Whisper → Draco Malfoy

CHAPTER NINE

When Elise arrived in the Great Hall that night, it felt different. What once made her heart flutter, now left her with a pit in her stomach, burrowing itself deeper inside of her.

"Come and join!"

She turned to see Theodore beckoning her from the Slytherin table, seated behind a plate piled high with pie. 

Elise quickly made her way over to the table, taking her usual seat beside Millicent who appeared to have already gone for second servings. She reached out, taking a slice of the pie and dropping it onto her plate, "has McGonagall spoken yet?"

Daphne shook her head, "no, why would she?"

"Oh," Elise mumbled, "no reason." She didn't trust her fellow classmates as far as she could throw them and it wasn't worth letting them know what she had seen on her trip to Hogsmeade. Millicent had probably even forgotten the events that had unfolded.

"Have any of you started that Potions essay?" Blaise asked in between bites, "that stupid one Slughorn set?"

Millicent grinned at the mention, "I have!"

"Barely," groaned Elise, "I don't think having someone else do it really counts." She took a bite of her pie, "some of us actually do our own work."

"Speaking of, Elise you really shouldn't bother," added Pansy, "that kid that Millicent found to do her essays, you should get her help."

"No way, she's mine."

"Well, if Elise spent less time doing her boring essays, maybe she would be a bit less boring herself."

Elise rolled her eyes at the comment, "at least I do my own work, it's embarassing to ask a child," she leaned over to Pansy, "to do my dirty work for me."

Theo butted in, "talking about Pansy's essay slaves?" 

"You know about them."

"I thought we all did," said Blaise with a grin, "I've been using other people since first year, why would I do my own work?"

"Quiet now please students." Professor McGonagall's voice cut through the chatter in the hall. "Simmer down," she waved her hands at the group. "Now, the Headmaster is unfortunately away on business, however, I have important news to dicuss-"

"What's this all about?"

"Merlin I'm just trying to eat my food...."

"Earlier today," she continued, "a student you may know, Katie Bell-"

Hearing her name made Elise's heart pound inside her chest as she was transported back to the sound of Katie's bloodcurdling screams echoeing through the grounds. 

"-was unfortunately taken ill. Miss Bell was in Hogsmeade, when she picked up a necklace, one that appears to have been cursed with some powerful dark magic. Katie is incredibly lucky to be alive but I would like to warn you all, to be vigilant. Students need to be cautious, do not touch anything that is not yours, report any suspicious behavior-"

Elise turned to see Harry Potter slam his fists against the Gryffindor table with a huff, "this is rubbish." He shook his head.

"Merlin can Saint Potter be quiet for once," Blaise mimicked him, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, as if you care about bloody Katie-"

"Well, she was fit!" He shrugged his shoulders, "nice to look at you know..."

Elise paused, "was?"

Blaise nodded between bites of his pie, "she won't exactly be nice to look at now."