The air in the castle was stifling, thick with fear and anticipation. The whispers of students ricocheted off the stone walls, a cacophony of anxiety that only amplified the dread knotting my stomach. I had done everything I could—helped in secret, sent the letter to Harry and Ron, and distracted Draco with fabricated orders from Father. And yet, here I was, pacing the dim corridors of Hogwarts, knowing that they had gone into the Chamber of Secrets. Knowing that they might never come back.
I needed to think, to breathe. I slipped out of the Slytherin common room unnoticed and made my way to the library, the one place in the castle where I could find solitude. The hallways were deserted, the distant hum of muffled voices barely audible through the heavy silence. Shadows flickered against the walls, cast by the dim torches that struggled to hold back the oppressive gloom.
The library was a sanctuary, its familiar scent of parchment and ink wrapping around me like a protective cloak. I wandered through the aisles, my fingers grazing the spines of ancient tomes, looking for... something. A distraction, perhaps. Or answers. Anything to stop the spiraling thoughts in my mind.
I found a small table tucked away in a quiet corner, pulled out a chair, and sat down heavily. My hands trembled as I opened a random book, but the words blurred on the page. My thoughts were elsewhere, trapped in the maze of emotions I couldn't seem to untangle.
Draco. The thought of my twin sent a pang through my chest. I leaned back in the chair, staring up at the vaulted ceiling. How had we come to this? How had Draco, the boy I'd grown up with, the boy who used to chase me around the gardens at Malfoy Manor, become someone who could align himself with the Heir of Slytherin? With the very monster that had stolen Ginny Weasley?
I closed my eyes, letting the memories come.
We were eight, maybe nine, and the summer sun blazed over the perfectly manicured grounds of the Manor. Draco had stolen Father's wand—again—and was waving it around like a sword.
"Celeste, look!" he called, his silver-blond hair glinting in the sunlight. "I'm going to be the best duelist in the world!"
"Not if I beat you first," I shot back, grabbing a branch from the ground and holding it like a wand.
We'd spent hours dueling that day, both of us laughing so hard that we could barely hold our makeshift weapons. Mother eventually found us, scolded us for our improper behavior, but even she couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at her lips.
Draco had been my partner in everything. My twin. My other half.
It was Christmas, years ago. I must have been six or seven, sitting cross-legged on the cold marble floor of the grand drawing room. Snow fell softly outside the towering windows, blanketing the grounds in pristine white. The fire crackled, casting warm light over the glittering ornaments of the towering Christmas tree.
Draco and I had spent the morning racing around the room, tearing open presents. Father sat in his armchair, an imperious smile on his face, while Mother hovered nearby, reminding us to thank the house-elves for their perfectly wrapped gifts.
"This one's mine!" Draco had announced, snatching a rectangular package from under the tree. He tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a gleaming toy broomstick.
"Be careful with that, Draco," Mother warned, but her tone was gentle.
He ignored her, hopping on and zooming around the room with a triumphant laugh. I clapped my hands in delight, secretly wishing I'd gotten the same gift.
YOU ARE READING
human again / hp.
Fanfiction"I already forgave you, so why can't you forgive yourself?" She's a Malfoy. He's a Potter. Celeste Malfoy has always walked a fine line between the world she was born into and the one she chose for herself. At Hogwarts, nothing is simple. Not friend...
