PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟑𝟗. Marble

There was a chill in the air as Valentine stepped out onto the platform with Leah and Blaze, they shivered and tucked their hands into their pockets but Valentine hardly reacted at all.

There was still no Hagrid to greet the students as they gathered on the platform and headed to the carriages, instead there was Snape and Burbage was ushering them in the right direction.

"Get rid of those immediately." Snape towered over a small boy with a bag of candy. "You should well know by now that they have been banned by educational decree."

"But...but what do I do with them?"

"That's no concern of mine, just be rid of them and get out of my sight."

Valentine's eyes narrowed and she stalked towards the Professor.

"What, really? Already?" Blaze stared after her but she wasn't listening.

"I never took you as a stickler for Umbridge's bullshit rules, sir."

"Lestrange." Snape's eyes darkened when he saw her coming. "This is none of your business."

"Well, seeing as I'm the only one around here with the guts to tell that woman where she can shove it, it's very much my business."

"Oh, do not even try that. Your personal vendettas mean nothing to me!"

The poor boy stood between them, clutching the bag of candy and near ready to beg for his life.

"What is going on here?" Professor Burbage sighed, coming to Snape's side. "The new term has barely begun."

"This boy is trying to bring contraband into the school." Snape pointed accusingly like a child dobbing on their sibling.

"Oh, dear. Come on, Mr Gorley, hand them over." Professor Burbage held out a hand. "They'll cause you more trouble than it's worth, trust me."

The boy begrudgingly did so, looking longingly at the bag.

"Alright, now to the carriage children." Burbage motioned them on. "Wouldn't want to be late for dinner."

"First I have something to discuss with Miss Lestrange." Snape grabbed her arm so she couldn't leave.

"Excuse me?" Valentine bristled, trying to shake him off.

"Very well." Burbage looked as though she was fighting the urge to roll her eyes as she ushered Leah and Blaze along.

"We'll wait for you!" Leah called back with all the drama of a heartbroken wife wishing her husband off to sea.

Valentine growled and yanked her arm back especially hard, ripping it from Snape's grasp.

"What the hell do you want?"

Snape glanced around at the now-empty platform and replied.

"Tonight. Dumbledore's office, after midnight."

-----Pretending To Live-----

"Greetings." Valentine said as she shouldered the door open.

"Good evening, my dear." Dumbledore simply inclined his head to her, wearing a ghost of a smile.

"I assume everything is fine on Potter's end?" She sat in her chair, straight and not touching, not touching the backrest, now something of a habit. "I saw Harry at the feast and he didn't seem overly tormented all things considered. Any news on these dreams of his?"

"Harry has returned to Hogwarts completely unarmed but as for the dreams he has yet to tell me anything of them." Said Dumbledore. "Severus will continue to work with him in hopes of blocking Voldemort out of his mind."