Bound by secrets

Chapter 17

The week before Halloween break was a blur of tension. It hung in the air, thick and stifling, as my friends and I sat in the Slytherin common room. Everyone was chattering excitedly about their plans, but I could feel the subtle glances thrown my way.

"You're not going home, right?" Pansy asked, her brow furrowed as she sipped from her mug, eyes flicking between me and the others.

"No," I replied quietly, staring into the fire. "I can't."

"Good," Theo chimed in, his voice firm. "It's not safe. With everything going on, there's no way we're letting you anywhere near your father."

I gave him a weak smile, appreciating the concern, but the knot in my stomach twisted. I didn't even know where I would go. The thought of being alone while they all left for break left me uneasy.

Before I could respond, the common room door creaked open, and Snape entered, his presence immediately silencing the room. His eyes scanned over the group before settling on Draco and me.

"Malfoy, Astore," he said in his usual clipped tone. "Come with me. Dumbledore wishes to speak with you."

Draco and I exchanged a confused glance, but we didn't question it. We stood up and followed Snape out of the common room, the curiosity of our friends palpable as we left. The walk to Dumbledore's office felt longer than usual, the silence between us heavy. Draco's brow was furrowed, and I could tell he was trying to figure out why we were being summoned.

When we reached Dumbledore's office, Snape gave a curt nod and left us at the door. We stepped inside to find the headmaster seated behind his desk, his piercing blue eyes twinkling despite the gravity of the situation.

"Ah, Y/N, Draco," Dumbledore greeted, gesturing for us to sit. "Thank you for coming."

Draco sat beside me, still looking puzzled. "Professor, why am I here?"

Dumbledore smiled gently. "We'll get to that. But first, Y/N, I wanted to discuss your father."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of him, and I sat up straighter. "What about him?"

"We know of his involvement in recent events," Dumbledore said softly, his voice laced with concern. "His connections run deep, and I have reason to believe he may be planning something during this break."

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. "So, what do I do?"

"I've taken precautions," he reassured me. "I've fabricated a reason for your absence so that you will not have to return home. But there's more. We've been trying to contact your mother."

The words hit me like a brick. "My mother?" I echoed, stunned. I hadn't heard from her in years, and now, suddenly, she was being mentioned?

"Yes," Dumbledore said gently. "We've been attempting to locate her, but for a long time, we were unable to reach her. However, a couple of weeks ago, something changed. We're still not sure what it means, but it's unusual."

The sadness that welled up inside me was unexpected. I hadn't realized how much it hurt to think about her, about how she'd left me behind. "I didn't know you were trying to find her," I admitted quietly.

"We believe something may be amiss," he continued. "We will continue to search for her, but in the meantime, you won't be left alone."

I frowned, glancing at Draco, who still seemed confused. "What do you mean?"

Dumbledore's smile returned, but it was softer this time. "Narcissa Malfoy has graciously agreed to look after both of you during the break. You'll stay with her at Malfoy Manor. Lucius will be away on business, so you needn't worry about that."