Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

105. The Light from the Towers

Chapter 105 – The Light from the Towers

The Great Hall was chaos. The teachers were barking out orders to each other and to the other students, ordering them about depending on their plans to fight or flee. The doors headed out to the Great Hall were already packed tight with students ready to escape and reach safety. As much as the professors called for people to remain calm, it wasn't something that could be promised when Voldemort had been able to speak to the entire Hogwarts population without even being in the castle.

People were in a panic. I didn't blame them.

I turned to look at my friends, each bloodied and worn down in their own way. Tracey clearly had the worst of the physical damage – likely because of her Halfblooded ancestry – and Lillian was stuck to her like glue. In a way, Lillian reminded me a lot of Loony Lovegood. It was probably thanks to her wide eyes; but while Loony's eyes were wide with wonder, Lillian's tended to be wide with fear. Now was no exception. Daphne looked a little scraped, but the real change I noticed was the confident grip she had on Theodore's hand. That confidence had even seemed to transfer to Nott, who looked as tired as ever...but now there was a determination burning behind his eyes that I had not seen since the night his father had died.

I tried actively to avoid listening to the Slytherins to our side as they whispered amongst themselves. I didn't blame them for not instinctively knowing which side to follow – I'd imagine it's hard to throw all the things you've been taught away because someone you hated told you it was the right thing to do. And like I expected, it seemed many of them were too afraid to make a decision either way.

Better than turning against us immediately, I supposed.

All of my friends were watching me with rapt attention, like soldiers awaiting their orders. If they were anything like me, their stomach was in knots as they tried to work out a plan – because it would be better than the plan that I didn't currently have. As I tried to find my words and my thoughts, Tracey's fresh beating seemed to taunt me. I could see her pulse beating against the tight, purple skin of her swollen eye – it was like a countdown to Voldemort's arrival.

It felt like the seconds were counting faster and faster as another passed by.

"You all look horrible," I told them tightly, trying to make myself sound more self-assured than I felt. "Honestly, I leave you alone for one term and look what happens."

"Are you joking?" Greengrass gaped.

"We leave you alone for one term and you rob the school, Gringotts, Malfoy Manor, and the Ministry," Nott finished for his new girlfriend. "I believe that makes you a hypocrite."

"But an accomplished hypocrite," I corrected him. He rolled his eyes at me.

It was heartwarming to see my friends, but somehow I felt like the pressure had settled more wholly on my shoulders now that they stood with me. I gazed from their hopeful faces over to the insecure Slytherins – the ones who didn't know where they belonged...but there was a very specific gaze that I couldn't quite catch.

"Where's Draco?"

Daphne gave a loaded look toward Theodore.

"We haven't seen him since we heard the news about Gringotts," she informed me, her words slow and deliberate. "Audrey, I...I think he may have gone when You Know Who called the Death Eaters back to him."

I tried to keep my expression plain as I considered what was being said. Had Draco really run to Voldemort so readily when he knew what was coming? Had Draco known what was coming? Or, worse, would he be punished because he didn't?