Lumos

17| It's Dark Inside

"The Vanishing Cabinet," he said, pulling down the cover that had been strewn over the triangular box, "it's meaning is right there in the name."

"It makes things disappear," I took a few step back, batting my hand at the dust particles making their way into my esophagus.

"But," he said, pulling open the door with his slender fingers, "when things disappear, where do they go?"

"Heaven?"

"No, you dimwit," he said with a scowl, "I mean where do they go on earth? Things don't just disappear."

I stared into the depths of the box. "Things come back dead. . ." I said, softly. "Your mother has the other one, am I right? Are you sending things back and forth?"

"It works as a portal, Steele," he said, pulling out his wand. Swishing it over his palm, an apple shot out from nowhere, landing in his hand. He placed it in the Vanishing Cabinet, shutting the door. A few moments later, he opened it up.

Empty.

"It's gone," I stated the obvious. "Does your mother have it-oh."

Borgin and Burkes. The second cabinet.

Draco shut the door again, muttering something under his breath. When he opened it again, the apple sat there, whole.

"I was expecting it to be rotten or something," I said, reaching forward to pick it up. My finger brushed something wet. I turned the green apple around, only to see that there was a huge whole in the side where a bite had been take out. I let the apple drop to the floor, wiping my hand on my robes. The apple rolled, stopping against Malfoy's polished shoes.

"Borgin and Burkes to here," Draco said, reaching down to pick it up. "It forms a straight tunnel. It's the only way to get in and out of-"

"In and out of Hogwarts," I completed in a low whisper.

Draco Malfoy was opening up an entrance for Voldemort.

"I have to," Draco said almost weakly, shutting the doors. "I have no choice."

"But you do have a choice," I said, almost losing my calm attitude towards him. "Anyone can see that you do. You're safe at Hogwarts. No one can apparate in or out and you know that-"

"You don't understand, Elvira." He slammed his fist against the door, making me jump a bit. "What happens when I have to go home? What will I do if he finds a way in using someone else like those dimwits Crabbe and Goyle? What do I do then? He will kill me. To be honest, I don't care if I'm the one he kills. My mother . . ." He pressed his fist between his ribs, taking in a deep breath, eyes closed. He opened them. "You said you wanted to help me."

"I will help you."

"Then don't say this to anyone. Even Dumbledore can't protect us now. He's strong, but Voldemort is getting stronger."

"No one is stronger than Dumbledore," I scowled. "You have a choice, and I hope you make the right decision. I expect better of you, Draco."

"Dumbledore won't be around long enough to protect us," Draco said under his breath, and I frowned.

"And how are you supposed to know that? You can't just sneak up on Dumbledore. The person that tried to poison the mead and curse the necklace to kill Dumbledore clearly didn't think what he was doing through