Daddy issues

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT: An empty house

*Annabella's POV*

Three weeks had passed since the final task. News had spread rather quick, alarmingly quick actually. It never failed to amaze me how fast word can be passed on around Hogwarts, one would think that in a school so large it would take at least a week for people to know about a secret or a scandal; no, it took less than two hours for the entire school to know of Dad's return. I mean Harry had been hysterically screaming it out when he had arrived back at Hogwarts. However, to this day, many people failed to believe him. The Daily Prophet had been making articles that mocked both Harry and Dumbledore since Fudge had decided to deny the factual evidence... AKA: Cedric's dead body. I have a feeling the collaboration between the Minister and The Daily Prophet was conducted by Lucius, he always knew where and when to use his money. It was rather smart I must admit.

The funeral was ghastly, a display of wishy washy emotions. There was a plentiful amount of foolish teenage girls crying and obviously some of his friends too. There was one Ravenclaw girl, I think she was their house seeker -Cho Chang- who had dated Cedric. Well it was safe to say that she was a total mess. I did think about going up to her and giving my condolences. But I knew better than that, she was on Harry's side and unfortunately for me, he had been avoiding me because he somehow blamed me for everything that happened that night. Like, I'm sorry, but Cedric died as I had practically just arrived on the scene... That boy can be so insufferable sometimes, he needs to get over himself. News had flown throughout the school that I was dangerous and could not be trusted, once more because of my name. Surprise, surprise!

Speaking of surprises, Draco had been avoiding me. I could have sworn he was the one who wanted so desperately to talk to me after the tournament... although I had guessed the majority of his questions were answered when the rumours started spreading. He knew better than to know they weren't just rumours. He knew that it was real and he knew I played some sort of part in it, even if others were oblivious and 'could 100 percent say that they saw me sitting in the stands the whole time so obviously Potter was lying!'... Nice to know that my memory charms had worked. When the Minister cast the spell back at Christmas on basically the whole wizarding world about Kit, I may have somehow internalised the spell subconsciously... I don't even know how it was possible considering it was non-verbal... But it was nice to know my backup plan worked. It seemed to work on everyone around me in the stands but Draco. He was unaffected and ignoring me.

These past few weeks were torturous, my best friend was acting as if I didn't even exist, I was recieving letters on the daily from Dad, Lucius, Narcissa and even Kit (though Kit's weren't letters, more drawings/scribbles that he did for me to put in my room here at school). The rest of them were most certainly not as pleasant as the young boy's. They were constantly asking how I was, if I knew the plans for the summer, if I had any questions to ask them at the next meeting, telling me how to act in front of the cameras when disembarking from the Hogwarts Express. I was exhausted from it all. The orders were entirely consuming me, taking control over my life. The dreaded black envelopes continued to haunt me even in my sleep as I would have nightmares as to what horrors lay ahead for the summer break.

I was sitting on my bed when I was reminded that summer break couldn't be all that bad, there would of course be Draco's birthday present waiting for him at home. He had recently turned seventeen and I had decided I was ready... I just hoped he still kept up his end of our little bargain. No way was I going to have it take place at school, even if we did have our own rooms to ourselves. I still wore my necklace that he had got me everyday, hoping it would keep me somewhat hopeful in my day to day life -even though it was beginning to become rather dire.

I had decided I would be bold this summer and I would practice my so called 'powers' and let any anger I felt fuel it. That night in the graveyard scared me. I never knew I was capable of that much destruction without giving it so much as a second thought. It just happened. I needed a release and somehow that was the easiest way. I remember that in the days afterward I felt a lot more free, as if all the stress and anxiety I had been keeping inside of me with having to keep all the secrets from Draco, had just disappeared. Like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. Sure, I had previously destroyed things in fits of rage when arguing with Lucius or Draco, but that was privately at the Manor. It seemed that over time I had had enough of repressing my emotions and it resulted in the outburst. Yes... That must have been it.