The dreams began to become worse. Each time the boy held my arm longer, and
the pain grew. I awoke to find dark bruises, but they vanished as quickly
as I saw them. I never told anyone. They would have thought I was crazy.
They would have said I was stressed, that I was seeing things. So what was
it that made me walk down that second floor corridor?
I walked across the stone floor, each gentle thump magnified by the huge ceiling. I knelt before the small crack which the snake I had spoken to escaped. I examined the crack, and the wall, many times over. I never found anything suspicious. No hidden door, no hints.
"I do say, what in heaven's name are you doing sir?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin. I turned abruptly to face a large painting of a fat man in military uniform. His medals sparkled and his eyes blinked unevenly. I knew he wanted an answer, but what was I going to say?
"Well? Come on. Don't be shy. It's just not everyday I see students taking such interest in my corridor."
"I was just. err. looking at the fabulous architecture. They must have spent extra time on it, knowing a respectable painting, such as yourself, would occupy it."
"Yes, well," The man puffed out his chest. "I've seen some great things in my day. As I recall."
As the man told his long story, his droopy eyes closed and soon he was sleeping noisily. I sighed and resumed my search. I didn't know why, but somehow I knew that the snake wanted me to find him. Or at least try to, and that wasn't working as well as I hoped. I had worked my way over every inch, and preformed every unmasking charm I knew. That's when I noticed it.
A small amount of snakeskin was lying on the floor beside me. I shook my head and smiled. Of course. I bent low, eye-level with the crack, and peered in. The crack opened into a hole, a small one, and on the floor was a picture of a snake. It almost looked like a child's picture, quickly etched into the dirt on the floor. Definitely no art skills.
"Hello?" I hissed into the opening. Nothing happened. "Uh. It's me, Draco. Draco Malfoy."
Suddenly the walls shifted and the crack spread apart. A seam spread halfway up the wall before opening to reveal a doorway. I glanced around my, but no one was coming and the old man was still fast asleep.
I gingerly took a step into the wall, which immediately closed behind me with a loud smack. It was dark and smelled musky. I coughed and pulled out my wand.
"Lumos." Instantly I noticed the floor was sloped steeply downward. Pushing my hair out of my face, I made my way down the narrow passage.
I was tired and thirsty by the time I emerged into a large hall. My legs had begun to cramp and my lungs were burning. The floor of the hall was covered in dust, and the ceiling was dozens of feet away. Huge statues on either side of the room reached up to the top of the hall, looking down. Carvings of snakes adorned every inch of the walls, and some of the floor. The air was stale and hot. I walked into the room, gazing up and around me. My feet kicked up clouds of dust and dirt. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a shimmer of silver. In the middle of the room, a silver dish lay on the floor. Relief washed over me and I ran to it. I went to my knees and examined the bowl. Something like water filled it, dripping onto the floor. It might have been poison but I didn't care. I picked up the dish and gulped down the liquid. Instantly my throat felt better, and I could breathe.
For a long while I sat on the floor. Not looking, or thinking about anything. I didn't know why I was here. I didn't know how to get out of here. I didn't even know where "here" was.
"Come on Draco." I thought, "You can do this. Think of something."
But I didn't have time to think. Hissing sounds had filled the hall. Hundreds of snakes of various sizes and species were slithering out of every crack and crevice. They headed toward me, tongues sniffing the air. I backed away, brandishing my wand. I couldn't possibly fight off all these snakes. As suddenly as the all appeared, they stopped. Each looked up at me with unblinking eyes. Or was it me? I felt cold. The hair on my neck rose, and my fingers froze around my wand, still pointed at the closest snake. I turned slowly on the spot and drew in a quick breath.
I walked across the stone floor, each gentle thump magnified by the huge ceiling. I knelt before the small crack which the snake I had spoken to escaped. I examined the crack, and the wall, many times over. I never found anything suspicious. No hidden door, no hints.
"I do say, what in heaven's name are you doing sir?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin. I turned abruptly to face a large painting of a fat man in military uniform. His medals sparkled and his eyes blinked unevenly. I knew he wanted an answer, but what was I going to say?
"Well? Come on. Don't be shy. It's just not everyday I see students taking such interest in my corridor."
"I was just. err. looking at the fabulous architecture. They must have spent extra time on it, knowing a respectable painting, such as yourself, would occupy it."
"Yes, well," The man puffed out his chest. "I've seen some great things in my day. As I recall."
As the man told his long story, his droopy eyes closed and soon he was sleeping noisily. I sighed and resumed my search. I didn't know why, but somehow I knew that the snake wanted me to find him. Or at least try to, and that wasn't working as well as I hoped. I had worked my way over every inch, and preformed every unmasking charm I knew. That's when I noticed it.
A small amount of snakeskin was lying on the floor beside me. I shook my head and smiled. Of course. I bent low, eye-level with the crack, and peered in. The crack opened into a hole, a small one, and on the floor was a picture of a snake. It almost looked like a child's picture, quickly etched into the dirt on the floor. Definitely no art skills.
"Hello?" I hissed into the opening. Nothing happened. "Uh. It's me, Draco. Draco Malfoy."
Suddenly the walls shifted and the crack spread apart. A seam spread halfway up the wall before opening to reveal a doorway. I glanced around my, but no one was coming and the old man was still fast asleep.
I gingerly took a step into the wall, which immediately closed behind me with a loud smack. It was dark and smelled musky. I coughed and pulled out my wand.
"Lumos." Instantly I noticed the floor was sloped steeply downward. Pushing my hair out of my face, I made my way down the narrow passage.
I was tired and thirsty by the time I emerged into a large hall. My legs had begun to cramp and my lungs were burning. The floor of the hall was covered in dust, and the ceiling was dozens of feet away. Huge statues on either side of the room reached up to the top of the hall, looking down. Carvings of snakes adorned every inch of the walls, and some of the floor. The air was stale and hot. I walked into the room, gazing up and around me. My feet kicked up clouds of dust and dirt. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a shimmer of silver. In the middle of the room, a silver dish lay on the floor. Relief washed over me and I ran to it. I went to my knees and examined the bowl. Something like water filled it, dripping onto the floor. It might have been poison but I didn't care. I picked up the dish and gulped down the liquid. Instantly my throat felt better, and I could breathe.
For a long while I sat on the floor. Not looking, or thinking about anything. I didn't know why I was here. I didn't know how to get out of here. I didn't even know where "here" was.
"Come on Draco." I thought, "You can do this. Think of something."
But I didn't have time to think. Hissing sounds had filled the hall. Hundreds of snakes of various sizes and species were slithering out of every crack and crevice. They headed toward me, tongues sniffing the air. I backed away, brandishing my wand. I couldn't possibly fight off all these snakes. As suddenly as the all appeared, they stopped. Each looked up at me with unblinking eyes. Or was it me? I felt cold. The hair on my neck rose, and my fingers froze around my wand, still pointed at the closest snake. I turned slowly on the spot and drew in a quick breath.