Chapter Twenty-Eight
-1995-
Scarlett
"You stay away from that Malfoy boy." Dad bit out as we stepped out of the floo hearth, home for the evening.
"We are in the same classes if you hadn't noticed. It's kind of hard to just stay away from someone when you have lessons with them." I shot back. The elated feeling behind my ribs swiftly becoming heavy with dread that I would never be allowed to feel like that again.
"You spent near on the entire evening with him!" He thundered, gaze angry, disappointed. I refused to step back, to shrink from his temper, something I rarely received the brunt of.
"What's wrong with that?" I demanded. "He's a-"
"A what, Scarlett, what is he?"
"A friend." I muttered, omitting the entire truth. After tonight, friend was too simpler word, and if dad knew we had kissed, and that Draco had been here…
"A Deatheater's son." He replied with detest.
"He's not like that, he's-"
"A Malfoy." Dad cut over me again. "No matter what you think, no matter what he has convinced you, he is and will always be a Malfoy."
"It's just a name! It doesn't matter!" I shouted, finally losing the calm I was trying desperately to hold on to.
"It does matter!" He snapped, blue eyes darkening with rage. "Lucius Malfoy is a part of Voldemort's inner circle, his second in command. He is the enemy, and so is that boy."
"He's not!" I whirled, stalking away from him, into the entrance hall.
"Don't you dare walk away from me, Scarlett!" He warned, but I ignored him, I wanted to go to my quarters and shut him and his horrible words out. He didn't even know Draco. "The front door is open." He stated, and I froze. I must not have shut it earlier. "Did you come back for something earlier?" his voice was quiet, yet the undercurrent worried me. What was he thinking?
"Yes, I had an outfit malfunction I needed Flora to fix." I lied, glad I faced away from him. He said nothing, but I heard his footsteps echoing as he walked to the door, pausing for some time before closing it.
"Funny, there are muddy foot prints on the stair and inside the doorway, and they certainly aren't a witch's." Dad commented, his voice icy, and I swallowed. "Your lying." I felt the colour drain dizzily from my face. His footsteps moved towards me, but I refused to move. Truthfully, I was scared, I didn't know what to do. Dad never got angry with me. I kept my eyes averted as he came to stand before me.
"Did you bring him here?"
"I didn't mean to."
"But you did." I nodded.
"What in Merlin's name were you thinking!" He thundered and this time I did flinch back. "And by your necklace! You've just given the enemy access to Ashwood!"
"Why was everyone calling me, Ashwood?" I asked before I could stop myself. Dad looked momentarily taken aback before scowling.
"Don't change the subject, Scarlett!"
"No, I want to know, what does it mean?"
"It means nothing, simple confusion by incompetent event organizers."
"Now who's lying!" I bit out, in that moment more confused than ever.
"I'm not discussing any more, you are in a mood." I glared, anger towards him building.
"Well, what do you expect?" I shot back.
"You're to stay away from him, it's for your own good, and that's the end of it." His tone was harsh, final, and blinking back tears, I fled from the entrance hall.
Why wouldn't dad listen! I buried my head under the green scarf, the one Draco had gifted me for Yule in the Ministry garden. His scarf. A fresh wave of tears engulfed me and I curled tighter into myself on my bed. It wasn't fair! He couldn't forbid me like that! He couldn't tell me who I couldn't be friends with, who I couldn't… It would never work. What I felt for Draco, it wouldn't work because despite our similarities, we lived by different rules. We were enemies, well, we were meant to be.
But how? How could we be enemies? How could I stay away from him when I did not want to? When the very thought of doing so was a physical pain in my chest?
How could someone be my enemy and yet care? He had to care, I was sure he did, for the way my lips still tasted of what was surely dragon-fire.
Low hoots drifted into my scarf-sanctuary, and sniffing back more tears, I looked up to see an imposing owl sitting at the foot of my bed, glowing orange eyes staring at me. I sat up fully, the dress I still wore pooling around me.
"Hello, aren't you magnificent?" I murmured, swiping away tears. The great bird, an eagle-owl I realised, flew gracefully down from my lower bedpost to land before me. Carefully, I untied the letter from the owl's leg and reaching over to my bedside table, took the small tin I kept full of owl treats for Smidge.
The Eagle-Owl may have looked formidable, but he was gentle as he took the treats from my offered hand. He then stared at me as if waiting. "Oh, the letter." I mumbled, quickly opening the envelope which only had my name written upon it in an elegant scrawl, and a plain green wax seal.
Scarlett,
I sincerely hope you enjoyed the evening as much as I did. I regret we did not have longer. Would you care to meet up over the Yule break?
D M
A small smile tugged at my mouth. Draco had written, just as he said he would! I drew in a breath and let my eyes close. He wanted to meet up, but how? Where? New Years Day, and a few days after that! Dad was heading away for Order business, he wouldn't be around to stop me seeing Draco!
Grabbing my wand, which was still in my dress, I summoned my writing utensils and quickly set to replying, trying and failing to quell my excitement.
Draco
I could not sleep. I had sent a letter to Scarlett, and now I waited on a reply. Perhaps she would not reply, it was late… I needed to hear from her, I needed to know these feelings, she reciprocated too. I needed to know if she wanted to see me before school went back.
Distractedly, I listened to the music she had gifted me; every single song ever written by the muggle group, whose song we had played that very eve. Surely Jasper would be back soon? I glanced at my pocket watch where it lay on my bedside table. It was midnight. Yule had officially begun. I sat up, intent on my present and unread letter from Raven, when there was a sharp pecking at my windows.
Leaping from my bed, still clothed in my dress robes, I let Jasper in, feeding him treats as I unhooked the letter from his leg.
Draco,
I had a brilliant evening with you, and I would like to meet up before school goes back. I kind of have a problem though, my dad wants me to stay away from you… I have a plan. He goes away on New Years Day, for a couple days. We could meet up then? Where would we meet?
Scar
She wanted to meet up, spend time with me! Despite the conundrum which was her father, I grinned and quickly began a reply letter.
Scarlett,
I am glad you too wish to meet up. I enjoy devious plans, and if it means I am not on the receiving end of an Auror's hex, I am all for it! Unfortunately, the Manor here poses the same issue which your father has created. My father simply would not allow it. Mother, perhaps, I do not know. I am afraid, if I asked her, it could turn out horribly. If your father is away, perhaps Ashwood Manor is a better choice? I may or may not wish to view the rest of that hairy dragon… I cannot remember what you called it, captured theatre? Otherwise we could meet, well I don't know? We would have to fly, and it would need to be somewhere we will not be recognized. Diagon Alley and such places are out of the question. Do you have any suggestions? I am unfortunately stuck at a boring dinner party with my mother on New Year's Day, but we could meet the day after?
Hammering at my main door caused me to drop my quill onto the parchment, staining the letter with ink. Cursing, I quickly shoved my writing utensils and the letters under my pillows as my door slammed open.
"Draco!" My blood ran cold at his irate voice. Before I could answer, before I could even grab my wand, father was looming before me. "Where is it?" He hissed out and my heart dropped. Did he know I'd been writing to Scarlett? How?
"Where is what?" I acted naïve. His eyes narrowed. Whirling, he strode towards the bookshelf in my bedroom, and wrenched the open scroll which had just begun playing the song I had played with Scarlett. The Muggle song. I stared, afraid to speak as father took his wand to my gift from Scarlett, turning it to ash.
"Is there any more?" I shook my head, and he swept towards me, cane in hand. I hedged back towards where I'd left my wand on my bedside table, barely grasping it, when his cane swept towards my face. I ducked on instinct, dodging away towards the windows. "How do you think I felt when the Minister of Magic himself noted my son had recited music by a filthy Muggle?" He asked coldly, cornering me. I clutched my wand tightly. "You have disgraced the Malfoy name!" A laugh burst from me.
"Who is disgraced father? I thought you enjoyed that song?" My taunt did not go unpunished, the sting of his cane flaring against my cheek.
"Stupif-"
"Expelliarmus!" He disarmed me before I could stop him. Fear again coursed through me, but I was angry, and I met his cold fury with defiance. "You are a fool, Draco." Again, I laughed.
"No more foolish than your ridiculous obsession with the Dark Lord. You tote on about blood supremacy, yet you answer to a half-blood! Who's the fool, father?"
"What's going on?" I heard my mother's voice in the door way.
"You don't know what you are talking about!" He snapped, and I smirked, feeling I had the upper hand. I knew more than he did, he had only ever fed me lies.
"I think I do." I stared hard at him. "I know quite a bit." I examined my nails, taking a steadying breath before glaring back up at him. "I know your idealisms are outdated and lies. Muggles aren't the enemy."
"Draco don't say such things!" Mother cried out, but I ignored her, and then pain flared in my chest, sending me staggering back against the wall. "Lucius don't!" The pain vanished, leaving me shaky and gasping, barely able to stand. I stared wide eyed at my father.
"You bastard." I bit out, wishing I had my wand. Never had I felt such pain. Never had I thought my father would force an unforgivable upon me. My anger was still there, but now I felt sick and my fear was growing once more. He looked as if he would kill me.
"You will stop this foolish behavior immediately." He hissed out, voice low and warning.
"Or what? You'll Crucio it out of me?" My eyes darted to his wand as he rose it again and mother gasped.
"Lucius, please!" To my relief, he paused, but it was short-lived.
"A lesson needs to be taught." He declared, flicking his wand and a rope snaked about my hands. It would be the usual then, broken fingers. Lovely. At least it was better than the little of the curse he had inflicted. I still felt shaky. "Come Draco, since you have such high praise for Muggles, why not spend the night in their squalor?"
"No!" The pure terror which animated my mother's face caused a new fear to course through my veins. Father merely beckoned with his wand and I was hauled forward by my tied hands like a prisoner. "Lucius, you can't send him out there, anything could happen!" Mother pleaded, voice shaky. "He's just a boy, our boy! He's our son!"
"While he's entertaining blood-traitor notions, he is no son of mine." Father snapped, pushing mother out of the way. Before I had a chance to say anything to her, he grasped my arm in a vice-grip, and my stomach flipped as we disapparated.
…
The winter breeze chilled my bleeding cheek as I stared up at the looming faces of Muggles splashed across the side of a tall building. Father had apparated me to Muggle London, leaving without a word, taking my wand with him. A shiver made its way down my spine, not entirely from the cold. I was scared. I didn't know where I was, and I didn't know how to get home, or at least somewhere familiar. Theo's perhaps?
Blaring sirens to my left put me on edge, and I began walking away from the sound, the street empty and dimly lit by Muggle street lamps. The snow at my feet was dirty, more slurry, and I was glad my dragonhide shoes were waterproof. A rush of icy air hit me from a gap between buildings, and I pulled my dress robes closer around me, keeping my head down as two Muggles appeared ahead of me.
Despite my research, despite what Raven had told me, as they approached, my heart sped up fearfully. I needed to know where I was. I looked up, summoning the courage to ask for help, only to receive two wary looks as the couple passed me. I hurried on, remaining quiet.
Sense of direction addled by that blasted Cruciatus, I turned left at the first large looking intersection of roads I came upon. Dalston Lane, the sign indicated. It made no difference to me, I was still lost. I followed this lane, keeping close to the buildings, wary of the noisy contraptions the Muggles used to travel in. I had seen them before, Potter and the Weasel had stolen a flying one and flown it to Hogwarts in second year, so clearly if the Weasel could control one, it was easy.
I group of Muggles, perhaps in their twenties staggered out of what looked like an inn, laughing and calling out loudly to each other. Again, my courage failed me, and I strode past. I was glad I did, a few more meters along and I came upon train tracks. I could surely find Kings Cross Station if I followed the tracks! Standing still, I closed my eyes trying to visualize the station, where it was in relation to wherever father had dumped me. Back the way I had come, perhaps? I turned left, staring down the trainline. The city did seem to be nosier in that direction. Decision made, I followed the train-tracks, hoping it was the right one.
…
"What ya looking at?"
I ignored the shifty looking, unkempt Muggles standing out of the wind, against a derelict building, kept my head down, kept walking.
"I said, what you looking at?"
"Aren't you gonna answer? It's rude not to answer." Another Muggle laughed, his words slurry. I quickened my pace, unease stirring within me. To my horror, I heard footsteps as they jogged to catch up with me. It took all my willpower not to run.
"Looks like a snooty rich boy." The first muggle taunted, walking beside me. "We don't see many of your kind in our parts, do we?"
"Wanna know why?" No, I didn't! I wanted to get out of there! I walked faster, keeping my gaze straight and down, hoping they would go away. "Because you don't belong here, freak." Wait, did these muggles know I was a Wizard? Fear coursed through me in cold waves.
"Why are you wearing a cape?" The first one asked. "Think you're some kind of vigilante, do ya freak?" The cloak of my robes was suddenly grabbed, and I was yanked back hard. I whirled on them, instantly going for my wand only to remember I did not have it.
"Get your filthy hands off me!"
"Rich boy doesn't want to play?" The Muggle taunted with a gold toothed grin which I found repulsive. "Too bad." The Muggle lunged, and I quickly dodged out of the way, only to be reminded one had a grasp of my cloak, the clasp tightening about my neck.
Still, I managed to swing a punch, just as the skin-headed one came close enough. I had enough force behind it to knock him to the pavement.
"Wrong move!" One of the burlier Muggles snarled and suddenly I was ripped back, my cloak purposely twisted around my neck. Pain exploded against my torso, causing me to gasp for air impossible to reach.
'Where's ya wallet?" The pressure on my neck lessened, and I sagged, drawing in gulping breaths. Only then did I realize one of the Muggles was going through my pockets. "Get off me! I writhed, struggling to lash out, to be free. I felt my foot connect with bone and profanities sworn before my head was knocked hard by a blow. For some moments, I couldn't see, and a nausea swept over me as I heaved, but it could not eclipse my fear.
"Where's ya wallet!"
I don't know what you're talking about!" I retorted, struggling once more.
"Money! Where's ya money?" This was about money? They could have all of it!
"I'll show you, I'll show you!" One of my arms was released and quickly I fumbled in my trouser pocket and pulled out the small bag of galleons, tossing it onto the pavement. It jangled enticingly and one of the muggles picked it up and opened it.
"What's this? Play money?" He scoffed, pulling out a couple gold coins.
"It's gold from the bank." I bit out. "Take it and let me go!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the skin-headed Muggle rising to his feet with the help of another.
"Where is the little prick!" I heard him spit out. "I'll kill him!" I writhed in their grip, managing to break the clasp of my cloak and staggered back, miraculously aiming an upper cut to the larger Muggle. Then I ran, leaping down onto the railway tracks and sprinting across to the other side, spurned on by the cursing voices behind me and hard footfalls and sharp breaths.
As I touched down on the other side of the expanse of tracks, a loud crack resounded about me, followed by three more. A force sent me staggering to the ground. I drew in a breath only to cry out, pain searing through me at a swift rate. The voices were now shouting at one another over me.
"You shot him! Shit!"
"Is he dead?"
"Don't care, lets get out of here!"
It became quiet and all I could hear was my heart thundering, all I could feel was a fire in my chest, back and shoulder. I could not tell exactly where. I tried moving, but it was agony to do so. I had to, I had to get away from this place! What if those Muggles came back? What if there were others? How had they stopped me like that? They had thought me dead… did that mean I was dying? Had what they done been to kill me? They had known I was different, a Wizard, was that why?
The pain, the fear roiling my stomach was too much, and barely missing my robes, I threw up, retching until there was nothing left. I needed to move, I was too vulnerable like this. My left arm, I quickly determined, was useless. Pain shot through me as I tried to bear weight on it, causing my vision to blacken.
…
"Draco?" My name, someone was calling my name. With this realization, my body flooded with a searing ache and I gasped for air, forcing my eyes open. I was met with sunlight and slate-grey eyes.
"Father?"
"It's me, yes" He was moving me, and it hurt so much. "It's alright, you'll be alright." I felt his arms around me, an unfamiliar gesture, and I was pulled upright against his chest. Guilt overwhelmed me.
"I'm sorry." I choked out, grasping onto his robes with my good hand. "I'm so sorry, father!"
"Shh, let's get you home." I felt the disorientating pull of apparition and the world went black again.
When I next awoke, it was to a soothing hand on by forehead and a soft mattress beneath me. My mattress, I realised. "Mother?" My voice came out croaky as I recognized it was her seated by my side, her hand brushing the hair from my forehead.
"Draco, oh Draco." There was relief in her voice, and she looked to have been crying recently. Her emotions shocked me, it was unlike her to show them.
"What, what happened? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing now you are safe and home." She soothed. My mind raced, piecing together what had transpired for her to be in such an odd state. Fear bit into me and a dull ache made itself known as the eve before replayed in my mind.
"Muggles, the Muggles did something to me!" I made to sit up, but my shoulder burned. Instead I gasped, sinking back.
"Oh, my sweet boy, you were so lucky." Mother murmured, clasping my hand in her cooler one. Dread crept from her hand and filed my entire being. I turned to face the open doorway, by father filling the space. He looked tired and drawn.
"You are awake." He stated. I gave a stiff nod, eying him with caution as he moved to stand beside my mother. He watched me, steely eyes resting on my injured shoulder for quite some moments. "I trust you now understand the threat Muggles, and their world posses to us?" I nodded.
"What did they do to me?" This time I swear there was a flicker of anguish in his eyes, but it was gone before I could be sure.
"They tried to kill you, son." I stared at him, remembering the resounding bang, the searing pain which crippled me, their frantic voices. I shuddered, and mothers hand squeezed mine tighter.
"Why? I didn't do anything to them. They wanted my money, and then they noticed my robes… I tried to fight back… what did they do? I ran from them, I ran far enough away and still they did something, my shoulder, they did something to it and they were no where near me!" My breath was coming in short gasps as fears from the eve before consumed my mind. How did they hurt me? They were nowhere near me?
"They have weapons, weapons called guns which can maim and kill in an instant. As for why, because you are a Wizard, because you are better than them, powerful and because magic is rightfully yours." Father explained.
"Gun?" I found myself echoing.
"They used a gun on you. I removed the bullets myself from your shoulder."
"Bullets?" He reached passed my mother and picked up a glass jar from my bedside table, showing me its contents. Within were three strange looking metal objects, pointed at one ended, tapering back up to a narrow cylinder of about a centimeter in length. "They were in my shoulder?"
"Yes, and one in your chest. It missed your lungs and heart, thank Salazar." Mother explained, a slight shake in her voice. I now realised there was a bandage about my chest, not just my shoulder. They really had tried to kill me. I stared at the blankets covering me, regretting how I had spoken to him after the ball, how I had ignored his words, his teaching, thinking I knew better. I didn't, and it had nearly cost me everything.
"I'm sorry, father." I couldn't look at him, scared to see the disappointment in his gaze. When he said nothing, I did eventually glance up to meet his eyes. They were filled with relief. He gave a stiff nod and turned, leaving my quarters.
"You scared him, Draco. You scared both of us." Mother whispered, squeezing my hand one last time before standing to follow my father.
Finally got this chapter finished and posted! Been so busy, thought I'd never get to it!
Thank you to all who have reviewed the previous chapter, appreciate them so much, and so glad you guys are enjoying it! xx
