Two Souls

Chapter Eighty

Patches of bright blue sky were beginning to appear over the castle's turrets, but these signs of approaching Summer did not seem to lift my mood. It was just a constant reminder of how Draco and I were running out of time to repair the Vanishing Cabinet.

I sit with the Slytherins in the Great Hall at breakfast. Blair was reading a book across from me whilst Daphne and Millicent were arguing over whether lipstick or lip gloss was the better makeup for lips. Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco were talking in a hushed tone about Potions whilst I was having a friendly debate with Zabini over whether chocolate frogs or pumpkin pasties were the better treat.

"Where's Pansy?" Millicent asks suddenly, becoming bored of her argument with Daphne.

"She had to make up a test for Slughorn — I told her to not even bother showing up, that girl is dumber than a sack of bricks," Zabini laughs.

Just then, a flock of owls come flying in to deliver the morning's letters. I'm surprised that Willow was here to drop me some letters — My parents have stopped writing to me and I had just sent out a letter to Grayson yesterday, it was much too early to have received a response from him.

Amelia,

Remember what I've told you about being around Draco Malfoy? Your punishment has been enacted.

From, a dear friend

"What the hell?" I ask to myself, my eyes widening at the alarming message. My statement has seemed to attract the attention of the other Slytherins as I was the only one in the group who had received a letter today.

"What is it?" Draco asks.

"Er — nothing, just something strange one of my friends from America sent me," I lie. "So, are you all excited to take your Apparition test?" I ask the group, quickly changing the subject. Draco and I are yet to be seventeen — we're short just a couple of weeks. But everyone else is of age to take the test.

"It should be easy," Millicent says.

"If only you were a few weeks older, Amelia. You're certainly the best at Apparating," Daphne compliments me, remembering our first lesson where I had apparated out of the Great Hall.

"Thanks," I say lightly, the butterflies in my stomach are still swirling from my ominous letter. I need to figure out who this "dear friend" is and quick.

This afternoon, in Potions, it was only Ernie Macmillan, Draco, Harry, and I present. Everyone else was taking their Apparition test.

"All too young to Apparate just yet? Not turned seventeen yet?" Slughorn asks us.

We all shake our heads.

"Ah, well," Slughorn says cheerily, "as we're so few, we'll do something fun. I want you all to brew me up something amusing!"

"What do you mean 'something amusing?'" Draco asks irritably, a frown etched upon his face.

Before Slughorn can respond, Snape knocks on the open door and invites himself into the classroom. A serious frown is etched on his face, as usual.

"Professor Snape! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Is Miss Grey busy right now? I request her presence in my office," Snape says curtly, looking directly at me and avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"Not at all!" Slughorn exclaims. "Amelia, you're free to go. Take your belongings and if you have time to return to class, go right ahead."

I stand up, ready to leave. Draco does also.

"Just Miss Grey," Snape snarls. Draco gives me a curious glance before sitting down and opening his Potions book. Harry keeps his eyes set on me and Ernie Macmillan has already started his potion.

Snape leads me down the corridor and into his office. "Sit," He commands, and I abide.

"Is everything all right, Professor?" I ask. "We're making slight progress on the Cabinet but it isn't finished just yet —"

"This isn't about the Cabinet, Amelia. Your father was found dead this morning," Snape tells me quietly, crossing his arms on his desk.

"B-But what? How?" I demand.

"The Killing Curse. Do you have any idea of who it could have been?" Snape asks me.

I shake my head. "No. . . it wasn't Voldemort, was it?" I ask him nervously, my voice faltering.

"Do not use that name!" He snaps. "I assume it was not from him, though, as your father was a loyal Death Eater to the Dark Lord. But unfortunately, the Ministry is aware of your father's affiliation with the Dark Lord now and you may be suspected as being loyal to the Dark Lord well."

"How? Just because my father was a Death Eater doesn't mean that I automatically must be one!" I ask angrily, standing up from my seat.

"The Ministry's way of resolving problems is very flawed, Amelia. I am taking it that you are not very distressed of your father's murder?"

"He's an old git, he deserved to die. I'm just wondering who killed him . . ."

My dear friend.

"I have to go!" I announce, exiting his office without another word. I'm so quick to leave that I bump into an invisible wall.

An invisible wall . . .

"Draco?" I ask curiously.

The invisibility cloak gets removed from the person's head, revealing Harry, much to my disappointment. "Amelia. . . are you all right? I mean with your father and all -"

"You were eavesdropping?" I ask in shock.

"Er, I thought it might've been —"

"That doesn't make any of that okay!" I announce angrily. "Some things you aren't supposed to know, Harry! Now you're going to go off and tell Ron and Hermione what you've heard, am I right?"

He opens his mouth to speak but I can tell from his guilty expression that I had guessed correctly.

"Of course I'm right," I snap. "If I hear even a word of what you heard in there to anyone, I'll jinx you myself. You got that, Potter?"

Harry nods. He grabs his Invisibility Cloak and rushes out of the corridor.

"What an asshole," I mumble to myself before making my way over to the Slytherin Common Room.

—-
Uh . . . who was expecting that? Who do you think her dear friend is?