BANALITY : Draco Malfoy

59

When the fire turns green, I tuck my bag against my chest, one hand wrapped tightly around my wand, and step in.

I wasn't expecting to feel the force of being sucked through the Floo. I had sort of imagined that I would disappear and reappear somewhere as if I was apparating but gently. Instead, my arms are shoved in tight against my chest. The wind howls around me as I am forced down the tube, and the sound if almost deafening because of the echo. My eyes sting from the soot, so I close them as tightly as I can. The air is thicker in some spots than others. Then, a wave of nausea hits, and it must be some awful combination of the taste of the coal and the movement. I was hoping it would be faster, although I shouldn't be surprised that it takes longer than thirty seconds to travel from London to Derry.

My face bangs into metal. It echoes around my head, and I can't even hold my temples since my arms are tucked in so tightly. I've stopped moving. My body is sick, and then I am trying desperately not to puke.

My eyes peer open, and I'm stuck. Terry's fireplace is tight, with my arms pinned at my side. My vision is obstructed by half the fireplace, which is quite low, but I can see an almost sort of grey outline of his sitting room. I push my leg forward, but it bangs against an invisible force. Like fire, it burns.

Then, I puke. My body jolts forward, and my forehead smacks off the forcefield. I slump to the side, unable to even move to the ground due to the tight confines of the space. It didn't occur to me that I wouldn't be able to enter his home. Harry and Ginny never have a problem. There must be some sort of key.

With vomit still trailing down my lips, I croak, "help."

Another surge comes up, and then I'm coughing again. It did not feel as unpleasant as apparating, but it seems that my body does not agree. After I puke once more, I try to shout louder.

"Terry!" my voice echoes back at me loudly.

The living room is blurrier now, but my eyes are watering from the soot. It's not even in colour. I pray to God that he is home because I don't know how long I will be stuck here if he is on holiday. There is no way for me to get help.

Since my hands are restricted, I can't quite get proper motion in my wand. I cast a spell to try to illuminate the room, but it cuts off as soon as it hits the wall. Actually, it makes it a bit harder to perceive the grey outlines of Terry's home. I don't know many counter charms, and even though it doesn't seem like the wall is making spells reverberate inside the fireplace, I don't want to risk stunning myself.

"Help!" I can feel my heart racing, but the sound is just as loud. I push my body weight against the invisible field which keeps me inside. It burns me through my jumper, and I have to recoil from the pain. "Help me! Please, somebody!"

My voice is loud now, but so magnified. I can hear it echoing up the shoot above me. The light didn't bounce back though.

The bag mutes sound.

I have to squeeze as far as I can to the left to get my wand in the proper position to take the spell off my bag. After firing the spell once, the bag doesn't go out. Fuck. I try again.

A stream of magic hits the bag.

So, I turn back to the living room, "Terry! Terry come here! Help! Help!"

I shove the bag against the invisible wall, and now I can hear it bang. Thank God.

"Help!" I shout, my voice growing hoarse. I still feel like I might be sick.

There is a light in the grey outline. I can see the outline of what I assume to be Terry.

"Please, please I'm trapped!" this was a bad idea. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? "It's Marty, please you've got to help me!"