Draco

The hours before returning to Hogwarts stretched out before me, an uneasy anticipation curling beneath my skin. This final year, though still shrouded in the familiar routine of coursework, held far darker responsibilities. Whether I had chosen this path, or it had chosen me, no longer mattered. I was to be the legacy my parents intended, standing tall in the shadows they had cast before me. When the Dark Lord called, I would answer, though the weight of his name still lingered heavy on my tongue.

The tasks unfurled before me on the night I embraced the Dark Mark. First, to vanquish Dumbledore, his fate sealed under the shadow of my resolve. Once that darkness was done, I would turn my gaze to Potter, extinguishing him for good. Then, with a front-row seat beside Voldemort, I would watch Hogwarts crumble into ashes, reveling in the destruction that followed.

I packed my last suitcase, the echo of my steps down the manor's grand staircase bringing me to the waiting embrace of my mother. Narcissa, with her gentle smile and soft touch, had always possessed the power to turn the unbearable into something almost tolerable. At eighteen, I found that those moments of solace, of childlike comfort, were fleeting—yet precious.

"Draco! Let me have a look at you. Don't you look dashing," she exclaimed, pride lacing her voice as she admired me in my uniform.

"Mum, it's the same every year," I sighed, though her words stirred something inside me.

"Yes, but you're not," she replied, her gaze piercing through my carefully constructed facade. She knew, without me saying a word, that I had changed. And that change troubled me in ways I could never confess—not to her, and certainly not to my father.

Lucius had made it clear, long before I even had the chance to prove myself, that disappointment lingered in his mind like a storm cloud. The task ahead—Dumbledore, the Dark Lord's bidding—felt like an ever-tightening noose around my neck.

"Let's be going now. I don't want to be standing next to Potter on the platform—always the last to be dropped off, no surprise there," I scoffed, eager to leave before my insecurities surfaced.

As we stepped outside, my mother's voice shifted, carrying the weight of something more than a simple favor. "Draco, your father has asked you to do something for him," she said, her tone betraying the true source of the request.

"And what might that be?" I asked, my curiosity piqued yet tinged with reluctance.

"He's asked that you be the guide for a new student in Slytherin this year. She's a transfer from another wizarding school. Her family is... very important and could prove invaluable if we align with them." She smiled, though the gravity of her words was not lost on me.

"Must I? Those girls, Mum... they're—" I began to protest, but she cut me off.

"Draco, your father is asking. Aligning with the right people this year could be crucial, considering your responsibility to this family. Have I made myself clear?" Narcissa, usually understanding of my reluctance, left no room for argument this time. Whoever this girl was, I could already tell she would be another burden to bear. Wonderful.

"If I must, what is her name?" I asked, resigned to my fate.

"Celeste Ravenscroft," she replied, her tone softening yet firm. "Her family is very important to... the Dark Arts. Approach this with respect and grace, Draco. And do not let Harry Potter reach her before you do. You have been tasked, my son. Please, do not disappoint... your father."

With that, my mother bid me farewell, leaving me with the weight of her words. Sucking up what little pride I had left, I agreed to be Celeste's guide, though the task felt like another chain added to the ones I already bore.

The train ride stretched endlessly, its rhythmic clatter a distant hum beneath Blaise and Theo's idle chatter, their summer escapades of debauchery filling the air. Yet my thoughts drifted far beyond their revelry, my gaze locked on the car behind us where Potter lingered with his tiresome companions, Ron and Hermione. Their mere presence pricked at me like a relentless thorn, an affront to everything I cherished. My mind, a tempest of dark schemes, churned with ever-more sinister plans, each one weaving a tapestry of vengeance. The first step—Dumbledore. The rest would follow.

As I absently ran my hand over the sleeve of my crisp white uniform shirt, I felt the sting of the Dark Mark beneath, a constant reminder of the weight I bore. If I fail him, he'll kill them—my parents, my friends—until there's nothing left. And he'll blame Potter, a muggle-born who never deserved to set foot in Hogwarts. Potter, who has done nothing but sow chaos since his arrival, who has unraveled the very order that this school was built on. It is only fair that Hogwarts crumbles with him. And it shall.

"Malfoy, you're quieter than usual," Theo teased, breaking through my reverie.

"My mother asked me to show a new student around this year. How irritating. I'm sure the girl knows her way around. I shouldn't have to show her where the classrooms or the laboratory are," I replied, forcing a laugh that didn't quite reach my eyes.

"A new Slytherin? During the final year? Isn't that peculiar?" Blaise chimed in, his curiosity piqued.

"She's a transfer from another wizarding school. My father considers her family to be of some importance to us. I'm not sure why," I sighed, the weight of yet another responsibility pressing down on me.

"Well, Draco, just be the perfect gentleman you are, and I'm sure she's bound to fall in love with you," Theo teased, his grin wide.

"Absolutely not," I scoffed, the very idea repelling me.

"I have no time for distractions, let alone something as trivial as falling in love. What do you take me for, a muggle with emotions? Emotion makes you weak. If I wanted to be like Potter, kill me now," I joked, pretending to stab myself with my wand, masking the unease that gnawed at the edges of my resolve.

The moment we arrived at school, a familiar dread settled over me. This year would be pivotal—a turning point in the life I'd been carefully groomed for. I could feel the weight of an invisible hourglass pressing against my back, each grain of sand a reminder that time was slipping away. Every second I spent thinking about anything other than the mission was another step closer to the grave—for my family, and perhaps even for me.

After settling into our dorms, we gathered in the Great Hall for introductions. It was a tiresome ritual, one I had little patience for. I already knew everyone in the class, and I despised them all. My eyes rolled instinctively as Potter and his irritating friends took their seats across from me.

"Alright, everyone... settle down," Dumbledore's voice echoed through the hall as the students quieted down at their respective house tables. "We have a new student joining the House of Slytherin today." His announcement was met with a playful punch on the shoulder from Blaise.

"Ugh, here we go. Another daddy's money brat I have to deal with. Slytherin girls... always privileged, yet so dull you could barely wring out a sponge with their personality," I muttered with a laugh.

"Celeste Ravenscroft is joining us from a neighboring wizarding academy. Please, everyone, give her a warm welcome," Dumbledore continued, his words barely registering as I continued my tirade.

"Draco, hope you're ready for your newest project," Theo teased, his grin widening.

"Wonderful. As if Potter wasn't enough of a pain..." I grunted, absently rubbing my arm. I hadn't even noticed her enter the room, too caught up in my annoyance at the prospect of playing babysitter.

"You know what? I'm sure she only transferred because she failed her last year. No one transfers in their final year without a good reason. I can't be seen with someone that dumb," I scoffed, confident in my assessment. But when my friends didn't respond, I looked up, confused. They were frozen, staring at the girl who had just taken a seat across from me.

It was her. Celeste Ravenscroft. And by the death stare she was giving me, it was clear she had heard every word I'd just said.

To make matters worse, she was easily the most stunning girl I had ever laid eyes on. Her long, dark brunette hair framed a face of breathtaking beauty, her piercing emerald eyes cutting through me with an intensity that left me speechless. I was utterly captivated—and completely out of my depth.

"Ah yes, Draco Malfoy. I've heard all about you. And it appears... even some rumors are true. Your reputation, like that snarky mouth of yours, precedes you," she remarked, her tone icy as she rolled her eyes and stood up, making her way toward Dumbledore to retrieve her dorm assignment.

"Smooth," Blaise chuckled beside me. "She's gorgeous. If you don't want her... I call dibs."

"No chance. I called it the second she walked in," Theo declared, puffing out his chest.

"You two are idiots. She's my responsibility," I shot back, asserting my claim over the situation—and her.

"Uh-huh. Well, don't look now, but your 'responsibility' is sitting with Potter and laughing about you being a complete moron," Blaise pointed out with a smirk.

My gaze followed his, and sure enough, there she was—sitting right next to Potter at the Gryffindor table, sharing a laugh. My blood boiled at the sight, the ease of their camaraderie grating on every nerve. Celeste Ravenscroft was quickly proving to be more than just another Slytherin girl. She was a challenge—one I wasn't sure I was ready to face.