The Banshee - a Draco Malfoy fanfiction

Chapter 14 : Leannàn Fola

As Nora predicted, the next morning, the Slytherin table is silent. The few last few years present hold their heads and glare the firsts who dare to open their mouths. Draco and his friends are missing. Nora suspects they are deep in their bed, too busy with their hangover. Having no interest in staying, she leaves the Great Hall and finds herself face to face with Ginny.

The two girls are visibly surprised. Nora's first reflex is to smile at her, but the young Weasley has regained her senses and is striding steeply towards the Gryffindor table where she sits. Her group of friends glares at the banshee. Even Neville, who is the shyest boy she has ever met, is sour.

More disturbed than she shows, Nora turns around, undecided on her destination. She ends in the library, still empty on this Saturday morning. It would take much more than an imminent war and a megalomaniac black mage to prevent a teenager from sleeping late on weekends. Nora wanders between the shelves which she has already scoured in search of a remedy for Kynon and pushes the grid of the reserve. The door creaks. The books stored there spread their oppressive and scary aura. The girl walks towards shelves she has not yet reviewed. She finally found something to occupy her morning.

Sunk in "Occult Remedies", Nora has not seen the time flow. When she looks up, the sun has set. She stretches her sore legs, sighing. Another day wasted in vain research. Putting the grimoire back in its place, she shivers when a residue of ancestral magic caresses her. Her hand rips on a small book she had not noticed when taking out the first book. The black leather cover is patinated by the years, without ornaments. Just a title in runes. "Necromancy". Disgusted, Nora crams the book back in its place. The simple fact of touching it sickens her, as if a film of profanity covered her palm. And yet, deep inside her, well buried under layers and layers of guilt and discipline, a spark of curiosity ignites. Did this simple contact pushed her to realize his true nature ? She must wash her hands. No, she has to scrub her entire body so much the impression of dirt grabs her by the throat. She hurries out of the still empty library. It's dinnertime. A thought for Draco vaguely makes her hesitate. Is he there ? Is he waiting for him? She plans to look in the Great Hall but shakes her head. She too much need to chase away this unpleasant feeling of having transgressed an unknown limit. When she gets out of the bathroom, it's late. Too late to go in search of the wizard. He is most likely under his duvet, victim of the last effects of his hangover. Nora jumps into the chair, grabbing her book of runes and a cup of blood. She has to keep her head busy. Her mind goes back and forth between the feeling of lack surrounding her belly for not being around Draco the entire day and the morbid curiosity for the dark grimoire eating her mind.

She knows almost every page by heart by skimming through it in search of a remedy for Kynon. She knows what she will find after the one explaining the anti-venom spell. As always, she doesn't want to turn the page. She doesn't want to see the words that condemn her friend. But as always, she turns the page. She reads every word, every letter, tastes every ounce of her bitterness. Banshee venom... Deadly for all creatures with divinatory powers :

"Many centuries ago, the Sybils predicted many deaths before their happening thus annoyed Death. She gave her banshees the order and the capacity to kill every prophet and seer who would cross their path. Their bite guaranteed a slow and painful death. Rumours say the only remedy would be that the banshee responsible for the injury, imbued with her Leannàn Fola's blood, sacrifices all the lives the oracle saved plus one in compensation. To our knowledge, a servant of Death, by the name of Crescentia, is the sole banshee who tried but no evidence would show her success. She was banished from her Congregation for the slaughter of eighty-four people. Her sole purpose was to save a young prophet she had fallen in love with. Relieved of her earthly functions, she was handed over to the Muggle authorities before completing her task. The man, driven mad by pain, hanged himself a few days later. The banshee disappeared, cursing Her Mother and vowing to take revenge. "