King Of My Heart | R. BLACK

45 | side effects

Angela had never felt more exhausted in her entire life. Between the effects of the poisons, the lack of sleep and the constant need to be hyper aware of everything and everyone at all times, she thought she was going to combust on the spot.

And it wasn't as though it was just her who knew because it was obvious to everyone that she was falling apart and only held together by some flimsy string and her brothers.

She would fall asleep with an excruciating pain in her abdomen and chills. Sleep wasn't an escape because she was greeted with vivid dreams that she couldn't describe but weren't comforting in any way. And when she woke up, she was almost always accompanied with a migraine and nausea. She probably looked like a living dead person.

When she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn't even recognize the person staring back. Her skin was taut against her face and she was sure that if she took her jacket off, she would appear far skinnier than she was before she started this. There were heavy bags under her eyes which were accentuated by how pale her skin had become.

She barely had the energy to get ready in the morning but managed. She went about her days in a blur, snippets of conversations merging together to create a very confusing day before she would lay down, fall asleep, and go through everything all over again.

She wasn't sure how much longer she could go. According to her research, she shouldn't have to go up anymore dosages so if she could just make it through the next week or so, she would start to feel better. Not by much, but it wouldn't be as bad as it is now once she's more immune to the substances.

"Are you okay?" someone questioned and Angela looked over in confusion.

"What?" she asked as she blinked at the person. The person blurred into focus and she frowned, "Sorry?"

Trevor tilted his head to the side, "Merlin, Ang. You look like shit."

"Oh," was all she could manage.

"Are you going to go in?" he questioned and she looked ahead to find that she had just been standing in front of the potions classroom. She could see Regulus watching her with furrowed brows.

"Oh, yeah," she nodded before she slowly made her way into the classroom and took her spot next to Regulus.

"Alright, class, today we are going to be working with Amortentia," Slughorn announced. He looked around at the students, "Does anyone know what that is?"

"It's a love potion!" someone exclaimed and he nodded.

"Yes, yes it is," he agreed as he removed the lid.

Angela had to bite back a gag as the strong scent filled her lungs. It was something similar to teakwood. Rich and warm, and normally felt like a hug but at the moment felt like the opposite. The almost spicy scent mixed with what she could only describe as grass. It was similar to what she and her brother wreaked or after a Quidditch match. And top of that, she could smell an almost forestry scent. It was sharp, and somewhat minty.

And all three scents combined made her want to vomit.

She covered her mouth as the smell filled the room. She grew lightheaded and stood up quickly. She knocked the stool over and Regulus grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" he demanded in an angry tone but he was clearly worried.

She took a deep breath, "I have to go." She tried to move away as he picked the stool back up.

He knelt on the ground as he looked up at her, "What's going on?" He whispered so only she could hear. She paled significantly and he stood up quickly, "Are you-"

Before she could stop herself, she threw up all over the floor between them. Regulus's eyes widened as he processed what had happened. Her eyes fluttered closed and she fell forward, he caught her before she fell into the vomit beneath them.