I was about to turn to the kitchen to get to the Hufflepuff halls but was stopped by the commotion near the Gryffindor's room. I made my way up to the stairs, confused as I saw a picture shredded with creature-like claw marks. The prefects were trying to get everyone to move out of the way or back to their proper common rooms. I didn't leave, though. I wanted to see where this would go, primarily to Sirius Black.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" I heard Ron say from my left. He didn't sound too thrilled to see me.
"I heard the commotion and wanted to know what was happening. What happened?" I looked over another student's shoulder. I thought it had to be serious with these many people gathered here.
"The Fat Lady has gone missing," Harry answered my question. "By the looks of it, someone tried to break into Gryffindor tower as well."
"Perhaps it was you, Malfoy." Ron snuck in a quick stab at me.
I was about to speak just as Fred interrupted me, "Y/N was with me. No way she could be in two places at once." For someone who just called me heartless, he stood up for me in a way. The Headmaster came in and hushed everyone on the stairs with his presence.
He lightly grazed over the painting with his fingers. Dumbledore's expression was hard to read. I couldn't tell if he was concerned, thinking, or worried. Perhaps he was all of those emotions right now. But, Mr. Filch, he was scary enough on his own, turned and looked at the other paintings to find this ruined one's host. "Mr. Filch? Round up the ghosts. Tell them to search every painting in the castle to find the Fat Lady."
"There's no need for ghosts, Professor." He raised his grey-skinned finger and pointed up to another painting. "Fat Lady is there."
The students quickly rushed up the picture despite the prefect warning them to stay away. Finally, I stopped at the scratched painting, and Hermione stopped with me, "They look like wolf markings... Don't you think?" I ran my fingers on the engraved claw marks under the painting. "Do you think it's him?"
"Only one way to know." She motioned with her head to follow to listen to what the Fat Lady had to say about all of this. When we got up there, our question was answered.
"It's him, Headmaster. The one they all talk about. He's here, somewhere in the castle! Sirius Black!" The Fat Lady went back to sobbing in fear behind the painted hippo.
I looked at Hermione with an expression of fear and worry. Then my eyes shifted back down to the ripped picture, "No way did a man create creature markings like that." The image of what I interpreted as a younger version of Black flashed in my mind.
Harry turned around, hearing what I said. His expression was similar to mine in that it was almost like I looked in a mirror.
"Secure the castle, Mister Filch." Dumbledore's voice echoed to the rest of us near him, "The rest of you, to the Great Hall."
We all were ushered into one room for a night all together and accounted for. Hogwarts was under locked down at every entrance, window, and exit. It felt safe, but jarring to say the least. I prepped my sleeping bag on the floor and tucked a book under the pillow to read. I was next to Rina and our other dormmates, thankfully someone I knew and could talk to. I told her how Fred found me in the empty classroom and how he blatantly called me heartless, just like everyone else.
Rina aimed to cheer me up as she brushed her strawberry blonde hair to go to bed, "You aren't heartless, Y/N. I've met people way worse than you. They are-"
"Afraid of my family. I know...Thought being a Malfoy would have its perks." I sighed, dropping my head down to my lap.
"Fred still stood up for you, right? And Hermione seems to talk to you. I also assure you I don't find you heartless. I'm sure they don't either." Hargroff put away her brush then pulled out some last-minute Homework to finish before lights out.
"Draco, you throw that pillow at me, and it will be the last thing your hand ever holds." I saw my brother about to launch a pillow from the corner of my eye.
Before lights out, I asked to go to the lavatory and was told to be back in under five minutes by Professor Snape. There were still teachers in the halls, so it was okay to go a short distance. Upon leaving the lavatory, though, I ran into him again, "Stop following me, would you Weasley? It's becoming creepy."
Fred and George leaned on the wall outside of the Great Hall, holding an item. George elbowed his brother and did a glance at me. It was like he was trying to make Fred say something, "I realized what I said before wasn't the best of me. So you can call me a git or an ass. I know I deserve it."
A sigh of frustration escaped my lips as I crossed my arms across my chest, "You were right. People do think of me in the way you said." There was a silence between us for a moment till I broke it, "But I am sorry too. I'll aim to be less vicious in my actions further on."
That cocky grin came to his face again, "Ooh, a Malfoy apologizing? Someone must've placed a curse on you."
I shook my head but with a smile this time. "Haha, very funny. What do you two have there anyway?"
"Just some itching beetles. Planned to place them in a friend of our's sleeping bag." George motioned with his head towards the Great Hall full of students.
"That horrible!" I had a shocked expression on my face that then turned into a smile, "I hope it goes well."
"Y/N? You coming they are about to go lights out?" Rina leaned out into the hall and motioned for me to come in. I listened, and the three of us came in from the hallway. I went back to my sleeping bag, tucking down to fall asleep.
*~-~*
"Hush now, my baby, be still love. Don't cry. Sleep as you're rocked by my arms. Sleep and remember my last lullaby. So I'll be with you when you dream..."
I saw a woman holding a child. It was loud, but that song stood out. There was another figure there too. I couldn't quite make it out who it was. A quick flash of lightning revealed that it was that is the version of Sirius Black I keep seeing over and over again. I reached out to speak, but I was mute. No words were coming from my lips.
"Sirius, please, Sirius, be gentle for me. Such precious cargo you bear. Do you know somewhere they can be free? Sirius deliver them there." A loud crack came from behind me as I turned around to the loud noise. I scanned the room again, seeing another baby in the crib. I wanted to yell for them to grab the other child, but it was too late.
*~-~*
I woke up in a sweat. I didn't dare to move, though. Those images still were fresh in my mind, and I needed to process them. My thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Headmaster Dumbledore, "Not a single professor inside this castle would help Sirius Black to enter it. No, I'm quite convinced the castle is safe. And I'm more than willing to send the students back to their houses." His voice was getting further away from me, but I could still hear what Snape had to say next.
"What about Potter and the girl? Should they be warned?"
"Perhaps, but I don't think the girl knows anything yet. So, for now, let them sleep. For in dreams, we enter a world that's entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean. Or glide over the highest cloud."
