PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟕. Control

The Owlery was empty when Valentine arrived. She'd written up the letter the night before. She was certain Haley would get the shock of her life when she received it and felt a pang of guilt. Even when she wasn't around she would still be causing the girl trouble and trouble from her was trouble to be feared. But she didn't see what other choice she had.

If Snape couldn't be caught buying wares on the shady side of the market then Dumbledore certainly couldn't be. And Valentine definitely couldn't ask Narcissa and would never ask Lucius. If worst came to worst, Valentine could retrieve it herself but that would most likely mean sneaking off the school grounds and getting to London which was a whole fiasco she would much rather avoid. 

As she held out the envelope to Darcy, she made a mental note to largely ignore Haley when she was back at Malfoy Manor next. It hardly made up for anything, but temporarily halting her torment was everything Valentine could do.

"Take this to Malfoy Manor, to Haley specifically. No one else can get their hands on this." She told the owl.

Darcy blinked slowly as if in understanding before stretching out his wide wingspan. He was such a large bird that he had claimed the perch in the centre of the Owlery Tower all to himself. He wouldn't have fit in the cubbies along the walls like the others and no other owl was about to challenge him for it.

Valentine ducked down out of the way just in time for Darcy to clear her and then even more narrowly clear the doorway.

She knew this was serious business. Her life was at stake here and as it was, regarding the only other known victims of her particular affliction, it was likely enough that she could end up like them. The research in this area was so thin, there wasn't anything even hinting that these people had attempted to cure themselves, though Valentine thought that it seemed odd that they wouldn't. What if they had? What if Snape was following the same path as they had with his breakthroughs and this cure was damned to ineffectiveness? All these questions to ponder but Valentine felt no worry or urgency. She supposed she probably should have, most people understandably fret when their life is on the line, but in all honesty, she didn't have time to fret over herself. Harry was being forced to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. That's all that was occupying her mind these days. Her possible death was hardly an afterthought until Dumbledore would prompt her to bring something up to Snape.

Is that normal? Hmm. Probably not.

She simply shrugged to herself and shoved her hands in her coat pocket. She wasn't going to waste time and energy over worrying about how worried she wasn't. 

She headed down the stone steps from the Owlery and started around the corner, not expecting anyone to be near. That's why she was surprised to almost collide right into Meriton's chin.

"Watch where you're going, idiot." She hissed and took a large step away from him as if he'd burned her.

"I'm sorry!" He exclaimed, jumping back himself. He eyed her in lightly veiled fear. "It was my fault."

"It sure as hell was." She spat and moved to walk around him and keep going. Meriton was a nice boy and she had no reason to torment him when she could make a quick and unquestioned exit. 

That's why she was doubly surprised when he called out to her before she'd gotten ten steps away.

"Le-Lestrange?"

She turned slowly to him with an arched brow.

"Hasani?"

"Ah." He stared at her through long blond bangs like he hadn't expected her to answer. "I-I..."