PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟑𝟖. Photographs

Valentine stared down at the stream of water that fell straight into the bottomless cavern below. She could hear the water trickling but never the sound of it hitting more water or even something solid. What was at the bottom of The Falls was a mystery, to be sure.

She wasn't entirely sure why she was compelled to come out here today. She hadn't been back in so long. In fact, she hadn't returned since the day she was startled by a rodent, smacked her skull against the ice and started a whole new problem for herself. That was the year, the only year that she knew of, when The Falls had frozen over.

The water had turned into a tower of ice falling from the tall cliff face behind it. No matter how cold it had ever been, since or before, it had never frozen over.

Why the hell am I even out here? Voldemort's back and if my uncle knows anything about it, I need to find out. My next step should be looking for information.

Valentine turned on her heel to leave and but suddenly faced Draco, standing in the tree line looking back at her. The cold air around them seemed to thicken with tension.

"It's, ah..." Draco swallowed. "...it's been a long time since we were out here. Mother will probably skin us alive if she finds out."

"Us?" She scoffed. "I didn't think there was 'us' anymore."

"How long is this going to last?" He frowned, brows knitting together.

"I think that's for you to decide."

"But- but we don't even know what's going to happen yet." Draco insisted. "If you just keep your head down a little then Liam and the others should be able to put in a good word for you. No more detentions. She won't hurt you anymore. And...and if it doesn't help then we'll stop. But first, we need to at least try."

Valentine would never have admitted, even to herself how it angered her sometimes. She was certain she'd never hated another person as much as she did Umbridge. She was foul and brutal to the very core and yet her cousin and friend were trying to get into her good graces. But it was even more than that. Valentine doubted that it was all just to help her, even if that was their top priority. She knew they wanted the power to push the students around and use their new positions as a shield. She knew it would be an attractive offer to them. She knew that they'd side with almost anyone willing to go up against Harry. Even if she and Umbridge weren't at such odds, it was possible that Draco and Liam still would have joined the Inquisitorial Squad.

"Do you think this is pain, cousin?" Valentine held her scarred hand up for him to see.

"...What kind of question is that?" He asked, confused.

"I would rather lose my entire arm than let that woman think I'd ever kneel to her."

"Doesn't it bother you?" Draco hissed, defeated and helpless at her words. "The way she's treated you? Don't you want that to stop?"

Valentine's insides clenched. She hated that look on his face. Anxious and powerless to do anything.

"Umbridge is a passtime. A distraction. She's good for some full-bodied torment from time to time." Valentine stepped towards Draco, eyes shimmering brightly. "But more important things are to come, Draco. We both know that Potter isn't lying. The Dark Lord is back."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything." Valentine moved closer still until she was only inches away from him. "It's closer than ever before now. He will usher in a new age and we need to be ready to serve him and the rightful cause."

"So, you're just using Umbridge to keep busy until then?" Draco seemed more confused than ever before.

"Somewhat." She shrugged nonchalantly, turning away from him.