Cursed Blood and a Forgotten Family (HarryPotter Fan fiction)

Chapter Eighteen!

The new professor was crazy! That’s the only words I could really think about her. We weren’t to use magic in class, I mean who does that? I heard that Harry had gotten detention for telling her that Voldemort had returned and she yelled too.. It made me wonder if the ministry really did know that Voldemort had come back but they were trying to keep it out of the papers just in case they think Harry might be wrong. Idiots. The lot of them. Anyway, she put up all these stupid rules that she shouldn’t even be allowed to put up... she’s gotten on my nerves.

Gavin hasn’t written to me at all and here it was past Halloween. My heart still ached for Thomas and I knew that the twin’s couldn’t be bothered with something as silly as my emotions.. I thought maybe I should just forgive Gavin and write to him first, it would be the mature thing to do... and if Gavin wasn’t going to put on his big boy pants then I would.

During my free period I went into the Great Hall, sat at a table with my quill and parchment and started my letter, halfway through a heartfelt apology a black flash flew past me and dropped a letter  in front of me. It had been from Gavin. Smiling a little bit I opened it and braced myself for the on coming words.

Dear Elli,

I know you probably don’t want to talk to me right now but I just needed to apologize once again for deceiving you. You are my dearest friend and I should’ve just told you what information I was after. I feel empty without your letters and I figure since I’m really in the wrong I better write first, only trouble is it took me a few months to figure out what to write. There’s so much I want to tell you but I can’t tell you in the form of the letter so if you aren’t doing anything around Christmas, maybe you could stay with the Weasley’s at Head quarters, I’ve already asked them and they want to have you over so does your Uncle! See you at Christmas!

~Gavin.

The smile couldn’t be erased from my face, I folded the letter back up and put in my book, threw away the letter I had started and begun again.

Gavin,

Funny thing, I was just writing you when Shadow came! I should also apologize, I shouldn’t have over reacted, let’s just pretend it never happened alright? I can if you can. These few months have a dark few. I have to tell you something, something that I’d prefer to write. I told you about Thomas and the Orphanage. What I didn’t tell you was that when I got out of Hogwarts I planned to abandon magic and one day marry Thomas and adopt little Annie. A few months ago the day of the train actually, I read in a muggle news paper that Thomas and the Orphanage had died in a “mysterious” fire. I know that Voldemort was behind it because I left. Gavin, for the longest time I thought that Thomas was going to be my future, the one to make me happy. It tears me up inside... All those innocent lives destroyed because of my cowardice... I fully accept your apology and hope you accept mine. I’ll see you at Christmas.

~ Elli M.

I walked to the Owlery where my own owl, Happy, sat there like a ray of sunshine. I gave her the letter and quick pat then she flew off in the still rising sun. I walked back to the castle and wandered the halls till I had decided to go the Library. On my way there Mr. Filch stopped me glowering down at me with his scruffy face and tangled graying hair with the ever present Mrs. Norris by his side. I stared right back at him.

“Professor Umbridge would like a word Miss Malfoy,” he spoke with a gruff impatient voice. I said nothing at first so he started to walk to Professor Umbridge’s classroom, let me into her office that had been painted the most horrifying shade of pink and pictures of loads of cats... I like cats just as much as the next person... but this went beyond crazy cat lady. Professor Umbridge sat at her desk (which surprisingly wasn’t pink) preparing tea for two.

“Miss Malfoy, please sit.” Her voice was sickenly sweet and light, I couldn’t stand it but I took the seat in front of the desk, never putting my sight on her. “How do you like your tea?” she asked. Something told me to not take the tea but I couldn’t be rude, couldn’t be like my family...

“Just milk if you please,” I answered quietly. She smiled and poured it in then pushed it towards me. “How are your classes going?” she asked.

“They’re going fine thank you,” I responded with a hint of bafflement in my voice. She smiled a fake little smile, took a sip of tea, I sipped my tea during the silence.

“Miss Malfoy, I don’t need to tell you how odd it is that you are in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin unlike your brother  - “ I cut her off.

“I don’t have a brother,” I hissed. She looked a bit taken back but continued.  “and your whole family line. I would like to get to know you better, I would like us to be friends.” Wasn’t sure how I felt about this.

“Friends? Professor? Or a spy like Mr. Filch?” I asked before I held my tongue, I regretted it as soon as it left my mouth. Professor Umbridge’s lip twitched after my comment.

“Now I see why you are in Gryffindor, terribly bold you are,” she smirked.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean - “ she cut me off.

“Yes you did, don’t worry, I’m not going to punish you for your bluntness. I’ve taken a look at your records and I’ve asked around. You aren’t a happy girl are you Miss Malfoy, are you?” she asked. It was like she could see right through me.

“No Professor,” I muttered.

“I want to remedy that, by being friends with me, you’ll never be bullied again,” she smiled. The offer sounded tempting but I wasn’t sure...

“Can I get back to you on a that Professor?” I inquired.

“Of course but I shall like to know soon, thank you for your time Miss Malfoy,” she grinned and excused me to leave. The moment I stepped out of the room, I felt no temptation to become her precious pet. I walked through the halls and went into my potions class with Professor Snape, which as usual were boring because everything he taught was old news to me.

At Lunch Hermione and Ron and sat down next to me. Whispering about in hushed voices, I kept quiet, not wanting to impose.

“Elli, I need to speak with you so after classes come to Hog’s Head, alright?” she asked. I nodded and went back to eating. Finally, after all the classes were over I headed over to Hog’s Head in the blistering cold. Didn’t know why we were meeting but when I walked in, it wasn’t just me and Hermione who had been there... handfuls of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws and a few Hufflepuffs were there as well. I immediately felt insecure.

“What’s Malfoy doing here?” someone sneered.

“Because she’s just like you so shut it,” Fred and George vouched. I went over to them and saw Hermione, Ron and Harry take to the front of us.

“Now we all know we’re here, we need a teacher... a proper teacher,” she started. I could feel the tension through the room. There had been some people who still resented Harry about Cedric and Voldemort but as the conversation went on, Harry had some inspiring words to say. Basically, we were going to meet in secret and Harry was going to teach us spells. I could rat them out to Umbridge and she could protect me from bullying... On the other hand Hermione and Harry were my friends, could I really betray them? What would my father do?

I stood up and walked forward, my hand trembling, there would be no going back from this. I could get bullied even more by doing this but it was something that had to be done. My hand rested on the wooden table and with my trembling hand I wrote my down and joined Dumbledore’s Army. Hermione smiled at me, I smiled back.

I went up to the Owlery to check up on Happy to find a letter strapped to her leg. Assuming it had been from Gavin I untied it and started to read it. Only to find that it been from my mother... Fear slowly crept in.

Dearest Ellisar,

Your Father, I and our... guest are very unhappy of your disappearance over the summer... For that we want both you and your brother home for Christmas, don’t try and tell me no.. He said that if you disobeyed again... someone else close to you will get hurt... I love you darling...

~Mother.