Henrietta Potter And The Slytherin Child - (A 'Henrietta Potter' sequel) || D.M

63 - Exposed

I look up. Aunt Petunia's scowling face is bearing down on me.

"THESE POTS ARE A DISGRACE YOU USELESS CHILD!"

A hand reaches out, slapping me painfully across the face. I blink, confused. "Wh-what time is it?"

"Time enough," she spits, sneering down at me as I search blindly for my glasses. "You're turning out to be such a limp disappointment, Henrietta. When we agreed to take you in, we hoped we could improve you."

"I try..." I answer, my seven-year-old voice sounding small and weak.

"Trying is not succeeding, though, is it? There are grease smears on the glasses. There are scuff marks on the pots. Now get up and go to the kitchen and get scrubbing."

As I crawl out of the cupboard, I realise too late that my pyjama bottoms are wet.

"What have you done? You've wet the bed again!" Petunia hisses, pulling the covers back. "You revolting, disgusting child! You make me sick!"

"I can't help it!" I cry as she pins me against the wall and repeatedly smacks my head over and over again. "I can't help it!"

Once she is done mauling me, she whips the wet sheets from out of the cupboard and throws them at me.

"Get them cleaned you filthy creature, and then get to the kitchen to scrub those pans!"

I am left sobbing in the hallway outside my cupboard under the stairs, entangled in my own sodden sheets.

And then, right before me, a figure appears. It is Albus. Trees start to grow up around him, filling the hallway.

"Henrietttttaaa Pottttteeeeer!"

*****

"Etta! Wake up! Wake up, Etta!"

Gasping in confusion, my eyes flew open to the sight of Draco looming over me, worry pinching his features.

"V-Voldemort," My hand clutched at my forehead as I desperately tried to stem the searing pain in my scar. "I heard him, Draco."

"Shhh..." Long fingers curled around my wrist, gently tugging my hand away from my scar which he quickly replaced with cool, soothing lips. "It was just a dream, Etta. Just a bad dream."

"But it was so clear, so real," I started sobbing and Draco immediately gathered me into his arms, whispering assurances in my ear that everything was going to be alright, that our boys were tough and were at least together.

But how could we know that for sure? All we knew was that they were missing, having vanished from the train, leaving their belongings behind. And unless either of them used their wands, we had no way of tracing their movements.

But... maybe we did.

I sat up as a sudden thought occurred to me, the bedsheets falling down around me.

"What is it?" Draco murmured sleepily.

"I think I know how to find them." I breathed, my heart racing as I was filled with a new hope. "We need to get to Hogwarts. Now."