PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟐𝟎. Extraction

"It's been a very, very long time...but it's hard to forget eyes like that."

"Your way of thinking is narrow-minded and seriously outdated."

"What were you thinking? Attacking a teacher like that! If you had injured Moody even the Malfoy's reach wouldn't be able to keep you here! Is that what you want!"

"You're so beautiful is all. I'd give anything to look like you. I mean, I'm pretty and all but your body...I just...WHERE DID IT EVEN COME FROM? I'VE BEEN YOUR FRIEND SINCE WE WERE FETUSES! HOW DID I NOT REALISE THAT YOU SUDDENLY HAVE BOOBS? AND HIPS AND JUST- EVERYTHING? I SWEAR THOSE WEREN'T THERE YESTERDAY!"

"Look, Malfoy, projecting your issues onto me isn't going to make your daddy love you."

"You are not worth the effort of an insult."

"I get it. Krum is awesome. You don't have to get everyone else wet as well. Bloody hell, you weren't even this bad at the cup."

"I feel the weight of it myself. I just ask you to be particularly vigilant going forward, my dear. This death may be a warning of worse things yet to come. Death has always bred more death."

"I punched a window."

"Val. The next time anyone touches you like that again, you have my express permission to put them six foot under."

"Ah, Miss Valentine Lestrange, so good of you to finally bless us with your presence."

"You really think Leah could pick between men and women? I've seen her take three days to choose a pair of socks to wear and you think she can make that kind of decision? Haven't you been paying attention?"

"Yeah, well, maybe my aesthetic is screaming!"

"Okay, so I know it's not a big deal but Hasani was totally eyeballing Liam for the last hour."

"Your parents were quite interesting people, you know. And those eyes of yours. A Lestrange trademark to be proud of. A symbol of your lineage."

"I believe you both should, as the youth of today say, lighten up."

"Voldemort's back. Cedric. He asked me to bring his body back. I couldn't leave him, not there."

"The only thing impressive about you is your bounds of endless arrogance."

"Well. Aren't we the life of the party?"

"Careful now, professor. Look at me like that and I might just spill all my frivolous hopes and dreams."

~~~

Two hours, maybe three at most. Valentine could tell that was how long she'd been asleep for. Leah was in the bed next to her as usual, snoring lightly. It was almost like nothing had changed. But that was wrong. Everything had changed.

Valentine rolled over onto her stomach and pressed her face into the velvet-embossed pillow.

Three days ago, Barty Crouch Jr died. The Minister had brought in a Dementor to take Crouch back to hell, but upon seeing the escaped prisoner, the dark creature swooped in and made quick work of him using the Dementor's Kiss. Fudge had simply shrugged this off. He saw Crouch as nothing but a criminal to be disposed of. He couldn't accept that Crouch was also a vital witness. He had interacted directly with Voldemort, who knew how much information was locked away in his twisted mind? The smart thing to do would have been attempting to extract the information while they had the chance. But now that chance was gone.