"Draco?!"

"Yeah, that's me." he said sarcastically. He sat on Cynthia's bed, his pale skin glowing.

"And what are you doing here?"

"Preparing to welcome the new Slytherins."

"And why didn't you tell me anything?"

No response. Draco kept on staring at the lit torches on the walls. Cynthia was surprised to see her childhood best friend there, almost shocked. She was leaning on the wall, her arms crossed on her chest.

"Ignoring me, eh?"

Yes, he was ignoring her, as usual.

"Nope. Not at all. Just thinking about those poor Slytherins that will be under your reign" he said with a laugh.

"For the sake of the Dark Lord, tell me, what the fuck's going on here?"

"Snape wanted you to take his place. It's his quarters, his piano, his House and his Subject."

"You... You... Draco, you hadn't told him anything, had you? You were the only one who knew..." Cynthia's eyes were turning red, ready to burst in tears.

"No, I didn't. He figured it out. And he'd always loved to be adored by 'talented young witches'. Including this mudblood, Granger."

Severus... And Granger...? That was weird. Too weird.

"Granger? What was going on between them?"

"I can't tell you more, Cynthi. You'll have to find out for yourself." He got up and moved close to her. He could feel the dampness of her skin as his hand touched her cheek. She was not sobbing, she had never done that. She looked in his eyes moved her face close to his, and he reciprocated her action. He moved closer and closer, when Cynthia turned her face away.

"I can't do that, Draco. You're married."

He gave her a sweet, loving hug.

"Will it be better if I tell you that Astoria's been sleeping with Shacklebolt?"

"No, it won't. Leave, Draco. Please." She drew away from him.

"I will go. But you must find out what happened between Snape and Granger. She'll be here soon, unless the Headmaster decides to abolish Muggle Studies."

He walked slowly toward the door and opened it.

"Goodbye, my goddess."

His words made her cry again. Nothing could help her at the moment. She had just found out that the man she loved had been a couple with her worst enemy and her best friend was trying to mate with her.

She really needed a glass of absinthe, a bottle of it, maybe. But she didn't want to drink again. This green liquid was a pitfall she could not fall into. Not now, not like that. She was a recovering alcoholic, and she didn't want to become too dependable on the substance for one more time.

The blonde witch remembered the first time she got intoxicated. It was when Yaxley had told her that Severus had been killed by the Dark Lord, and this was when he lost her loyalty was the time her grief started and it was the only time that she hated Darkness.

His murder made her flee to Greece and learn Ancient Magic. It was one of the few ways she could resurrect him. Not even the Stone could do it, but Ancient Magic could. And it would do it.

"She knows nothing about what happened."

"Socrates knew nothing, but he's one of the best philosophers, Minerva. That's not a problem."

"Yes, but what if she...?"

"No 'what ifs', please. She won't."

The man disappeared into the darkness of the Forest, leaving Minerva alone and wondering. She leaned against a tree and sighed.

"Poor child..."