Perfect Illusions (Drastoria)

Chapter Four - Imminent

Chapter Four: Imminent

"Mr. Filch, would you please escort Miss Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin house out of the Great Hall, please." Professor McGongall said.

"Where exactly will I be leading them to, ma'am?"

"The dungeons should do."

Filch motioned to all of us, and we followed. Flora grabbed my hand and held it tightly. Hestia was on the other side of Flora, holding on to her other hand.

"You know what's coming, right?" Hestia said, "Since Harry Potter is back at Hogwarts, the Dark Lord will surely come here to try and kill him. And he's gonna tear apart this whole castle trying to find him."

Neither Flora or I said anything because we knew Hestia was right.

I kept looking around for Draco. I couldn't see him anywhere. I was worried he had slipped off to fight with the Death Eaters against Harry Potter and his protectors, like Hestia had said. But I hoped with all I had that he didn't. He could very easily be killed. Someone could cast a curse and he would be cut open, and... I couldn't bear to think about it. I loved Draco. And I hadn't truly been able to tell him how much. We were nearing the dungeons now, and I could hear-and feel-something like stomping feet, but it was shaking the floor beneath me. As we passed a window, I could see what looked like stone guards marching out towards the bridge beyond the castle. As I looked up, I could see orbs of blue light shooting up towards the sky and starting to create a dome-like shield around the top of the castle. This was serious.

My view of the window was then blocked by Professor Carrow passing by us quickly. Flora let go of our hands and stepped quickly up.

"Professor Carrow-"

He didn't turn around. Flora picked up her pace and called his name again. By the time she had caught up with him and pulled on his sleeve, I started to call out to her. Then suddenly he turned and pulled his wand quickly with a look of rage on his face. A flash of bright green light shot out of his wand and straight into Flora's chest. She crumpled to the ground. Professor Carrow turned and kept walking, like nothing had gone wrong.

It took me a few seconds to register what just happened. I ran to Flora's seemingly lifeless body and looked at her in shock while Hestia checked her pulse. Then she put her ear down on Flora's chest to listen for a heartbeat, all the while saying Flora's name, trying to call out to her. Hestia's body shook and tears fell on her sister's face. Students had gathered around us and were murmuring to each other. I was still staring in shock, wide-eyed. Finally, Hestia and I carefully picked up Flora's body, and we all descended the steps to the dungeon. Once we were inside, Hestia and I carried Flora to the furthest darkest corner. Filch took one last, slightly sympathetic look at Hestia and I. Then he shut the door and stood, guarding the dungeon, on the outside.

I looked down at Flora. My friend, killed by a Death Eater. Just like April. I could taste the bitter irony of it. I stroked her hair and cried harder than I had in years. Hestia sat against the wall, looking white as a ghost. I looked across the room to find that most of Slytherin house was looking at me. I tried again to find Draco, and finally I saw his grey eyes. He was staring at me, his face expressionless. My vision blurred from tears again, and I crossed my legs, crossed my arms on top of them, and leaned over and buried my head in my arms, curling up in a ball. I cried until I either had no more tears or became too exhausted. Then I sat up, wiped my eyes with my hands, took off my robe, and laid it across the upper part of Flora's body, covering her face all the way to her knees. Suddenly I heard, "He's gone." from somewhere in the crowd. Everyone looked to the door, where there was no Filch to be found. Beside me, Hestia blinked a couple times and looked up with swollen eyes.