"Do I know you?"
"No"
"How come I haven't seen you before?"
"Because Malfoy, I prefer to keep my reputation low."
****************************************
In which a no body Ravenclaw attracts the attention of a certain Slytherin prince.
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Everyone who remained at the Burrow sat still and quiet, never once breaking their eyes away from the Death Eaters in the room. The sound of crashing glass and furniture echoed around the house, and when I turned my head to peer out of the window, I noticed the fire was still burning aggressively eating away at the white and gold decorations of the party.
"We will not ask with such kindness again, where is the boy?" a wizard behind his mask hissed pointing his wand towards us. "We told you, we do not know" I spoke with venom, and Molly put a hand on my shoulder warning me to stay calm.
The burrow had been turned upside down looking for any clue of Harry Potters whereabouts, they even looked in pots and pans in their desperation, with anxious movements hoping they didn't have to leave emptyhanded.
One wizard, Augustus Rookwood a man I recognised from the list of escaped prisoners, gave no consideration before he had his hands in a cake that had been on the kitchen table. It was Harry's birthday cake. The cake Hermione, Ginny and I had prepared and were hoping to bring out at the end of a wedding, but of course, there was no possibility of even celebrating without disaster coming its way.
"I don't think he's in there" Ginny scowled and the monster pointed his wand at her viciously. I let out a squeak and was quick to rush to my feet to stand in front of the youngest Weasley. Rockwood let out a dark laugh at my attempt of protection and stepped closer. I watched him with wide terrified eyes.
"I would be less concerned about that and more concerned about what is going to happen if you don't tell us what we need to know" he threatened, grabbing my arm and pulling me closer with force, I let out a cry of pain but this only amused Rockwood more.
"Let go of her!" Remus yelled standing on his feet and drawing out his wand tired of the silence we all held, but the other death eaters in the room had surrounded the order stopping them from trying any heroic action.
"Tell me what I need to know!" Rockwood demanded, grabbing my face and forcing me to look directly at him as I tried to struggle against his dark glare. Rookwood was a grey greasy-haired wizard with a pockmarked face, an element of his features that I couldn't ignore being so close to him. "I told you!" I struggled, and now tears rolled down my face in the frustration of being unable to break free from the much stronger stranger.
Rockwood let out a noise of disappointment and reached into his pocket, with his attention slightly distracted I kicked his shin. He let out a noise of agony jumping back, but I was unable to reach for my wand before two other death eaters, still not bared of masks, grabbed onto my arms swiftly securing my position. Rockwood laugh was cold when he regained composure "You stupid girl" he spat, moving closer to me once more.
With a strong hand, he grabbed the back of my hair, and pulled, this action extended my neck backwards and caused me to gasp in pain. He used this opportunity to pour the contents of a flask into my mouth. It was barely a drop, but I knew instantly it was a truth serum and it would, at last, make them understand the reality of our knowledge -or lack thereof- on the whereabouts of Harry.
"Will you tell me now?" he taunted.
I prayed that my mouth would remain shut but knew that wasn't the case. The violated feeling of speaking with no control on the matter was enough to bring a shiver to my spine.
"We. Do. Not. Know" I spoke slowly knowing there was no harm in my truth but struggling to accept my lack of control. In anger, Rockwood threw the flask on the floor, and it shattered around his feet. The frustration led him to kick the wall of the burrow that flaked away weakly, and he growled in dissatisfaction.
"We are leaving now!" He commanded, and he followed his claim disappearing with a cloud of dark mist as the other death eaters left with him.
My legs felt weak without the support of anyone holding onto me, but before I could fall Fred held out his arms helping me to regain my strength. I had been holding my breath and finally with the death eaters gone I was breathing heavy and faster than I ever had before.
"Are you ok?" He asked, and it was the first time I had heard seriousness in his tone, I shook my head still under the truth serum and hid my face. The Weasley boy led me to a seat and helped me down, Molly watched me worried with a hand over her mouth and tears glazing over her eyes, but I still refused to look any of them in the eyes.
"Thank you" Ginny appreciated with sadness. "You're welcome" I noded with honesty still.
"Everyone out!" Remus ordered, and they obeyed the rugish man turning away and back out to the crime scene that was once a beautiful wedding attempting to tidy up the mess that was created.
Blankly I stared in front of me, my throat was dry, and my heart was wrenching in my chest. The soft flow of tears refused to stop no matter how many times I attempted to wipe them away with my sleeve.
"That was brave" Remus promised looking through the contents of the kitchen cabinets that were now on the floor "I'm sorry we couldn't have helped you". "It was embarrassing" I spoke with a shaky voice. "Embarrassing?" Remus repeated looking at me with shock. "I couldn't help myself" I elaborated and cursed the effects of the truth potion "I just want to pretend that it never happened, where's my wand?" I panicked looking about "Why would you need your wand?" "To forget everything, to forget it all!" I cried "I want to forget what just happened, I want to forget Draco, I want to forget any feeling of care or love that I ever felt for him, and I want to forget how much I care for Harry because it's dangerous. Now, please stop asking me questions!" I pleaded. Remus sat in front of me and extended his arm, holding out a small glass bottle.
"It's a cure" he explained, and I took it from him abruptly and drank the contents with no further thoughts. My breathing regained composure when the antidote took over. "Here have this" Remus insisted holding out a square of chocolate "it'll make you feel better" he promised, so I took his gesture and nippled at the treat, he was right.
"Caring hurts Thea, and as you know loving hurts even more" he said "It's only fair that I'm truthful now so, I love Tonks, and that pains me every day because I know that I could hurt her, I knew she deserved more, but I could never live without her. Yes, this care is dangerous, especially in the current situation of our world, because caring means we have a vulnerability, it means that we will do anything for that person we care about. But I pity those who live without love, what are they living for without this passion? Thea, love leaves a mark on everyone it touches, it gives protection even if you only see it as pain" his voice was soft as he articulated his words, and I watched him intently believing every word he spoke. "Even heartbreak?" I queried. "Especially heartbreak. Heartbreak is the best teacher of all" Remus educated, and I sighed wiping away the last tears that stained my blushed cheeks. "You're unbelievably wise Remus" I laughed softly, and he laughed with me.
