NO MORE A PRETENDER~ {The Lestrange Daughter #3}

𝟐𝟒. Remainders

Draco hadn't taken the news of Valentine staying at Hogwarts for the Christmas holiday well. It had taken her half an hour to calm him down and then another hour to convince him not to stay as well. She reasoned that someone had to go to keep Narcissa company or they would never hear the end of it and since Valentine insisted that she was staying not only to avoid the other Lestrange's but to be ready if Harry and his friends tried to sneak into the school while most everyone was away. This was only partly true. While she did want to keep her distance from Bellatrix, Rabastan and Rodolpus, she seriously doubted Harry would be breaking into the school anytime soon. What she couldn't say was that she didn't like the idea of leaving behind any of the other students who were staying, as the Carrow's would also be remaining. 

While Draco was far from happy about this, once she had explained everything the initial panic wore off and he handled it better than she expected. He was only going to the Zambini's with everyone else, after all. 

Valentine wasn't all too eager to leave him alone herself but made sure to remind Liam to watch the other boy like a hawk and report back to her with anything he found concerning. She knew she could trust Liam to use his brain unlike the other two who were just barely holding each other together through all of this. 

It wasn't until she was seeing everyone off at the station that she found out one of the few students remaining would be Benjamin Heady himself. 

"Why are you staying?" Leah frowned at him.

"Did your mother burn the house down again?" Asked Blaze.

"No, no, nothing like that." Benjamin waved them off with a laugh. "They're actually in New Zealand right now." 

"New Zealand!" Leah's brows shot up. "You mean with the Kiwi things and everything?"

"They're flightless birds." Said Liam helpfully.

"That's the place," Benjamin confirmed. "My dad's family is actually from there and we were supposed to go together but then there was some kind of emergency. Apparently, my Auntie Rhonda ran over my second cousin's dog by accident and his dad- my first cousin- tried to fight Auntie Rhonda, and then Auntie Rhonda's boyfriend Vince tried to fight my first cousin on her behalf but then my Great Uncle Francis got involved and he has this thing about explosives and yeah. Mum and dad said I was probably safer here at school."

"...I think they may be right." Said Blaze. 

"That poor puppy." Leah was almost on the verge of tears.

"Oh, don't worry," Benjamin told her quickly. "The dog is still alive. He's a Great Dane and way bigger than Auntie Rhonda's unicycle so he wasn't really hurt too badly."

"Okay, I know I have no room to talk, but your family is freaking weird." Said Blaze. 

"Are you sure they're related to your dad's side and not your mums?" Draco murmured. 

Valentine hadn't been expected many students to stay and hadn't even considered that Benjamin would be one of them. She would have been more than happy to be the only student left altogether. 

"Val is staying as well so you can keep each other company." Said Leah.

"...Oh?" Benjamin blinked owlishly. "She's not leaving with you guys? Really?"

Valentine near laughed at loud as he tried to stand as casual as possible, shoving his hands in his pockets before realising his pants didn't have any.

How is he this bad of a liar? And why even hide that he knew I would be here for Christmas? Please, please, do not be another murder attempt. I am so tired.