41 Monday Evening, October 28th

Noelle spent the rest of the day avoiding Malfoy and his goons, thinking about the threat in his mind. It had almost seemed targeted specifically at her as though he knew she could hear it, but she knew that was unlikely. Still, the idea creeped her out.

Once everyone had begun retreating to their dorms, she did the same, thinking maybe at least she'd be safe among her housemates.

On entering the common room, she immediately realized her mistake. Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabb were the only occupants of the room and they all looked up as she entered the room.

"There she is. Little Ms. Lestrange." Draco stood, drawing his wand.

Noelle plastered a look of disinterest on her face, but her mind raced, searching for an exit strategy. "Draco." She addressed him coolly.

He circled round the couch, and his cronies did the same. "Now tell me, why is that a fellow housemate of mine thinks themselves above me and my friends?"

She took a step back and cringed as she did so, seeing the victory flash in his eyes, knowing he had her cornered. "Maybe it's just because I don't stoop down to your level."

"See boys? And this is the problem these days. Even fellow Slytherins can't see the bigger picture." He took another step towards her as Crabb and Goyle chuckled.

"And what would that be exactly?" She murmured, slipping her own wand into her hand.

"There's bad things coming Lestrange. You need to learn your place and pick a side. For your sake, I hope you pick the right one."

She felt her own rage boiling up and overcoming the fear. "I already gave you my answer Malfoy." She spat. "And you and your bullies won't convince me otherwise through violence. How many times must you beat your heads against a wall before you realize the outcome hasn't changed? Will it be before, or after you all receive a concussion?"

Draco snapped his fingers and both of the other boys snapped into action beside him. "When will you learn that you're not Harry Potter?!" He shouted.

Crabb thrust his wand forwards, casting a spell. "Stupefy!"

Luckily, Noelle was ready for him. "Protego!" A shimmering shield fell into place around her, but quickly dissipated as it was hit by Crabb's spell. She hadn't had the time to bolster her defenses. Turning quickly to Goyle she disarmed him. "Expelliarmus!"

Crabb had recovered and took her by surprise, knocking her backwards, where she collided with a pillar and the air was pushed from her lungs. "Flipendo!"

Having waited for an opening, Malfoy finished the job. "Incarcerous."

Thick ropes wound their way around Noelle's middle, attaching her securely to the pillar. She struggled and her mind searched for a spell, but her wand was quickly taken from her, and she was not able to cast spells without it yet. Perhaps not ever, she thought woefully. Now stuck between either pleading for her life, or remaining defiant till the end, she chose the latter, glaring at her captors, yet still secretly wishing one of her dormmates would show up.

As though reading HER mind, Draco chuckled. "No one is coming to save you Noelle."

With growing horror, her eyes drifted past the trio, and she saw that several of her housemates had returned, watching from the corridors silently, not one of them coming to her aid.

"No one." His voice echoed in her mind.