Never • The Lost Daughter | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 43 - I Won't Stop

"Good evening, Miss Riddle," Umbridge was sitting on her desk just like last time. She had the usual smile on her face, a smile that knew how to look fake, hiding her evil soul.

"Good evening Professor Umbridge," I didn't smile back but I was very polite, thinking that it was the only way of not getting out of the office dead.

"Please, sit," she looked at a chair near the desk. I didn't have my own small desk today, so I imagined that I wouldn't write lines. Although I felt a bit relaxed, I was curious to see what she wanted to make me do. "Would you like a cup of tea, dear?"

"No, thank you," I forced a little smile that didn't last but a split second.

"I insist..." she said filling the pink teacup. I would have insisted on her not giving me any tea but she was already filling up the cup.

"Oh, well. If I must," I breathed out.

"Sugar and milk?"

"No, thank you," I said a moment before she gave me the cup.

"Here you go, dear. Drink," I took it, smelled it discreetly, tried to find anything wrong with it. I was sure she would never insist on something, if there wasn't something in it for her. I didn't drink a single drop and only pressed the porcelain on my lips.

"Now, since I don't intend on keeping you away from your studies more than necessary, I'm going to be quite clear. I want some answers. The Ministry needs some answers. And you are going to give me those answers."

"I don't know how I could be of any use to you," I just said.

"We will see," she said and gave me a little laugh.

"Who else knows?" I asked before she could finish.

"I do the questions here, not you miss Riddle. But since you asked, only a few people know the truth, from the Ministry mostly. Including the Minister himself, of course."

"And how did you find out?"

"The Ministry knows everything, Miss Riddle. We knew from the first moment that you were born. Would you assume that we didn't know something that important? There was a great scandal some years ago. After your father's death, many still thought that there was something that could ruin the silence of peace. And they were right. You are the only one that can continue your father's work. Of course, we managed to make the wizards believe that You-Know-Who had killed you already," she paused for a minute during which she was looking deep into my eyes. There were little things I could do during that time. I knew that every look, every move would count, would be noticed and analyzed. "Are you or are you not a Death Eater?"

"I'm not," I answered honestly.

"Will you or will you not continue your father's work?" she asked again with her face cold-calm.

"I won't," I answered at once.

"Good," she smiled.

"You believe me?" 

"As a matter of fact, I do," she answered naturally.

"You think I didn't suspect you slipped me some Truth Serum in the tea?" I asked.

"You're smart. There's a reason you're in Ravenclaw."

"This is illegal."

"No, actually it's not. I asked the Minister for a special permit. Your matter overwhelms laws. It's the Dark Lord's daughter we are talking about. Would you think we'd let you walk around the halls without any protection?" she raised her eyebrows.