Obliviate My Choices {Book 4}

6. Slug Club

Cole and I ended up spending the last week of the holidays theorising about Sam and Draco's behaviour, which annoyed Gennie to no end.

Cole and I even carried on with our theorising when we were over for dinner at Lacey's--which basically meant Lacey and the twins went out to get pizza while we watched Hollie.

"Yes, I get it's suspicious." Gennie said for the thirty-second time, "But Sam knows what's she's doing. If she's hanging around with that leech, it's for a good reason--no offence, Rory."

"None taken." I sighed, resting my legs on Cole as we all sat squished on the small sofa. "But what could he have broken that needs fixing?"

Cole opened his mouth with a smirk. "His--"

"No." I said abruptly. "Let's not talk about that right now. Take this seriously."

"I've taken this seriously, I made a board!" Cole sulked, holding up a whiteboard and marker pen he'd stolen from Hollie. Among Cole's spider-like writing of theories there was a stick figure drawing of Sam and Malfoy--who of course, had devil horns from his head. "I don't know... Harry once said he bought a hand of glory from there."

"Maybe he wants revenge for his dad being chucked into Azkban." I suggested. A sick thought that had been bugging me all week surfaced again, causing me to bite down on my lip until I tasted blood.

Gennie sat up from leaning on Cole so quickly she almost punched him in the face. "Are you okay? Is your scar hurting again?"

"No, I'm fine." I assured her. "I just think... Well I think Malfoy is a death eater."

Cole and Gennie exchanged a glance between them, and then Gennie spoke up. "What would they want with a cactus like him? He's only sixteen."

"Sam was fourteen." I said quietly.

"Yeah, but she was talented." Cole said, his voice flat. "And so was my brother and Jia. Hell, he saw talent in me, didn't he? What has Malfoy ever done to get Voldemort's attention?"

"But he flinched when Madam Malkin touched his arm..." I babbled on. "And we all know that's where the mark is, we've seen Sam's..."

"It's just unlikely." Gennie said. "I mean he was an awful person, but he couldn't be that awful to join up... Right?"

Cole made an unenthusiastic sound of agreement. Before I could try and argue the case any further, Hollie ran into the living room trying to claim her whiteboard back, conversation forgotten. 

The next morning we were departing from the Burrow much smoother than usual--everybody was packed ready for once--not to mention the Ministry cars had re-appeared.

We'd said our goodbyes to Fleur, Lacey and Hollie already--but of course Hollie had not wanted me to leave.

"I wanna come with you," Hollie pouted, arms tightly gripped around me before I could get into the car. We'd already said our goodbyes for now, but of course, my little sister couldn't resist saying it again.

"You're going to Hogwarts in a year Holl, you'll be there soon enough." I said fondly, pulling on one of her plaits.

"I know that, my letter is coming soon." Hollie said dismissivley. "Last year I got to go on the platform, and run through the wall, I wanted to do that again."

"Not today," Lacey sighed, tugging on Hollie's other plait. "It's not safe."

"George would take me." Hollie pouted. 

"Yeah, well George isn't here," Lacey said shortly, and Hollie gave me another quick hug before running into the burrow. "Little brat." she muttered.