Chilled Legacy

Chilled Legacy XIX: The Search Part 1

Don't do this, Astoria's voice told him. How could you? You promised to take me to the beach on my birthday. You lied. I'll never forgive you. Liar.

"You will. You'll find someone better to take you."

I won't.

"You will. You'll find someone who can keep you warm at the beach. I'm no good there."

You never told me you loved me or even kissed me. You have to come back and do it.

"There's no time...or point. Just shut up, would you?"

Draco shook his head and continued on his journey, occasionally attempting to communicate with Norwegian muggles, emphasizing words like Arendelle, and red veil.

Every time the words left his lips, he tasted death.

***

They reached the courtyard before finally stopping, the snow still present, but now a complete mush. Harry didn't know what to do or think, but one thing was certain; he would never accept this. Draco's death couldn't be happening.

He wasn't dead.

He couldn't be.

"I have to go look for him."

Yes, that was it. Harry would find him. Draco wasn't dead until he saw it, even if the ice beneath his feet turned into a river. The courtyard, Harry hoped, would clear his mind enough to reveal his next move, but once there everything felt blurrier. It was like the longer he went without doing something, the more the panic blurred his vision—sort of like trying to find the answer to a potions questions when you've already been called on (by Snape of all people), except getting the answer wrong or having no answer at all was...unthinkable.

"He was going somewhere," Neville said. "Draco was determined. Maybe he went to the manor."

Harry nodded, replaying his last moments on the cliff. "What did he say? What did he say? It was something that made no sense, but I was too focused on him jumping..."

"He wanted you to kill him, but when you didn't he stood up. Something like maybe you won't do it, but I know who will."

"There's gotta be a way to track him," Ron said. "He was carrying a bag. Any of you know what was in it?"

Astoria shook her head slowly. Still blankly looking at nothing, she answered, "The bag was important."

Harry pulled Astoria to face him and crouched down. When eye to eye, she looked even more dazed. "Why was the bag important?"

Astoria didn't answer.

Harry shook her gently. "C'mon, Green. This is about finding Draco, okay? He'd not dead. Just answer—what was in the bag?"

"I...don't know. He fought me for it and froze Myrtle."

Harry looked at Ron. "She's probably melted now."

And they were running again.

***

"Finally! Where is it? Is it far?"

The old traveler looked at Draco with concern. Draco didn't have to read his mind to know he wasn't thinking him sane. It was uncommon to be approached by a lone foreign teen dressed in hell-knows-what asking about a place no one's heard of. Maybe he would've felt self-concious in another setting, but now he was just relieved the man spoke English.

His curiosity got the best of him and Draco read him anyway—the man thought he was a drug addict. Draco looked at his arm again, making sure the cape covered the stab wound from Blaise. Right now he couldn't feel it, but he made sure no one saw the blood. He didn't need any more setbacks or questions.