Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)
Written for The Houses Competition, Round 2, Year 3
Written for Seriously Important (Not) Challenge
Written for QLFC Season 6, Round 5
House: Hufflepuff
Position: Head Student
Category: Additional (1000-2500 Words)
Prompt: Seeing something in a crystal ball
Representation: Scrying; Crystal Ball Gazing
Bonus Challenge(s): Second Verse (Unwanted Advice; Tomorrow's Shade)
Term 9 - Assignment #1 - Divination - Task 2: Write about someone trying to learn about their future via scrying.
Team: Wigtown Wanderers
Position: Chaser 2
Position Prompt - Month of June: Write about Draco Malfoy, Dudley Dursley, or Dobby.
Additional Prompts:
[Word] Striped
[Color] Cream
[Word] Barbarian
Word Count: (Per Google Docs) 1,859
Beta(s): Jet
Foretold Encounter
Draco hated Divination ever since he first started taking the class in his third year. Not only was the Professor off the rails, the classroom always had the most bizarre fragrances and it clung to his robes for hours after leaving the class. He'd considered dropping the course several times, especially after Granger went off on Trelawney on how rubbish this vein of magic was to her. Of course, he couldn't publicly agree with her about it, but he could think it in the safety of his thoughts.
Personally Draco never could fully grasp the concept of scrying by utilizing objects like crystal balls, tea leaves, and a deck of cards to enhance their inner Seer. Some practices made him feel a little foolish at times. Though the desire to read the future was fascinating to consider, he learned that most of his predictions made in class weren't exactly groundbreaking. Regardless of the less than remarkable outcomes, Draco stuck with it in hopes that it might actually be useful to him in some way later.
According to Professor Trelawney, he had the technique, just not the inner eye. And yet he managed to secure Divination as a NEWT course for his sixth year despite his lackluster Seer ability. Draco wished that this vein of magic helped him anticipate what had come to pass earlier on, or at least not be so cryptic about it after he looked over the notes written based on various readings.
School had barely been in session for three weeks, and Draco already lost interest in earning good marks for his NEWT courses for the remainder of term. If all the promises he was fed the last two years were indeed fulfilled, then good marks shouldn't matter to him by the end of it all, right?
Draco stared at the grey fog of the crystal ball that lazily rolled in circles in front of him, keeping his mind away from the tender itch on his left arm as the fabric of his robes shifted against his skin when he moved. They were supposed to concentrate on a question about the future and scry with the crystal ball for its answer. He chanced a vague question in silence, hoping to foresee an outcome of his task for the Dark Lord, but all he was getting was the grey haze of nothingness.
"You've been met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"
Professor Trelawny's voice broke Draco out of his trance with a startled jerk. Her closeness to him threw him even more when he met her magnified spectacled-covered eyes peering back at him. She held out her hand in silence, her many bracelets clinking together at the movement. He half rolled his eyes before resting his left hand in it. He knew the drill with her strangeness by now, but the yank of his arm as she shifted her eyes to his palm ignited the irritation of his sleeve rubbing against the fresh mark maring his skin.
Her pointed nails traced the striped lines of his palm, causing it to tingle and Draco to shiver at the contact. "Your lifeline breaks so early in your journey, child. I fear what this time of strife will befall upon you lest you shift in your current life's path soon."
She released his hand and gestured for him to continue with his crystal gazing as she wandered off to torment another student with her riddles. Draco glanced at his palm for a moment before dropping it under the table, he clenched it in a fist as he attempted to dismiss Trelawney's disturbing, cryptic words.
He looked around at the classroom, deciding that he was secluded enough from the others that he could safely ask a more specific question and hope for some sort of response without being noticed.
'Will I find success in my task to kill Dumbledore?'
The smoke shifted and went still suddenly, but nothing appeared. Draco tried again.
'Will I have unexpected help from someone this year?'
This time, the smoke billowed about before dissipating to the outer edges of the orb. What appeared to be an ill kept bathroom came into view, a ghostly girl lingered at one side, but then the image changed to show a pair of bright colored shoes, followed with a blonde in Ravenclaw's robes. Her back was to him, making it difficult to see who it could be. She had strange looking earrings and was barefoot. The image didn't make any sense to Draco, so he shook his head of the concentration and the image was clouded back in the haze.
"I hope your scrying today was beneficial to you all. You are dismissed," Professor Trelawney announced while going around to collect the crystal balls as she spoke.
Draco collected his things and quickly left the stifling tower reeking of incense and essential oils.
Weeks had passed and Draco wasn't any closer to completing this impossible task. Repairing the cabinet was pushing him to his magical limits, and it was also driving him mad trying to mend it while finding alternatives to off the old geezer. Everything was falling apart and he couldn't stop it. All those promises he was told were no longer motivators, instead they became imminent threats should he fail. He started to fear for his future instead of fantasizing about it, and that class was being anything but helpful at this point like he hoped it would be.
He sat on his discarded book bag, pressing his back against the faded green-striped wood panel with his hands covering his face, the quiet tears escaping him uncontrollably as Myrtle hovered nearby, offering silent company. The murky and damp scent of the unused bathroom he often stowed away in assaulted his senses as he took in a deep breath, but he'd take it over the suffocating smells of the Divination classroom any day. It certainly wasn't his most triumphant time in his life right now. His breath hitched at the sudden sound of a song-like voice that broke the silence, hand immediately reaching for his wand, Myrtle billowed away with a spark in her eyes.
"'If only, if only,' the woodpecker cries, 'the bark on the trees were as soft as the sky—'"
Her voice was interrupted by the screech of Myrtle's. "What are you doing in here? Seeking out your victim to further humiliate him?"
"I'm not here for anyone," the intruder said back. Draco was deathly quiet, listening intently to the exchange. "Have you by chance seen any shoes in here lately?"
Myrtle's tone had shifted to immediate empathy. "Oh, what happened to them?"
"They tend to go missing regularly. My housemates seem to find it quite fun to hide my things."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
Draco heard her approaching and he quickly wiped his face clean of his weeping evidence before getting to his feet, wand at the ready. The witch paused in front of the dressing stall he occupied, the striped green door slowly creaked open. Her silver eyes met his as they slightly widened as he took in her appearance. Her dirty blonde hair was draped over her shoulder, had creamy pale skin, and wore Ravenclaw robes. The oddest thing Draco noticed about her appearance was that she wore no shoes or stockings, instead she stood there with nothing to protect her from the cold, damp stone floors.
"It's you!"
She seemed taken aback at the sudden presence of another person, Myrtle was nearby and looked apologetic at him being discovered. "Hello. I don't mean to intrude, but what about me?"
"Do you want me to send her away, Draco?" Myrtle asked, looking a little too keen on doing so.
Draco lowered his wand, swallowing the lump in his throat. "No, she's the one who I saw while scrying."
"Oh," the ghost girl said, a hint of a sneer in her tone. "Well then, I'll let you two be then."
If Myrtle could stomp, Draco was sure she would be doing it as she floated away into a wall to most likely eavesdrop. Luna was already looking into another stall before Draco addressed her.
"Aren't you worried about catching a cold traipsing about barefoot like some feral barbarian, Lovegood?" He sounded harsher than intended, but he found it repulsive.
She looked down the row of stalls, rubbing her nose with a finger as she subconsciously wiggled her toes. "Well, I've not much choice until I find them."
The gesture distracted him briefly as he looked at the floor where her creamy complexion contrasted brightly against the dark, damp stones. When Draco looked back up, Luna was watching him.
"You said you saw me while scrying?" She inquired.
He'd forgotten he mentioned that, and the weight of the pair of shoes tucked in his bag felt suddenly heavy. "You were looking for shoes."
"Hmm," Luna hummed, offering a soft smile, recalling her own foresight. "I saw you looking for something as well in my own crystal gazing, funnily enough."
This had taken Draco aback. She saw him during her own scrying session? Fear struck him like lightning – what did she see? What if it jeopardizes his task? If she knew even an inkling of what he was doing…
He kept his expression stoic despite the inner turmoil churning under his skin. Luna stood there watching him, cream-like skin acting like a beacon in the dreary lighting around them.
"What was it?" Draco finally asked, finding the silence unnerving while she gazed at him with that pensive look.
"You're searching for yourself."
His eyes sharpened at the comment, scoffing. "What do you mean, Lovegood?"
"You are what you are, and others cannot be that which they're not. You can accept who you are and in turn be accepted, or you must be the change you wish to see," Luna continued as if he didn't speak, leaving Draco utterly confused and speechless. "But do we ever truly know who we are to begin with?"
He was sure that he looked like she just slapped him in the face, but Luna didn't make any further comment on the matter. Instead, she adjusted her book bag on her shoulder. "If you happen to see a pair of blue shoes and feel inclined to inform me, I'd appreciate it. Good luck to you, Draco."
Draco watched Luna move on to peer in the next stall and it had him remember something. The pair of bright blue shoes felt even heavier in his bag now as she walked away. He couldn't very well just walk up and hand her a pair of shoes, regardless of the barbaric practice of prancing around without them. Recovering from her strange cryptic message, he oddly felt a little lighter despite not understanding the statement.
It'd be weird to continue holding onto the shoes he found in the Room of Hidden Things, so he looked down the aisle before quickly discarding the shoes behind him and promptly making for the exit. Luna's song-like voice echoing around the bathroom as he left.
"As the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely, crying, 'If only, if only."'
Character Appreciation: [Era] Trio
Book Club - Aunt Fire: [Action] Watching someone closely, [Object] Bracelet, [Word] Triumph
Showtime - 7. You'll Be Back: [Action] Crying
Count Your Buttons: [Word] Book
Lyric Alley: 10. And I got nervous, thinking "What's she gonna do?"
Ami's Audio Admirations - Peter Rouse — Write about someone who is a victim of bullying.
Sophie's Shelf - Vault 69: [Restriction] Only one male character.
Days of the Year - Fortune Cookie Day: Write about a seer.
Insane House Challenge: 179. [Location] Myrtle's Bathroom