The atmosphere was thick with a tension so palpable it seemed to ripple through the very air of the dark corridor. Rose Weasley's gaze was fixed ahead, her eyes burning with a searing, iridescent rage that flickered like a dying star. Every step she took was heavy with the weight of a jealousy that threatened to consume her. She adjusted her pace, deliberately moving away from the center of the group to walk beside Scorpius Malfoy and Frank Longbottom. Her jaw was set in a hard, uncompromising line, and the heat radiating from her expression was enough to make the stone walls feel colder by comparison.
Scorpius, for his part, was already a bundle of frayed nerves. He shifted his weight uneasily, his eyes darting between Rose's fuming silhouette and the figures ahead. The presence of Frank beside him offered little comfort, as the entire group felt the tremors of the brewing storm. Scorpius could feel the sweat slicking his palms; he knew Rose better than almost anyone, and the look currently etched onto her face signaled a catastrophe in the making.
Further ahead, the source of Rose's fury walked in what appeared to be a world of their own. James Potter and Elthira moved in tandem, their shoulders nearly brushing. Elthira's eyes, dark and predatory, were locked onto James with an intensity that transcended mere interest. It was a look of raw, unadulterated desire, the way a starving predator might gaze upon a prize it had finally cornered. She didn't bother to hide her fascination, her eyes tracing the lines of his face as if memorizing a map to something she intended to own.
James, acutely aware of the weight of her gaze, felt a profound sense of discomfort crawling up his spine. He kept his head forward, his posture rigid and his lips pressed into a thin, tight line. He chose the path of silence, remaining quiet and stoic, though the inner turmoil was evident in the way he gripped the hilt of his wand. He was a soldier in a silent war, trapped between the necessity of the mission and the suffocating presence of the woman beside him.
Behind them, the mood was starkly different. Frank, Bobby, Albus, and Dagger were observing the unfolding drama with varying degrees of amusement. A muffled chuckle broke the silence as they watched Rose's back, her shoulders tensed to the point of snapping. They saw the way she tracked Elthira's every move, her jealousy acting as a beacon in the gloom. To them, it was a spectacle—a comedic relief in the midst of a perilous journey—and they made little effort to hide their grins at the sheer transparency of Rose's emotions.
However, not everyone was amused. Thorn Claw, the massive dragon-like companion, let out a low, vibrating rumble that shook the ground beneath their feet. He had loathed James's decision from the moment it was uttered. To him, the inclusion of a traitor was an affront to their safety. His instincts screamed of danger, and his patience had finally reached its limit. Opening his massive maw, Thorn Claw unleashed a deafening roar of pure, unbridled anger.
"RRRRraaaaaaaaHHHH!"
The sound echoed off the cavernous walls, a thundering protest that demanded attention. James flinched at the volume, finally breaking his silence as he looked back at the beast.
"Buddy, be silent," James commanded, his voice strained but firm.
Walking alongside James, on his other side, was Nyx Blazer. Her expression was one of deep-seated suspicion. She watched Elthira with the cold, calculating eyes of a sentry, her hand never straying far from her weapon. She didn't trust the vampire's sudden change of heart, and her position next to James was a silent declaration of guardianship.
Rose, unable to contain her mounting frustration any longer, leaned toward Scorpius, her voice a sharp whisper that cut through the air.
"Did James get hit by something before coming to here?"
Scorpius blinked, taken aback by the suddenness of the question. He looked at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"No," Scorpius replied. "Why are you asking like that?"
Rose's lip curled in a sneer as she looked at James's back.
"James is mad," Rose hissed. "He brought our enemy into our team."
"She killed her own army with her hands and her hands became dirty," Rose continued, her voice rising in pitch as her anger boiled over. "She backstabbed her master and also her dementor army. Don't you think she would backstab us too? Don't you feel she is dangerous?"
Scorpius sighed, the weight of the logic pressing down on him. He couldn't deny the truth in her words, no matter how much he wanted to maintain the peace.
"Yes," Scorpius admitted quietly.
Rose turned her full fury on him then, her eyes narrowing.
"Then Mr. Big Bro, why didn't you stop James back?"
She gestured wildly toward the pair in front of them.
"See how she is looking at James? Like she wants to devour him?"
As she spoke, Rose's hands balled into tight, white-knuckled fists at her sides. Her breathing was shallow, the sight of Elthira's proximity to James acting like salt in an open wound. Scorpius reached out a hand as if to steady her, his voice adopting a calm, reasoned tone.
"You see, Rose, James is not an idiot to make Elthira into our team," Scorpius argued. "Maybe he felt suspicious of her and to keep an eye on her, maybe he said like that to all of us."
Rose was far from satisfied. The explanation felt hollow, a mere excuse for what she perceived as a betrayal of their bond. Her face clouded over, looking dull and weary as she watched the rhythmic movement of James and Elthira walking together. The sight was a constant goad, a reminder of a space she felt should be hers.
Scorpius watched her for a moment, his gaze softening. He decided to venture into dangerous territory.
"Can I ask you something?" Scorpius asked.
"What?" Rose snapped, not looking at him.
"Are you jealous of Elthira?"
The question hit Rose like a physical blow. She stumbled slightly over a loose stone, her composure momentarily shattering. She recovered quickly, though the flush in her cheeks betrayed her.
"No," Rose stammered, her voice lacking its previous conviction. "I'm just angry at James for bringing Elthira into the team. That's it."
Scorpius wasn't convinced. He pressed further, his voice gentle but probing.
"What is making you feel angry, Rose? Is Elthira joining the team and insulting you? Or for Elthira wooing James?"
Rose went deathly silent. The shadows of the corridor seemed to deepen around her as she struggled to find a response that didn't reveal the raw nerves beneath her skin.
"Why does it matter to me, Scorpius?" Rose finally asked, her voice tight. "Why will I care?"
"I'm just concerned about James because he is my friend," she added, her words coming out in a rush. "I don't want because of that vampire Elthira... no problem must arise."
But the sight of them, side by side, was finally too much to bear. The visual of Elthira's lingering gaze and James's silent acceptance snapped the last thread of Rose's self-control. Without another word to Scorpius, Rose broke into a run. She lunged forward, closing the distance between herself and the leaders in a few frantic strides.
She reached out and seized James's hand, her grip tight and desperate.
"I need to talk to you in private," Rose declared, her voice echoing with a forced authority.
The sudden intrusion caused Elthira to stop in her tracks. A flash of genuine anger crossed the vampire's face, her eyes glowing with a predatory light as she glared at the interloper. James, startled by the sudden contact and the intensity in Rose's eyes, looked at her in confusion.
"What?" James questioned.
Rose didn't let go. She leaned in closer, her eyes darting toward Elthira before returning to James.
"Should I reveal it to you here?" Rose challenged. "And it is personal. Related to the mission."
Without waiting for his consent, Rose yanked on James's hand, leading him away from the path. She marched him several paces away, ensuring a significant distance between them and the rest of the group. Only when they were standing seven steps away from the team and the watchful, seething Elthira did she come to a halt.
James adjusted his sleeve, looking at her with a mixture of worry and exhaustion.
"What do you want to talk about?" James asked.
Rose stared at him, her chest heaving. Now that she had him alone, the words she had prepared seemed to vanish.
"Nothing," Rose said.
James threw his hands up in exasperation.
"Then why did you bring me here?" James demanded. "That too, seven steps far away from the team and Elthira?"
The mention of the vampire's name reignited Rose's fury. She stepped toward him, stabbing a finger into the air just inches from his face. Her voice was a low, dangerous snarl.
"STAY AWAY FROM THAT VAMPIRE!"
"Or else I am not going to spare you," Rose threatened, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotion.
James remained silent, a flicker of genuine fear crossing his features. He had seen Rose angry before, but never like this—never with this kind of volatile, unpredictable energy. He stood frozen as Rose turned on her heel and began to walk away, her pace rapid and frantic.
"Rose, wait!" James shouted after her. "We are coming!"
But Rose didn't wait. She broke into a run, her vision blurring as hot, bitter tears began to fall from her eyes. She pushed herself harder, the sound of her own heartbeat drowning out James's calls. She needed to be away—away from the vampire, away from the pitying looks of her friends, and away from the sight of the man she cared for being sought after by a monster.
She ran until her lungs burned, the dark corridors blurring into a gray haze. After walking and running for what felt like an eternity, the silence of the tunnels finally began to register. She slowed to a halt, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She strained her ears, listening for the familiar clatter of armor, the heavy thuds of Thorn Claw's feet, or the banter of her cousins.
Nothing.
The silence was absolute, heavy and suffocating. Rose turned in a slow circle, her heart beginning to hammer against her ribs in a new kind of panic.
"Where are everyone?" Rose whispered to herself.
She took a deep breath and screamed into the darkness.
"James!"
"Scorpius! Dagger! Albus! JAMES!"
There was no reply. Only the hollow echo of her own voice returned to her. The tension she had felt earlier was replaced by a cold, sharp dread. She was alone in the dark, lost in a labyrinth that seemed to have swallowed her friends whole.
Suddenly, the sound of a footstep reached her ears. It was a light, deliberate sound—the click of a boot against stone. Relief flooded through her, and she spun around, a smile beginning to form on her lips.
"James?" she started to say.
The word died in her throat. Standing just a few feet away was not James, but Elthira.
The vampire had undergone a terrifying transformation. She had shifted fully into her vampire mode; her skin was deathly pale, her fangs were slightly bared, and her eyes burned with a malevolent, violet light. The two women stood frozen, locked in a silent, deadly stare. It was a confrontation long in the making—two forces of nature clashing over the man they both claimed.
"HOW DARE YOU TO HOLD THE MAN'S HAND I LOVE!" Elthira shrieked, her voice a piercing, supernatural sound that seemed to vibrate the very walls. "AND TAKING HIM FAR AWAY FROM ME!"
Rose didn't flinch. Instead, a cold, defiant smile spread across her face. She stood her ground, her fear momentarily forgotten in the face of her rival.
"He is my best friend always," Rose replied, her voice steady and sharp. "And I can hold his hand."
"I will protect James from you, Miss Evil Vampire," Rose continued, her gaze unwavering. "I know you have wicked intentions behind pretending love for James."
Elthira's face contorted with rage, a low hiss escaping her throat.
"SHUT UP, YOU WEAK HUMAN!" Elthira screamed. "I CAN KILL YOU NOW WITH MY BARE HANDS!"
Rose's smile only widened, a dangerous glint appearing in her eyes.
"Same to you," Rose countered.
Elthira threw back her head and laughed, a mocking, melodic sound that chilled Rose to the bone.
"You think you can kill me, Miss Rose?"
"Your friends can't come here," Elthira sneered, stepping closer. "Because they are already dealing with a trap in the journey of achieving the gemstone. As a vampire, I can appear and disappear anywhere. I saved you and brought you here to get my revenge on you."
Rose reached into her pocket, her fingers closing around the familiar wood of her weapon.
"I am ready, Elthira," Rose said firmly.
The two stood in a grim standoff. Elthira raised her hands, her palms glowing with a sinister purple fire. Her nails elongated into sharp, poisonous talons, dripping with a dark, lethal essence. She was a vision of ancient, predatory power, ready to strike.
In response, Rose whipped her magical wand out from her pocket, the tip glowing with a defensive light. She braced herself, the air between them crackling with the energy of two opposing wills.
Miles away, or perhaps just beneath them in the shifting geometry of the dungeon, the rest of the group was in dire straits. James, Scorpius, and their companions found themselves ensnared in a lethal trap. Blocking their path was a monstrous creature of nightmare: the Wild Three-Faces Dog.
The beast was a towering mass of fur and muscle, each of its three heads snarling with primeval hunger. It lunged at them, its massive paws cracking the stone floor. As the team scrambled for cover, the central head pulled back its lips, revealing rows of obsidian teeth. With a guttural roar that dwarfed Thorn Claw's earlier protest, the beast unleashed a torrent of searing fire from its maw. The flames roared toward James and his friends, illuminating the cavern in a hellish glow as they fought for their very lives, unaware that Rose was fighting a battle of her own in the dark.