Chapter 8
As graduation day dawned, the air was thick with anxiety. The headmaster was attending an emergency meeting at the ministry, so for the first time in more than three centuries the ceremony would be led by the deputy headmistress. Students gathered in the Great Hall, a mixture of excitement and apprehension hanging over the event. But in the back of her mind, Pansy couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming.
When the ceremony concluded, cheers erupted as students celebrated their newfound freedom. Yet, in the midst of the revelry, a chill swept through the hall, and Pansy felt the weight of inevitability press down upon her.
Suddenly, the doors burst open, and a group of Slytherin students and many death eaters entered, led by none other than Draco Malfoy and Pansy’s parents. The atmosphere shifted instantly, laughter dying away as whispers filled the room.
“Pansy,” Draco sneered, “you really thought you could escape your destiny?”
“No!” Pansy shouted, stepping forward. “I won’t go with you. I’m not your puppet!”
“Enough!” her father barked, his voice cold and commanding. “You will return with us. You’ve embarrassed our family long enough.”
“Embarrassed?” Pansy’s voice cracked. “You’re the ones aligning with Voldemort! You think I’ll just go along with this?”
Harry stepped in front of her, determination radiating from him. “You won’t take her. We’ll fight you if we have to.”
“Foolish boy,” her mother spat, stepping forward. “You’re in way over your head.”
With a flick of Mrs. Parkinson’s wand, shadows seemed to swell around them, dark tendrils of magic reaching out to ensnare Harry and Pansy. But Harry was ready. With a powerful spell, he created a shield, pushing back the darkness.
“Run!” he shouted to Pansy, as he fought off the advancing shadows.
Pansy hesitated, fear gripping her heart. “No, I won’t leave you!”
“Go!” Harry insisted, his voice fierce. “I’ll be right behind you!”
With a deep breath, Pansy turned and sprinted toward the exit, her heart pounding as she felt the eyes of her family on her. She could hear the chaos behind her, spells colliding and shouts echoing through the hall.
Outside, the air was thick with panic as students rushed to escape the chaos. Pansy pushed her way through the crowd, searching desperately for safety. But as she turned a corner, she found herself face-to-face with several of her year mates, their expressions cold and calculating.
“You thought you could run?” one of them taunted, blocking her path. “You belong with us, Pansy.”
“No!” she cried, feeling the weight of their disdain pressing down on her. “I won’t go back!”
As they moved closer, she summoned her courage and raised her wand. “I’m not afraid of you!”
But before she could cast a spell, the shadows of Voldemort’s followers surged forward, surrounding her. Panic flared within her as she realized she was trapped.
Just then, a burst of light cut through the darkness. Harry appeared, fighting valiantly against their attackers, determination etched on his face. “Pansy!”
“Harry, help!” she shouted, desperation lacing her voice.
With a fierce cry, Harry dispatched several of their attackers, creating a path for her. “Come on! We need to get out of here!”
They ran together, heartbeats racing, adrenaline coursing through their veins. But as they neared the edge of the grounds, a figure stepped into their path—Draco.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he snarled, wand raised, ready to strike.
“Get out of our way, Draco!” Harry yelled, standing protectively in front of Pansy. “You don’t know what you’re doing!”
“On the contrary, I know exactly what I’m doing,” Draco replied, a sneer twisting his lips. “You’ve taken everything from me. Pansy is coming back to her family, whether she likes it or not. And she will be my bride.”
Before Harry could react, Pansy stepped forward, her heart pounding. “Draco, this isn’t right! You’re siding with Voldemort! You can’t do this!”
But Draco only laughed, his eyes gleaming with malice. “You think you can just walk away from this? You’re a Parkinson. You’re meant to serve. And you will serve me in the end Pansy.”
Harry tightened his grip on his wand. “Pansy is her own person now. She’s not a pawn in your game.”
“Enough!” Draco shouted, raising his wand. “Sectumsempra!”
In a split second, Harry leapt forward, casting a shield charm that absorbed the curse. “You won’t hurt her!”
But the chaos around them grew. More of Voldemort’s followers joined the fray, their wands drawn and their faces twisted with anger. Pansy’s heart raced as she saw the gathering storm, the sense of betrayal cutting deep.
“Harry, we need to get out!” she urged, panic rising in her chest.
“Stay close to me!” he commanded, moving to shield her as they fought their way through the onslaught.
With each spell exchanged, Pansy felt the stakes rising higher. The world around her blurred into a cacophony of shouts, the clash of wands, and the terrible realization that her family had turned against her.
In that moment, the darkness of her past felt insurmountable. But Harry’s unwavering presence reminded her that she had chosen a different path. Together, they could forge a future beyond the shadows.
Finally, as they pushed through the throng of the wizards, they broke free and sprinted toward the Forbidden Forest, the trees standing as a sanctuary against the chaos behind them.
Breathless and heart racing, they paused to catch their breath, the shadows of Hogwarts receding. Pansy leaned against a tree, trying to process the whirlwind of events.
“What do we do now?” she asked, fear creeping back into her voice.
“We regroup,” Harry said, determination igniting his eyes. “We’ll find a way to stop them. We can’t let them take you back.”
Pansy nodded, feeling the weight of his words. “But my family—what if they find us? What if Voldemort—”
“I won’t let them hurt you,” he promised, stepping closer. “We’ll face this together. You’re not alone anymore.”
As they stood together in the quiet of the forest, Pansy felt a flicker of hope ignite within her. They would fight for their love and their future, no matter the odds. And as long as they had each other, they would face whatever darkness awaited them.
Together, they would stand against the storm.