Snakes and Sanguine

Summer: Malfoy Manor

The summer was going by slower than a snail would if it were trying to walk through a stream of honey and glue. I hadn't kept up my vow of refusing to leave my room since I started to get hungry the next morning. I did keep up my vow to speak to my parents as minimally as possible, which wasn't something too difficult.

When the last week of August came along, I got an owl from Scorpius asking if I was still coming for the week. Of course I was, I needed to get out of here. Since I needed a way to get to Malfoy Manor, I was forced to ask my parents if they could apparate me there. They agreed, and I needed to go and pack my things.

I used my wand to quickly pack up all the things that I needed for Hogwarts into my magically extendable suitcase. I decided to wear a black and cream pleated skirt and a black crewneck with a cream collared shirt underneath. I tied my hair up into a low ponytail with a matching cream ribbon. I looked in my mirror, remembering how I did about a year ago and looked at myself. I hadn't changed by much at all only that my hair had gotten slightly longer and my lips looked a little bit fuller.

I said goodbye to my parents once they had apparatted me to the gates of Malfoy Manor even though I knew I would sadly see them again on September 1st in Diagon Alley. When I touched the handle that opened the gate it let out a little chime that could be heard throughout the Manor, an alerting charm.

A house elf opened the gate to let me inside, but first asked for my name. He checked a small little piece of parchment that he had and my name, that had already been written on there, evaporated at the house elf's touch. I read the two other names that were on the list; Albus Potter and Pansy and Theodore Nott. Seems as though Al hadn't arrived yet if his name was still on the list.

Malfoy Manor was probably double the size of my house, but still, smaller than Hogwarts. This one was more like a stone compared to a boulder rather than a pebble. There was almost a dark and eerie feel to Malfoy Manor, almost like it had witnessed too many unwanted things. I felt like I almost fit in with the decoration. Everything black, green, navy, and cream.

There was a grand chandelier that hung from the ceiling of the foyer and two large staircases on opposite ends of the room. Down one of the stairs, walked two women of elegance and grace. One had her grey hair tied in a neat bun and wore a black silk dress and a long black robe that looked incredibly expensive. It had silver clasps at the front which held the robe close at the top, leaving the rest open to reveal her dress. The other woman, who was recognizable as Scorpius's mother, looked just as elegant but as well as a little flustered and was breathing in a slightly unnatural pattern, while trying to maintain her poise.

"Delancy, so nice to see you." Astoria Malfoy greeted, continuing to make her way down the stairs. "This is my mother in law Narcissa, Narcissa this is Scorpius's friend Delancy Cedar."

"Nice to meet you." she replied with a smile, her voice was soft yet raspy.

"Pleasure." I smiled respectfully.

Astoria coughed violently and Narcissa patted her on the back. "Scorpius is in his bedroom." she managed to say before continuing to cough.

"Third floor, second door to the right." Narcissa clarified, taking Astoria to whatever room was to the right of me.

I walked up the stairs which would have tired me out if I wasn't so used to walking up the stairs at Hogwarts. I found the second door to the right on the third floor and I knocked on the door. Or so I thought I did. Instead of seeing Scorpius, as I expected, I found the man who was at Platform 9 ¾ a couple of months ago. He was incredibly tall and held a wand that had a handle at the top, in the shape of a snake's head.

"And who are you, knocking on my door unannounced." he drawled, his face wrinkled in a permanent scowl.

"Sorry, sir." I started, trying to keep my composure. "I thought this was Scorpius's room."