Light in the Darkness

Chapter 56

Adelaide and Draco began briskly walking to class, they realized they were probably going to be late. As they were heading up a staircase, it began to shift.

Draco cursed under his breath and Adelaide groaned, "Oh great we're definitely going to be late now." They decided to go up to the corridor that the staircase led up to and try to find their way back to the next staircase that led to the right floor. It was incredibly dark and ominous in the hall, it didn't seem as though anyone would be up there.

Adelaide put her hand across Draco's chest, stopping them in their tracks. She realized what floor they were on. It was the floor with the dark artifacts that no one was allowed on. He looked at her strangely as she gripped his hand tightly, but it was too late. She was looking in horror at the floor next to her. He saw himself on the ground covered in blood, almost dead, being struck repeatedly by the snake from her nightmares. His sleeves were rolled up and the Dark Mark was imprinted into his left wrist.

Adelaide began shaking, "N-no, no no Draco!" but blood still poured out of his wounds through his dress shirt and onto the floor, he occasionally would let out a pained groan as the snake bit him. She stood there, frozen, her heart beating wildly.

Draco snapped out of his shock, realizing what the image was. He stepped in front of it in attempt to protect her, but he regretted it instantly as the image swirled into his father sneering, "You're useless and an embarrassment to this family. Your own mother can barely stand the sight of you, do you really think that she could ever love a monster like you?" as his father smirked cruelly at him, he fumbled for his wand yelling, "Ridikulus! Ridikulus! Ridikulus!" until finally his father was turned into a white ferret. He quickly grabbed her arm before it could change back and dragged her out of the corridor.

The both of them slumped down in the hallway onto the floor, catching their breath. Adelaide was sobbing uncontrollably and Draco was still stunned about what had happened. Just then, Filch came strolling up with a huge smile on his face, "I see you've tried to sneak into the third floor, eh? How'd you like the boggart?" he laughed manically before grabbing both Draco's and Adelaide's arm and dragging them into their Defense Against the Dark Arts Class. Draco was struggling against his grip seething, "How dare you lay your hands on a pureblood witch you filthy squib!"

The entire class turned around at Draco's livid snarls to see the two in the grip of Filch. He boasted to Professor Umbridge, who looked horrified by the sudden intrusion, "I found these two snooping around in the third floor corridor. The boggart definitely got this one." he motioned towards Adelaide who still had tears staining her face.

Professor Umbridge sternly yelled, "I told them to go down there Filch! Let them go. Now."

Filch's mouth opened in shock as he angrily released the two. Draco dragged Adelaide behind him, putting himself between her and Filch before giving him a deadly sneer and straightening out his robes.

Draco broke his gaze to look at a Hufflepuff who was still staring at them and yelled, "What are you looking at?" everyone in the class quickly whipped their heads back to the front, not wanting to get in the way of Draco's wrath.

They both quickly sat down, their faces growing red. Professor Umbridge continued her lecture as if nothing happened and didn't even bring it up after class. It was as though it never even happened.

Adelaide and Draco didn't know why she covered for them because any one else would've immediately gotten detention for being late and being on the forbidden floor, but they decided to just be grateful and not push their luck.

Adelaide quickly got up and began to leave, not waiting for Draco. He quickly ran out after her, "Wait Addie! Stop, stop." he grabbed her arm and whipped her around. She looked down at the floor, too embarrassed to make eye contact with him. "Are you ok?"