The Night •G•E•M•

~chapter 64~

S I X T Y - F O U R

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FOR THE NEXT FEW days, Cassi avoided Theo whenever she could. It wasn't like she didn't wanted to be friends with him, but she knew that if she would become friends with him, in the end he was going to get hurt, and she couldn't stand hurting one more person. 

Draco wasn't telling her anything about his plan, no matter how hard she tried. Cassi was tired of telling him the same thing again and again but he didn't listen. And moreover Dumbledore wasn't anywhere to be seen in the castle. She constantly felt like she was going to blow up any second and the second she let herself loosen up, the sky was come crashing down on her. 

"What?" Daphne suddenly exclaimed. She was reading the Daily Prophet in the Great Hall. "What nonsense is this?" 

"What is it?" Blaise asked. 

"The ministry arrested Stan Shunpike." Daphne answered, her eyes still on the newspaper. "'Stanley Shunpike, conductor on the popular Wizarding conveyance the Knight Bus, has been arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. Mr. Shunpike, 21, was taken into custody late last night after a raid on his Clapham home . . .'"

"Stan Shunpike, a Death Eater?" said Draco scowling. "Have the ministry lost their mind?"

"It says here he was arrested after he was overheard talking about the Death Eaters' secret plans in a pub." said Daphne.

"It sounds like he was trying to make out he knew more than he did." commented Cassi for the first time. 

"I heard him in the Quidditch world cup," said Daphne. "claiming he was going to become the Minister of Magic to one of the veela. I don't know what they're playing at, taking Stan seriously?"

"They probably want to look as though they're doing something," said Cassi frowning. "People are terrified. Many parents want their children to go back home, one was picked last night."

"What!" said Daphne, goggling at Cassi. "But Hogwarts is safer than their homes, bound to be! We've got Aurors, and all those extra protective spells, and we've got Dumbledore!"

Draco snorted as Daphne said 'Dumbledore'. "Dumbledore, really? That crazy old man can no longer assure other's security. He doesn't stand a chance against the Dark Lord and the death eaters."

"And moreover he isn't even at Hogwarts most of the time." Blaise added. "Haven't you noticed? His seat has been empty this past week."

Daphne glanced up at staff table where Dumbledore's seat was empty. Cassi wanted talk to Dumbledore but he was rarely here. There was no one she could talk to, and Draco as stubborn as ever. If she let herself even relax for even second, she was afraid she was going to break down. Therefore, lately she had been trying to keep herself busy all the time. Even the nights weren't any good, nightmares would wake her up and the feeling of loneliness haunted her all the time. She stopped sleeping and would keep herself busy in her books as long she could.