Saffron Malfoy; Save the World (VOLUME 3 OF SERIES)

Tell me the truth

Saffron stared blankly at the turkey that sat plumped before her in the centre of the table. She envied how oblivious it was to the knife that was about to claim its thigh. It was, of course, Christmas Day in all its profligacy. And yet, although surrounded by her family, she had never felt more alone. 

"Oh, Saff, pass the gravy will you?" Saffron's cousin Jack asked. He had the exact looks of his mother Molly, Saffron's aunt, as he waited expectantly for the gravy boat the often made its way several times round the table over their annual family Christmas dinner. 

"Saff? Hello?!" Jack exclaimed. Saffron had been staring out of the window into the distance. The truth was, Saffron was thinking about something else entirely. It appeared she was now the only kid in the world who no longer enjoyed Christmas. This endless stretch of meaningless joy amongst people who had lied to her her entire life.

"Mum, Dad," Saffron snarled suddenly, her eyes brimming with tears which she angrily wiped away, "can I speak to you for a minute?!"

Cassidy and Scorpius exchanged confused glances, as they followed Saffron into the corridor, apologising to guests along the way.

Saffron turned to face her parents— although she couldn't even call them that— as tears streamed down her pale cheek. 

"Why did you not tell me? Did it not cross your mind that I would be at least slightly bothered that I was in fact the granddaughter of Lord Voldemort??! Well now I'm all worked up, you may as well tell me the truth," 

Mrs Malfoy put her head in her hands and Mr Malfoy placed his hands comfortingly on he shoulder. 

"Saff, let me explain," Scorpius began.

"Me and your mum wanted a child badly. And we were told by a doctor one day that we would never have a child of our own. As you can assume, we... we weren't going to give up so easily. We went to orphanages across the country: and were unsuccessful of course. And then we heard— a baby being passed around from person to person, unwanted, rumoured to be the granddaughter of He Who Must Not Be Named. And that's when we knew— you were ours, it was meant to be. We vowed, there and then, to take care of you, no matter what. But trust us, you will be safe at Hogwarts, and we will make sure of it," 

Saffron nodded, and wiped her bleary eyes. She knew she wouldn't be safe at Hogwarts, but didn't want to worry her parents. For now, she would have to fight her own battles. But, honestly, she didn't mind. She had been a lone-ranger for the whole of her life, why should it be any different now?