Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

35. In the Eye of the Storm

Chapter 35 - In the Eye of the Storm

Mealtimes had possibly become my least favourite time at Hogwarts. I had previously disliked them because there was someone constantly trying to avenge themselves from a prank I'd pulled on them - but now that my brother and I were hated by Prophet readers and non-believers alike, the insults at the dinner tables were hitting an all-time low.

Alya had started skipping meals as well, or at least waiting until the last half hour to come and steal a bit of food. She was apparently very afraid of the consequences surrounding my sodden bed - and quite rightly, too. She knew that something was brewing in the back of mind, or at least she knew that it should have been. Because of the fear of my retaliation, she'd also taken to moving her bed into Parkinson's dormitory. It had taken two house elves twenty-four minutes to do it. I know because I'd counted and threatened to give them clothing if they didn't work fast enough.

Breakfast the next morning was an event in itself. Now that I was back at school Nott and I had subscribed for our own copy of the Daily Prophet, so that we could keep tabs on what was being said and what was being hidden from the public. I tried to ignore the sensation of all the eyes on me as I read. It was nearly impossible not to snap at them, but even I wouldn't be able to defend myself against them all - and I was luckily distracted by the news article on the front page.

"So he is going to Azkaban," I sighed, looking down to the strong jawed picture of Sturgis Podmore that covered the front page.

"Who is?" Theodore checked over my shoulder. "Do you know him?"

"No," I lied quickly. "Just been keeping up with it. Don't understand why someone would want to break into the Ministry. The..." I checked exactly where. "Department of Mysteries."

"Maybe because it's a mystery?" Nott chuckled. "I'd be pretty curious if I worked somewhere I wasn't allowed to go into. The Department of Mysteries isn't available to anyone other than the people who work there specifically, and they have taken an unbreakable vow of silence on what it is they do."

"Unbreakable vow?" I frowned, racking my brain for when I had heard it. It had something to do with Malfoy's dad. "Is that the one where if you break it you die?"

"Right," he nodded. "Now eat so we can go."

Theodore had been hounding me about my food intake during the meal times I'd grown to hate. I knew I was thin, but I hadn't figured anyone would care as much as Nott seemed to. I took the time to finish my toast and just a few bites of my eggs, but that was all I could stomach. I'd been forced to argue with Theo the night before, explaining that because I'd been eating so little my stomach had shrunk and that's why I couldn't finish my plate. He didn't want to get into a fight now that we were on the mend so he shut it, but he hadn't seemed to believe me. To be honest, even I couldn't tell whether or not I was making excuses.

"Oh, hey Audrey," Lillian came to sit down on my open side, only open because Goyle had mysteriously gotten pumpkin juice spilt all over the front of his robes. "How are you?"

"Just chipper," I rolled my eyes. It was nice having some form of support group. With Alya's dismissal of our friendship, Lillian and Tracey had been making an extra effort to be kind. It was really hard for them, considering that Lillian was in a very upper-class pureblood circle and Tracey, though a halfblood, was not used to keeping quiet about mudbloods and blood traitors, but we were all learning and I appreciated the support that they gave. "Where's Davis?"

"Tracey? Er...hospital wing," Lillian frowned. "She got hexed by a Ravenclaw sixth year. Git."

"Who?" My eyes narrowed, she shrugged her shoulders and looked away from me.