A Tale of Krum

XXI. Final Task.

~

It was the night of the third and final task. Rune was told, well forced to stay back at the castle.

Having enough of lifeless Rune, Mattheo took her to the room of the mirror of erised.

He didn't really have a plan but he had hoped this idea would work.

Before Rune informed him about what she saw in the mirror. The two of them spend a lot of time in the tower.

Both had felt it was the only way they would get to see what they really wanted in life.

They both doubted it would ever come true.

"Mattheo I must get back to my room. I'm not allowed to be out" Said Rune.

"I don't care." Mattheo stated bluntly while dragging her up the stairs.

Rune tugged her arm out of his hand.

"Why are you bringing me here Mattheo?"

"Don't make me do this Rune. Just come with me. Willingly." Mattheo stated.

Rune shook her head in disappointment making her move to turn around.

Suddenly Mattheo gently turned to head, tulting it up while pouring a liquid substance in her mouth.

Out of shock, Rune had swallowed it.

"What the hell Mattheo? What was that?"

"Veritaresum." Mattheo grinned.

Rune's eyes widen.

"Who did this to you." Mattheo rolled up her sleeve once more.

Rune's throat started hurting. Her voice going coarse.

"B-"

The snake started burning up..

"Ba-barty jr."

Rune fell to the floor, screaming in such pain as the snake slithered to her collar.

She had not fully exposed Barty for being in disguise. So the snakes head had only appeared on the side of her neck.

Though it was burning her extremely.

From her wrist to up her collar there was a burned trail spiralling around her arm.

Mattheo held Rune in his grasp worried. He didn't think it would move up her body so much.

He only needed it to move a few centimeters. Enough for Rune to be distracted.

But now she was in immense pain.

He felt terrible, concerned. Wanting to get her help. But he knew what he had to do.

Mattheo carried Rune up the stairs. Placing her before the Mirror.

"Rune. Open your eyes Rune. Look its him. It's your hearts desire. You don't want to miss this." Mattheo pleaded for Rune to open her eyes.

Wanting to get it done and over with so he can bring her to the nurses office as soon as possible.

Rune slowly opened her eyes after being shook by Mattheo continously.

She rose from his lap, staring into the mirror as if it was her first time seeing this.

Mattheo cringed at the sight of the snake on her neck. Burned areas in the outline of it.

Tears started forming into her eyes. She held onto Mattheos hand tightly squeezing it.

"You love him Rune. I know there's nothing you wouldn't give up for him." Mattheo said softly.

Suddenly Rune started getting a headache. A bad one too. She placed her hands on the side of her head. Compressing it as the headache was unbearable to her.

She collasped, Mattheo catching her fortunately.

Rune was still breathing. Mattheo didn't let her stay asleep for long though. Once again shaking her until she had shown consciousness.

He finally thought he could breath again as Rune groaned, opening her eyes.

"Rune?"

"What did you do to me Mattheo?" Rune scolded him. Grabbing her neck in pain.

Mattheo hugged her tightly, thanking merlin.

"Wait."

Rune waited for him to continue.

"Do you still love Krum?"

Rune raised her eyebrows at him. Mattheo's smile disppeared in fear that his unplanned plan failed.

"With all my heart, are you okay?" Rune finally stated. Mattheo hugged her once again.

Picking her up and spinning her around.

"Put me down you imbecile." Rune complained. Feeling suffocated by Mattheo.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you Rune." He stated.

"Really?" Rune weirded out by his affection slightly.

"You know how boring it has been without you. Well you yourself." He added.

"How long has it been?" Rune asked Mattheo clueless as to where she has even been.

"Too long. Too fucking long." Mattheo groaned.

Rune gaped at him with his mouth opened.

"You might want to visit Viktor. You two kind of broke things off." Mattheo informed her?

"What?"

"I'm going off a limb here but you were defitnetly under the Imperius curse."

Rune suddenly remembered her last memory.

"Romeir." Saying her thoughts out loud.

"Your brother did this?" Mattheo said utterly shocked.

"He didn't want me being with Viktor." Rune said frustrated.

Mattheo just nodded, relating to having family issues as such.

"I have to go." Rune says rushing down the stairs.

"I'll meet you there!" Mattheo shouted from the tower.

"Now, Helena. If you speak of this to anyone, I'm going to get rid of you myself." Mattheo stated in the tower.

His affection towards Rune had defitnetly seen by a ghost.

***

Meanwhile in a maze the champions had searched their ways into the maze.

Viktor bewitched by Barty Jr.

Fleur trapped into the hedge. Cedric flaring up red flares in the sky with his wand to signal help for her.

Out of the maze was everyone anticipating for the winner.

Hollow stayed quiet but it was clear to his friends he was cared more about Rune rather than the tournament.

The guys looked at Romeir with concern but he had a serious look on his face.

Inside guilt was still eating him up.

The guys knew Romeir had something to do with Rune's strange behavior but they didn't dare question him.

Hollow did before, he almost lost his spot on the team because of it.

Henceforth him and Romeir are as distant, more than what they originally were from the start.

Never has Hollow fully ignored someone with despise until Romeir's actions.

The guys were on Hollow's side though. They all agreed Hollow is more reasonable and rational.

So whatever reason he had, it was probably better than Romeirs.

~