𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓖𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 || 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲

Chapter 27 - Doubt

            Pop!

            The house elf and the governess swirled into existence in a frosty cobblestone courtyard.

            Ophelia released the small creatures frail calloused hand, looking around she took in the sights of the Greengrass estate. It wasn't quite how she had imagined it. She had heard of the family's fortune, of their sprawling estate, but she pictured it to be more... grand.

            A rocky ancient manor stood proudly against the overcast sky, the house towering above them. It resembled a castle more than a house, with a tall rounded tower, and weathered ancient stone walls tangled in dark angry vines. Gothic stone carvings cut into the stone around the stained-glass windows and the large oak door. Snarling stone gargoyles guarded each side of the magnificent entrance, each one as ugly as they were fearsome. The courtyard was lined with ghostly grey naked trees creaked in the winter wind, their snow topped branches swaying slightly.

            Not a sound pierced the cold winter air.

            "This is the place? This is the Greengrass house?" Ophelia asked in a whisper, her breath a haze of white fog in front of her chilled face.

            "Yes Miss, Dobby has brought Miss to Greengrass house." The elf almost whimpered.

            Ophelia eyed the large oak door, the iron rivets that sat upon its wooden surface, the great big skull shaped door knocker that looked as if it was staring down at the young governess.

            The door hung slightly ajar, swinging slowly in the wind with a high-pitched creak.

            Ophelia took a deep breath, swallowed a gulp, and approached the door.

            All she could hear was her heartbeat in her ears.

            And the sound of the little elves soft footsteps beside her.

            "Go home Dobby." Ophelia breathed as she reached out a hand to grasp the large iron ring shaped handle.

            "Dobby will follow and help Miss Oakham," The elf protested softly as he tried to take a peek through the open crack.

            "It's okay Dobby, I'll be fine, I don't want Lucius to be mad at you for bringing me, go back to Malfoy Manor." Ophelia gulped as she glanced to the large doe eyes that stared up at her. The elf hesitated, opening his mouth as if he had something to say, and then closed it again. Eventually he said:

            "Dobby will stay and wait for Miss Oakham to come back out; Dobby will take Miss Oakham home when she has done." The elf was quite insistent in his tone.

            "Deal." Ophelia nodded, and with one last deep breath she grasped the frozen iron handle and heaved the door open just far enough to slip inside.

***

            "Lucius?" Ophelia whispered as she tiptoed quietly along the black marble tiles. A large winding staircase carved in stone enveloped the room, which was also tiled in black and grey on it's tall walls, but it was all eclipsed by the large ornate black chandelier that hung low over the entrance hall space. It must have had over two hundred candles set upon its ebony arms, but none of them were lit, it just hung there, eerily swaying lightly in the cold draught that floated through the giant house.

            Ophelia had thought Malfoy Manor was cold, eerie, but this house topped it completely. The air was stagnant, thick with bad omens. Suits of black dull armour stood about the room threateningly, various weapons in their iron gloved hands.