Chapter 38

                                    

                                          
Mina Leclerc 🦊
12th of December, Waning Gibbous 🌖
The remains of my dinner landed between a frozen berry bush and an icy paddle. My stomach twisted senselessly as I bent in half and supported myself on the nearby pine, attempting to catch a breath. I barely forced myself to look up and away from the snow to face the potential news. 
I glanced in Stelios's direction. My belly flipped upside down again. Lucy's naked, blood-covered body hung in his arms powerlessly. Worst outcome shadowing my thoughts and distorting the view. 
'Is she...?' My voice sounded as if it came from a faraway distance, weak and broken. Stelios's expression was stern. I noticed tares in his cloak and a small wound on his cheek. What happened last night? Was Lucy...
'She's alive' A short sigh escaped my throat, and I collapsed on my knees as I buried my face in my hands. Shallow relief overwhelmed me. My worst worry thankfully did not come true, but alive did not mean well either. 
'I tended her worst wounds, but I had to wait until she turned back to properly take care of her. I'll take her to Madame Pomfrey... Could you take the boy?' As if he read my mind, an explanation came my way, yet his question confused me.
'The boy?' I asked, and to my deep surprise, Dean emerged from behind, his gaze steadied on his feet. 
'I'm sorry, Mins. It's all my fault... I- I was angry at you, so I ran, and Lucy... I didn't know she's a... well, anyway, she tried to save me because, I can tell you, if it wasn't for her, I would be dead like all the others' My eyes widened at his nervous statement. Putting his words together I began to understand what happened.
'Come here' I hugged him, and my heart squeezed as the brave Ravenclaw boy wept in my arms. 
'Let's get inside,' I said gently, and the four of us began making our way inside the castle in silence.
The corridors were filled with students; everyone united before the Winter Solstice would begin. As we walked, the groups made way and stared in shock. Stelios wrapped his cloak around Lucy and carried her to safety.
Nearly. 
'What's all this?!' An angered voice of Lucius Malfoy sounded from behind, making my sorrow turn into rage in a split second. My head span as my gaze landed upon him, accompanied by Minister Shacklebolt, who clearly had come to monitor the investigation. Malfoy looked nothing like his old self. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hair were messy, as if he had given up on them. His robes hung loosely over his broad shoulders. Stelios turned around, and I closely watched his reaction as his cold blue eyes landed upon unconscious Lucy, smothered in blood. 
'As I was explaining to you, Kingsley, my speculations appear to be correct. Tell me, creature, did this young woman try to hurt yet another student?' His voice was reserved and it made my heart squeeze at the thought of Lucy hearing his hurtful words. And yet... His voice did not match his expression whatsoever. Perhaps I was tired and stressed; of course I was, but... The moment he saw Lucy his eyes filled... The deepest pain I had seen in that man's eyes. Utter torment, fear. His skin went pale as if he were about to faint. 
Something wasn't right. 
I was so distracted by Malfoy I hardly noticed the rude exclamation he made towards Stelios. He replied calmly, though, and I was grateful for that. 
'The girl is a lupus, and she saved this boy's life from a lost beast roaming the Forbidden Forest. She requires medical attention right now'. I got goosebumps at the strength of his voice. Kingsley hurried him to reach Madame Pomfrey and then everyone's eyes landed on Dean.