I Can Run But I Can’t Hide.

[Lia Allman]

Panic flashed in Lia’s eyes as she fought with everything she had to escape the clutches of the ministry officials who were gripping her arms. She would, for sure, have bruises from their fingers in the morning. But right now all she could think of was not being strapped down in the chair they were trying to get her to.

”No…no you can’t. Please. It’s not what you think.”

But there was no convincing them. Her reaction was only furthering their resolves. They were certain they had her. They were certain by revealing what she wanted most in this world, that they’d be able to prove she was the monster that they swore she was.

They had summoned every possible auror, hit witch, and hit wizard…the entirety of the magical law enforcement floor. And Lia knew exactly what they would see. It would spell the end of everything.

But she was powerless. And much smaller than the men hauling her into the room. They effortlessly got her into the chair and restrained. Lia fought a little more…hoping she could slip the bindings. As if it would do any good. They would immobilize her before she could get halfway to the door.

So eventually, her body just fell slack and she felt hot tears burning down her face.

Abe was there. In the crowd. She just knew he was.

So as she felt the cool touch of a wand tip on her temple, she squeezed her eyes closed. The gasps and whispers around the room were enough to make the witch wish the floor would open up and swallow her.

There…for everyone to see…was her deepest desire. The dream that visited her every night.

Her and Abe. Together. Happy. Blissful. Married. Lia with no history of murder or violence. Never having broken Abe’s heart. A couple of adorable little children playing on the floor while the sat together on a couch next to cozy fire. A future someone like her could never have and a vision that would just make Abe’s life at work that much harder.

She heard snickering in some areas of the crowd and by now…the tears were steady streaming down her face. It wasn’t enough to torture her for the rest of her days…they had to ensure she was completely broken and humiliated. And they had succeeded.

The wizard peering into her thoughts seemed to take some pity on her as he banished the vision and unbound her.

Miss Allman, I believe you can go home now…

He called forth someone to apparate her back to Saffron’s home and once there…Lia bee lined straight for her room, closing herself inside and laying down. Silently crying herself to sleep.

Abe would never speak with her again after this. He had taken such a chance on her. And in return, she had humiliated him. It was a mess. They would be better off sending her back to prison.