Obliviate My Choices {Book 4}

15. Poisonous love potions

"Malfoy is using Crabbe and Goyle for look outs for something Sam's involved in. And he's... Off. He's not his usual evil self." I told Gennie that evening, even though she was half asleep as she petted Minnie.

"And why do you care?" Gennie stifled a yawn as I pulled out the Maurder's Map. "More importantly why you're telling me when I'm half asleep."

"It's real suspicious." I carried out, knowing I couldn't tell her his odd strained behaviour in the cupbaord and him being a death eater. "I just wanna know--ah, I solmely swear I'm up to no good... Or Malfoy is, possibly."

At once the map sprang to life with tiny black dots of the castle's inhabitants. "Help me out, I need to find him." I said to Gennie, and she flopped onto the bed, allowing Minnie to stroll across my back.

"There's the slimy git, as Harry would say." Gennie said, pointing at the Slytherin common room. "Yup, he's there with Crabbe and Goyle."

"Oh." I said, disapointed. "Well I'm keeping an eye on him. And if he's lurking about somewhere, I'm nicking the cloak to find out what he's--"

I stopped as Lavender walked in with Parvati, discussing Ron sticking his tounge almost down her throat.

"You never said, why do you care?" Gennie asked softly.

"He might not care about me, but that didn't mean I stopped caring if he turned into a homicidal maniac." I shrugged.

* * * 

Even though I had determination and Harry on my side, I had no luck for the next few weeks. I checked the map often, even looking when I was meant to be re-dying my hair. I noticed Crabbe and Goyle wandering alone, but Malfoy was either with Sam or not on the map at all.

Harry thought maybe Malfoy was leaving the school, but I figured it was impossible considering the high level of security on the school.

But I tried to not let it get to me too much, as I had to remember that despite the soft and broken way he spoke my name in cupboard, I had always been a toy for him to bend and break. 

But Arthur helped me forget him. We'd been together just over two months now, and things were going great. We did have arguments, minor things over music taste and general irritation, but we could always patch things up with a hug, kiss and an exchange of pokemon cards.

But now it was March 1st, Ron's seventeenth. And even though he regularly irritated me, I thought I should drop into the dormitry.

"Happy birthday, Won-Won!" I declared, sticking my head around the door. Ron rolled his eyes, but now accepted this was now my permenant nickname for him. "Here's a present."

I chucked the parcel at him, and sat cross-legged with my brother, as Ron unwrapped Chudley Cannon socks that I'd bought him. 

"Cheers, Rory." Ron grinned, continuing to unwrap the other parcels on his bed.

"Hello people, your lives just got better!" Alia declared from the door as she watlzed in. "Happy birthday, you soulless nerd!"

She tossed a parcel at Ron, which bounced off his forehead causing him to swear loudly. "Hey, don't fucking swear!" she said cheerily, sitting practically on my lap.

"You're cheery this morning." I noted, scanning through the map for Malfoy.

"Well I found somebody like me!" she said in a hiss so the boys wouldn't hear. "And they explained some stuff, and it really helped! If I'm lucky I'll have the guts to tell Colin before next year."

"Good for you, flower." I said, still scanning the map, "Ugh, I give up. Harry, try and find him, would you?"

Harry nodded, and started scanning through the map.