an unbroken force

Six

         My wand is gone. It disappeared just like that. Frankly, I curse to myself, wondering how I didn't anticipate this happening. I really couldn't accept the possibility that these past 24 hours can't get any odd.

        I stop abruptly, in my tracks, which confuses Daphne, who is walking beside me.

        "What, what's wrong?" she turns toward me, scanning my face for any emotion.

        "My wand. My goddamn wand. It's gone, I don't have it," I reply, suddenly, wide-eyed and petrified. Someone has taken my protection of way. Naturally, I believe I know the only two people who could've done this.

        "Well- okay, wait," Daphne stops me and tries to calm me down. "We just left our room. Chances are it's still in there. Come now."

        We run back to our dormitory and, the second I walk in I'm impatiently rummaging through all of my belongings. Panic courses through my veins and my heart beats so loudly that the ache echoes into my mind.

        "Daphne, I can't find it anywhere. I actually can't find it anywhere. It's gone," I have to sit on my bed to ponder through every last memory throughout the last day. Something strikes my brain subsequently, however, so I quickly bid goodbye to Daphne and run out with my book bag.

-

        I bolt down the Slytherin corridors, ignoring two prefects who scolded me as I ran past. Knowing damn well Malfoy is taking his sweet time heading to class. I turn, promptly, into the Slytherin Common Rooms where I find none other than the culprit himself relaxing beside the fireplace. I catch him by surprise, lifting him and shoving him.

        "What the hell was that for, Francis?" Draco shouts, straightening himself out immediately, although it's relatively clear that my lack of strength is apparent. "Didn't you ever learn to keep your hands to yourself?"

        My anger doesn't subside, and I suddenly don't care about how our housemates might be watching. I reach towards him and yank the collar of his shirt so we're levelled. 

        "I know you took my wand, Malfoy," I accuse him in a low tone, my cold gaze directed at him. "If you don't reveal yourself, I swear I will send your ass into the Forbidden Forest to live with the spiders myself."

        "You need not be so violent, Rose," he replies, in an equally sombre tone. "And besides, I didn't take your wand."

        Before I let go of his shirt, I focus on him and push every clouding thought out of my mind. He's bluffing, but he's so damn good at it. Must be because of his father. Keeping my head high, I reply to him, in an attempt to lure him in for further interrogation.

        "Well then," I say, finally, crossing my arms. "You should be a gentleman and help your classmate find her wand since you're suddenly so polite."

        He sucks in a frustrated breath but agrees after pondering for a moment. "There are many words I could call you right now, as a matter of fact, I would like to call you right now. But I'm better than you in every way, so, I'll be the bigger person and come with you. Is that what you'd like?" 

        "Precisely," I retort, through gritted teeth and a plastered-on smile. I grab onto his sleeve, dragging him out of the common rooms.

-

        "Perhaps you should retrace your steps," Draco breaks a long period of silence between us.

        "Is that not what we've been doing for the past half-hour, Malfoy?" I snap back. There's been no sign of my wand since we started looking and it's upsetting me more than one could imagine. I know I'm able to protect myself with the powers I've been gifted but I'm not sure how skilled I am with them. Evidently, my Legilimency skills are quite polished, however, I'm not sure about my telekinetic abilities. I haven't practised them since Draco tried killing me and I'm fairly certain that my injuries could've weakened my skills. I just hope nothing bad happens before I find my wand.