NUMB | D. MALFOY {EDITING}

xxv. mirror of erised

« MIRROR OF ERISED »

         It was the first day back to classes and Anastasia was already exasperated with everyone, mostly her housemates. She felt like they proposed themselves to make her life impossible, because every time they had a class together, they would make witty remarks about her appearance and the thing she had with the infamous Slytherin prince.

          "Silence." Snape sneered at the two boys chuckling in the other side of the room. "As I was saying..."

          And Anastasia's mind drifted off the lesson as she stared at the window with a small smile in her features. The reminder of Draco's bunch of letters lingered inside her head, causing her to smile sweetly at nothing.

          "Annie," She shook her head when Neville nudged her side.

          "W—What?" Her head turned to meet his confused gaze.

          "The lesson is over." He muttered, glancing around the room as the students walked out in silence. "Let's go. We have Herbology." The excitement in his words made Anastasia smile. 

          The brunette threw her brown, leather bag to her shoulder and followed the Gryffindor outside the classroom, where Snape was watching them with a frown and crossed arms. Anastasia quickly began asking about the lesson and explained the boy that she was, in fact, daydreaming.

          "Actually, I'm not feeling really well." She spoke out, stopping in the middle of the almost deserted corridor.

          "Do you want me to take you with Madam Pomfrey?" He asked, frowning at his small friend.

          "No, it's alright." The emerald-eyed girl nodded shortly and then turned to the other direction. "I'll be fine." She sent him one last reassuring smile before walking away from him.

          Turning her head to check no one was following her, Anastasia changed her path from the Slytherin dungeons to the library in the end of the corridor. Expecting to get caught, she entered the room and walked to the back shelves in search of something that might help her to distract herself.

          It was past noon when Anastasia came up with a brilliant idea to find her missing friends. Quickly, she searched through the shelves for a book or some sort of information to make her idea work. The moon had peered in the large windows of the library when she finally found something that could help her, her small hand reached the white quill and began scribbling in the new parchment in front of her.

Suddenly, her arm began to ache once again. Her head snapped to the window with preoccupation. Ready to take out her wand, she stood up but someone stumble her walk backwards with confusion.

"I'm so sorry!" She began but her eyes caught the sight of a pair of dark ones, causing her to stop babbling.

"Rosier," Alecto Carrow, who taught Muggles studies, spoke out with an evil smile in her features. "May I ask why did you skip most of your classes?" Anastasia played with her wand, not sure what to say. "Longbottom informed me you were feeling sick, but I see you are completely fine."

"I—Uh," The brunette stammered, not sure what to say.

"Meet me in detention, tomorrow in my office after classes." She turned around with a sly smirk. "And bring Longbottom with you."

"What does he have to do with this?" Anastasia questioned, trying to get her friend out of the situation.

"He lied to me." The woman simply said, then she walked out of the library.

Anastasia seated in her previous spot and rested her head her small hands. Her eyes traveled over the silent room and stopped on the books and old parchments. She knew she had to start working if she wanted to find Harry and the others.

"Annie!" Her head snapped to the door, where Ginny and Neville were walking to. "Where have you been?" The ginger asked, taking a seat in a chair next to her.

"I was here all the time." Anastasia explained, ordering the parchments to show them.

"What is this?" Nevill asked, frowning at the sprawled books around the table.

"I have an idea to find them." The emerald-eyed girl smiled, signaling them to scoot closer. "Ginny, remember the map George and Fred found in Filch's office?"

"You mean the Marauders Map?" The ginger frowned, looking at the open book in front of them.

"Exactly." The brunette nodded rigorously. "Well, I'll make one myself. Of all Britain."

"But how are you going to find them, Annie?" She frowned, looking from Neville to their friend. "I think you're going insane."

"Just listen to me." Anastasia blurted, taking the book in her hand. "I need you to find their belongings and bring them to me." She ordered.

"Why?" Neville was now frowning with confusion.

"Because that way the map will only show me where they are." The Slytherin smirked.

"Annie, that's brilliant!" Ginny beamed, her eyes watching the books with amusement. "How are you going to do it?"

"I'll use a Homonculous charm, with some little improvements, of course." The brunette smiled.

"And when you find them, can I come?" Ginny hopefully questioned.

"I—uh," For the second time in the day, Anastasia didn't know what to say at the girl. "I don't think Mrs. Weasley would like that." She shook her head slowly.

"But—" Ginny began but was instantly cut off.

"You should stay here, Ginny. You'll be safer." Anastasia rested her hand in the ginger's shoulder but she instantly yanked it away. "Ginny..."

"How do you think I'll be safer here? Snape is headmaster and we have Death-Eaters as professors, Annie!" She exclaimed, angered.

"Ginny..." Neville began, but again, was interrupted.

"Ginny your mother told me to protect you and that's exactly what I'm doing." Anastasia bellowed, scattering the books and shoving them in her bag. "I'm sorry if you're not happy but I rather keep you safe."

Ignoring the ginger calling for her with anger, Anastasia walked out of the library and made her way to the seventh floor, making sure no one was watching where she was heading to.

The brunette opened the door and stepped into the dark, massive room where everything began. She left the bag somewhere close the entrance and took out her wand in silence.

"Lumos." She whispered and then, the tip of her wand was illuminating the place.

Quietly, she walked around the room with her green eyes traveling around the majestic and magical objects around her. They stopped in a big artefact with a black cloak clinging over it. Her eyebrows knitted together as she held the end of the cloak and pulled it away from the big object.

Her eyes fell upon a tall, elegant mirror in front of her. The wand fell from her hand when she caught the sight of the reflection and her hands instantly flew to her mouth with surprise.

           It was her, and Draco. Together and being incredibly happy. Her parents where there too, smiling at the couple and Will clapping and cheering in the background. Then, it clicked, it was a wedding. Their wedding.

            Anastasia knew there was not point in hiding it anymore. She needed Draco, and she wanted him to be there for her. But she knew he didn't want to do anything with her, and it was all her fault.