ALL NOVEL Chapter 72. Distain
“I’m sorry?” I asked, confused about how Luna phrased her words. She didn’t look at me, and began walking towards the castle as she spoke in her usual tone. “My things go missing from time to time… Nargles, clever little pranksters… Much like Doxys…” I frowned at her as I hurriedly caught up to her. “How often do they go missing?” Luna hummed as we entered inside the castle, clearing ourselves of the rain, I dried myself and her off, and she readjusted her hair behind her ears as she looked me over. “Are you losing things too…?”
I shook my head with a scowl. “Of course not!” She stared at me, silently watching me with her azure eyes. I sighed under her gaze, waving my hands to dismiss the topic, part of me boiling under the surface. ‘Nargles are fairy-tail creatures, they are doubted to even exist. No, someone is stealing them from her.’ My mind instantly flashed back to the girls snickering at Luna on our arrival at school this year. “Regardless, it’s getting late, perhaps you should search for your shoes in your dorm. Where I’m keeping the Acromantula is not barefoot friendly.”
Luna blinked a few times as she pondered, before nodding. “I suppose…” She then left towards her dorm. After she was a good distance away, I began following her. She headed for the Great Hall, and sat down at the Ravenclaw table. ‘She’s not looking for her shoes.’ I thought, my scowl deepening as I continued to look onward, some part of her knowing she wouldn’t find them. It wasn’t long before I saw a group of four girls situate themselves on the other end of the table from Luna. Their smiles reminded me of my own mask, as well as many of the Slytherin’s I had known in my house. The look of superiority, and mocking, hidden with thin veils of smiles and laughter.
I couldn’t make out what they were saying from this distance, what I did notice was Luna starkly jumping in her seat from time to time. I lowered myself, and squinted my eyes to see each of the girls taking time to stomp her bare feet with their heels. “Whoa! Is there an earthquake!?” Someone suddenly yelled close to me, waking me from my thoughts, and I quickly held my breath, easing my own magical power. The quaking paintings and potted plants rested still once again. I began slowly breathing, keeping my emotions in check as I stood back up looking at each of those girls with contempt. Their disgusting giggles and distorted smiles sickened my stomach.
Luckily, with my background, and having to learn of almost all pureblooded families, they were none of them, all muggle-borns. Watching them as they casually talked and laughed with one another while secretly abusing Luna filled me with nothing but malice. Words were words, they might sting if striking a sore spot, and I didn’t like Draco’s poisoned tongue with ‘mudblood’. However, he never did something like this. Perhaps that was because we were friends, and he knew I didn’t like physical bullying. Regardless, even with my distaste for calling words, I was not above it. However I drew a line with anything physical. I never once would want myself, or anyone I called a friend to do anything like those girls were doing… Until now.
I walked over to my spot at the Slytherin table, greeted by Draco. “Taking a break from those boring studies?” He joked, but upon seeing my expression, he turned serious. “What’s the matter?” I took a breath, silently pondering if I should really go through with this. I then glanced behind me, watching as Luna kept her head down in front of those girls, her blonde hair covering her face, only her forced grin remaining to be seen, her eyes hidden under her blond bangs. The sight caused the brass chalice in my hand to warp while my plate shuddered.
The table began shaking, and Draco gulped, knowing the source of it. He had seen Lucas upset a few times before. His magical energy leaking out, shaking what seemed to be the very earth under his wrath. Draco instinctively knew not to talk back to Lucas when he was in such a state, reminding him of his own father. Lucas looked back, his eyes bordering yellow as their green hue reflected the bright lights of the flying candles flaring above him. His eyes then descended down to a parchment of paper, and a quill was taken from his books.
He began scribbling down something as he spoke in a murmur. “I’m writing down four names… I don’t want to see them smile for at least a month… Take care of it…” He ordered, sliding the parchment over to Draco. Draco cleared his throat, the very first request he had gotten from Lucas in this topic. Really the first time Draco had seen Lucas do more than just use his words against anyone of lower standing. Draco had learned that Lucas was much more a wizard of action, he learned and worked hard to prove his higher stature, rather than place others down. It was something that Draco admired, and hoped to strive to. Seeing how well Lucas easily surpassed others, spoke volumes above his Draco's previous antics. However, this was completely opposite of Lucas' usual self, Draco stared at the names in confusion, wondering what they could have done to cause Lucas to ask this of him.
“I’ll… Take care of it.” Draco muttered with a nod. I nodded back, taking a stand from my seat. “See to it that you do. Feel free to do anything that doesn’t cause repercussions to yourself or others you are working with.” I said, glancing at Crabb and Goyle. Draco stammered, his thoughts having trouble forming themselves into words while he was under such confusion. “A- Y- Anything?” I nodded while walking away from the table, a heinous smirk of karma growing on my face. “Feel free to let loose.”
After I made it inside my room, I began placing my books and materials down on my desk. Collecting another Pepperup potion, and placing it inside my robes, clanking against other bottles I had at the ready. I sighed after falling into my chair, Val slithering out to his habitat. “What’s wrong?” He asked, innocently still unsure of what I asked Draco of doing. I took a deep breath, slight worry in the back of my mind, wondering if what I had done was the right decision. I had never been much like Draco, but seeing someone with the same love of magical creatures I possessed be ostracized was something I could not stand. I began organizing my things as I spoke, getting some food for Val. “There were some mean people attacking Luna.” “That’s horrible! Should I bite them?” Val quickly answered back, slithering from his container. I chuckled a bit at him, his candid words easing my mind as I shook my head. “No, that is what Draco is going to do. Snakes don’t attack head on, they lay in wait for the opportunity to strike. Draco knows how to do this best.”
Val chirped as he pondered my words, but I noticed something was missing from my things. I quickly glanced around, looking amongst my books, sorting each one out in my mind, still coming up one short. I was missing my dictionary of ancient Runes. “Did I leave it outside?” I gasped, worried that it may become ruined in the rain. “I’ll be right back!” I yelled to Val as I rushed out my door.
I quickly made my way back outside, and through the falling droplets of water, I ran towards the tree I was sitting under to fulfill my homework. I glanced around, but found nothing, and part of me began wondering if that group of girls perhaps stole my things as well. I was about to stomp my way over to Draco, asking him to let me help in making their lives hell for a month, but a sudden chill of frigid air ran down my spine. I gasped, seeing my own breath in front of me. I then heard whispers, the very same whispers I had heard before in the train.
I turned around, and saw the very same black cloak hovering only inches from the ground, as well as inches from myself. I gulped as it tilted its ‘head’ as best I could describe it, as it studied me. It continued to whisper the words of madness, the disquieted speech murmured through the rain induced humid air, making my skin crawl. It then slowly took its decrepit hand under its cloak, and slowly brought out the very book I was looking for. “Wh-” I muttered in astonishment, confused about what it was thinking. Only to be even more perplexed at its next actions.
The hooded figure bowed lower to the ground, as it held my book up above itself to me. It’s voice whispered into nothingness as it spoke, the rain itself freezing into hail around us. “You… Kept it safe for me…?” I asked, my head emptied from shock. It whispered, the words lost, but the feeling of affirmation remained. I slowly took the book, and the moment I did the being flew off without a sound, leaving me alone under the tree, the sound of rain pelting its many protective leaves above me.