1Vincent, Gregory, and Theo's parents took them home after saying goodbye and setting up quidditch meet up dates for the boys to practice before Hogwarts in a year. Pansy left next but not without giving Draco a quick kiss on his cheek. Draco blushed profusely and muttered a quick goodbye to the girl that had a crush on him. Blaise however was staying the night at malfoy manor, he hugged and kissed him mum before she left for Zabini manor.
Lucuis and Narcissa told the kids goodnight and told them not to stay up too late. Ashley, Draco, and Blaise went to the garden where a big fountain was and sat down on the ground to play with the fish swimming around in it. They sat in a comfortable silence for a long time, each enjoying the quietness that night brings.
Draco was the first that got tired, after saying goodnight he went up to his room. Blaise and Ashley moved closer to each other, Ashley laid her head down on his shoulder. "It's beautiful tonight isn't it?" she asked aftera few minutes of silence. "Yes" he replied then glanced down at her, to him her beauty surpassed that of the night sky but he did not voice his opinion instead he just admired her beauty.
"Blaise" she said
"hmm" he mumbled
She giggled "I've been trying to get your attention for a while now"
He muttered "sorry" and felt his cheeks heat up in embaresment
"will you promise to never forget me when you go to Hogwarts?"
Blaise was confused, did she really believe anyone could forget her? He loved her and knew that he would never stop loving her. "I promise" was all he said.
In a movement that completely suprised Blaise, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. His mouth dropped open, she giggled and got up to go inside; "I love you Blaise, Always" she said before walking inside and closing the door. Blaise could not believe what just happened, he reached his hand up to touch the spot where her lips had been just moments before. He smiled widely then remembered what she said and if possible his smile grew more. He would never forget this night. Blaise climbed the stairs of Malfoy manner all he could think of was the kiss Ashley gave him and her saying "I love you". Even as he fell asleep he dreamed of the moment with a smile on his face.
But elsewhere a dark figured loomed plotting his next plan, he watched as his owl flew out in the midnight sky carrying a letter in his beak.
Lucuis and Narcissa were the first two up in the morning, they each felt on edge; as if they knew something was going to happen. Dismissing their feelings the couple made their way downstairs to get coffee and read the paper. Dobby brought them their hot cups of coffee and paper "Dobby also brings his master mail, it arrived last night sir" he said freightened that Lucuis would beat him or make him iron his fingers. Lucuis snatched the letter from the frail house elf, as he opened it he knew who it had to be from. "Leave us" he told Dobby, with a snap of his fingers he disappeared to another location of the manor to clean. "It's from the Dark Lord" as her husband muttered the last 5 words that she wanted to hear Narcissa broke down in tears without even reading the letter. Lucuis handed her the letter and got up to stand behind his wife. There would be nothing he could do to comfort her but he coukd at least try, he thought as he put his hands on her shoulders.
She sobbed as she read over the letter for what felt like the millionth time, her vision blurred as her tears increased and was unable to blink them away. She furiously swiped at her eyes trying to rid them of her tears, everytime she re read the letter it said the same thing; bringing her absolutely no comfort.
It read:
Lucuis I am disappointed in you not coming to be by my side, as you were my most trusted death eater. You must be a bigger fool then I had thought if you really believed that the Potter boy killed me. I will be gathering all the Death Eaters in a year due to the fact that I am not at my complete strength.
But this is not why I am sending you this letter, as you are aware I am building an army. The last war cost me many of my followers so I am in need of more. By the end of this week I expect you to send me one of your brats to be in my army. The other will go to school, as to not raise any suspicions; later they will also join. I expect you to send me the strongest out of the two now, Lucuis do not disappoint me hopefully this brat of yours will be more loyal than you.
When you have made your decision have them come to the forbidden forest on Hogwarts grounds, I will train them and they will become a death eater. I will send them to Hogwarts once I think they are ready and when I believe they can be trusted.
Farwell for now Lucuis
Narcissa let her tears fall, giving up on trying to stop them. One of her kids would be in the hands of that vile creature and there was nothing she would be able to do about it. Being so caught up in the letter they received Lucuis and Narcissa missed hearing the footsteps of the kids coming down the stairs so when Ashley ran to her mother and hugged her around the waist she was suprised. "Mommy whats wrong?" She asked and when she recieved no answer just more sobs and her mum holding her tightly she looked up at her father. There was no response out of him either, he turned away from the scene not able to think about his life without one of his kids.
Ashley noticed a letter on the table and tried to reach for it but Lucuis smacked her hand and grabbed the letter swiftly "you are to never open this, understand?" He demanded harshly with a fierce scowl on his face. Ashley had never been disciplined before, in fact Draco was the one who got in trouble even if it was her fault. She was daddy's little girl; with tears in her eyes she nodded yes and squirmed out of her mothers grasp and went up to her room; slamming the door shut.
Both Draco and Blaise had stood off to the side watching; father and son glanced at each other for a moment before Lucuis walked away with the letter in hand. Narcissa followed behind her husband weeping silently, the boys glanced at each other and without words decided to go check on the youngest malfoy heir. They found her pacing back and fourth obviously in deep thought or simply not acknowledging them being there.
"There is something about that letter that has mum and dad so upset, and i'm going to find out what it says" she said.
"no, obviously they do not want us to know what it said, just leave it alone Ashley" Draco said, yeah sure he was curious about what was in the letter as well but he knew that snooping around was not going to end well.
Ashley on the other hand thought differently, if they could figure out what upset their parents then maybe they could help. What could upset a Malfoy anyway? She thought absentmindly, afterall they were one of the most strongest pureblood families, this was common knowledge. To think that someone with higher power could inflict fear into her family made her mad! She was a Malfoy damnt and Malfoy's bowed down to no one.
Blaise went home later that evening, he wanted to be there for his friends but he also knew when someone needed to be alone. The family needed to talk alone, Draco would tell him what happened anyway so he wasn't too worried about that. But he could not get rid of the feeling that something was going to happen, he felt silly for it afterall it was just a letter, Right? But the way Narcissa was holding on to Ashley earlier made him question exactly what was in the letter.
After dinner that night at Malfoy manor Ashley had already decided at night she would sneak in her father's office and read the letter.
It was raining and thundering, it was 1am and she was sure that everyone would be asleep. She made sure that she was quiet as she made her way through the manor to her father's office. A loud boom from outside of thunder made her jump as she reached for the door handle. Her heart was beating so fast that it felt like it would pound out of her chest. She reached the desk and started opening up drawers and looking around, being sure to place everything the way it was before she closed it. At last she found the letter, as she opened the envelope she held her breath worried her father would walk in on her.
The flashes of lightening flashed in the background as she read the letter, after each word the room seemed to grow colder. As she finished the letter she was shivering, she ran to Draco's room jumping on him. "Draco wake up" she harshly whispered. Draco groggily woke up and turned on his bed side table lamp with a clap of his hands. "What, what is it? It's 1:30 in the bloody morning Ashley" he stated still groggy from being woken up but she just thrust the letter in his face. He read the letter, then rubbed his eyes now fully awake reading it again to make sure he read it correctly.
Brother and sister stared at each other.