𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒫𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒾𝓈ℯ𝒹 𝒪𝓃ℯ | 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 |

#14 Headlines & Punched Noses

I felt exhausted on the morning after Christmas eve. Too tired to be ready to stand up. As I looked at my surroundings, I had fallen asleep in the common room with a blanket spread over me and the book on the table in front of the couch I laid on.

It was probably for the better. The dorm room, especially orphaned since Pansy and Daphne went home, was chilling.

And I would've loved to spend the rest of the Christmas days on that couch, but since I skipped dinner the evening before, my stomach was rumbling and I needed breakfast.

It weren't much students in the Great Hall, maybe about twenty, because everyone wanted to spend even more time then usual with their parents since they knew about You-Know-Who's returning.

But it didn't matter. Because I couldn't imagine one place I could spend a normal Christmas holiday at without my sister. Maybe that's why I couldn't sleep, that's why I read until I fell asleep on the pages.

The Slytherin table was cleared out except the two third year students and Draco to my surprise. It was almost pathetic that I sat down with enough space for me to not be in his radius of influence. Enough space that there couldn't start a conversation.

I ignored his eyes pinning over, his jaw clenching as he dug his fog into the eggs without any attempt to eat some.

Dumbledore shot me a smile as I looked up to the teachers rows. Except for him there was Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and Hagrid there, the latter wildly smiling as he caught my gaze.

I put some rumbled eggs on my plate, enough to be convincing to eat, but I just stirred in them.

The rows of Gryffindors was broader cast, not with somebody I knew or who was in my grade, but with a group of seven years. Hufflepuff had cleared out completely and Ravenclaw had two girls in their places, laughing and giggling over their presents.

It was for Pippin flying in along with the rest of the owls, that I looked up. His feathers as bright and soft as ever once the animal landed on my shoulder, squeezing himself against my cheek for affection. There wasn't a single time where Pippin just flew of. He always rested a bit, softly squinting and graving for strokes.

"Thanks Pippin, I love you too.", I whispered and let my fingers gliding over his feathers.

His beak released a rolled up copy of the Daily Prophet along with a note in familiar handwriting.

Even though I didn't know what this was about, because their wasn't something unusual in my owl bringing a copy to the breakfast table. But he didn't do that since I started throwing them into the fire. So, maybe it was something special.

I ripped the small note from the string binding around the newspaper and unfolded it. It was simply written, but enough to make me startled.

We're fine, please don't worry. And we're coming back soon to make sure you're too.
- Harry

Everybody could easily see my lack of perspective. It wasn't as if I made a big effort into hiding it. But as I looked up from the note Harry wrote to me, every pair of remaining students was on me. Narrowing. Even Draco was still squirming in my direction, but that could be caused by whatever was going through his head.

Almost automatically my fingers unfolded the newspaper, my eyes looking down on the same headline on the front page like every one else.

And I tried to catch my breath again as I saw the face of my father looking back, a smile as put on as I was used to. Not in his prisoner robes, but in wealthy attire.

Suddenly sick I felt as I read the headline above.

HALERIUS FOX RELEASED FROM AZKABAN
You-Know-Who's doing or wealthy advantage?