THE FURIES ▸ Draco Malfoy

Chapter Thirty-Three: SISYPHUS

Theo scowled at her once more after everything was finally collected, the rest of the class already having exited the room besides their table. She grinned, but her eyes fell off of Theo and onto Slughorn at the center of the room. All class, he'd seemed distracted. His attention was not focused as it usually was, and rather than teaching a lesson today, they were reading more from the book without any proper instruction. Mia wasn't stupid. She noticed his different mood the moment she walked into class the first day after he'd returned from break, but now, he seemed even more distracted. 

A hand went to lay on her arm, and she glanced over to see that Draco was watching her with furrowed brows. She pursed her lips and turned to Slughorn, then flickered her eyes to Draco again. The silent conversation between them was short, but it said all that it needed to. Neither of them truly needed words to understand the other anymore―they were just an addition to their communication with each other.

He nodded, his eyes following Slughorn once before before he pulled Mia's bag off her shoulder to carry it. Then, he released her shoulder and brushed past her with only a faint tempt at pushing his chest against her back. She rolled her eyes at him, but didn't pay any more attention to his display. Theo had seen the whole interaction, but before he could ask any questions, Draco was nudging him forward with a not-so-gentle elbow to the arm. 

That left Mia alone in the classroom with Slughorn. Her exterior molded into the perfect, little student she always was for him, a layer of concern washing over her face so that she was believable. Walking to his worktable, she waited until he glanced up from collecting the day's ingredients to notice her. He jumped slightly when he saw her standing there. 

"Oh, Andromeda!" he said, his hand going to his chest. "My, you scared me, my girl. I thought everyone had left already―" 

Mia pulled her lips up into a small, fake smile. "I'm sorry, professor. I didn't mean to startle you. I only wanted to make sure that you were all right and to ask how your break went. You seemed upset today in class." 

Slughorn's face softened, and he hesitated a moment. "Your heart is too big, Miss Erebus. I appreciate your concern for my well-being, but I assure you I am doing well...my time was spent finding some rare ingredients from collectors around Europe..." he paused, and while his face was still solemn and showed he was clearly not telling her something, he still looked her way. "How was your holiday? I hope your mother is favoring well." 

"Actually, sir," she paused, clearing her throat and glancing down at her hands. "With the first anniversary of my father's death coming up soon, the days have been much harder for her...it has become harder on all of us. Every day, the new reports in the Daily Prophet..." 

Mia trailed off, fiddling with her fingers. Slughorn's eyes stayed attentive on her. "My apologies, Miss Erebus―my mistake for forgetting―there is much chaos in the world today, but I believe..." he hesitated, warily. "I believe that so long as we remain reminded of why we must fight, we shall never lose." 

"Sir, I don't want him to win." 

Slughorn and Mia were both convinced by those six words. She must be a wonderful liar. 

"He murdered my father," she continued, and Slughorn watched her pitifully as her eyes welled up with tears. Fake. She sniffled, running the sleeve of her robe along her nose. "My family...there is something missing in all of us now, and I can only imagine how all of the other victims of his and his followers crimes must feel..." 

"Death is an unforgiving crime, Miss Erebus. I have lost much of my family to death...too many lives are lost as a consequence of war, I'm afraid. The most we can do is find the light in the trying times. You see the good in others, Andromeda, just as your mother does. Your family may never be the same, but remind yourself every day of those you still have, dear..." Slughorn pursed his lips uncomfortably when she sniffled again. "I am so dearly sorry for the pain you are going through, Andromeda."