Harry Potter And The Teenage Witch

Part 5

Draco entered the Room of Requirement. He was working on a vanishing cabinet. If his theories were correct, this could mean an easy passageway for the Death Eaters to enter Hogwarts. Draco sighed. Would he be able to live up to his father?

Scrunch scruch.

What was that noise?

Draco quickly turned on his heels.

Luna Lovegood?

"What are you doing here?" he asked before he could stop himself.

"Oh, hi Draco!" Luna said in her dreamy voice. "I came to look for Umgubular Slashkilter."

"Umbig..what?"

"Umgubular Slashkilter." Luna said as a matter-of-factly tone. "I thought I saw one, and then I followed it into this room. Funny, how this room has changed since I visited it last."

Draco remembered. Potter had raised up an army of him in this very room. He also remembered that he was the one who gave them away. It was mere rivalry then. He wanted to best Potter, and hated the idea of him doing something secretly that he couldn't figure out. So, as soon as he got the news, he handed it over to Umbridge.

But time had changed since then. A lot, actually. Draco couldn't believe that it had been less than a year. Time really was an illusion.

"Luna, I would prefer if you get out from this room with your imaginary friend. I have to do some work here." he said coldly.

"I can't just leave an Umgubular Slashkilter flying around and damaging peoples' brains!" she argued. "They are dangerous creatures."

If only you knew what dangerous is, he thought.

"It went there," she indicated at the vanishing cabinet. "And then when I opened it, it was gone."

Draco gulped. He would be in big trouble if Luna figured out the job of the cabinet. And once Luna knew, it would be a matter of time for Potter to know. He had to do something; he had to come up with something quick.

"That's because it doesn't exist." he told her. "Really Luna, when will you understand the reality? People laugh at you behind your back for your such theories." he said flatly. "If you want people to take you seriously, you should stop spreading these rumours."

"My friends take me seriously," Luna said, hands on her hips.

"Friends," he snorted. "They would be your friends if they cared about you."

"And since when," Luna asked. "you started caring for me?"

"I don't. I just-" Draco said quickly. His ear and nose turned pink.

"You just what?" Luna asked, her brow raised.

"Nothing." he said flatly. "Luna, do me a favor and please go. There is no Umbigular Slashkiller here."

"Umgubular Slashkilter." she said.

"Whatever."

At that moment, a THUMP! sound was heard.

"What's that?" she asked, curious.

"What's what?" Draco feigned not to hear the sound. Because if he admitted it that he heard the sound too, he would have to open the cabinet and then he would have to go to the Azkaban, like his father.

"Did Wrackspurts go into your ear or what?" Luna said, annoyed. "I think it came back. Let me open this-"

But before she could get her hands on the cabinet, Draco strode forward.

"Luna, you are a Ravenclaw, aren't you?"

"Yes, what does that have to do with Umgubular Slashkilter?"

"If you're a Ravenclaw, if you're a true Ravenclaw, answer me this riddle."

"What riddle?"

"I hurt the most when lost," he started.

"Yet also when not had at all.

I'm sometimes the hardest to
express,

but the easiest to ignore.

I can be given to many,

Or just one."

Luna looked at him with quizzical brows.

"What am I?" Draco finished.

"Are you talking about yourself?" Luna asked, bemused.

"What?" he asked, flabbergasted.

"Lost, hard to express, hurting people-" she counted. "The description seems to fit you a lot, Draco." Luna said, smile tugging on her lips.

"I.." Draco threw his hands up in exasperation. "It's not about me. Why do you think someone would make a riddle about me?"

"Maybe you made it yourself." she told him.

"It's not about me!" he said loudly. "Honestly, how can you call yourself a Ravenclaw when you can't even answer a simple riddle?"

"Honestly, how can you call yourself a Slytherin when you know more than me? You should be in Ravenclaw." she retorted.

He snorted. "When hell freezes over."

Again, a Thump! was heard. Draco sighed in relief. Whatever the thing was in there must be gone.

"I heard it again!" she exclaimed. And before he could do anything, she rushed forward and opened the door.

There was nothing inside it. Draco laughed.

"Told you it was your imagination." he said.

"Just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it's not there." Luna said sternly.

"Okay, let's say for the sake of our argument that the Umburger Shapekiller was here. But did you see it inside the box? Were you able to catch it?" he asked. He felt bad for making her questioning herself, but there was no other way.

Luna stared at him.

"No?" he asked. "Then there's no point in arguing, right?"

Luna didn't say anything except staring at him. At that moment, Draco felt she was the most powerful being on this Earth, this Universe. He felt that she could see right through his soul.

Despite his fear, he didn't cower. Trying to keep his voice as normal as possible, he said, "Then please get out. I need to work on something and I would appreciate it if no one disturbs me."

Luna walked out silently.

"Hey Luna!" Draco called out.

"The riddle's not about me, it's about you."

"I don't need validation of my personality from you, Draco." Luna said, and stomped out.

#April 19,2021, 5:59 pm