And you passed without words and without a smile,
How did others come before you here.
A mistake crept into the annals of my fate -
You should have said hello now.
You should have just smiled at me
As playful as only you can.
You, passing, had to look back.
You should have ... But these are all dreams.
Dreams born of blind love
That the fever misses you so much
Dreams born of suffering, just pain
That they were waiting for fulfillment on this day.
But you passed - distant and cold
And I calmly accepted it.
And only a dream, soaring upward freely. She looked after you and suddenly folded two wings.
The door flew open, and the blond youth made an inviting gesture with his hand.
Samantha Meliflois, the headman of Slytherin, stepped into the train compartment.
It was quite crowded here: on the right were Crabbe and Goyle - Lucius Malfoy's plug-in companions, sixth-year Robert Davis was located opposite, and Peter Chang was closer to the door. Lucius himself, apparently, opened the door, only this could explain the fact that it was he who opened the door, and not someone from his entourage. Samantha was surprised to notice that there was a deathly silence in the compartment, which did not fit with those present: no laughter for you, no questions "How did you spend your summer?" On closer examination, the reason was simple - Lucius Malfoy's mood was nasty, by the most modest estimates.
"Lucius," Samantha began slowly, "the elders are gathering in the third car there. It's time to bypass the train. Your presence is also required."
Lucius looked up at her in surprise. It seems that he is only now realizing that he is everywhere, going to school, and he needs to start the duties of the headman. Samantha was very ambivalent about Malfoy. On the one hand, she didn't like him very much: too arrogant and sarcastic, and on the other ... She was unpleasantly surprised to learn that her cousin Narcissa would become Mrs. Malfoy. She secretly prophesied this place for herself. The surname gave influence, money, envy of friends, a handsome husband.
Malfoy silently left the compartment, seemingly looking for a third car. It's strange. He did not write in any way, did not get indignant. Nothing.
"What's wrong?" Samantha asked the audience.
In response, everyone shrugged their shoulders in silence.
"He didn't say a word in an hour," replied Robert Davis. "I just walked back and forth in the compartment."
"I see ..." Samantha held out.
"So it's Narcissus ... I'll have to find out the details from her."
Meanwhile, Lucius Malfoy made his way slowly towards the third carriage. He nodded his head in response to the greetings of the Slytherins, the pushing away of the Gryffindor juniors, and indifferently glanced over the faces of the students whose doors to the compartment were open. He did not notice anything around. He walked down the corridor.
Entering the next car, he saw a couple talking at the window, and immediately drew attention to her. He had always cared about the Gryffindors, about Narcissa, for some time now, too. He recognized her at once. Not a single girl in school had this color: Christmas tree tinsel, highlighted with bright lights. He did not yet know who was with her. Narcissa stood with her back to Lucius, blocking her interlocutor. He only had time to make out the colors of Gryffindor.
Coming closer, Lucius heard:
"Well, I'm not a fool! I can see that something is happening.
"Bravo, Black!" Lucius recognized the speaker, and a wave of hatred swept through him. He shouted this taunt before Narcissa could reply. Not that he disliked Black, anyway, no more than any other Gryffindor, especially since he was a year younger. Lucius was just as bad today as he had ever been in his life, and he wanted terribly to make someone worse. The hated Narcissa and her relatives were scapegoats like the other.
At his mocking exclamation, Narcissa turned in dismay, and Black twitched and glared at him.
"What do you want Malfoy?" not very friendly he asked.
"Warn you: stay away from my fiancee," Lucius rapped out with an emphasis on the last word, and was hurt by the effect.
He himself had nothing to lose. He already lost everything an hour ago on platform 9 and ¾.
Sirius Black was renowned for his ability to remain speechless in all situations. From generation to generation, students passed on the story of how he, a sophomore, along with Potter and some Slytherin, was caught by the caretaker for a magical duel. They then managed to get out of the water with the whole company. Such heights of public speaking skills were not conquered by any of the students of Hogwarts, either before or after Black.
And now this gallant Gryffindor froze like a statue of Boris Stupid in one of the corridors of Hogwarts. It was clear from Black's eyes that he was struggling with the desire to misheard and the realization that everything was in order with his hearing - it was something else.
"What you said?" all the same he decided to clarify.
"I said," Lucius began gloatingly, "so that you, for your own good, stay away from Narcissa Black, because she will very soon become Narcissa Malfoy. What? Surprised? Is it not customary for your family to share news? "
Pain blazed through Narcissa's gray eyes, and she turned sharply away from Lucius.
"Sirius, she began, you must understand ..."
"Wait!" Sirius raised his hand, looking past her into Lucius's eyes. "Malfoy, you're a smug cretin. Clear? "
He spoke so loudly that the sounds of the compartment doors opening were heard from everywhere, and curious faces began to protrude in the corridor. Lucius didn't care about that. It was one of those rare occasions when the truth was on his side.
"Black," the Slytherin also raised his voice, "I would have asked her before yelling."
"Narcissa?" Sirius finally heeded the voice of reason and looked into the girl's face. She lowered her head and whispered barely audibly:
"He's telling the truth, Sirius. Our engagement will take place at Christmas. "
"I hope I didn't look the same as Black out there on the platform now," thought Lucius. "This is how you can kill a person ..."
Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but then, without uttering a sound, closed it. Then he sighed convulsively and held out his hand to Narcissa. She took a step back. It turned out very symbolic. In a narrow passage, this step only ten centimeters farther from Sirius, but it was precisely the same distance that she became closer to Lucius Malfoy. Sirius's hand, suspended in midair for a moment, shot up to his collar and pulled down the knot of his red and yellow Gryffindor tie, as if suddenly he couldn't breathe.
"Malfoy," Gryffindor seventh year student Amanda Spinnett said, "have you been told about such a thing as tact? You have chosen the time and place incredibly well to deliver this amazing news. "
Lucius looked around and found the corridor full of people. There were mostly Gryffindor students here. The colors of Ravenclaw were visible here and there. But the only representatives of Slytherin were he and Narcissa.
"Spinnet, and in Gryffindor they don't teach that listening to other people's conversations, let alone commenting on them, is also not very tactful," he drawled lazily.
Black, meanwhile, seems to have begun to slowly come out of his stupor.
"Narcissa, we need to talk," he said quietly.
In response, the girl just shook her head silently. She had been preparing this conversation for so long, so many times she was going to start it and put everything off. She didn't know how to inform Sirius of her father's choice. After Edwin's scene on the platform, Narcissa almost made up her mind - there was no point in hiding further. Even before the train reaches Hogwarts, everyone will know ... Despite her youth, Narcissa, with some unmistakable instinct, realized that everything that was said on the platform made sense. From the first to the last word and glance.
Then, on the platform, trying to delay the terrible moment when she had to look Lucius in the eyes, she looked at the platform and smiled. She thought that she could never smile again, but everything turned out to be easier. The feigned amusement came surprisingly easy for her. Perhaps because no one in their company felt happy: neither Lucius, who stubbornly looked out for someone on the platform, nor Marisa, who slouched all the way as if she wanted to shrink and disappear altogether ... Edwin alone rejoiced. Obviously, because a terrific plan had ripened in his head.
Standing in such a gloomy company, Narcissa smiled brightly, openly. This smile elicited Edwin's approval, Lucius's annoyance, and Marisa's bewilderment. The girl could not understand how such a cute blond creature, like an Easter angel, could be the bride of her beloved brother. She rarely saw her brother, but her childish instinct, dividing people into strangers and friends, in the presence of Lucius screamed: "Alien!" They practically did not collide in the eleven years of Marisa's life, but the girl did not love him and was afraid. How could she know that it was the beautiful Narcissa, like no one else, who shared her feelings for her brother.
And then a dark-haired girl with surprisingly green eyes appeared. Narcissa saw her first, Edwin a little later, Lucius the last. This girl approached them and smiled. Her smile, Narcissa immediately felt it, was real. Such, what happens when you see the bright spring sun, or white fluffy snow sparkling from the light, or a little puppy, affectionately rearranging chubby paws, in an attempt to get to you, or ... a loved one. And Narcissa realized who exactly in their gloomy company caused such a radiant smile from the girl who approached. And then everything was like a fog: Lucius, turned around and frozen like a statue, the performance played by Edwin Malfoy ...
There was no need to introduce them, Narcissa knew Frida Zabini very well. In childhood, they played together quite often. They were almost the same age, and Frida was always more willing to play with Narcissa than with her older sisters Bellatrix and Andromeda. No, they didn't need to be introduced to each other. That was Edwin's plan ... he introduced Narcissa in a new capacity. His words made both girls feel numb. Narcissa because she was sympathetic to Frida, and she read too well her gaze directed at Lucius. Frida ... Narcissa was difficult to judge. She almost did not change in her face, only a green whirlwind flashed in her eyes, but the girls were not so close friends that Narcissa could figure out the meaning of what she saw. Narcissa's outstretched hand hung in the air. Frida lingered only for a moment. And then Narcissa felt a light touch of icy fingers that froze her soul. It was at this moment that the girl looked away from Frida's face. It became unbearable for her to look into those green eyes. And right away ... It would be better if she looked into the ground, because about ten meters, behind Frida's back, she saw Lily Evans. By herself, Lily meant nothing to Narcissa. During her studies, Narcissa barely spoke with that couple of words, often not too flattering, in general classes. Lily's mere presence meant that James Potter was sure to show up. And somewhere near him for the last six years there was always a handsome dark-haired boy with surprisingly blue eyes of the color of comfort and kindness.
Narcissa was right. Sirius Black immediately leaned out of the carriage and held out his hand to Lily, helping her up the steps. This fraternal gesture made Narcissa's frozen heart tighten. She would never feel the touch of his hands again.
"Damn, can you imagine, no matter how hard I try, your broken knee still stubbornly hits the lens," the tall boy said with a laugh.
A minute ago, he was shockingly serious, aiming at Narcissa from the lens of his camera, and it made her laugh.
"Well, let it be, I will flaunt an artistically figured band-aid," the girl frivolously responded.
"Is this a hint that I glued it crookedly?!"! Lowering the camera, the guy feigned indignation
"Well, what are you! Thank you for gluing it somehow after half an hour of trying. "
"Wow, how harmful you are! I won't put your picture at the competition, and no one will see the most beautiful girl in England, "the guy threatened, going up to Narcissa and giving her a hand to help her get down from the stone.
Splash of waves, impossible bright sun. So warm. The warmth is not even from the sun, but rather from his hand. He was there from childhood, not allowing him to fall, and if this happened, helping to rise. But it was like that before. It was. What a terrible word.
Ding! Narcissa heard a ringing sound, as if a glass had broken nearby. How could she know that it was the collapsed world of Lucius Malfoy? Or that the soul of Frida Zabini broke with the same sound. How could she know all this? After all, at sixteen you can only listen to yourself. Therefore, Narcissa attributed this sound to her dream - a bird made of pure crystal. It's just that Sirius's silhouette disappeared into the doorway of the carriage, and the crystal bird lost something that held it on the fly. Without making a sound, she fell down like a stone, so that a moment later she would decorate the stone platform of the station with her fragments, visible only to Narcissa.
And then there was a train ride. Marisa, who squeaked something and disappeared into the crowd of freshmen, Lucius, who seemed to seep through Crabbe and Goyle in an unknown direction. And endless running through endless corridors. A flinching heart at the sight of Gryffindor flowers. Narcissa hated this color combination, hated students wearing red and gold uniforms, making an exception for only one person. Finally, the figure of Remus Lupine, the headman of Gryffindor and friend of Sirius, flashed in the corridor.
"Lupine!" her voice sounded so desperate that, turning sharply, the guy dropped the book from his hands.
"Oh Merlin! With such a cry they warn of the end of the world! "
"You have no idea how close you are to the truth," the girl thought. And aloud she said more calmly:
"Call Sirius, please."
Remus gazed into the girl's eyes for several seconds. He didn't like what he saw there. It is with this look that a person usually walks, smiles, and then once ... and steps from the Hogwarts Astronomical Tower. Or somewhere else. Lupine liked Narcissa. Unlike his other friends, he understood Sirius's affection. Being a Slytherin student didn't make her any worse or better. Yes, Narcissa was capricious, spoiled, terribly sarcastic in eternal skirmishes with Gryffindor, and he himself had to take points from her more than once for "conversations" with Lily. Lily did not like Slytherin, although in general she was an amazingly sensitive and tolerant girl. However, patience ran out when Narcissa Black appeared nearby. Perhaps it was a natural reaction to a beautiful girl who periodically appears dangerously close to her, Lily, a boyfriend? Veela blood gave Narcissa a mile away. Or maybe there was something else ... Lupine didn't know. But, be that as it may, he liked this girl with silver eyes and amazing cold beauty. Perhaps because he was present several times during their communication with Sirius. In those rare moments, she was completely unrecognizable. Arrogance and coldness disappeared, and there was just a happy girl, whose sonorous voice was reflected from the cold walls of the old school. It immediately became warmer. And now…
"Are you okay?" Lupine doubted.
"Yes," the girl tapped impatiently with her foot, "Call Sirius."
"Now," Lupine opened the compartment door. "Sirius, just a minute."
It was funny and noisy in the compartment. Apparently, all the
honest company.
"Rem, where are you disappearing?" Potter's voice was heard.
"Go eat," Lily said.
"I need Sirius," Lupine repeated patiently.
"Well, since everything is so serious, I'm going. Sorry… "fuss, Lily laughs. "Try to get past them ... Narcissa! Hello."
Seeing the girl, Sirius smiled broadly. But, meeting her gaze, he darkened.
"What happened?"
Narcissa looked at Lupine, who said:
"I still have to go around the cars, so - for now."
"Bye," the boy and the girl replied in disagreement.
"Hello," Narcissa smiled when they were alone.
"Hello," Sirius repeated in agreement.
"Shall we move away?"
"Of course," Sirius agreed.
"A terrible thing happened. I gave my word to marry Lucius Malfoy. What should I do? Tell me everything will be fine, I beg you! " said the girl. Did she say? She said ...
"How are things at home?" her voice broke the lingering silence
"So so," Sirius shrugged his shoulder in annoyance and suddenly froze in place as he saw something he hadn't seen in his sixteen years. Narcissa Black, his beloved girl, looked at him without stopping. Her gaze darted feverishly over his face, for some reason making the young man's heart squeeze in foreboding, because there were tears in her eyes so dear. Sirius even thought - it was imagining, so it was not like Narcissa, and then she blinked, and tears became obvious. They trickled down the cheeks, touching the lips and falling onto the school robes.
"Narcissa," Sirius said in a strangled voice, "what happened? Why are you crying? "
His voice broke the moment. Narcissa turned away furiously and began to dry her eyes. Thinking nothing better, Sirius took a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. The girl accepted him and smiled. In a minute, no one would have been able to tell that Narcissa Black was crying. She didn't even look upset ... just kind of quiet. Sirius tried to figure out what was going on, and at that moment Lucius Malfoy appeared with his startling news. And it became clear. And it became scary ...
Narcissa looked very defenseless, and this did not fit well with her carefully created image.