THE SEVEN SINS


CHAPTER 13: SLOTH: ACEDIA II

Sloth like rust, consumes faster than labour wears, while the used key is always bright. –Benjamin Franklin.

Harry was hardly surprised these days. Neither was Draco. But it would be rather condescending to say that they weren't when Harry was shocked speechless about the turn of events, and Draco's mouth was gaping wide.

They had not expected the next victim being Pomfrey. Although it did make sense. If Voldemort or any other ill-wishing creature wanted to attack Hogwarts, now would be an excellent choice, what with the healer of the castle indisposed for an indefinite amount of time. In fact, the castle would have only been more vulnerable had it been Dumbledore who had been lying prone on the desk.

They had to stop whatever was going through the castle now.

"What the heck is going on!" Harry finally said, breaking the rather –as Draco had correctly thought –fragile silence in the room. They were situated in the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron hadn't come back, so the room was pretty much alone, since everyone had gone out by the lake to cool themselves off. It had been, Draco reflected, a rather hot day.

"I don't know," his mouth said for him; an automatic answer of sorts. He had said those three words so frequently that the reply had become repetitive, habitual. Making him feel inferior, ignorant, and useless.

He hated those three words.

"Seven people. Seven completely random people."

"Like the colours of a rainbow," Draco said sarcastically. He didn't even notice when Harry froze; he was utterly too busy glaring at the fire.

"Colours of a…" Harry stood up abruptly. "Of course! Their eyes changed colour!"

Draco looked at him oddly. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Pomfrey's eyes were indigo…Mrs Norris' eyes were orange…Binns' eyes were blue…" he screwed up his face, trying to remember…

Draco opened his eyes wide. "Pansy's eyes were yellow!"

Harry looked at him sharply. "They weren't before?"

"They were turquoise before," and Harry could tell that it hurt Draco to say this. Draco had often said to Harry that the two had met through Draco telling Pansy that her eyes were like the stone of 'fwensheep' as he had called it then.

"What about the rest?" Draco said, and Harry followed his lead.

"I think Dean's were…green…" he said, slowly, "and Ginny's were violet…"

"Granger?" Draco asked, anxiously.

"They're brown." The two seekers turned, only to spy Ron Weasley leaning in at the entrance to the Gryffindor door. "But that can also be dark red, and if anything, she's been murmuring about red ribbons surrounding people for quite a while." He paused, seeming to think back a bit. "And if I'm right, the ribbons all surround well-known couples or people we know to like each other."

Harry found his mouth. "Right." Then his eyes widened again. "But then it might be ending!"

The other two looked at him as if he was insane.

"Because there are only seven colours in the rainbow…maybe there will only be seven victims!" Harry paced the room. "But we still need to know a cure for them." He turned again. "I think I'll check up on them," he said, as he turned towards the portrait door. Draco raced after him, as Ron called out to him to 'check on Hermione'.

They walked on a little, Draco respecting the fact that Harry was rolling things over in his mind.

"I don't even know if they're even thinking consciously anymore." Harry sighed, finally, a little disgruntled. "How on earth are we supposed to think up a remedy?"

"Actually, I think that they are conscious…in a sense," said Draco hastily, as he saw the beginnings of a frown cross Harry's face. "Why else would Hermione act the way that Ron told us she did?"

Harry tilted his head a little. "You're right…" he said slowly, contemplating. Draco watched him for a while, getting a little distracted as he saw how charming the black-haired looked when he was thinking.

Shaking his head a little to clear it, he went back to catch the little train of thought he'd been entertaining a little while before. "I wonder if there's anything to keep something the same, but change it," he wondered.

Harry looked at him strangely. Hastening to explain himself, his hands flew, trying to explain things that were difficult to do in voice.

"I meant using the same materials but making something different…like using iron to build a sword instead of a piece of armour. I was wondering if you could do that with a person's self…their emotions?" he gestured helplessly, arms falling to his sides once more.

He watched as a thoughtful look crossed Harry's face. They'd gone through so many possibilities already…he was about to try suggesting something else when Harry's head snapped up.

Something flashed across the Gryffindor's face. Draco looked up (he was two inches shorter than Harry, though most did not dare to tell him this to his face) at Harry curiously. The brunette looked almost startled, as if, for the first time, he was actually realising something.

Then the inevitable happened. "Draco," said Harry slowly, "I think I've got something." He turned around gradually, then walked, faster and faster, almost racing back the way whence they came.

Draco smiled, as he watched Harry race down the corridor. Though he was a little puzzled at his –he blushed– boyfriend's actions, he knew that the Gryffindor would tell him eventually.

As he watched Harry's silhouette gradually disappear into the darkness of the corridors, he chuckled a little. He hoped that Harry had thought of something that was useful. He was getting a little worried about the stalemate at which they'd arrived.

It was only when he'd come out of his thoughts that he realised he was alone…

Getting the creeps, he turned around, spinning his head to see if anybody…anything was near. Breathing a little sigh of relief, he was about to continue walking when a cloak-covered hand covered his mouth. Grey eyes opened wide in a silent plea of terror. His last thought before losing consciousness at a well-placed blow to his head, was that he had, in addition to never thinking of Pomfrey as the next victim, never thought that he was going to be one either.

He had just enough time to entertain the thought for a few seconds before he shut off entirely.

Then they were gone.


Replies to Reviewers: FreeDaChickens: Does your username refer to KFC's chickens, or chickens overall? Actually I did go once without updating for three months; I'm still rather sorry for that. But since there are only a few chapters left (sobs) I'm hopign there won't be anymore delays.

Katsy15: Woot! A REVIEW! You have no idea how these cheer up days. Or maybe you do. Anyway, thanks a lot!

JJ CJ: Yes, we authoresses have to get inspirations from somewhere. I'm still wondering where mine come from. Send me an email when you finish the fic alright? I think i'll check to see if I have you on author alert. I'm sure I do, but I'm quite absent-minded.

Julia: Well, actually one person per sin, and Hermione already takes up Lust. So I'm afraid neither will be Lust. But watch the next chapters!

JadeLilyMalfoy: Everyone is so nice these days! I reject your rejection and get down to my knees. Thanks for the comment!

Clayscarface: I aim to be unpredictable. You should talk to my friends about that. I think I've succeeded in the job so well, that it's now unpredictable for me to be PREdictable. As for the skele-grow: I missed out a sentence in my chapter due to havign to re-type it up - please don't ask about it - and I've editted that just now. Thanks for the compliment; please don't hesitate to criticise me. If I were an angel, I would be annoyed at myself because I really find perfect people rather boring (though then I'd have to question if angels would be able to get angry?).