The Heir

52 | shrieking shack

Amelie
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I don't want to make it seem obvious, but I'm shaking. Since I realized it's not Draco, my heart hasn't stopped pumping like crazy, I feel like I'm about to faint any second. But I can't, he needs me.

I knew there was something wrong with him, but who would have thought that it's a completely different person? God knows where he is, he could be anywhere.

Even though I really need to sit down and breathe it out, I don't want to lose any more minute. I quickly turn to Leon.

"Keep an eye on Draco, please," I say and stand up from the chair.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later, just watch him."

As I was leaving the table, my gaze landed on Theo's head placed on the table, he's holding a glass of whiskey in his hand and looks totally out. Again. It's not fair, but I'm not going to drag him into this. The less people know, the better.

I tried to walk as fast as possible while going through the Great hall, and when I got out to the corridor, I grabbed the huge skirt of my dress into my hands and started running towards a spiral staircase that leads to the Slughorn's office.

Four...three...

Just two more stairs, just two more stairs...

God, this skirt is heavy. My arms are going out of blood from the piles of organza and I can't see properly on the stairs. I'm sweating so much that I could really use a bath right now. One more stair...

When I finally got to the third floor, I was running out of breath. I made few more steps toward the door only to find out it's locked. What did I expect? He'd leave his cabinet with dozens of dangerous potions opened?

"Alohomora!" I shouted and pointed my finger at the lock, but nothing happened.

With a sigh, I joined my palms together and rubbed them for a few seconds until they got warm. I do this to call my magic, because of everything happening at once, I'm not focused. When I think I'm done, I stretch my one arm toward the door and make a few steps back.

"Bombarda!"

A small explosion made the wooden door fly out of the frame down to the floor. Luckily, my focus was good and I didn't destroy the wall.

No time to lose, I walk through the destroyed entrance straight to Slughorn's cabinet of potions and elixirs. When I opened it, my mouth gasped open.

Someone robbed him. Half the potions are spilled all over the wooden cabinet and half are gone. My bet is on Ginny. After I left her on the corridor, she went straight here and made sure I won't get to the antidote.

I let out a loud cuss word and bang my fist against the stone wall. This is bad, really bad. I have to know who's pretending to be Draco.

I nervously looked around the room to find another solution. Tables, chairs, windows, useless carpets all over the floor, shelves...there's nothing like another cabinet full of potions.

Then, a lightbulb appeared in my head and gave me an idea. Little does Ginny know, I've mastered potions at 13. My father isn't only a murderer, he's also very good with elixirs.

"...and this, this is the best one - Lapis clearance," says my father and shows me the beautiful lapis blue potion in his hand,"you can program it with your mind to any potion you want,"

He hands me the potion, watching me examine it with my eyes. It's a small flask of blue potion.

"Like clear quartz?" I ask and look up at him.