The Half-Blood Black

Chapter Twenty-Seven✨

As the weeks drag by I learn more and more about magic and eventually I can ride a broom. Draco still walks the other way in the halls, but I learn to face Cedric.

Neither one of us speaks about our kiss, but neither one of us makes any more advances. Luckily Fred Weasley and all his charm keeps me busy. He's constantly pulling pranks on the other students, and I can't help but laugh.

"Well now," Fred Weasley says coming up behind me after dinner one night. "Isn't it just the person I wanted to see!"

"Hello, Fred." I say. "How are you?"

"I'm not Fred, I'm George!"

I laugh and punch his arm, saying "I know the difference, you two can't fool me anymore."

"Damn, you got me. But anyway, I was wondering if you have yourself a date to the Yule Ball?"

He holds the door to the common room open for me and I sigh, nodding my head.

"Unfortunately yes. But he hasn't spoken to me in quite a few weeks since he asked so I am not quite sure what I'm doing."

We walk up the stairs to the dormitories and face each other, the other students walking by and sending me nasty glares. Fred ignores them and sends a nod to Ginny as she walks by.

"Well if he doesn't treat you like he is your date then you are more than welcome to be mine. And if you do find yourself with a lad in your arm for the ball," Fred says. "Then save me a dance."

I smile and say of course, nodding my head. A blush creeps onto my cheeks. Is he hitting on me? My heart flutters a little bit I squish it down. I can't get distracted from Draco. And I most definitely can't have rumors about me and Fred circulating throughout the school. Malfoy has to continue to believe he is the dominant one, with me trailing behind and waiting for a scrap of attention. We say goodnight and part ways, heading to our individual dorms.

Parvati, Lavender, and Chiara are all speaking to each other while Hermione is nowhere to be seen. I scooch by the girls and sit on my bed, closing the curtains as I fall into my nightly routine of changing in my bed, ignoring the girls, and reading about my ancestors.

As I turn to the picture of Regulus, he is my favorite, a piece of paper falls out onto my lap. I look at it and remember it from the first day that I got the book.

I open it to find a list:

Tell Kreacher plans
Make sure mum and dad know nothing
Get locket
Tell Sirius not to worry, letter to come after

I stare at the letter and shake my head confused. I fold it back up and stick it into the book again, closing it for the night.

I'm restless. Ever since I've had Walburga's belongings with me, I'm afraid her spirit has followed me. Ridiculous, I tell myself. It's all in your head.

But as the Yule Ball draws nearer, I can't help myself from wanting to go, to wear that gorgeous gem cladded dress. When everyone else leaves for classes and I have time to myself, which I've been instructed by Severus to use as studying time, I try walking in the heels. My small feet fit perfectly, but the blisters from them are unbearable the next day.

I open my curtains, looking into the darkness for any girls that may still be awake. When I see no movement and hear nothing but steady breathing, I open my trunk and reach down into the abyss, feeling the fabric of the dress below me.

I stop myself. What am I doing?

To disrespect my father like this, just days after he forbid me to go. Told me to stay away from Draco Malfoy. God, his mother was terrible to him. I can't do this. If he found out he may never forgive this hurt. 

I set the dress down, crawling back into bed.

My mind goes back and forth between what I want for myself and what my father wants. This is the first time I have ever been in school. I am excellerating in all my classes, I've passed every test needed to finally be in the 4th year classes. My relationship with Harry, although still on the rocks, is improving. I'm undercover for the Order of the Phoenix!

I've done everything that a father would want for his daughter. I deserve to go. My first ever school dance ! And at Hogwarts no less? How could I ever turn this down. Who knows when the Triwizard Tournament will be held next, if I'll even be here for that.

A night of dancing and drinking and amazing food. Seeing everyone dressed up like a prom, I want that. That experience alone, what teenage girl doesn't want to go?

But how will Sirius react? He can't hold on to a grudge for so long, he forgave Remus for everything, even after he had believed Sirius was guilty and gave up the Potter family. And that was 13 years of grief that was caused. Once the semester is over and I'm back to spending summer with him, I'll explain everything. Until then, I'll have to suck up the tension, the fighting, and pray he forgives me. I'm just like Snape, tricking a young Death Eater into thinking we're friends. But aren't we friends?

My mind goes back and forth all night until I fall into a blissful sleep.

I dream about dancing, the hall is illuminated with floating candles and real snowflakes fall from the sky. I've never seen snow. Fred and George have spiked the pumpkin juice, so we're all relaxed, dancing to the music. Cedric has long discarded Cho, and she stares in envy as our group laughs at a stupid joke he makes about Harry. 

I'm wearing Walburga's dress, my heels discarded long ago. Harry and his two friends are dancing with me, finally excepting me into their clan. Fred has his hand around my waist, my hand in his. He picks me up and twirls me around, stumbling slightly from the alcohol. Hermione and I giggle as we talk about how Viktor Krum can't stop staring at her and how Ron can't stop staring at Fleur.

But then the scene changes, Draco and his father stand at the front of the hall, the band suddenly stopping. A dark figure falls from the sky as more and more men with skull masks and black robes land beside us.

"Voldemort." Harry says. He clutches his lightning bolt scar and starts to yell in pain. Hermione and Ron form a circle around him as Dumbledore tries to step in between the two.

Then Draco kills him.