|In The Dark|

68

Drop It

DRACO MALFOY

When I opened the package, I felt sick. The necklace sat there, wrapped in paper. The letter reminded me not to touch it. If I did, I would die. That's the point. I grabbed my coat and tucked the package in my bag. Then I left. As I walked from the castle to Hogsmeade, it snowed. I used to love the snow. It meant it was winter. And I love winter. My heart was racing and my stomach was in knots. I arrived at The Three Broomsticks and went inside. It was warm and it smelled like butterbeer. Students sat in booths talking and having fun. I scanned the room, trying to pick someone. There were Gryffindors, Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. None of these kids deserved to be an accomplice to murder. "Draco?" I turned around and Anna was here. Fuck. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "I was just leaving-" I started. Her face faltered. "Are you sure? You can join me and-" she started. "No." I said sharply. She stared at me. Then her eyes glanced down at my bag. "What's that?" she asked, reaching for the package. I pulled it away and stepped back. "Leave Anna." I said, my voice low and dark. She looked confused.. "Draco, what's going on? You look- you look scared." she said. I saw a young Gryffindor named Katie Bell headed for the toilets and I knew I had to act now. "Just leave me alone!" I snapped. Then I stormed off and followed Katie.

ANNABELLE LUPIN-BLACK

I stared at Draco, dumbfounded, as he stormed off. Something was wrong. He looked wrecked. I sat back down at our table and Harry looked at me. "What did Malfoy want?" he asked. I shrugged. "He was just stopping by." I said. He nodded suspiciously. Harry, Ron and Hermione continued to discuss Slughorn and I scanned the restaurant for Draco. But I couldn't see him anywhere. "We should get going. Dinner is soon." Ron said. We all nodded and started to walk back to the castle. We talked about classes and friends and everything going on. Then I heard a scream. We followed the screams and we ran down the path. A younger girl named Leanne stood there and there was a body on the ground. "I warned her. I warned her not to touch it!" she exclaimed. Just then, the body flew into the air and I watched in horror. "Oh my-" I started. Then it hit the ground with a sickening thud. That's when I noticed it. The package. A necklace wrapped in brown paper on the ground. The same paper in Draco's bag. Did he- no. he couldn't have. When we got back to the castle, Leanne explained what happened to McGonagall. She said Katie told her she had to deliver it. "To Professor Dumbledore." she said. My stomach lurched. It was Draco. "Why is it when something happens it is always you 4?" she asked. "Believe me, Professor. I've been asking myself the same question for 6 years." Ron said. Just then, Snape walked in. He examined the necklace. Harry knew she was cursed. We all knew. "It was Malfoy." Harry said. I looked at him sharply. "That is a very serious accusation, Mr. Potter." McGonagall said. I glanced at Snape and he avoided my eyes. "I just know." Harry said. "You just know..." Snape began. I couldn't focus. I felt sick. I had to find Draco. Then we were dismissed. The second we got into the hall, I shoved Harry back. "What was that?!" I yelled. "You don't understand, Anna. Malfoy's up to something. I know it." he said. "He's my friend." I said. Ron scoffed. "You didn't see what we saw. He was at Borgin & Burkes. At the beginning of the year." he said. My face paled. "So what?" I asked. "He did this. I don't know why but he did." Harry said. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. "He didn't do anything." I snapped. "Why are you protecting him? If he did this-" he started. "He saved my life!" I yelled. Their faces dropped. "Drop this, whatever theories or ideas about him you have. Drop it. I mean it." I said. "Anna-" he started. "If you don't trust him, at least trust me." I said. Then I walked off. I ran all the way back to Slytherin and banged on Draco's dorm. "Draco!" I yelled. It was quiet. I dug through my bag and pulled out the map. It said he was in his dorm. "Alohomora." I said. I unlocked the door and went in. When I stepped inside, I froze. Draco was sitting on the floor, leaning against his bed. He had a small knife in his hand and he was holding it above his dark mark. Blood pooled beneath his other wrist. "Draco!" I yelled. I ran over and dropped to my knees next to him. The tip of the knife was resting on his skin and tears streamed down his cheeks. "Draco, give me the knife." I said. He shook his head. "Draco, please. Please, just give it to me." I begged. "Go away." he mumbled. "We have a deal. You promised." I said. He looked at me as more tears fell to his cheeks. "I killed her. She was innocent and I killed her." he said. "Who? Katie?" I asked. He nodded. "No, she's alive. She's alive, I swear." I said. He looked up at me. "Please, give me the knife." I said. "I'm sorry, Anna." he whispered. He dug the tip of the blade into the top of his wrist and blood started to seep from it. "No!" I yelled. I grabbed his hand and tried to pull the knife away. He grabbed it back and we wrestled over it. "Draco, stop!" I yelled. He shoved me away and reached for the knife. "Draco, enough!" Theo yelled as he ran in. He tackled Draco to the ground and straddled his waist, pinning his arms down. "Take it." Theo said, handing me the knife. I grabbed it and threw it out the window. "No! Give it back! No, no, no!" Draco screamed as he sobbed. He thrashed and fought but Theo held firm. I just watched in horror.