She’d expected to hear an immediate, affirmative response from him. That she didn’t was startling, and she stared at him, dread slowly causing her shoulders to droop. She chewed on her lip, her own arms coming to cross over her chest. “I knew it,” Her thoughts were easily slipping in her fatigue, and her anxiety spiked to such heights that she could only turn on the spot and begin pacing. “I knew I would be dragging you into something too big, too dangerous — too damning.”

And of course he would begin to resent her for this, because who wouldn’t resent someone who had forced them into a situation that could potentially get them thrown into prison? Hand on her head as if that would quell the sudden onslaught of thoughts, Rowan shook her head, her feet taking her across the floor with even more vigor.

“What was I thinking coming here thinking I could do this by myself? I’ve put everyone I love in danger — ruined Grayson’s career before it even started!” She continued mumbling to herself like this, her panic climbing higher. There wasn’t a way out of this anymore. She would have to leave her family, leave Hogsmeade and modify her own memory, or perhaps hire someone to do it for her so she wouldn’t put anyone else in danger trying to dig further into this.

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