Narcissa Malfoy [HARRY POTTER AFTERLIFE FANFICTION]

Chapter 32

It could not be. Albus rubbed at his eyes, but the words on the parchment remained the same. He had written it, with no doubt. It was his handwriting. The letter he had written to himself looked aggressive, as if it demanded to be read. As if it had to be read, immediately.

Albus's eyes skipped to the bottom of the page, he inhaled every word quickly. Albus understood it all, strangely. It was so out of his mind it was hard to believe.

His brain was washed with mixed feelings. He was amazed at how his plan had worked, worried that his memories had been wiped, and worst of all, that Issa was gone. He could not stop rereading what he wrote about her, how he described her. How before he could forget her, Albus saw Issa as. Albus wondered if he could have ever felt that way.

It was a relief to finally understand things. He knew why he felt like the world could brake apart at the thought of Issa not being there with him, or why she had appeared to Albus in the Mirror of Erised. His memories had been taken away, but not his feelings. His heart had been screaming at him to remember what mattered, as cheesy as it sounded. He was astounded at how he could ever forget her.

Now there was only one question itching at the back of his head. Now that he knew it all again, what was he going to do? Albus was drenched in a shower of guilt were Issa was out there with a criminal. Out of Hogwarts, losing school. And who knew about it? Everybody thought he left to another school. What did her parents know?

Albus cared for Issa, he couldn't remember when he started to feel like that, but at least he knew he did. His thoughts wandered to the note she had written just for him at Christmas, or that kiss they'd shared even if it had been unintentionally. His heart sighed every time with a painful sorrow for her.

What was Long Beard making her do? The last thing Albus remembered (because of what said in his note) was Issa making a deal with Long Beard. And not just any kind of deal, but the Unbreakable Vow.

The note said well, she had to follow everything Long Beard said, and worst of all, she'd done it for him. Issa basically gave her life away to save him. She would not attend Hogwarts any longer, and instead would be the next one whose photo would appear of the list of Azkaban prisoners. Albus shuddered.

Albus had ruined her life. It was his fault. It was Long Beard's fault. Albus's jaw clenched as he thought o him. if he ever saw him again...

How long ha he take Issa for, a month? Two?

Albus would never see her again if he didn't do anything. And that's what he was going to do, something. Whatever it was. He needed Issa back. He wanted her back. Albus could not take another moment knowing that when he turned around on the chair of the Gryffindor table, he would find an empty spot on the Slytherin's.

What could he do?

* * *

"Another one?" Hugo said while he chewed on some buttered bread. "Haven't you found it weird, Al? Isn't the Ministry after them? What are they even doing?" He slammed the Daily Prophet on the table.

"Another what? Death, break in?" Albus asked. He sounded eager. Could it be Issa and Long Beard? "Have they captured them?"

"No." Hugo frustratingly sighed.

Albus sighed too, but of relief. He couldn't manage to picture Issa living around other criminals in the dark dungeons of Azkaban. "What else does it say? Where was it? How many have there been?"

"Well, as it says here they are very minor, barely importan. They didn't even bother titling it! Anyway, a man was menaced not so far away from here because he didn't want to sell these people some food and then there was other small steals and stuff. There was a Robert in an apothecary. But, you know, it's the small things like that the Ministry should focus on."