Avoiding the End || Malfoy *discontinued*

12

12

The Great Hall was decorated with a vast amount of decorations by the twenty first of December. The tree had been placed in the corner of the hall standing tall and decorated with ornaments bigger than a car.  Strings of garland hung loosely connecting from branch to branch in a winter crisp color. Each table had a tablecloth of each of the house colors covered in small charmed snowflakes that lit up every time you touched the cloth. The sky of the Great Hall was enchanted beautifully with a white cloudy sky and snowflakes falling down delicately to the floor. I notice a first year Ravenclaw boy trying to catch the snowflakes with his mouth once he and his friends entered through the large wooden doors. One of his friends laughs at him saying,

"Malcolm you can't eat these snowflakes, they are charmed!"

I stood by myself in front of the Slytherin table taking in all my surroundings. Christmas never got old when it came to Hogwarts. Every year the decorations were different and never failed to awe me.

A small buzz sounds in my ear causing me to swat at the unknown creature. I hear a soft giggle before the snow-fairy flies straight in front of my face. It has baby blue skin and about the size of a pencil. It's wings resemble a snowflake and its face is perfectly sculpted with a large prominent nose. Its white eyes stare at me happily before it buzzes around me and occasionally picks up strands of my blonde hair. I let out a soft laugh as the snow-fairy flies off to bother other students.

I leave tomorrow for my uncle Vector's manor and I knew it would be a weird change since I had always spent Christmas alone at Hogwarts. I'm sure Draco was annoyed with me since I would not stop talking about the fact we finally get to spend Christmas together for the first time. I talked his ear off last night in the Common Room explaining why it would be odd waking up in the morning and not being at Hogwarts. Hogwarts was my Christmas, it was all I ever known since I started here.

I place my hands on the edge of the table, feeling the soft emerald fabric upon it. The charmed snowflakes twinkle at me, shining with such radiance. The palm of my hand prickles with every snowflake lighting up from underneath it. I furrow my eyebrows at the feeling.

"It's quite an odd feeling, is it not Miss. Beard?" I jump at the voice coming from beside me and let out a gasp retracting my hand. I hadn't noticed Professor Dumbledore step beside me watching me with curious eyes. His lips spread out into a grin staring at me through half-moon spectacles. "I'm sorry for startling you."

"No, no it is alright." I nervously laugh avoiding any eye contact. I had managed for three months to avoid Dumbledore until this very moment. I feel his eyes on me and I move under his gaze staring at the floor.

"May I speak with you in my office?" His voice sends chills down my spine. He knew something and it scared me. Did he know of Draco's task? Did he know of my lessons with Snape? Did he know of my nightmares that were influence by the Dark Lord? I knew I could not refuse so I followed Professor Dumbledore out of the Great Hall and over to the Headmaster's Tower. All these years I had never been inside the Headmaster's office and I was more than curious how to get up to it in my younger years.

The entrance was blocked by a Gargoyle on the third floor and once Dumbledore had mumbled a password it stepped aside revealing a spiral staircase leading up to what I guessed, was his office. He motions for me to lead first and we climb up the stairs. I was met with a wooden door and with permission I turned the brass knob opening it. I stared in awe at the sight in front of me.

It was a large circular room, full of odd noises. Silver instruments stood on a spindle-legged tables that were whirring around emitting puffs of oddly colored smoke. On the walls were a number of portraits  of old headmasters and headmistresses who looked curiously at me as I walked further into the room. Over by the end of the room was a claw-footed desk littered with paperwork and what looked like a burnt book. I take a seat at the front of the desk while Dumbledore walks around and takes a seat in front of me.