Struggling to survive at Hogwarts

Chapter 253 Don't Save Me

“Thea…”

I didn't leave early; I've been waiting for you here. My legs just went numb, and I can't walk...

So, can you please not misunderstand me?

Gella's voice wasn't loud, but Thea, who had been on high alert, easily caught it.

Looking in the direction of the voice, Gella was huddled in a corner in a twisted, half-sitting position.

Thea could tell at a glance that the other person's legs were numb. She staggered a few steps forward, bent down, and reached out to pull Gai up.

"Are you stupid? You're just standing there without moving an inch. If you don't make a sound, I'll think you've turned into a mushroom."

"I...I just wasn't paying attention!"

Gella was half-supported and half-carried up by Thea. When she touched Thea's fingers, Gella was so cold that she suddenly curled her fingers up.

"Did the cold get to you?"

Thea seemed to have gotten used to the temperature so much that she didn't notice that her body temperature was too low.

"It's alright." Gella shook her head. "Do you want to continue?"

"Of course, tonight's estimate was just a rough estimate of the distance; it's not even the beginning."

Gella was startled. If she were to calculate it like Thea, how many more times would she have to swim?

“At least 30 times,” Thea’s body temperature gradually began to return to normal, and the bluish-purple color of her lips slowly faded. “This is just a conservative estimate; it may be more.”

After hearing this, Gella fell silent, and the two walked in silence toward the castle.

Thea has proven today that she can overcome her fear of water, so Gella's role in bolstering her courage is now largely over.

------

Just as the two were about to reach their dormitory, for some reason, Thea suddenly stopped in her tracks.

She thought of that disobedient young master.

Last night, Daphne told me that Draco would be missing today's Quidditch match. If it weren't for his position as a prefect, the Slytherin's characteristic "unity" might have given him a hard time...

Did he go to the eighth floor again?

The more Thea thought about it, the more likely it seemed. After saying goodbye to Gella, she went straight to the eighth floor.

However, Kessia eventually spoke to Draco at the observatory—Draco called out to her.

"elder sister."

The boy smiled gently and innocently, if one ignored the dark circles under his eyes that he couldn't hide.

A few minutes ago, Thea was walking forward with her head covered when she was suddenly startled by Draco's "Sister." She looked up and met the gaze of the slender boy at the end of the steps.

The dim light of the corridor cast a shadow on one side of the boy, so that one side of his handsome face was shrouded in shadow while the other side was bathed in moonlight, giving him an inexplicably wicked air.

In the silence, Draco said mockingly, "My sister is supposed to be a Slytherin prefect, yet she's openly out in the dark, abusing her power..."

Before Draco could finish speaking, Thea strode up the steps and then... grabbed his ear.

Draco stood frozen in shock. He remembered a time at a family party when a woman he should have called his cousin had pulled his son's ear in the same way...

"Draco, you really know how to get yourself killed!"

"I already told you, I'll help you!"

"...(Murder) is not something you're suited for!"

Is that right for you?

Seeing the obvious words in Draco's eyes, Thea angrily let go of his hand and then covered her aching forehead.

"You really are..."

Seeing Thea cover her forehead, Draco panicked a little and could only plead softly, "Sister... don't take what I just said seriously, I was just... just saying it casually."

"And what about black magic?" Thea lowered her voice, her eyes filled with coldness. "Was that just something you learned casually?"

Draco knew that the dark magic Thea was talking about was no child's play, so he simply stopped talking and obediently acted like a wooden stake.

Silence fell between them again, and after a long while, Thea sighed softly.

She raised her hand and patted Draco on the shoulder. "Everyone is responsible for their own actions, so I won't try to persuade you anymore..."

Draco felt a pang of unease, sensing that Thea's next words would be, "From this day forward, we shall never see each other again."

Unexpectedly, Thea said, "I'll say it again: I'll help you, but only if you're worthy of my help."

A surge of joy welled up in Draco's heart, even though this joy shouldn't have existed, it was still a refreshing rain for his almost parched heart.

"Don't use your 'little magic' lightly; you'll hardly be able to bear the consequences."

In the dim light, Draco paused for a long time before nodding under Thea's gaze.

Sister, please don't save me anymore.

This is my fate, not yours.

so………

You can just lie to me...

------

Draco needed to hurry up and go to the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor while Dumbledore was away, while Thea needed to go back to her dormitory to get some medicine from Theodore, as she felt like she was about to get a fever.

Before parting, Thea solemnly warned Draco. Although Draco nodded, Thea still felt uneasy.

Since I can't keep Draco by my side anyway, I might as well let him go!

She's used to cleaning up messes, okay?

From childhood to adulthood, whenever Draco had a conflict with someone, wasn't she the first to step in and smooth things over?

She was initially reluctant to serve them, but then she thought of the Malfoy family's dedication to their upbringing and the sparkling jewels Aunt Narcissa had given her... Oh well, she'd just consider it payment for the debt!

But she never expected that paying off the debt would last for so many years.