Heirs of darkness

The posion within

The Dark Lord's voice echoed through the dimly lit hall of Malfoy Manor, cold and devoid of emotion. "I will not be here for a while," he announced, his crimson eyes sweeping over the small assembly of his followers. "There is business I must attend to, and I expect all to continue as planned in my absence."

Aurora stood near the back of the room, her hands clasped tightly in front of her as she listened. Her heart thudded in her chest, a heavy, relentless beat that matched the unease building inside her. The Dark Lord's words were clear, but they filled her with an inexplicable dread. He was their leader, their guide through the darkness they had embraced. Without him, the shadows seemed less certain, more suffocating.

Theo stood beside her, his presence a silent reassurance. He placed a hand on her back, gently guiding her out of the room as the Dark Lord's pronouncement concluded and the other Death Eaters began to disperse. They exchanged no words, only a glance one that spoke of their shared apprehension, their mutual understanding of the chaos that could ensue in the Dark Lord's absence.

As the night deepened, Theo and Aurora found themselves in her room, away from the weight of the world outside. They lay together on the bed, Theo's arms wrapped around her in a protective embrace. His warmth seeped into her, and for a while, it was enough to keep the darkness at bay. But as the minutes ticked by, Aurora's mind began to race, thoughts tumbling over one another in a chaotic spiral.

At first, she tried to push the thoughts away, to focus on the steady rise and fall of Theo's chest, the sound of his breathing, the way his hand gently stroked her hair. But the more she tried to calm herself, the more the thoughts clawed at the edges of her consciousness, demanding to be heard.

Faces flashed through her mind—faces of the dead, the wounded, the broken. Muggles, wizards, children. People who had suffered, people who had died because of her, because of her choices. Their voices began to whisper in her ears, a chorus of accusation, of guilt that she could no longer ignore.

Aurora's breathing quickened, her chest tightening as the voices grew louder, more insistent. She could feel herself slipping, losing control, and it terrified her. She clung to Theo, trying to ground herself in the present, in the safety of his arms, but the darkness was too strong.

"I caused this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I caused so many people to die because of me. Because of what I've done..."

Theo's brow furrowed in concern, his hand stilling as he looked down at her. "Aurora... don't do this to yourself. You're not responsible for all of this."

But she couldn't hear him. The floodgates had opened, and all the guilt, all the shame she had buried for so long came rushing out in a torrent. "I let Hermione suffer," she choked out, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I could have helped her, but I didn't until the end. I let her suffer because I was too weak, too afraid."

"Aurora, stop," Theo urged, his voice desperate. "You can't blame yourself for everything. We're in a war. We've all done things we regret, things we can't take back. But that doesn't make you a monster."

But Aurora wasn't listening. Her breathing became more erratic, her heart pounding in her chest as she spiraled deeper into her panic. "I burned Umbridge," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I watched her burn, and I felt nothing. I felt... satisfaction. What kind of person does that make me? What kind of monster am I?"

Theo's grip on her tightened, his voice filled with a mixture of fear and concern. "You're not a monster, Aurora. You're not. You were trying to survive, just like the rest of us. Please, you have to calm down."

But Aurora couldn't calm down. The guilt, the shame, the fear it was all too much. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, images, memories she couldn't control. She felt as though she were drowning, suffocating under the weight of her own actions, her own sins.

"Everything I touch dies or gets hurt," she gasped, her voice rising in panic. "Everything, Theo. I'm cursed. I'm... I'm poison."

"No, you're not," Theo insisted, his voice firm. "You're not poison. You're stronger than this, Aurora. You've always been strong. Please, you have to believe that."

But she couldn't believe it. The darkness was too overwhelming, too suffocating. She couldn't escape it, couldn't see a way out. And in her desperation, in her fear, she did the only thing she could think of.

"Get out," she said suddenly, her voice sharp and filled with a manic edge.

Theo froze, his eyes wide with shock. "What?"

"Get out!" Aurora repeated, her voice rising. She shoved him away from her, panic and fear driving her actions. "I can't... I can't do this. I can't be around anyone right now. Please, Theo, just go!"

Theo looked at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and concern. "Aurora... please, let me help you."

But she shook her head, her tears falling faster now. "I'm not safe to be around. I'll only hurt you, Theo. Please... just go."

For a moment, Theo hesitated, torn between his desire to stay and help her and his fear of making things worse. But in the end, he knew there was nothing he could do to calm her when she was like this. With a heavy heart, he stood up, his movements slow and deliberate.

"I'll be just outside," he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. "If you need me... I'll be here."

Aurora didn't respond. She couldn't. She was too lost in her panic, too consumed by the darkness that had taken hold of her mind. All she could do was curl up on the bed, her body shaking with silent sobs as Theo quietly left the room.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Aurora alone in the darkness of her room, the weight of her guilt pressing down on her like a suffocating blanket. She buried her face in her hands, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as the memories, the guilt, the pain overwhelmed her.

Thoughts looped in her mind, driving her deeper into despair. She didn't know how long she lay there, lost in her panic, but eventually, exhaustion began to take over. Her sobs grew quieter, her breaths slower, until finally, she drifted into a fitful sleep, her mind still haunted by the shadows of her past.

Outside her door, Theo leaned against the wall, his heart heavy with worry. He could hear her sobs, could feel her pain as if it were his own. But he knew there was nothing he could do to take it away. All he could do was wait, hoping that when she woke, she would find some measure of peace.

But deep down, he feared that the darkness that had taken hold of her might never let her go. And that was a fear he wasn't sure he could face.