Empty Gold • d.meadowes

-09-

The pink artificial petals (which really were just pieces of parchment cleverly transfigured) circulated above her head like a halo as Dorcas walked down the corridors, hands stuffed in her pockets and her bag swinging by her elbows, a letter held loosely in her hand. Her frizzy hair danced around her, repeatedly falling on her face and clouding her vision, but she didn't bother to clip it up, for her hands were too comfortable in the woollen warmth of her coat.

Outside the castle, she could see the snow melting away in places, revealing grass that had started to grow early in the season, and several students were outside, running around, trying to make use of the remaining winter. Dorcas wished she could go and join them, but the humongous amount of studies that she had to do kept her from enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

When she was only about one corridor away from the library, someone placed a hand on her shoulder behind her to stop her. She jumped slightly, and turned around. A Slytherin from her year stood before her, brows furrowed as he stared up at the floating petals above her head. "Yes? Can I help you?" she asked. The petals faltered in their track for a moment, before dropping limply to the ground, her concentration having been interrupted.

"How are you doing that?" he demanded in a tone that would have made Silver or Maeve punch him in the face. But Dorcas merely smiled and said, bringing a mysterious tone to her voice, "Magic."

He scowled in annoyance. "How are you so good at wandless and nonverbal magic?" he asked, rather impatiently. Dorcas shrugged.

"I don't know, it's a natural talent, I guess."

He kept scrutinising her thoughtfully, as though trying to figure something out. A small frown crept up to her face as she realised that something was wrong, but before she could open her mouth, someone arrived and stood before her.

"What's happening?" Leigh demanded at the Slytherin, whose eyes snapped to look at him. He sneered.

"Nothing," he stated curtly and turned on his heels to leave.

"Well, that was odd," Dorcas said nonchalantly, looking up at the younger boy with an amused smile on her face. "And look at you, Leigh. Protecting me like an older brother."

He grinned at her, before his eyes dropped down to her bag. "Are you going to library? I wanted to talk to you."

She shrugged. "Oh, I think homework can wait. Let's go."

She held him by the arm and guided him away from the intersection that led to the library. The corridors were mysteriously deserted, and she presumed it was due to the students trying to enjoy the comfortable weather out in the grounds – not too cold, and not too hot. They came upon a wide balcony on the third floor, and went up to the edge, placing their hands on the railing and looking outside.

"What was he asking you?" Leigh asked as soon as they had stopped. Dorcas let out a laugh.

"Stop being so skeptical, Leigh. He was just asking me how I was able to make the petals float without using my wand."

"And you told him?" he exclaimed, sounding like he couldn't fathom why anyone would want to converse with a Slytherin.

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked in surprise. "He asked me –"

"He's a Slytherin!" he turned to her. "You can't trust him."

She rolled her eyes. "It's just wandless magic, what's there to hide about it?"

"Dorcas," he said in frustration, sounding much like a parent trying to convince a stubborn child. "Don't you see what's going on around us? He may as well be a death eater, we can't trust him."