Rose Thorn ❖ (Draco Malfoy - Harry Potter Series)

6.02

Draco Malfoy wandered through Diagon Alley in search of his new school books. Part of him wished to see Camille again, the other half of him was still annoyed with the way she didn't seem to trust him. 

     He turned a corner, his mother clutching his sleeve. Knockturn Alley, that's where they were meant to go. He'd known why he'd given the girl he loved too much up. Because of this...this impossible task Voldemort had threatened. 

     He knew what his father was going to do...he even predicted its failure, he'd prepared...he'd prepared for the punishments. What he didn't expect was for Camille to have been there too. But it worked, the excuse worked. He'd let her go to save her. 

     Voldemort had punished him severely and would destroy Camille in his path of destruction. She was just a girl, too kind...too pure. Voldemort loved broken things. He'd love to break Camille even further or worse turn her into something in spite of Draco falling in love. Draco still loved Camille, with every fibre in his body, more than he loved anything in the world, most certainly more than he cared for himself. She was safe now, safe from him.

     His mother paused, glancing around to spot any onlookers, he stood beside her. Her fingers brushed the mark on his forearm, not the Death Mark, no the Dark Lord had promised that'd come later...a further spit in his family's face. The bite.

     Yet another punishment upon their family. complete the task, then Fenrir's bite shall be undone but to fail---

     Draco's eyes found Camille who had come out of a book store. She spotted him but didn't look twice, simply waited for the two behind her. Draco stiffened; Remus Lupin was behind her with Tonks. But Draco's blood coiled in recognition of the Professor, not from teaching but...

     Draco watched Camille walk away as if he meant nothing to her...as if she didn't even know him. Lupin had caught his eye before following the girl, a double look, as if he couldn't believe it either. But he'd broken her heart...he had to live with it now.

     Draco followed his mother through the dark alleyways of Knockturn Alley until they entered Borgin and Burkes. Several other Death Eaters where in there and the boy half winced as he spotted Fenrir Greyback snarling at him. His forearm burned at the sight of him.

     They all stood before a vanishing cabinet. It was fully functional and they all whispered and muttered plans between them. Bellatrix knew of its twin in Hogwarts and Draco was burdened to fix that one...a portal it'd become, from this very shop and straight into Hogwarts, the only way to sneak in the Dark Lord's followers.

      Draco gulped...that impossible task began to sink in now. Kill Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort had ordered. That was another reason he'd let Camille go...because if he did kill him, she'd hate him forever. For him to take another one's life...no one should have that power.

⍟

Camille Diggory sat alone in the dungeon. The bird flapped around the room, its wings half driving the girl mad. The door opened and Grindelwald motioned for her to follow him. The bird flurried away; gods know where. She entered another room, dull and plainly decorated. In the corner was a large cabinet, the doors open to reveal it empty.

     "That is a vanishing cabinet, child." Grindelwald explained.

     Camille touched the edge. "What do I do with it?"

     "There are two others, one in Borgin and Burkes, the other in Hogwarts." Grindelwald spoke, "Only one of them works and unfortunately it is not this one. I task you to fix this."

     "Why?" Camille asked, then added, "How?"

     "Think of it as incentive to travel between my home in Borgin and Burkes and Hogwarts." Grindelwald said, taunting her but she did not fall for the bait of returning back to that school. Not with her clone there too. "How...you'll determine that for yourself. Just like the bird but this one will take time."

     Camille frowned at the cabinet. "Will I be able to stay in this room?" She was hopeful. It had a bed, the least, and light from the candles.

     "Yes." Grindelwald finished, then locked the door behind him. Trapped in yet another room but with a bigger test before her.