RISE OF THE FALL | R.B.

LXXV.

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter World belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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CHAPTER LXXV.

Atlas wanted to scream.

He didn't—but the darkness was enough to terrify him. He hated it; he hated not seeing what was happening around him, and he wanted to run away. Where, he didn't know, but he wanted to get out of the dark.

"Atlas where—,"

He very suddenly received a sharp jab in the eye and shoved the elbow out of his face, grunting, "I'm here, please stay away from me, Blaise." His voice was trembling, even though he tried very hard to keep it steady.

"What happened?" Pansy exclaimed, her voice a bit shaky—not as shaky as Atlas' though.

All Atlas could think about was the dark and how much he hated it.

And suddenly the temperature dropped by several degrees.

And a dark figure was at the door. All movement, shuffling and sound died immediately as the door slipped open and the cloaked figure was revealed.

Atlas knew what that was.

He realised what this was about. His parents had warned him about this.

It was coming towards him.

Someone screamed.

Closer.

Closer.

It reached out a finger, moving towards Atlas' face—its face veiled, and Atlas wanted to vanish into the floor.

He was already pressed against the side of the compartment and he had a scream in his throat, ready to rip loose as he slammed his eyes shut—

Then, an overwhelmingly bright, silvery light flew through the compartment and the cloaked creature immediately left, the temperature restored as it left.

When the light faded, Atlas finally opened his eyes and found his Uncle Remus at the door of the compartment.

The lights had switched back on and the train was moving again.

Sighing, Atlas slid down to the floor and buried his face in his hands, trying to speak but failing because no words would come out of his throat.

When his uncle spoke, though, he lifted his head shakily.

"Atlas," Remus said, disregarding the looks the other students in the compartment were giving him, and passing his nephew a chunk of chocolate, "Have that, it'll make you feel better. I sent the patronus down the aisle so the other students should be fine...I have to go check on them, though, Atlas. Have the chocolate, I'll come back to you."

Then he was gone, down the aisle, and Atlas finally lifted himself back onto the seat, still trembling but feeling better, shoving the chocolate into his mouth.

"What was that about? Why did the thing target Atlas?" Pansy asked, her voice small.

"Maybe something about the escaped criminal," Crabbe said, but Draco cast him an alarmed look—and Crabbe immediately shut his mouth.

Atlas was too shaky to confirm or deny. Even though he knew it had everything to do with the escaped criminal.

"I bet it's to do with Sirius Black," Draco said, "And since Atlas is his nephew I bet the Dementor targeted him because—,"