Slytherin Poison

five

"Draco," I hissed.

It's been quite a while since we left Ollivanders but Draco's paleness never left him. Not that it ever did. We still haven't met up with Grandfather and Lucius, however, Narcissa and Grandmother insisted we take a trip to Gringotts. 

Minutes later, we found ourselves at the entrance to Gringotts and my best friend was still out of it.

"W-what?" Draco blinked when he turned to me.

Draco was clearly still shaken by what Mr. Ollivander had said. I would too, and that was why I was trying to keep my impatience in but it was getting hard to be talking to a mentally absent Draco.

Gringotts came into view a second later.

As we walked through the grand double doors, we entered a vast marble hall, lit up with chandeliers. 

Narcissa and Grandmother didn't stop for the side counters, only heading for the furthest goblin. The clicks of their heels announced their arrival and I saw everyone parting for the both of them with a bit of awe.

I bit my frustration back and asked Draco, "Don't you think it's strange?"

"The sign?" Draco asked, his glassy eyes snapping back to me.

He finally seemed to be present, the color returning to his cheeks just by a hint. I couldn't help but smile a bit at his response and glanced at the sign the goblins made to warn any thieves.

I had to admit that the sign was a bit creepy, though cleverly written, but that wasn't what I had in mind. "No. The fact that we're at Gringotts at all."

Draco looked at me as if I had grown two heads. "Are you sure you're alright, Rosalyn? You do seem a bit pale."

I'm the pale one?

I could never tell if Draco was teasing me or if he was serious. "Draco."

"Fine," he muttered when he saw my incredulous expression. "I'll bite. Why is it strange that we're here?"

His resignation made me smile just a bit. "You're kidding, right? First of all, we are by no means in any shortage of gold. We already brought bags full of them. Even we have our own. Not to mention, we have our own vaults at the manor-"

"Rosalyn," Draco sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if you read too many books."

"Listen," I snapped, though there was no heat behind it. I didn't read that many books. Draco was overexaggerating. The point I was making was solely based on common sense.

I kept my voice low as we trailed behind Grandmother and Narcissa, who were also conversing in hushed voices. They both walked down the aisle with their head high, full of nobility, and I saw that even the goblins grudgingly gave them respect.

Draco then seemed to register my words. "You think we're here for something else, don't you?"

"Why else would Grandfather and Lucius be absent for so long?" I mused, glaring back at a goblin who was sneering at me. "Surely not to get textbooks."

Before Draco could reply, the head goblin greeted us hastily. "Greetings to Mrs. Yvons, Mrs. Malfoy." The goblin then saw us too. "I bid hello to Miss Yvons and Mr. Malfoy all the same."

I almost snorted. Who spoke like that?

The goblin cleared his throat. "To what do I owe this pleasure...?"

Grandmother straightened herself to her formidable height. "Lucius and my husband have passed through here earlier, am I right?"

I raised an eyebrow to Draco, as if to prove my point.