Bad Influence

CHAPTER 11 "You've got yourself a wicked child there."

DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1

CHAPTER 11 "You've got yourself a wicked child there."

WILLOW POV

I wake to screaming. The walls of Malfoy Manor have become awfully familiar to the sounds of Screaming. I know its Lucius. The Dark Lord had taken great pride in torturing him over the summer since freeing him from Azkaban, the Malfoys had become the least favourable of Voldemort even Bellatrix had her fair share of Curses thrown at her. I walk into the Hallway, quietly tiptoeing on the cold marble floor. I get to the top of the stairs and try to make out what's being said.

"You and your useless boy are lucky that I still let you live." Voldemort shouts.

"I'm sorry my Lord, we will not fail you again." Lucius' voice was hoarse from screaming.

"I know you wont... CRUCIO!"

I wince at the sound of the curse, id gone all summer without my father using that curse on me, he's on his best behaviour since we're having to stay here. My mother explained it was her and Narcissa's idea for the move they wanted to keep us all safe and it was more convenient for the Lord as he had made a habit out of turning up unannounced.

"Those pyjamas don't do you any favours Grayling."

I turn around to see Draco stood in the hallway, he looked drained, it has become his usual aesthetic these days. Keeping our distance from each other over the summer had been a challenge considering our rooms were next door and we share a wing of the house, but Malfoys petty remarks and nasty comments made it easier for me to avoid him.

"Neither do those bags under your eyes Malfoy." I smile at him cynically.

Ever since I had called things off he had been acting this way, acting like he wasn't hurt, acting like he hated me. Maybe I was acting too, at first, but after a whole summer of bickering I don't have to force it so much. Voldemort had taken even more of a liking to my Father over the holiday and sometimes even forced me to torture the other Death Eaters sometimes even Draco.

"Such a sharp tongue Grayling. I blame these bags on your embarrassment of a father, he's so far up the Lords arse that he spent most of the night cursing me for him. I'm sure you loved listening to the sound of that."

"Well maybe If your family were actually capable of getting the job done The Lord would respect you." I say smugly

Draco darts across the hallway towards me and pushes me up against the wall holding me by my shoulders. His face wild with anger. I really did hit a nerve.

"Not so strong without your wand are you Grayling." He says pushing me harder. He was hurting me, but there was no way I was going to admit that, I swung my knee up and hit him in-between his legs and he grunted in pain falling to the floor.

"Are you sure about that?" I laugh and walk towards my room, leaving him on the floor.

"Just you wait Grayling!" He hisses.

***

I enter the dining hall and sit in my seat next to my parents, everyone is silent. Draco is sat opposite me dressed in a dark suit with his hair smartly combed to the side, he doesn't look at anyone he just stares down at the table as usual. My father nudges me as he notices id be staring at Draco for quite a while now. He was not happy about the hand holding in the astrology tower but mine and Draco's constant bickering proved to him there was no need to suspect a thing.

The Dark Lord enters the room, and everybody stiffens, even my Father, Nagini glides along beside him and the atmosphere falls icy. I sit up tall remembering Dumbledore in the tower. I hated being in Voldemort's presence, he was unpredictable and unforgiving and if you say the slightest thing wrong, he will kill you in an instant. Even Bellatrix was silent. At the end of the table suspended in the air was Burbage, id never met her or done any of her classes, but I knew she was a loved professor at Hogwarts. I bit my lip as I tried to hide my sympathy for her, she was petrified. Burbage had recently been vocal on how she supported muggle and wizard marriage and Voldemort will not let that go lightly. The thought of it even makes my skin crawl, muggles do not belong in our world.