The Slytherin prince

Chapter 50: Morbid dreams

Hogwarts was an even bigger nightmare than expected. On our way there, the train was stopped in the middle of the highlands. Death eaters invaded every compartment to search for Harry potter, who had fled with Hermione and Ron. there were rumours, but I didn't dare to give them any attention. School was a new form of torture itself. All of the classes were thought by some sketchy darkling who knows nothing of the subject, saying all kinds of racist and sexist things. Especially the Gryffindors had a difficult time to keep their mouths shut. If you even dare to look the wrong way at a professor you would be punished by the cruciatos curse. The murder of Dumbledore was labelled as a tragic accident. Snape had become the headmaster ever since. Going outside? You are watched. Too late for diner? No diner at all. Talking during classes? Cruciatos curse for 15 seconds. 15 seconds doesn't seem much, but if every cell in your body is crying and begging for it to stop, 15 seconds is a lifetime. No one really came out of the common rooms anymore. It was the only free and safe place left. From time to time I snuck out of the castle to read and calm myself at my favourite spot under the three by the lake. I had been suffering from terrible nightmares. I had moved my bed closer to Anna's, so if I had a nightmare she could wake me up and comfort me. I know she had it difficult too, but yet she was always the one who helped. Months crawled by. The only challenge of the days were to survive. For the first time in years, I was actually looking forwards to go home on Christmas break. Unfortunately my parents announced to me that I had to stay with the Malfoys if I wanted to go home. Stupid to stay that I declined. There was no place I hated more than that haunted mansion. I was afraid of everything there. The dark, the people, the big icy rooms.

"I can stay too, if you want." Anna offered. I knew how she hated the place. "Or you can come to mine." A long silence followed. The moment we left her house for school, Death eaters poisoned it with their presence.

"No, I don't want to be near that place." I sighed. I wanted to be nowhere, just under my tree, alone.

"I will write you, all right? Draco is staying too, you won't be alone." She tried to comfort me. I knew she had to go home and really didn't want to spend another minute here. I would miss her these upcoming weeks.

"All right." I gave her a hug and pushed her towards the door. "Don't say hi from me." She laughed, a little too harsh at my silly attempt.

"Bye." She left. They following days were cold and grey. It seemed like we were not going to get blessed from the weather gods with snow on Christmas eve this year. Yeah well, I don't care about Christmas anyway. The void inside myself grew bigger and bigger with every lonely day that passed. Even though Draco and I had spent the summer together, we weren't that close anymore. In fact, we had stopped talking after we got back at school. I finished the book that I was reading over and over again, again. It gave me some kind of comfort. I placed it on my nightstand for me to pick it up again in the morning. It was dark outside, Probably around midnight. I had become very good at reading the stars and the moon from behind my little window. Today, for instance, they showed me that it was late, very late and that I was tired an lonely.

"I am thankful that you show up every evening." I smiled while looking outside my window. "These days, you are my only friend. The only friendly face I get to see." I rested my forehead against the glass. "Goodnight moon." I closed my eyes, a single tear rolling from the corner of my eye. It had become a ritual. Saying thanks and shedding a single tear. I tucked myself in and convinced myself that this night was going to be a good one. With lots of good happy dreams.

It was very cold, everything around me was white and frosty. It had been snowing for days and the food stock was getting slimmer and slimmer. I was worrying that I wouldn't make it out of this winter alive. Somebody knocked the big wooden door of my little cabinet. I was confused, but glad to see somebody after all these days. Maybe they needed help. I stood up and ran towards the door. The moment I grabbed the handle, time stood still and the air felt even colder than before. This was strange. On the other side of the door I heard a heartbeat at a non-human speed with stoking breath. I backed away immediately. What the hell. "Who is there?" I tried to sound as casual as possible, not showing that I was terrified.

"Open the door please, I am wounded." The voice was crispy and so familiar. of course they were hurt. I ran towards the door and opened it without hesitation. The cold gust of winter wind cutting through my flesh. I saw Draco, his yes dull and the light in it extinguished. His face was covered in blood and all the signs of life were gone. it was just his head, no body, just his head. his head was held by his blond hair by a man more terrifying than anything I've ever seen. Voldemort placed a single knock on my door while holding Draco's cut-off head in his hands. The monsters eyes were red and his mouth dripped of blood. He did this, showing me his creation. I saw myself in the cabinet grabbing for the doorhandle. I knew this was the moment I would die.