A couple of days later after the poisoning incident with Ron, the Weasley boy remained hospitalized in the infirmary. It took him about two days before he woke up and although he was very much alive and well, and back to who he was before, Madam Pomffrey insisted that he stayed in bed for another week. It was so that she could monitor him just in case there were some overdue aftereffects that might come.
Ron's survival was a whole miracle since to what he had recalled, he did take a big gulp of the poisoned mead. It was also thanks to Harry's quick-thinking reflexes that had saved him from actually dying. Thanks to the boy's efforts and compliments from his professors, Dumbledore awarded him a special service award for saving his schoolmate along with hundred points to Gryffindor. It came without any surprise for Aine since she knows well that their Headmaster was generous— Too generous actually, in giving out points even for the most ridiculous reasons.
Ginny, Harry and Hermione went down to visit Ron every day after their classes, keeping him company as the hospitalized boy ranted about how boring it was staying in bed all day and all night. Hermione even helped him to take down some notes during class and when she heard him complain about being bored, she even asked the professors for extra worksheets for Ron to do while he remains bedridden. It was something Ron had regretted saying since he dreaded doing them, in fact, he was actually glad that he didn't have any homework. That was until Hermione gave him the worksheets.
Aine had also stopped by to check on Ron with her friends. She quit coming after the third time she had gone down ever since he woke up. It hurt her gravely every time she saw him in bed, his face complexion was pallid and he suffered whenever he had to drink the awful medicine. She swore to not feel anything since the day she found out about how it had been her fault that Ron almost died, but it was impossible to not feel remorseful about it. As much as Ron was annoying at times, he was still her dear friend, her carrot-head brother-like friend.
When she realized he was well taken care of by his other friends and Madam Pomffrey, her visits became lesser. She spends most of her time in the Room of Requirement, knowing that Harry and Hermione had their hands full with tending to Ron than checking on the Marauder's Map. Aine and Draco still needed to fix the Vanishing Cabinet after all. And they were close to completion.
They still needed to test whether their mending was a success before they could appease the weight on their shoulders. The obstacle of making sure that the cabinet allows someone or something to pass through between two different points: Hogwarts and Borgin and Burkes safely.
A tapping sound came from the window when Aine was in her room alone in the Gryffindor dormitory. She placed slots of her dried quill between her diary, halting writing an entry to look at the impatient taps. There, standing next to her own owl, Hestia was Draco's owl; looking ever so frightened of the she-owl. "Hello there," Aine greeted with a small smile, noting the note tied to its leg.
Aine offered the timid owl some treats before removing the little paper. She chuckles to herself when she saw how grumpy Hestia had become from the corner of her eye. Her fingers went over to give the two owls a little tickle, Hestia letting out a cute chirp at the affection while Draco's owl gave a panic squawk, unfamiliar with the action. Aine muttered a soft apology before giving them some treats, she then turns away and sat on the edge of her bed to read the note.
'Seventh-floor corridor, four o'clock.
D.M'
The girl's smile disappeared as she burns the message after she was done reading. The moment of truth, of whether their efforts will bear fruits of success or bore weeds of failure. When Aine turned to the window, Draco's owl had already flown off without waiting for a reply and she sighs.
She reaches for her wand and closed her eyes, concentrating deeply as she weaves her message into her magic. Then with a wave of her wand, she whispers, "Expecto Patronum." The silvery ball of light that emerged from her wand flickered weakly for a second and Aine pondered if the memory she had chosen wasn't strong enough. It had been especially hard to conjure a Patronus since her father's death. Whenever she thought of a joyful memory, her heart would ache as most of her happy memories were ones with her father.
The mass of light ripples irregularly until a corporeal form takes over. The long, slender skeletal-like creature appeared before her, stretching its bat-like wings out of the room's window. Aine's Patronus turned to blink at her with its enchanting milky pupils once it was free from the space. Then, without any further ado, the silvery Thestral galloped across the air, carrying the girl's message to Draco.
There was still an hour and a half before the decided time they would meet. And not wanting to be around people, she stayed back in her room to continue writing in her diary while meditating her mind until the time came.
When it was nearly time, Aine left her common room to the seventh-floor corridor. She was still dressed in her uniform although her scarlet and gold tie was slightly loosened. As it was almost the end of the day, many students were either already in their own common rooms or still wandering around the school grounds, enjoying the warmer season. Aine was glad that she didn't have to sneak her way through floors to avoid her friends since everywhere she went was pretty much empty.
She found Draco sitting by one of the arched windows when she arrived. His gaze hardened at the soft ray of sunshine that had poured in the cracks of the window. His arm raised to touch the light, only for his fingers to seep through it pitifully. He seemed to be deep in thought that he didn't notice Aine until she was peeking at him. She blows a small gust of air to break him from his thoughts and the boy blinks back his surprise. A smile creeps up on his face almost instantly at the sight of her and he brightens.
Draco immediately reaches for her hand to hold, his fingers gently stroking the girl's knuckles before she laces her hand in his. The gesture alone sent a comforting warmth and strength to him, easing his tensed heart. He couldn't stop thinking about the Vanishing Cabinet lately, and it troubles him a great deal when he imagines it not working despite all their hard work.
Sensing Draco's apprehension, Aine gives his hand a tight squeeze. "Are you alright?" she asks him worriedly. "We can do this another day if you want."
"No—" Draco replied firmly as he shakes away the unsettling doubts that clouded his mind. He gathered his composure before speaking again, "I'm okay, love. Come, let's go."
Together, they made their way to the Room of Requirement. The quiet and peaceful corridor welcomed them as their hearts started to pound as one. There was only the sound of a faint chirp echoing in the distance. When they approached the rounded cage hanging from the ceiling, Draco's steps came to a stop. He glanced at Aine before he waves his wand to unlock the cage. Then, he safely levitated the singing bird into his other free hand.
Aine and Draco walked up to the empty wall, their intertwined hands clasping even tighter. Within seconds, the majestic door presented itself to them and the two entered the Room of Hidden Things.
They stood before the towering furniture, Draco pulled the thick red tapestry that was covering it. Specks of dust danced in the air before settling down to the ground and standing in front of their eyes was the Vanishing Cabinet, never looking in a better condition as each day passes thanks to their efforts of mending it. Aine tugged on the handles and opens the doors while Draco unfolds his fingers to release the little white singing bird. They watch as it hops down from the boy's hand around the spacious space, its beady eyes blinking as it walks around curiously, still chirping with such sweetness even after they closed it.
The melodious sound of it singing was still pleasant to their ears and Aine smiled softly. She turns to Draco whose silver eyes caught sight of a single feather left behind on the edge of his sleeves. He plucks it off and brought it into the light, examining it with a mesmerising gaze.
It didn't take long before the deafening silence arrived and the chirps disappears away abruptly. There was a muffled whooshing sound, causing both Aine and Draco's attention to divert back to the cabinet. They opened the doors, only to be greeted by an empty interior.
The bird had vanished without a trace.
For now, it seems like they had managed to successfully teleport the bird over to the other Vanishing Cabinet at Borgin and Burkes. All that they needed now was for the bird to travel back to them now, safely and unharmed. Even without a word spoken, Aine and Draco had desperately prayed that the odds will turn for them.
They joined their hands once more, pressing their palms onto the ebony wooden walls of the cabinet; feeling every indentation of the surface, every intricacy. Their eyes shut as they focused on the passage, picturing the bridge between the twin cabinets. And they waited and waited.
Not long later, there was a subtle clattering sound within the cabinet. Startled by the sudden noise, Aine flinched and caused Draco to jolt as they shot open their eyes. A shaky breath left their lips as they prepared for whatever was in the cabinet.
Aine felt Draco's hand tremble a little in hers, he swallowed hard. He wore an anxious expression on his face in hopes that they would succeed. But it wasn't just the fact that they were afraid of failure. It was the fact that there was an unnerving silence within the enclosed cabinet doors. She looks at the boy, mirroring his expression. They were scared to open it, to reveal what was beyond the walls dividing them.
But they must.
Each of them took a handle of the door before pulling it apart, the creaking sound matching the loudness of their beating hearts. However, the sight that prevails only caused them to freeze in their position. Aine and Draco could only stare in shock and horror, their lips parting as they quivered.
The sight that befell them instantaneously reminded them of their fate should they fail. Once singing a sweet tune with its chirps, now fallen into an ominous silence. The little white bird sang no more and instead had laid on a side.
Unmoving and quiet. Eyes shut and not even a single rise in its little chest. Like it was dead.
Draco's face contorted together, he was the first to crumble. His steps faltered backwards as tears welled in his eyes so quickly that he couldn't stop to fathom. A gasp left his gaping lips and he clamps his mouth, sickened by the dead bird. Nausea washed over him and he staggered back to a large crate, sitting down to process everything. What he had seen evoked something inside him that he hadn't expected. The revelation hit him hard out of nowhere and he started to spiral slowly.
Aine's gaze followed the boy, cautious and gentle. She approached him and knelt down in front of Draco, looking up at the boy who hung his head low. His shoulders shook and he hides his face from her. "Breathe, my love," she reminded him softly, noting how he had held his breath even without knowing.
However, Draco feared that if he took another heave of air, he'll throw up. Aine continued to encourage him, she pats his back and he lets out a heavy exhale. He blinks back to the traumatic memories that were reemerging. The way the bird lay motionless reminded him of all of the memories he wanted to forget.
Images of the time he finally got to see Aine after all of the tortures and abuse surfaced, putting itself together into a slideshow in his head. To see the girl he loved to lie in filth on the cold ground, deeply unconscious without a single movement terrifies him. And then there was another— It was when he was younger before he met Aine— From when he was a much younger age. The no longer singing bird, the way a single spark ended all of his joy, the way the figure in front of him collapses and no longer chirps like the bird. The haunting memories that Draco had to squeeze his eyes shut to bury the trauma.
Not now... He tells himself, balling his fists together. He shudders at the painful memory.
He wasn't ready to go through that again.
"Breathe, Draco," Aine tells him again with a gentle tone. Her voice alone eradicates the misery he was feeling and he finally looks at her. Following her instructions, Aine inhaled and exhaled slowly. Her shoulders rise as she takes a breath, holding it for a few seconds before she pushes the air out for him to mimic.
When Draco could breathe better again, Aine's lips curled. Her hand trailed to stroke the back of his head, running her fingers through his soft platinum locks over and over again. He continues breathing well. "That's right," she said when she felt his heartbeat regulate normally again. "Good job, my love. I'm proud of you," Aine added as the boy inclines towards her and wraps his arms around her back, he buries his head in the crook of her neck.
They both breathed in unison, inhaling and exhaling as if they had shared the same body. The sounds of their breathing were soon interrupted when Draco spoke with a weakened voice. "I can't do this... I can't, Aine," he reveals, showing her his vulnerability as his words cracked.
Draco tried so hard to not break under the pressure but he was so close. Just looking at the still bird was like a big slap of the word 'failure' to him. From their first attempt to assassinate Dumbledore with the Cursed Opal Necklace, which resulted in Katie Bell almost dying, to the poisoned mead which almost cost Ron's life. Time was running out and all their attempts so far had been unsuccessful. Things were getting bleaker than ever and if this continued— If their plots continue to fail, they really had to kill their Headmaster straight on.
That was to use the Unforgivable Curse.
And he most certainly didn't want to do that. He couldn't—
He hated it. He hated this.
But it was too late to turn back. Rejecting the mission wasn't an option unless they wanted to be killed. And yielding to the Dark Lord was the last thing he wanted to do if possible. They had come too far to stop and dug too deep to reach for the light. It had been almost seven months since they began mending the Vanishing Cabinet. They've already gone to the extreme of endangering not one but two innocent lives. The only way was forward not backward.
Aine closes her eyes, hushing Draco as he stifled a cry in her. "It's okay..." she repeated. Her voice nearly broke like her heart. She continues to caress him, soothing the boy. "We'll get through this..."
Draco sniffled and he pulls back slightly, the whites of his eyes reddened. Aine rests her forehead against his and he took a deep breath. Their golden and silver eyes closed as they took in the comfort they found in the opposite. "I promise we'll get through this. Together," she promised.
He could feel her shaking too, trying her best to stay strong. With the intimate distance between them, Draco could feel her pulse rushing, her heart racing anxiously and in fear like his. Though everything seemed to feel uncertain and all odds were against them. Draco desperately clung onto the hope that was hanging on thin threads, he believed Aine.
Together. He repeated the words in his head.
He wasn't alone.
He had her, and likewise, she had him.
And together, they will get through this.
─── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───
A short chapter before things get chaotic again. I swear, this book is just an emotional rollercoaster. My heart hurts watching these two babies suffer and the scene was just heartbreaking every time I watch it. A little note I want to add in regard to Aine's character is that this book will be where she would begin to be at the lowest point of her life. The vulnerability is something I want to explore and I hope it shows so far!
Let me know your thoughts and do upvote if you enjoyed it~
- Zeneria