I SPY || 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕪

Chapter 24. Home

The black clad figure approached gracefully, hands resting behind their back. Astrids breath was shaky as she confirmed in her head that it was in fact a trap, and the man before them was most definitely a death eater, or perhaps even Voldemort himself?

Something about the mans gate seemed familiar to her though, the way he swayed slightly as he walked, his confident strides. The familiar feeling of nausea bubbled in the pit of Astrids stomach, 'this is not the time to throw my guts up' she thought to herself determinedly and pushed the feeling down.

"Where's Sirius?!" Harry questioned, no, demanded.

"You know... you really should learn to tell the difference... between dreams..." The figure spoke as they removed their hands from behind them, revealing a snake headed cane. The walk, the voice, the cane, Astrid grew dizzy with realisation as the figure advanced closer. Pulling a wand from the cane the death eater whisked his mask away into smoke, revealing the stern face of Lucius Malfoy. "...and reality." Lucius finished as he narrowed his eyes on the group. Astrid shrunk back behind Hermione. Ron watched the professor at first with suspicion, but upon seeing the horror and hurt in her blue eyes, his narrowed gaze softened with concern as he looked between her and Malfoy.

"You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see." Lucius tutted, his plan had worked, the potter boy had fallen for his trick. "Now, hand me the prophecy." Lucius demanded.

"Don't do it Harry!" Astrid cried out, she reached forward gripping the boy by his shoulder and pulled him back towards his friends.

Lucius' face was stunned for just a second as he laid eyes on his beloved, she was different, but the same. She glowed under the luminosity of the lit wands, her hair was shinier, thicker, her skin radiant, her body was the not the same as the last time he caressed her, touched her, it was curvier, round in all the right places.

"Astrid," Lucius breathed. "My love... come here," He held his hand out to the girl, but instead of running into his arms, she took a step back. It shot a sting of pain through his heart, seeing her brows furrow defiantly, her eyes glinting with fear. Hermione and Harry looked between the professor and Lucius Malfoy with open mouths, they noticed how everyone else didn't look so surprised.

"Professor... you and... Malfoy?" Hermione whispered disapprovingly. Astrid crossed her arms over her body, her eyes pleaded with the Granger girl to say nothing.

"If you do anything to us, anything to her, I'll break it," Harry said defiantly as he shielded Professor Moody with his arm, his wand outstretched towards the blonde man before him. Wicked laughter echoed through the aisles. The twisted smile and mad eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange peered out of the darkness and stalked to Lucius' side, causing him to freeze.

"He knows how to play," Bellatrix cackled, "Itty, bitty, baby, Potter."

"Bellatrix Lestrange?" Neville recognised the woman instantly, for she was the one who tortured his parents to the point of insanity.

"Neville Longbottom, is it? How's mum and dad?" The woman asked cruelly.

"Better now they're going to be avenged!" Neville exclaimed as he lunged forward with his wand aimed at the two death eaters.

"Neville no!" Astrid cried out, she grabbed Neville tightly by his upper arm, jerking him back and pushing him into Luna's hold. Bellatrix raised her wand threateningly at the young woman who put a stop to what could have been a fun little moment for her: killing Neville Longbottom.

"Now, let's everybody calm down," Lucius purred calmly, as he pushed Bella's wand down to her side, "Shall we?"

Bellatrix eyed Lucius suspiciously, her eyes flashing between him and the blonde beautiful woman opposite.