✔️OBSIDIAN HEART (Draco Malfoy) BOOK 1 |WATTYS 2021 SHORTLIST

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•Hogwarts, The Founders Party, The Black Lake,•

The painting was beautiful, a masterwork of oil and time... The resemblance was uncanny. Lavinia watched as the painted Rowena Ravenclaw leant into Helga Hufflepuff, the two of them laughing softly about something the shorter woman had said. Meanwhile, at the other end of the frame, the males were bickering. Lavinia never thought she would see them again, not even in this way. They looked so beautiful, ethereal in their best dress, the oil painting strung between two trees of the forest so that they could overlook the festivities.

"They don't recognise us," a small voice breathed and Lavinia turned her face to the right, watching and Helena floated across, leaving Christopher teasing Myrtle a few feet away-- the younger ghost did not seem to appreciate it. "Do you remember this day? You were...five or six, I think. It was the first time we got to spend the day together because they were busy with this. I've often wondered if them not recognising me now was some form of punishment. Do you remember how angry they were? That we had spent time together?" Helena giggled at the thought and Lavinia smiled slightly.

Though she knew that her sister was speaking the entire truth because when the founders decided to look at them, there was no flicker of recognition on their features-- it pummelled a hole in her heart. All of this, all of everything had been for them. Lying down in that stone tomb had been the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life. But every battle, killing and sacrifice had been for them and they had not even bothered to remember her when she was gone. What would she say to them? She was not sure that there was anything left to say anymore, there was no use being angry at people who were dead.

"I remember that day, it was the first day I did something I was not told to do. They told me to go down to the kitchens to wait with the house-elves but I went to you instead," she smiled and Helena laughed softly. "I was so terrified of what they'd think, but what use was it? Nothing was going to stop them from fulfilling that prophecy, I could do anything. I wish I had been more rebellious, like you Helena,"

"You have the chance now, Lavi, I fail to believe that wherever they are, they aren't looking upon everything we do with scrutiny. Make them sweat, sister, show them just how exceptionally well they did in creating you. Follow your heart where it leads and your mind where it encourages and live, living is the greatest punishment you can provide. You've deserved it," Helena encouraged strongly and Lavinia glanced between the faces of the four founders who did not even recognise her any longer.

"I will," she returned strongly and Helena grinned as though she had just won the lottery.

"In that case, there is a very handsome Slytherin boy waiting to dance with you. Don't allow all that time waltzing with dummies to go to waste," Helena grinned and Lavinia laughed, shaking her head. It was like the old times, even if Helena was a milky silhouette, she was here, and she was still being a bad influence and brilliant sister even beyond death. There was no need to ask who that handsome Slytherin boy was.

"I believe you have a Handsome Slytherin boy to dance with too, sister,"

"Then what are we waiting for," Helena winked and turned to ghost away. Lavinia stared at the moving, chatting founders once more and was on her way through the grass, her footsteps silent. It took no time at all to locate Draco speaking with Cho and a very uncomfortable Harry Potter, though the fact that they were conversing at all was marginal progress. Lavinia almost backed down then, before her eyes captured on the two milky white figures on the dancefloor smiling encouragingly at her from within the crowd.