the daughter of severus snape

Chapter 23: Dementor

The rest of summer break flew by. We didn't really do much. I'm still sort of shaken up from Dolohov and his goons. I know they won't try anything now, but I have a weird sick feeling that I'll pay for it someday. I push those thoughts out of my head. I can't be worried about the future. The worst has passed, and I've gotten through it. I can take on whatever the world has to give me now. Tomorrow is September 1st. I'm ready to start school this year. I'm eating dinner with the Malfoys right now. "Sirius Black is out on the loose, I've heard," Narcissa says. I look up; this certainly caught my attention. "Who's Sirius Black?" I ask. 

"A death eater who had escaped jail," Narcissa answers.

"Please, he's no death eater. I went to school with him. He was friends with Potter. I'd know if he was a death eater."

"Was my Dad friends with him?" Dad never told me about his school days. Lucius laughs.

"Not at all. They were enemies, in fact. He had a thing for that Lily Evans, though."

"Potter's Mum?"

"Yes, that one. Shame what happened to them, really. If they had just been more careful..." 

"He has to be a death eater. How else would they have died?" Lucius and Narcissa look at each other. "Ask your father," Lucius says. I feel sick. Did my father have something to do with them? Was he the Dark Lord's right-hand man? I look at Dray, but he looks away. We spend the next few minutes silent. "Are you ready for third year?" Narcissa asks.

"Yeah. I think the worst has passed."

"I've heard from Draco that you're dating another boy," Narcissa asks. I blush.

"Um, yeah I am. His name is Calvin Clarke. He's a nice boy."

"Is he pureblood?" Lucius asks. I feel a bit uncomfortable now. I'm not even a pureblood.

"Sir, with all due respect, I'm not even a pureblood."

"Yes, but given who your father is, I think you're an exception." Given who my father is?

"Yes, he's a pureblood. Slytherin, too."

"Don't worry. Your babies will be purebloods, at least. That's all that matters," Lucius says, "Draco. You could find a girlfriend, no?"

"No, Father. I'm not interested in one."

"He's already got his heart set on someone, honey," Narcissa says, winking at him. Dray blushes.

"She is a pureblood, right?" Lucius asks. What is it with Lucius and purebloods.

"What if she's a half-blood?"

"No son of mines will date anyone but a pureblood. No offense, Bella. You know I don't mind that you're not a pureblood. You're like a daughter to me." I give a small smile. Drays' face looks red. "Answer me, son."

"Yes, Father. She's a pureblood."

"Then ask her out."

"She's not interested."

"Who is it?" I ask. It seems that almost everyone knows who she is but me.

"You don't know her." It's clear that this conversation is over. I sigh and pick at my food. It's okay, I tell myself. By tomorrow, this will all be over and I'll be with Cal again. No more shit about half-bloods and purebloods. I love the Malfoys, but their obsession with blood purity scares me a bit. I remember that I'm sitting with death eaters. Well, ex death eaters. But then again, my own father is also a death eater. And not even an ex death eater. I know he tells me that he's a double spy, but I can't help but worry for him. What if he gets sucked back in? I know once you're a death eater, you can't escape. He'll drag him back. Then what happens to me? More importantly, what happens to my Father? Stop thinking about that, I order myself. This year is supposed to be stress-free. I'm not going to worry about all of that shit. That's a future me problem. I finish the rest of dinner, trying to stop thinking about the who death eater thing. I don't succeed, but it's better than nothing. I wait for the Malfoys to be done eating and Dray and I go upstairs silently. "You okay, Bells?"