| Girl on Fire |

83

VERONICA MALFOY

The second the doors slammed shut, we were trapped. Allison began to pace. Draco punched a wall. Blaise started talking. Theo and Enzo were quiet and sitting. And me, I just stood there. I was frozen, numb. He killed her. My mother. She was dead and it was his fault. I lost them both.

I heard the gate door rattle and we all turned around. It was Mattheo. "Get the fuck out of here!" Draco screamed. He looked at me with sorrow. "Please Veronica, please let me explain. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just wanted to protect you." he said. "By murdering my mother in cold blood?" I yelled. "I had no choice," he said. "No. Don't pull that bullshit. You've changed." I said. His face fell. "What?" he asked. "You lied to me about who you picked, you kept my task a secret, you murdered those men..." I said. "Everything I do, I do for you!" he yelled. I shook my head. "Maybe. But I saw something. When you killed those death eaters. I saw the look on your fathers face and then I saw the look on your face. He was proud and you liked that." I said. "I don't- you- I did that for you." he said. "I didn't ask you to kill them. I would never want you to do that. We both know what killing someone does to a person. I don't want that for you, ever." I said. "I just wanted to keep you safe. Like I always do. That's why I marked you. You, not anyone else. I marked you." he said. "I never asked for that either." I exclaimed. "You didn't have to! You wanted power and I'm the one who can give it to you. Me!" he yelled. "That's not what this is. This isn't about us doing it together. Not anymore." I said. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "Blind loyalty. That's what this is. You tell me what to do and I do it. Because I trust you even though I really shouldn't. You lie and you keep secrets and then you manipulate me into believing it's for my own good." I said. "I will do whatever I deem necessary to keep us safe." he said. "That's the problem. You aren't God, Mattheo. You don't decide who lives and who dies." I said. "Veronica, I love you." he said. I nodded. "I know you do. But you love yourself more. You want your fathers power and you know you can have it someday. But not with me. The second I become a threat to that, you'll kill me just like you did with my mother." I said. "That's not true," he said. "Really? It wouldn't be the first time you betrayed me." I snapped. "Your mother made me promise to protect you. No matter what it took. Even if it meant risking her own life. She made me promise to keep you safe. And that's what I did." he said. "Narcissa would never do that. She wouldn't let you kill her." Blaise said. Then I remembered...

"Tell me what he said." I said to him, "Who?" he asked. "Your father. He asked if you remembered what he told you before you both showed up. What was it?" I asked. His face paled and he froze. "Mattheo, tell me." he said. "I can't." he said. "Don't. Don't you do that. Don't you keep secrets after what you just did. You tell me and you tell me right now. "I can't," he repeated. Then he turned to leave. "No! Don't leave me! Don't you dare leave me!" I screamed. I threw myself against the door as tears streamed down my cheeks. "Don't leave me. You promised you wouldn't leave me" I said. He started to walk away and I couldn't breathe. "No! You don't get to do this. You don't get to leave me. Mattheo!" I screamed. I pounded on the door and tried to open it. "Mattheo, stop!" I yelled. He stopped in his tracks. "I wish that you had thought this through before you made me fall in love with you." I said quietly. "I'm sorry." he whispered. Then he disappeared. Gone.

I fell to my knees as sobs wracked my body. I couldn't breathe and I felt the walls closing in. I lost my mother, I lost Mattheo. I've lost myself. This war has barely even begun and I'm already broken.

DRACO MALFOY

I watched my sister's body clinging to the door, trying to reach Mattheo. "You promised" she said as her voice cracked. He looked at her sadly. "I shouldn't have," he said. Then he was gone. That's when I knew... it was real. That myth, was true.

Veronica and I were once asked if we could feel each other's pain. Apparently, in the wizarding world, it's a highly controversial topic. Some believe that the twin connection is so strong, we can actually feel each other's physical and emotional pain. I never believed it because I had never felt it before. For example, when I broke my hands, Veronica wasn't in pain. Or when she twisted her ankle, I was fine. But now I believe it. Now, I know, it's real.

I believe it because right now, I can fully feel the heart wrenching, soul breaking, body aching pain she is in. I don't know why I'm just feeling her pain now, but I am. And it's awful. She dropped to her knees and cried. She was sobbing as I walked towards her. I looked at Allison and she nodded. Before I could hug my sister, she let out the most heartbreaking scream. It shook the room, the lights went out, and the glass shattered. Everyone dropped down and covered their heads. She must have lost control of her magic. I approached her slowly and sat down next to her. I gently took her hand and pulled her into my arms. "I know," I whispered. Her tears soaked my shirt and my eyes began to water. Our mother was gone. And now my sister just lost the one person she believed in. He killed our mother and he killed my sister's spirit.

One day, I'll kill him.