The Hollow Beneath Hogwarts

63. Help!

Sloane had made telling the right people sound incredibly easy.

Almost suspiciously easy.

As though all they had to do was walk into Professor McGonagall's office, explain that there were horrifying creatures living beneath Hogwarts, mention that said creatures had stolen a wand and were apparently learning how to use magic, and everything would magically become someone else's problem.

Unfortunately, reality wasn't quite so simple. Nobody was looking forward to this conversation. Nobody. Not Harry. Not Hermione. Not Ginny. Not Blaise.

Not even Draco. And Draco generally looked forward to most situations nowadays if Sloane happened to be standing next to him.

Sloane herself was trying to appear calm. Trying being the important word. Because although she knew this was the correct thing to do, she also knew two things with absolute certainty.

Professor McGonagall was going to be furious.

And her uncle? Her uncle was going to have what he lovingly referred to as a cow.

A complete and total cow. Possibly an entire herd.

The image almost made her smile. Almost. The anxiety won instead.

Breakfast that morning was unusually quiet.

Well...

Quiet for them.

The Great Hall itself was buzzing. Students chatted excitedly about weekend plans. Groups discussed trips to Hogsmeade. Several younger students were already arguing over sweets they hadn't even purchased yet.

The normal sounds of Hogwarts life surrounded them.

Meanwhile, at the counsellors' table, six teenagers and one very nervous redhead looked as though they were heading to their own executions.

Ron especially looked pale. Far paler than normal. His leg bounced relentlessly beneath the table.

Luna placed a hand on his knee. The movement immediately stopped. For about three seconds.

Then it started again.

Harry noticed. "You alright?"

"No." Ron stabbed his sausage viciously. "I have a feeling my mum is going to kill me."

"Probably."

"Thanks."

Harry nodded. "You're welcome."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You are not helping."

"I'm being supportive."

"You have a very strange definition of supportive."

Harry considered this. "That's fair too."

Across the table, Sloane was trying not to pick at her toast. Draco immediately noticed. Because Draco noticed everything when it came to Sloane. "Nervous?"

"No." Draco raised an eyebrow.

Sloane immediately sighed. "Fine."

"How nervous?"

She thought about it. Then held her thumb and finger about an inch apart. "This nervous."

Draco looked unimpressed. "Sloane."

She widened the gap.

 A little more than that."

"Try again."

Sloane stretched both arms apart dramatically. "This much."

"Better."

Blaise snorted into his tea.