Never Too Young To Die

Unheard Voices

~HAZELINE~

Harry pounded on Hagrid's door, loud enough to make birds take flight.

"Hagrid! Open up!" He yelled.

Harry was patting Hermione on the back awkwardly, looking at Ron with a look that said, "what in the world am I supposed to say?" I jumped when the door swung open abruptly, exhaling slowly in relief when Hagrid beamed down at us. His smile slowly faded, turning into a confused frown when he saw Ron's green face and the puddle of tears at Hermione's feet.

"You should come in," he said, glancing at me for an explanation.

"Um, Hagrid?" Harry asked when we had seated ourselves around the small wooden table, with Fang drooling at Hagrid's feet. "Do you have a bucket by chance?"

"Oh, yes." He got up hastily, almost knocking over the table. "Where did I put it? Ah, there it is!"

He shoved a large metal bucket into Ron's lap, just before he bleached out another slug.

"Better out than in, I say. What happened to him?" Hagrid said.

"Draco happened," I said through gritted teeth.

That evil little-no, Hazel, I told myself. Do not swear. I was just so angry with him! How dare he insult my best friend! He was just so stuck up and rude! And to think, I trusted him.

"Right." Hagrid seemed to get the gist of what I was trying to say.

"I'm sorry, I have to ask. What's a mud-blood?" Harry asked, causing Hermione to break down in hysterical hiccups and tears.

I moved my chair closer to Hermione's, rubbing her back slowly. It made her quieter, but the hiccups didn't stop.

"Harry," Hagrid began. "A mud-blood is..." He glanced at Hermione, deciding wether or not he should continue.

He didn't have to because Hermione explained, "a mud-blood is a really foul name for someone with non-magic parents. Somebody who has muggle parents. Someone like me."

The tears came pouring out again and for a moment everyone (except Hermione) was silent, well, until Ron puked out another creepy crawly.

"But, don't worry. It doesn't make a wizard or witch any lower than a pure-blood," I assured her. "There's just about nothing you don't know, Hermione."

She smiled at me gratefully, wiping away her tears. "Thanks, Hazeline. What would I do without you?"

I shrugged, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Harry's face was still and it looked like he was thinking very hard about something until suddenly he jerked, shooting up.

"Ron," he said quickly. "We have detention!"

Ron looked up, wincing and then he vomited again. "Well," he said. "You're in luck because I think that's all of it."

Ron, looking slightly less green jumped up and followed Harry out of Hagrid's hut, as if he had never been puking slugs in the first place. That left me and Hermione sitting with Hagrid in a very awkward silence.

"Well," Hermione said, clearing her throat. "I think we better get going then."

"Okay. Well, best of luck." What did he mean 'luck'? Were we in trouble again?

****************************************************************************

While Harry and Ron were in their detentions I was busy writing in Tom's diary.

Dear Tom,
I can't trust my cousin anymore, he insulted my best friend, Hermione.
I'm so mad at him at the moment. As for Harry, well, I haven't even talked to him very much at all.
But I still feel like everyone is talking about me behind my back, saying I'm not good enough to be hanging around the Harry Potter.
I'm starting to think they're right. I mean, I am the daughter of a death eater after all.
I don't know what to do anymore.
Yours,
Hazeline.

I slammed the book shut when Hermione ran into the dormitory. She looked like she had been in a fight with the whomping willow. Her hair was sticking up in every direction, her robes were messy and her eyes made her look like she was some kind of mad scientist.

"Hazel," she said, attempting to straighten her robes. "We have to go and find Harry. He was supposed to finish ages ago!"

"Is he in trouble?" I asked.

"I don't know! That's why I'm getting you!"

I followed her down the staircase only to run into Ron. He scowled at me as I quickly jumped away from him.

"S-sorry," I stammered. "I, um, I wasn't l-looking."

He shrugged, almost making my eyes pop out of my sockets. He wasn't mad at me? Well, something is definitely up.

"Come on you two!" Hermione snapped. "Quit gossiping!"

"What?" Ron asked. "We weren't-"

"Just hurry up!"

We ran to Lockhart's office as swiftly as possible, avoiding the strange looks from the other students. I was leading Ron and Hermione because they were slower than me, but really I had no idea where I was going. As soon as I ran around another corner I collided with another chest. Why do I keep running into people?

"So s-sorry," I said, looking up to see Harry. "Harry! We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"I was just..." He trailed off, eyes filled with confusion and worry.

I looked around, I began to make out a faint rustling.

"What is that rustling noise?" I asked.

"There's no rustling noise, Hazel." Hermione's eyes were panicked.

I didn't have time to reply because the rustling grew louder and I realised it wasn't rustling, it was... talking. "Kill," it said. "You must help me kill. Open the chamber, unleash my power."

I screamed, covering my ears. "Kill...must kill."

"Stop it!" I yelled.

"What's happening, Hazeline?" Harry yelled, covering his ears as well. "What's it saying to you?"

"What do you mean?" Ron demanded. "What are you going on about?"

The voice was growing faint but I could tell that this 'thing' was hungry.

"We have to follow it!" I shouted to Harry. "I think it's going to kill!"

He nodded and we ran after the voice until it died out, becoming only a nightmarish memory.