After a quite meal of soup and bread eaten in the infirmary both me and Draco were dubbed well enough to leave, during the meal itself all you heard were the sounds of chewing and swallowing. We shared a few awkward glances but avoided them for the most part, the curse was in full affect and the feeling of utter loss was starting to take its toll on my mental health.
When we both walked out of the infirmary we don't share any words, we stand there in silence for a moment, the wind whistling throughout the vacant hallways, I shivered despite myself, feeling the feeling of loss chill me to my bones. Draco looks me once over making me feel even colder than before. He turns swiftly and walks towards what I presume is his house common room. I watch him go, as his form becomes smaller and smaller in my vision I start to feel like myself again, sad, but sad because I want to be, not because of some stupid curse put on my when I wasn't old enough to give my consent.
When I return to the Gryffindor tower I'm greeted by a chorus of "Aria how are you", "you had me so worried", "nasty fall you took there" and finally "I'm glad you're okay." I appreciated all the well wishes but honestly I wanted nothing but to sink into my bed and pretend everything I ever knew wasn't a lie. After I tackle the onslaught of well wishes I make an excuse of being tired and head for the girl's dorm.
"Aria wait." I turn to see Harry staring into my face, he looks worried. I sigh and gesture to a small seating area. I sink into the velvet fabric, it's soft and it caresses the exposed bit of skin between the hem of my skirt and knee high black socks. I tug at my skirt to pull it down, only doing so because Harry hasn't said anything and I'm starting to feel awkward. "I'm glad to see you're okay."
I smile and give him my thanks. "I know what's happening tomorrow." I go wide eyed, tomorrow me and Draco will be going to Dumbledore's office, he called in a curse breaker from the ministry specifically for us.
"How?" I croak out.
"Dumbledore told me, I guess because I'm responsible for you settling in here, and because you'll need someone to cover for you when you're not there for lessons." Dumbledore had wanted the curse to be lifted first thing in the morning, to do it any later would just be delaying the obvious and it would mean both me and Draco would be subject to the side effects of the curse throughout the remainder of the day. I nod simply, understanding Harry's role in all this.
"Thanks, I'd appreciate you not telling anyone about this?" I ask softly. "It's just… I don't really want to stand out right now, I mean I already do I'm the new girl, but I don't also wat to be the girl who was cursed and has messed up memories."
Harry smile softly at me "I won't tell a soul, promise." I smile again, much wider this time, standing. I thank him one last time for his silence and head off for a well-deserved rest. I'd say sleep but I know I won't gain the pleasure of its acquaintance. I will most likely spend the night lying in anticipation of some answers and some memories. This will be the foretelling of my origin.
The next day I wake up energetic and full of life, I'm excited, I really am. The first several hours of the night I was terrified but after working my way through all of that I am truly excited. I dress in my regular uniform and dash straight for Dumbledore's office. I was running the entire way there, the sound of my shoes clapping harshly against the stone, echoing throughout the halls. I skid to a halt right before the imposing statue in front of Dumbledore's office. I touch the head and close my eyes, inhaling deeply. Here I go
When I enter the office Draco is already there along with the head master and the curse breaker. I lock eyes with Draco and his stormy eyes swallow me whole. Suddenly the feeling of loss slams into me, I feel sick and I sway backwards slightly, I grab for the edge of a chair and sit down quickly the feeling of utter sadness engulfing me, by the look on Draco's face I can tell he is also feeling what I feel. His face is set in a frown, not an angry sad, a true sadness, like he'll never smile again. He is clutching his heart, as am I, probably trying to tame the feeling of wanting to plunge into a vat of darkness.
Dumbledore breaks the silence first. "Miss Seraphine, Mr Malfoy, I must warn you, when you get your memories back, I can't tell you what you will feel for each other, you may pick up your friendship where you left off, you may chose to never utter a word between you two again, all I can say is that things will never be the same…" I nod, not caring, I just don't want to feel this sense of loss again.
"Okay" said the curse breaker, "I am Mr Bodrum, forgive me but I haven't had to deal with a curse like this in some time, it may take a while." He finished, pointing to the empty seat besides Draco whilst looking at me. I nod and stand, repositioning myself next to the blonde. Our thighs touch on the far too small love seat and his body heat is far more than I can bare. That could however be the curse as every inch of Draco's body that is touching mine burns. Mr Bodrum take a stance in front of us, he closes his eyes with his wand pointing at both of us. I tense up worried about what's to come. Mr Bodrum starts chanting a string of words I don't understand and a feeling of sickness swells in my stomach.
"Stop!" I shoot my eyes open and before me stands a man with hair similar to Draco's. His however is waist length and deathly straight. "How dare." He starts off "How dare you proceed this sick ritual without my consent." He spits with malice. There is a women standing beside him, her hair half black and half platinum blonde.
"Mr and Mrs Malfoy, it is in the best interest in both of these students if they are no longer subject to this curse, they both have also given their consent." Dumbledore adds smoothly.
"Do not take that tone with me, I am perfectly within my means to report you to…" the older Malfoy doesn't get to finish because his younger counterpart interjects.
"Father please, I want this." Draco says pleadingly.
"Do not talk back to me you insolent little child." He shouts turning on his own offspring, I see Draco physically flinch and I ball my fists. How dare he talk to his child like that, what if one day he wasn't here anymore, does that horrible man not comprehend that. Mr Malfoys eyes flick to me as if just realising that I do in fact exist.
"You." He says, pointing rudely straight at me.
"Me?" I ask pointing at myself
"Yes, are you really her?"
"Who?"
"Melriva's daughter… Melriva Riddle." I shudder, mother would turn over in her grave if she knew someone had referred to her as that. I nod any way, it was both me and Draco placed under this curse so I couldn't deny that it wasn't me.
"Melriva Seraphine, yes, I'm her daughter."
"Ah… excellent." Was Mr Malfoys answer, a smirk emerging on his face.
"I am unsure of how you are aware of our meeting here Lucius?" Dumbledore interjects.
"Draco owled me." Lucius responds sending Dumbledore a look of disgust.
"I am so very glad to know you are safe and sound." Lucius says slowly, still staring at Dumbledore however but slowly turning to face me. "You probably don't remember me hmm? That's alright, you will soon." He finishes, he flashes me an sly smile and turns on his heel, his robe fluttering. He grabs his wife's hands and in a whizz they are both gone.
"right well… shall we continue?" Mr Bodrum asks, clearing his throat. We both nod and I look to Draco, he looks pale and he looks embarrassed, I don't blame him with the way his farther just spoke to him. Again Mr Bodum starts chanting in a language I don't understand, probably an ancient and long forgotten one, just like the curse. It lasts for what feels like forever, a smoke starts to swirl out at the end of his wand, royal blue lights follow suit in a curvilinear manor, the blue colour and the smoke dance in the air, intertwining and interlacing. He pulls out a small clear glass orb from his pocket and directs the blue lights and grey smoke into there, it dances around the orb for a while, as if building memento to penetrate the glass. As more light and smoke leak out Mr Bodrum urges them into the orb, the mystical substance follows, I hadn't noticed when but my hand was holding on desperately to Draco's, both of us shaking with anticipation. When the orb is filled to the brim with dancing colours of blue and grey Mr Bodrum's wrinkled eyes shoot open. "Kulzatos arabatiya" he says darkly. With that he smashes the orb against the floor, I scream and cling to Draco and he shouts. The candles flicker relentlessly and I struggle to gain my breath. The blue and grey suddenly starts swarming around the room angrily as if looking for a victim to attack, suddenly it turns and heads straight for Draco and me. I scream again as a feeling of being rushed off of my feet grasps me. I feel like I'm falling.
All of sudden a rush of memoires swarm me. A memory of me playing alone in a field chasing a butterfly emerges from a blur of them, I'm no longer alone, there's a young boy with me too with platinum blonde hair in a little grey suit. He's laughing and running with me trying to catch the butterfly.
"Ari no fair, you're faster than me wait for me" the little Draco whines
"Don't be such a slow poke and I won't leave you behind." Mini me shouts gleefully back, I turn to see how far Draco is and trip, taking little Draco with me, we tumble in the grass shrieking with laughter. We lay in the sun flat on our backs for a while regaining our composure, the sun baking our faces, I felt peace.
Suddenly that memory also zooms past me. I'm in a dark space suspended in air, either side of me images and memories of my past now reconstructed flit past and they move too fast for me to focus on but they all seem to be filling my brain.
Another key memory flashes to me, it's me in a grand dining room. I'm sitting at a table with my mother and the Malfoy's the adults are chatting animatedly amongst each other, me and Draco are sitting next to each other at what muse be a Christmas lunch holding hands under the table, no, not holding hands, we're having a thumb war, the game ends up with us shoving each other trying to gain dominance and we end up being scolded.
I can feel that my face is soaking wet, I put a hand to my face and touch tears, I hadn't even noticed when I started crying. The memories start to slow and I believe this whole rush of them will stop, I was mistaken, one more emerges from the onslaught and I need to breathe deep to catch my breath.
"mother, why are you crying? You know it makes me sad too." I look up into the deep hazel eyes of my mother and begin to sniffle.
"Aria dear… you know, you know we have to leave now, we can't stay, it's not safe."
I begin to cry a little harder now "but what about Draco? We're playing hide and seek after dinner, I piny promised him we'd play." I whine.
My mother simply grabs my chin and kisses my forehead. "Sweet child of mine, there are forces working against me, against you, I'm saying this with confidence now because I know you won't remember soon. If you should ever regain these memories somehow I want you to know I only done what I thought was best for you. I don't want them to turn you into the monster I never intended you to be."
"Where do you think you're going?" an overly condfident little voice chimes in. I turn to see Draco in the hallway, an angry expression painted on his face.
"we're playing hide and seek remember? You pinky promised don't you dare break it Riddle." My mother breaks away from me first and beckons Draco over she takes one of his small pale hands and holds in gently in her own caramel hand. She takes my hand too and places it on top of his, both our hands are encased in both of my mothers, like a hand sandwich. She presses down softly and looks at both of us.
"This is good bye Draco, thank you for being such a wonderful friend to my daughter, she found a true companion in you. This is where we'll part ways." Draco's eyes also begin to water but I can tell her won't allow the tears to fall. I hug him and squeeze him so hard, he hugs me back.
"Melriva, what is this nonsense? I thought I spoke you out of this yesterday night?" Narcissa Malfoy says accusingly as she enters the room.
"Narcissa please, you see what prejudice thoughts they're already feeding into her at this young age, the longer we stay the more corrupt she'll be… I need to get out please, you have to understand, imagine what it would feel like if the dark wizarding world rested all their hopes and wishes on your child? Please let me go." My mother jumbles out desperately.
Narcissa sighs and says nothing but nods, she walks over to my mother and embraces her tightly. She doesn't look at me once and instead grabs Draco, embracing him tightly, most likely thanking the gods it isn't her son in this position. She then turns to my mother and nods again, my mother and Narcissa both extract their wands and turn to their child. "Bullgardo fintartum" they both utter, after that it all goes blank.
When I open my eyes again I gasp for some fresh air, I'm back in Dumbledore's office. My chest is moving rapidly, my brain hurts as my head tries to contain all the new, altered memories. I turn to Draco and see his bodies reaction copies mine, he is also trying to regain a steady intake and outtake of oxygen in his lungs.
"Aria…" He breathes between deep gulps of air. "I found you."
Hey guys, a bit intense I know, thanks for reading so far