A Serpent's Heart

Chapter 26. Detrimental Headlines.

I didn't quite understand what it meant to have a Death Eater for a father yet, though I did notice Emma had become a bit reserved when we talked. Maybe she was afraid talking to me could result in being prosecuted for treason. Luna, however, was very laconic about it, though the situation had literally made it to the Daily Prophet with a headline that read "Old supporters no longer safe: Parzival Tacendi abducted by Death Eaters".

The news wasn't well received by a lot of students. Loads of Hufflepuffs talked behind my back (I even heard Caytlin say I would probably follow in my father's footsteps. That angered me so much, I used the Pumpkin-Head jinx on her.) Padma rarely talked to me anymore, and neither did some other Ravenclaws, despite Luna's plea for my non-involvement. The worst, however, were the Gryffindors. Whenever I passed a group of them, whether with or without Draco, they would make comments like "Ah! The Death Eater-couple!", "Did Draco recruit you?", 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree considering who she's hooked up with" and "Never expected that of you, Tacendi. Who knows what your thoughts on Muggle-borns have been all along?"

Sometimes I replied to one of those students, telling them my father was reformed and that the Death Eaters used the Imperius Curse on him, but since the Daily Prophet hadn't used that exact same phrasing, it was a lost cause.

***

"What are you grinning at?" I asked Draco. We were on our way to Arithmancy and Draco had been smirking ever since we had passed another group of disdainful Gryffindors.

"Nothing. It's just funny those comments about your father annoy you so much. You hardly paid attention to people who made comments about you dating a Death Eater," Draco grinned.

"So you think it's funny?" I exclaimed.

"Oh no, it's just ironic, don't you think? You were so desperate to be "one of the good guys" and now your father is a Death eater!" Draco could hardly keep his face straight.

"Yeah, now we can share stories about Death Eater business," I replied as we entered the classroom and took a seat by the window.

"Good afternoon everyone. I'd like you all to think about this: how can Arithmancy be helpful in a perilous situation?" Professor Vector said from behind her desk.

That was an interesting question. If you had some useful information, Arithmancy could possibly save lives. I looked at the other students, who didn't seem to be making a real effort to come up with an answer. Confidently, I raised my hand.

"Yes, Miss Tacendi?"

"If you have some information regarding the situation, one might be able to generate a magical equation. The outcome can be used to take appropriate precautions or even to prevent anything dangerous from happening," I answered.

"Very good, Miss Tacendi. Indeed, my tutor told me Arithmancy has played a vital role in Wizarding Wars due to the ability to predict the opponent's strategy. Actually it's criminal this Arithmancy class is so small. More wizards should know about the benefits of Arithmancy," Professor Vector said with a down-hearted smile.

"And it's brain-racking confusion. Sure, go learn twenty different meanings to a hundred digits," scoffed Draco.

"I haven't asked this question for no reason," Professor Vector continued. "In case things escalate in the Wizarding World and it comes to a clash, I want you to know how to use Arithmancy to outsmart your opponent." She scribbled down some numbers, names and schemes.

I hastily wrote along as she explained how to judge the credibility of information and how to add up different bits of it to create a reliable equation.

Hermione would have loved this, I thought.

***

"For Salazar's sake, she nearly filled the entire hour talking!" Draco complained after leaving the classroom.

"At least it was useful," I remarked.

"I thought it was rather depressing. All this fuss about a "possible war", my arse!" He scrunched his nose in scorn.

"Don't you think something bad is coming? With Potter on the loose and all these attacks- it can't go on forever," I speculated.

"I thought you weren't the worrying type?" Draco smirked.

That's what I had always told him, and what I had always believed. I had been through quite a lot in my life and yet I had never worried that much. But after Luna's abduction, nearly getting imprisoned at Malfoy Manor and my father becoming a Death Eater, I started to doubt my previous nonchalance. "I am not, life has just become a bit hopeless," I replied dejectedly.

"Hey," he said, as he brushed my hair behind my ear. "No need to be so pessimistic, Tacendi." I looked up at him in anticipation and he leaned over to whisper in my ear: "Let's cheer you up." He pressed his lips against my neck and I smiled. I loved it when he did that. I dropped my school bag and flung my arms around him and Draco gently pushed me against the wall behind me, making sure not to accidently push over a painting of a centaur in a poppy field.

Draco's pale blue eyes roamed over my face before he leaned forward to kiss me. While his endearing lips were pressed against mine and his hands were resting on my hips, for a moment I forgot we were in a corridor.

"Next time it'll be a Dementor's Kiss for you!" someone sneered. Draco hastily broke the kiss to furiously stare at the third year Gryffindor behind him.

"Watch your mouth, before I'll make them Kiss you!" Draco threatened. "Oh wait, not even a Dementor would want to kiss you," he added with a sly smirk.

I noticed Alecto Carrow standing in the corridor as well, and she seemed to have watched the scene in amusement. "Show some respect to mr. Malfoy," she said sternly. "And Miss Tacendi," she added hastily, as if I had suddenly become part of their Death Eater alliance. I was glad she was telling this boy off, but I didn't want to get counted among a club I had dissociated myself from.

The young Gryffindor gave us a dirty look before leaving. "And you guys, get a room," Professor Carrow said, before dashing off to her next Muggle-hating class.

"Shall we?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Shall we what?" I asked.

"Get a room," Draco responded with a smirk.

I picked my bag off the floor and smiled: "Let's go, then!"

Draco protectively put his arm around me and pulled me close. He pressed another kiss in my neck before we headed for a place where no scornful comments could reach us.