✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

04 | D E A L

   you've got a fire inside,
but your heart's so cold.       

   "MRS. WEASLEY?"

   Ember had waited for Harry to leave with Mr. Weasley for his trial, before she dared to ask her question, well aware that her brother would do anything but be pleased with her wish. But now that he was gone, ignoring Ron and Hermione's curious gazes, Ember stepped to Mrs Weasley at the counter right next to the sink, trying to shake the memory of last night off.

   "Yes, dear?", Mrs. Weasley asked, encouragingly smiling at the girl, knowing that she was as nervous as her brother about today — but unaware that her tension didn't just come from the trial.

   "I heard you telling Harry that you wanted to go to Diagon Alley later today", Ember quickly said, kneeding the ends of her sleeves.

   "I do, I do", Mrs. Weasley replied. "Do you need anything special but your school supplies?"

   "Oh, erm", Ember stammered, biting her bottom lip. "I was wondering if I could join you. See, I haven't been outside for a while now and I would really love to see something else than this dusty corridors and doxy poop."

   Mrs. Weasley's smile turned into a frown. "Ember, dear, I don't think that's a good idea. I'm not sure Dumbledore would allow it ..."

   "But it's just Diagon Alley", Ember pouted, "I just need some fresh air and you all said yourself that Voldemort wants to stay hidden, so he would be a fool to attack me in the middle of a crouded street during daylight, wouldn't he?"

   By the sound of his name, Mrs. Weasley flinched, a pan landing with a loud clatter on the floor. "I don't know, really, this is still dangerous and I don't think you should leave the safety of this house."

   "C'mon, Molly, it's just an hour or two", Tonks said, her bubblegum pink hair appearing behind the newspaper. "If you want I can stay with Ember. I'll have an eye on her."

   Mrs. Weasley's eyes wandered from Tonks to Ember, flickering back and forth until she sighed, "Two eyes, Tonks! And not longer than an hour! I just want to get the school supplies and come straight back here."

   "No problem, Molly", Tonks beamed. "An hour is more than enough for a big bowl of Florian Fortescue's ice cream!"

·

   It wasn't easy to get rid of Tonks, but finally in front of the Quidditch shop, Ember could persuade her to let her go and get a cage for Woody, while Tonks stared at the newest version of the Firebolt with dreamy eyes.

   "Ten minutes, young lady, and Molly will never find out about this, okay?", Tonks — who was wearing her hair in grey curls and her today dark eyes framed in wrinkles — said, and had Ember snorting.

   On her way, she just hoped that Woody had delivered her letter in time. He wouldn't like it. But how else could she had come here? Hopefully it wasn't a problem for him to spontaneous visit Diagon Alley as well.

   Ember had suggested the small passage leading from Diagon to Knockturn Alley, as there usually never did much people pass by. That wasn't her best idea, but she couldn't think of anything else that quickly, and time for sure wasn't on her side. Two of her ten minutes had already passed, and she even needed an excuse for returning without a cage for Woody as well. Yes, this plan indeed was doomed from the very start.

   In the rush of the people pacing up and down the street, it was easy for Ember to vanish beneath the masses of witches and wizards. Once more she was glad that she didn't pull the attention on her like Harry used to do wherever he went, so nobody really cared about her now, not even as she slipped into the small lane framed by shops and buildings that would lead her to the darker parts of magical London. The signpost was hanging like a warning above her head, but ignoring the shivers, she stepped into the shadows.

   He wasn't there. But maybe he was already on his way. Maybe he had to sneak away from his parents as well. Ember threw a look at her watch. Five minutes left. She wouldn't make it back to Tonks in time, that was sure.

   "C'mon, Draco, you little shit", she muttered under her breath. "Just for once be useful ..."

   Four minutes left. She watched the people passing through the gap of the alleyway, but no bleach blonde head was amongst them. He obviously wouldn't come. And if he did come now, there wasn't enough time left to talk.

   Three minutes. She got angry. This was her only chance to talk to him before returning to Hogwarts. She didn't want to wait another full month. Ember needed answers, and she needed them now. Two minutes.

   With a sigh, she stepped out of the shadows to make her way back. She would tell Tonks that the shop was to crowded and she didn't make it in time. That she was sorry, blah blah. Throwing another gaze back in Knockturn Alley's direction to make sure he wasn't coming for a last time, Ember turned around to leave — and a stifled shriek escaped her throat, muffled by a large hand being pressed over her mouth.

   "Miss Potter!" His voice was filled with mad amusement, cold blue eyes glimming satisfied as his other hand dug his wand between her ribs. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, you obviously have expected a younger version of me", Lucius Malfoy snarled, "but then on the other hand you should have chosen a better way to contact Draco than a hyperactive owl." His long silverish blonde hair, just like his son's, seemed to glow in the shadows of the alleyway. "But it's no disappointment at all. See, there's something you want, and there's something we want. So just listen closely and do what I tell you. You will get all the information you want. And your brother and your little friends will keep their lives. Got me?"

   Heart racing, heavy breathing through her nostrils, Ember flinched her eyes; his wand burried a little deeper, and Ember slowly nodded.

·

   "Wotcha! Took you a while!", Tonks greeted the raven haired girl, as she finally returned. "Where's your cage?"

   "Oh, I — I just gave up, there were so many people and I was already late, so — so I came back", Ember stammered, and Tonks tiled her head.

   "Are you alright? You're pale."

   "I'm fine. Just fine."

—