a rose by any other name

chapter forty-two ❃ gone

I was woken up in the middle of the night by Draco shaking me, "Ris, Ris wake up!"

When Draco and Pansy came back to the dorm last night Draco explained that he had spoken to Cedric and that Cedric wanted to speak with me tomorrow. I was nervous but couldn't wait... I needed to speak to him and make things right. This was all my fault and I didn't deserve him, but he at least deserved an apology, so I was trying to think of the right thing to say to him before I had fallen asleep. But now I was scared, Draco had woken me up and was already fully dressed in his usual all-black suit, "Ris we need to go, Snape came into my dorm... he said we're leaving." He whispered and I quickly got up, "Leaving? What do you mean? Where are we going?" I asked although I think I already knew the answer. "He said that," he came closer to me in case Pansy woke up, "That Voldemort needs us now." He whispered and I gulped. I quickly got changed before writing Pansy a quick note and followed Draco out of my dorm.

"But what about Cedric? I still need to speak to him, and were halfway through the school year?" I asked quietly as we tried our hardest not to wake anybody up. "Felix told us not to question Snape Ris, I don't think that we really have a choice. It's happening now." He said and my eyes glazed over. Draco grabbed my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze before we saw Snape waiting outside the common room. "We're going to The Malfoy Manor; The Dark Lord has called everybody there. We need to... prepare." Draco and I nodded and silently followed him through the castle.

I had a million questions that I knew I couldn't ask; I wanted to shout and scream and run back to the dorm, but I couldn't. I knew this was coming so why hadn't I prepared? Now me and Cedric were never going to be able to sort things out, maybe if I could have just apologised to him, I could have stopped feeling so guilty. Maybe it would give me some closure. But now that was all being ripped away from me, Cedric was going to go the rest of his life hating me and I couldn't bare that. If the war was really happening how was I supposed to protect him when I was on the enemy side? What if he... I couldn't even think the words in my head.

I was terrified, how were me and Draco, two seventeen-year-olds, supposed to help out in a war? We knew spells but neither of us would be very good up against an adult. What if we were forced to fight the students? Horror ran through my body causing me to shiver, what if he made us fight with Pansy or Blaise of Harry or Cedric. I couldn't do it, but what would happen if I refused? Surely, Voldemort would kill me.

Snape quickly walked us to the front of the castle before we all twisted and apparated. Draco clutched me and we landed in the Malfoy Manor's dining room, there sat at the table was the most important Death Eaters. We took our seats, Draco and I never letting each other's hand's go as I caught my dad's eyes and glared at him when he actually smiled.

"Ah Severus, Draco, Parisa... I'm so glad you could all make it. Now we can begin." I noticed now that the new Minister of Magic was sat at the table and I grimaced slightly, everybody in the magical world was being lied to.

Bellatrix spoke now and everybody looked at her, "My lord, if I might, I'd like to volunteer myself for this task. I'd like to kill the boy." She said and I gulped... they were talking about Harry. Draco gripped my hand tighter and I looked at him, he was adjusting his tie with his other hand and I had never seen him look so terrified. I squeezed his hand back and he took a deep breathe, just then, there was a wail from the corner of the room and Voldemort's eyes flashed what looked like red. "Wormtail, have I not spoken to you about keeping or guest quiet?" he sneered and Wormtail looked his usual frightened self, "Yes m-my lord. Right away my lord." He said before scuttling towards the corner of the room where the wail came from... I dreaded to think who it was.

Voldemort now, turned his attention back to Bellatrix, "As inspiring as I find your bloodlust Bellatrix, I must be the one to kill Harry Potter. But I face an unfortunate complication. It has recently come to my attention that my wand and Potter's share the same core. They are, in some way twins. We can wound but not fatally harm each other. Which means, if I am to kill him... I will have to do it with another's wand." His eyes scanned the room, and everybody looked away, even Bellatrix "Come now. Surely one of you would like the honour. What about... you, Draco?" I felt Draco go stiff beside me and he slowly glanced at Voldemort and then back at me, "I require your wand." Voldemort said and I squeezed Draco's hand in an attempt to calm him down. He slowly reached in his pocket and rolled his wand across the table to Voldemort, he then looked back at me and I nodded at him, squeezing his hand again. Voldemort picked up the wand and examined it, "Do I detect Hawthorn?" he asked, and Draco nodded, "Yes, m-my lord."