Where Do We Go From Here?

The Feeling Of Dread

Harry came to St. Mungo's the next morning, checking in with the Healers to visit Draco in the Janus Thickey ward. He walked down the silent hallway, approaching the door. He opened it to see Draco crying, Seamus comforting him, holding him as he wept.

Harry ran over, sitting on the bed in front of them both. "What happened?! Why are you crying???" He looked at Seamus with wide eyes.

Seamus sighed heavily. "They did the tests, they didn't find anything that could help." He rubbed Draco's back, holding back his own tears as he felt Draco tremble and sob.

Harry looked at Draco with a sorrowful expression. "When did they tell you this?" He held his hand, moving closer.

Draco lifted his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. "A few minutes a-ago, said there was nothing they could do!"

Harry felt his heart ache. "There's still hope! We can try the curse, maybe I can fix this!"

Draco's eyes hardened. "If you used the Cruciatus Curse on me you could kill me! They said I'll eventually lose all ability to use magic and then...and then...I'll die." His voice faded away, sobbing.

Seamus looked at Harry, shaking his head. "Let's take you home Draco...there's no reason to stay here."

Harry wiped a tear from his face before Draco saw him cry. "Common Draco, let's get out of here, we'll talk more when we get home."

Draco ripped himself from Seamus and Harry's arms, storming outside the hallway.

Seamus looked at Harry. "Please talk to him, we can't just let him-"

"I know...I know." Harry let out a painful breath, feeling like he was losing everything within that moment. "Let's get him home first." He stood to his feet, taking Seamus's hand.

Seamus and Harry walked out into the hallway, dread washing over them when Draco was gone...

Seamus and Harry looked at each other, both of them bolting down the hallway.

...One hour later.....

The entire hospital of St. Mungo's searched the building, coming up empty. Draco was gone...

★★★★

Narcissa walked around the outer walls of her cell, pacing loudly as the shackles scraped and shook against the broken stone ground. The rain poured down outside around the grounds of Azkaban, snapping cracks of thunder boomed in the air as the rain came down sideways.

Narcissa looked out the window as she started hearing screaming and shouting from various guards and cell mates, unable to pinpoint where the distress was coming from.

Many days spent in captivity with only 1 small window to look out of was torture for Narcissa, no pleasantries or tea time, no fancy parties or expensive attire to wear...just 4 crumbling walls and broken pieces of stone floor.

An argument broke out a few doors down...shouting and screaming becoming louder...

Narcissa walked forward as far as her restraints would let her, looking out of the tiny slot in the middle of the door. That sounds like...impossible!!! She strained even further to get a better view from the slot.