✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

09 | V I S I T O R

   HIS FACE IN the moonlight seemed to be transparent; never had she seen a skin as pale as his. Blonde hair was reflecting the white shine of this silver orb hanging up high in the sky in front of his window, giving it a ghostlike gliming of luminescence. His chest was heaving flatly with every breath he took.

   It obviously was no peaceful sleep he had in this very moment; eyebrows knitted, his lips a thin line, his jaw clenched, stirring and jerking his head from left to right.

   She hesitated for a second, wondering what it was torturing Draco Malfoy even in his dreams. But looking through the darkness of the huge sleeping room, eyes wandering over silhouettes of furniture, which in the light of the day must appear more than impressing, she couldn't feel the slightest glimpse of pity. He had chosen this fate himself. Hadn't he been oh so obsessed with the dark side of magic? Wasn't he that gleeful the day Lord Voldemort had returned? 

   Yes, he deserved those nightmares. He begged for them, now they were all his.

   But shoving aside all the antipathy for the boy in front of her, Ember straightened her shoulders. There was no time for this, and no room as well. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed Draco Malfoy.

   Slowly, she walked towards his bed. His movements stopped, and Ember did as well; his breath still came in fat rags, and hers stopped, as she reached out her hand for him —

   Almost she screamed; slender fingers wrapped around her wrist, and her back was arched downwards, a second before she found a wand buried into her throat. With widened eyes, she stared into Malfoy's, which were scrunched to small slits. But his lips parted in surprise, recognising who it was his weapon pointed at.

   "Put that thing down, or I swear you'll regret it", she hissed at him, and his hand loosened the grip around her, his wand slowly lowering.

   "Do you have a death wish?", he fiercely whispered, his voice not more than a sharp breath. "What are you doing here?"

   "Oh, don't know, I guess I missed your ferret face, so I thought I might risk my neck for a visit", she snorted, as he sat up in his bed. "Sorry, I didn't bring flowers."

   "You shouldn't be here —"

   "Shut up, I need your help", Ember cut the boy off. "I need to find Pe—"

   But suddenly she fell silent, and Malfoy's eyes widened; steps were heard from the hallway in front of Malfoy's room, and Ember stepped back into the shadows, forcing them to cover her in the shelter of their darkness. Not a second to late. The door flew open, and a face she lately had only come across in her wildest nightmares stepped in, her wand lit.

   "Who did you talk to?", Bellatrix Lestrange asked, her eyes scanning the room.

   "Obviously to myself", Malfoy hissed. "What is this? Are you spying on me?"

   "Oh Draco", she cooed, "Draco, Draco. Of course I am. You lost a lot of your trustworthiness, didn't you? The Dark Lord thinks it won't harm to have an eye on you and your parents, just to make sure you haven't forgotten were your loyality lies."

   "But still I have a right on my privacy!"

   "There's no privacy for disgrace."

   "Fine, can I go back to sleep now or is there no sleep for disgrace as well?" Ember watched his hand tighten around his wand, hoping he wasn't up to anything stupid like actually attacking Bellatrix. The whole house would be awake in no time, and he might end up dead.

   But Ember needed him. He was her only way to find Peter Pettigrew. So she moved closer to him, making sure to stay out of the ray of light that fell through the open door, yet close enough to grab him and get the both of them out of here if she had to.

   Bellatrix watched him, her mouth curved into the cruelest smile. "You have two hours left. Our Lord wants you to help Wormtail with our guests."

   The breath hitched in Ember's throat by the sound of his name, and unfortunately it didn't remain as quiet as it should. But Bellatrix' eyes stayed on the boy, who grew even paler as she walked into the room.

   "You wouldn't lie to your dear aunt, Draco, would you?", she softly spoke, but her glare was deadly. "You wouldn't dare to make another mistake."

   "I would like to sleep now", he pressed through gritted teeth. "So would you please leave me alone now?"

   "Say, Draco, do you always sleep with your wand in your hand?"

   "Obviously, it is necessary, as people burst into my room in the death of the night."

   She was striding towards his bed, her smirk growing darker. "Who else did come to your room tonight, Draco?", she then spoke, her voice so low, Ember barely heard her. "A secret visitor?"

   "Who would that be? You're observing the whole house. The detection charms wouldn't let anyone apparate in here unnoticed, so what is this all about?" His voice a growl, Draco angryly threw his blanket aside and jumped out of bed. His arm raised, a long finger was pointing at the door. "Out now!"

   For the split if a second, Ember had thought Bellatrix knew. The more she was surpised that the woman turned on her heels and strode back towards the door.

   "Disappointing, Draco", she said, turning around once more. "I'm more than disappointed you so easily let slip a chance to rehabilitate your family's honour."

   And her mercyless dark eyes wandered, abruptly stopping right at the spot where Ember stood hidden in the darkness. The girl's eyes widened, as she found them locked with Bellatrix'. Ember hadn't even the time to react. Bellatrix Lestrange's mouth didn't open; the spell she used was silent, but her wand raised in a whipping movement, and a red flash of light was the last thing Ember saw, before darkness swallowed her.

—