Chapter 4
In her time, Diagon Alley was a shell of its former glory. Looking at it now, Selena marveled at the busy stores and students getting supplies for the new year at Hogwarts.
"This way, my moon." Narcissa led her in the direction of Olivanders. Selena had never seen so many wands, stacks, and stacks of wands decorating the walls.
"Ah, Mrs Malfoy. How can I help you today?"
"Mr. Olivander, I have a cousin of Lucius who is transferring to Hogwarts from France. Unfortunately, her wand was broken on her way here. You know how children are."
Narcissa's voice was flippant, as if a wand wasn't personal to each witch or wizard.
"I see, so one wand." Selena felt uncomfortable under the older man's gaze as if he were looking through her.
"Well, let's try this Larch Wood with a dragon heartstring core, twelve and three-quarters."
Opening the box, she picked up the wand, instantly knowing her magic didn't like it, a sensation similar to clothes fitting too tight; her magic felt suffocated.
"Give it a wave." He said
Placing it back back, she shook her head."No, I think not."
"Your magic is intuitive, fascinating. Let's do it this way: walk around the shop and see what calls to you."
Narcissa looks nervous, wondering how to explain this strange girl and her magic.
Yet Mr Olivander watched, nodding at Selena encouragingly as she made her way to the back of the shop.
She can feel the magic of each wand, some louder than the others. Closing her eyes, she focuses on the louder feelings. Pulling out a box, she takes it to the front, shyly handing it to Mr Olivander.
"Vinewood with a Unicorn hair core, thirteen inches. Vinewood wands call those with greater purpose, and the unicorn hair makes it unlikely to be used by dark wizards. You must be truly something special for this wand." She placed it back in its box while Narcissa paid.
"Well, my moon, let's go to Madam Malkins and get you some new dress robes."
"What did Lucius want?" Theo asked as he walked back into his room. Theo, Blaise, and Pansy arrived just as his father called him into his study.
"A cousin from France is transferring to Hogwarts, and she'll be staying with us." He shrugged and threw himself on his bed.
"Is she coming to the World Cup with us?" Theo asked
"Probably."
"I wonder if Potter and Co will be there?" Blaise's voice sounded almost hopeful.
"Who cares about stupid Potter and his stupid friends." Draco snapped, irritation evident in his tone.
"I mean, you spent the end of last year following Granger around ever since she slapped you."
There wasn't a judgmental tone to Theo's statement; it was more sympathetic.
"It had nothing to do with that! I wanted to find out if she was cheating. There's no way she beat me without cheating on exams!"
Draco was frustrated; he couldn't shake Granger out of his mind. At first, he had hoped they could be friends, an intelligent girl with the same passion for learning that he had. Then he found out she was muggle-born. He hated her because she shouldn't be as good as she was. He had become obsessed with following her to the library, watching her for hours, hoping to catch her doing something that proved she wasn't a naturally gifted witch.
"Ugh, can we please stop talking about them?"
Pansy said, sitting next to him and pressing herself close. They had begun to mess around, snogging occasionally. Recently, she let him touch her breast over her jumper. She was like a puppy following him around. Draco knew it was her parents pressing her to get close to him. While they were good friends, Draco knew it could never go anywhere.
"What would you like to talk about Pans." Blaise's asked
"Anything but the griffindorks."
They sat around talking about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup and which team was the favorite to win. Draco had his gallons on team Ireland, which caused an argument with Blaise until Pip popped in.
"Master Draco, Mistress has returned with our guest. She would like you to come to the sunroom."
Draco and the others got up and followed him, curious about the newcomer.
"Oh, Draco, your friends are here! Perfect." His mother called him over. She was sitting, bags surrounding her and the girl beside her.
"Selena, this is Draco."
The girl looked over at him, her hair the same light color as his own, a clear mark of their familial connection. Hers was curly and long, falling in waves around her. Her brown eyes were also different from his gray-blue ones. She had soft freckles across her face over her nose. Overall, she was pretty. Judging by their reactions, Theo and Blaise thought so, too.
"Hello." He was unsure if she understood English since she had come from France, yet his mother addressed her in English.
"Hello." She sounded nervous. Her accent was English, similar to his.
"I'm Theodore Nott." Theo pushed him sideways, stretching his hand out to her, and she took it with a smile.
"Hi."
“I’m Blaise Zabini.”
"And I'm Pansy Párkinson."
"How lovely, Selena. You'll have friends when you start school."
Selena smiled at his mother, nodding.
"We were going flying for a bit. Would you care to join?" Blaise asked.
"Sure, I don't have a broom, though."
"I'm sure we have enough spares."
Draco's friends often visited the Manor in the few weeks leading to the World Cup. Selena felt like an ordinary fourteen-year-old girl for the first time. She tried to enjoy the moment, getting to know her father in a way she wouldn't otherwise. He was loyal and kind to his friends, yet he was eager to please Lucius, which she wasn't sure was good.
Theo would be going with them to the World Cup. Selena quickly noticed that the Malfoys took care of Theo after his mother mysteriously disappeared when he was a child, and Tibirus Nott wasn't the best parent for the boy.
Arriving at the World Cup the weekend of the final made Selena anxious. She knew what would happen: the Death Eaters would cast their mark in the air. One of the first moves in the war to come,
"Earth to Selena, are you okay?" Draco eyed her nervously.
"Yeah, sorry. Just tired."
"Tell me about it! Bulgaria's win better be worth it", Theo said, walking over to them.
"I already told you they won't win, mate." Said Draco, laughing.
"Come on, Sel, help me out here." She shook her head, laughing.
"I don't care who wins as long as it's a good game." She knew Ireland would win, but Bulgaria would put up a good fight with their seeker Victor Krum catching the snitch.
Leaving their tent, the three of them and Lucius made their way to the Stadium. They would be in the minister's box for the final, coveted seats.
"Look, Draco." Theo nudged him as they made their way up behind the minister.
Then she heard Lucius's voice answer a question she didn't hear.
"Well, put it this way: you'll be the first to know if it rains."
"We're in the minister's box by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself."
Theo and Selena looked at each other, rolling their eyes. It took her too long to recognize Aurther Weasley. He was younger, obviously, not hardened by the years of war. She smiled at the sight of her younger godfather, nothing like the man she knew. The last person she saw took her breath away.
"Mum."
Hermione Granger stood between her friends, her curls wild and dancing in the wind. Selena had to stop herself from saying anything that would give her secret away. She jumped when Lucius's cane hit the rail.
"Don't boast Draco. There's no need with these people. Do enjoy the game, Mr Potter."
Lucius said, his eye locked on Harry for a while longer before he ushered them away. Settling in their seats, Selena's thoughts ran wild. She had seen her mum for the first time. While they both were fourteen, her heart wanted nothing more than to wrap her in a hug and never let go.
"Look, it's the Veela!" Theo shouted. Selena rolled her eyes at the Bulgarian mascots and was fully prepared to smack both boys.
"Theo! Bloody Hell!" Draco shouted, holding his bed friend by the collar.
"It's the Veela!" Selena says, watching Draco struggle with Theo, yet he doesn't seem affected. Lucius wasn't paying attention to them, choosing instead to spend his time with the minister and the other dignitaries.
"Sel, help me." Draco tried to stop his friend from throwing himself into the pitch. Together, they held Theo as the Veela left, and the game began. Although she knew who would win the game, it was genuinely entertaining.
"Don't worry, mate, it's only a few Galleons." Draco laughed as Theo placed the pouch in his hand.
"Did you two bet money?"
"I was so sure." Theo lamented.
"Come, let's go find Blaise and Pans; I think I overheard Daph's family is here."
Just before they make their way out, they hear screaming outside their tent. Knowing what was more than likely going on out there, she kept her voice calm as she turned to Draco.
"Draco? Where Lucius?" She asked, keeping her voice level; she didn't want to scare them.
"I don't know. I didn't see him after we came back."
Selena looked out and saw them, Death Eaters.
"We need to stay inside." She said, taking out her wand.
"Why? What's out there." Theo walked over to her, his wand out, ready to help ward them in.
"Death Eaters."
"But- They've been gone since you know who's been gone."
"Fuck!" Draco yelled, rushing past them outside. It was chaos, people running and screaming.
"Draco! Wait!" Theo and Salena chased after him.
"Where is he going?" Asked Theo beside her.
They watched as he stopped crashing into someone.
"Is that-"
"Where is she?" They heard Draco ask Harry Potter as they caught up to them.
"Potter, you need to get Granger out of here! They're looking for Muggle-borns! " he cried frantically, looking around at the chaos.
"Draco! Let's go!" Selena watched as Theo tugged him away.
"You need to get out of here!" Selena yelled over to Harry as she followed Theo and Draco.
They reached the site's outskirts, spotting Pansy and Blaise.
"It's them, isn't it," Pansy asked, noting the missing adults.
"Not now, Pans." Said Theo, still holding Draco. Draco looked like he wanted to run back in. Then Selen heard someone gasp.
"Is that-?" Blaise's voice
"Morsmordre," Draco's voice had an edge to it.
"Children!" Isabella Zabini called out to them.
"Come, I will Portkey you back home with me." Balise's mother gathered them beside her, gesturing at them to grab hold of the portkey before they began to spin away.
"I'll floo call Narcissa and Posy to let them know you're here. Run up to Blaise's room. I'll send an elf up with some food." Isabella said after they arrived
The kids didn't say much as Isabella walked away, the night's adrenaline making them tired.
"Come on, guys." Blaise led them through the house up to his room. Selena took note of the various portraits along the hallway, starting with Blaise and his parents as a baby, followed by portraits of Isabella, Blaise, and any of her multiple husbands
.
"Everyone's been here but you, Sel, bathrooms that way, and this is my room."
Opening the door, Blaise's room was similar to Draco's, with quidditch posters on the walls and hints of Slytherin green everywhere.
"So are we going to pretend that just didn't happen?" Said Pansy, sitting down.
"You know our fathers were there." Theo's voice sounded distant.
"Those poor muggles." Said Blaise as a house elf popped in.
"Snacks for children." The elf placed the tray down and left.
"Who cares about muggles, Blaise." Pansy sounded angry.
"Excuse me for not growing up with bigot parents."
Spending time with Blaise, Selena realized he wasn't like most purebloods. While a part of Scared 28, his parents acquired power not by placing themselves over muggle-borns or believing they were superior but by dealing in information. Isabella Zabini was essential to the Dark Lord not for what she could do but for who and what she knew.
"Mudbloods are a stain on our world! Muggles are no better than rats!"
"Don't you dare, get out of you narrow head Pans!"
They argued back and forth, with Theo interjecting occasionally. Selena saw Draco slip onto the balcony, the city sounds filling the space before he closed the door. They had to talk; she wanted to understand what had happened.
"Knut for your thoughts?" Selena joined him, closing the door.
"Father was probably there."
When she didn't respond, he sighed. Talking to Draco was always strange for her. This was her father, yet he was also a fourteen-year-old boy.
"I don't know why I ran." He started. "I- Granger punched me around the end of last term. Ever since then, I-" he ran his hand through his hair, struggling to explain. "I feel her. I think. Something in my chest. I'm not making any sense, but as soon as I heard Theo say Death Eaters, I knew she wasn't safe, and then I felt panic."
Selena didn't say anything for a long time. She knew very little about her parents' relationship; it had been a secret from almost everyone. She remembered her godfather telling her once that her parents were destined for each other.
"Okay, so obviously, we don't tell Lucius. But we need to figure out what that is."
He nodded, still rubbing his chest. They stood there in silence for a while longer before going into Theo and trying to referee Blaise and Pansy.
"Draco, Selena. Narcissa is expecting you at the Manor." Isabella said, coming into the room a while later.
"Theodore, I haven't heard from your father. Would you like to stay or-"
"He can come with us," Selena answered, picking up her bag.
"Alright, Pansy. Posy said you could stay, but she'll have an elf waiting by the floo in case."
"I'll head over now. Thank you, Isabella." She looked at the rest of them before walking out, "losers."
Draco and Selena didn't hang out much longer, saying goodbye to Blaise. It was well past midnight when they walked off the floo in the Manor.
"You left them, Lucius!" Narcissa's voice was louder than they had ever heard.
"Things got carried away. Parkinson took it too far."
"Too far! You are lucky Isabella was there! They destroyed the entire campsite!"
"Let's go to bed. I'm over today, " said Draco, ignoring his parents' shouting match. Selena followed Draco to his room; once he was in, she followed the sound of voices.
"Honestly, Lucius!" Selena knew that Narcissa was protective when it came to Draco.
"We're fine, Grandmother," Selena said, walking into the study and closing the door behind her.
"I was given a written instruction. I'm sure the others were as well." Lucius took a sip of his fire whiskey.
"I understand. I have one question." Lucius raised an eyebrow, waiting.
"Do you want to defeat the Dark Lord? or do you still believe in his cause?"
"Do I believe we as purebloods should be above half-bloods and muggle-born? Yes, our magic is old, and that makes it better. But I can acknowledge the usefulness that a select few have. I have enough of my mind to know that nothing good would come from following him, a half-blood no less. I can tell you I wouldn't have come to that realization without you and that memory."
Selena nodded; although she didn't like the answer, she understood his view.
"I need you to play spy for now. That means being the Death Eater. I'll contact the order eventually. I won't trust Dumbledore."
"We will see him a few days before the first. Slytherin needs its newest member sorted."
She snorted.
"What makes you think I'm a Slytherin?"
"You are a Malfoy."
"My mother was a Gryffindor."
He nodded in agreement, his face tired. After saying goodnight, she left for her room, hoping she was doing the right thing.