Heliophilia; d.m

XXIII

"Let her eat in peace." Bellatrix mimicked with an exasperated face, and loudly pushing back her chair, she said, "Come on, we have things to do, if you haven't forgotten, let's leave this poppet alone." She huffed, getting up from her seat.

"Where are you going?" I asked, looking up at her with interest. They, like me, often disappeared somewhere, did some business, as they called it, and I always wondered where they went together.

"Look how curious she is, what do you care?"

"Bellatrix, stop," Narcissa pursed her lips, glaring at her sister in exasperation, "We're going to Borgin and Burkes, we have a conversation with the owner."

They were going to leave me alone there, in a huge, empty, dark house, to myself and my not cheerful thoughts.
After what my eyes had seen that morning, after what my ears had heard, after my soul had seemed to leave my body several times, I didn't want to be alone. I'd never been to a place they were going to, and it was probably their style — gloomy and creepy, but I didn't care. I didn't even care that I had to spend time with them, I just didn't want to be left alone.

"Can I come with you?" I asked softly, looking pleadingly into Narcissa's eyes, trying to convey to her that I just wasn't able to stay alone.

"Don't you think it would be better for you to take a little nap now?"

"Yes, Draco's bed hasn't been made yet, so feel free—"

"Bellatrix!" Narcissa cut her sister, who couldn't keep her mouth shut, off again, glaring at her angrily.

"What?" She shrugged her shoulders with an innocent face and turned away, giving me an evil grin.

They knew. They knew that I had slept in his room, on his bed, under his blanket. They knew everything.

I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me, leaving me just sitting there motionless, staring at Bellatrix.

I wasn't too careful, sneaking out of my room every night to sleep where he slept, pretending he was there, and everything was fine. It was stupid, but in a way, it helped me. I slept more calmly, I felt more comfortable, safer.

And as sickening as it sounds, it was.

"Violet, if you're okay, you can come with us." Narcissa's soft voice snapped me out of my stupor, and I gave her a brief smile and stood up from my chair.

In the blink of an eye, we were in the place, and it was exactly as I had imagined it.

A dark, unlit, cold, frightening place. With a lot of strange and incomprehensible objects. I looked at the shelves, the racks, the display cases, and I couldn't even figure out what I was looking at. It was eerie, and sinister, and I was sure of one thing — all those artifacts were not meant for good deeds.

Bellatrix and Narcissa immediately left me alone in the middle of the place, walking with the owner, if it was him, into the back of the shop.

I tried to stay where I was, not moving, afraid of touching something and being cursed, but a sudden creaking sound coming from the old cabinet caught my attention.

I glanced in the direction the three of them had gone, and carefully walked over to the cabinet, my hand reaching for the handle as the door opened abruptly.

I jerked my whole body, feeling my heart pounding in my throat, and carefully peered inside the closet. Maybe it wasn't too prudent, maybe it was even some kind of trap — maybe even deadly, but it was too late to think intelligently.