❃
𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆
I'd been avoiding Draco's gaze for the past two days. I spent Sunday alone in the gardens. I didn't want him finding me.
Today was Monday, which meant sitting next to Draco during not only potions, but herbology. Daphne slapped him when I told her what he'd said to me.
She told me he'd almost started crying.
Good.
He deserves it.
I trudged into potions, my first class of the day, sitting down at my desk with a blank stare as Draco looked up from his textbook.
"Flower-"
"Save it."
"I just want to apologize-"
"You want know a good way to apologize? Shut the fuck up," I seethed, avoiding his eyes.
I was angry at Draco for the things he'd said about my home life, angry at Ginny for snitching on me to Potter, angry at Potter for pulling me away and making me look like a damn idiot.
I wanted to scream; I was filled with rage.
"I don't-" he whispered, trying to read my expression.
"If I told Bellatrix what you had said on Saturday you would be fucking dead," I hissed, my fists balling on the table.
Bellatrix was always the one to protect me from my Father. She taught me how to be strong, while Narcissa taught me to allow my tears to spill. She taught me that it was okay feel, while Bellatrix taught me how to manipulate my emotions.
She was the tough, strong, loving Mother I had never had. My Mother was a coward.
She taught me how to warp sadness into rage. Ever since she'd been sent to Azkaban, Draco's house felt as though a piece of it was missing. We could no longer sit down for tea and cakes, discussing school drama while Draco read quietly in the living room.
She'd escaped during fifth year last year, but none of us were allowed inside the Malfoy's household over the summer. None of us knew why.
She'd written me a few letters, which I appreciated.
Draco was silent after I brought her into the conversation. He was scared of her. I was inspired by her.
"Today, we will be learning about Veritaserum. You will not be creating it, however, as it's an incredibly dangerous potion, usually used without the other person's consent. We wouldn't want to reveal each other's secrets now, would we? Open your books to page 56," Slughorn exclaimed, standing from his desk.
I took notes silently. I couldn't help but watch Draco's hand as it gripped his quill, stroking the paper with black ink. Only three days ago he was using that hand for something much different. A pit of guilt began to pool in my stomach.
The past few weeks passed by much slower than I would like to admit. Draco had gotten the hint that I didn't want to talk to him after potions. He was never at breakfast anymore either.
It was strange. I wanted him to leave me alone so badly, but the second he began to ignore me I missed him. It made me feel embarrassed; almost ashamed. I don't know. I can't even figure out my own emotions right now.
We were now walking towards Hogsmeade, Draco excluded of course. He barely showed up to anything anymore, let alone look in my direction.
"Six butterbeers, please," Theo said, sitting us down at a corner booth, across from Ginny snogging Dean, the trio sitting on the other side of The Three Broomsticks watching in disgust.
Suddenly Draco exited from one of the side rooms.
"There you are mate, what're you doing sneaking around?" Blaise asked.
"Oh, nothing. I've got some business to attend to, that's all," he said shortly, trudging up the stairs.
"Liar," I muttered.
"Mind your own business, Cliffdane," he scoffed, walking up the stairs and slamming the door.
Potter sent me a look from across the room.
"You two are still on shit terms I see," Naevah sipped her butterbeer, wiping the foam off her top lip with her sleeve.
"I don't want to talk about it," I said quietly, diverting my eyes to my hands.
"Understandable, considering he left you after-"
"Blaise, knock it off," Daph kicked him under the table.
"Sorry."
"What're they doing?" I pointed, Slughorn standing over Potter, Granger and Weasley.
"Dunno," Theodore answered, "I can't imagine why Slughorn would actually like them."
"They're Gryffindors. Of course he likes them," Blaise butted in.
"He was a Slytherin himself, I don't get it," I sighed.
He began to walk over to our table.
"Oh bloody hell," Pansy muttered.
"I'd like to invite you two to my Christmas Party the evening of the 20th of December, if you'd be interested," he smiled at the Zabini twins.
"Oh- um, we'd love to sir," Naevah flashed him one of her cute smiles. 'Hufflepuff smiles', we called them.
"Great! Wait for my owl," he walked off, exiting the restaurant to converse with some of the neighbors.
"Everyone's about done, I say we get going," Theo stood, throwing his coat over his shoulders.
The grounds were covered in snow as we trudged back up the pathway, the trio following shortly behind us.
"Katie, you don't know what it could be," one of the two girls in front of us talking to the other, who was carrying a brown paper package, wrapped loosely over a black box.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing," she smiled, unwrapping the contents.
"What're they on about?" Daph asked, shaking snow off of her expensive faux fur boots.
"No idea-"
A shrill scream cut off my sentence as I flinched into Daphne's grasp, everyone staring in awe as the golden trio ran up to us.
"I warned her, I warned her not to touch it," the girl yelled, the girl I could now recognize as Katie bell sprawled out on the freezing ground, shaking violently.
"What did you do?" Granger yelled at us, Harry holding her back.
"Us?! We didn't bloody do anything, you git-" our fighting was cut off as Katie flew into the air, her body floating as she pummeled back to the ground from a ten foot drop.
I was still recovering from the scream, my eyes squeezed shut as Daphne pulled me into a hug.
"Shh, you're alright May, just breathe, you're gonna be fine," she breathed, her mouth gaped open as the trio approached the package.
"Don't get any closer, get back, all of you," Hagrid appeared, pushing past us as he took Katie's limp body into his arms.
"Do not touch that, except for the wrappins', do ya understand?" he warned Harry, who nodded in response.
"What is it?" Pansy asked, looking over his shoulder.
"A necklace," Theo said, staring at it in confusion.
We were immediately sent to Professor McGonagall's office.
"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered The Three Broomsticks?" Professor McGonagall asked the girl.
"It's like I said. She left to go to the loo, and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it," she exclaimed.
"Did she say to whom?"
"Professor Dumbledore," the girl answered.
"Thank you Leanne, you may go," McGonagall sighed, staring at the six of us with a dirty look.
"They were there when it happened," Granger immediately spat.
"Just because we were there doesn't mean we were the ones that did it, for Merlin's sake May was sent into a full blown panic attack and none of you seemed to care," Daph yelled.
"Well I'm sorry, we were a bit caught up in the bloody moment, our friend almost got killed," Weasley shot back.
"Oh please, you barely even talk to her, you think you're so high and noble-"
"You all will stop this nonsense at once. Fifteen points from Slytherin," Professor McGonagall boomed.
Weasley smirked.
"And Gryffindor," she added, staring at the three of them in fury. "Severus," she spoke, as he strutted into the room, his wand ready.
The necklace began to shriek and squeal as he picked it up with his wand, almost as if it were alive.
"What do you think?" McGonagall asked.
"I think Miss Bell... is lucky to be alive," he exclaimed, wonder taking over his face as he studied the piece of jewelry.
No, not wonder.
Knowing.
He knows.
This was no coincidence.
This is a part of something much, much bigger.
"She was cursed, wasn't she? I know Katie, off the quidditch pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly, if she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore she wasn't doing it knowingly," Potter exclaimed.
"Yes, she was cursed," McGonagall answered.
"It was Malfoy," Potter's eyes met mine.
"Are you serious?!" Blaise shrieked, Theodore holding him back, "You don't just go accusing my best friend like that,"
"I agree, that is a very serious accusation Mr. Potter," McGonagall gasped.
"Indeed, your evidence?" Snape asked.
"I just know," Potter spoke.
"Just because you hate him doesn't mean you can accuse him of attempted murder," I shrieked, anger boiling in my stomach.
"You two haven't spoken in weeks, why do you suddenly care so much?" Potter continued, his eyes locked on mine.
"Why are you keeping tabs on her, you creep!" Pansy shouted.
"Enough," Snape spoke. "You just... know. Once again you astonish me with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing," his voice was laced with bits of sarcasm, "how grand it must be to be the Chosen One."
"I suggest you go back to your dormitories, all of you," Professor McGonagall sighed, "stay back for a moment, will you Maybelle?"
"Of course, Professor," I nodded, Snape remaining in the classroom as I watched my friends leave, Daph and Pansy waiting by the door.
"Did you need something, Professor?" I asked quietly. It was surprising how much authority Professor McGonagall held over me; Bellatrix was less scary than her.
"I was just wondering if you were alright. Miss Greengrass mentioned a panic attack, I know a Father in Azkaban must be tough on you," she exclaimed.
I never would've expected her to look after a Slytherin student.
"Oh, thank you but I'm alright. It's honestly a blessing," I sighed jokingly, an exasperated laugh leaving my lips.
"And why is that, Miss Cliffdane?" she looked at me in concern.
"Oh- um, I don't know. I just like the quiet," I smiled softly.
"If you need anything at all, let me know."
"Thank you, Professor," I began to walk out the door.
"What were the charges against her Father again, Severus?" I heard her ask.
"There were two. He served The Dark Lord knowingly during his first reign in the late 1970's," Snape exclaimed.
"And the second charge?"
"Child abuse, mainly focusing on assault, threats, and... sexual abuse," he said quietly.
I could feel Professor McGonagall's eyes burning through the back of my head like liquid metal as I exited her office.
Pansy, Daphne and I walked back to the dungeons without another word.
❃
𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒕𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 <3
~ 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝, 𝚒𝚕𝚢