Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

91. Obsessive

Chapter 91 - Obsessive

November was approaching quickly, forcing the cold in through the cracks in the little stone cottage - it would be a lie to say that the weather wasn't starting to permanently affect my mood. Well, the weather and all the other things going wrong. I constantly found myself in a state of unbearable limbo and frustration; not only were things finally starting to get better for me, they were getting progressively worse for the world. No matter what information I gave the public, no matter what I did to try and fight against Voldemort's growing regime, he was getting stronger and I was still doing things under the cover of safety.

I had never realized how boring and useless safety was.

It was thanks to this uselessness that I had taken to sitting cross-legged in my room, sitting back against my makeshift couch-bed and brewing this Godric-forsaken potion...this potion that was making me more and more bothered. Voldemort's power was growing, and I was still here. Brewing. Hiding. Doing the same bloody thing as I'd done the day before. And the week before that. And the month before that.

"Look at this!" Fred all but burst into my room, nearly causing me to flinch for my wand and knock over the boiling concoction that was stinking up my worn pewter cauldron. "Lovegood's finally come to his senses - seems he liked Tuesday's broadcast, though I don't see how he couldn't've."

"Really?" I took the Quibbler from him, snatching at the laminated paper and ignoring the bright look on the twin's face. I was surprised by the vibrant colours that had reappeared after their mysterious vanishing - Xenophilius Lovegood was back to his kooky self, and even better, he was writing about how much he appreciated us. Well, maybe that was just an assumption, but considering it was a bold-print, three page article, it was pretty clear it was about the wonderment that was Potterwatch. "The man finally grew some testicles."

"I bet the nargles handed them over," Fred commented lightly.

"Having influential voices on our side is a good thing," I pointed out. "Even if they are about as straight-minded as Granger's hair."

"Speaking of geniuses," Fred drawled out, slowly and playfully. "How's the potion going?"

I refused to look up from the lime-coloured article. "Unless you're willing to try it, it's not going well."

"Haven't you been working with Sirius to try and pinpoint your spirit whatever?"

"My spirit animal would be a great help, yes," I commented bitterly, trying hard to focus on not taking out my frosty mood on his innocent intentions. "However, since I can't seem to find it through the stupid forest I'm stuck in and I can't produce a bloody patronus...one could say we're hitting a wall. I need to test it."

"I'll test it for you," he offered. I finally looked up at his giant smile and back down to the bubbling, swampy potion in front of me. I looked back to him with a raised eyebrow and he immediately shrank away from the insinuation. We both knew that even he was not brave enough to try something that had never been done before and had no previous testing. His own products were one thing...this potion? This potion was lunacy. "You're right - we'll get George to try. He knows his Patronus too."

"You're both baboons, aren't you?" I asked, sticking my nose back into the article again. At least it was free publicity; Lovegood had even stated that the next broadcast was on Friday, with a very obvious hint towards 'Lightning Bolt' being the next password.

"Baboons? How dare you," I looked up, not believing how indignant he sounded, though I couldn't deny I was intrigued by it. Anyone who suddenly sounded bitter was likely grounds for friendship; people around here were far too optimistic. Then again, Fred was possibly the highest on that list. "We are crows, thank you very much!"