Cindy Potter: Book One (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter 28

"Silence!" - Severus Snape

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I stood outside father's classroom, hand held up to knock, and slowly lowered it on hesitation. I knew he was furious. He hadn't spoken a single word to me since the dungeon, three days previous. In class he made sure to pick on Harry more, effectively ignoring me, refusing to even glance at me. It had gotten to the point where I'd even considered asking Professor Dumbledore to let me stay with Harry for the coming summer vacation.

I raised my hand again. As I was about to knock, the door flew open. My hand froze in mid-air. I glanced up to see a smirking figure in the doorway. The figure stood tall, with flowing bleach blonde hair and icy eyes, holding a cane with a snake engraved on the top. All in all, a splitting image of Draco Malfoy. I found my voice. "You are...?"

"Lucius Malfoy. I see you've made quite an impression of yourself down in the dungeon." He sneered.

"H-how do you-"

"Oh everyone knows. The whole school is talking about how the great Harry and Cindy Potter fought against the Dark Lord-not that the both of you weren't famous enough before." He added under his breath. "Draco's told me a fair bit about you too. Strutting around the school-"

"Well your son's a liar." I interrupted in a frosty voice. As an afterthought I added, "I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Why you little-" I stared at him in challenge. "You know what, I don't even know what Severus agreed to look after a little brat like you. You do know that he only did so because of Dumbledore's orders, don't you? And the only thing he would ever feel for you is pity." He scoffed. My lip quivered but I held his stare. After a moment, he shoved past me and left after giving me one last scathing look.

I stood there, unmoving. After I was sure he had left, I turned to leave. He was right. Father always acted like I was a nuisance, and I was nothing but a burden to him, a painful reminder of my mother. He never loved me and he never would. I took a few steps when an hand grabbed my shoulder. I glanced behind me and saw Father standing there. I stared at him blankly. He nodded toward his classroom and walked away, motioning me to follow him. I slowly walked after him. We walked through the classroom and into his office. He say down behind his desk and I hastily took a seat across from him, bracing myself to be yelled at. After a moment of silence, he thrust something at me, making me flinch. I looked down to see a handkerchief. It was only then that I realized I was crying. I burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. At first, father made no move to comfort me, just say there awkwardly and expressionless. After a minute or two, he got up and walked towards me. I was stunned as he put his arms around me, hugging me for the first time. He held me, allowing me to sob for awhile.

After I had stopped, only letting out occasional whimpers, he walked back to his side. "I'm sorry I'm such a burden and a brat." I whispered. His face hardened. "And I'm sorry Professor Dumbledore made you take me in." Father's eyes hardened even more. "I'm sorry I look so much like her." Wham! I jumped a foot in my chair. Father towered over me.

"Who the bloody hell said that to you?"

"Well it's true though, isn't it? I'm just a burden. I don't listen to you, I make you angry and test your patience all the time, and, well, how could you possibly love someone like that?" Father's eyes grew murderously angry.

"I'll ask you one more time, Cindy Lily Potter. Who. Said. That. To. You." I gulped.

"Mr. Malfoy." I admitted. Father kicked the cabinet of potion ingredients angrily, causing a flask to smash and something greenish brown to crawl out. I screamed in horror, scrambling on top of father's desk and hopping onto him, practically grabbing on to him in a choke hold, so he couldn't pry my arms off. He used his free arm to point his wand at the broken flask and managed to get the contents back in. I awkwardly let go of him. "Um, I'm sorry for making you angry, I'll just go-"