Short Change Hero

Chapter 36: Rolling the Blank Dice

Chapter Thirty-Six

Rolling the Blank Dice

"Hand's in the fire,
And it's keeping me warm,

Yes, all that I've ever known,

Head, underwater,
When I'm trying to be yours,
But there's something I can't control,

I'm rolling blank dice,
Blank dice no more, no more,

They're rolling eyes, blank eyes..."

Blank Dice by Flawes

Sunday December 1st, 1996

In the hallway close to the Slytherin Commons, late in the evening

Pansy could feel a light tingle pulsing in her fingertips while she continued to walk down the dark hallway. Taking a deep breath, she paused looking around her towards the sleeping paintings before blinking a few times. Lifting her left arm upwards she couldn't help but look at her sleeve button that had come undone.

'Stupid...' Pansy thought to herself as she went to slip the button back into the hole but was stopped as she saw the faint stipe of faded and jagged pink flesh. Tilting her head to her right, Pansy brough her right hand upwards to push her sleeve back so that she could see the full scar. Tracing her fingers along the mark she wondered if it would always be there or if maybe over time it would fade.

Scoffing at the thought, she yanked down her sleeve and proceeded to slip the button back into place. Lifting her wand from her pocket she lit her path before her and tucked her hair behind her left ear just when she was about to round a corner, she froze just as she heard the familiar voices speaking pointed and in hushed tones.

At first, she couldn't hear the words but knew she needed to hide. Looking to her right she waved out her light and headed towards a stone column. Once tucked behind the nook, she looked down at the half empty glass in hand.

Scrunching her brows, Pansy exhaled shakily. 'Where'd this drink come from?'

The voices picked up again into hissing whispers as she listened.

"A note?" the voice growled. "You wrote that down on a note?"

Something seemed off, she shook her head right as before an abrupt noise sounded from inside the room signaling either something fell or was kicked in a fit of anger. The sound made her jump as she rested her hand over her mouth in order to keep silent. Each motion she made seemed familiar to her.

"I'm trying to understand the logic in this," the voice continued, "It reads, 'Theo, we got the liquid luck. Is there anything else we can do to help your task with the Dark Lord?'... Honestly, are the both of you that thick?"

Every inch of her froze and her breathing stopped. 'No... There was no way he was back here in the castle. This has to be a dream.'

Theo's voice continued in a familiar tone. Everything had its place and every word had its moment.

"I'll take care of Malfoy, you two need to worry about the other thing we discussed last time, understand?" He continued talking.

Closing her eyes, other than the harsh whispers the only thing Pansy could hear was her uneven breaths which were dulled by her hand. The realization hit her... this was about that night. Halloween.

'It's a dream... You need to wake up...' she thought to herself in a hum as she felt that tingling in her finger-tips again.

Another loud sound made her jump, tightening her hand across her mouth and scrunching her eyes. Then there was a loud thudding pair of footsteps that started in her direction as well as a softer pair that seemed to echo more. Once the sounds grew loud enough, she knew they were right next to her as she pushed her back into the wall behind her.