Fatal Flaws

Chapter 3

Pictures slowly stared disappearing from each surface of the manor. Each morning before Draco left, I'd hear shuffling around from outside my door and when I would finally leave my room, three of four photos would have gone. They were being replaced by numerous different things like ; etched blades, patterned masks and even an old spell book on the darks arts that I remember from my 6th year, once the Carrows had taken over.

I waited until Draco had left the house to leave my room. House elves had left a plate of soggy toast outside my door on a silver tray, along with a cup of bitter black coffee and a single red apple slice. I grabbed my night grown in my hands and stepped over the tray, the silky garment slipping through my fingers and skimming the top of the coffee just as i placed my foot down the other side. I crept along the hall, still unsure of what other company i had in the manor once Draco had gone. The floorboards creaked under my feet as i reached the top of the stairs and the lock on the door behind me clicked in unison. The tapping of bare feet echoed through the hall and Scorpius waddled beside me rubbing his eyes, his blonde hair fluffed up instead of gelled back.

" Has daddy gone to work," he mumbled, a yawn escaping just before he could get his final word out.

" I believe so."

His eyes darted around the long corridor and a frown twitched on to his face as he shuffled towards the oak table, reaching up toward a piece of parchment in a black frame. He clutched it with both his hands and held it for a minute before putting it back in the centre of the table face down.
" I hope he would of kept that old picture."

He gave me a weak smile before trudging off behind me and down the stairs. I reached for the photograph and sat it up right, taking a read of the parchment, screwing my face up as i made a mental added to the list of things Draco had snatched from other people.

' Draco Lucius Malfoy.
New Minister Of Magic,
and First Hand Servant To The Dark Lord.'

A signature was curled up at the bottom under a list of agreements and laws. I scanned over each of them curious to what his role did entail, to see if capturing a past memory and imprisoning them in your household was a chose or some rule for him. However, only one rule really stood out to me. 'No relations or past relations with anyone under pureblood status.' A confident tick sat beside the 6th rule, masking nothing but lies. I placed the frame face down again and took a deep breath, accidentally snapping the frame stand as I exhaled.

I tried to push the thought to the back of my head and I walked downstairs. I glanced into the lounge, checking to see if anyone was hidden but instead i caught Scorpius in the mirror's reflection, holding the etched blade from the mantel in his hands. I watched tensely as he began to attempt to spin it around his fingers, dropping it several times, it merely missing his feet. I kept by the door way, cracking a small smile as he continued to try. I let my eyes explore the room briefly and the settled on a wand displayed by the window. My wand. Immediately, I hurried over to it, snatching it from its stand and twisting it around my fingers, a breath of happiness escaping as I traced my fingertips along it's handle. It was in perfect condition, not a single crack or splinter, it had been taken care of. I turned to the mirror to remind myself of what it looked like to be a witch. I tossed it in the air, watching it spin in the reflection, Scorpius mirroring the action with the blade. Both came plummeting down at the same time, however the blade slip straight the his hand toward his foot. I seized my wand from mid air, point it in the direction of him in a panic.

" Wingardium Leviosa," came from my mouth so quickly it hardly sounded like a spell at all, but the blade stopped, hovering inches above the middle of his foot. I caught my breath and snatched up the blade before it had a chance to drop then placed it back on the mantle and letting out another sigh of relief. Glad to know it still worked. I twisted my hair around my wand and turned back to Scorpius, crouching to his level and meeting his eyes, which were wide with astonishment. "Maybe don't tell your dad about this?"