Chapter 9 – Not Waving, Just Drowning.
Harry only had two more weeks of school to go before the summer holidays. Two weeks. Where had the time gone? It made him feel sick to the stomach. Two more weeks of freedom and then – he didn't even want to think about it. He learned so much at his first year at Hogwarts and had seen so many changes. All the first years were well and truly settled now and had their own groups of friends. He sat at breakfast one sunny morning watching them all chatting and eating happily. How their little faces had changed since that first day. The first scary, unbelievable day when a large group of wide eyed children turned up on the doorstep of huge, imposing castle not knowing what to expect. That scared, wide –eyed look everyone had on that first day had been replaced by confidence now. He looked over at the Gryffindor table – Ron, Hermione and Neville where firm friends and went everywhere together. He remembered how in the beginning he thought he and Ron might have become friends – if only he had been put in Gryffindor – imagine that. Yeah right, he laughed that thought off. Draco must have noticed the crooked smile Harry tried to hide but he couldn't hide much from Draco now.
"You're quiet. You ok?" Draco asked.
"Yes fine thanks," Harry lied swallowing down thoughts of going home to the dickheads Dursleys with each mouthful of porridge.
Pansy smiled at Harry from across the table. She'd become his number one fan. She'd also become firm friends with Tabitha Carty and Kerys Jones. Millicent Bulstrode no longer had anything to do with her and preferred hanging around with Daphne Greengrass. Those were the only two Harry didn't particularly care for in Slytherin. Draco agreed. Both girls were intensely jealous of Pansy and the attention she received from Harry. She'd been the one he'd snapped at on the train to Hogwarts that first day. He didn't care for her at first but once Christmas came around she seemed to change. Now she was a different girl. He dropped his spoon. "DAMN!" he yelled. Everyone turned. He couldn't help it. He had another sudden vision again – the first one in months. He saw himself sitting at the Gryffindor table wearing Gryffindor robes with Ron and Hermione. He was looking over at the Slytherin table watching Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy shooting him filthy looks. Eventually the vision faded away and his half eaten porridge came back into focus.
"You OK Harry?" Asked Pansy
"Yes, headache, nothing – "Harry lied, rubbing his forehead.
"He's ok," said Draco almost protectively. Draco and Harry had developed a knack of reading each others thoughts. He promised Draco he'd tell him what he'd seen later, when there were less ears around.
It was potions time again - with Gryffindor – Harry stood at the open doorway reluctant to go in.
"What's going on?" Draco asked. "It was another vision wasn't it?" he whispered. Harry just nodded. Hermione and Ron shoved past the two little Slytherin boys - nearly pushing Draco over in the process. Ron seemed to have grown quite a bit but Draco was still as small as ever – even smaller than Harry who wasn't particularly tall himself. The little blonde boy snarled at Ron. Pansy, Tabitha and Kerys trotted up playfully. "Hi boys", they smiled. "You ok? You look glum," asked Tabitha assessing them both. "I'm fine. Harry's not feeling well," said Draco in angry tones. Tabitha looked from Harry to Draco suspiciously. "He gets headaches," Draco snapped.
"OK I was only asking" Tabitha snapped back. "Don't be such a little grump Draco!" "Pansy's cheeks turned bright red. No girl ever snapped at Draco. The three little Slytherin girls made their way into the classroom. "We'd better go in," said Harry finally and they made their way to their usual seats. Something wasn't quite right. Hermione and Ron were looking guilty. Both Harry and Draco noticed this and started to wonder if they were planning another prank. No – this was something else. Professor Snape was taking longer than usual to bring out ingredients from the cupboard and when he eventually did he shot Hermione and Ron suspicious looks. Ron sunk down in his seat. Hermione turned to Neville and whispered something. Neville fidgeted with a book in his cauldron the pulled it out and sat on it while Snape had his back turned. "What's up with them do you think?" asked Draco. Harry paused before he answered. "I don't know but they're up to something. If we watch closely enough we can get them into trouble. We've no proof of anything," said Harry glumly. Draco pouted.
The whole lesson dragged. Harry and Draco normally enjoyed Potions but other things were weighting heavily on both their minds. Harry didn't want to go home and Draco wanted further revenge on Ron and Hermione. The days got warmer and warmer and students spent a great deal of time during breaks outside soaking up the sun. Draco's fair skin turned bright red and on several occasions he had to visit Madame Pomfrey for a sunburn cure. It was on one of these occasions that they became slightly late for Charms class. In the corridor outside Professor Flitwick's room Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall were talking in hushed tones but Harry could have sworn he heard the word 'culprit'. He was then distracted by giggling coming from a dark corner. It was Fred and George. "Look," said Fred pointing over to a round lump in the distance. Professor Lower was sitting in a slump on the floor. He must have had another one of his pretend heart attacks Harry thought. Professor Lower cried out, clutching his chest then fell to the floor. "Does that mean we get money?" asked Draco.
"Oh yes," said George handing over a bunch of Galleons to both the Slytherin boys. They pocketed the money with a smile then turned towards Snape and McGonagall again. "You'd better hurry to class boys, you're late already for Charms," the Slytherin house master informed Harry and Draco. They were momentarily distracted by McGonagall standing over professor Lower yelling "oh for goodness sake Ned." She stormed of in a huff. Students were rushing up and down the corridor leaving little room for Professor Snape who casually stepped over Professor Lower as if he was inconvenient clutter and walked briskly onward, his long black cloak flowing behind him.
No sooner had Draco and Harry apologised to Professor Flitwick for being late and sat at their desks a shrill girl's cry was heard outside. Everyone jumped in their seats. "Calm down, clam down Professor Flitwick ushered. "I'm sure it's nothing." A jumble of voices could be heard in the corridor outside through the thick wooden doors of the classroom. Then suddenly another scream and one more. Professor Flitwick walked calmly to the doors and opened one of them, carefully peering outside. Several students, including Harry and Draco, strained in their seats to try to get a view but they couldn't see much other than the heads of students and teachers. "Stay in your seats class please," asked professor Flitwick firmly. Asking first years to stay in their seats when a calamity was clearly taking place was like asking a cat to turn vegetarian. Tabitha Carty, Hanna Abbott, Harry, Draco and a number of other Slytherins and Hufflepuffs ran to the open door. Professor Lower was still lying on the floor and there was a huddle around him.
Suddenly Madame Pomfrey appeared. When she stood up from, presumably, examining the DADA teacher and looked forlorn. "I'm sorry," she said in hushed tones. "He's dead." Hannah Abbot burst into tears and Tabitha Carty clutched at her chest. "Don't be daft," yelled Draco, "he's a hypochondriac everyone knows that. Nothing's wrong with him. "The little blonde boy walked boldly into the corridor to examine the scene. "I'm sorry Mr Malfoy," Professor McGonagall replied, "this time it's real. He's had a heart attack, he's gone." Draco's face suddenly turned an even whiter shade than usual and Harry clasped his hand over hiss mouth. He felt a tear in his eye but fought it back. Professor Lower had probably been the kindest teacher he had ever known. Professor Flitwick placed a hand on Draco's shoulder gently reminding him not to cheek the deputy head and sympathetically ushered all his class back into their room. They sat down solemnly, some shaking visibly, others rubbing their heads in disbelief. A handful were in tears. Hannah Abbot was inconsolable and Harry felt sorry for her obviously genuine good nature. He looked at Draco who was till shaken and white. He too looked over at Hannah and bowed his head a little as if some previously unfelt amount of empathy had been discovered.
Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall could be heard ushering students who had gathered in the corridor back to their classes or common rooms and were urged to stay there until further notice. Professor Flitwick popped outside once more then closed the door behind him. In soothing tones he instructed the class to sit as calmly and quietly as they could until they were told otherwise by the head teachers. Harry and Draco sat in silence for what seemed like hours. They looked at the clock – forty five minutes had passed. Eventually Professor McGonagall came in and stood at the front of the class. "I am to officially announce that the Defence Against The Darks Arts Teacher has passed away. We realised it is a shock to you all and ask you all to return to your common rooms for the rest of the day." Some students ran, Harry and Draco crawled as if their energy had been drained. After arriving at the Slytherin common room they climbed the stairs to the dorms and sat on their beds in silence. Harry eventually spoke "What is it with these dark art teachers? That's two now one year." Draco endured a long, silence before answering "some say its to do with You Know Who."
"The Thing?" Harry asked .
Draco paused again "Yes".
"But he isn't killing them I mean, Professor Quiirell was eaten by a troll and Lower had a heart attack."
"Some say the position is cursed by The Thing."
"Why?"
"So we can't defend ourselves." Said Draco. "I've never seen anyone die like that before."
"Are you scared ?" asked Harry.
"Yes" admitted Draco.