lumos / phan

four

Dan has a pretty awful Halloween, to say the least. From literally people clearing a path for him in fear and even the Slytherins beginning to shift slightly when he sits at the table for dinner, he's feeling quite isolated and loathed.

See, everyone has been going insane since Mrs Norris was found, and there's been an increasing amount of people becoming petrified around the school. Fear is rising within Hogwarts and everyone can sense it. To make matters worse, Dan is being targeted. The blame has to go somewhere and everyone is pointing their irrational, shaking fingers at him - the powerful, isolated Slytherin from a dark family.

But he would never do such a thing, if only they'd open their eyes.

"How's my favourite heir," Phil asks with a grin as he falls into step beside Dan, "gloomy as always?"

"Phil, I'm not in the mood," Dan says dejectedly, keeping his eyes on the floor, "I'm just gonna go to bed. Possibly forever."

"What about dinner?" Phil asks, eyes wide, "you can't miss the amazing dinners we have here! Not just dinner, all food is awesome!"

"I can Phil, and I'm going to," Dan says with a sigh, sadness seeping off him just as rain would, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Dan lifts Phil's arm off his shoulder, letting it go back to hanging by Phil's side limply. He gives Phil a small smile before disappearing around the corner as he heads towards the Slytherin common room. Phil remains standing in the hallway, sad to see his friend in pain and sadder because he's unsure what to do about it.

As Dan gets closer to the common room, relief floods him, god he's looking forward to being alone.

"Dan! It's Dan, right?" A voice asks and a hand grabs his elbow, preventing him from going further.

Dan sighs in exasperation - so much for getting to relax on his bed in isolation and peace.

"Yeah?" Dan replies, unsure as he turns to see Ron, Harry, who has his arm, and his favourite classmate, good old Hermione.

"I just wanted to ask, uh, what you know about the chamber of secrets?" Harry asks, looking slightly nervous yet determined and angry - Dan sort of wants to explode at this.

"The same as, if not less than you do," Dan snaps sharply, pulling his arm away from Harry and frowning at the three, "look, I know what you think - I know what everyone thinks. I'm not stupid, but I'm also not the heir. My best friend is muggle-born, NOT ALL SLYTHERIN HAVE PREJUDICES! I don't want to hurt people, I just want to be alone right now, is that too much to ask?"

"N-no," Harry stammers, looking taken aback, "sorry."

Dan doesn't say another word as he turns away from the three and continues towards the common room entrance. He's so frustrated and sick of people telling him who he is, what he's capable of and what he's doing to the school. He's not the heir, he knows it. He may be Slytherin, but Slytherin isn't even a bad house, despite its reputation. Someone isn't only limited to each house's main traits, and even so, Slytherins don't necessarily have bad traits, they're just more different, isolated.

Dan knows he is kind, intelligent and brave. He knows he's loyal and values love and friendship over everything. He knows even the worst people have that little bit of good inside of them, even if it's only minuscule, it's still there. He knows light from dark, and which is the right path to choose.

Once he's inside the common room, he finds that it's empty - everyone is in the great hall eating dinner. Dan wanders over to the windows, where the dark water of the black lake is lapping at the glass, creating a lulling background noise. Dan stares out at the water while Max climbs onto his lap, rubbing against Dan as he senses his owner's sadness.