BLOOD TRAITOR [HARRY POTTER - BOOK 1]

Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter world; all rights go to J.K Rowling. I do however own my original character Nova Malfoy and her background.

"What are you doing?" A voice snapped her back to reality as she nervously picked at her fingertips, considering one hundred and one possible scenarios that would result in her doing something as mundane as cleaning Fred and George's joke shop for the rest of her life.

Glancing up, she met her twin's perplexed stare – his face appearing darker as he stood over her with his arms crossed, impatiently awaiting an answer. She hadn't spoken to him for at least a week which had only added to the stress which tormented her waking hours and kept her from slumber: "If I don't go in there, I fail because I didn't try." She muttered, picking at her nails – a nervous habit that her mother had often scolded her for. "Not because I can't do it."

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked, scrunching his nose up.

"My O.W.L.s!" The young witch exclaimed, "These exams shape my entire future, they are not the same as the tests I did at home. Father gave me a second chance if I performed terribly...I've been distracted all year and – what if I go in there and my best isn't good enough?"

Sighing roughly through his nose, the older Malfoy glanced around the corridor to check that nobody could see them before sliding down the wall to sit by his twin sister's side. "Your best will always be good enough. So, what if you are the only person in our year that can't master the watering of a plant and in Divination you are about as insightful as that oaf, Hagrid?"

"Not helping."

Smiling slightly at her comment, he turned to look at her: "My point is, you are a Malfoy and we always come out on top. You are ready for this because father taught you the charms, do you remember?"

"You are not concentrating."

"Yes, I am. I just can't do it!" A thirteen-year-old Nova shot back, her face flushed with frustration as she glared at the house-elf whose tunic refused to change colour under her will.

"It seems my faith has been misplaced." Lucius spoke coldly, a look of disappointment in his icy stare – a look that the young girl often believed had been created for her, alone. "Perhaps you are not as exceptional as I had thought. Finish your reading, I have more important things to attend to."

As her father turned his back on her, anger bubbled in the pit of her stomach. As the feeling grew, the room began to quake until an almighty roar escaped her and released the energy: "Colovaria!"

Lucius spun around, his cool grey eyes staring at the wide-eyed and albeit shocked expression on his daughter's face and the somewhat relieved expression of his servant. His nostrils flared slightly as he looked down at the cloak he was wearing – the usual black replaced by a vibrant red: "That was my favourite cloak." He spoke slowly, his tone monotonous. A ghost of a smile twitched at the corner of his thin lips as he met the massive grin that spread across her face. Nodding curtly, he added: "Well done." Before leaving her alone in the room.

Nova grinned widely as she recalled jumping up in glee and almost squealing in delight after finally casting the spell required for the O.W.L.s. The memory had been planted in her mind as the first time her father had shown a sliver of pride toward her – a memory that warmed her heart when she thought of him and had allowed her to cast her first Patronus. Regardless of the continual complications that thwarted their relationship, they loved each other as much as they relentless pride would allow.

"I remember spending hours trying to cast it and nearly setting fire to the house elf." The younger twin finally uttered, pessimism controlling her.