feel tired again. “Can I use your phone?”
“Of course. But I’d recommend calling Damon first. We both know how shout-y Kayla can get.”
I took the phone with a smile. “You read my mind.”
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Life at Grimmuald house had never been more depressing. Mr. Weasley was in the hospital, and Rika was still missing. Even Mrs. Weasley’s cooking tasted like sawdust in everyone’s mouths. Remus hadn’t even bothered to come down for lunch.
Damon’s cell phone went off. He sighed, answering listlessly. “Yes?”
“Um…hiya…” Rika’s voice came over the line shyly.
Damon gasped softly. A thousand feelings and questions hit him at once. Where the hell was she, what the heck had happened!? Should he yell? Cry in relief? “Are you okay?” he asked in a restrained voice. Kayla shot him a weird look.
“Yeah…well..mostly..kind of beat up…um…I’m at Link’s house…with Charlotte…”
Safe. She was safe. He breathed out deeply in relief.
“And Draco’s here too…”
……Maybe not. “And why is he there?”
“…Um..Long story..look, I’m like, really tired..can I talk to Remus?”
“Yeah, one moment.” He pulled away from his phone. “Sirius, do you know where Remus is?”
“Not a clue. Wasn’t in his room earlier.”
He turned back to his phone. “Remus is MIA. Will Sirius suffice?”
“Yeah, but if he yells I’m gonna slit his throat.”
He handed the phone to Sirius. “If you yell she’s going to slit your throat. Sirius gave him a weird look before taking the phone. “Er..Hello?”
“Padfoot.”
“RIKA!?!?!”
Everyone at the table jumped, all eyes swinging towards Sirius.
On the other end of the line, Rika groaned. “No yelling. My head hurts.”
“B-But-but!”
“Damon knows everything important. I’m hanging up now.”
“RIKA WAIT—“
Click.
Sirius stared at the phone in horror. “She..she hung up..”
Everyone began talking at once, bombarding Sirius and Damon with questions.
Remus came tearing into the kitchen. “Did someone scream Rika?!”
Kayla whipped out her phone. “I’m calling my mum! One second!”
Everyone quieted, all eyes now glued to Kayla. She talked with her mother for a few minutes then hung up. “Rika’s safe, but hurt. For some reason Draco’s with her, but I know where to get her! She’s okay!”
The room seemed to swell with a dizzying relief. Remus was already formulating the best route to get to Rika, and Sirius was contacting Madam Pomfrey.
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“Hey kid, wake up.”
I groaned. “Doon waaaaan tooooo.”
“Come on kid. I lug you to the hospital and break you out of it, no questions asked, and this is how you thank me? Now up. People are coming to get you soon, and I want to talk with you first.”
I opened my eyes. Link loomed above my bed, arms crossed. Link was tall and broad shouldered with a deep sun-tan, a splattering of freckles, and dirty-blond hair. I’d known him since I was six, and he was twelve. “Well you’ve really outdone yourself this time kid,” he sighed. He wreaked of cigarettes. He must’ve smoked before he came in.
“I try.” I winced. For some reason I felt worse than I had the first time I’d woke up.
“So, you and Dames, and Kayla, you all just kind of up and disappeared this year. Ms. Bates been tellin me about ya. I hear you’re living with a couplea old men now?”
“Well when you say it like that, it sounds bad.” I coughed slightly, and he handed me a glass of water. “Yeah, but they’re cool. They’re like family, nothing creepy.”
He nodded. “Good. You and me, we were never exactly ‘close,’ but I like ya kid. We’ve been through a lot together. I hate to see someone hurt ya. And truth be told, I kinda actually miss you a little.”
I was worried that Link was going to get himself in trouble, and I didn’t want to deal with that kind of drama, but I didn’t think it would hurt anything to at least spare him a few letters or phone calls. I nodded. “I’ve kind of missed you too..When I can move my thumbs again without pain, I’ll text you, kay.”
He nodded. “By the way, you had this on you when you got here. I promised the blond kid I’d get it back to you.” He handed me a wand. I stared at it a moment before I remembered stealing Greybacks wand during the fight. I shoved it in my pocket with a thanks.
He patted my head. “Get some rest kid.”
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“Oh thank Merlin! Thank sweet Merlin!”
“It may be too early for thanking Merlin Rems, she looks pretty bad.”
Someone was hugging me, still murmuring thank-yous to Merlin. Groggily, I opened my eyes. “Rems?..Pads?”
Remus gave me a watery smile, pushing my hair gently out of my face. “Hey cub. Are you alright?”
I nodded weakly.
“Out of the way Remus.” Madam Pomfrey stepped forward, waving her wand over me a few times. She frowned. “Well those muggles managed to stabilize her well. She’ll be fine, but she’s in for a long recovery.”
Remus sighed deeply in relief. Sirius gave my arm a soft squeeze. “You know when you feel better, I’m going to kill you for hanging up on me, right?”
I closed my eyes. “I was tired, and you were loouuud. Still too loud.”
Charlotte stepped out from behind my guardians and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Get some rest honey, you’ll be back home soon. And you better call me when you feel better.”
I nodded, letting my eyes slide closed. Someone—Remus I presumed—carefully picked me up, and the voices around me faded away.
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Ever since Remus, Sirius, and Madam Pomfrey had returned with Rika and Draco in tow, the air at Grimmauld house had been sparking with nervous tension. Draco had instantly been ushered upstairs to speak with Dumbledore and Snape. Rika was still being tended to by Pomfrey, and no one was allowed to see her. Oddly enough, Sirius was the one trying to convince everyone to be calm and assuring them that Rika would be fine; Remus was too busy pacing anxiously.
Dumbledore came down nearly two hours later. Draco would be staying with them for the time being. It was undecided if he would be attending Hogwarts for the upcoming semester. He refused to answer any questions about what had happened, stating that it was Rika’s business to share. Neither Draco or Snape made an appearance downstairs.
Pomfrey came down about a half hour after Dumbledore saying that Rika was fine but sleeping and could have visitors so long as they were quiet. Of course, everyone immediately tried to run upstairs, but were beat but one very frantic werewolf. In the middle of the sudden pandemonium, an owl burst proudly into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley grabbed the letter and let out an excited little shriek. “He’s coming home! The hospital says Arthur is well enough to come home!”
Moods in the house soared to a ridiculous high. Harry clapped Ron on the back happily. Maybe this Christmas wouldn’t suck after all.
Author’s note: So I know my time line is pretty screwed up. I ideally wanted all of this to happen around Spring time, but this story was going by way to slowly, and I didn’t just want to skip Christmas all together. Also, a lot of Rika’s past has just become clear to me, so it’s hard for me to write character’s like Kayla’s mom and Link because I don’t feel like the way they are connected with Rika makes sense with the rest of the story. In the future I plan to explore Rika’s past more, so you’ll get to see the connections better. Sigh. I think this story is starting to get way too much of a life of its own. Maybe someday I can rewrite it as a non-hp story…. Mad love to all my readers!