Ron sleeps beside the crackling radio. Hermione holding tightly on to his arm.Harry lies a few feet away, awake.
Y/n huddles outside in the frigid darkness, trembling. Her eyes rake the trees. Deep within, there is, for the briefest of instances... movement. Or so it seems. She squints. Sees nothing. Returns her chin to her chest. As she does, something carries on the air...laughter. The cackle of... boys? Or so it seems. Her chin rises. She looks again into the trees...
Harry reaches out, starts to turn the radio off when:
"... Severus Snape, newly appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts..."
As the signal fades, Harry rolls onto his side and twists the dial. Behind him, we see Y/n's shadow rise,
move away from the tent...
Y/n moves toward the trees...
As the radio resists him, fading in and out, Harry grabs his rucksack, pulls out the wrinkled Marauder's Map.
"... bears little resemblance to
the school under Dumbledore's
leadership. Snape's curriculum is
severe, reflecting the wishes of
the Dark Lord and infractions are
dealt with harshly by the two
Death Eaters on the staff..."
Harry peers at the map before him and -- sure enough -- discovers Snape's name drifting about Dumbledore's office.
--
Y/N moves deeper into the trees, then stops.Shadows splinter amid the towering trunks and voices come clearer. Standing utterly still, Y/n watches as a gang of snatchers make their way in her direction. They look unwashed and feral, as if they've been in the wild for some time. As they pass, within feet of her, but unable to see her, only Hermione's eyes track their passage. As before Scabior leads the way, Fenrir
Greyback at his side. Abruptly, Scabior stops, eyes narrowing.
"What's that? That... smell?" Scabior asked.
The others glance about dumbly. Scabior retraces his steps until he stands directly in front of Hermione, his eyes looking right through her. He leans forward ever-so slightly,
only inches from her neck, nostrils flaring. The locket ticks, trembling upon Y/n's breastbone. Then, slowly, Scabior pulls back, eyes probing the darkness, before withdrawing, leading the others away. The last pair drag what appear to be bodies.
As they vanish within the trees, Y/n finally swallows.
"Snatchers." Hermione whispers. She spins, finds Harry and Hermione standing a few feet off.
"Good to know your enchantments work." He said turning to face Hermione.
"He could smell it. My perfume." Y/n said.
"Ron pushes past the tent flap, peers into the darkness in the distance, he sees Harry, Yn and Hermione..
Y/n hugs herself as she shivers, Harry doesn't waste a second he quickly wraps his arms around the shivering girl..
"We have to leave. We're not safe here." He said looking at Y/n's condition
"I told you. Ron's not strong enough to Apparate." Hermione stands for Ron
"Then we'll go by foot" you declare.
~~~~
Y/n, Harry, Hermione and Ron. Then, faintly, so faint it can barely be heard at first, a SOFT WHISTLING SOUND rises on the breeze. Slowly, one by one, DOTS perforate the blue. The WHISTLING SOUND BUILDS. Harry stops, listening, then turns. Hermione trailing a few feet behind, stops, eyeing him questioningly. Over her shoulder the dots attenuate. They take the shape of plumes
YOU ARE READING
ARRANGED TO BE LOVED ꩜ draco malfoy.
RomanceIn their 6th year at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy and (Y/N) Blackwood are forced into an arranged marriage by their pureblood families, expected to navigate their feelings between their chaotic life at Hogwarts. Are they made for each other or will they f...
