Pureblood (Lucius Malfoy) *COMPLETED*

CHAPTER 12 - APPARE VESTIGIUM

"Yeah you could say you miss all that we had. But I don't really care how bad it hurts, when you broke me first."

I try to stand up on my weak legs, nearly falling but quickly regaining my balance as I stare at the house before me. Sighing, I bend down to pick up my stuff from the floor and take a deep breath before walking towards the house. When I reach the door, unsurprisingly, it's locked. I feel around the pockets of my jacket, pulling out my wand. I point it to the keyhole.

"Alohomora."

I hear a faint click as I push the door open, the cold air from inside the house hitting me all at once. As I walk in, it becomes clear that no one has lived here for years. I walk through a small passage that leads to 2 doors. I open the side one, entering what seems to be the living room. There's 2 dusty brown sofas and a broken TV a few metres in front of it, it's screen cracked as if it's been hit by a hammer multiple times. The floor is covered in the same leaves that were outside, due to the gaping hole in the window.

I walk through the opening that appears to be missing a door - a kitchen. A small space with a kettle, a microwave, a sink, a fridge... all things muggles have in their kitchens. Another broken window was above the sink, it's shards of glass scattered around the counter. I walk over to the fridge, taking off a sticky note with a picture drew on it with crayons. A man, a woman, and a small girl holding hands in a field. I notice the house behind them is identical to this one and decide it must have been drawn by the child that lived here. Smiling, I stick it back on, leaving the room and making my way over to the stairs. Holding on to the banister as I walk up, I quickly remove my hand when I feel something sticky on my palm. I reach the top of the stairs, looking at the 4 doors before me. After checking them all, I find a bathroom, which I wash my hands in, a child's room with clouds on the walls and a small bed filled with toys and various cushions. And the main bedroom along with a spare one.

I decide to stay in the biggest bedroom, dropping my stuff on the bed, causing a cloud of dust to rise in the air. I sigh, dropping on to the covers and holding my head in my hands.

What had my life come to?

I rest my hands under my chin, staring at the window on the wall. Surprisingly, this one isn't broke. The sun has set now, leaving me in the darkness of the house. The light switches still worked, but I knew I had to be clever about this now. I had to make sure the house didn't look inhabited from the outside, like nothing had changed from before.

If I wanted to stay alive, I had to keep my presence unknown.

* * *

Hours have passed since I first came here, and in that time, I've cleaned the bedroom I was to sleep in. Changed the sheets to clean ones, sweeped the floor, conjured a rug to cover the cold floorboards, and a lamp for the bedside table. I had decided not to use magic, giving me something to do with my time. Afterwards, I had folded my clothes neatly in the newly refurbished drawers and made myself a mug of tea with the kettle. I had leaned against the counter, staring at the mess of a kitchen, decided to clean it tomorrow as I was too tired. Now, I'm sat on the window ledge, my head resting against the glass just as I was earlier today. I stare out into the dark, shadowed fields, wondering how everyone was.

I had never felt so cut off from the world before. All my life, I had been surrounded by people, and now here I was, in the middle of nowhere on my own in this abandoned house. I breathe out heavily as I close my eyes to prevent the tears, but they come anyway. I wondered how Draco was and if he had managed to fool the other death eaters about my disappearance. I was foolish to think they wouldn't find out about my friendship with Harry, let alone come after me too. I bring my knees up to my chest, curling up to keep warm when my thoughts unintentionally go to Lucius. One thought that I had tried to stop myself from thinking.