Chapter 5 – Surrounded by Coldness

The mid-autumn days were as cold as they yet could be, their coldness defeating all material boundaries, casting their numbness and illness over the minds and souls of whoever happened to be foolish enough as to face them. People like Harry. His heavy cloak wasn't warm enough to keep him away from the freezing wind, nor his will strong enough to stop him from considering options of death. He walked forth, heading to the lake, out of no obvious reason, occasionally kicking muddy rocks out of his way. He kept his hands in his pockets and his gaze on the fallen leaves, careless of school, Quidditch and even the upcoming war. Careless of his own being. Careless of the sounds he didn't even bother to perceive – someone was running towards him. He didn't even feel when a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Harry? Are you O.K.?"

The answer came surprisingly sharp and cold. Monosyllabic.

"No."

The girl stepped in front of him, quite disappointed of his reply. She gazed in his eyes as she usually would've, aware that they would show her what had really happened in the heart of the young man. Their sight stroke her: the emerald-green color, the spark of hope, fear, suffering – feeling – was gone; instead had appeared a watery shade of turquoise… and an almost blank stare… a stare of ice…

"Harry!" Ginny gasped. "What in the world is wrong!"

He ignored her, continuing his solitary walk. Ginny didn't give up, though.

"Harry James Potter!" she shouted in his direction. "I have no such idea as of what on Earth has happened to you, but do not dare pass by me like that, as if I were a mere plant or something!" she went furious.

The young man stopped and turned his head around, finally giving a sign that he had noticed Ginny.

"What do you want?" he asked in an annoyed voice.

"What do I want! Harry, what is wrong with you! What happened? Did you have any of those dreams again?" she walked closer to him.

"No."

"Is this the only word you can pronounce?" she got annoyed, too.

He didn't bother to answer. His reply, though, was more surprising, unusual and unmotivated than any other reply he might've given. Harry pulled her violently towards him, so violently that she fell in his arms. He embraced her almost furiously, his grip on her body becoming painful. The young man's next move was to suddenly lean over her, literally crushing her lips between his own in his attempt to kiss her. Ginevra gathered all her forces and pulled herself away from his grip and his insane kiss. She raised her hand to her lips in horror, noticing that some small drops of blood slid from her lower lip.

"I don't know what has gotten into you…" she said in a low voice, her face red with fury and stupefaction, "…but you're obviously insane! I don't recognize you anymore, Harry Potter!" Thus, she turned her back on him, hurrying to the castle.

Harry watched her walking away and he said, also in a low voice, as a reply to her words:

"I was only trying to see if I could feel something… anything… anymore…"


His heart beat desperately and his hands were shaking in terror. Each step he took was a torment. Each gesture, glance, or word of his father was a punishment. Draco and his father were heading to the old manor which served as a hideaway to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He had had to go. Try to escape from this would have been futile. He climbed the steps through a claustrophobic corridor up to the dusty attic. As he walked in, he could see nothing – it was a dense darkness, along with a poisonous air which made Draco choke. Lucius pushed his son forward, to the front line of now murmuring minions. The young man could now see something which awkwardly resembled a pair of glowing, red eyes.

"Aaaaaahhhhh… Here'sssss the little Dragon… Afraid, aren't we?" a voice coming from the direction of the red eyes hissed. Draco had paralyzed on his spot.

"Say something, you idiot…" Lucius whispered in his ear.

"Errrrrmmmm… I…" the boy mumbled.

An icy laughter broke out. "Yessssss… afraid, my little one… Fear isss good for people your age…"

Draco felt something – some long, scorched fingers clutching tightly to his forearm.

"And ssssoon… here…" the Dark Lord said, tightening his grip on Draco, "will be a nice ssssign that will unite usssss two for ever…" the icy laughter burst out once again.