𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒫𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒾𝓈ℯ𝒹 𝒪𝓃ℯ | 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 |

#15 The Race into Open Arms

119 days before

"Hold on, what do you mean?", I tried desperately to unterstand what my father wanted to say. His gaze was startled, pale even. He felt probably sick with all the worry to get caught in my room that late at night.

He came to me around four in the morning, pulled me out of a good sleep, since Draco came last night. The boy stepped by in every free hour and we talked for what felt like decades. There was a lot to get off our chests. The boy told me about his father and that he was in bad conditions a few rooms down the corridor. I couldn't lie and say I wasn't relieved by that. It meant, that he wouldn't come here so I wasn't forced to see him. But Draco was troubled by that, of course he was, otherwise he wouldn't have tried to contact every known healer all around the community to find some way to help him and his only hope was another one in Iceland. The Dark Lord withdrew his offer after Bellatrix told him Snape was the one doing the blonde's task. While I was rather sceptic that he could do anything about the curse, even if he wanted.

„We need to go, now.", he rushed past my bed toward the desk, where my small bag was sitting secure around the chair back. „You're mother and I coming with you. We need to leave."

„Dad, I can't get out of this room.", I said, but lifted from my position and started to get dressed in the first things I could grab. „It's charmed, only who cast the spell can lift it again. And sorry to say that, but I don't trust you."

„I know how magic works, Tiara.", he hissed in my direction. „I charmed that door. And it doesn't matter if you're trusting me, I will get you out of here."

„Of course, you did.", I breathed out in disbelief that he was the one locking me in. I quickly grabbed my wand, which my father had secure in his pocket and handed it to me, as he collected everything I left around the area and simply threw it in the bag. I heard a rumbling sound radiating out of the fabric, probably my books getting thrown together after I carefully arranged them in the last days.

„It's not like you think.", my father continued. „It was out of purpose, because we planned to get you out of here first thing after you arrived. We just wanted to pass the right moment when most of everyone are out of the Manor. Less worries to get caught."

„And that right moment is at 4 am in the morning?", I furrowed my eyebrows and quickly secured the back around my belt again, as we walked towards the door.

„No.", he said and knocked two times on the wood, some sort of sign for my mother waiting outside that we were ready. „But the Dark Lord is on his way here, since he finished his arrangement with the giants. We have no time left."

My blood froze at this, the heat crawled up through my still tired body and activated every instinct telling me to get the hell out of here.

"Look.", he remained for a short seconds on the door and turned to lay his hands on my shoulders. "I know what you think of me and believe me when I say, there is no way I will ever forgive myself for bringing her there. But I will do anything for preventing that cursed future for you. We will go away for as long as we need to be safe. And I will not leave your side. I love you, Tiara, I'm sorry."

As I looked into his begging eyes, I felt like for the first time, he was my Dad again. The man who always wanted my best, who always did everything to keep us happy when we were kids, so I leaped forward and took him into a quick, but tight hug.

"Okay.", I whispered.

As I heard a twitching sound and the close of the door unlock, I was face to face with my mother waiting outside. Her gaze was compassionate on me, accompanied with the pure look of panic as she quickly looked down the corridor. My father mumbled a charm as soon as he stepped out the doorway and the vail, which appeared once I came too near the walkthrough, disappeared.