Something Golden

30.

July 6 1996

Today is our first day of training. Theo and I are stood outside some shops, the area is desolate and the street light flickers above us. "Are you sure we're in the right place?" Theo asks, stretching his arms as he lets out a yawn. I pull my sleeve back to check my watch, the watch Granger gave me for Christmas, it's five till 4. We are at the corner of Kingsgate and Canon St, just as the letter had instructed.

"We're early." I tell him, retrieving the box of cigarettes from my coat pocket and placing one between my lips. As I'm lighting the end of it Theo looks over at me, his face twisted in disgust.

"How are you doing that right now? The damn sun hasn't even begun to rise." I offer him a subtle shrug as I inhale, the smoke filling my lungs. "Besides, I thought you quit."

I did. I quit for Granger. She hated the way the smell would linger on my clothes, in my hair. Told me that if I continued to do so she wouldn't kiss me anymore. I quit that same day. It wasn't pleasant, I was groggy, fidgety, more irritable than I already am but when I would be around her it would all dissipate. She was my new fixation, the thing that I craved.

Things have changed though. My body isn't dependent on the buzz from the nicotine, it doesn't aide me in that way anymore but they do serve a purpose. Countless muggles have died from their abusive use of these things, I haven't heard of any witches or wizards inheriting the same fate but perhaps I could be the exception. I don't want to die, everything I do is out of self preservation, but what a rush it is to entertain the idea that the extinction of the Malfoy line could be at the hands of a muggle made product.

"Good, you're both here."

Theo and I turn to see Dolohov approaching, Greyback is dragging a small man behind him, his face covered by a cloth sack. I flick the remainder of my cigarette to the ground and squash it with the bottom of my shoe.

"Follow me." Dolohov instructs.

He leads us down the street and into a house, it's obvious that we don't have permission to enter as he kicked the door open. Greyback disappears up the stairs, taking the man with him, while Dolohov takes a seat in one of the chairs. His leg swings up and he rests his foot on his knee as he leans back, looking right at home. Theo and I both stand there, unsure of what we are supposed to do, neither of us daring to take a seat.

"Ah!" Dolohov claps his hands. "I almost forgot." He reaches behind the chair and throws a bag in front of us. "Welcoming gift."

Theo looks over at me, a single brow raised in confusion. I bend down and open it up. Once I see what is inside I lift the bag and dump the contents onto the floor. Knives of different shapes and sizes lay spread out before us.

"Your weapons." He tells us.

"We have our wands though." Theo says.

Dolohov nods. "I'm well aware Nott." He stands and picks up one of the knives and begins spinning it around. "You are under the age of 17, correct?"

"Yes."

"No."

Theo and I simultaneously respond.

"Regardless." He says. "Wands can be tracked, whether you still have the trace or not, especially if an unforgiveable is used. Our mission is not limited to our world, we will be infiltrating the muggles as well." Dolohov returns to his seat as he continues. "You are both being taught to be lethal and work in the shadows, to operate under the radar. Unless you wish to have the ministry breaking down your front door, you will avoid using your wands as much as possible."

It's difficult for me to not laugh in this moment. Voldemort and the death eaters sole purpose in doing all of this is to gain power, to show that those of pure-blood and magical abilities are superior and yet here we are using muggle equipment to do so, the entire situation is irony at its best.