Inferno | Draco Malfoy

105 | Reunited

A few hours earlier, the atmosphere had been charged with tension as urgent shouts reverberated throughout Malfoy Manor, creating a cacophony of disorder and aggression as all the Death Eaters and those loyal to the Dark Lord hastily left at his behest. Draco had informed me before he left that the Dark Lord had launched an assault on Hogwarts, spurred by the critical revelation of Harry Potter's presence within the castle. In stark contrast, however, I had been ordered to stay behind at Malfoy Manor, utterly alone.

One might argue that the Dark Lord's decision to leave me unattended in the manor reflects a grave lack of judgement; nonetheless, it is pertinent to note that he had snapped my wand in half mere moments before his departure, rendering me powerless and vulnerable, for I had implored him, with a desperation that bordered on pleading, to allow me to join the fray at the school, with the hidden intention to be alongside Draco.

Yet, he resolutely denied my request, dismissing me with a wave of his hand and ordering Pettigrew to take me to the wretched cold cellar, a brutal place that reeked of dampness and despair, with my hands bound in chains tightly to the wall.

To exacerbate my isolation, the manor feels like a tomb, stripped of vitality, for not a single person, not even a house-elf, is present, which only makes the silence feel stifling. I am left alone with nothing but my thoughts that plague me with imagined sounds of the battle and the pervasive sense of loneliness that threatens to engulf me.

All I can hope for is that Draco and all my friends are safe; the mere thought of harm befalling them is intolerable. Furthermore, I hold onto the hope that the Dark Lord will be defeated, because perhaps then, I will be able to reunite with my family once more since I remain uncertain about their and Camden's situation, for he has not replied to the letter I asked Draco to compose.

As I sit in quietude on the cold, unforgiving floor of the cellar, the rhythmic tapping of my shoes against the surface creates a hollow echo that echoes through the dim space. Each tap is a small act of defiance, a way to assert my presence in a place that feels designed to shut my presence from the world around me. The chill of the stone beneath me seeps into my bones, a constant reminder of my fucked-up situation; especially seeing as I have resigned myself to the futility of escaping this dark prison; the key, I know, is nowhere within my reach, for it is with the Dark Lord himself.

My previous experience in this dismal cellar has taught me a harsh lesson: escape is an impossibility here. The heavy door, reinforced and locked, stands as a reminder of my captivity. My wrists, firmly shackled to the wall with chains, severely restrict my movements, rendering me helpless. I can only shift my weight slightly, a vain endeavour to attain even a modicum of comfort in this uncomfortable position.

As I sit there, I can only surmise that it is the early hours of May 2nd, as the recollection of their departure remains vivid in my thoughts; they took their leave late yesterday. Now, as I strain my eyes, I can perceive a subtle light flowing into the manor from above me. This light weaves through the bars of the cellar door, casting long shadows that stretch across the cellar walls, taunting me with the promise of the world beyond, and the outcomes of today.

The length of my confinement in the cellar so far remains uncertain, a blur of time that has entirely lost its significance; I am painfully conscious of having slept, although the rest I managed to obtain was intermittent and marred by disturbing dreams. Now, a sense of discomfort is beginning to set in, infiltrating my limbs like a slow poison as the chains press against my wrists, while the frigid air bites at my skin, heightening my awareness of my own vulnerability, that is I hear footsteps running into the manor.

"ADRIA!"

I gasp, my breath catching as I spring to my feet, attempting to flee, only to be thwarted by the chains binding me. "CAMDEN!"