FicWad

Malfoy stood on the same cliff, staring at the raven-black castle. Grabbing his wand tightly, his gaze was not leaving the dark horizon. The Gleaming spare has disappeared. Dementors still lurked in the sky, though most of them had already left. Draco called his Patronus and flew towards the castle.

Stone Garguils lay on labyrinth walls, heads hidden in their claws, wailing quietly, making skin crawls with disgust, fear, and still with a trace of compassion. The narrow corridor from the labyrinth was still unchanged, like ruins in the wall. With a heavy heart, he flew through the broken window. Everything was covered in dust and spider nets. Moisture was eating the walls. Long-forgotten food on the table had turned into a mold and had a disgusting greenish-black color.

He was ready to bury the rotten corps, but it was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a huge, long dried-out blood puddle was on the floor. A thousand scenarios twisted in his mind, one crazier than another. It started with wild animals from the labyrinth, ending with mysterious portages. But what happened next was not in either of his wildest fantasies.

"Why are you here?"

Draco quickly turned around to see Demian seated on the armchair. Ekrizdis did not lift his gaze. His elbows rested on handles, eyes hidden in his fingers. He was horrendous to look at. Skin and bones, death colored and as filthy as the rest of the room. The shadow behind him was swinging strangely while he stayed unmoved.

Even if there was a single word in Draco's head, he would not have been able to voice it. His throat went dry and tongue heavy.

"Want me to guess? To bury me. Are you sure I am not in my grave already?" He swallowed heavily. Then lifted his head, opened dark eyelids, bore his flaming gaze to Draco, and asked. "What month is it?"

"16th of September." Draco did not recognize his own voice.

"Three months then…."

"How?"

"How did I survive? If you can call it survival." Demian continued with a bitter, cynical smile. "I could not understand for a long time myself. First, everything has disappeared. The only thing left was the feeling of a heavy, freezing weight on me. I believe I was dead. Then I felt Elvein's fingers clinging to me, stronger than death's claws, soaking my chest with hot tears. What curse did you use to knock her out and tear her from my body? Though, it does not matter. I still can't understand exactly what happened. I lay there for a long, very long time, not able to move a muscle. Did I breathe? I don't know. If I'll trust your words, after three months, I was able to move again, to discover this." His hand moved his shirt to reveal a silver wound on his chest. "Does it remind you of anything? How did she do that? I don't know. I can only assume: If she was worried about your soul being fragile, how innocent do you think hers was? Would it have survived killing without shuttering? I forced her to make that choice, for what I was punished so harshly, that death itself is not accepting me."

Draco took a step back, unwilling to hear what Ekrizdis would say next.

"I should have killed you."

"Me too." Answered Demian. "But, no matter how pathetic it sounds, none of us are murderers. She overcame us even in that."

Ekrizdis' shadow continued strange movements. Then, as if from darkness, Dementor rose and stepped out of the shadows. Draco's eyes went wide while Demian swung his hand as if on an annoying bug, and Dementor flew out of the window.

"Have you ever wondered where the first Dementor came from? Turns out, just like that." Demian once again hid his eyes in fingers. "I have guessed they embodied melancholy but would have never thought, were part of our own torment." A bitter laugh shook his body. "No matter how much we think, we are moving forward; everything goes on in a circle."

Draco took one more step away from Ekrizdis. Could not hold back anymore, so he asked:

"Is there a link between you two? Are you two connected once more? Do you feel her?"

"I do."

"And what about her? Does she feel you too?" It was equal to confession, but Malfoy needed to know.

"I don't know. But I feel that she is miserable. If the world wants to torture me, why does it do that so ferociously .. by using her….!"

"I will not give Elvein up!" Draco's voice was stone hard.

"I know. Remember what I told you? Are you sure you are not seeing your own future by looking at me?" - Demian's head fell back. Adam's apple protruded even more on his emaciated throat. "She needs peace and time alone now. Tell me this, are you leaving her side? If she'll tell you, she would never be able to be with you. Will you let her go?"

"I will never force her to do anything! Ever!"

"You are lying. But it does not matter. What matters is that you lie to yourself. Does it make a difference if you hold her with your hands or with a sense of obligation? You will never be able to give her up. I will not leave this castle because it would not make any difference. Now go. Go and never come back! You can comfort Elvein that she is not a murderer. But we both know you would not tell her."

Draco turned around, not giving a single glance back. Overwhelmed by what he saw and heard, he gripped the broom tight. He transgressed into Chateau Tempels and went straight into Elvein's room.

The young woman sat by the window, emotionless gaze towards the vineyard. Seeing Draco's drenched figure, her breathing quickened, understanding drenching her with the cold realization.

"You have been in there." Fear poured from her wide eyes. "But -"

"I did what had to be done." Draco surprised himself. Despite his firm decision to tell her everything, he did not reveal anything. Fear simply overcame him, shamefully confessing to himself that Ekrizdis was once again correct.

"I bring you nothing but suffering." Her sad expression descended to the floor. Traitorous fingers touching the chest. This small gesture horrified Draco. She also felt Demian. "Perhaps, it has been better never to know me. Perhaps it would be better if-"

Draco's fists slammed on the table, not letting Elvein finish the sentence.

"Don't you ever dare think of such a thing! Ever!"

He turned around and was already on his bed at Malfoy Manor in a minute or two. What was happening to him?!