The Noctis Codex | DRARRY

THIRTY-FIVE

The Great Hall was loud, filled with the usual murmur of conversation, but today the whispers seemed sharper, directed. Every head turned as Harry entered, trailing a silence behind him that felt thick as fog. Harry was used to the stares—had lived under them, actually, all his life. He knew what it was to be scrutinized, to be looked at with admiration, distrust, even hatred. He'd learned to brush it off, let the noise roll past him without it reaching the parts that mattered.

But today wasn't about him. Today, the weight of every gaze was on Draco, whose usual cold sneer faltered slightly as they moved toward their seats. Draped in scarves to cover the marks crawling up their jaws, both boys looked tense and on edge. But even their attempts to hide the dark stains of the curse didn't work. The marks seemed determined to make themselves known, pressing past the scarves and crawling along their faces.

Harry glanced at Draco, who set his jaw and cast his eyes ahead, refusing to meet the crowd's stares. He knew Draco hated it—being the center of attention for something he didn't control, didn't choose. The Gryffindor could see the ripple of frustration simmering beneath his calm facade, each unwanted look like a spark edging closer. All through dinner, the blond kept his eyes locked on his plate, his movements tense and mechanical.

When they finished eating and started their way out, McGonagall appeared at their side, her expression both stern and weary. "Mr. Potter. Mr. Malfoy," she began, her voice low but firm. "If you'd both come with me, please." She looked at Draco, a slight frown etched on her face. "And Mr. Malfoy, I'll need to deduct thirty points from Slytherin and Ravenclaw for that recent altercation." She didn't need to say more; the knowing glint in her eye made it clear she was well aware of what had happened. "I see everything in this castle, Mr. Malfoy," she added with a raised brow. Draco only rolled his eyes, though Harry could sense the irritation buzzing beneath the surface.

They followed her down a dim corridor to her office. Once they were seated, she brought out a small, ancient-looking wooden box, setting it carefully on her desk. Her hands lingered over it for a moment, as if to underscore its significance.

"I took the liberty of searching through the archives for information on your ancestors," she explained, her tone more somber now. "It seems that one family left a trail here at Hogwarts, and I found the name of Evelina Potter, who studied here shortly after the school was founded. As it happens, there was a tradition back then—students would leave a small box of mementos behind upon graduation, a piece of themselves to remain forever within the walls of Hogwarts. Ordinarily, these are sealed, never to be opened."

Her gaze softened, lingering on the boys with an almost maternal concern. "But considering the circumstances..." She trailed off, letting her silence finish the sentence.

Harry felt a chill run through him as he looked at the box. It was small, made of dark, aged wood, its surface worn with age but faintly carved with infinite patterns. Whatever lay inside had been untouched for centuries, lost to the world—until now. Harry reached for it, glancing at the other, whose face was carefully blank, but his eyes held a tension Harry recognized. He pushed open the lid, feeling the weight of years settle around them.

Inside was a thin, folded sheet of paper and a necklace, its chain tarnished, pendant rusted with age. The necklace was beautiful, delicate despite its worn appearance, and in another time, Harry might have thought it fit for a noble. But he knew from their shared vision that Evelina had lived in poverty. She must have received it from someone—someone with wealth, someone who had loved her.

"Evelina Potter," Harry murmured, his gaze moving to the delicate necklace, imagining the hands that had once clasped it around her neck. He wondered if it had been that Malfoy who had given it to her, the Malfoy whose ghostly image still haunted him.