Hello
So it's been awhile... How have you all been? Are any of you playing Hogwarts Mystery? I'm a little annoyed that no matter what house you're in you have to act like a Gryffindor, but I like the lessons, they're quite fun. Also any Marvel fans? Infinity War destroyed me and still I plan on seeing it again. What did you guys think?
Bold- Telepathic communication
Italics-Letter
Title taken from the Matilda musical :)
~PureBloodSnake xxx
When I Grow Up...
"Mr Malfoy do you have any clues on what you wish to do after you finish school?" Snape was looking down on Caelum who just raised his eyebrows at his godfather. Snape just relaxed into his chair and looked at his godson with expectant eyes. "So Caelum, what do you want to do when you grow up?" Caelum still wasn't used to the teasing tone from Snape, but he still responded with a cheeky grin.
"When I grow up… I will be brave enough to fight the creatures that you have to fight." Snape fought the urge to hit Caelum. "In all seriousness," Caelum's smile fell away. "I haven't really thought about it. Last time I thought about it I wanted to be an auror but so much has happened since then that it's not what I want anymore." He paused. Snape didn't say anything, just waited for Caelum to continue, he could tell that this was something that had been bothering him. "I think now I want to do something with magizoology. My favourite subject is Care of Magical Creatures, no offence, and it's the only one that's keeping my attention, again no offence. Also I've been corresponding with Newt Scamander which is illuminating."
"Do you enjoy helping your fellow students with homework for that class?" Snape suggested, he thought that Caelum would be a brilliant teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, but Caelum needed a little more of a push to admit that to himself.
"Yeah I suppose, I helped Dray with his essay and it wasn't not enjoyable, but I don't think I would be good at helping an entire class of students. I'm not in the right mental state for that." Caelum was right, at this very moment Caelum's mental state was still too fragile for teaching, but Snape was sure that when he fully recovered, and it seemed like he was doing so much better being at Hogwarts, he would be a superb teacher.
"It's something to think about. We can set you up with a small study group once a week with some third years that are struggling with Care of Magical Creatures, if that's something you're into. I've been thinking about setting up study groups with the sixth years and the younger years to help them."
"That sounds like a good idea, but surely you should focus on the main subjects such as transfiguration and potions rather than the options for third years. If it's helpful I have the best DADA marks in my entire year, but I'm pretty sure you know that." Despite his boastful words there was no sign of bragging in his tone.
"Yes and I also know that you have top grades in Care of Magical Creatures, Draco in Potions, Pansy in Divination, Blaise in Transfiguration, Estella in Charms and Theodore in Arithmancy. Granger has the second best marks in all subjects mentioned, minus Divination and the best marks in Runes and Muggle Studies. I think we have the best students to teach the younger ones that are struggling."
"I suppose. I'm up for it, but I'm not sure how much the others would be." Snape nodded as he clocked the information. His clocked chimed and he had to talk to the next students.
"Go on get out. You've got your last detention with your mother in ten minutes." Caelum grinned cheekily and escaped from the room swinging his bag over his shoulder. Snape sighed, his favourite careers conversation was over and now he had to deal with the fifth years who were all certain that they wanted to follow in their parents' footsteps and be a politician or a socialiser. He hated these meetings as he thought the girls needed to have some ambition for a future career for themselves outside of what they had seen their PureBlood mothers do for their childhood.
? ゚ミノ? ゚ミノ?
The common room was almost empty as Caelum came back from his last detention from his Mum. If not for Maikoa's warning, Caelum would've walked straight to his bed without spotting Draco and Estella.
French girl and not-you are by the fire.
The two of them were talking with their heads close together, a piece of parchment lying on the table between them. Not wanting to alarm them, Caelum sent a pulse of warning to Draco, who looked up immediately.
"Speak of the devil," Draco said, an infinitesimal amount of softness in his voice. Caelum smiled warmly in response and walked across the common room to sit on the sofa the other side of Estella. Up close, he noticed the tear tracks on her face. Concern pierced through him and he locked eyes with Draco who shook his head. Asking was not recommended then. Estella looked up, her eyes wet with tears. Catching the concern in his eyes, Estella began sobbing once again and latched onto Caelum in a tight hug, which he returned, his eyes meeting Draco's once again, over her shoulder.
I'll tell you later, we have to get her calmed down so she'll sleep. I don't think she's slept properly since term began. Draco's voice in Caelum's head was shaky with emotion, this was something that was affecting Draco a lot more than most classmate problems.
After helping Estella up to her room and waking Pansy up to help get the sobbing girl to bed, Caelum and Draco sat on the sofa in an empty common room, Algieba curled up on Draco's lap.
No wonder she was so upset. Caelum intimes softly. This is horrific. The two of them were reading the letter that Estella had received.
We need to show this to Mum, Caelum, she needs to know about this. Draco's voice was authoritative and Caelum knew there was no room for argument, but he felt wrong showing Estella's letter to their Mum without her permission. You know that Estella is never going to want to show a teacher, but I would rather lose her as a friend than lose you. Draco's voice was cold and deadly, Caelum wanted to hide away from the fierce loyalty Draco was showing him whilst also soothe Draco's fears.
Fine, just give me a second. Quietly Caelum left the common room and disappeared up to their dorm, he returned after a minute or two carrying some parchment and ink but no quill.
"Did you forget the quill or..?" Hearing Draco's voice out loud was a little bit strange for Caelum, they had spent so long inside their heads communicating when there was no one else around, that they had rarely spoken to each other.
"No, we don't need it." At Draco's questioning glance, Caelum began to explain. "A while ago, during the Triwizard Tournament, Hermione had me learn how to copy her notes so that neither of us had to waste more time than needed on rewriting her notes. All you need is parchment, ink and the right spell. Place the letter next to the parchment." Draco did as he was instructed. Caelum pointed his wand at the letter and flicked it in the direction of the blank parchment, which he had spilled ink on to. "Imito" The ink was absorbed by the parchment and, similarly to Tom Riddle's diary, the words began to appear on the parchment as if they were being written by the sender's hand.
After a little while, where both Draco and Caelum sat watching in horror as the words were written out one by one, the letter was signed. The name Gabrielle Delacroix meant very little to either of them, but they could feel the power she had indicated by her words.
"To Mother then." Draco stood and grabbed the copied letter and made to leave the common room.
"No, it's late. We'll leave it until tomorrow and then we can talk with properly." The two twins headed up the stairs to join the rest of their yearmates in their dorm, tabling their worries about Estella for the morning.
? ゚ミノ? ゚ミノ?
It had become a regular occurence to see both Caelum and Draco Malfoy standing outside their mother's office. The worried expressions that were slipping through their PureBlood masks were completely knew. Professor Malfoy was still at dinner, but it was clear that both boys were seconds away from marching down to the Great Hall and dragging her up to her office. The students that saw them were worried, nothing slipped through the Malfoy mask and to see the twins so worried… There was an unease that settled in the castle, that only a select few were immune to.
In the eternity that seemed to follow their arrival at their mother's office, Draco convinced himself that they didn't need to tell their mother of this upsetting development. Whilst he didn't want to have to deal with the situation, the idea of betraying Estella's confidence was slowly erasing any bravado he felt at telling their mother.
Are you sure this a good idea? Caelum nearly laughed out loud, the same thought had been running through his mind, but he had successfully squashed it down. Draco was looking at the micro effects of telling their mother about the letter received, he was looking at the macro. It was something that he wished he didn't feel forced to think about the bigger picture, but it had been drilled into him by Dumbledore over the last few years. As much as Caelum wished he could just focus on his friends and family, he wouldn't wish this burden on anyone else, especially not Draco.
Yes. It may not seem the best idea in the immediate future, but it will be worth it in the long run. Caelum was expecting to hear some snarky reply on the lines of 'when did you get so wise?' but none came and Draco's panic increased. Caelum took a deep breath, Draco was less than thirty seconds away from walking back to the common room and abandoning this completely. Dray, look at me. Draco's eyes snapped from the floor to Caelum's who was standing directly in front of him, his face set, but his eyes soft with sorrow. Betraying Estella is only one of many repercussions telling Mum will have and it is one of very few negatives. Telling Mum is the best option we have. With Mum in the know we can get Estella the help she needs to get away from this, we can give her a place to stay if this all blows up, we can protect those who need protecting. Informing Mum gives us an advantage that we sorely need if this letter is more than an idle threat. Draco nodded along, his mind going a little bit numb with this information, but he was not willing to run away anymore. He blinked, clearing his thoughts and looked Caelum dead in the eyes. He knew his brother well enough that he knew that Caelum had more to say and Draco needed to hear it, but Caelum didn't want to use it as persuasion.
There's something else isn't there? He pushed, hoping that all Caelum needed was a gentle nudge.
"Telling Mum could save my life in the long run. It's still going to come down to just me and him at the end." It was muttered very quietly and Draco strained to here. He didn't like what he thought he did.
It was that moment when Narcissa came gliding up the stairs towards her office, her face breaking out into a smile when she saw her boys waiting for her. The closer she got, she realised that this wouldn't be a pleasant after dinner catch-up.
"Boys," she greeted pleasantly as she reached the door and pushed it open. "I've told you before, that you are welcome in my office, even when I am not here. Now, what type of biscuits would you like brought up?" Her two boys exchanged a glance and a silent conversation flickered through their eyes.
"We're okay Mum." Caelum spoke up as Draco seemed to sink into the upholstery. "You need to read this." Caelum dug around in his robe pockets and pulled up a wrinkled piece of folded parchment.
Cher Estella
Remember that you are only at Hogwarts to do business for me, you are not there to make friends or learn, but to put our family in an favorable position with The Dark Lord.
I mean to remind you that if you do not complete your assignment you maman will face the consequences of raising a failure.
I have heard that you have become quite close to the Malfoy brats, I advise against this. The Malfoys have lost favour with The Dark Lord, especially with Lucius in Azkaban and the failure of the collection of the prophecy during the end of last school year. It will not do for you to sully our name by associating with them more than you have to.
Do not forget that you are only at Hogwarts to assassinate the headmaster, not to learn and certainly not to make friends.
Gabrielle Delacroix
Narcissa had not expected it to be this easy to find Dumbledore's assassin and her first thought was to remove her boys from Estella Prewett's company, but by the looks on their faces told her that it was not a viable option. In the last couple of months, they had become good friends with the French student and Narcissa herself found that the Estella was a joy to teach.
"I'll have to talk to both Severus and Professor Dumbledore about this and we will see if we can help Miss Prewett. I know she is a good friend to the both of you so I promise I will do all that I can to help her. However, I warn the two of you to be careful around her, there is the possibility that she has chosen to do this herself."
"You don't care however, that anyone of our dorm-mates could easily sell us out to The Dark Lord at anytime?" Draco shot back, agitation showing on his face. Before she could correct Draco's tone, Caelum had shaken his head and turned to face Draco, communicating once again in their heads, leaving Narcissa wondering what was being said. Whatever it was that Caelum had said had caused Draco once again to sink into the sofa and cease all arguments.
"Did Snape tell you about our careers meeting yesterday?" Caelum spoke up changing the subject from something so fragile.
"Yes, I think it's a wonderful idea to arrange tutor sessions. But will you be okay with this Caelum?" Narcissa asked, Draco was looking between the two of them confused.
"Maybe not right now, at least not on my own. I think it's one of those situations where to be able to feel okay with doing it, I have to do it. If that makes sense?"
"Perfectly. Severus and I will talk to your year and we will arrange something that benefits all. If some need an extra push, there will most likely be house points involved and special privileges that we will agree on." Caelum nodded looking a little bit less anxious about the whole ideal.
"Now, the two of you were no doubt up late last night fretting over this letter, so you should head to bed, I will talk to Severus about what to do now. Maybe we can find a way to neutralise Madame Delacroix. Now go!" Narcissa shooed her two boys out of her office with a quick kiss on their cheeks and a smile. She shut the door behind them and breathed out heavily. Things were now quite a bit more complicated, she hadn't expected her boys to become so close to the assassin, nor had she expected the situation surrounding the assassin to be so complex. Narcissa desperately hoped that Severus would be able to shed some light on what to do.
