The First Evil
Chapter Four
Bleak
Harry awoke the next morning and looked out the window while yawning widely.
It was a beautiful day.
Maybe the cloud decided to back off, he mused as he dressed.
Just before he headed out the door, Ron turned over in his bed.
"Did you find anything out from Dumbledore?" he murmured, and Harry shook his head.
"He told me that it was a matter for the teachers to discuss. But he was also in the middle of a Ministry meeting" he shrugged, "What about Hagrid?"
"He didn't know anything. He was acting kind of strange like, though," Ron ran a hand through his unruly hair and pulled on his robes.
As they headed down the stairs to the Great Hall, they saw Hermione sitting there already, wringing her hands.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" Ron asked as he plopped down beside her.
"I don't know," she said, rubbing her fingers together, "But something is wrong. I can feel it in the air. It's suffocating, isn't it?"
Ron breathed in, and Hermione gave him a sharp look.
"Not literally," Harry bit his lip, and Hermione rolled her eyes. But they stopped at the teacher's table.
Harry followed her gaze to see Professor Dumbledore standing up, looking extremely grave.
"Good morning, Hogwarts," he said, and the room fell silent.
"I didn't desire to ruin the beautiful day we have here, which is rare in these days," his eyes flickered up to the enchanted ceiling, "But I have some rather terrible news."
Hermione held her breath beside Harry and Ron.
"A student among us has passed away."
There were gasps, and cries of horror. Hermione, Harry and Ron looked at each other nervously.
"I regret to inform you of the death of a young girl, a friend, a classmate, a teammate. Whatever she was to you. I regret to inform you of the sudden death of Alicia Spinnett."
Harry's eyes went as wide as saucers. Fred and George, who were sitting across from him, looked at each other with a sense of horror and seriousness.
"Oh, God." whispered Hermione.
"Alicia..." Harry's heart sunk.
"How did she die?"
Fred and George had sprung from their seats, and Dumbledore looked at them sadly.
"That is not information I wish to-"
"HOW DID SHE DIE!?" screamed Fred. He and Alicia had been dating on and off for the past year.
Dumbledore sighed and looked at Professor McGonagall, who nodded.
"Suicide."
The silence was deafening in itself.
"Suicide..." repeated Fred to himself, "Suicide..."
"She killed herself. Alicia...killed herself...but why?" Hermione covered her face in her hands.
"I'll tell you why." Harry said gravely. He wasn't enough out of his mind that he couldn't fit the puzzle together.
"Why? How would you know?"
"That's how it's going to get us. Nobody told us a thing because nobody has lived through it," Harry rushed in what Hermione always called a 'lightbulb moment', "Nobody lived through it because it was that feeling of depression that made the person want to- want to end their lives. It doesn't have form...because it doesn't have to. It forces the person emotionally to the brink of life and death and it pushes them over the edge."
Hermione stared at him.
"Then who's next?"
*Short, I know. I'm sorry that it's taken me just a few minutes past forever to update it. I've been feelin' slummy and all. R/R please!*
