Chapter 348: Snake in a Cage
When Maggie rushed over, Della was leaning on the bed with an eye mask on. The light from the chandelier on the ceiling made her look extremely pale.
"I really shouldn't have bothered with that thief," Maggie put her hand on Della's forehead to test the temperature, and complained, "It was her own choice to become a corpse. The black dog that Cynthia White brought back to me was not simple, was it?"
"In a sense, he is her savior," Della said weakly, "another unregistered Animagus, Sirius Black. Cynthia will take him to Beauxbatons in the second half of the year."
Hearing this, Maggie showed a cold mockery on his face. Even though he disdained Cynthia White's unreasonable request, he knew Della well and understood the value of the statement coming from her mouth. So he did not argue with the sick Della on this matter that was already a foregone conclusion. He only complained about Peter Pettigrew, "I just know that the rat can't tell clean news."
Actually, this statement was a bit unfair to Peter. After all, he had not been questioned by Maggie, and he did not need to be honest with little Barty or old Nott who had recently approached him. However, as an informer with no bottom line and no one else to rely on, he deserved the excessive suspicion and random venting of anger.
"Why are you wearing an eye patch?" Maggie immediately asked Della with concern, "Is there any other accident? Do you need me to call a doctor now?"
"I feel dizzy, but there are too many things in my mind, so it's not easy for me to fall asleep." Della pushed away Maggie's hand that was pulling on the edge of her eye mask, protecting the barrier that covered all her disappointment and hatred. "That's why I put on the eye mask. You know, Madam Pomfrey used this method to help me fall asleep in the past."
"You don't have to worry too much, I'm here." Maggie didn't suspect anything because Della was usually cold. He sighed and said distressedly, "I don't know how many days you'll be lying here. Have a good rest. Is there anything you need?"
"I want to go find Leah and stay with her for a few days, just as if it were a vacation," Della's voice was flat. This was the limit of what she could do in front of a creature that already physically disgusted her. "I want to take Ange and Apep with me."
"Apep?" Maggie subconsciously didn't like having other snakes around Della.
"It's time for it to go out for some fresh air." Della didn't mention the nonsense that Maggie had said to prevent her from carrying Apep with her, and she used her final declarative tone.
"Well... well, it'll only be for a while anyway," Maggie murmured, her heartache for Della overpowering her twisted possessiveness, "When are you going to the Muggle world? I'll make the arrangements."
Della wanted to say that the sooner the better, but she had the instinct to deal with things rationally. She knew that she couldn't express her intention to leave too obviously, otherwise Maggie would see the clues. "Go after you have rested well. You can't be a guest who needs to be taken care of."
"Okay, go to bed early." Maggie said gently. He kissed Della's forehead gently before leaving worriedly.
At the moment of being kissed, Della's heart did not fluctuate much. The unusual calmness towards Maggie's touch made Della understand what Cynthia meant by 'I doubt whether you can still feel hatred towards him'. She had been with Maggie for too long and was too accustomed to his way of thinking. If it were not for the last bit of inclination towards light that came from the bottom of her heart, she might not have made up her mind to cut off ties with Maggie.
Besides, was it really for the sake of light? Wasn't it really out of resentment and injustice towards Maggie for lying to her and plunging her into a dark life?
They were so in tune with each other that Della understood him too well. But at the same time, this also made Della demand more from him, leading to her current excessive disappointment.
Why do you keep using the special things between us as a means to manipulate me?
Della, who likes to escape, has tried to find some clues in Maggie's behavior to refute her. Her indulgence of Maggie has reached such a sad level.
But no—no—no…
Two days later, Della wrapped herself in thick clothes in the bright spring sunshine, took not much luggage, and only carried a cage in one hand. She boarded the Hogwarts Express out of the school as Maggie saw her off.
The huge train was opened for her alone. Della was carrying two cages containing snakes and birds. As she walked, the blood color on her face caused by the potion disappeared. Her face was paler than ever. When she left Maggie's sight, the strength in her hands weakened.
Fortunately, the door of the carriage was open, so she walked into one at random, put the two cages on the small table, and sat on the chair to catch her breath. Ang looked at her, tilted his head as if puzzled, and then jumped on his feet as energetically as usual, while Apep curled up there, looking timid.
Della noticed the different states of the two little pets, or rather, she noticed the abnormality of Apep. After carefully looking at the birdcage-style cage that held Apep, Della reached out and pinched the gold-plated iron bars of the birdcage.
There is no magic spell.
This wide iron bar, which is wide enough for Apep to easily drill through even if it becomes twice as big, does not have any magic.
But Apep, who obviously had a lively personality, just curled up there, not daring to go any further towards the freedom that was within his reach.
Under Maggie's care, Apep was locked in a ridiculous cage like her. He had no wounds on his body, but his heart was already full of holes.
Maggie disciplined them with subtle positive and negative effects, and they eventually voluntarily became caged snakes.
Just Maggie's momentary jealousy or loneliness made them fall into the abyss of hopelessness.
Della reached out to the small door of the snake's cage and opened it easily, so easily that she was sure that Apep could push it open easily, but Apep didn't. Maggie deliberately left this door to freedom unlocked. Della knew that the snake liked to watch people forever sink and float in his tricks.
"Hai-Hisaya (Poor little thing)." Della put her hand on the open door and motioned Apep to come over in a hoarse voice, and two lines of tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks.
Apep raised his snake head slightly and looked at Della's hand steadily.
For the snake in the cage, there is an abyss inside the cage and there is also an abyss outside the cage. The only thing that makes them feel at ease in the midst of fear is the iron bars that define the boundaries and rules.
Apep did not leave the cage, choosing to remain a caged snake.
Della sighed and lowered her hands. She did not close Apep's small door, but only opened Ang's small door. Ang, who was used to the "cage-release" mode, immediately jumped out, flew up and down happily around Della, and even flew onto Apep's cage and jumped twice, urging her friend to come out and play.
The snakes inside and outside the cage looked at it, and could hardly even show envy in their eyes.
Iron bars outside, shackles inside.
Even if a caged snake leaves its cage, it is still in the cage.