Silence is Deafening

Chapter 39

Spring came. I envied all of the birds that fluttered around the castle and built nests in the clock tower. They sang songs of happiness and alerted the world that winter was over, that it was time to be happy and carefree.

There was absolutely nothing happy or carefree about the world right now. Each day, it grew darker and darker, if at all possible.

Draco and I hadn't spoken a word to each other in over a month. As soon as I returned to my dorm room, Bonnie was ready to pounce. She froze in place when she saw the fresh tear tracks that had found their way on my cheeks.

"Er--are you okay?" she asked, shaking Astoria awake. Astoria blinked at me sleepily and then shot up, looking alarmed. I had just shrugged my shoulders at both of them, climbing under my green duvet.

"Draco and I won't be seeing each other any longer." I said, thickly. I was grateful that both girls nodded, not pushing me or hassling me for more information. By some miracle, neither of them had asked about it since. They allowed me to float through the hallways silently, only humming or fake smiling at their attempts to cheer me up. It had been almost 6 weeks since that night, and I replayed it over and over again in my mind every time I lay down to sleep.

Draco didn't look much better than me. He haunted the corridors of the school like a ghost, dark circles swallowing the expression on his face. When we made eye contact, he was the first to break it, looking away as if it burned him. He was constantly being pulled into conversations with Snape or the Carrows, and he scowled at anyone who looked at him for too long. He had occluded fully, putting up impenetrable barrier around himself.

It was the last week before Easter break when Ginny and I were sat in the library, hiding away from the Carrows. Ginny had been in Amycus' class when he received some kind of negative news, and he had decided to take it out on anyone who looked at him a certain way.

Ginny left the class with a broken nose and a concussion.

We sat in the back of the library as I pressed tissue after tissue to her bleeding nose.

"It's really nob tha' bad." Ginny said, her nose sounding completely occluded.

"Please, Gin, you look like a panda." I rolled my eyes, pressing harder as she winced.

Suddenly, her eyes widened at something over my shoulder. I spun, squinting to see whatever it was she was seeing.

"Is tha' Squibge?" she asked, pointing outside.

Sure enough, Remus' owl sat tall and proud outside of the library window, with two letters tied to his ankle. He looked at me and hooted softly, and I quickly walked over to the window.

I pushed it open, holding out my arm. Squidge stepped on it and allowed me to pull him inside, carefully stroking his head.

"What do you have, mate?" I asked softly, as Ginny reached to untie the letters. Squidge hooted again, as if to try and answer my question. I tucked a knut from my pocket into his pouch carefully and stroked his feathered back. He nudged my fingers with his beak and flew off of my arm, narrowly dodging the window sill and heading up to the owlery.

"This wumb's for you and this wumb's for me." Ginny said, handing me my letter and tilting her head back. I couldn't help but chuckle at the speech impediment she had suddenly gained.

I tore open the letter and immediately recognized Remus' handwriting.

My Dearest Lizzie,

I cannot make this letter very long.

We have located your friend that you haven't seen in a few months.