to be or not to be| sixth year | draco malfoy

slughorns christmas party

"sugar honey iced tea."
-

I walked towards the entrance, mentally preparing myself for what lay ahead. But as soon as I saw Camille and Abigail standing near the door, their smirks in place, I knew tonight was going to be interesting. Yes, they were my dates. Was I mad? Absolutely not. Well, maybe a little. But this was supposed to be fun, right?

"Here come the troublemakers," I muttered under my breath.

Camille raised an eyebrow, the playful glint in her eyes matching Abigail's mischievous grin. "What, you don't like having us around? We're your best accessories."

Abigail snorted. "We figured if you wanted dates, we'd give you two. You're welcome, by the way."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Exactly. And we were coming to this party anyway, even if we had to sneak in. So, technically, we're just your backup plan."

We all laughed, our steps in sync as we walked inside. The moment we crossed the threshold, I took in the scene—fairy lights twinkling like diamonds, casting a soft glow over the room. It felt like any other party I'd been to, but something in the air was different tonight, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this evening wouldn't be as carefree as I wanted it to be.

We gravitated toward the snack table first. Camille and Abigail, true to form, immediately dove into the red velvet cake the chefs had offered. I grabbed a glass of punch, eyeing the sweets with distaste. Cake had never been my thing.

"Honestly, are they really that good?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light as I watched them devour the cake with reverence.

Abigail, her mouth full, nodded vigorously, eyes wide with delight. "You have no idea, Violet. You're missing out."

I snorted, amused by their enthusiasm, but the smile didn't quite reach my eyes. Something was nagging at me, a feeling I couldn't quite put into words. Maybe it was just the odd energy in the air or the way my thoughts kept drifting to Draco—who, for some reason, had become an increasingly complicated puzzle I didn't want to solve.

"Right," I muttered, half to myself, before noticing Snape approaching. My stomach tightened. Something about his presence always made me uneasy, like a storm was just waiting to break.

"Good evening, Ms. Goldhorn," Snape said, his voice as monotone as ever. "Dumbledore has asked me to inform you that he is leaving. He will be traveling and will not return until the start of the next term. I've also informed Potter." His gaze lingered just a second too long.

I blinked, confused. "Wait, where is he traveling to?" I asked before I could stop myself, my curiosity piqued despite myself.

Snape's lips twisted slightly, a vague flicker of something I couldn't quite place crossing his features. "That, Ms. Goldhorn, is none of your concern." His eyes narrowed, and I couldn't help but feel a wave of discomfort wash over me.

Before I could press further, Snape turned and swept away without another word, leaving me to wonder just what was going on behind those carefully veiled words.

Abigail, ever perceptive, glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. "You okay?"

I didn't immediately respond, my mind still swirling with the mystery of Dumbledore's departure. What was he up to, and why did Snape seem so cryptic about it? I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts aside. "Yeah, just... wondering what that was all about."

Camille leaned in, her voice lowering as if to keep the conversation between us. "It's Snape, Vi. He's always like that. But you should keep an eye on it. Dumbledore disappearing so suddenly... it doesn't sit right."