Silence is Deafening

Chapter 24

June.

I stopped noticing the days as they ran together. I was constantly with Draco, whether it be working on the cabinet in the Room of Requirement or scavenging the library for books to help us.

I was exhausted most of the time. I found myself falling asleep during assignments and barely keeping my eyes open during class. I was trying desperately not to think about the results of the O.W.L.S I had just taken. There was so much on my mind.

Draco was beside himself with anxiety. Everything he spoke about was the cabinet. He hardly let me close my eyes for a second when we were working on it.

"Elizabeth! Wake up. Fuck! We need to finish this." He snapped at me one evening. It was early, just past 7 in the evening on the 30th of June. I was leaning against the wall of the Room of Requirement, my eyes heavy and shutting. Draco was in front of me, his face contorted in anger.

"'M sorry, Draco. Can't we finish tomorrow? We've barely slept all week." I whined, automatically knowing it wasn't a good idea.

Draco looked at me like I had just suggested the murder of his entire family.

"Finish tomor- are you mad? NO! We're finishing today, God dammit." Draco seethed, causing my eyes to snap open. I knew that voice, and I knew not to push it. I straightened up, pointing my wand at the cabinet.

"Harmonia Nectere Passus." I said in unison with Draco, watching light pour out of both of our wands.

I shot a quick glance at him and noticed how stressed he seemed. His hair was styled neatly out of his face, but that was the only neat thing about him. His eyes seemed to sink into his head with sleep deprivation. He wore a black collared shirt that looked ruffled and unruly. He was sweating, and I genuinely didn't understand why he felt the need to dress so warmly in June. I knew better than to ask.

"Draco...what happens when it's done?" I asked tentatively. I had tried to refrain from asking him too much about the cabinet, mostly due to the fact that he would probably try to kill me. He had been very clear that he didn't want to answer questions.

His chin tilted downward as he was thinking. A vaguely scared look crossed over his face, but he masked it almost immediately.

"When it's done...I need to transport things here. Into Hogwarts." He answered.

"Things?" I prompted, pushing my luck.

"Things that I need. Things that will help me...achieve a goal." He said quickly. I nodded as if his answer was enough.

"S-so...will you write me over the summer?" I asked casually, my heart tugging. Draco turned to look at me now, a look of disappointment on his face.

"I'll...try, Clarke. This summer is going to be...very different for me." he said. I looked at him with a look of confusion, but he just shook his head. He turned back to the cabinet, muttering the spell. I noticed that his wand shook slightly in his hand.

Suddenly, there was a change.

The cabinet began to groan. It was almost as if it was alive, and there was a person trapped inside. The doors flung open quickly, revealing no one to be inside. There was a jet of red light that shot out from the inside, narrowly missing my head. Draco grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him as we both stared in shock at the cabinet.

For a moment, we were silent. Draco's grip on my arm was painfully tight. Then, he began to laugh.

His laugh scared me. It sounded half mad as he cackled, breathlessly. He looked around with wide and unfocused eyes.