Chapter Two... Lie to Me
I finished my piece of toast in silence, trying to build my nerve as I saw Cho lay her head down on the table.
Moody looked at me again and shrugged his shoulders, "Well, it's up to you, after all..."
He took another shot from his flask and returned to breakfast. I looked at my empty plate and came to a decision.
My plate dematerialized as I wiped my mouth and stepped away from the table. I tried to be as quiet as possible when I reached the Ravenclaw table, and I took a seat across from her. She didn't stir, and I tried to speak to her.
"Morning, Cho." I whispered. She remained quiet, so I kept talking, "I hope that you're having a good vacation... having the common room all to yourself. I have to share mine with a pair of first-years I don't even know. I guess you could say that it's peaceful, if you like that kind of thing..."
This was starting to feel incredibly awkward, but I rambled on, "I was wondering... why didn't you join us at the Head Table?"
It was like trying to talk to a wall of ice, and I finally gave up, "Well, I guess I'll leave you alone... I'll see you tomorrow."
I rose to leave, but a voice barely above a whisper caught my attention, "Stay. Please."
Cho turned to face me; dark half-circles were vaguely visible beneath her almond-shaped eyes. She was dressed in a loose, black blouse that she had apparently slept in and dark, silken slacks. Together with the weary gaze that she wore, it looked as if she hadn't slept in a week. I sat down again, the flesh on the back of my neck prickling at the sound of her voice. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and gave a short laugh.
"I must look terrible," she mumbled before laughing again. It was a false self-deprecating laugh that made her sound as if she were on the brink of tears.
"Not as bad as I do," I wasn't lying; I didn't really think about my looks when there were not enough people around to care anyway, "Honestly..."
A hint of a smile touched the corners of her lips, but quickly faded again, "Where are your friends? Normally, the whole lot of you are here."
She must have seen the look on my face because her eyes widened in recognition, "Oh... sorry. I didn't mean to - "
"Don't worry about it," I interrupted, letting my gaze drift a bit before looking at her again, "they needed to get away for a little while. Just to have breathing room..."
The two of us remained silent for what seemed an eternity. I tried to rise again to leave, but something nagging in the back of my mind held me fast to my seat. Just being in the presence of someone, anyone, eased my mind. At least for a little bit.
"Cho?" She looked up at me, and I continued, "Why are you the only Ravenclaw staying here?"
"My parents decided to visit my Grandmother, and I had some Potions work I needed to catch up on..." I noticed her hands fidgeting on the table a bit, but I didn't think too much of it, "Everyone else had plans, I guess."
Cho sat up, trying to straighten the wrinkles on her blouse, "I didn't even notice how worn this is, it looks like I got dressed in the dark!"
There was a slight smile on her face as she tugged at her blouse, and I had to stifle a laugh as each effort only made the problem worse. She looked at me, her lips torn between smiling and crying.
"I said not to worry about it," I whispered. She cracked a small grin, and turned away to hide it.
"Look," Cho motioned to the Head Table. Everyone else had already gone. The ceiling was a stony gray and snow seemed to drift within inches of our faces before fading into nothing, "I guess I had better go."
"Yeah..." My attention returned to her; she stood up and brushed herself off, seemingly preoccupied with her blouse, and walked away. When I left, I couldn't help but notice Moody standing in the threshold of the outer door. He winked with his normal eye and turned to walk away.
---I spent the whole of the day in bed, ignoring the two first-years who banged on my door when lunch came around. Night again crept on me... slipping dark, fine fingers through the gray sky, and devouring it completely. I turned around onto my belly and wrapped my arms around my pillow. Sleep never came easily anymore, and it was a true wonder how I could drag myself out of my four-poster in the morning. I could see shadows in the dim light, and I involuntarily tensed. One shadow was smooth and it flowed like water to my dresser. The other was smaller, yet broad and it scuttled across the wall in jerky, lapsed motions. Almost as if it could will itself to a different spot. The oil in the lamp burned lower and lower, and the shadows danced with a fevered energy. They encircled the walls, spinning as the space between them glowed with its own luminescence. My walls were a vortex, and the lamp fizzled dead. The shadows grew, expanded into weird shapes, merging into a single, monsterous form.
A bird of solid dark, circling me like a raven to a carcass.
My muscles screamed, but I sat up. A massive, intangible force violently shoved me to the floor. I could taste blood on my lips, but I rose again. The bird grinned as it accelerated, and I could feel gravity pulling me to the ground. I sank to one knee as wriggling vines of dark slithered to me, weaving up my legs, across my chest, constricting me. No, I thought as I raised my hand... it was a slim chance, but the only option I had. I closed my eyes, feeling slick tentacles caress my cheek, and a fire burned within my hand... just as Dumbledore said.
"LUMOS!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs, and a bright orange glow escaped my fingers and hung in the air.
The bird gave a physical shudder, a spasm that quaked the ancient walls of the tower, and it opened its ravenous beak. The silent cry shattered my glasses, and it stopped. Just stopped and hung on the wall for a brief moment. Suddenly, it separated and the shadows shrank away into a corner like a wounded animal. I stood up, free from my bonds, and stalked after it. It lashed out, but the appendage evaporated before it could touch me. The shadow shriveled away into nothing, but I stood there for what seemed hours until I was sure it had gone. Slowly, I walked to my dresser and pulled out a small oilcan to refill the lamp. Finally, once the light grew strong again, I whispered the words "Finite Incantatem." The glow faded from my fingers, and I slipped into my bed again. I slowed my breathing and stared at the ceiling, trying to induce drowsiness of some kind...
It didn't really matter; I couldn't sleep no matter how hard I tried. When I closed my eyes, I could smell the rain... see a frail, red-haired figure standing on the broken edge of the abyss... she screamed out into the darkness and her shoulders quaked from the effort. I reach out, and she falls into me, crying. We stand there for hours, and she finally decides to step down. I extend my hand to her, and she falls back. The darkness swallows her up, and I stand there. Alone. I step onto the ledge, feeling how slippery the stones are beneath me. The gusts whip at me through my robes, chilling me to the bone... I wonder how it would feel to hit bottom, whether it would hurt when I landed on the sharp rocks... I take another step-
- An owl flew through my open window, and I snapped out of my trance. It beckons to me, a rolled parchment tied to one feathered claw. I get out of bed and the owl glides onto my dresser and nips my fingers as I untie the parchment from it. I walked to Hedwig's cage and pulled out an Owl Treat for the delivery owl. I stroke her back as she happily gnawed on the treat. The owl was quite exotic, with a thick, dark crest that curved up at the base of her neck. The thick, billowy feathers that lined her legs gave her the odd appearance of wearing pants. After she finished the treat, she leaped to the window and took flight. When I was sure she had gone, I laid the parchment on my dresser... I could read it tomorrow...
Finally, I closed my eyes and sleep took me into her arms.