Letters I Can't Send

Y/n's POV

I'm running through the dark, smoke filtering in and out of my lungs, tripping over pieces of ruble as my mind moves faster than my feet.

I don't even know what I'm doing—I need to find Quinn and her family, I need to find them so we can all leave safely and get back to their home.

I stop. I've gotten so far from the forest, I don't know where I am. Most people have fled and found cover, so it's just me. I look around at all the burnt tents and little fires. I must be in the middle of the camping grounds.

I hear the sound of brush crunching under shoes from not-so-far-away. I cautiously step over pieces of wood and burnt up hats and merchandise, and peak around a tent to see who stands there.

I see a figure dressed in black, probably a man, making his way into a clearing. Just as I decide to go and talk to him--maybe we could help each other find our way out of this mess and back to the people we came here with--he raises his wand into the air and yells, "Morsmordre!" I stop. I look up and see a green scull with a snake slithering out of its mouth.

I gasp. I've seen that sign before. I know what it means and the man it represents.

That man who cast it is now running away, scuttling over rocks and ruble, trying to escape. I look around frantically, unsure what to do or where to go.

I start to move in the direction I came from, but several people appear, surrounding me. "Stupefy!" They all shout at once.

Then it's lights out.

.........

When I wake, I'm in a bed. I feel cool sheets on my arms and legs, silky fabric is covering my torso and I feel shorts on my legs with the same, silky feeling.

I blink my eyes open, and see a room I am not familiar with. Drapes cover the windows, not allowing any light to find its way in. The room is, well, dark—darkly colored walls, a charred wood color over the floors and walls. Dark bookshelves and doors, dark ceiling and bedpost, that creates a canopy over my head. It feels quite cozy, to be honest. 

But my head is pounding and I hurt all over—if I knew what a hangover is like, I'd say it's this.

I sit up and rub my eyes. The last thing I remember is seeing the dark mark in the sky at the Quidditch World Cup and trying to run, and then I don't remember anything else.

I sigh and notice a silk robe hanging on a wardrobe across the room. Probably for me. I make my steady way to the wardrobe and take the robe, slip my arms through sleeves and tie the matching sash around my waist.

I'm not exactly sure what to do—I don't know where I am, but whoever's home this is, they gave me a bed, comfy clothes and a bathroom?

I notice two doors in the room, this one is open and reveals a small room with a toilet, sink and a shower. I just gawk around the room for a moment, so confused—but ever-so-thankful.

That's when I realize—where's my wand? I had it at the World Cup in my pocket, but it's not on me anymore. This is when I begin to worry.

I hear voices from behind the door, my head snaps in its direction.

"She wasn't supposed to be there when it was cast," A man's voice says.

"She was at the wrong place at the wrong time," A voice I recognize says. Mrs. Bronny, Amanda—I've been beginning to call the Bronny's by their first names. Amanda and Zachary.

"She could have seen who cast it—our cover would be blown—"

"All that matters is that she's not hurt, and, obviously, innocent—we're fine, Lucius," Amanda hisses, to the other man, Lucius.

Then, the door bursts open and I jump. Amanda jumps too. "Y/n!" she exclaims, but soon snaps out of her surprise. She rushes over to me and studies me closely. "How are you feeling?"

"I—um, I feel fine—just a little tired, I guess," I blink, still trying to comprehend what bit of conversation I just overheard.

I must be fine if Amanda is here, though, but then I notice the man standing in the doorway a few feet behind her. It takes me a second to put the puzzle pieces together.

It's Draco's father. The man I saw next to him at the World Cup. And if I don't know exactly where I am, but this man, Lucius, Draco's father, is here, then that must mean—

"Hold on—where are we?" I ask Amanda, backing up to sit on the edge of the bed.

"This is Malfoy Manor—you might know Lucius' son, Draco, he's in your year at Hogwarts," she says as she sits down on the edge of the bed next to me.

My organs stop. "Yeah," I breathe. "Yeah, I know him."

"Good, then you'll be right at home for the rest of the week before you go back to spend the last few days with Quinn," Amanda says. My brain goes bezerk.

"Why can't go be with Quinn now?" I say turn to face Amanda fully, I'm baffled, surprised, terrified, nervous, excited? But I'd rather be with Quinn.

Amanda glances at Lucius in the doorway for a moment, like I'd be offending him. His facial expression looks just the same as it always seems to look. Cold and reserved. Much like his son.

"Malfoy and I—we don't get along too well..." I say in a low voice so that only Amanda can hear. Hopefully.

She nods slowly, a bit of confusion tracing her face. "Well, I'm sorry, Y/n, but you need to stay with us until we know that you're okay. You took a nasty fall—which is why we need you to stay just for a few more days."

I sigh softly. "What even happened? All I remember is seeing some guy shoot the dark mark in the sky and then—"

"The ministry stunned you," She interrupts me. "They thought you cast the mark, so they stunned you and checked your wand for the last spell you used."

"How long was I out for?" I ask hesitantly. "Where's my wand?"

"You were out for about a day," Amanda pauses. Looks to Lucius and holds out a hand, beckoning him over. He slowly walks over to us and reveals my wand. I gasp softly. I stare in disbelief at my wand, which used to be beautiful and glorious, but is now broken piece of wood in palm of Lucius' hand. I lift it off his fingers and examine my wand, a look of pure horror written all over my face.

Its handle—still almost fully intact—a small spiral running down half the length of it, pieces of the unicorn hair core sticking out of the crack in the middle. The rest of the wand is only hanging on by a sliver of the cracked wood, ready to break off.

"Another reason you need to stay here—we need to get you a new wand at Olivander's," Amanda says. I'd seen that place when I go my books there for 3rd year, a bunch of soon-to-be-first years seem to be his only customers. Not anymore.

"How...?" I gape at my broken wand.

Amanda hesitates. "You fell on it, and it snapped..." For some reason, I don't believe her. "We'll take you to Diagon Alley tomorrow—with the Malfoy's—instead of you going with Quinn. It will be more efficient than going with Quinn's family--especially since you're getting a new wand,"

I huff in frustration, almost sounding like a sob.

She puts a sympathetic hand on my upper back. I want nothing more than to slink away from her touch. But I don't.

She tells me where everything in the guest room I'm staying in is and I get a tour of the manor—I don't see Draco once, and I'm thankful. Does he even know I'm here? He must know.

But I will see him at some point, and when I do, I will get answers out of him about what happened at the World Cup that nobody is telling me.

a/n: kinda like when harry's wand breaks in the 7th book.. but we'll be living with the Malfoy's for like 2-3 days tehehe. We won't actually start the school year for a couple of chapters, but it's okay because I'll make up to yall =)