WILD | D.M

ONE

SNAKE'S NEST

I clasped the ends of my necklace, bringing the piece of jewelry together to merge into one. the gold pendant sat comfortably on my skin, only an inch or so down from my collarbone. a sigh escaped my lips as i examined myself in the detailed mirror in front of me.

not too bad.

i scoffed to myself, almost embarrassed of the voice inside my head.

of course it would be bad.

i twisted my hips to the right, forcing the skirt of my dress to twirl at the action. the layers of silk and soft, thick material swayed in the candle light of the room, following my every movement. the see-through sleeves stopped right above my elbow in gentle ruffles. my torso which was all in white as well, was adorned with elegant lace and embroidery that exposed a large portion of my chest and neck. the dress was beautiful. there was no denying that. it was fitted in all the right places and admired my body well.

with the last finishing touch i brought a section of my hair back and left the rest down, cherry brown locks falling a ways length past my shoulders. my hands moved on their own to pin the wavy strands into place at the back of my head.

"ready to go?" i turned my head to the doorway, my father standing tall and filling the previously empty space.

i gave him a shrug and he let out a laugh with a  shake of his head. a frown appeared on my lips as he made his way to stand behind me. our reflections stared back at us silently from the crystal glass. i felt his hands rest on my shoulders and i sent him a weak smile this time, not wanting to spoil the mood for the night. my lips moved on their own to ask a question i already knew the answer to.

"do we really have to go?" i mumbled softly.

there was a long silence as i gazed at his reflection. his aging face was still, but a certain melancholy rested amidst the brown of his eyes.
wordlessly, the man nodded and left my room.

i knew we had to. we went every year. it was almost like tradition at this point. had we not shown up, it would have raised question.

with a ringed hand i reached for my cloak, draped it over my shoulders and followed my father's footsteps. the echo of my heels bounced off the old walls of our home.

with a few creaky steps later down the staircase, i met my father outside. i took his suited arm and with a blink of an eye we disappeared from the cobblestone path, traveling through space. my limbs and mind became tangled and twisted as if being forced into a tight place. then as quickly as it came, i felt my feet hit the ground. my hand fell from his side and i then gave him a thumbs up as if to tell him i was alright to proceed.

apparating wasn't exactly my most favorite method of travel, but it was sure as hell quick.

drawing out a sigh, i walked alongside my father and turned my head both ways to glance at our surroundings. neatly cut, evergreen hedges stood tall, following down a straight line to create a walkway. it then opened up, leading to a larger area where a few wizard folk mingled in front of the stone building. as far as i could see, land went on for miles and miles.

a few large towers with sharply pointed roofs protruded from the detailed stone of the home.
thick beams of light filled the extensive windows, gleaming to show just what you were missing from outside. rays of moonlight from above glimmered and hit the textured minerals of the residence, making it seem like a glittering palace.

but this was no dreamy–fairy tale, no. not even in the slightest.

this was the place where evil inhabited. where it was cold, lifeless, and dark.

this was malfoy manor.

where the infamous pure blood no other than the slytherin king himself, resided.

this was his territory. his domain.

and i, was merely the prey for him to feast on.

as we approached the immense doors my father poked a gentle elbow to my arm. i furrowed my brows at first, but my confused expression immediately melted away once i realized.

ah, right.

reaching inside my cloak, a small pocket rested low at my right side. from there i retrieved an ornate, pure white mask. it was detailed intricately to perfection and covered the top half of my face, leaving only my jaw and lips exposed. i watched as my father mimicked my actions, placing the veil of disguise atop our eyes. he flickered his gaze to me, where the same sadness from before lingered. a hand reached to my face and he cupped the side of my head with a regretful smile.

"you have your mother's eyes," we stood still in the dawdling shadows. "did you know that?" his voice questioned. not to me, but as if to himself.

i could only nod as i felt a lump appear in my throat. then, like it had never happened, he retraced his hand and stood tall before the manor's doors. letting out a sharp breath i did the same and the doors swung open at once.

we entered without a word. chins high, spines straight, and smiles ready.

whispers erupted from the great hall.

"the bovins are here, look."

tonight was the one night i wanted to stay home.

the one night i needed to be home for.

"erick, finally! you're just on time!"

because tonight was the night of her death.

rosemary bovin, my mother.

and tonight, was the night my father and i had stepped into the snake's nest.