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THE FOLLOWING. september 19th, 1996.
ANASTASIA ROMANOV HAD SPENT EXACTLY ONE WEEK IN ST. MUNGOS BEFORE ANY WORD OF WHERE SHE WAS FINNALY SPREAD THROUGHOUT HOGWARTS. There were whispers of why she had taken away so suddenly, whispers of a psychotic break and an attempt on her life. All knew that they were futile assumptions but, nonetheless, her name flooded the corridors following her absence.
Dumbledore had only hushed the whispers on the seventh day, clearing his throat a few minutes after dinner had started. He waited for absolute silence before he spoke, his words silencing all the mindless theories that had been produced.
"As you are all aware, Miss Anastasia Romanov has fallen victim to a rather brutal sickness that attacked her early last week. While I have heard your worry, I assure you that all Miss Romanov has been projected to make a full recovery," he began, his eyes swinging to every student amidst the room before landing on a particular pair of boys.
Draco and Lazarus could feel his gaze even as they tried to ignore it, their eyes cast downwards towards their plates, both of which had been left untouched.
Theodore Nott and Graham Montague had taken the seats beside the Blackwell boy, whispering rashly to their friend as they tried to diminish the boys panic. Further down the table, Malfoy had been shoved by Blaise and Pansy as they too tried to ease the tension he radiated from his body.
For another beat, Dumbledore invaded their sense of security and ravaged their deepest thoughts before he opened his mouth to speak once more.
"To my uttermost disappointment, I have also heard the whispers of why she has been absent from our school. This being said, I expect you all to give the girl room to process her grief as she has been through enough to make even the bravest of you cower in the shadows of the castle and beg to be killed," the man bellowed, his words casting a rather heavy feeling over the entire the room as the students looked down in shame.
The headmaster stood up stepping away from the podium as he shook his head.
"Should it come to attention that anyone decides to speak to Miss Romanov in attempts to pry information that is not their own to know, you will answer personally to me."
At last, the man waved his hand and the feeling of dread was washed away from the room once more as the chattering began to increase in volume.
Draco could feel eyes burning into the side of his head, sinking further into his seat as much as he physically could. He felt as if he was going to sick, clinging to the words Dumbledore had spoken as he tried his hardest to ignore Lazarus' gaze.
