After All These Years

Chapter 6

Everything was so quiet, with just the sound of my shoes hitting the ground echoing throughout the morning halls. As I made my way to the great hall, there were only a few students from each house eating, most of them were just quidditch players who I assumed trained early in the morning, and there was Tom, writing away in his journal. The memory of my ruined book comes to mind. The nerve. I go to sit farther away from him.  I glance up, seeing him watching me as I sit. I glare back at him, wanting to show my annoyance. I begin my breakfast from there.

As I get bored of my meal a couple minutes later, I look up again to see Tom standing from his seat, beginning to walk out. Taking a glance at my stopwatch, I have more than enough time to spare. This is the only right time to confront him about my book. I got up quickly just as he left through the wide open doors.

As I exited through the doors, I looked to my left to see Tom far down the hallway just before he took a sharp right turn. If my directions aren't mistaken, he seemed to have just gone into the ladies' lavatory. Why there? I'm afraid of any given answer I might have for that. My curiosity got the best of me and I went to follow him.

 quietly ran through the hall and into the girls washroom. Tom wasn't anywhere in sight but the sinks looked completely odd. They all looked like they had been slightly pushed away from one another, and one of which was completely missing, leaving an opening to a huge hole in the floor. Cautiously I leaned in, trying to see an end to the hole but it was too dark.

Just then, the sinks began to slowly drag back into place, pushing me in the hole just as I was about to back out. I instantly dropped my books as I fell through this dark hole.

As I landed roughly, my books reaching the ground soon after I did, I let myself lay there for a minute, regaining my energy. Where did I just go? Where am I?  What is this?

When I felt strong enough to finally stand up, my whole body ached with every step I took. I decided to leave my things on the ground, promising to come back for it when I find a way out of this place. I walked through the only pathway in this dark place, leading me to this weird sort of room with odd looking snake statues in water, surrounding a big pathway leading up to nothing.

As I walked in, I noticed Tom far ahead with his back towards me. "Tom?" I said confused, struggling to walk towards him. He quickly turned towards me, his eyes wide with confusion. "What are you doing here?"                 "I-I don't know. I followed you because I wanted to talk to you about something and I somehow ended up here. What is this?"  I quickly said all at once.  He stared at me annoyed, looked up and rubbed his face while saying-  "Why did you follow me? Why would you follow me? Were you really that bored or are you just stupid?"

I didn't know how to respond, I was too embarrassed to say anything, instead I just looked down at the ground.  "I'm sorry. I just needed to talk with you. I won't tell anyone about this place, I promise."   He looked me up and down, continuing to walk towards me as I walked closer to him, then slowly took out his wand while saying-  "What makes you think I can trust you? You know I can't. I know you. I know how you act, you can't keep a secret that's for certain." 

"Just hold still for a moment so I can make sure you won't blabber this off to anyone." He walked closer to me, his wand pointed straight at me. I know the can't be good. He's going to do something bad.   

"No, no, no Tom stop, I swear I won't tell anyone, don't do this. Tom please, I promise I won't say a word. Please, I swear." I desperately said, shaking as I slowly backed away from him.  

"Don't move."  I continued to back away from him, ignoring his request as he began to walk closer.  Why is he doing this.  I didn't think he would be this extreme about something like this. He whispers something just before he reaches his hand out to grab me. On instinct, I push his hand away, causing me to lose balance and fall into the water behind me. I fell deep in, my back hitting the bottom. I kicked hard to the surface, desperately trying to stay afloat for air, but my aching legs only made it harder.

Tom watched me from the edge, from what I thought I saw, he looked annoyed.     "Help!"   I yelled between gasps as I grew more and more exhausted.  Tom knelt down on the edge on the path, staring down at me.   "Tom pleas-!"  I desperately said just before my head sunk back into the water. I tried to call out for help again but instead I inhaled a large amount of water.

My body was much too sore, too tired to try to kick to the surface, so I sank to the bottom, motionless. I felt so ashamed of myself, was this really all it took?  Fear overwhelmed me as I slowly drifted away from reality until my eyes finally closed shut just as I took one more breath.