Surprising turn - a turn for the better? Or into madness ... (Draco Ff)

Chapter 27 ~ The time has come...

Victoria's Pov.

"Viktoria? I asked you something."
It took me a moment to place the voice to someone.
When I could make out Blaise Zabini's slightly annoyed voice, I turned in his direction and answered him with a very imaginative "Hm?".
He looked at me in amusement and cocked his head.
"What is now? Didn't you ask me something?" I asked, crossing my legs.
"Yes / Yes. I asked you if you knew how Draco was doing and what exactly happened?"
I had to think...
It wouldn't have been terribly wise to just say, "Oh, nothing special, Potter just found out that Draco cursed Katie Bell and needs to kill Dumbledore, and besides, we're both Death Eaters, but it doesn't really matter.".
That would not have been so cheap.
Before I gave myself away for thinking so long, I just said the first thing that came to mind on the subject of Potter and Draco.
"You know Potter and Draco, it was clear that the two would bump into each other more seriously."
I saw that he started to rattle and he nodded in agreement.
"Hmm, yes you're right. It was only a matter of time."
I let my gaze wander into the distance again.
Keep thinking.
After about how to proceed.
Thought about Draco. I knew he wouldn't be able to kill Dumbledore.
It would break him.
It would change his nature.
There would be nothing left of the Draco I knew.
"You know, Viktoria, my mother is considering taking me out of school. She doesn't want me to continue going to Hogwarts after all the Muggle murders...."
I heard Blaise Zabini's voice softly from the side.
"What? Why is that?" I asked in disbelief.
"She thinks that only Death Eaters are behind these murders and she is sure that there are some of them hanging around in Hogwarts as well."
I did not know what to say.
On the one hand he was my friend and I should agree with him, on the other hand I was one of them.
And his best friend also had the dark mark on his left forearm.
I didn't even have to answer him because he just kept talking without expecting an answer from me.
"I mean Death Eaters, a vile bunch.
How obsessively they serve the dark lord and simply kill and torture people in cold blood.
I don't want to be a Death Eater, nor do I want anything to do with them!"
I didn't know what to say to that.
I was a bit shocked that he had such an aversion to Death Eaters.
I just stayed still and kept looking to one corner of the room.
I unconsciously grabbed my left wrist and pushed my shirt a little further down my forearm.
"Victoria? What do you say to that?" Zabini said with a questioning look on his face.
I just got up and headed for the door.
"Victoria? What's the matter with you now?"
I didn't go any further into him and left the common room for good.

I slowly strolled through the corridors, letting my right hand drag along the cool stone wall.
I was so deep in thought that I didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching behind me.
I was startled when I suddenly felt two strong arms around my waist and Draco whispered in my ear.
"N / A? What are you doing here all alone?"
I felt my heart pounding in my ears and tried to breathe a little more calmly.
I didn't know if this was a reaction from the shock or from Draco.
"Vik? Are you still there?" the Ice Prince asked amused and nudged my side.
"Hey, you know I can't stand this!" I snapped, slightly irritated.
"Do you want to go to breakfast?" the ice prince wanted to know and pushed me from behind.
"Yes yes, that's fine, but let me go alone."
He let go of me and so we made our way into the great hall.
We strolled side by side and said nothing.
Draco carefully took my hand in his and I increased the pressure.
I was happy to have him back.
I knew it would be different this time.
I think it 'clicked' for both of us in the last few weeks.
It became clear to me that we would only get through this together.

As we walked into the hall, the noise level increased tremendously.
Everyone rattled their cutlery and chatted splendidly.
When Draco could spot Zabini, he pulled me over to his seat.
I wanted to fight back, but he didn't give up and pushed me onto the bench and sat down next to me.
I didn't feel like talking to Blaise.
Especially not after what happened earlier.
I think Zabini seemed to notice that as well, because he gave me a confused look for a moment, but then turned his attention to Draco.
I could only make out a few snippets of conversation, but didn't listen further.
I knew Draco was about to tell Blaise his heroic tale.
I poked around listlessly in my scrambled eggs until my attention focused on a black owl sitting on the table in front of me.
She was carrying a yellowed letter in her beak and her eyes were malicious at me.
I took the letter and shooed the owl away.
I turned the letter once in my hands and then recognized the seal.
I was about to break it but was stopped by Draco.
"What is that letter?" he asked curiously.
I quickly tucked the letter into my robes and tried to brush it off.
"Oh, not that important"
He didn't believe me, but had to settle for that answer.

When we had finished breakfast, we made our way to the first lesson.
Defense Against the Dark Arts was now on the schedule.
As we pulled to a stop in front of the classroom door, it was opened from the inside just a few seconds later and a dull looking Professor Snape glared at us.
"Enter," he said monotonously and walked towards the desk.
Gradually the class filled up.
Draco sat to my left and Zabini sat right next to the Ice Prince.

"Would you turn to page 428 in the book," said the former potions professor coolly.
"The dark arts are numerous, varied, ever-changing, and everlasting. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster that each time it cleaves its neck, it grows another head - even fiercer and cunning than the old one. Those who oppose dark magic fight against the unpredictable, the changing, the indestructible. Defense must therefore be as flexible and resourceful as the arts to be destroyed," Snape conveyed to the students.
"Well then, I expect you to write a 3 parchment essay on the Letifold."
A murmur went through the crowd.
"Pull yourself together.
Start!"

I didn't know very much about these creatures.
I looked to my left at Draco and found that he, like me, had no idea.
I opened my book to page 428 and began to read.

"The Letifold is a fortunately rare creature found only in tropical climates. It resembles a black cloak about an inch thick that hovers over the ground at night.

The Patronus is the only spell known to repel the Letifold.
However, since he mostly attacks sleeping people, his victims hardly have the opportunity to use any spells against him.

If the Letifold has suffocated its victim, it will digest the prey immediately while it is still in bed. Having gotten a little fatter and fatter, he then leaves the house without leaving a trace of himself or the victim."

I was a bit disgusted, but kept writing and was able to hand in my 3-parchment essay before the end of the lesson.
I left the classroom and made my way to the next class.
This was going to be a long day.

When dinner was over, I wearily walked toward the common room, my feet dragging the floor.
In the girls' dorms, I fell backwards on my bed and suddenly noticed something in my bag.
As I took it out of my robe, my eyes fell on the letter I had stowed in my robe pocket in a hurry that morning.
I broke the seal and started reading the three words.

It's time...

Tom marvolo Riddle