Tarot

Chapter 2: The Fool - Every journey begins with a single step

Divinations wasn’t really Draco’s idea of fun, listening to Professor Trelawney rant on and on about the powers dwelling just beyond normal sight was enough to make him nauseous. However, there was a very good reason for him to show up to the class every day, Celeste Faye, a charming young Ravenclaw that had become the object of his obsession. Her smile alone was enough to evaporate the darkness that threatened to envelope his soul. Yet the great Draco Malfoy was afraid to speak to her, and had never managed more then a polite ‘Good Morning’ when she addressed him warmly. He feared that, like much of the school, she saw him as something to be wary of and that any attempt at conversation would just prove that belief to be true.

Celeste sat with another member of her house, Padma Patil, and laughed softly as the young girls twin once again tried with great earnest to tell her fortune by staring into an elegantly crafted hand mirror.

“Oh Celeste, I see love in your future.” Parvati exclaimed. “A handsome and gentle man will come into your life.”

Celeste burst out into another fit of giggles, covering her pink pouting lips with her long delicate fingers. “Oh Parvati, you’re skill at Scrying with the mirror is far beyond my own.” She managed, unable to bring herself to tell her friend that one could not do an accurate prediction while holding the mirror and that the handsome man she had seen was the reflection of Seamus Finnegan who was sitting with Dean Thomas.

Draco melted at the sound of her laughter, she seemed so carefree and high spirited. He found himself staring at her, watching the way her long copper brown hair fell around her shoulders and glinted in the sunlight that poured through the high windows of the classroom. Her deep blue eyes, like fathomless pools of midnight, he could get lost in those eyes. She had taken off her school robes, draping them over the back of her chair. Her blue and bronze tie and matching plaid pleated skirt were of stark contrast to the pressed white dress shirt that clung so tightly to the rise of her chest and firm flat abdomen. He felt his fingers flex with the desire to feel that fabric.

The high pitched drone of Professor Trelawney interrupted his daydreams and filtered as a growing head ache into his skull. “Today we will finish our work on Scrying and starting Monday we will begin with the most difficult, but accurate form of Divination. Tarot reading. With that in mind you will each draw a name from the caldron and buy a Tarot deck for that person by Monday. It needent be anything fancy or special. Any Tarot deck will work.”

Lavender Brown raised her hand, “Professor, why can’t we by our own cards?”

“Because my dear girl, for Tarot cards to be accurate they must be given as a gift. To buy them yourself would be a worthless waste of money and time.”

Lavender nodded as if she understood fully and Draco was struck with a brilliant idea. He would use magic to guarantee he pulled Celeste’s name and he would buy her the most elegant deck of tarot cards he could find.

“You know, if you want her that badly…” Blaise whispered as if reading his thoughts, “They say that there’s an old ghost down behind a hidden door in the dungeon that can grant someone’s deepest desire. But rumor has it she asks for things most people would never want to give up.”

Draco raised a pale eyebrow, “Where’d you hear this rumor Blaise? Sounds like a load of crap to me.” Even as he chastised his housemate for the suggestion, ideas and plans began to formulate in his head. If there was such a ghost, and the gift of the Tarot cards did not bring Celeste Faye running into his arms then perhaps this ghost could get him what he wanted.

“I heard it from one of the seventh years.” The other boy admitted openly, “She said she went to the ghost of Madam Morgan two years ago after the Yule Ball. Something about that wanker Cedric Diggory. I think she was in a huff about him liking that Ravenclaw girl.”

Draco could care less about the art of seeing glimpses of the future through the well polished mirror in front of him. He didn’t really want to know what was in his future. My future only holds kneeling to the will of the Dark Lord, he thought bitterly, his eyes once again roaming to the beautiful and delicate features of Celeste Faye. His steel eyes narrowed as he watched the dark haired golden boy lean backwards in his chair to whisper something to the beautiful Ravenclaw girl, a scowl etched upon his lips as she giggled in response. Harry Bloody Potter had always been out to outdo him and steal what was rightfully his, glory, fame, praise, and now it seemed he was after the Draco’s deepest desire.

That was the last straw, he would not let Potter have her, no matter what. If the ghost in the dungeons could help him, he would give his soul. Angrily he turned back to the mirror, staring into it as if to shatter the reflecting glass into a thousand pieces with his gaze alone.

He didn’t notice that she had turned to look at him, glancing halfway over her shoulder to catch a glance at his heated features. A small smile touched her lips and she seemed to nod to herself before returning to the lesson.

After class the students lined up at the door to take a name from the small cauldron sitting there. Draco flicked his wand before reaching into the depths and pulling a small slip of paper.

Blaise raised an eyebrow at him, taking his own folded slip and smirked when the blonde revealed the name on the paper to be Celeste Faye. “You sneaky bastard.”

“I’ll be damned if I let Potter or anyone else give her a gift. I’ll owl my mother and have her pick up the most beautiful set of Tarot cards she can find in Diagon Alley and have her owl them back to me by Monday.” Draco replied with a grin. “If I have my way she’ll be mine by semesters end.”

The darker haired boy laughed and walked down the hall toward Charms.