Lumos

46 | Professors and Nonexistent Plans

He scowled. "Well then, it seems I don't have a favorite."

"No, it seems you weren't anybody's favorite."

"Neither were you."

"I was Lockhart's favorite!" I argued.

"Please tell me you didn't say that," he groaned. "He was his own favorite."

I snickered. "Okay. My favorite professor was, in all honesty, Hagrid. He was the least threatening, the kindest, and to be honest, I loved magical creatures. Still do."

"Just because you said that, you're not allowed here anymore," he said, raising his eyebrows as he stood up. Malfoy ran a hand through his neatly gelled hair, roughing it up a bit. A few wisped across his forehead. "Anyway, back to reality." He tapped the inside of his arm. "I'm being called."

As he readied himself to disapparate, he knit his eyebrows as if he were thinking of something important.

He looked at me, and smiled. A real smile.

"Flitwick. I had the highest regard for him—still do."

And with that, he was gone.

⚡️⚡️⚡️

I asked Nott and Parkinson if either of them knew anything about the Sword of Gryffindor, and they shook their heads.

"What would you want to do with it?" Parkinson asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

I shrugged, nonchalant. "It seems like a powerful weapon to have."

"I've overheard Bellatrix mentioning it a couple times," Nott said, his face scrunched as he tried to recall what he'd heard her say.

"If Bellatrix thinks it's worth talking about, it must be a dangerous weapon indeed," Parkinson agreed. 

The three of us were on our way to the Malfoy Manor, where Voldemort awaited. I was anxious, my insides churning, wringing my hands as I walked with them, breathing out through my lips. The manor seemed to tower dauntingly above us, ready to swallow us whole.

"Don't worry," Nott said, "you'll be fine if you follow these rules."

I swallowed. "Which ones?"

"Don't speak until you're spoken to," Parkinson said.

"Don't look the Dark Lord in the eye," Nott added. 

"And most importantly, never disagree with anything he says. When you're in that room, everything he says is right."

"But what if he asks my opinion on something?"

"Only say what you think would be in his favor," Nott explained. He grabbed my arm, bringing me to a sudden halt. We were already at the doors to the manor, and I hadn't even realized. 

"Just pretend you don't exist," Parkinson said, and there was no spite in her words. She was trying to help me, for once in her life. 

Nott looked at me. "Ready?"

I nodded, and he turned, pushing open the doors. I made my way across the foyer, into the grand dining room.

Relieved, I realized he wasn't there yet. His chair was empty, but many of the Death Eaters were already seated, including Antonin Dolohov, Thorfinn Rowle, Selwyn, Yaxley, Travers, Snape, Lucius Malfoy, and Bellatrix Lestrange. Of course, these were only few of the many.