When Aven Selwyn is tasked to work with Draco Malfoy in repairing the vanishing cabinet by the hand of Lord Voldemort, the last thing she expected was for Draco's best friend to become involved. Caring for someone isn't something on Aven's agenda, b...
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(ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ: ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ ᴊᴇᴡᴇʟʀʏ)
Although it was only the ripe days of November, the month having just begun, snow began to fall, white pillows blanketing the grass until no sight of green was found. It hung in the trees and covered the flowers, causing the air to smell like rain and roses.
It was the first Hogsmeade trip of the year, and Aven had forced herself to attend. It appeared suspicious every night when she failed to return to the common room unless it was late hours in the morning. Even more suspicious when she skipped school events and meals, therefore she'd decided to go into town, shop a bit, and hurry back to the castle.
Oddly enough, Headmaster Dumbledore was not at Hogwarts. Aven assumed the staff knew where he'd gone, but not a single student have been made aware of his absence until recently, and Aven couldn't help but be curious as to find what had preoccupied him to leave Hogwarts for weeks on end.
Tightening her scarf around her neck for any ounce of warmth she could gather, he pocketed her wand and made her way downstairs. Draco had been even more unpleasant recently, the bags beneath his eyes growing far more prominent on his nearly translucent skin. He'd snap at Aven for even just opening her mouth, therefore she'd been avoiding him, tending to the cabinet at times she knew he wouldn't be in the room of requirements.
A few tag-alongs waited in the common room for their friends and dates to gather them for the Hogsmeade trip, and some sat on the couches, having been refused permission from their parents due to rumors and attacks.
Pansy had already left with Blaise, Theo, and Adrian. She claimed she was unable to come across Draco anywhere so she'd given up on asking him, and Aven had declined her offer to spend the day with them.
Aven was growing cosy with he Slytherin bunch far too quickly, and she feared for the outcome if The Dark Lord was to use them against her. She'd admit that she'd surprisingly had a decent time at the Halloween Party, other than when she'd been flamed by Daphne Greengrass, but it wasn't worth the risk to form new friendships, no matter how involved their parents where with Voldemort.
Just saying his name sent a shiver down Aven's spine, and the word seemed to echo relentlessly in her mind, strumming down to shake her bones.
Aven wrapped her jumper tighter around her frame as she stepped outside into the cold weather, although the stinging pain she cold provided was welcoming. It made her feel almost as awake as firewhiskey and a warm hug did.
Her shoes crunched in the snow, leaving footprints in her wake as she approached one of the last empty carts that would take the students to Hogsmeade.
She mentally begged that she wasn't stuck with someone she couldn't stand in the carriage- and as soon as she pulled open the door, she'd realized that she should've begged harder.
