Death Eaters Daughter

25

The handsome manor house that resided at the end of the straight drive screamed of malice. Lights glinted in the diamond-paned downstairs windows from where I sat beneath a large oak tree. Somewhere in the dark garden beyond the gates, a fountain was playing, the trickling of water flitting past my ears all the while I watched the greying clouds move across the sky. Mattheo leant against the base of the tree, his brown eyes focused solely on the book he held within his hands.

Unlike the two of us, George paced back and forth beside the hedges of the wrought iron gates. His fingers running through his hair in frustration as he muttered words beneath his breath.

"At this rate, you can kiss your brother and father goodbye." Mattheo drawled, sable eyes following the movements of the redhead as he paced back and forth.

"He managed to get into the manor once before without your knowledge." I point out, watching as red light emits from George's wand.

Mattheo's answering scoff filled the air as George walked towards us with a smile across his face. "We have one hour to get in and out," He says, Mattheo and myself standing up from the lush, green grass in unison.

The book Mattheo held vanished and in its place his black yew wand appeared within his hand moments later, my eyes noting the disappearance of one object and the sudden reappearance of another.

"Show off," I muttered, dusting the grass off of my jeans.

His sable eyes darted to my own, a teasing smirk spreading across his face before he spoke, "What was that, love?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in mock confusion, looking from him to George as though I hadn't heard him correctly, "I didn't say anything." A taunting smile crossing my face as I continued, "I think you're hearing things, Riddle."

George chuckled from beside me, shaking his head with amusement as he spoke, "Let's go."

I nodded my head as he turned and began walking towards the wrought iron gates, my steps steady and sure as they crunched upon the small gravel stones. The grey clouds that I'd once watched float by seemed eerie now, the darkening of the clouds blocking out the sun as George walked through the gates. The gates, though made to permit select individuals through them as if they were smoke, allowed the pureblooded redhead through. Mattheo's footfalls echoed behind me with each crunch of gravel beneath his boots as I passed through the gates, the purity and beliefs of my blood that came with the Malfoy name cinching into place as I did.

Mattheo himself, though a half-blood, passed through the gates as if the iron bars were only smoke. The high hedge curved with us, running off into the distance beyond the pair of impressive wrought-iron gates. A ruffling noise drifting past my ears amongst the crunching of the gravel as we crept down the driveway. The source of the noise proved to be nothing more than a pure-white peacock, stirring majestically along the top of the yew hedge. Its brown eyes following our movement as we walked past it and further down the driveway, the hedges opening out to the front courtyard. The large, three-tiered, marble water fountain creating a soft trickling sound as we strode past it and up the few front steps.

Mattheo stepped around me as he rested his hand upon the cool handle of the front door, lifting his free hand to his face in a shushing motion. Sable-brown eyes locked on my own as he twisted the door handle, the dark wooded door swinging open on well-greased hinges. Mattheo disappeared inside the manor for several moments before he reappeared in the doorway, ushering us inside with a curt nod of his head. The hallway was large, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the stone floor as we inched past the open doorway of the drawing-room.

The eyes of the pale-faced portraits on the walls followed our every move as George spoke in a low whisper.

"Lead the way, Elysian."