[1]
MACABRE
Darkness spoke to the girl. It placed a soothing hand onto the girl's hair and blew her a soft kiss.
"Let me in", darkness whispered airily to her, its voice familiar yet foreign, loud yet distant. "Let me in."
The girl did. Her spine shivered as the wind swept past her. It felt chilly yet oddly comforting.
She let darkness in.
She felt her soul bloom at its touch, sparkling vividly with the moonlight. It glimmered mesmerisingly as if it was a newborn star, radiating brilliance and youthful beauty. Her heart felt like ripples that harmonised the music in her body creating a tuneful and unique melody that sang the song of her life. Her touch was soft, fragile, flawless like a porcelain doll, its scent like fresh roses under the morning dew. She was bathing in the garden of perfection and it was darkness that let her in.
Persephone was tired. Her lips were pursed and closed, seemingly innocent as she attempted to sleep, unlike its usual possessive yet enticing nature. She had heavy bags under her eyes closed, that seems to always shine with an alluring mysterious light blue glow. Her thin smoothly shaped eyebrows were folded and tensed unlike the rest of her features. She was having troubles sleeping.
There was a darkness that swarmed around the apartment. It was strong and suffocating, almost painful. It was black and empty, almost like an abyss, a never-ending abyss. The girl welcomed the darkness, she survived on it, it was her medicine and her drug.
As her compartment lock snapped open, sliding open, the girl elegantly stood up at the sudden disruption. She had a tall and refined frame that held an undeniable confidence, the strands of her long black hair touching her hips, soft and silky. She held a sweetness, in no sense holding naivety but a tantalising grace that held firm authority to the onlooker. She was a diamond that seemed like the fragile porcelain. At the figures at the door, her face quickly morphed to a small smirk that did not reach her eyes, obscuring the vulnerability that held her weariness. She was beautiful. Effortlessly beautiful. Flawlessly beautiful.
"Persephone," the girl at the door said carefully, "I thought we would never find you." She had short dirty blonde hair that stopped and curved at her shoulders. Her fit body leaning against the open glass compartment door, it naturally longed for attention. Her skirt cut way above the average mid-thigh length but was covered mainly by her Slytherin robes. Her bright green eyes promised cunning and mystery, well known through her ancestry. Scarlett Abattage was a bastard, a brave bastard to say the least.
Her boyfriend, Theodore Nott, stood behind her with the same mysterious aura. He had an average build for a boy of 14 and his face radiated a light youthfulness. He had warm brown eyes, matching his messy brunette hair, that has tricked many to think he was weak. The couple had an 'arrangement' made by their parents, they were to engage as soon as they're of age. They had been dating at the time. The 'arrangement' seemingly a coincidence - except it wasn't.
Then came Pansy Parkinson, her luscious blonde hair pulled into a carefully woven rough braid. Her arrogant nature diminished as soon as the compartment door opened, her concerned expression hidden by her attempt at coolness. Persephone smirked wider. She was the first to enter the compartment, sitting opposite to Persephone. Persephone kept her gaze at the door. The next to come in was the couple that previously stood at the doorway, Scarlett moved furtively and quickly to sit next to her. Theodore followed, letting Scarlett take dominance over the pair. Interesting.
"In the name of Merlin I swear," the light scolding voice of Draco Malfoy came through the compartment. His aristocratic face was flawless with his sharp jaw, stormy grey eyes, adorned by his sleek blonde hair. He was less attracted to the darkness compared to the rest of the group, it didn't make him any different. Draco Malfoy, like his mother, masked his emotions well.
"Annoying first years, wouldn't tell me where you were," Blaise Zabini addressed Persephone as he followed in after Malfoy. Blaise had the build of a Greek god, his body sleek and powerful. His muscle outline blatant through his white dress shirt that was tucked messily beneath his Slytherin robes, his tie quite obviously missing. His skin was tanned and smooth, seductive and unnerving. He had raven black eyes that were eerily dull.
"Not planning anything with them yet?" Scarlett asked mockingly, cocking an eyebrow at the boy.
"Don't pretend you and Theo don't tussle—," Blaise retorted back as he and Draco sat next to Pansy who nearly screamed at the sight of Draco next to her. However, Blaise stopped his sentence as soon as he saw Persephone's expression.
Persephone has sighed quietly as she sank back down to her seat. She crossed her legs, straightened her back and ran her hand along her raven hair. She gave a smile to Blaise as he stopped. Blaise liked to think he can read her emotions better than anyone, but he wouldn't say he knew Persephone. No one really knew Persephone and what she was thinking. One can only guess.
The compartment fell silent for a while, every one slightly tired. For the Slytherins, a comfortable silence. The dark aura of the compartment thinned ever so slightly at the new presences. Only one girl was missing from the group, Daphne Greengrass, the pitifully skinny girl's grandmother had died, and had left school early. They say she wept until her bright brown eyes were completely dull, that she covered her face with her brunette hair, they say that she loved her grandmother so much, they say that she was so, so sad. Only the group knew Daphne Greengrass hated her grandmother.
Many things happened in the rather long silence. Pansy has fallen asleep on Draco's shoulder, much to his horror. Blaise had tried to muffle his laughter in his hands while shaking his head after coming back from his sixth restroom trip. Scarlett and Theodore had their lips pressed together, their hands held onto each other dearly, both with dilated pupils and an accelerated heartbeat despite being together every day. Persephone almost smiled, nearly genuinely smiled at the sight.
"Paris?" Persephone asked politely, her voice soft but steady, she wasn't intrigued, everyone in the compartment knew, she was initiating conversation. Her question was directed at Pansy, who had just woken up, shifted a little, sitting up to answer the girl's question.
"Yes, the same as last year, only for a few days, we need to go to the Malfoy Ball," she replied smoothly. Persephone nodded in approval.
"My parents are taken my brother to Paris too. I think they forgot about me," Theodore said, with a hint of sadness that he had tried to mask under his snarling.
"I wish my parents would forget about me," Scarlett replied darkly, gripping onto her boyfriend tightly. Persephone frowned, "It's a lot worse not being forgotten, all they do is insult me. Help me Pers."
"Don't worry too much about it," was Persephone's simple reply. The side of her mouth shifting into an unsettling smirk.
"They'll all be dead at the end of this war," Blaise continued, knowing exactly what her words meant.
The war was coming. It was coming soon. Persephone felt it.
"Oh, I have forgotten to mention about the invitation to our Christmas Ball a few days later. My apologies. My mother has informed in her last letter that she misses you dearly and cannot wait to be able to see you again. She strongly emphasised that I have to most politely and in the most urgent manner ask you just to ensure your arrival. She did repeatedly express her love," Draco said in a natural eloquent and humorous tone breaking the short silence, his stormy eyes gazing straight at Persephone.
"It will be my honour," Persephone replied with the same tone, a smirk appeared on her delicate features.
Eloquence in speech was an act that was only necessary in front of superior elders. Draco Malfoy liked using it as graceful humour amongst the group of friends whom were all familiar within the act.
"I will be forever grateful for your attendance," he replied dramatically, a smile plastered on his face.
A comforting silence fell upon the group again before it was interrupted by Scarlett's coarse voice, "Seven Horcruxes. We still have five left after this holiday."
"Muffliato," Draco murmured quickly, his wand pointed at the door. "Merlin you woman, we have to be careful." His words making Scarlet scowl at him and stick her tongue out rather childishly.
"Yes, we have already destroyed the diary and Persephone has found the ring," Theo said casually, leaning against the side of the compartment door. "You reckon the other ones are going to be related Slytherin? What did it say in the diary?"
"There's something of Slytherin. She said something like a chain or a locket and it was a family heirloom. That's the one I'm going to work on in the summer," Persephone said quietly.
"Well Draco, does your family have any Slytherin heirloom? I know mine hasn't." Blaise inquired, turning his head to his friend slowly, his movements lazy yet charming.
"No, I don't think so. Father showed me all of the heirlooms we have, most of it are all Malfoy heirlooms," Draco explained.
"R.A.B, initials. Anyone know?" Persephone asked the group.
"I definitely know someone by that. Wait let me think," Draco replied suddenly.
"Maybe a Black?" Persephone pushed, all of her attention onto Draco.
"Regulus Arcturus Black. Sirius Black's younger brother. Ex death eater, died 1979, reason unknown," Draco recited with a big grin after biting his lips. "Had to memorise the entire family tree."
"Brilliant," Pansy cooed, attempting to place her head onto Draco's shoulder again, making Draco bash right into the wall.
Persephone gave him an approving nod. Her mind spinning.
"First time in his life when his family tree was actually useful," Scarlett retorted, making Blaise snort ungracefully.
A peaceful silence took over the compartment again as Scarlett took out her extraordinarily large box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. "We're playing that game again."
"No," Draco said suddenly, shaking his head quickly with an appalled look.
"You only hate it because you had to kiss Pansy. Everyone else loved it! You know, you could've just ate the bean," Scarlett pointed out opening the packet of Berties Botts Every Flavour Beans with a devilish look on her face.
"No I hate those beans, I saw you ask the owner for the worst box," Draco whined with a pout.
"Yes, for the sake of this game," Scarlett replied in a 'duh' tone.
"I hate you."
"I love you too. But I love Theo more," Scarlett said, quickly pecking Theo on his cheeks. He then whispered something into her ear making her blush crazy.
Blaise fake vomited in disgust, "PDA! Pers, control them."
"Sorry, no can do," replied Persephone with a small smirk gracing her lips.
None of them wanted to go home, all for different reasons, but it was an unavoidable fact, so none of them complained and found something fun to settle the desperate feeling at the bottom of their stomach.
A/N
Welcome to Macabre!
I am open to all suggestions and feedback, including grammar and spelling errors! If you have any ideas for the book, you can message me and I will be willing to change or add it into its original plot if I believe it to be necessary or interesting! Also, don't forget to vote along the way!
Many character storylines are different from the original book.
I will expand on this in the later chapters of this book.
Now, just have fun!
- Grace