Keys To My Heart {G. WEASLEY}

(Chapter 31) Comforting Friends

Summer was creeping over the grounds of the castle, the sky and lakes had turned a periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages had bloomed in the greenhouses. But it didn't look right, without Hazel, Hagrid, and Dumbledore.

When I had heard the news of Hagrid being taken by the Ministry it was honestly shocking, and with Dumbledore also removed as Headmaster it was devastating for most people. With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread like never before. Even the Weasley twins had stopped pulling pranks and laughing, but they have been good friends and had tried to cheer me up.

"Hey, Lucinda," Fred and George said in unison, not a smile were on their faces, but they still had that mischievous aura around them. "Want to go raid the kitchens with us? Or ransack Filch's office?"

I shook my head and declined politely, "No, I'm not in the mood for food, but thanks for the offer." 

. . . . .   

I had tried everything to visit Hazel, but visitors were now barred from the Hospital Wing.

"We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey told me firmly through a crack in the door. "I'm sorry, dear, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off..."

"Poppy," I frowned sadly. "Then can you at least give Hazel this?" I took a keychain necklace out from my pocket, the key that unlocks the diary but I didn't need it anymore since I removed the lock. "It's not cursed or anything, I just want to give it to her as a sorry gift,"

She looked hesitantly at the necklace, she'd seen me wear it before. She then carefully reached out and took the necklace away with a nod. "Off you go, be safe in the corridors."

. . . . . 

However, as I thought everyone was terrified and cautious, there was one person who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the situation. Draco Malfoy. He would strut around the school as if he'd just been appointed Head Boy.

I hadn't realized that he was actually pleased about it until one Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid have left, I thought he was only pretending to be courageous.

I had sat at a table with Pansy and Millicent, they had invited me to join them in every class we had ever since Hazel got petrified. I was thankful that they let me sit with them, such good friends they are.

My peaceful mood suddenly changed when Malfoy started gloating loudly to Crabbe and Goyle as if no one would mind their conversation.

"I always thought that father would be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in..."

I continued chopping the mint sprigs and ignored what he'd said, it was none of my business.

"Sir," said Malfoy loudly when Snape had passed by Harry's cauldron. "Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"

I gritted my teeth and continued chopping, now carelessly on how I moved my knife.

"Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, he suppressed a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."

'Dumbledore better be back', I thought to myself as I carelessly chopped up more mint sprigs, then throwing them in the bubbling potions, which caught Pansy and Millicent by surprise, but they continued stirring and reading the instructions.