Soul of Ice

40. Family Portrait

"They won't talk to me if they know I'm going to run off to you."

"I will make you Head Boy. That way, regular meetings with me will be unsuspicious. It will be a test of your skill to keep your peers' trust."

"Who's Head Girl?" Draco asked.

"Abigail."

Draco couldn't hide his surprised expression. "She'd never."

"You may find I'm rather persuasive."

"Doesn't she hate your guts by now?"

"She does. But she is mature enough to swallow her pride and agree to work with me to keep her peers safe. She has agreed to observe the students who do not side with the Dark Lord. I suspect they will be the Carrows' prime targets for particularly nasty punishments."

"And she agreed to this, did she?"

"As I said, I can be rather persuasive."

Draco sighed. "Can I think about it?"

Severus nodded.

"Right. What's the Dark Lord's order, then?"

"The order is for both of you." Severus glanced at the clock. "I've asked her to meet us here in five minutes. Then, I will tell you both."

Draco frowned. "Abbie won't take orders from the Dark Lord."

"Then she'll take them from me."

"She won't."

"She must."

"Well, good luck with that," Draco scoffed. "The one way to guarantee Abbie won't do something is to order it."

The next five minutes passed in silence. Draco stayed sitting, while Severus stood and began pacing. He knew Draco was right, of course. Abbie would never take an order from anyone - and she may well rather die than do what he was going to ask of her.

The door opened for Abbie, and she stepped through. Severus turned to look at her, hating himself for what he was going to ask of her, but hoping she would be able to think past her own pride. Abbie glanced at Draco, who was still sitting.

"Has he agreed?"

"Yes," Draco replied for himself as he stood up. "I'll do it."

"Remember, your tasks must be absolutely secret," Severus warned them both. "Not a soul is to know except the three of us. Understood?"

Abbie and Draco both nodded.

"Good. Now... the Dark Lord's order. And it is an order," he emphasised, looking at Abbie meaningfully. "I hope I don't need to remind either of you what happens to those who displease the Dark Lord."

"Hang on," Abbie interrupted. "I'm not one of you. I don't take orders from him."

"You will if you value your life."

"And if I'd rather die?"

"Abigail, I warned you a long time ago that the Dark Lord would punish me by killing you. He may well do the same for you. You may not value your own life, but what about your mother, your friends?" He didn't want to mention her muggle girlfriend in front of Draco, but Severus hoped she understood.

"...What does he want?"

Severus looked between them. Their friendship had been tested over the years in many ways, and now he may well be about to break it forever.

"He wishes you both to marry."

"What?!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Why?!" Abbie demanded.