The next day, it was obvious to anyone that knew Blake that he was in deep thought.
"Did something happen?" Zabini asked for the 3rd time that morning.
"For Merlin's sake, no!" Blake snapped.
"Calm down," Tracey said, surprised. "He was just asking."
"I know," Blake said, rubbing his eyes. "My bad. I just wasn't hungry last night and dinner had basically ended by the time Trelawney stopped trying to make me read crystal balls."
Daphne raised her eyebrows at that, but didn't comment.
They were all in the common room, and Blake tried to focus on something else. He forced himself to look around. There were a lot of younger students in the common room now, and Blake could tell they were on edge around them, even more so than usual, which was fair enough considering Voldemort's return. But despite that, it hadn't stopped some of them from still interacting with him like normal in secret. Some, whose families were neutral, even spoke to him in public. Could be a lot worse, he thought. But despite his attempt of self distraction, the prophecy kept coming back to mind.
He ran through it, line by line.
'The Flaw of Slytherin rises to the Heir.'
Obvious.
'Born of blood the house would never claim, yet the house is his, and was always his.'
Also obvious - his connection to Slytherin. So this is definitely about me then.
'The curse upon that line was lifted by one who did not know that he lifted it, in the hour the last of that blood lay past waking.'
Blake knew to some degree what this line meant - the curse had indeed been lifted by someone, but they didn't know they lifted it. And in the last hour of someone - could that blood be referring to mine? Could it actually have been my dad? But that doesn't make any sense. Or another relative? Voldemort's death himself, which would mean Harry is the person it's talking about?
But Blake knew that comparatively, this line wasn't useful, especially since it was already in the past.
'The Dark Lord rose a second time greater in his own power yet lesser in all he reaches for, and never learn the cause.'
The first half of that line's complete - so he's stronger, but he'll not get everything he wants, but not know the reason - is it me?
'What the Flaw holds closest shall be taken in payment for what he never agreed to owe, but his debt will be paid for in magic and blood.'
This was the line Blake most feared. What I hold closest? Images of his loved ones dying immediately flashed through his mind. But there's no guarantee it means death - it could mean something else entirely, something physical or psychological or some mystical bullsh*t.
'The Dark Lord will reach for him but know not that there is nothing to take, for what he strikes at will not all be there.'
It won't all be there? Nothing to take? He's trying to steal something from me? But what do I have that he wants?
'And at the last, lives depend not upon the wand, but upon the blood of the Flaw of Slytherin, who rises to the Heir.'
So, in the end, lives will depend upon my bloodline.
Blake rubbed his temples.
"Oi!" Charlotte said, slapping him lightly on the arm.
"What?"
"It's Hogsmeade next week. Are you coming?"
"Oh. Yeah, yeah, I am."
/
"What's up, Harry?" Blake greeted him, as they left Potions together.
"Not much," Harry responded, grimacing slightly.
"What's wrong?" Blake asked, noticing.
"Nothing," he said. "It's just - my scar's been hurting a lot, recently."
"Hm. To be honest, it's expected, no? I mean, he is back."
"Yeah, I guess, but-" Harry looked around to see if there was anyone looking, "it's not just that - I've been getting visions, recently. Almost as if I'm in his mind, when he's doing things."
"What things?" Blake asked sharply.
"Just a dark room, and some door. Almost every night. And I know it's not my dream - it's his."
Blake was silent for a while, in deep thought.
"Have you spoken to-"
"Dumbledore?" Harry said bitterly. "Won't even look me in the eye anymore."
Blake frowned.
"That's not like him," he said.
"Whatever," Harry shrugged. "I don't care."
It seemed to Blake that he very much did care.
/
"Don't open this," Blake said. He was in the Room of Requirement, with Susan Bones.
"Why not?" she asked. "This is the first real update in months, and I can't-"
"It's private," Blake insisted. "Sorry."
"Fine," Susan relented. "I'll see you later then."
A couple of minutes later, Daphne walked in.
They started their work silently.
"Did you meet with Susan Bones again today?"
Blake cursed silently. This was the first time since the beginning of the year that she'd asked about her.
"Yeah," Blake said. "I had an update for her."
Daphne hummed.
"You meet with her often."
"I mean, I kind of have to, y'know?"
Daphne didn't reply.
Doesn't matter, Blake thought. We're not together, right?
/
MALFOY'S POV
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were walking along a corridor one evening when they saw someone they recognised in front of them.
"Wait," Crabbe whispered dumbly. "Isn't that Renshaw's little brother?"
Immediately, Crabbe and Goyle raised their wands in glee.
"What're you two idiots doing?" Malfoy hissed.
"We'll get him!" Goyle gloated. "If we can't-"
"Are you stupid or something?" Malfoy whispered harshly. "Everyone and their mother is on Renshaw's side - if we hurt him, the Ministry, the DMLE and Dumbledore will all be on us! Not to mention Renshaw himself! What d'you think he'll do to anyone that hurts his brother?"
Malfoy thought back to the prophecy and shuddered. If it really was true - and the Dark Lord himself seemed to think it was - Renshaw was not someone he could handle. Someone that could rise to the Dark Lord… he shuddered again, counting himself lucky that he hadn't died by Renshaw's hand.
"Fine," Crabbe muttered, putting his wand away.
Malfoy sighed in relief. The Dark Lord had been pleased with the information he'd given him, and promised he would be rewarded. My father will be free soon, he thought gratefully. There's no way I'm letting these idiots mess that up.
As they walked past Renshaw's little brother, Malfoy looked at him briefly.
And besides, he thought, remembering what had happened on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of second year.
"No problem, Malfoy," the younger Renshaw had said after helping him up, despite knowing who he was, and what he had said and done to his older brother.
I don't want that mudblood to get hurt.
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