Skulls. Every surface as far as her eyes could see was littered with skulls of various sizes, all in different stages of decay and preservation. Draco was more preoccupied with a larger black cupboard in the back of the cluttered room, whereas Ana found herself more drawn to a large ornate necklace that hung behind an enchanted glass. The barrier between her and the dangling jewel in front of her was at least an inch thick, glimmering with an iridescent hue as if just touching it would cause her pain. The only description for the item was:
CURSED ITEM. DO NOT TOUCH.
Ana did not need any more of a warning, so she held her hands behind her back in a fist, allowing no limbs near the thing. However, that necklace was not the only artefact with that warning, making the third year pray her clumsy feet wouldn't fall in this particular shop. It wasn't the first time she'd been there, but it was the first time she was let inside.
With her mother unavailable, Ana and Draco were escorted to Diagon Alley by their father, much to Ana's annoyance. He was striking up deals and bargains with the seller, his voice rose every time his counter offered was denied.
All she wanted to do was look at the new Nimbus 2001's that had hit the market, but instead she was stuck inside the musky, dull Borgin and Burkes. It was fascinating to be inside for the first time, but the energy was off. Every painting, figurine, and piece of furniture had some sort of dark element to it, and she couldn't help but think about how Snape said she'd be called to the Dark Arts. No matter how hard she wanted to deny him, her eyes marveled at everything she could see. It was fascinating, even if the core of it all was damaged and broken. She hated how intrigued she was.
The lush green couch that sat in the center of the room called her name, the slightly taller heeled boots were killing the soles of her feet. No matter how much Ana debated her mother, the older she got meant the taller the heel. It was a rule she absolutely detested, mainly because even with the added advantage, Draco was catching up to her in height.
She gathered the length of her swishy gray skirt as she went to sit down, only to jump back up at the smacking sound of her father striking his walking stick against the dark cabinet near Draco. All heads turned towards the disturbance, and Ana grimaced at the dramatic display her father put on.
Unlike his father, Draco waltzed out of the dingy shop wordlessly with the older man right behind him. Neither waited to see if she would follow them, which made her heart fall for a moment from being ignored. Instead, Ana turned to the cabinet and began admiring the delicate details of the piece, understanding why Draco was so drawn to it. She grazed the dark lacquer with the tip of her finger before being disrupted from an excited voice.
"Ana!" Aeron called from the alley, his voice traveling down the bricked narrowed space.
Her eyes widened in excitement at the sight of the boy and ran out of the shop, fully forgetting the cabinet behind her.
His eyes glimmered in the summer sun, making them look like a dark chestnut and his hair was starting to sprout tiny little stubble. Ana knew it shouldn't bother her so much, but she desperately wished his old floppy style was still around. Her face fell at his bare fingernails.
"Did you not use the polish I gave you Aer-head?" Ana mumbled as the two of them trudged the uneven stoned walkway that tapered into the main alley.
He too was dressed in the typical pureblood aesthetic, dark jewel tones, multi-karat accessories, and extensive thread counts that were the default option for them. But unlike her, Aeron got to wear flat shoes, which made the young girl pout.
YOU ARE READING
The Girl Who Vanished
FanfictionPART 2 Bibiana Malfoy grew up being exactly who she thought she was supposed to be. Perfect little daughter, perfect little student, perfect little liar. And she was fine with that. But that changes when she discovers the lies everyone has kept fro...
