Astoria → Draco Malfoy

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

"single thread of gold"

Chaos erupted in the Great Hall. Professor Belby might have only been a Professor for a few short months, but it didn't take much for people at Hogwarts to become family. And regardless of who had died, someone had still passed away, someone would not be returning home.

"Oh shit!" Theo exclaimed.

Astoria looked at Daphne, "what does this even mean?"

"Check the map." Draco instructed Pansy, who quickly obliged, pulling it from her pocket.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." She tapped the map with her wand, attempting to conceal it within her robes. "Nothing." She passed the map to Blaise, crossing her arms.

"Merlin, maybe it was a natural death..." He trailed off, but no death at Hogwarts had been natural, especially not in the past few years. If someone died in Hogwarts, there had always been a reason, and usually, it had been a reason someone didn't want to hear.

Astoria looked over at the Gryffindor table, searching for Hermione, she would know what was happening, but Hermione looked just as confused as the rest of the students. She sat, her brows furrowed, staring up at Headmistress McGonagall.

If even Hermione didn't know what was going on, that's when it was time to panic. Nothing ever seemed to happen without her knowing about it.

"What do we do?"

"Surely this is our parents?" Theo asked with his brows furrowed, "it has to be, doesn't it?"

"Please," McGonagall's voice echoed across the Great Hall, "settle down students. I am sure you are all curious about this event, especially with the Dementors still roaming around the ground." She looked up out of the window at the bony figures crawling through the dark air. "I would like to reassure you, that this has nothing to do with the recent escape from Azkaban."

Around the hall, students began whispering, glancing over at the Slytherin table.

"Nothing to do with it?" Astoria asked Daphne, "how did he bloody die then?"

"Why isn't she just telling us?"

"I don't understand."

McGonagall spoke again, as if she had heard the Slytherin students questioning her, "Professor Belby died to a Lethifold," she gulped. "For those of you studying NEWT level Defence Against the Dark Arts, you will be aware of such creature." Everyone could hear her voice cracking, raspy breaths exiting her mouth between each word. "It is similar to the Dementors we have on the grounds, but a Lethifold is not under wizarding command. Usually, they are not native to Scotland, and therefore a full Ministry investigation will be taking place." She beckoned over to the group of Ministry Officials stood in the corner, their mouths upturned, wands by their sides. "Until this is completed, students will be required to sleep in the Great Hall and must be escorted around the castle."

Astoria groaned along with the other students. "What is going on?"

"I don't get it!" Exclaimed Pansy, glancing down at the map in her pocket, "what does this mean?"

"It is for your protection. You either sleep in the Great Hall until the investigation is completed, or you must go home, the choice is yours. Now, may the Prefects guide students back to their common rooms, and may all NEWT students remain in the hall?" She looked out at the gaggles of frightened students, watching as they were led away by Prefects.

Daphne turned to face Astoria, "what is going on?"

"It feels like last year all over again..."

Draco gulped, "I don't think McGonagall is telling the whole truth."