Confrontation Solo Finished

(Darius secretly reached the Abandoned Toilets to meet his older brother, who will give him a potion to take care of the curse)

[...]



Darius slowly entered into the dirty and no longer used bathroom.
He looked around, observing the broken sinks and the closed toilet doors. The air was dusty and a little smelly in there, even though a window was open, letting in the cold air enter. The tiles were wet and so were some parts of the wall. In short, that lavatory looked surely abandoned.
The young boy was holding his wand in his right hand as if he was afraid that something was about to happen. He walked slowly to the last sink, the one next to the wall, stepping on the puddles. His look was strangely worried, harsh, almost sad.
Darius stood there for five minutes, waiting for something.
Or better, someone...

After a while, he could hear the door of the lavatory being open by someone. That someone entered with cautious and slow steps, then stopped as he noticed Darius.
The latter turned around to look at the person, recognizing his older brother, Ice De Amoris.
He was a Fifth-year Ravenclaw student, one of the best of all the House. Ice was taller than his younger brother, with a slim and long body. His hair was short and wavy, the colour was a deep black. This was contrasting with his eyes: a dead, frozen ice blue, which could almost look down into your soul.
He didn't have any freckles, his pale skin made him almost look dead.
"Sorry, I'm late" He announced, cold and severe.
"That's okay" Darius replied, almost intimidated by his brother's look.
The older approached him, taking something out of his cloak's pocket: it was a small, glass bottle full of a golden and dense liquid. Darius took it gently.
"Thank you" He said. He plugged the sink, then he poured all the liquid inside, creating a small puddle of magical liquid.
Then, he lifted up his sleeves, revealing silk bandages all around his skinny arms, covering something that's better not see. Darius immersed his arms into the liquid, watching as the bandages absorbed everything, turning into a metallic gold. The boy sighed heavily, feeling relieved.
But his look was still sad, concerned. He turned around to look at his brother, then he asked.
"Ice, are you okay?"
The Ravenclaw kept quiet for several seconds, then he replied:
"Yes, I am"
Darius stared at him, austere.
"Please, don't lie to me"
A sudden answer came from the older's mouth:
"It spread"
Both didn't say anything for seconds. One because of guilt, the other because of shock.
"W-what... What do you mean? Did somebody see it?" Darius asked, now very worried.
"No" Ice replied, bowing his head. "It spread on my legs"
The young boy was now totally terrified.
"... How..."
"I don't know, Darius"
"Why... Why didn't you tell me?"
Ice kept silent, ashamed of himself.
"Why?!" Darius yelled with anger and concern.
"I didn't want you to worry. I'm sorry" He finally answered, closing his fists.
"Ice... You are my brother. You made me a promise: you said we had to fight this together-"
"I perfectly know what I said" Ice said, interrupting him.
"Then why?! We should tell each other things like this" Darius sighed heavily "Did you tell the Headmaster?"
"No, I didn't"
"Why?!"
"He can't do anything to save me"
Darius' shock kept growing by the seconds. He started shaking, his eyes were getting watery.
"D-don't say so brother, you didn't even try! M-maybe you're just stressed out, yeah, you study too much-"
"Darius, please" Ice interrupted him again, as he was insensitive to his brother's extreme concern.
"Please, tell me you're still applying the silk..." The boy asked, almost bursting into tears.
"I am"
"... Ice, we will get out of this together. You said this, remember?" Darius asked, holding his hand sweetly. He smiled lightly at him, trying to bring back a little bit of happiness inside the older's desperate heart.
"... I don't know, Darius" He replied as he pulled away from his hold, walking away.
"... Ice... You can't give up..."
Darius' face was already covered in warm, bitter tears. His voice was broken and so was his heart.
His brother's last words gave him struck the final blow.
"You can't save me anymore, brother"


[...]

(topic closed)

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