– y/n's pov –
"not alive. Only you lived. That's why you're the 'last Lascelles'"
I needed time to digest what Draco just said. Suddenly, I had new parents and then no.
How am I supposed to feel right now? Sad? But I don't have memories of this, of the family, of anything. I was so confused.
"Okay. Let's suppose I am the 'Lascelles' –"
"But you are" Draco corrected me.
"Fine, I am Lascelles. But then why are they... not alive? Why do I not remember them..."
"They are not alive because there is simply just no going against the... Dark Lord. It's impossible and you not remembering any of it is probably because your parents wanted to protect you."
"Protect me from what?"
"From the Dark Lo – from him,"
Draco kept mumbling whenever he mentioned the "Dark Lord"
"You keep saying words that I don't understand at all. Death eaters? What are those? And who the hell is the Dark Lord?" I complained in a loud voice. It wasn't obvious but Draco certainly winced at the name.
"Lord Voldemort. He is the most powerful, yet dangerous Dark Wizard and Death eaters are the most ardent and sadistic followers of him."
Now, his previous answers made much more sense. But still, I couldn't really understand this one part.
"How is removing my memories their 'protection', though?"
"So that you forget this world exists and that you don't ever place yourself near magic. Witches and wizards performing magic, it leaves traces. It might expose you to great threats"
"Wait, that means I'm not really supposed to be here, right? Hold on, does that count as a question?"
"First, you're correct. I don't know why Dumbledore has been so eager to bring you here in the first place. Second, that counts as two, you idiot. 12 wishes so far" I could see his smirk again. He couldn't get any more annoying than that, though, he was being quite helpful.
"Dumbledore has been eager to bring me here? The books, they might be from him then! Wait, did you know? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Well, it might not be and you didn't ask" Draco chuckled.
"I don't like you" I really don't.
"Glad to hear that." He hit back casually. Then I remembered all those memorable encounters with the owl.
"By the way, I received a whole bunch of letters from... an owl but they were all empty. What were those?"
"What did the letters look like?"
"They all had this red wax sealing with a logo that I didn't recognise..."
Draco then suddenly leaned closer to me and I was startled by his move.
"What are you doing –"
"Did it look like this?" He pointed at something on his robe that I was wearing. He was right. The logo on the wax sealing was the exact same logo embroidered on the robe.
"How did you –"
"It's the school logo. The owl was probably sending you Hogwarts acceptance letters." Draco sat back.
"But they were empty."
"Your parents' protection, you idiot"
"Will you stop calling me 'idiot', please?"
Draco chuckled as I frowned. After clearing my throat to once more express my displeasure, I continued with my questions.
"If the protection was so effective that it removed anything magical around me, then why not books?"
"Books themselves don't contain magic here, you idiot"
"Draco! I said 'please'"
"And I didn't say 'okay'." Draco smirked at me and I let out a big sigh and rested my head back against the wall. I didn't say anything for a while and fears began creeping inside of me.
"Draco, if this Dark Lord finds me, will he kill me?"
"No. But you would rather hope to die" He had his head resting against the wall like I did. He sounded serious and it made the fears worse.
"Well, that is... terrifying but I will soon leave back to my actual school and I will do as my Lascelles parents wished"
Both of us didn't say a word for a while and Draco broke the silence.
"...You should."
Did he mean that?
"and remember, you asked 15 questions"
Shit.
I thought to myself. Then I heard a sudden thumping noise and I directed my head to see the source of the noise. It was the gargoyle. Its stone eyes were shooting a glare at me. Then unexpectedly, it moved aside to reveal a spiral staircase, moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. Draco seemed as surprised as me.
"Hop in!" Draco hurriedly grabbed my wrist and ran for the once hidden staircase. We were now moving up with the gargoyle.
"I guess Dumbledore expected you to visit him here." Draco said, seemingly stunned by this peculiar experience just like me. Then I realized his hand on my wrist and I awkwardly cleared my throat. As if he remembered our contact, he quickly removed his hand from my wrist.
Soon after, in front of my eyes laid a large and beautiful circular room, full of curious silver instruments that were emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits.
"Ah, at last." Dumbledore rose from his enormous claw-footed desk. He gently smiled as he saw Draco and I.
"Didn't expect you as her company" Dumbledore's surprised eyes were on Draco.
"But this would actually be quite helpful since, Y/N, you got sorted into the same house as Draco. Now, please." He never dropped his gentle smile and hinted us to have a seat on one of the couches. Draco flopped down and made himself comfortable. Rude. I then sat down next to him politely.