Thank you MMTyler, asiajoanna7334 and reddishbrownwolf for the reviews! and answering reddishbrownwolf question, yes, my first language is Spanish hahaha.

I hope you all like the chapter!


Chapter 16

Hours passed before I finally emerged from the depression caused by my discovery of Cassiopeia and her influence in the rise of the Volturi, and probably the death of many wizards and witches. Bella tried to approach me twice to ask how I was doing and what was wrong, but my anger, sadness, and above all, my shame for myself and my family were so overwhelming that I didn't even want to talk about it with her. I know Bella has always been understanding and has shown me time and time again that she doesn't judge me for my past, but the magnitude of Cassiopeia Malfoy's actions was so great that maybe Bella would finally realize that I'm not worth it. My family and I are too broken to deserve compassion.

I eventually decided to share what I knew, but I wasn't ready to face everyone with this truth. There was only one person whose opinion mattered to me at that moment, and even if I risked being judged by the woman I loved, it had to be her. With Cassiopeia's journal in hand, I walked back to the living room where everyone was quietly talking. I placed the journal on the table and simply said, "Read it," then turned to Bella, who was looking at me with worried yet hopeful eyes. "Meanwhile, Bella and I will take a walk."

Without waiting for a response, I took Bella's hand and guided her outside, toward the mansion's expansive grounds. The fresh air did nothing to relieve the heaviness I felt inside. We walked in silence for a few minutes before I stopped, gazing out at the horizon, feeling the conflict within me.

I took a deep breath, ready to share everything with Bella, though part of me wanted to keep those dark secrets buried. "In exchange for support to suppress non-pureblood wizards, Cassiopeia Malfoy handed over two children, who had developed dark and powerful magic, to the Volturi," I explained, my voice barely a whisper. "Those children were Jane and Alec, the current guards of the Volturi."

Bella's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't say anything, just gestured for me to continue.

"There's something else. A deal between Cassiopeia and the Volturi. It's more than a deal; it's a blood pact," I explained, knowing this part would be delicate. "It means my family can't betray them. I can't attack them, and they can't attack me."

Bella nodded slightly, processing everything I was telling her. After a few moments, she asked, "And what happens if you attack each other?"

I sighed and looked her straight in the eyes to gauge her reaction, and after a moment, I said, "Breaking a blood pact means death, for both parties."

Bella's face paled, her eyes filling with a mixture of fear and despair that I had never seen before. Tears began to well up in her eyes. "Does that mean that… if you try to protect me, if you face them, you could...?" Her voice broke, unable to finish the sentence, the terror palpable in every word she managed to whisper.

"No, Bella, listen to me," I said, stepping closer to her, my hands firmly holding hers, trying to give her some of my certainty. "I'm not going to let that happen. We're in this together, remember? I'm not alone; we have allies. We have the Cullens, Hermione, Harry, Ron... all of them. And you have me." I spoke softly, trying to instill some confidence in her. "I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you or to us. We're going to face this together, and we'll both be fine," I continued, holding her gaze while gently wiping her tears with my fingers. "I promise you, Bella. Together, we'll get through this."

Bella nodded, her breathing still shaky from the emotion. She leaned into my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her body tremble against mine.

We stayed like that for a while, and slowly, Bella calmed down and relaxed in my embrace. It was still hard for me to believe that she could love me so much, knowing all my mistakes and my past. I haven't done anything to deserve so much, but despite it all, here is my Bella. It hurt me deeply to see her suffer like this, and at that moment, I promised myself that I would find a way for both of us to survive this. Bella, at all costs, and I, for my part, would have to find a way to face the Volturi threat without breaking the blood pact or being killed in the process. There had to be a way out.

After some time, when Bella had calmed down, we returned to the mansion. We found everyone immersed in a fervent discussion. The tone fell silent as soon as they saw us enter. Harry had Cassiopeia's journal in his hand, and I suddenly felt a wave of insecurity about how they would receive the information about my family's dark past.

Bella was quiet, probably still processing everything I had told her and its implications. Despite it all, she stood by my side, squeezing my hand in a gesture of support. I faced their gazes, all of them filled with an intensity I couldn't immediately decipher. "You've seen what I found," I murmured, expecting condemnation, rejection, disgust for what my family had done.

The silence was suffocating for a few moments until Hermione broke it. Her voice, filled with sadness, resonated in the room. "What Cassiopeia did is horrible... handing over Jane and Alec, knowing what they were. Children turned into weapons simply because their magic was suppressed, because no one protected them."

Rosalie, with her arms crossed, added incredulously, and with a touch of quiet rage, "How could someone do that to children? No matter how powerful they are, they were just kids."

Everyone nodded in silence, their expressions reflecting disgust, but not toward me, but toward Cassiopeia's actions. I couldn't stop it, the words came out before I could hold them back. "How is it possible that you don't judge me? This is my family, my legacy..."

Ron, with a more serious expression than usual, responded, "Because you didn't do it, Malfoy. Cassiopeia did. And even though it pains me to admit it, because I've never liked you, I think you've changed. You don't have to carry the blame for what she did."

The relief was immediate, though hard for me to accept. I felt an invisible weight lift slightly from my chest. No one blamed me for what my ancestor had done. If Ron, the one who disliked me the most in this group, thought that the guilt of my past and my family didn't rest on me, maybe it was time to start believing it myself.

The conversation stretched late into the night, discussing strategies and possibilities. During that time, Harry and I finished the second part of the potion, and we were ready to test it.

Bella observed from the other side of the room, nervous but trying not to show it. The mixture in the cauldron bubbled a little more before turning a deep blue color.

"It's ready," I murmured, filling a small cup with the potion and then handing it to Bella.

"What if... it doesn't work?" Bella asked in a low voice, her eyes searching for some kind of reassurance in mine.

"It will work," Harry assured her. "I've made this potion many times, and everything indicates it's been done correctly."

Bella hesitated for a second longer before drinking the potion in one gulp, grimacing at the taste. We all watched expectantly as Rosalie and Emmett slowly approached her.

Rosalie frowned as she sniffed the air. "I can't smell her," she said, stepping a little closer to Bella.

Emmett chuckled, impressed. "It's like she's disappeared completely. Nice work, guys."

The test had been a success, giving us a small sigh of relief. However, while everyone seemed somewhat more relaxed, I noticed that Bella remained distant, as if her thoughts were somewhere else. I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but I knew something was troubling her.

After this small victory, Hermione was the first to stand up, followed by Harry and Ron. "I'll bring the book I mentioned tomorrow," Hermione said as they prepared to leave. "We need to see if there are any details we've missed."

"That would be really helpful," I replied, watching as they approached the fireplace. "And guys," I said, trying to infuse all the sincerity and gratitude I felt toward them at that moment, "Thank you. You really had no reason to come and help me, and you have no idea how much I appreciate your support."

"No problem, Draco. I'm really glad to see you've changed for the better," Hermione said with a faint smile. Immediately, I felt guilty for all the times I had treated her badly. Now I realized she didn't deserve it, and I had been a jerk for most of my life. She must have seen a change in my expression, because she then added, "No hard feelings, seriously. Despite how much I disliked you during our years at Hogwarts, I also understand now that you didn't have many options either."

Harry and Ron nodded at this, and Harry added, "You were really insufferable, Malfoy," he said with a teasing smile. "Ron and I spent many nights thinking of ways to torture you. But seeing you now, I know you're not the same person you were back then." He paused for a moment before adding, "Who knows, if you hadn't been so obnoxious at the time, maybe we could have been friends."

I couldn't help but smile, also thinking that we could have been friends years ago if it hadn't been for my attitude and the war with Voldemort. Then, with a smirk, I added, "Let's not fool ourselves. You guys were pretty insufferable too, always somehow being the center of attention at school. We would've hated each other regardless."

Everyone laughed, and then the three wizards prepared to leave through the fireplace. Before they left, Emmett looked at them curiously. "So, how exactly does the Floo Network work? Those flames don't look too... welcoming."

I smiled slightly, understanding his confusion. "It's simple, Emmett. You take some Floo powder, say the name of the place you want to go clearly, and then throw the powder on the ground as you step into the flames. It transports you directly to the place you said."

Emmett nodded, absorbing the information. "Interesting. Though if you give me the choice, I'd rather fly."

Ron shot him a sarcastic grin. "Whatever works for you, vampire."

Hermione and Harry waved goodbye before disappearing into the fireplace flames, and the room fell silent again.

When Bella and I retired to our bedroom, the first thing I did was ask her, "Bella, are you okay with all this?" My voice sounded more insecure than I would have liked.

She didn't answer immediately. Her eyes shifted for a moment, as if she were searching for the right way to respond. "And you? How are you with everything you've learned today?" she replied, avoiding my question in her usual way of deflecting attention.

"It's a lot to process," I admitted. "Knowing that my family was so involved in such dark things... it makes me question everything I know about myself. And knowing there's a blood pact involved."

Bella took my hand, her fingers warm as they intertwined with mine. She looked at me intently, her eyes more serious than usual. "You'll be fine, Draco. Remember, I'm here with you. You're not alone in this."

Her words comforted me, but there was something in her gaze that made me feel there was more behind what she was saying. She looked at me with a mixture of love and a sadness I didn't fully understand. The silence settled between us as I sank into the bed, the fatigue finally winning the battle. However, a small part of me remained alert, knowing that Bella hadn't told me everything.

Still, exhaustion overcame me, and my eyes closed while Bella remained awake by my side. The last thing I felt before falling asleep was her hand in my hair, soft, comforting, and then I surrendered to sleep.


The next morning dawned with a gloomy sky that reflected the weight I felt in my chest. Bella and I found ourselves back in the living room, surrounded by scattered books and scrolls. Emmett and Rosalie were exploring the mansion's library, trying to find more books that could help. Bella and I were sitting there reading, and although she tried to smile every time she crossed glances with me, her eyes hid a concern that I couldn't help but notice.

"Bella, are you sure you're okay?" I asked, watching her closely as she flipped through a page without really reading it.

She looked at me and forced a smile. "Yes, of course, I'm just tired. And you? How are you feeling about everything we've discovered?"

"Confused, and honestly, a little scared," I admitted, feeling the weight of my ancestors pressing down on me more than usual. "But I'm also worried about you." I admitted softly.

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry, Draco," she replied with a slight smile, before approaching me and giving me a soft kiss on the lips.

After that she placed her hand on mine, offering silent comfort. Her touch was warm, but there was something in her expression that suggested there was more behind her worry.

The afternoon wore on, and finally, Harry, Hermione, and Ron returned, entering the room through the Floo Network with a whirlwind of energy and an armful of books. Hermione spread out the texts with determination.

"I found something that might help," she announced, opening a large, old book to a marked page. "It's about blood pacts and how, historically, they've been used both for peace and manipulation."

As we discussed the implications of this information, I noticed Bella withdrawing further into her silence, barely participating in the conversation. Her emotional distance grew, and every attempt I made to understand her was deftly diverted with questions about the research or comments on the findings.

Everyone left shortly after, promising to return the next day. Emmett and Rosalie went hunting, promising to be back before dawn. Bella and I retreated to our room, an uncomfortable silence lingering between us. As we prepared for bed, I couldn't help but ask again, "Bella, please, if something is bothering you, I need to know."

She avoided my gaze, focusing on adjusting her pillow before lying on her side, facing me. "Draco, I'm just worried about everything, about us," she finally said, her voice low. "But we're in this together, right?"

"We are," I affirmed, feeling a mix of relief and lingering unease. "Whatever happens, we're together."

We lay down facing each other, and although I tried to stay awake, worried about the burden Bella seemed to be carrying, the exhaustion of the day took over, and I fell asleep.

I was woken by the sound of a phone ringing in the middle of the night. Blinking in confusion, I reached for Bella beside me, but instead found a note on the pillow. My eyes scanned the lines quickly, each word adding more weight to my chest.

Draco,

I know this is going to hurt, and the last thing I want is to cause you more pain. I promised you we'd be in this together, but the truth is, I can't let you risk your life for me. This blood pact... it means you can't attack them, but it won't protect you if you try to confront them. I can't let you do that, I can't let anything happen to you because of me.

It breaks my heart to leave like this, but it's the only way I can make sure you're safe. If the Volturi want me, then it's better that I go alone. Maybe that way we can find a way to save ourselves, without you putting your life at risk or breaking that pact that will protect you.

Please understand that I'm doing this because I love you. I couldn't live knowing something happened to you because of me. I'll do everything I can to come back to you, I promise, but this is the only way to protect you.

I love you more than you can ever imagine.

Bella

Bella had left, saying she was doing it for me, to protect me. Though her words were full of love and promises to return, the cold fear that gripped me was quickly giving way to anger. How could I have let this happen? This wasn't a plan, it was a sacrifice. A reckless, selfless sacrifice that I should have seen coming.


Thoughts?

What do you think will happen to Bella?