FAMILY
You look so arrogant, so cold and arrogant. You're sat there amongst your minions, looking like
the Dark Lord himself. Where did we go wrong, Draco? We used to love each other. What happened to
us?
Of course, I know he beats you. I know you hate him. You think I'm the golden child. You think
he loves me best. You think I have everything, and you're left with the bruises and the inner wounds.
You're wrong.
You don't know how wrong you are.
Why can't we just go back to how we were, Draco?
I look down at the faint mark already starting to darken on my right arm. You don't know how
much I want to tell you what he does to me. You're not the only one he's ruining. Already I've forgotten
how to trust. Already, I'm beginning to lose my grip on sanity. Already I feel the blackness cover me.
I wish you would look at me with the affection you used to have for me. Call me "Pippy" like you
used to do, instead of the scornful "Epiphany". I wish we could just talk, like we used to.
He's ruined our lives, driven a wedge between us. I don't know how to fix us.
The Dark Mark is getting blacker. He put the Dark Mark on me, forced it on me...and you think I
get everything.
Maybe it's better that I drive you away. I love you, Draco, but I don't want to hurt you. I don't
even know myself anymore. At night, the Voice creeps into my nightmares.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I used the Unforgivable Curse on myself, just pointed
my wand at the mirror in my room and let it rebound. Would I get my solitude? Would I get released from
all that HE'S done?
Somehow I doubt it.
Just look at me, Draco. Just look at me and smile like you used to. Don't hate me. I'm his victim
just like you are. He's taken my pride, and my self-respect, but the one thing he's taken from me for which I
will never forgive him is you.
I want my brother back.
I want those Christmas mornings back when we used to Jellylegs each other in the race to see who
could get to the presents first. I want Easter again, when we gave each other Chocolate Frogs and stole
each other's cards. I want to remember how to laugh. I want to be able to smile again.
I look at my arm. I swear the Mark is getting darker by the moment. I'm scared. I'm terrified.
I look back up at you, willing you to glance over. And you do. For a moment, you're my brother
again. You kind of smile at me, but then your eyes ice over and your smile turns into a smirk.
I get up from the table and flee for the safety of the Forbidden Forest. Tears are streaming down
my face, but you don't notice. You just laugh maliciously and then ignore me.
I'm sorry for what he does to you. I'm sorry for what I do to you. You don't understand why. I
don't want to hurt you. I don't want this goddamned Mark on my wrist, but I don't have a choice. And I
don't have a choice with us, either. I'm sorry, Draco. I don't want things to keep on like this.
All I want is my brother back.
You look so arrogant, so cold and arrogant. You're sat there amongst your minions, looking like
the Dark Lord himself. Where did we go wrong, Draco? We used to love each other. What happened to
us?
Of course, I know he beats you. I know you hate him. You think I'm the golden child. You think
he loves me best. You think I have everything, and you're left with the bruises and the inner wounds.
You're wrong.
You don't know how wrong you are.
Why can't we just go back to how we were, Draco?
I look down at the faint mark already starting to darken on my right arm. You don't know how
much I want to tell you what he does to me. You're not the only one he's ruining. Already I've forgotten
how to trust. Already, I'm beginning to lose my grip on sanity. Already I feel the blackness cover me.
I wish you would look at me with the affection you used to have for me. Call me "Pippy" like you
used to do, instead of the scornful "Epiphany". I wish we could just talk, like we used to.
He's ruined our lives, driven a wedge between us. I don't know how to fix us.
The Dark Mark is getting blacker. He put the Dark Mark on me, forced it on me...and you think I
get everything.
Maybe it's better that I drive you away. I love you, Draco, but I don't want to hurt you. I don't
even know myself anymore. At night, the Voice creeps into my nightmares.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I used the Unforgivable Curse on myself, just pointed
my wand at the mirror in my room and let it rebound. Would I get my solitude? Would I get released from
all that HE'S done?
Somehow I doubt it.
Just look at me, Draco. Just look at me and smile like you used to. Don't hate me. I'm his victim
just like you are. He's taken my pride, and my self-respect, but the one thing he's taken from me for which I
will never forgive him is you.
I want my brother back.
I want those Christmas mornings back when we used to Jellylegs each other in the race to see who
could get to the presents first. I want Easter again, when we gave each other Chocolate Frogs and stole
each other's cards. I want to remember how to laugh. I want to be able to smile again.
I look at my arm. I swear the Mark is getting darker by the moment. I'm scared. I'm terrified.
I look back up at you, willing you to glance over. And you do. For a moment, you're my brother
again. You kind of smile at me, but then your eyes ice over and your smile turns into a smirk.
I get up from the table and flee for the safety of the Forbidden Forest. Tears are streaming down
my face, but you don't notice. You just laugh maliciously and then ignore me.
I'm sorry for what he does to you. I'm sorry for what I do to you. You don't understand why. I
don't want to hurt you. I don't want this goddamned Mark on my wrist, but I don't have a choice. And I
don't have a choice with us, either. I'm sorry, Draco. I don't want things to keep on like this.
All I want is my brother back.