Darkness Within||Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 26

Chapter 26: A gloomy feeling

The Slytherins sat in their own compartment on the Hogwarts Express: Draco, Roxy, Daphne, Theo, Jade, Blaise and Cassidy. Draco had just entered the compartment, and was putting away his black briefcase. All of a sudden, the entire compartment went dark. Pitch-black. There were raised voices, full of shock as they exclaimed to one another. Then just as suddenly, the darkness lifted. Draco glanced around.

"Come on, Draco," said Roxy, "It's probably just a first year messing around. Sit down; we'll be at Hogwarts soon." Draco pursed his lips, but took a seat next to her. Whilst the others were busy joking and laughing around, Draco and Roxy were mostly silent, lost in their own thoughts. Their friends had probably had a wonderful summer, blissfully unaware of all the events that had occurred at Malfoy Manor. 

"Hogwarts," sneered Draco, "What a pathetic excuse for a school. I think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I had to continue for another two years." Jade frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The rest had fallen silent, trying to decipher Draco's strange choice of words.

"Let's just say you won't see me wasting my time in Charms class next year." Roxy gave him a pointed look, which he pointedly ignored. Blaise snorted derisively. 

"Amused, Blaise?" drawled Draco, "We'll see just who's laughing in the end." Blaise just shook his head, smiling as he looked out the window. Theo raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

"Well, I mean, it is our sixth year after all. Who knows what might happen. We'll be graduating in two years, and moving on to greater things. We have a whole future ahead of us," said Cassidy brightly, trying to lift the mood. Roxy smiled gently at her optimistic friend. If only she knew...

The Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. 

"You go on first," Draco said when Roxy turned to him. She frowned.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I just wanna check something." 

"Well, if you're sure." Roxy slung her bag over her shoulder as she followed the rest of her friends out of the compartment. 

"Draco's been acting oddly, don't you think?" Daphne whispered, "Like he's never been that open, engaging sort of person, but he seems terribly distant." Roxy bit her lip.

"Yeah, I reckon he has a lot of things on his mind lately." The group of them got into a carriage and disembarked before the castle.

"It looks rather gloomy this year, doesn't it?" Theo noticed, looking up at the school, "Like a dark cloud's settled over it." Roxy kept her mouth shut as they entered the castle. There, Filch was waiting to search them.

"Ow!" complained Daphne, "Careful of the nails!"

"Why're we being searched?" Cassidy demanded.

"Orders," snapped Filch in his usual drawl, "Must make sure you're not hiding anything...suspicious." They all glared at him. At last, Filch, in a rather disgruntled manner, let them through. They took their places at the Slytherin table.

"Where's Draco?" Pansy had the audacity to ask.

"None of your business," Roxy snapped back. Just then, Draco came up to them and sat down between Roxy and Blaise. There was a sort of satisfied look on his face as he told them what had happened with Potter.

"I thought I felt someone watching us," Roxy said.

"Yeah, maybe that's why the compartment went dark," Blaise shrugged, "Prick."

"Evening, students. Before we begin the Sorting, I would like to say a few things. Please welcome the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn."

"Not another Defense teacher," groaned Jade. Roxy's eyes zeroed in on the two Aurors patrolling outside the Great Hall. So there were Aurors here then? It would certainly complicate things.

"Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say, has agreed to resume his old place as Potions Master. Meanwhile the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be assumed by Professor Snape." The Slytherin table cheered. Normally, Draco would've cheered the loudest, but he didn't even appear to hear as he just stared down forlornly. 

"Now, as you know, each and everyone of you was searched upon your arrival tonight. You have a right to know why." Dumbledore paused. "Once there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very Hall. Walked this castle's corridors. Slept beneath its roof. He seemed, to all the world, a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle." The Hall was deathly silent. "Today, of course, the world knows him by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I am reminded of a sobering fact. Each day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle. But in the end, their greatest weapon remains...you." Maybe it was just paranoia, but it seemed as if his words were directly directed at Roxy and Draco, as if he knew their secrets...it was a creepy and disconcerting fact. Roxy gently placed her hand on Draco's arm. He glanced up at her. His eyes were haunted and held a dead look. She didn't say anything. After all, what could she say? She wasn't going to lie to him. But it was enough. They were in this together. He gave a slow nod, face blank.

"Just something to keep in mind. Now off to bed. Pip pip!" Dumbledore finished.

~~~***~~~

"What a cheerful welcoming speech," muttered Jade sarcastically that night in their dorm.

"Well, we all know that You-Know-Who is back after all," Daphne shrugged.

"Imagining it is horrible," Cassidy shuddered, "I don't want anything to do with him." 

"I suppose we have to all be prepared," muttered Roxy distractedly, folding her clothes away. A dismal silence hung in the air, broken only by Cassidy exclaiming that she'd found a split-end. Despite how sweet she was, she was an aristocratic pureblood through and through.

~~~***~~~

The next morning, Snape handed out their new timetables based on their O.W.L scores.

"Miss...Sylmore," he said, reaching Roxy, who lifted an eyebrow at him. 

"Let's see," drawled Snape, "Outstandings in Charms, Potions, Ancient Runes, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Amusing." Roxy glared at him. "Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration, History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures and Astronomy. Acceptable in Divination." Roxy rolled her eyes. Dramatic much. She already knew her scores.

"Well, I must say, impressive. Here's your timetable, Miss Sylmore. I hope you will find this year...interesting." She glared at him again and snatched her timetable out of his hand as Snape moved on to Theo, who was fidgeting anxiously despite the fact that he'd probably passed all his subjects with high scores, being the swot he was.

"Let's get to Potions," Roxy said. The only ones who hadn't gotten Exceeds Expectations or higher to proceed to N.E.W.T Potions was Jade, Daphne and Blaise, who seemed unbothered by it.

"Well, we'll meet you guys later," Blaise said cheerfully as Roxy, Draco, Theo and Cassidy departed for the dungeons.

"Potions this year will be a lot harder," Theo said anxiously, "They say N.E.W.T Potions is like, so tricky. I mean, I've covered all of the textbooks, but I-"

"Calm down, Theo," Cassidy rolled her eyes, "You'll do perfectly fine." They entered the Potions classroom to find a beaming Professor Slughorn.

"Welcome, welcome!" he exclaimed, "Please find a table, and take out your books." 

"I think he'll be much pleasanter than Snape," whispered Cassidy as the four of them occupied a table at the back. Theo agreed.