A Lighter Shade of Black
Get Out
Greg tossed the shovel aside and stared down at the mahogany below. He had heard her cry for help moments ago and started to dig quickly. He eased down into the hole and somehow managed to lift open the lid of the casket.
And there she was. His beautiful Nicole. She lay there on white silk with this look of thanks, shock, and confusion on her face. But something was off… something different about her. Greg shook his head and held out his hand to her.
"C'mon, girlie, get out of the box."
She took his hand and he pulled her up to stand. The girl wore a black sundress and black knee-socks with her Mary-Janes for the school uniform. He looked down into her eyes and noticed something… new… but he couldn't quite place it.
…
Laura sat with T.J. in the waiting area, waiting for news on Gin. T.J. could see that something was really bothering her friend, something besides the way Gin had pulled a Trelawney, but she wasn't quite sure.
"You wanna hear something weird?" the emerald-eyed girl side-glanced at T.J.
"Sure, what?"
"You know how super-sensitive I've been lately around here because of all the spells and magic?"
"Yeah?"
"When Gin hit the floor in there… I could feel some strange vibes coming off her," she continued, "like something strong… something big, powerful, growing inside her."
"Magic?"
"Yes, but too much just for one witch... Hell, it was too much for a whole coven!"
Laura could practically hear the gears turning in the black-haired witch's head at those words.
"Too much for a coven, eh?" she smirked, idea fully formed in her head.
And, for once, Laura had a good feeling about one of T.J.'s ideas.
…
After a while in the castle, Draco had opted to take Katie off the Creevey brothers' hands. He knew she was a handful for the two, them not being around Malfoys a lot (especially Malfoy children). But, in all truth, she was starting to tire him out.
Draco was sprawled out on his couch when Katie ran in, jumping atop his stomach.
"Dra-co…"
"Wha-at?"
"Go."
"Go?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his young sibling, "Where?"
But, even as he asked her this, he was putting on his shoes.
"Miss Gin." she said, as though it were obvious and he was annoying her with doubt and questions, "Sally is mean to me. Make him stop."
Draco froze at this, slowly looking up to see his sister standing there in one of his older, smaller t-shirts, barefoot… And looking at the spot beside his couch with a harsh glare. He furrowed his brow in confusion before scooping her up and dashing down the stairs and into the street. Katie looked up at him, frustrated.
"Ro says she take care of."
"Who is—"
They were going past the graveyard quickly, until Draco saw something that almost made him drop Katie.
"Mummy!" Katie screamed.
Jumping out of her elder sibling's arms, she ran towards the pair standing next to an open grave. Draco ensued.
…
Ginevra sat up in her bed so suddenly that the other two occupants of the area jumped up, wands at the ready and eyes wide.
"I've got a wand and I'm not afraid to use it, you motherfu-"
"Laura!" T.J. snapped.
"Just me, no need to be alarmed." Gin smiled, sadness creeping away for the moment.
T.J. smiled and slid her wand into its holder at her side.
"What's up with the jerking?" Laura asked, tucking her wand into her back pocket.
"It's Cole," she whispered, smile forming, "Help me up."
The other two helped her up and they began their way to Hogsmeade, Gin telling them what Madame Pomfrey said about her "condition" all the way.
End Chapter