Clarity (Draco Malfoy FanFic) #wattys2017

[16] Salazar's Diary

Anastasia's POV

"Ana?" I heard a familiar voice call out my name. I look at the distance and saw Draco with his trademark smirk.

"I'm sorry for leaving you here at the manor, my love. Mother insisted I accompany her to pick out the decor to be used for the ball" he said as he kissed my cheek. I gave him a smirk and said "Well you can always make up for it, Draco"

"What do you have in mind?" he asked

"You could probably show me around the manor. I might as well know my way around if I'm supposed to stay here for some time." I tell Draco

"Very well. Shall we?" he asked as he offered his arm.

"We shall" I said as I took his arm.

Draco showed me all the rooms in the manor. I was pleasantly surprised with how much he knew about art.

"So what's your favorite room...besides your bedroom?" I asked him

Draco's eyebrows furrowed a little bit before answering the question "Hmm...It's not really a room. But I do love the attic"

The attic...

"Why is that?"

"It's better if I show you" he smiled then led me to a hidden staircase. It had minimal light that came from tiny windows on the walls. At the top of the stairs, was a portrait of a beautiful platinum haired lady who I believe to be a Malfoy- she had 'the smirk' on her face.

"katharos" Draco said and the portrait opened to a huge room.

I thought attics were old, dusty, and filled with random artifacts that were as old as my grandparents. But this attic that Draco brought me to was as beautiful as the other rooms in the manor- it was even brighter than the rest as high up on the walls were large windows. Yes, the paintings look old but the frames and the colors were still vibrant. What I assume to be artifacts were neatly organized in glass cases, and the books were all arranged in shelves. In the corner of the room, there was a couch beside the window.

"C'est magnifique" I said out loud.

I saw Draco trying to find something in the shelves when I heard a hissing sound in his direction. "Are you alright?" Draco asked me. He probably noticed my sudden change in expression.

"I can hear it, Draco. It wants to be found..." I tell him

"What wants to be found, Ana?" he asked with a confused look.

"The diary...Salazar's Diary. I can hear it speak. Do you know where it is?" I tell him

Draco nodded and hurriedly scanned through the shelves as quickly as he can. Not long, he retrieved a leather-bound book and placed it at the table for the both of us to thoroughly look at it.

The leather cover was in the darkest shade of green that I thought it was black from the distance. It had a silver snake embedded in the cover that coiled at the edges, keeping the book shut tight.

"Have you read it?" I asked Draco.

"No. The pages are blank. Father said this has been here for ages yet no one was successful enough to break the enchantment Salazar Slytherin placed on his book." he explained.

There must be a way...

"Blood must be paid, my lady" I heard a hissing voice that seemed to come from the snake on the diary.

I curiously looked at the snake. "Blood?"

"Master Salazar's secrets are only revealed to worthy blood" it replied.