If You Kill An Almost Murderer, The Number Of Murders Goes Up
Sometimes Sebastian regretted being friends with them, this was one of those times. All Daniel had said was that he needed an ingredient for a potion he was working on. Good, great, fantastic! We can get it during the next Hogsmeade trip. But wait, what do you mean it's illegal?! What do you mean it's only found in the Forbidden Forest?!
"What are we even looking for?" Sebastian grumbled.
"It's a mushroom that only grows in unicorn poop," Daniel answered.
Sebastian's face scrunched up in disgust. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this,"
"You know-" Oliver, who was up ahead, called back. "-you say that a lot. Maybe you should start believing it,"
Henry, who was walking next to Sebastian, tried to hide his snort of amusement behind his hand.
"Don't give me that, I know you think this excursion is beneath you,"
Henry grabbed his own chin in thought. "Hm. While I do agree that this is servant work, it is actually quite fun,"
"Oi! C'mon rich boys! We're supposed to be helping!" Oliver yelled. Daniel and him had wandered on ahead.
"It's not the worst thing I guess," Sebastian responded to Henry. "We're coming!" he called to Oliver. Sebastian and Henry jogged to catch up with Daniel and Oliver.
"Why do you need this exactly?" Sebastian asked once he caught up to his friends.
"So I can make a bomb,"
All of them (minus Daniel) stopped in their tracks.
"A bomb?" Oliver.
"What?" Sebastian.
"Sweet," Henry.
Rule of thumb? A Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff friendship is one of the most terrifying combinations ever. A Ravenclaw's thirst for knowledge, and a Hufflepuff's loyalty? No law stands a chance.
Oliver and Sebastian's heads whipped around to stare at Henry, who had a sadistic smile on his face.
"A stink bomb, chill," Daniel rolled his eyes.
"Boo,"
"Why, exactly?" Sebastian asked.
"Because I can,"
Oliver shrugged. "Fair enough,"
"So, you're using a highly illegal and toxic mushroom for a stink bomb?!" Sebastian screamed.
"Uh, yeah, pretty much. Aha! Found it!" Daniel straightened up with a triumphant smile on his face. He floundered with his robes before pulling out small bottle, uncorking it he placed one mushroom in it and closed the bottle. Daniel smiled at his three friends. "You guys ready for some fun?"
Sebastian hesitantly nodded, while Henry and Oliver nodded enthusiastically.
Daniel grinned and rapidly shook the bottle, he let it rest in his hand for a couple seconds, before throwing the bottle away from his friends. It crashed into the ground, a light purple fog slowly spreading towards them.
"Oh my God!" Oliver clapped his hands over his mouth and turned into Daniels' shoulder.
"I'm going to vomit!" Sebastian reeled backwards, blocking his nose with his left forearm.
"I'm going to die!" Henry bent over and wretched.
Daniel smiled at his friends' reactions, his eyes watering as well at the smell. "Oh, I also need to make a poison. I just thought a stink bomb would be a fun trial,"
Coughing, Henry righted himself, staring at Daniel. "What?"
"Poison?" Oliver whispered in shock.
"Why?" Sebastian glared at Daniel, his question more of a demand.
"I'm going to kill my uncle,"
"Draco! You ready for tonight?" Leo waved at Draco, jogging towards him.
"There's not much to be ready for, we're just going to the library,"
Leo stopped in front of him and gave Draco a look. "I know we haven't been friends for long, but i feel like I know you well enough in some aspects. Like the fact that you're actually very socially awkward,"
Draco winced as the truth was laid out for him.
"So, are you actually ready?" Leo asked.
Draco looked at the ground and tensed, his shoulders drawing up. "I don't know. I've never hung out with a girl before,"
Leo smiled softly and put a hand on Draco's upper back, rubbing slightly between his shoulder blades. "I'll tell you a secret. It's the same,"
"The same?" Draco hesitantly looked at Leo.
"Hanging out with a girl is the same as hanging out with a guy,"
"So I should treat her like I treat you?"
Leo chuckled. "Sort of. Treat her like a person and treat her like, well, her,"
Draco breathed out a sigh. "Okay," he nodded.
"Yeah, it's that easy. Have you really never hung out with a girl before? I thought you used to talk to Pansy,"
"I only talked to her because my parents wanted me to build a relationship with her so that I'd have options once I was of age,"
Leo grimaced. "Yikes. Being a pureblood seems pretty tough huh?"
"No not really. It's a casual expectation that I marry when I come of age,"
"Draco. It shouldn't be. You should be allowed to make connections with whoever you want, and marry whenever you want," Leo had shifted so Draco was wrapped in a half hug.
Draco shrugged out of the hug, his eyebrows pinched slightly, glaring at the floor. "It's a pureblood culture, you wouldn't understand,"
Leo watched Draco stored off down the hall. "See ya tonight," he mumbled.
Draco stormed off. What did Leo know? It was inevitable that Draco would be engaged before he even graduated. This is how it has been, and this is how it will continue to be. Pureblood culture was old and unique and the words of some muggleborn wasn't going to change that, or get him out of it.
Leo's words swirled around in his head and once again Draco was questioning things. However, unlike the book, Draco couldn't lock Leo in a box, for any reason. As he had recently started to do, Draco opened the book to hopefully get answers.
They stared at Daniel in shock. "K-kill?!"
"Yes, I'm going to kill my uncle. That's also another reason I asked you all to come out here. I need help," Daniel said.
"I'm sorry I'm stuck on the fact that you want to kill your uncle," Sebastian stared at Daniel with wide eyes.
"Yeah I'm with Seb on this. Can you at least tell us why?" Oliver shook off his shock and casually asked his question.
"What do you need?"
Henry was about as Hufflepuff as one could get. He was fiercely and unquestioningly loyal to those that had earned it. Knowing him how I do, it still shocks me how quickly he agreed to everything considered we had no information yet. All we knew is that if we agreed, we would become accomplices to a murder.
"Henry!"
"Shush Seb! Let the man speak," Oliver gestured towards Daniel.
"Thank you. My mother's side of the family are purebloods. As with most pureblood families, there's an arranged marriage. In my family it was my Aunt and Uncle. My Uncle has always been jealous of the fact that my mother didn't have an arranged marriage, this festered away from jealously and turned into hatred. I heard him discussing with a friend of his about killing my mom, my Aunt, and me. So, my solution is to kill him before he can kill me and my family," Daniel explained, a somber note in his voice.
"Wait, you said you hear him? Have you been planning this since before school started?!" Oliver exclaimed.
"No. I-I heard it at school. My Uncle's friend is Professor Clegg,' Daniel revealed.
"O-our Defense professor? That Professor Clegg?" Sebastian asked, still reeling from all of the information thrown at him.
"I'm in," Henry stated, crossing his arms, making eye contact wit the three of them.
"Henry you already agreed. But I'm in as well, what's the plan?" Oliver smiled at Daniel, before turning a strained smile onto Sebastian.
Sebastian looked at his three friends and sighed. "This won't be like changing someone's house. We will be ending a life,"
Daniel, Henry, and Oliver looked at Sebastian with hard set determination.
Sebastian sighed and looked at his friends. "Okay, what's the plan?" he smiled as Oliver and henry let big grins onto their faces. Sebastian saw Daniel lose all of the tension in his frame, a small smile gracing his face.
"Looks like we're committing murder!" Oliver exclaimed.
Henry smirked cruelly, eyes empty. "How're we doing this?"
Daniel looked at his friends, a feeling of relief rushing through him at the thought that his friends had his back with something as big as this. These people were willing to kill for him, they were going to kill for him. These were real friends. "Okay, so," he clapped his hands together.
Draco, once again, was left without answers. They were willing to kill for each other. They had that much trust in each other. How could they have that much trust in each other? Could he have that? His thoughts immediately went to Leo, who had every right to hate him, who was clumsy, littered with scars, and his friend.
Checking the time, Draco realized that it was time for dinner, and subsequently, it was almost time to meet up with Leo and Luna.
Draco stood in front of the entrance of the library, he took a deep breath and cautiously walked inside. Draco headed towards the back to a small, secluded table where Leo and Luna were sat.
Luna looked up. "Hello Draco,"