Chapter 361 - Start Talking (1/2)

For a moment, Chris forgot how to breathe. Those three familiar faces in the throne room, surrounded by dozens of vampire guards, looked so unfamiliar to her. Yet they looked real.

”Introduce yourselves,” Rosaline's voice rang through the silent room. ”State your purpose.”

Ginny, Colin, and Luna looked at each other and a dangerous thought brought Chris back to her senses. Without caring, she ran down the stairs, straight to the throne room.

Colin nodded at Ginny and Ginny stepped forward.

”We are looking for --”

Before Ginny could finish, the door behind the throne opened with a loud bang. Everyone in the room surprised turned in that direction, multiple guards drew their weapons in alarm but Chris didn't notice them. She was looking for her wand in her pockets as she ran towards the place Ginny, Luna, and Colin were standing. Three of them looked as shocked as Oziyat and the rest of the Royal Family (except Rosaline, she looked as calm as always).

Chris cursed under her breath as she realized, for the first time she wasn't carrying her wand with her. Nonetheless, she stood defiantly in front of Ginny.

”You have two seconds to confess who are you,” Chris growled. Dark magic swirling in her fingertips.

”Chris! What --?” A shocked Colin tried to get closer to her.

”Don't you dare! Don't you dare act like Colin! Don't you dare act like friends!” Chris shouted. ”I will not let you walk around freely impersonating my friends.”

”Why would we act like your friends?” Colin asked feeling ridiculous. ”Chris, are you okay? Why are you --?”

Colin tried to step forward but Chris's magic flashed in response as she glared at him. Colin stopped.

”I don't know if they messed with your head or what, Chris,” Ginny stepped in front of Chris with a scowl. ”But if you hurt Colin or Luna I swear I will break your hands . . . and your nose for leaving us.”

”Gin?” Chris looked at Ginny surprised. If this was someone else impersonating Ginny and not the real Ginny, how could they act so much like her?

”Don't you dare 'Gin' me, you complete dung-headed idiot,” Ginny advanced looking livid. ”You leave us without telling us where are you going and when we worked our b.u.t.t off to find you, you threaten us? You are so dead, Christina Norton!”

”Ginny!” Luna held Ginny by the shoulder alarmed as a few guards and Oziyat steps towards them. Luna had realized why Chris was questioning them, so she turned to Chris and calmly said, ”Your favorite food is fried chicken but you love all kinds of chicken dishes, and your favorite dessert is chocolate pudding.”

”I . . .” Chris's hands dropped. Only two people in the world knew that she loved chocolate pudding, her father and Luna. It was a trivial thing that she never thought of mentioning it. She hadn't told anyone this except her. ”Luna? You guys are alive?”

”Yes, we are real, Chris,” Luna smiled. ”We are alive.”

Chris tried to smile back but the room started to spin and she felt as if the ground was shaking. Her body swayed.

”Chris?” Colin and Luna reached for her, concerned. Ginny looked surprised as Chris tumbled.

”Christina? Are you -- I asked you to stay put. You are still weak,” Oziyat said looking worried and angry.

”Oziyat, they are alive. My friends are alive. They didn't die,” Chris repeated smiling at him and collapsed in Oziyat's arms.

⁂

Chris woke up with a jolt. For a moment, she felt it was a dream. Her friends were alive and here in Titania. A good dream but a dream.

”I cannot believe what you people were thinking,” Leyla was fighting to keep her voice down but she was too angry for that. It was real. It wasn't a dream. Chris looked at Leyla as she went on glaring at Ginny, Luna, and Colin. ”First, she disappeared then you three faked your death? Were you three out of your minds? Do you what happened after everyone thought you were dead? Luna, your father was - is a mess. He didn't want to do your funeral. He kept repeating that his daughter is alive, he went mad. Ginny, your whole family was broken. Your mother didn't eat for several days and almost became bedridden because of weakness. Your father and Bill were trying everything to comfort your mother, even when they couldn't believe it themselves. Charlie didn't talk for days, Fred and George didn't smile for weeks. And Colin --”

”My parents do not have any memory of me. The Order promised they won't say anything to them. Did they tell them about me?” Colin asked looking panicked.

”No, but that is no excuse for making people believe that you are dead,” Leyla retorted.