Secrets & Slytherins

Chapter 25: Promise

Grace took one last glance behind her before carefully trekking down the dark path that led to Knockturn Alley. She knew it was in her best interest not to pass through the infamous street, but her curiosity was stronger than any feeling of hesitation she had tugging in her chest at the moment. Draco and Noah were supposed to be at Hogsmeade with the other students, not wandering around dodgy places like Knockturn Alley. Although, Grace was one to talk. She was certainly not where she was supposed to be.

She hurried along the dirty, worn-out cobblestones whose broken pieces crumbled beneath her shoes as she tried to bring the boys into her view again. A few people shot her strange looks at her attempt to walk quickly while also keeping her footsteps muffled.

Ignoring the odd stares she occasionally received, Grace finally caught a glimpse of platinum blond hair far ahead of her illuminating the shadowy street. Shifting her eyes to the next boy, she saw Noah scratch his brown hair as he looked up at the sign in front of a building. The two Slytherins entered the shop and Grace took that as her cue to approach the spot they had stood just moments before. She stopped a few yards ahead, half-way hiding behind a brick wall to read the shop's sign: Borgin & Burkes.

Grace didn't recognize the name at all. It clearly wasn't a popular store, whatever it was. This part of the street seemed to be completely deserted. The few witches and wizards she could see were now far behind her. The only sound she could hear was a gust of wind making her hair dance along her shoulders. She pulled her cloak tighter around her. She was alone outside, but just beyond the door of the shop stood both classmates and strangers.

Grace angled herself so that she was able to see through one of the windows, a large crack running jaggedly down the middle of it. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she peered through the glass. She watched as Draco closed the door of what looked like a tall, wooden dresser. He ran his hand down the door, staring at it with concentration. She flickered her eyes over to Noah, who was nodding slightly at the sight before him. He looked nervous.

Grace turned back around, concealing herself behind the brick wall once more as she leaned her back against it. What was that wooden wardrobe? What did it have to do with Draco and Noah? She knew Noah didn't want to be wrapped up in his father's deatheater business, but this was not a pretty sight. Whatever was happening here certainly couldn't have been good at a place like this.

A hand snatched her wrist. Another covered her mouth.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Grace's heart thumped loudly against her chest. She turned her head and saw Noah. She let out a sigh of relief that didn't make it far with his hand covering her mouth. She raised an eyebrow at him and gestured back to her mouth.

"Sorry, I couldn't risk you screaming," Noah explained quietly. He released her wrist and lowered his hand. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I think she has a death wish," Draco admitted in a hushed voice.

"I do not have a death wish," Grace whispered sharply. "I wanted to know what you two were up to."

"It's really none of your business, now, is it?" Draco said with narrowed eyes. He scanned the alleyway with an intense gaze before turning to Noah. "Dolohov, she needs to leave."

"I think we all do," Noah finished before Grace could interject. He touched Draco's arm and held Grace's hand before apparating the three of them back to a quiet part of Hogsmeade.

When they landed back in the village, Draco looked like he was going to be sick. It was far too cold for beads of sweat to be forming on his forehead like they were. He leaned over to Noah to whisper something and then immediately walked toward the carriages. Grace pulled her hand out of Noah's grasp and looked up at him.

"Ginny is still at Diagon Alley. She's going to worry where I went."

"Don't you think you should have thought about that before you went snooping? Merlin, Grace, you're so stupid sometimes," Noah said with frustration.

"You're not too smart for whatever you were doing in Knockturn Alley either, you know..." Grace shot a glare up at him. "I thought you didn't want to do your father's bidding anymore, Noah."

"I wasn't doing anything of the sort, alright? I was just accompanying Draco. That's it." Noah's eyes softened as he looked down at her. "No more deatheater stuff," he lied. "I promise."

"Good. It doesn't look right on you." Grace smiled gently. She didn't like the thought of Noah getting stuck in dark wizardry like that. He was such a great person. He had to stay away from his father's mistakes.

"Shouldn't you be catching up with your boyfriend right now?" Noah asked, glancing far down the street at students bustling between shops.

"Shouldn't you?" Grace teased, nodding her head in the direction Draco had went.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Noah replied flatly. "Seriously, though. Meet up with Carrow before his temper tantrum starts," he finished, starting to walk away.

"He's not like that anymore. He's better," she explained, watching as Noah rolled his eyes. Grace sighed, "I promise."

That word meant nothing to either of them, whether they knew it or not.