He had intended to argue with her – but fighting the imperius curse for even a minute had sapped him of all his will now. Dizzy, delirious, he pushed off the floor and slumped against her instead, half-sitting, half-lying in her lap. We don’t have time, she had said, but Philip was only half-listening. It had to sink in again first, before he could fathom anything else. But Alexandra was real. She was the only real thing he had.
He shut his eyes, still reliving that sudden surge of contentment forcibly stripped away again. “Later, then.” His voice sounded hoarse and faraway, reality still knitting itself back together into this harsher version of the world. Philip was sure he looked as wild as he felt. “But you have to do it again. I need to keep remembering. I need to be able to fight it.” He didn’t know how possible that was. But he had to have something, to do something, if he was going to be able to face his father again.
He shut his eyes, still reliving that sudden surge of contentment forcibly stripped away again. “Later, then.” His voice sounded hoarse and faraway, reality still knitting itself back together into this harsher version of the world. Philip was sure he looked as wild as he felt. “But you have to do it again. I need to keep remembering. I need to be able to fight it.” He didn’t know how possible that was. But he had to have something, to do something, if he was going to be able to face his father again.
