Chapter Two
Draco sat down on the couch in his break room, placing the book on his lap and opening it to the fifth chapter he had marked. He picked up the teacup from the coffee table before him, took a sip, and immediately frowned. The tea was completely cold. The house itself had just brought it to him, how could it be like this? He huffed in irritation.
— That idiot can’t even make a decent cup of tea? — he muttered, almost calling out to the elf, but something prevented him.
His eyes scanned the room and stopped at the window, taking in the night sky outside.
Night sky?
He set the book aside and stood up, walking to the window and opening it, looking outside. It was completely dark. How was that possible? He had just sat down for afternoon tea, how could it be so dark?
Draco turned away from the window when he heard a knock on his door.
— Come in.
He saw his mother carefully open the door and enter.
— Draco, darling? Are you okay, sweetheart?
— Yes, mom, I'm fine. Why?
— You didn't go to dinner and you didn't come to the library. — she said gently, with a strange expression on her face. Worry? But about what?
Did Draco miss dinner? And why would he go to the library?
— Sorry, I got distracted and missed the time. Library? — Draco asked with confusion.
Narcissa's expression faltered for a moment before returning to her disguise.
— At lunch, you said you would go to the library with me and your father for some chess in the evening. — she said calmly, her voice seeming to waver for a moment.
Draco frowned. He didn't remember that. He searched his mind, but couldn't remember. It had been a few weeks since he started having these memory lapses and this lack of track of time. It wasn't the first time he had missed dinner, lunch or afternoon tea because he didn't notice the time passing. It also wasn't the first time he had forgotten something that had happened that same day.
— Oh, yes. Sorry. I'm going now. — he said awkwardly. His mother smiled gently at him, coming closer and holding his face with one hand and kissing his forehead affectionately before leaving.
Draco stood there for a while, looking at the grandfather clock. Nine at night. He could have sworn it was four in the afternoon. He hadn't even read a single word of the next chapter of the book. Anna Karenina. A Muggle novel that Pansy had lent him to read during the holidays. Well, he should have read it during the holidays. But for some reason, he hadn't gotten past the fifth chapter and tomorrow he was supposed to go back to Hogwarts.
Draco blinked his eyes from the book to the clock, seeing it read nine forty-five.
— Again!?
What the hell was going on? Was it time to seek a healer? Or was it just stress? Having Voldemort in his home was really stressing out his entire family. Draco felt more vulnerable every day. Draco hated being around the Dark Lord. He began to feel a sense of complete terror and panic every time that man was in the same room as him. He knew the stories, the cruelty of that man, and his frightening appearance didn't help at all, but Draco had no idea that he would be affected to this degree.
He left his room and went to the library downstairs. He approached the half-open door, letting the dim light illuminate the dark hallway.
— He's getting worse, Lucius! — Draco heard his mother's worried and eager voice. He stopped behind the door, staying quiet and listening. — This is not a spell to be used so many times on the same person!
— I know, Cissy! But this is the last time! He'll leave tomorrow and I'll find a way to make sure he doesn't come back. This will never happen again and he'll be able to heal from these lapses.
— What if he remembers while he's healing?
— He won't. It'll be okay. He'll be fine.
Draco frowned, wondering who they were talking about. Could it be him? No, impossible. His parents would never use a spell on him if it would harm him. She knocked on the door, opening it slowly and peering inside.
— Draco, darling. — Narcissa forced a smile, her look nervous and worried.
Draco sat with his parents for a while, the three of them taking turns at the chessboard to play with the winner of the previous game. When it was around eleven, Draco started to feel really tired. He stood up, asking his parents for permission.
— Please, dear. — his mother interrupted him. — Just one more and I'll let you go. — he begged, distress escaping his voice for a moment.
— I would love to, mom, but I’m really sleepy…
— Please, darling. Just one more and I’ll let you go.
Draco bit his lower lip.
— Come on, Draco, you know your mother. — Lucius said, placing a mother on his shoulder, smiling at him. — She won't give up.
Draco let out a defeated sigh.
— Okay. One more.
He sat down on the couch again, his mother smiling in relief.
Draco stayed up until the early hours of the morning playing with his parents until he fell asleep on the sofa in the library. He couldn't understand why his parents were so excited about playing chess that night, they never stayed up as late as the night before.
Draco was woken up by Narcissa for breakfast the next morning. There was a blanket covering him and a pillow on his head that he was sure hadn't been there the night before. Looking at the other couch and one of the armchairs, he noticed that his parents seemed to have slept there too, considering the blankets left on the seats.
Later, everyone went to station 9 ¾ so Draco could catch the train. Pansy let him keep the book for a little longer, so he could finish reading. The journey seemed to take less time than usual, as did the ceremony for sorting houses, which seemed to have fewer students than usual.
The first two weeks of school were hectic. Draco tried to concentrate in class, but there were many times when he would blink at his notebook and, before he knew it, everyone was already getting up for the next class and one of his friends would have to call him, otherwise he would just sit there and stare into space. His notebooks were practically empty because of these lapses. Not to mention the homework that he simply couldn't remember, no matter what he did, and this was making his performance drop right from the beginning of the year.
Even in potions. Draco had ruined every potion he had made so far and almost exploded a cauldron. He had never done anything like that in his life! But he couldn't remember which ingredients had been added or not. He tried to list all the ingredients step by step, marking what had already been done, but apparently, at some point, he forgot to mark what he had already done and ruined everything.
After ruining the third potion in a row, Snape seemed to have lost his patience.
— Mr. Malfoy, I ask that you stay behind for a moment. — Snape said, looking into his eyes.
Draco remained at his desk while the others left, giving him amused looks. When they were alone, Snape approached, his expression impassive as ever.
— Draco, I’ve noticed and received complaints from other teachers regarding your attention. May I ask what’s going on?
Draco looked away from Severus for a moment.
— I don’t know. I’ve been having these lapses lately. — he admitted. Snape raised an eyebrow.
— These… lapses…? Could you be more clear, Draco?
— I don’t know exactly… Time passes strangely. When I realize it, hours have already passed, but to me, it feels like not even a minute has passed. And… And I can’t remember things. Appointments, homework, what ingredients I put in the cauldron… — Draco looked over his eyelashes at Severus.
Draco looked up through his eyelashes at Severus.
Snape scanned him up and down, brow furrowed.
— Is this… recent?
— It’s been a while. It started during the holidays.
— Did something happen? Any injuries? Did someone cast a spell on you?
Draco frowned for a moment, thoughtful. He couldn’t pinpoint when exactly it started.
— No… No, I don’t think so.
— Did you see a healer? — Draco shook his head. — Draco, do your parents know?
— I think they might suspect. But I didn’t tell them anything.
— And why not?
— I didn’t think it was anything important. And I didn’t want to worry Mum, you know how she is.
— Narcissa worries about you for just this kind of thing. Come on. Let’s go to the infirmary.
Snape headed for the door.
— I don’t think… — Draco started to protest, but was interrupted by a stern look from Snape, which made Draco change his mind immediately. — Okay. — Draco got up from the bench, following Snape into the infirmary.
— Professor Snape. I'm glad you're here, I need to replenish some potions.
— I will make any potion you desire, Pomfrey, but for now, I require your services.
— Did something happen?
Snape stepped away from the door, revealing Draco behind him.
— Mr. Malfoy. What happened? — Pomfrey got up from her desk, walked around it and approached Draco.
The blond looked at his professor, receiving a nod of encouragement.
— Uhm... Well... — Draco bit his lower lip before starting to explain the whole situation.
Pomfrey listened attentively, frowning thoughtfully.
— Curious case, Mr. Malfoy. Come, let's take a look at you.
Draco was guided to a bed. He placed his bag with books on the floor and sat on the bed, with his back supported by the pillow and his legs stretched out. Snape remained a short distance from the bed, following Draco but letting Pomfrey work.
The nurse ran her wand over Draco's body, reciting a series of incantations. After a few diagnostic charms, a parchment appeared in Pomfrey's hand, listing any injuries or abnormalities. The nurse frowned, returning her wand to Draco's head, and casting a few more diagnostic charms. Another parchment appeared in her hands.
— Mr. Malfoy, have you or anyone else used any forgetfulness charms? — she asked, glaring sharply at Draco.
Draco looked at her in confusion. Why would he or anyone else cast any forgetfulness charms on her?
— No, ma'am. Why?
The woman didn't answer. She turned her back and walked over to Professor Snape, whispering something to him. Draco sighed, throwing his head back as Snape and Pomfrey were in some whispered argument. After a few minutes, Snape left the infirmary and Pomfrey returned to him.
— Go to your room, leave your things there, and return to the infirmary, Mr. Malfoy. I'll prepare a bed.
— A bed?
— Yes. I want you to stay here overnight. I would like to keep him under observation.
— Is that really necessary? I barely finished my classes for the day.
— Yes, Mr. Malfoy! — the nurse said firmly. — Don't worry about your classes, Professor Snape will inform the other teachers. Now go!
Draco let out an exasperated sigh. He stood up, grabbed his bag, and headed to his dormitory. The castle was empty, with all the students in their classes, and Draco walked absentmindedly, staring at the floor.
He hated spending the night in the infirmary. And why couldn't he at least finish his classes for the day? He was already behind compared to the others, skipping classes, so he would never be able to keep up with the others.
Draco looked up, his feet stopping in the middle of the hallway.
Where was he?
He couldn't have gotten lost. He knew Hogwarts well enough that it wouldn't happen again.
Had he missed a turn? Draco turned around, heading back the way he came, only to see that he had stopped in another hallway that he didn't know where it was. He looked around at the doors, opening one and finding an unused classroom. He had definitely gone the wrong way. He turned back again. After walking for five minutes, he stopped and looked around again. He opened another door, only to find himself face to face with the same classroom as before.
— What the hell! Am I walking in circles!? — he slammed the door shut, stomping back down the hallway.
It took him three times as long to reach the Slytherin common room.
— Am I going crazy…? What the hell was that…?
Draco seemed to be walking in circles. He would go the opposite way only to end up back where he started. That had never happened to him before.
He threw his bag of books on the bed and took off his black robe and tie, throwing them next to the bag. He knew Pomfrey would ask him to put on those uncomfortable pajamas from the infirmary. He hated those pajamas.
At least Draco didn't get lost on the way back to the infirmary, despite getting a scolding from the nurse for taking so long. As he had expected, he was asked to change out of his uniform and into the pajamas that were waiting for him on the bed. Against his will, he got dressed and sat on the bed, pulling the covers over his legs, sighing and looking out the window.
ANOTHER FANFICTION(S):
The Phoenix Fire - Harry Potter: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60382195
Ao Amanhecer - Avatar: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47670538
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