Nic got into the shower the moment she got to the house, peeling off her bloody clothes and tossing them on the floor. It felt off, scrubbing off blood that wasn't hers. The water flowing into the drain was red as the blood came off. Even when the water flowed clear, she still felt like she was covered in blood. When she did finally leave the bathroom, Nic saw Tyriq sitting on her bed. Getting up, he said, "I heard what happened. Are you okay?"
"No," Nic said, moving over to her closet. She shut herself inside and changed into a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Opening the door, she saw Tyriq had moved over to the window. She began combing her hair as Tyriq looked at her cautiously. Turning to face him, she said, "It...it feels like it's still there. The blood."
"Hey, you're okay," Tyriq said, grabbing hold of her shoulders gently.
"I-I don't understand why this happened," Nic said. "It-it all happened so fast."
"I know," Tyriq replied, hugging her tightly. She lay her hands on his chest and lay her head on his shoulder.
"Why am I reacting like this?" Nic whispered quietly.
"What happened third year was traumatic," he replied. "This probably just triggered that."
"Am I overreacting?" Nic asked.
"No," he replied, kissing the top of her head. After a pause, he said, "I should probably head back to the castle."
"Can you stay here with me?" Nic asked.
"Yeah," he replied with a small, sympathetic smile. Soon she was curled up on his chest fast asleep. Nic seemed to throw herself into her training much more than she ever had before as they came into June. The fact the Hufflepuff had come in second on the House Cup was the furthest thing from Nic's mind while she slashed her wand through the air and dueled Dumbledore. She let out a cry of pain as he shot a curse at her. Trying to hold in a groan, she moved her hand to a circular burn just below her collarbone.
"You're unfocused," Dumbledore remarked. "Your emotions are getting in the way, causing you to be distracted."
"He figured it out!" Tyriq cried, running into the room. "Malfoy, he fixed the cabinet. They're coming tonight!" Nic grew pale, looking at Dumbledore.
"There's no going back now," Dumbledore said quietly. "Tyriq, it is unlikely you and Ms. Potter will see one another for a long time. I suggest you say your goodbyes before it's too late." He left the room and headed up to his office as Nic faced Tyriq with tears shining in her eyes.
"Snape's going to do it," Nic said shakily. "You don't have to kill him."
"I know," Tyriq whispered. Nic cupped his cheeks and he pressed his forehead to hers. Nic swallowed, not knowing what to say.
"P-Please, be safe," Nic whispered.
"I promise," he replied. After a pause, he said, "I have to go."
"Okay," Nic whispered, barely loud enough for Tyriq to hear her. Quickly he pressed his lips to hers. Nic memorized every detail about him before he pulled away. He kissed her once more before kissing her cheek and finally her forehead.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," Nic replied. A tear fell down her cheek as she pulled away, grabbing his hands instead. "Please, come back to me." He nodded before raising her hands to his lips. Nic closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears before she felt him slip away. A sob left her lips as the door shut behind him. She tried to step towards the door, knowing what was to come, but she merely sobbed, her hand over her mouth to try and muffle the sound. When she had at last gotten control of herself, she changed to ready herself for what was to come.
She changed into a black tube top and white jeans. Pulling on her high-top converse, she wiped away her tears and grabbed her wand before looking in the mirror. The girl she saw before her was someone she didn't recognize. Her once black hair was purple, her eyes steel, and her once unblemished face was marred by her scar through her eyebrow. Scars and burns littered her skin. Nic sighed before leaving the house.