I watched barely containing my laughter as Blair strutted up the stairs dripping with water. I had initially been surprised that Draco had pushed her in the pond but their history was full of that sort of stuff.
"Boys." The soft yet pronounced words took my eyes from my sister's retreating back and toward my father who was now speaking to Draco and I. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Draco still watching Blair, he seemed almost reluctant to look away, I dug my elbow into his ribs. He immediately snapped his to my father as well.
"The study." My father nodded towards us and then led the way to the room he spent most of his time in a room I hadn't spent much time in at all. Once in the study, Draco and I stood waiting for whatever news it was we would receive. My father remained standing while our mothers sat in the chairs by the desk, the room took on a sort of tensed silence as we waited for someone to begin.
"Blaise, Draco, I'm sure you know by know that a small band of death eaters attacked Beauxbatons." My father paused a moment trying to gather his thoughts to figure out how exactly he was going to say what he wanted to say. In response to his words, Draco and I nodded solemnly I wondered what was really going on.
"The Dark Lord is back." My father finished what he had previously delayed saying.
"WHAT!" I exclaimed paling slightly and glancing to the side I saw Draco pale considerably. Father simply nodded in reply his lips were pursed in a tight line and his hands were clasped tightly behind is back.
"My dark mark has burned, but I had not responded to the call. Draco your father's mark has almost burned though I am not sure if he has gone or not." he said, we both shot our eyes towards Narcissa who remained still as stone, it was curious.
"You know Blaise that your sister is skilled beyond the norm with her magic, and you two are the two most precious things in my life. No matter what the dark lord can not have either of you." my mother explained her voice going high and anxious, while Narcissa patted her hand comfortingly.
"Mum?" I questioned unknowing of what I was supposed to do for my little sister and myself.
"Blaise, I don't, we don't, want her to know just yet about all of this, and we need you to protect her, and Draco, you're like another son to us and we would like to beg for your help as well." My mother finished her explanation looking to Draco to seeking a confirmation or a rejection of her plea.
"Victoria there is no need to beg, I do it willingly." He replied smoothly though as his best mate I could sense the fear deeply inlayed in his voice, the very fear that I felt and the same moment. The fear that we too could be called into the service of the dark lord simply because of the loyalties that our parents had given away in a darker time.
"And Blaise, I look to you as a secondary son, will you protect Draco?" Narcissa asked me, her fear was different, it seemed more present more real, as if her plea was current, there was something she was hiding and I knew it.
"He is a brother to me and I will."
"Thank-you" she said breathily, I had never seen her seem so shadowed, so fearful, but there was a strength in her.
"Now boys, we told a house elf to find Blair." my father was cut off by a loud pop echoing through out the room.
"Excuse me Master, Mistress." The elf paused to bow before continuing. "The young mistress has gone to the gardens."
"Does she have her wand?" my father asked quickly taking a step forward though his demeanor remained calm there was a wild fear in his eyes.
"No Master Edward." She replied though the elf did not appear to be worried.
"Thank-you Snitch" I told the elf quickly. "What would you have us do father?" I asked.
"Until you leave stay with her, your mother will take over until you are back for the holiday." my father said.
"Yes sir."
"Blaise, this manor may not always be a safe place for you, and if that day comes I want you to promise me you will not come back, that you will not let your sister come back." he said firmly, his words sacred me more than I wanted to admit, but I agreed hoping it would never come to that. Draco and I left the room in silence, I didn't know what to say and it seemed neither did he.
"She was right." Draco finally said.
"Who? About what?" I asked confused.
"Blair, about the Dark Lord." he said, and again we were silent, she did always have a sort of intuition about things.
"Where do you think she went?" Draco asked, it was surprising to see Draco be so concerned for my sister, seeing as for the greater part of their childhood Draco and Blair spent most of their time really tormenting one another.
"The marble gazebo in the rose garden, grandmother used to take her there." I replied pushing the back door of the house opened exiting out the back way past the pool and toward the gardens.
"Blair!" I shouted, she jumped slightly and turned with a scowl, it was strange to think she was still more concerned about the pond incident, that she was completely unaware of the dangers we were facing.
"What do you bloody well want Blaise?" she snapped standing up arms crossed a rose, forgotten fell to the ground at her feet.
"Mum and Dad don't want you out roaming the grounds by yourself we…" I said, she rolled her eyes and didn't let me finish and began to reply.
"I'm not a child…" I didn't let her finish making her hear me out so I cut her off.
"I think after the attack they have the right to worry." She frowned slightly but didn't object I knew she was still slightly afraid after the attack.
"Fine." She finally uttered walking our way slowly taking her own sweet time to do so.
"That's a good girl." I chuckled teasing her a bit trying to lighten up the mood so she didn't get suspicious; I held my arms out for a hug. Glaring she shoved my arms aside and brushed past.
"Oh sod off Blaise." She muttered, Draco and I shared a short laugh and then Draco stepped forward.
(Blair P.O.V)
It felt like my time to myself was constantly being interrupted, it wasn't as if death eaters were going to attack the house. It didn't matter anyway I didn't want mum and dad to be upset with me so I just agreed with Blaise and went to go back with them hopefully in peace and quiet.
"Blair." Draco stepped forward from off to the side, the expression on his face was one I couldn't quite read, its was closer to the expression he wore when he was apologizing to me by the swing.
"Yes?" I asked still angry with him for pushing me into the pond, he offered a small genuine smile, something that was rare.
"I was just wondering if I could speak to you for a moment." His words insinuated that he wanted to speak with me alone I understood that, Blaise was always the one to pick up the subtle hints and act on them accordingly. He moved off a little faster ahead of us for a moment to give Draco a minute, that I wasn't sure I wanted to give him.
"Well?" I asked wanting him to hurry up , seeing as I was still mad at him I wasn't really wanting to spend time with him. I didn't want to give him the time of day, I didn't want to be the bigger person.
"I just wanted to apologize for pushing you in the pond. I just meant it in good fun, I just seem to not be able to help myself from falling into old habits." He looked down at me, his eyes were almost enchanting with the deep blue it was distracting and I didn't like it. My anger lightened at his apology though I still remained guarded, I didn't trust him to not throw another dig or prank my way, it had gone on for too long it would take more than an apology.
"You two never did let me catch a break, maybe try and treat me less like an eleven year old girl." I said with a sigh breaking eye contact and moving slightly toward leaving.
"What do you mean by that?" He asked but it seemed like he was joking with me. It was a carefree side of Draco, the side Blaise got to see, the side I rarely ever saw unless it ended with me being in a pond or some other predicament.
"I could list the hundreds of things you two did to me for instance, that time you put gum in my hair and I had to get it cut out. You still see me and treat my like the little girl with pig tails you picked on."
"I don't see you that way at all." He replied running a hand through his silky blonde hair. "Well I believe we should head back your parents and mine will have my head if I keep you out here too long." He laughed slightly at his own words and began to lead the way. The way he looked at me in that moment was strange, it was different and I didn't know what it meant.
"Blair, Dear, please don't wander off after that scare, we want you to try and stay with Blaise and Draco while they are here." My mother instantly began talking as soon as the door was open and I set foot in the hall with Blaise and Draco.
"Yes mum." I replied slightly put out, there was definitely something going on that I didn't know and I couldn't help but wonder what it was. Everyone was being so elusive, there was an air of anxiety that ran through everyone in the house, there was fear and it was everywhere it seemed. It stayed with us through the weekend until Blaise and Draco went back to Hogwarts and on. My mother seemed to just be everywhere I was, if I was every alone somewhere she would turn up and join me. Things were really wrong, that attack had meant something, it meant something real and serious was happening, something that no one had told me.