How To Annoy A Gryffindor ; harry potter

Step 50: See Them Again

Ember had never felt so dirty. She felt like she had just stepped into the most private thing possible. Secretum lay on the floor in front of her, as she stared at it. The bedroom curtains were shut tightly as she contemplated what she had just seen. Austin would be home any time now and so she had to evacuate his bedroom to go to her own.

The entire ordeal was scary. Not even she had realised just how secretive her family was. The pages of the Secretum were scribbled on with strange runes and drawings that Ember didn't recognise and it only frightened her more. You could feel the dark magic that filled the book and its surroundings.

Overall, she felt like she was going to be sick. Ember had a bad feeling about this notebook. She needed to get away from it. The only person who could always take her mind of anything and everything was Draco and that meant Apparating to the Malfoy Manor.

Scrambling to her feet, Ember grabbed Secretum and stuffed it into a satchel that she found conveniently lying on the edge of her bed. The satchel dangled loosely off her shoulder. As much as she wanted to get rid of the mysterious book, that was most likely incredibly dangerous, she couldn't bring herself to do it because it held so many records of the Rowle family. It was an heirloom and Ember couldn't just destroy it but she couldn't leave it lying around either.

It was unlikely that Austin would even care if Ember left the house for a bit so she went to the fireplace in the parlour and grabbed a handful of the green powder that was used with the floo network. The Ministry was monitoring the floo system, but with the Ministry so corrupt and overrun with Death Eaters it was unlikely that they would care if a Rowle was travelling to the Malfoy Manor.

"Malfoy Manor," Ember announced, immediately being covered with the green flames that carried her to Draco's house.

That Manor was as gloomy as Ember remembered, it was quiet until Ember heard running footsteps and then a body colliding with her own as Draco launched his arms around her.

"I was so worried," he whispered to her quietly.

Ember pulled away and raised her eyebrows, "What do you mean? What's going on?" she asked, panicked.

He was so pale it scared her. She had seen him at school, but even then he at least has some colour in his cheeks and he smiled or at least smirked once and a while. Ember felt like it was a rare occurrence to see that at the Malfoy Manor.

"The Dark Lord's out seeking all of these different wandmaker's. I don't know why but I just hoped you were safe."

"Because I associate with wandmakers?" Ember scoffed, shaking her head. "You're such a Hufflepuff."

Draco's face scrunched up angrily, "Disgusting. That entire house is blood-traitors and muggle-lovers. What are you even doing here in the first place?"

"I found something and I wanted to tell you about it," Ember said, placing her hand on her satchel.

"You're being very vague, Em... Should I be scared?"

Ember's eyebrows jumped, "Maybe you should."

"Draco! Who are you talking to?" Lucius Malfoy's voice asked in such a commanding and forceful voice that Ember looked at Draco in shock.

She had always known that Mr Malfoy liked to be appropriate and proper, even towards his family. All pure-bloods were like that... But hearing him sound so assertive but worried at the same time scared her. It was like he was going to break at any moment and the only thing he was holding onto was his family. Perhaps that's why Ember's mother had meant in her letter when she mentioned the Malfoy's only caring about themselves and their families.