A day had passed since Aria had been found unconscious and Draco had written a letter to his mother regarding the incident. He was rather curious and for the first time in since he got the mark, he slept and ate peacefully without have to worry about his task. Aria had not returned from the hospital wing and word had got out that she had been severely poisoned and that it was spreading slowly but painfully, but that was something Draco already knew. He sometimes argued with his own mind about the possibilities, but Morana always acted as if she was perfect and her eyes always had a challenging look as if anyone who looks at them must dare to point out anything wrong in her. It wasn't as though Draco didn't care anything about Aria.
To be honest, he was scared. Yeah. He admitted it. He was scared.
Aria's health never improved, instead it went to bad to worse to worst, but again that was something Draco knew. He needed answers to his question-filled-mind.
Draco and his friends were having breakfast in the great hall when an owl flew towards them. It dropped a letter in Draco's hand and pecked his hand for treats. Draco gave him two treats and opened the letter, his heart hammering. When he read it, his insides dropped to his feet. The letter was short and simple but it scared everything out of Draco. The letter read....
Draco
You must be expecting your mother to reply but it's me, Lady Morana. I want to meet you tomorrow as there is a meeting. You can take a portkey from professor Gladstone's office as a family emergency. Don't miss it
The dark lady
Draco quickly stuffed the letter in his pocket. He wondered how his letter had gone in the dark lady's hands. Is she checking the letters? No wonder. but then is his mother fine?
"What's up mate? why aren't you eating?" asked Theo, his mouth full of food.
"nothing, just nothing." Draco replied quietly. He finished his breakfast which could hardly be called a "breakfast" as he ate only two bites and then set off for classes. His first class was History of Magic so he and his friends made their way towards professor Anderson's class.
"Good Morning class." he said in his boring tone. "turn to page 394....
The whole class passed, but Draco had zoned out. He hardly knew what was being taught and the tone in which professor Anderson talked, it felt like he himself wants to leave the class. After class he dismissed them. Theo, Nico, and Draco intentionally walked slowly as they had no hurry. The other class was just as boring.
"Ugh! how about be miss it? We can have fun, you know?" asked Nico after a while.
"Yeah. Prank someone?" added Theo.
"um...No. We are in the sixth year and you definitely aren't asking your "head boy" such kind of questions." Draco said but then he stopped.
He had some important things to do
"um...you can go forward...I have forgotten my textbook." Draco said, hoping they would buy his excuse.
"Oh, God!! Head Boy forgot his textbook. I am so sorry. Should I get it for you sir?" sniggered Nico and Theo. Draco rolled his eyes, smiling, and then pretended to go to his dorm. Once, he was sure they were out of the way, he turned towards the hospital wing. He peeped inside making sure no one was there and thankfully no one was. He walked inside and spotted her, reading her Potions textbook. She was turning the page when she saw me. Her eyes went wide.
"You! what are you doing here??" She shouted, but it wasn't like normal. It was as if she didn't mean what she said.
"What do you think I am doing here?" he drawled.
"Spying on me? troubling me? you always wanted me to end up in this wing." Aria said. Draco laughed.
"Sure. You know me so much. But no. I have come here to check on you."
"Check on me? Me? Are you out of your mind? Did you accidentally drink a craziness potion?" she asked.
"I could I ask you the same."
"Ugh!! Why do all idiots end up in my life?" she said, opening her book again and completely ignoring me. Draco snatched the book out of her hands.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT???" she shouted. Draco laughed again.
"Nothing. But I don't like being ignored, you know that right?" he asked. She scoffed.
"No. I don't even care. Besides, tell me the real reason you are here."
"Aria...Aria. I came to check on you and by the looks of it, you are soon going to turn into a green reptile." he said, trying to hide his concern and show mockery.
This seemed to vanish her anger. She slowly took her hands and examined them.
"yeah," she said in a small voice, "I w-wonder what happened to me. T-The message? what was it again?"
"I HAVE COME TO WASH THE WIZARDING WORLD. SOON ALL THE M-MUDBLOODS WILL BE TURNED TO ASHES TOO AND THE WORLD WILL BE PURE AGAIN." he recited slowly.
She looked shocked and scared as if her worst suspicion had come true. She had a faraway look in her eyes as if she was thinking about the worst in the world.
"y-you know what it is, don't you?" he asked in a small voice. Her expression told him that she did. She turned towards him and blinked a few tears, back. She attempted to get up and sit straight but failed. Draco took her arm and helped her up. She looked into his eyes and for a second, something flashed in her blue ones. After she was comfortable, Draco sat back down on his chair.
"I-I have a hunch," she said. "I-It might be... you know...poison. T-The message said that: I have come to free the world from mudbloods. I-I will turn them to ashes...there is only one person that can do this, isn't it? M-Morana..." and with that Aria burst into tears.
Draco didn't reply. He wondered how she can be so sure but it was obvious.
"How c-can you be so sure?" he asked.
"It's obvious, Draco" she replied. "No one in the world is so cruel and no one possesses such strong poison."
"B-but she is dead..." he whispered.
"Do you really think she will be so noble and believe in death? don't you think she would have thought about it?" she asked. Draco didn't reply. He didn't need to. Draco had wondered this so many times about she the heck has she returned...but now it seemed stupid to believe that she was dead.
"She called herself the Darkest witch of all time for a reason, Draco," said Aria quietly. No one said a word after that and surprisingly, It was a comfortable silence. Both were consumed in their own thoughts.
"Aria? you called me Aria and not Rosewood?" she asked after a while. Draco chuckled.
"I could ask you the same," he replied.
"Why do you have to answer my question with a question? she asked, irritated.
"Again, I could ask you the same" he replied, raising his eyebrows. Aria rolled her eyes, trying to hide her grin.
"But then don't get used to it." he added.
"I have no intentions to." she replied. Draco was leaving when the bell rung, signaling that class had ended.
"Looks like you missed the class." Aria laughed.
"It's because of you Rosewood." He said and left, a true smile on his face.
Draco attended all the classes attentively after that. Theo and Nico looked suspiciously and asked where was he but then Draco told him he couldn't find his textbook. He knew that they didn't buy it but they let the matter go. After dinner when everyone went to their dorms, Draco slowly went to professor Gladstone's classroom and knocked, making sure no one noticed. The door opened and professor Gladstone stood in front of him. He gave a shot nod and let him in.
"That's the portkey." He said, pointing towards a sock.
"a sock?" Draco asked.
"yes..."
Draco looked at the dirty sock, at professor Gladstone but then rolled his eyes. He place his finger on the dirty sock, ready for the apparition.
"Three....two...one..." came professor's voice and then Draco was sucked into darkness. After a moment of struggling, Draco fell down on the floor of his room. He looked around and found his room empty. All his belongings were untouched. He set his trunk aside, changed and went straight to sleep as it was the hardest part of the day.