Beyond The Mirrors edge

Chapter 2

Final exams came and went with no sign of the missing boy. The small wooden box with the life-death dial was mounted on the wall outside of the Charms classroom, with Potter’s shoes encased in a glass box beneath. The needle stayed resolutely fixed between the two indicators, but no one was sure what it meant.

News had gotten out to the press, and the Daily Prophet was all abuzz with headlines about his disappearance. It was no secret to the Wizarding world how instrumental Potter had been in the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort, and when a war hero of that calibre goes missing, it’s front page news. The part of Draco that still craved attention and approval noted bitterly that his own role in Voldemort’s defeat would never be known, and if he were to ever disappear it would hardly be a footnote.

The last supper service before winter break was boisterous in spite of the recent events. There was the usual relief from the stress of exams, the excitement over the season's first big snowfall, and of course the joy of Christmas ahead of them. The Great Hall was clamorous and energetic beneath a charmed ceiling that was filled with enormous dangling ornaments. The ghosts whizzed around cheerfully, or as cheerfully as they were able. The Bloody Baron loomed over the Slytherin table with an expression that was almost a smile of approval.

"Malfoy, think fast!" Goyle lobbed a candy apple at Draco's head. Draco ducked and the Apple hurtled past him.

"If only you moved that fast on the Quiddich pitch," Blaize scoffed. Everyone laughed.

"If only Potter had disappeared at the beginning of the term, we might have beaten Griffindor," Goyle addedwith a hyena cackle.

"Very funny," Draco sneered. The hall was too loud and his head was killing him. He hadn't had much appetite all week and the spread of decadently rich food before him did nothing to tempt his stomach.

He could hear the Ravenclaw table quizzing each other merrily over the recently completed exam material. The Hufflepuffs were joking and singing. The Griffindors were having a more subdued, but determined good time, as though committed to enjoying themselves in spite of their loss.

It was all too much, too loud, overcompensating for the lingering awareness that something terrible had happened.

"Can anybody hear me?"

Draco looked up and checked down the table. "Beg pardon?" He asked Pansy.

"I didn't say anything," she looked up in surprise.

"Anybody, please, if anybody can hear me please say something!"

Draco looked behind him but couldn't be sure where the request was coming from. Well it wasn't at the Slytherin table, that was for sure. He listened but the question didn't repeat. He wondered if he had imagined it.

At the end of the feast the students returned to their houses to finish packing for winter break. Most of the students would be heading home for the holiday, with just a few electing to remain behind. Draco jostled with the rest of his housemates as they neared the door of the Great Hall, half an ear occupied by Blaize's insipid prattling about the expensive presents he anticipated from his mother this year.

"Can anyone hear me?"

Draco turned and eyed the fourth-year student who was trying to squeeze past his elbow. The boy only came up to his bicep, but the voice had been right next to his ear. He checked behind him but saw only second-year girls. He frowned. Was he hearing things? Maybe he was just tense and projecting sounds where there were none. He cocked his head and listened but it didn't happen again.