It's OK To Not Be Ok...Right?

33. My Hero

After what felt like an age, they reached the bottom of the staircase and once again were faced with the doors that Sloane and Filch had faced earlier in the evening. "OK, does anyone know which one?" Blaise asked, panting slightly. Everyone shook their heads. There were seven doors. The smell was making them all feel quite ill. Mould, decay, rot, it was so strong that it made Ginny's eyes water, and Luna was thankful she didn't eat too much at dinner. 

"Listen against the doors. We might get a clue as to what is behind them. Everyone, pick a door." Harry said. The group split up, everyone taking a door each. 

"Nothing," Blaise said, leaning his ear against the door and then opening the door to check. "Just cobwebs."

Ginny closed her door. "Hospital bed storage."

"Oh, mine sounds like it is a door to outside," Luna said. "It's raining heavily." Her face was wet as she had stuck her head out through the door to check.

"Broken glass," Draco shrugged, having heard nothing and opened the door to check. 

"Jesus and Merlin," Hermione slammed her door closed quickly and tried to catch her breath. "Pixies," she pointed behind her. 

Ron looked slightly nervous as he leaned against his door. "I can't hear nothing," he sighed in relief and opened the door. "It looks to be a storage room for the kitchens. Nothing but plates and cups and cutlery. 

"So this is it," Harry said, leaning his ear against the door. 

"What do you hear?" Luna asked. 

Harry wasn't sure how to answer. "Em...I think it is whispering. But I can't be sure."

"That could be Sloane," Draco said, standing back. "Harry, you open the door. If we all enter together, with our wands raised, we might have a chance. It won't be expecting so many of us."

"OK," Harry nodded with his wand raised. "Everyone ready?"

"Are we ever?" Ron smirked, raising his own wand. "Let's do it."

Harry turned the handle and pushed the door open. It creaked slowly as he did. The room was in complete darkness. Hermione, like Sloane, made an orb with her wand and made it glow. Then she quickly duplicated it before sending them into the room to hover in the air bathing the room in a little light. It helped....slightly. They could see into the centre of the room but there didn't look to be anything there. 

Draco stepped forward, his heart pounding. He could feel ringing ears as the other followed him. They formed a circle, each standing shoulder to shoulder their wands raised in front of them, ready to attack when needed. But there was nothing there. 

"Everyone move to the left of the room," Harry said quietly as the group all stepped together. Two steps, and they were standing in the corner of the room. But there was no sign of Sloane. Actually, what could be heard was quite heavy breathing. And it wasn't coming from them. Nor was it Sloane. So they stepped again, this time forward to the other corner. But they saw nothing. 

Draco gave a frustrated, heavy sigh. And that's when he heard it. A small cry from the far corner. The one furthest away from the door. Of course, it would be. But Draco knew the voice. "Sloane?" He called out. 

Another sob could be heard. There was no mistaking it. "Dr....Dra..... D.... Draco?"

Draco went to move but was held back. "Stay together," Harry warned. 

"Everyone move this way," Hermione directed. "Towards the back left corner and the voice. Link arms and move together." So everyone linked their arms through the people on either side of them. They all began to move again. Four..... Eight..... Eleven long steps before the orb cast a glow on a small little bundle in the corner.