Corridor outside the Courtroom

[JadieLou]

A corridor outside Courtroom 10. Where spectators mill before and after the trials.

[Sara Templeton]

Sara walked down the now deserted corridor, finally been let from the jurors room by the Minister, and slumped herself down onto a bench along one of the walls. Why now?! Though, no one would have been able to find her, even if they looked for her while she was away. She took a shuddering breath, trying to dispel the memories threatening her again. Whatever in this world was happening to her, she didn't like it. She felt like a child again.

Her heart, one that already beat at a higher rate anyway, to keep her body temperature right, was racing. Her long fingernails took on an orange gleam. She gasped and clenched fists as well as she could. She couldn't let this get ahold of her. Once she lost control of her powers, she was a goner.

She could feel the bench beneath her heating up, so she stood quite quickly, beginning to pace the corridor. Maybe she should leave this place. She needed oxygen. Stop her powers in their tracks. But, she needed to be alone for a little longer.

And, she was half hoping, though she didn't really realise it, that Rabastan would find her.

[Rabastan Lestrange]

Rabastan finally extricated himself from the crowded courtroom, and hurried towards the long corridor, hoping that the jurors hadn't been let out yet. He made it to the room to find it empty. Swearing, he slammed his fist against the door frame, and turned away.

And saw her. Alone, pacing, at the other end of the corridor. For a moment he was frozen, unable to move or speak. After so long, all those years locked up in Azkaban, clinging desperately to his memories of her. His brother had sunk into an apathetic daze; his sister-in-law had gone insane. But he'd held on to the last scrap of humanity, because he was determined not to die without seeing her again.

And now he was just yards away from her. He could see the golden glow that seemed to flow from all around her, and - surely he was imagining it - he could almost feel the heat emanating from her body. Finally, he took a step towards her, and said hoarsely, "Sara!"

[Sara Templeton]

Sara was still pacing, trying to rid herself of the feelings. She heard footsteps but didn't look in the direction. They'd walk past and leave her like the others had. But, they stopped. Then, he called her name.

Her head jerked up, and her eyes widened, a short, sharp gasp leaving her throat. "R-Rabastan," she stammered in response. Actually being near him like this, alone was making her heart pound embarrassingly loud. She was pretty sure he'd be able to hear it. "Wh-what are you doing here?" She cursed the stammer that she couldn't get rid of. The last part of the question was stronger, and her back straightened a little.

What did it matter why? He was here. Wasn't that the main part?

No. She couldn't be sucked in ... again...

[Rabastan Lestrange]

"I came to find you," he said simply. Surely she had known he'd come to her. What they'd shared all those years ago, the one thing that had kept him sane during his imprisonment, she couldn't deny what they'd felt for each other. He walked down the corridor towards her, his eyes fixed on her face.

"Sara - where did you go? I searched for you. I only stopped when I was arrested." He reached out and touched her face. "It was my fault, I know. You were so young, you just weren't ready. You could have told me, you know, we could have postponed the wedding. Whatever you'd wanted. All I wanted was to make you happy."

[Sara Templeton]

Hearing him say that made her racing heart skip a few beats in it's infathomable speed. That was what she had feared. As he continued, she sighed.
"I had to leave. I-I felt cooped up," she murmured. His hand touched her face and she whimpered softly, trying to not react. She failed. Her neck twitched and her eyes closed as her face leant against his hand. She quickly pulled herself out of it though, her head snapping back up, and her eyes opening again.

"I can hide myself. No one found me, I didn't want to be found," she explained. "It wasn't the wedding. I-I wanted to marry you. I just couldn't do it. And I don't know why. I still don't know."

[Rabastan Lestrange]

For a moment, as she leant her face against his hand, he thought she was glad to see him. And then she jerked her face away from him. "I don't understand, Sara. If you really wanted to marry me, why...?" He could see from her face that she didn't know why she'd run. "Did you - did you think people wouldn't have accepted you as my wife? We could have gone anywhere you wanted, away from all those narrow-minded bigots who couldn't accept what you are. I never cared what anyone said about you. I loved you."

Rabastan stepped closer and put his hands gently on her shoulders. "I still do. I always have. All those years in Azkaban, I never stopped thinking about you. It's why I survived when others died or went insane." He pulled her closer, looking down into her face. "I still love you, Sara. Can't we - can't we try again?"

[Sara Templeton]

Sara sighed. "Rab, I don't know," she protested breathily, but with quite a snap to her tone. Her breaths were shuddering again. She felt like she was about to cry, but knew no tears would fall from her eyes. Her body temperature was too warm. "We could have. Would you really have moved away from everyone? You know I wouldn't have made you do that. I'm not selfish. I would have made myself deal with it."

She wanted to step back as he stepped forward, but her feet wouldn't move. His hands were on her shoulders. She sighed. He still loved her. Then, he pulled her closer still, pulling them together. She looked up at him, feeling very much like the 16 year old girl that melted in his embrace many a time. "Rab," she moaned softly. "I can't be the girl you want me to be anymore. It was years ago. Decades ago. It's not that I don't love you. I do. Oh, Rab, I do. But I can't. You're not listening.

"Times have changed. People have changed." She pulled herself from him. "I need to move on. Let me move on. It was lovely to see you again. But for now, please. If you love me, let me go." She looked at him pleadingly. Then, incredibly surprised, she raised her finger to her eye. Moisture. Impossible.

The cold weather was getting to her already. And the overwhelming need to cry.

[Rabastan Lestrange]

Rabastan could feel the heat from her body enveloping him. He remembered, vividly, the nights with her when it had seemed that she surrounded him in flame. Till this moment, his entire focus had been on simply seeing her, talking to her, hearing her voice. But at those memories, his arousal flared so violently that he groaned softly.

He heard her words, telling him that she had changed, that she'd moved on. He'd only just found her, but she was telling him he had to let her go again. "Sara... I can't. How can I let you go? You are everything, you are part of me. Move on? How could I? All these years, the only thing that mattered was that I would one day find you again. It's the only thing that's made my life worth holding on to. If you leave me again... there's nothing."

He looked into her eyes, desperately. She brushed away a tear, and seeing the gesture, he realised with a shock that his own face was wet. But he wasn't ashamed, his desolation at the realization that she was pushing him out of her life again was so deep, so painful that there was nothing else he could do but weep.

"Sara, please. Don't do this," he begged. "If I lose you again... it will destroy me."

[Sara Templeton]

He wasn't listening. Sara groaned. "Rabastan, please," she sighed looking up at him. She moved closer to him, putting her hands on his face. She knew, as soon as she did it, it was a bad idea. "Please listen to me. I won't let myself fall like I did all those years ago. I - I was dependant on you. I neeeded you. I've grown up a lot since then. I have different needs.

"You want the 16 year old Sara that loved you like you were the only man alive. I can't give you that. I still love you, Rabastan. I always will. But, I cannot give you what you want."

[Rabastan Lestrange]

Rabastan groaned again at the feel of Sara's hands cupping his face, of her body so close to his. "Don't you think I've changed too?" he said, his voice hoarse with misery, knowing now that no matter what he said, she wouldn't be his. "All those years in a filthy cell, clinging to the memory of what I'd lost..."

But through his despair, her words seemed to echo

I still love you, Rabastan. I always will.

And a tiny flicker of hope kindled, like an ember glowing back to life in an almost-dead fire.

She'd run away from marrying him because she wasn't ready, because he'd pushed her too fast. This time he wouldn't make that mistake, he'd give her the space she needed, wait until she was ready... ready to allow herself to fall again.

Mirroring her gesture, he cupped her face in his hands, his eyes meeting hers in a deep, intimate gaze. "I love you whoever you are, Sara. The girl you were, and the woman you are. And it's because I love you that I'll let you go." He tilted his head slightly as he leaned closed, and kissed her, softly, sensuously, putting into the kiss all the love and longing he was feeling.

And then he stepped back, letting his hands drop, and looked at her one last time, knowing she'd be able to see the love and despair and resignation written clearly on his face.

Then he turned and - feeling as if he was leaving part of himself behind, ripped from his body - he walked away from her.

[Sara Templeton]

Rabastan cupped her face and Sara whimpered again, actually feeling the tear in her eye roll down her warm cheek. That was a new and... wonderful sensation. She actually felt human, not some freak that played with fire. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his. The look he was giving her was so intense. His words threw her off. She hadn't expected that. But, she knew it wasn't over.
"Thank you," she murmured softly. Then, he kissed her. She couldn't help herself. She moaned softly and kissed him back. A new set of memories and feeling flooded back, making more tears fall.

When he stepped back, making both of their hands drop for the others' face, she sighed, noting the look he was giving her. As he walked away, she let out a tiny sob, wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. When she was right, she turned and walked out of the Ministry, needing the freedom.

[Nathalie Desjardins]

Slightly dazed, Nathalie stood in the corridor outside the courtroom. She was feeling a mixture of relief and misery. Relief because it was over, because she'd managed to testify, despite all the pressure she hadn't caved in. And misery because of the expression on her father's face, the deep disgust and fury that his daughter had defied him. Her father was unwaveringly strict, distant, resentful that he had no sons. But since he'd accepted that Nathalie was his heir, he'd unbent enough that they'd developed a wary regard for each other. Nathalie had craved his approval. Now she'd gone against his orders and he was furious.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach shoved his way out of the courtroom. Damn, he was glad that was over. He caught sight of Nathalie in the corridor. She looked kind of lost, standing there. He made his way over to her, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Nat. Feeling okay?"

[Nathalie Desjardins]

Nathalie looked up, and managed to give Zach a smile. "Yeah - just glad it's over. Zach, are you heading to Hogwarts now? My father told me if I insisted on testifying, I'd have to make my own way to school afterwards."