A/N Voici, another chapter of Sententia! Nope, not as much angst, so no worries to those of you out there. I know this chapter is rather short, but it's important. The song is a little difficult to get in relation to the chapter, but I'd be interested in knowing how many of you got it. Let me know in a review! Oh, and I'd like to know if you think the first scene is at all realistic; I think it is, but input always helps! Thanks!

Thanx: to Muse. Again. I need to find a new obsession… But their album Origin of Symmetry is AMAZING! Check it out.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Draco, unfortunately, belongs to JKR. Heyy, it's not my fault; she should've done more with him! Newborn does not belong to me. It belongs exclusively to Muse.

Chapter 6: Link

Link it to the world
Link it to yourself
Stretch it like a birth squeeze
The love for what you hide
The bitterness inside
Is growing like the new born
When you've seen, seen
Too much, too young, young
Soulless is everyone
-- Newborn, Muse

I enter the cabinet and close the door, closing my eyes in defeat. I can no longer hide from this; I must, instead, face it. I inhale, and open the door to whatever lies beyond.

"M—Master Malfoy!" Borgin calls out. I step out of the cabinet and face him, a grim look on my face. They can't think I'm vulnerable. They can't.

"Ahh, Mister Malfoy!" a voice hisses through the darkness of the shop. I repress the urge to shiver, and instead, face the man. Or rather, the werewolf. Greyback stands in the shadows of the small shop, looking around restlessly, as if looking for something to… eat.

If I could, I would run out of the store right now, damn the consequences. But I can't. Because doing so would mean death. And that's the last thing I can risk now. And yet… I can't help but think; what is everyone going to do when Greyback storms the castle? Will there be screaming? Crying? I don't know what I'm doing. But these emotions don't matter. Nothing matters anymore, except my task.

"Borgin," I acknowledge, "Greyback," I whisper, looking away from his grey visage. Greyback leers at me, his teeth yellowed and chipped. I can't hold it back this time; I shudder. He saw it. I'm sure he did. But he doesn't say anything. "Thank you for your help with repairing the cabinet," I say formally.

"Anything to help a Malfoy!" Borgin exclaims. I can imagine him getting down on the floor and licking my boots if I asked him to. Git.

I stare at him testily, smirking when he looks away shamefully.

"Why are you here?" Greyback hisses. This time, I manage not to shudder, but it takes an enormous amount of self control.

"Why, I thought it would be obvious," I say frowning. After all, they're the ones who wanted to help me… I brush off the thought, keeping to my task. "I want your help."

"Ah, getting desperate, are we?" Greyback asks, leering at me again.

"No," I say coldly, "I thought you might like to join me in my task," I say, purposefully being vague.

"How considerate of you," Greyback spits. Borgin looks at him, pales, and decidedly stares at a wall. "I hope you weren't planning on just inviting us…" he says, licking his lips in anticipation.

"Of course not," I snap, "Gather all the Death Eaters and tell them. Tell them that they may join me on the night I complete my task. Tell them to meet here, understand?" I spit. I don't even think about what I'm saying; this is not a time for second thoughts. But one thought escapes me: what will the Death Eaters say to this? More importantly, will they tell the Dark Lord? I can only hope now.

"Yes, master," Greyback snarls, bowing low.

"Good," I say, turning back to the Vanishing Cabinet. I open the door, ignoring the hinges' protests.

"But when will we know—"

"I'll come back, Borgin," I snap, my patience running low. I hear a hiss from Greyback, but I leave before he can finish. I'm not interested in what he has to say. His opinion doesn't matter.

The cabinet sweeps me back to the Room of Requirement. I open the door, and find a protest from the door, a loud squeak, almost as if the cabinet wanted me to stay in Knockturn Alley. I brush it off, knowing that it doesn't matter now.

I sit on the floor of the room, and look at my surroundings. The bust with the tiara stands out again. I get up and walk towards it. The face is one of beauty, with high cheekbones and a small, lilting smile on her face. I reach out my hand and cup her cheek, knowing that she can provide me no comfort, however willing she looks. I take my hand away, remembering the shape of her cheek. It reminds me of something, but I can't recall what…

I look around the room again, looking for something to do. I know it would be best for me to start plotting, but I can't. Not now. Not amidst all these conflicting thoughts.

I look outside, embracing the approaching darkness. I suddenly remember something; Quidditch. A smirk appears on my face and I rush out of the room, all thoughts of killing and the Dark Lord gone.

The corridors are alien to me; a place never visited. I ignore the rush of people passing me. I ignore their laughter, their talking, even their silence. They're just faces to me, nothing more.

My room is cold, as usual. I don't bother lighting the fire, knowing that I won't stay long enough to care about the room's temperature. I grab my broom and head outside.

I sigh in relief as the cold air welcomes me. Much too cold for March, but it's not as if I care. This is the only way I'll succeed; I must take myself away from everything, clear my head of all thoughts.

I mount my broom and kick off from the cold, frozen Earth. I rise a few feet with the kick; I point the handle towards the sky, getting higher with every second. The broom moves with the slightest touch, letting me have complete control over where I go. The wind pushes my hair out of my face.

The castle looks macabre in the fading sunlight, as if someone has painted it black. I fly over it, wondering what it would look like directly underneath me. I fly to the height of about half a mile, looking down upon the majestic castle. It looks ghostly from here, like it's haunted. One can not see the windows, nor the statues. Only the roof and the shape of the building are visible. It maddens me, how it can stand there, so innocent, so…

I swoop back down to the Quidditch pitch, not caring who sees me. I don't give a damn about curfews.

I know I'm going to crash into something if I don't stop now; the thoughts are starting to swirl in my head again. And I can't. I can't think, because if I do, everything is lost again. I land on the soft grass of the Quidditch pitch and step off my broom, sending it back to my room, not ready to go back inside yet. I meander about the grounds, not knowing why, and yet knowing at the same time. I look around, and upon not seeing anyone, dart into the Forbidden Forest. After all, if I'm breaking one rule, what's to stop me from breaking another?

The forest is dark, the shadows fading into nothing. I continue walking into the forest, smirking at the thought of the mudblood. She would be horrified if she knew I was in the Forbidden Forest after hours. The smirk vanishes, and I shake my head in annoyance. Why do my thoughts keep straying to her? Filthy piece of shit.

But I remember something… Her cheek… The bust… That was the connection… I'm revolted; her cheek? Where did that come from?

But no, I can't think about that now. Because it doesn't matter. Nothing matters now. Nothing, except me, and the forest. The trees seem to be getting closer together now, not letting me pass. I brush past them anyway, letting them snag at my clothes, tearing them in places. Not caring anymore.

I reach a clearing, my eyes bleary, my clothes torn, my head fuzzy. I fall to the ground and an unexpected thought enters my mind; Someone save me, I think. But it doesn't make any sense… That thought was unbidden, a surprise. And even if it was true, there's no one here, in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. Perhaps it would be best to stay here… To waste away.

But is that really how I'd like to die? No, I'd rather have Avada Kedavra cast upon me. Death, dying… I don't think I'm ready to die… Not quite yet. There is still much I have to accomplish, much I have to do. And much I want to do. But needs… They're all a joke to me. Regardless, I still have much to do.

But what do I want? I wonder… Perhaps a world without mudbloods and Muggles, perhaps a world void of people… I don't know. I can't answer that question right now.

One thing is certain though; I won't be able to make it back to the castle without falling down from exhaustion. I might as well get as far as I can. Less walking tomorrow.

I turn around and stumble through the forest drunkenly, ignoring the trees again. I finally find myself in a small patch of forest with trees all around me. This is not a clearing. This is like everywhere else, invaded by trees, barely any space for me to collapse to the ground. But it's somewhere.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I am awakened by a gasp. It's quiet, but it still manages to wake me. I feel a shadow above me. There's someone here. Someone with me. I don't know who, but somehow, I doubt it's someone I hold in a high regard. I hear them start to walk away quietly. I strike, my arm darting out and gripping the person's ankle, pulling them down. The girl shrieks.

The girl… No! Surely not… I open my eyes quickly to find the mudblood's face directly in front of mine. Perfect; exactly what I want to see in the morning.

"What the hell are you doing here," I snarl.

"I might ask you the same thing," she hisses, getting up off the ground. I spring up as well, and realize what an idiot I must look like, sleeping in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with torn clothes.

"Regardless, what the hell are you doing here," I repeat. She says nothing.

"I don't have to justify my actions to you," she says primly, though her eyes are ablaze.

"Fine," I hiss, not caring what she thinks. She was probably just on a walk or something… It doesn't matter. I start walking away from her when she calls me.

"Wait, why were you here?" she asks.

"I was… restless last night and went on a walk," I state firmly. I don't even know why I'm giving her an answer. I suppose because it clears my name for the night. My gaze bores into her eyes; I wait for her to turn away.

"I see…"

"Do you?"

"Yes," she says, her tone suggests she knows everything about me. She takes a look at my torn clothes and her eyebrows rise.

"No you don't," I scoff. She has no idea. She knows nothing! "Go to hell mudblood," I spit, leaving her alone in among the trees, not looking back. Or, at least, that was what I had planned to do. I can't help but look back. She's looking at me, a small smile on her face. And I look at her cheek. And I see the link…

I strut off, ignoring the chuckle I hear from behind me. She's not worth my attention; she'll be dead when the Death Eaters come. I know she will. Perhaps I'll make her death… special…

The castle welcomes me, inviting me back into its cold depths.

Hopeless time to roam
The distance to your home
Fades away to nowhere
How much are you worth
You can't come down to earth
You're swelling up, you're unstoppable
'cause you've seen, seen
Too much, too young, young
Soulless is everyone

-- Newborn, Muse

A/N Heyy! Well, I hope you liked this chapter; I thought it was relatively light, so… I just have one warning; THIS STORY WILL NOT END HAPPILY. Just wanted you guys to be aware of that. ;) Review please! Bisous ~ the shattered star

A/N the second: I just edited this, so those of you who didn't think it was quite as good as usual, check it out now, and drop me a PM. Bisous ~ the shattered star