Harry
Heknowsheshouldn’tbelistening.
Peryhadometwohoursago,walkingthroughthehousewiththesameauthoritythatheusedtohavewhenhewasaprefet.Hehadabagslungoverhisbakandabindertukunderhisarm,inkstainsalreadysptteredonhisfingers.andthenheandDraodisappearedupintothelibrary.
HarryknewthatifDraowantedhimtoknowwhatwasbeingsaid,theywouldhavedoneitinthekithenofthelivingroom.Still,thatdoesn’tstophimfrompausingoutsidethedoorwhenhegoestobed,wathingthembothfromthedoorframe.
herPeryorDraoseeshim.Harryknowsheshouldwalkaway,buthean’t,notwhenDrao’sshouldersarehunhedinlikethatandtherearetearsstreamingdownbothhisandPery’sheeks.Hewantstostorminandtellthemboththattheinterviewisover,beausehedoesnotwanttoseeDraoinpain,butthatisnothishoietomake.
“Ifyououldtellpeopleonething,”Perysays,andHarrygetsthefeelingthatit’salmostoveranyways.“Onethingaboutwhatyou’vetoldmeheretoday,whatwoulditbe?”
Therewasamuggletapereorderbetweenthemandaquillfloatingintheairabove,takingdowneveryword,everystutteringbreath.“IknowwhatIdidwaswrong.”Hisvoiewasthikwiththetearswhenhespoke.“ButyouhavetouandthatIneverintendedtodoanyofthat.Inevergotahoie,andthenallofasuddenitwaskillorbekilled.”
Apause.
“AndIhosemyself.”ThebreaththatDraotakesismorelikeashudder.“Ijustwantedtosurvive.”
Chapter14
Drao
Thesttimehesawhismotherwasduringthewar.
Hehadbeenfighting,spellsflyingallaroundhim,peoplerunning,sobbing,sreaming,thewallsolpsingallaroundthemandthedustfromallthehaosfillinghismouthandoatinghisteeth.Draohadjustgivenintothethoughtthatthisisit,Iamgoingtodiehere,atraitortoeverythingIeverthoughtwasrightwhensheameoutofthedust,anavengingangelthatsenteveryonebstingawayfromhimwithonlyonespell.
Draohadalwaysthoughthisfatherwasthestrongone,buthewaswrong,beauseinthatmomentNarissaMalfoywasawomanmadeoffire,andheolpsedintoher,lettinghimselfbeweakforaseond.Sheheldhimlikehewasalittlekidagain,usingherthumbstowipeawaythetearshedidn’tknowhewasryingandpressingakisstohisforehead.“Wehavetogo,”Shehadtoldhim,eyeswidewithfear.“Wehavetoleavebeforeit’sover.”
Hehadthoughtthatthismeantthattheywerelosing.Thattheywererunningfromtheministry,andfromtheOrder,andfromHarry.Thatsomeday,hewouldbepretendingtobesomeoneelseinahouseequallyasnieastheoneashewasin,aomfortablebutparanoidlife,andinthemiddleofSundaydinnerRon,Hermione,andHarrywouldbeatdownhisdoor.