BORN TO DIE    ╱    DRACO MALFOY
꒷꒦ · ˚.‧ . written by ella . . . © -lostgardens
027 ━━━━━━ ❛ the more you know ❜

"Could I have your attention, please?" McGonagall spoke at the start of class. The class remained silent, and Olivia focused her gaze on the aging woman standing at the front of the class. "Right," she sighed, moving from behind her desk to the right of it and standing next to one of the boards she had drawn the day's lesson on and a hornbill that was perched on a wooden stand. "Now today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets," she informed, drawing out her voice with a hint of pride.

Olivia looked over at Pansy's, who was boredly checking her nails. She must've felt the girl's gaze on her because she glanced over, raising questioning brows, then faced forward.

"Like so," McGonagall continued, raising her wand. "One," she said, tapping the hornbill. "Two." She tapped it again. "Three," one final tap, and then she said, "Vera Verto." The vibrating sound of magic and the croaks of the bird were heard as it transformed into water, then into a shiny goblet.

Everyone around them, even Pansy, gleamed at the sight before their eyes, and Olivia raised her brows in curiosity. Tranfiguration had always been one of her favorite subjects—she had such a deep passion that she couldn't even begin to explain it. She didn't know what it was. Perhaps it was changing one thing into another, giving it a new face, in a sense—a new identity. She didn't know. She sometimes dreamed of being an Animagus, but it was a mere dream; she knew she'd never actually become one.

"Now it's your turn," the professor continued, stepping down towards the students. "Who would like to go first?" she asked, looking around. But before anyone could answer, she looked at a certain redhead boy through her oval-shaped glasses. "Ah, Mr. Weasley." She continued over to the boy. "One, two, three. Vera Verto," she reminded him, looking down at his rat that sat on his school books.

Olivia then noticed—and remembered, thinking back to him trying to hex Malfoy—that Weasley's wand was broken. This ought to be good.

She watched closely as the boy gathered his magic, cleared his throat, lifted his wand, tapped it at his rat three times, and said, "Vera Verto." A green light shot from his wand and trailed up the rat, earning a squeak. It turned the poor creature into somewhat of a rat-goblet hybrid; the squeaking was muffled but still apparent.

Laughs fell around the room, and Olivia felt a small, amused smile tug at her lips. Weasley picked up his rat-goblet, staring at it with horror, and McGonagall told him, "That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley," pointing her own wand at him in a telling manner.

Granger then raised her hand, catching the professor's attention, and Olivia rolled her eyes. "Yes, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked.

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets," she inquired, furrowing her brows in thought. Olivia's eyes snapped towards the girl, looking at her with curiosity, and then she found the professor.

McGonagall was quiet for a moment as everyone stared at her. She seemed to be pondering the pros and cons of divulging the information asked. She took a breath after a moment, looking around. "Very well," she replied; her tone sounded almost as if she were fighting the words.

She paused for a moment. "Well, you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago," she began pacing back and forth, "by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age," she informed, holding the end of her wand with one hand and the tip with the other.

"Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin." Olivia didn't miss the distaste in which the woman said the last wizard's name, and she didn't blame her. "Now, three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously," she explained, letting the tip of her wand go as she walked past some tables. "One did not."

"Three guesses who," Olivia heard Weasley mutter, and she rolled her eyes. Salazar was a tosser, yes, but he was still the founder of her house.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts." She stopped next to Granger, looking at the students as she explained. She took a breath and started walking again as Olivia's eyes followed her. She knew all of this, but she still wanted to hear McGongall's perspective. "He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families," she continued. "In other words, purebloods."

Olivia noticed a movement of too-blonde hair, and her eyes fell on Malfoy for a moment, who seemed to be staring at Granger. She glanced between the two, seeing Granger giving him a pointed look to match the one he was giving her.

"Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school," the professor added, almost in a story-telling voice, which was more than appropriate. Olivia looked back at her, having enough of Malfoy's pale skin that was so bright it was burning her corneas. "Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle known as the Chamber of Secrets." She began making her way back to the front, waving her wand as she spoke. "Well, shortly before departing, he sealed it." She turned around to face the students again. "Untill that time when his town true heir returned to the school."

The name that popped into Olivia's head remained just there. She didn't dare let it out or show her face what she was thinking. She just rested her chin on her hand as she put her elbow on the table, listening closely to McGonagall's words.

"The heir alone would be able to open the chamber," she continued, "and unleash the horror within, and by so doing, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic." She fiddled with her glasses, pushing them higher on her nose.

"Muggle-borns," Granger muttered.

McGonagall gave her a curt nod, shortly pointing her wand at her as if it were a way to agree. "Well, naturally, the school has been searched many times." She inhaled sharply. "No such chamber has been found," she admitted.

Olivia furrowed her brows at this. And before she could even think, she raised her hand, earning McGongall's attention.

"Yes, Miss Mallard?"

"Didn't Hagrid get expelled for-" She was cut off as McGonagall waved her wand, silencing her voice. She had silenced her. Cut off her voice. What the bloody hell was her problem? It was just a simple question—one that she hadn't even gotten to finish. Olivia's eyes went wide as the woman gave her a stern look, almost like a warning.

"Professor?" Granger carried on, not even caring about what had just happened. Olivia slumped in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "What exactly does legend tell us lies within the chamber?" she asked.

"The chamber is said to be home to something that only the heir can control," McGonagall explained, retaking her spot to the right of her desk. "It is said to be the home..." she paused, preparing her breath for her next words. "...of a monster."

Olivia watched the horror-faced Weasley turn to Malfoy, who gave him a smug smirk. Typical. She rolled her eyes, not being able to say anything that came to mind. She better get her voice back by the end of class. How was she supposed to go on without making witty remarks? Could professors even take away someone's voice—a student, no less?

After class, McGonagall didn't give Olivia her voice back. She was sure it was temporary, but it was still bloody annoying. She rushed out, not waiting for her friends, and especially not Malfoy, and she went to the corridor. She lingered, seeing as though she had a free period next, and that was when she caught sight of the Golden Trio.

She could see them talking, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. And before she could even think of following them, her friends and Malfoy came around the corner, and Pansy dragged her along with them. Still, she couldn't hear them, and frankly, she didn't care.

"Let's think," she heard Weasley say as the group passed the trio. "Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?" he asked, glancing at Malfoy, and Olivia gave the boy a curious look. Her eyes narrowed at him, and she was sure she saw him swallow a lump in his throat. It was almost comical.

"If you're talking about Malfoy," Granger began, glaring at the back of the blonde's head.

"Of course! You heard him," Weasley interrupted.

And that was when Olivia lost what they said next. Pansy pulled her further along, not caring about the glare she was receiving. As they got further along the corridor, she felt three pairs of eyes on her from three red and gold-clad students. She turned around just before she turned the corner with her friends and Malfoy and saw the golden ones giving her curious looks. Her face twisted in confusion as her view was blocked by the stone of the walls.

Strange.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

Hours had passed, and Olivia had been right—the loss of her voice was only temporary. She had spent her free period roaming the halls and then went to potions. She didn't talk during that class, seeing as she had no voice, but finally, at the end, it had returned.

Then it was lunchtime, and she decided that instead of spending her time in the Great Hall with her friends and the annoyance—she got tired of thinking his name—she'd rather be in the library. So that was where she was when the Golden Trio approached her a few minutes ago.

"Let me get this straight; you think Malfoy is the heir of Slytherin?" She asked, looking at the three Gryffindors that stood in front of her as if they were stupid. Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin? Not bloody likely.

"Well, I don't," Granger began, placing a hand on her chest and keeping her voice low so that nobody besides the three that stood with her could hear her. "But Ronald and Harry aren't so sure," she admitted, glancing over at her friends.

A laugh broke from Olivia's lips as she bent down, placing her hands on her knees and letting it all out. She couldn't believe it. Well, she could—it was Weasley and Potter, after all. Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin. That thought was enough to make even Snape laugh.

"What's so funny?" Weasley asked, offended.

Olivia stood up, catching his eye as she wiped the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Her features were twisted in amusement as she gave the boy a knowing look. "Come on, now. That's ridiculous," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Malfoy is not the heir of Slytherin," she stated matter-of-factly. "I know for a fact that he's not."

"And how's that, may I ask?" Potter pondered, raising his brows.

"I may or may not know who the heir is, and they are certainly not that twat," she answered, turning to face the table she had been sitting at when they interrupted her reading. Her hands skimmed over her books as she stacked them together. And judging by the quietness of the three, she was sure they were giving each other questioning looks and talking with their eyes.

"Who is it?" Weasley finally asked.

Sighing, she glanced at him over her shoulder. It took her a moment before she rolled her eyes and faced them properly again. And after another moment, she smirked, a curious thought coming to her mind. "What's in it for me?" She raised her brows, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What...?" Potter creased his brow, looking at her through his circle glasses; his eyes were dancing with confusion.

"It's quite a valuable piece of information," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders and throwing up an offering hand as she looked to the ceiling in thought. "What will I get out of telling you?" she repeated, changing up her wording.

"Nothing; you would just be helping us," Granger chimed, looking at her with building annoyance. "You sure are letting your Slytherin shine," she muttered under breath, focusing on the bookshelf next to her instead of the wanting girl in front of her.

"Thank you; I try." Olivia grinned, then let out a breath. Turning back around to her table, she picked up her bag, threw the strap over her shoulder, and then grabbed the stack of books, holding them to her chest.

Facing the trio again, she gave them a tight-lipped smile, letting them know that they weren't going to get the information they were seeking from her, and she brushed past Weasley and Potter. "I do hope your little search goes well. I've got to go," she said, throwing them a look over her shoulder and then letting out a small laugh.

They watched as she walked away, going to Merlin knows where. And once she was out of their sight, Hermione faced the boys, giving them a pointed look. "It looks like we're going to have to go with plan B," she told them.

Ronald and Harry looked at one another, each giving the other a confused look. "What's plan B again?" Ron asked, looking back at the bushy-haired girl.

"Polyjuice poition, Ronald," she sighed.

"Oh, right," he sheepishly replied with a breathy chuckle. "I knew that."

And with that, Hermione sighed again and went to search for the book they'd be needing.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

━━━━ ella's speaking !
hehe olivia knows something the trio doesn't... 🤭

prepare yourself for next chapter bc it's gonna be something

hope you enjoyed, and make sure to comment and vote !!

kisses.

━━━━━━━━━━ born to die,
© -LOSTGARDENS,     oct 2023

word count: 2331. written: 10.2.23. published: 10.8.23.