the hermit (the chariot pt2)

5

It took him slightly longer than usual to reach the ground floor, as the stairs had decided to separate and transport him to an alternative corridor thus making his trip more time consuming but welcome. As he neared the Dungeons, his stomach seized on him once again.

He knew deep down that his nightmare had only just begun.

As soon as he walked through the entrance of the Slytherin house, Pansy grabbed his arm.

'Where have you been?' she was almost squealing. ' You keep disappearing! I need your help. Hello? You are a Prefect you know? Even though that seems to have slipped your mind recently.' She glared at him for a moment. ' You have to give me a hand with the kids. It's a madhouse in here.'

Draco surveyed his surroundings. There was a lot of high-pitched conversation floating around, lots of dirty looks and finger pointing. Yes, all right, it slightly resembled a 'mad house'. He knew that just because he was feeling miserable, life around him wouldn't stop. Unfortunately.

'Some of them are convinced that the Dark Lord,' Pansy continued and Draco fought to keep his snarl from appearing - ' is going to break into Hogwarts and recruit them, and the other half are just plain scared saying they don't want to die like Potter.'

'Potter isn't going to die,' Draco said in a quick thinking toneless sort of a voice.

' I know that, he never does,' Pansy said offhandedly and Draco felt like ripping her hair out.' But, really, I wish you would talk to some of them. Professor Snape is locked away in his office. He said he is only to be disturbed if there is a great emergency.'

Draco puffed out his cheeks. Pansy had begun to take her Prefect duties so seriously this year. She was feeling all important and responsible. Draco had never really cared for being a Prefect other than to be able to order people around and annoy the other houses with his given status.

'What?' he asked. 'What do you want me to do?'

She wore an exultant smile and tittered at him before adopting her Prefect face again.

'Calm that little kid who is sinking into that armchair.' She pointed to a small boy with a dark mop of hair who was indeed sinking into the large armchair near the wall. 'He says that his mum doesn't support the Dark Lord and he is afraid he will get beat up if he doesn't join in all the celebrations that some of the kids are having.'

Celebrations? People were so sick. Sick like you, the little voice in his head reminded him. He remembered rejoicing a few times at the mention of Voldemort's rising.

'Fine,' he muttered and ignored the wide smile that Pansy bestowed his retreating back.

He went over to the small boy and said hello and asked for his name. He had no idea what half of the kids in his house were called. He supposed as a Prefect he should know details like that, but he hadn't bothered with particulars such as these before. The first year boy was called Cassidy Lister and stared up at Draco with big brown eyes that looked at him unwaveringly and slightly suspicious.

It took a while to cajole the rather stoic boy into talking. After a few minutes of idle chatter, Draco suggested leaving the common room and taking a walk to do some (made-up) Prefect duties. Cassidy agreed and quickly pushed himself out of his warm indented spot in the chair and followed Draco out of the room.

Once the boy started to warm somewhat towards him, he asked a barrage of questions. Whilst talking, Draco led him into the library and asked Cassidy to help him sort out a few books in the trolley. He had no idea what he was doing, but the small boy didn't question why – so they talked and sorted out books in subject order; he just hoped Madam Pince did not notice them. Once that was done, they left the library and Draco indicated for Cassidy to join him on a bench near the wall.