As the sun sets//Theodore Nott

A New Year

Occlumency 'the magical defense of the mind against external penetration'

Sitting in the garden of Malfoy Manor, a blanket laid out neatly underneath is where Amara Lestragnge spent most of her time practicing. Occlumency is a hard skill to learn. Narcissa started teaching her during her second year.
"You must keep your composer." Narcissa would say with a stern look and a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Do not let your emotions show, as they can be used against you."
Picturing a long hallway, much like the one in my at the manor, rooms began to form within, doors to memories that need to be kept closed. Opening only when required. Some doors left ajar and unlocked in the forefront of my mind. Memories of my mother, of all of the events of the last month. Of my friends. Memories that are kept  within the darkest hall in her mind adorn many locks and chains around them. Not to be opened, not be disturbed, to be locked and forgotten about.

There are footsteps behind me, then a soft brush on my shoulder. Breaking my concentration of organizing my thoughts, a smirk slowly appears on my face.

"Would you like some help?" Draco questions grabbing a cigarette and lighting it with the tip of his wand. The smell of nicotine and apples flood my nose. Still trying to organize my thoughts I stay silent for a moment. Once they are put into their correct rooms, doors locked, I turn to face the platinum hair boy sitting next to me. He is holding his pack out to offer me one, I reach for it and wait for him to light it. "Didn't aunt Cissy ever tell you it was rude to sneak up on a lady Draco?" I laugh while turning back to look out on the garden at Malfoy Manor. This time of year the flowers are slowly dying as the weather gets colder and the sun sets earlier in the evenings. With the upcoming school year I try to soak up as much of the sunsets that I can before returning to the dungeons of the Slytherin common room. "Who said that there are actual ladies here?" He gives me a slight smirk. He casts a warming charm over us and starts working on his own occlumency.

Seeing Draco smiling and laughing floods my heart with warmth. The past couple of days he's been holed up in his room. Not once leaving, since being marked.

The door across the hall shuts. I have been waiting for him to come back up the stairs. Narcissa pushed me in here hours ago. "Stay up here.. Do not make a sound. We will come get you when they leave." Silence for a long while, then the faintest sobs. Throwing on my robe I make my way across the room, into the hall and tap on his door. The sobbing stopped. Reaching for the door knob I make my way in. "Draco? Are you okay?" No answer. The quiet sobbing continues as I make my way to his bed. Mumbles are all that come out. "...burns.... " "....the mark...." "...please.... Make.... It... stop..." "...It hurts..."Crawling into his bed I put my arms around him and try to cast a cooling charm on his arm. Whether or not it eases the pain I can't tell as he is still crying. We lay like this for hours. Aunt Cissy lightly knocks making her way in. Draco fell asleep an hour ago. I try to slide out from his bed as quietly as I can, ensuring that I do not disturb the sleeping boy I was laying next to not moments ago. Slowly, I make my way to the door and slip out to go back to my room across the hall.

The last two years I have been staying with the Malfoys during the summer. Since the Dark Lord's return my father has been getting more aggressive towards everyone in our house. The training sessions are harder. More dark magic lingers in our house than ever before.. It has slithered its way within me where it lingers, corrupting my magical essence. It is a part of me and nothing I do will save me from it. From him. Thankfully aunt Cissy has invited me to stay at their house. But this hasn't deterred father from the brutal training sessions.

Draco being forced to take the Dark Mark means that he is the first of many of the inner circle's children to take it. Cissy has been trying to coerce the men that I shouldn't get it. That I am a lady, and ladies tend to their men. That my father does not need to prove his loyalty. Bellatrix is not in agreement. She thinks that I do not have what it takes to serve the Dark Lord on my own and that I need to prove myself. Father agrees. He thinks I'm weak.

Sitting here with Draco has been comforting. As the sun sets upon the ground I lean my head against his shoulder. A deep inhale from my side. I tilt my head up to look at him. He's pale... Well paler than usual. I follow suit inhaling deeply. Letting the mixture of scents invalid my nose, calming my nerves. "Draco... Do you think we are going to be okay?..." I ask,fishing for any glimpse of emotion that is writing on his face. He stays blank while looking out. "Honestly Amara, I am not sure..." He puts his arm around me and we stay there till the sun goes down and well into the darkness. Once the warming charm wears off we head back inside to get ready for the trip back to Hogwarts. Back to the place that we once called our second home.

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Arriving at platform  9 ¾ has always made me happy. Seeing all my friends again. Knowing that we are safe at Hogwarts... That is at least it has been the last 6 years. This year is different... But only if you take a closer look. The first years are looking around with magic in their eyes, ready to experience everything that being a wizard or witch has to offer. Some other students are running around, finding their friends they haven't seen since school got out last term, huge smiles on their faces running to grab an empty car to catch on the adventure that occurred for them this summer.

Then there are the small select few. The small amount of us that pay attention to the talkings around us. That knows what is going on with the wizarding community. The dangers that are in store this year. With the talking of Voldemort's return. You can see it on their faces. The fear. The worry. The ones who have more to lose than others.

Walking farther into onto the train I walk past Harry, Ron and Hermione. Smiling slightly I make my way into the compartment and sit next to Harry.
"Hello Harry. Ron, Hermione. How was your summer? How's the burrow?" I say as I turn and pull Harry into a hug.

"The burrow is great. Fred and Geroge made a quidditch pitch. Been practicing all summer, Hoping to be keeper this year and play with Harry, Fred and Greoge!" Ron explained through his mouthful of chocolate frogs.
"That's great Ron. I bet you will. I'm sorry I did not write much this summer. Mum needed help around the house since dads been busy."
"We understand Amara, I mean I don't get most of my post anyways..." He lets out a slight smile and a little chuckle. "Have you uh, have you heard from Malfoy?" Harry whispered.

They all knew that I was close to Draco, and have made it clear that they don't agree with his and my friendship. Well, that is except for Hermione she tends to keep quiet about her opinion of him.
Draco has always been a prat towards her but I know it's just because he is mad that she is better than him at everything even though she's supposedly "below" us. Drives him mad. But usually all topics that include Draco are left behind when I am around.

"What do you mean? Has something happened to him?" Looking at Harry with raised brows.
After a glance of eyes around the cart Hermione pulls the curtains down and places a muffliato on the cart.
"Harry is under the impression that Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater."

How could they possibly even know this? Draco has barely even left the house all summer. He said he was always careful not to be seen outside of Diagon Alley...

"You're barking, Harry. Just because his father is one doesn't mean that he is one as well." I slam my occlumency doors.
"We saw him Amara, in Knockturn Alley going into Borgin and Burks. I think he was with Greyback..." Harry swallowed. "He was looking at a sort of cabinet. I couldn't make anything else out before they pulled the curtains."
"I... Surely you must be mistaken... He's a bit of a prat but I don't believe he would ever do that... I think maybe he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time..." Trying to get this idea out of their head is harder than trying to fly a broom for the first time.

I cannot lie to them anymore than that. They are my friends too, and I need them to trust me... I want them to. I truly love the trio. They are the only hope for defeating Voldemort... But I also cannot have them suspecting Draco of anything...

After a while the conversation switches to quidditch and this is where me and Hermione both pull out our new potions book and study the rest of the train ride.

Once I wake up Harry is gone and I am laying with my legs curled up on the seat. Looking across I spy Ron with his head tipped back and Hermione's head on his shoulder. They really would be cute together. It makes me wonder if I could find someone to care for me as he does her...
No. No I cannot not. Who would love someone hiding so much behind closed doors? I cannot let anymore of my emotions out then what is necessary. Just like aunt Cissy said "Do not let your emotions show, as they can be used against you."
I cannot risk anyone else in my life getting hurt.
Not again...