ETHALINE

THANATOPHOBIA

thanathophobia • noun
fear of death

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"ETHY get up!" Draco said as shook his twin up.

Ethaline groaned as she rubbed her eyes, "What-" she looked out of her window and saw chaos as well as raging fires consuming anything in its path.

"We have to go." Draco said, grabbing her hand as she reached for her wand, "I don't know where mother we are, we have to find her-"

"Draco where's father?" Ethaline panicked as they broke out of their tent.

"I don't know!" Draco said as they ran through the crowd of people together and looked around for their parents. As they did, a large explosion was heard that shook the ground they stood on and knocked them off their feet.

Ethaline felt as if the world was ending, panicking as she looked around the fiery chaos and tried to make out her twin. "Draco?!" She called out, getting pushed by some Irish folk and being dragged into the forest by an unknown person.

"Draco!" She yelled out again, stumbling over a couple of rocks and not finding him. Her breathing became heavy as her hands shook, her mind racing at a hundred miles per minute as she gripped her wand.

She was alone.

Another explosion was heard, this one closer to her as she fell onto the ground, scrambling away from the masses that didn't care if they trampled her to her death.

Crying children,

Screaming parents,

Incoherent voices all mixed up to form chaos,

Ethaline covered her ears, leaning against her trees and beginning her knees to her chest as her eyes watered and she held herself tightly.

Harry, who had been running out with Ron and Hermione, saw her on the ground as he scrambled to find his wand. "Ethaline?" He said as he shoved a couple people aside. "Move!"

The blonde girl sighed in relief, not caring that it was him who had found her, just that she was found. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He immediately asked, somewhat panicking as he saw some blood on her.

She frantically shook her head, her hands trembling ferociously as she looked around, "D-Draco and I got separated." She stuttered, tears falling down her cheeks.

"I don't-I don't think I'm h-hurt." She said as he examined her quickly.

"Come with us-"

"N-no I have to find Draco." She started as she began to wipe her tears and tried to control her breathing when even more terrified screams erupted throughout the forest and a bright green light broke through the woods.

Ethaline staggered backwards, looking up at the dark mark, "What is it?" Harry asked, also looking at it and not knowing what it was.

"The Dark Mark." Ethaline whispered in disbelief, looking around, "D-Draco-"

"I'm not leaving you to fend for yourself. Let's get to safety and we'll get you to your parents." Harry said, holding her cold and shivering body. It was then he noticed she was in her night clothes and he grabbed jacket and wrapped it around her.

Though she didn't notice as she was in the middle of trying not to have one of her attacks.

"Breathe with me Ethaline, I can't have you passing out on me." Harry said as they reached Hermione and Ron who looked frightened.

"We have to get Mione' out of here." Ron said, "Now!"

"We will." Harry reassured, turning to Ethaline who looked to be paler than normal.

The four of them trudged even further into the forest, completely lost as she finally managed to calm herself. She held onto the jacket tightly, finding the fabric to be the only thing that grounded her to their material world.

Hermione and Ron glanced at each other, confused as to how of all people Ethaline Florence Malfoy ended up with them. They sat by the logs, away from the now empty fields filled with tents and personal belongings.

"Should we head back? Do we even know where back is?!" Ron asked as he paced around.

"We're in the heart of the forest..." Ethaline whispered, not looking at them as she sniffled slightly, "Normally during this time of year when Oxicodas make noise it's because they're migrating west..."

She then looked up and sure enough there was creatures of the night sky flying west, "Which means we need to head north where the venue was." She finally concluded.

Hermione gave her a puzzled look, she hadn't thought of that which made her feel a little annoyed, "How did you know that?"

Ethaline shrugged, standing up and dusting herself off before she began to walk. The Trio glanced at one another and followed her. After what felt like an eternity, they reached the end and sure enough they ended back by the tents surrounding the venues.

"Ethy." Narcissa Malfoy leaped to embrace her daughter when she saw him. Lucius's face softened, glancing at her and pausing his conversation with Amos Diggory who claimed he saw Winky the House else at the scene of the crime.

Ethaline relaxed slightly, inhaling sharply. "We couldn't find you-Draco and I went to look and-"

"It was foolish of you to do so," Boomed Lucius. Ethaline cowered under his gaze, gripping the jacket tightly. "The thought however, was admirable."

As Ethaline looked into his eyes, for a second she saw the warm familiar feeling she got when she was a child, love. And so, she relaxed slightly as that was his way of saying he was glad she was fine.

"Let's go. Draco is worried sick back at the tent. We'll be leaving promptly to go back to the Manor." Narcissa started, holding her as they began to walk.

Ethaline glanced back, looking at the Trio- specifically at Harry who had aided her in her time of need and her coward escape. She wasn't content with herself; she was furious that she didn't even try to look for Draco because she was busy caring for herself.

That didn't sit right with her.

"Mother," Ethaline said weirdly, "Where were you and Father?"

The Dark Mark rattled her, she knew the stories of her father being second in command and knew he was blood crazy when it came to keeping it pure. However, she never did question it. Not because she didn't want to, she wasn't allowed to.

Draco and her were forbidden to speak on their past.

"Come," Narcissa said softly, "Your brother needs you."

Ethaline nodded and went in; she saw her stuff as well as Draco's trunks ready for their servants to take them. Her twin engulfed her in a tight hug. "I didn't mean to-"

"Don't worry about it." Ethaline said quietly, "We're all safe."

Draco nodded and didn't saw another word while they waited for Lucius Malfoy to return. A half hour or so later, he returned and they left promptly back for their home.

Ethaline forced her sleepy and tired body up the stairs, the jumper still covering her body as she went into her spacious room and slumped into the bed, not bothering to clean herself up or changing.

She just wanted to sleep.

It was the only way she could start again.