Bad Omens… Again.
Hermione opened the door while Draco and Harry followed behind her. The moment they stepped inside the room; if that enormous place could even be called a room; it looked like it could easily be larger than a Quidditch stadium. Maybe several of them together. Its end could not be seen in the distance. There were only mountains and mountains of piled-up objects. Some looked so ancient that it was hard to imagine when they had been abandoned there.
There were chairs, tables, boxes, wardrobes, trunks; and all kinds of furniture and other objects scattered everywhere, forming piles so tall that in some places they seemed to make it impossible to move through the area.
"This is… incredible," Harry said as he walked forward, looking at some objects that appeared to be old books; several of them torn. It was like a huge storage hall, a strange mixture of a junk depot and a warehouse of forgotten curiosities.
Meanwhile, Draco examined a suit of armor like the ones normally seen in the castle corridors. But this one had a faint scratch across its chest. For a moment, the armor seemed to gently rub the damaged spot before letting its head drop again, as if it had lost interest.
"It's like the graveyard of Hogwarts objects," Draco said.
"Many things here look useless; but some of them still work," Hermione commented while picking up an old book. It had a few stains, but it could still be read perfectly. Then she kept walking.
Draco and Harry followed her while, from time to time, they had to crouch to pass between piles of stacked chests that left only a narrow passage open; perhaps just wide enough for house-elves to use. Maybe they were the ones responsible for bringing here everything that stopped being useful in the castle.
Harry lifted his gaze slightly and saw a golden snitch floating between the piles of objects. It fluttered briefly above their heads, as if unsure whether to escape, before disappearing again among the mountains of forgotten things.
"How did you find this place?" Draco asked Hermione.
"Pansy Parkinson," Hermione replied calmly.
That made Draco raise an eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
"Or rather… Daphne and I noticed that Pansy had been acting strangely the last time. So we followed her a couple of times, and she always ended up disappearing in the same place. Then we simply decided to wait there until she appeared again… and we saw her come out of a door that suddenly appeared behind Barnabas the Barmy. After that it took us a while to figure out how to make it appear again. And here we are. The Room of Requirement," Hermione explained while raising both hands with a small spark of excitement.
"Wow. What an interesting way to waste time," Harry said with a faint smile.
That made Hermione look at him with annoyance. Because even though the place seemed interesting, in reality it was nothing more than a massive dumping ground for objects. Aside from getting lost inside or trying to search for things they could sell if they didn't have money; something none of them actually needed; the place was… well, not particularly useful.
"Just follow me. Let's find Daphne and you'll see," Hermione said, glancing at Harry with mild irritation as she guided them through the narrow passages.
At some points they had to climb over the mountains of objects; moving through them was almost like walking along the narrow path a cat would use.
Until finally, they were able to see Daphne. She was standing in front of what looked like an old black cabinet, studying it carefully with a thoughtful expression.
When she saw them approaching, she turned around and greeted them with a raised hand.
"About time you arrived," she said with a small smile.
Draco and Harry nodded to her before their attention shifted toward the cabinet in front of them.
"Is that a Vanishing Cabinet?" Draco said as he recognized it, observing it with interest.
Harry also stepped closer and began examining the runes carved along parts of the cabinet, clearly curious.
"I thought they had all been destroyed," Harry said with slight excitement.
"And that's how it's supposed to be. The smallest scratch on one of these can trap anyone who enters inside a kind of limbo they may never escape from. Besides, their use is considered dangerous because of their unpredictable nature, so they stopped being used after the first wizarding war, although they actually helped many people hide," Hermione explained while nodding seriously.
"This one seems damaged," Daphne added, gently patting the old wooden cabinet.
"But—" she began to say.
Before she could continue, Harry interrupted her.
"Someone seems to be trying to repair it," he said while pointing at several markings carved into the door.
"Yes. We think it's Pansy Parkinson," Hermione added.
"And why would she want to fix a Vanishing Cabinet?" Draco asked, glancing slightly at the girls.
"I have no idea. Unless she has the other one, it should be useless. And even if she did… would she really risk using it like that?" Hermione said.
"Maybe she's doing it for someone else," Harry said after thinking for a moment. "I think she's been acting very strange lately. Especially when she looks at Draco," he added.
Draco raised his gaze with mild irritation, unable to deny that Harry was probably right.
"Don't worry. Hermione and I will keep an eye on her. We're actually very interested in finding out what she's planning," Daphne said calmly.
"Well, yes. Although I think it would be better to inform Sirius about the cabinet. If someone really had the other one, it could be dangerous if strangers were able to enter the castle," Hermione added.
"I suppose," Daphne said with a shrug.
"Well… it looks like once again this year won't be peaceful," Harry commented with mild sarcasm.
"We're in the middle of a competition against other schools. When has this year ever been peaceful?" Draco replied, glancing at him.
"Well… sometimes I like to imagine it will be one problem per year," Harry said with a small smile.
"That sounds a lot like post-traumatic stress," Draco said, shaking his head. But the worst part was that all four of them seemed to be thinking exactly the same thing.
Before leaving, Harry couldn't help glancing once more at the Vanishing Cabinet before stepping out of the Room of Requirement and heading to his next class.
…
After Transfiguration class, where they had been turning guinea fowl into guinea pigs, the professor stopped everyone before they could leave.
"Well, I will take this moment to give you some news that you will also hear later in the Great Hall. But in case someone happens not to pay attention, it is best to repeat it several times," Professor McGonagall said while observing the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students who shared that class that afternoon.
"The Yule Ball is approaching. It forms a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and, at the same time, an opportunity for us to socialize with the foreign students. Only students in fourth year and above will be allowed to attend the ball, although they may invite younger students if they wish," the professor explained.
Lavender Brown let out a somewhat shrill smile that drew the attention of several people, while Parvati Patil elbowed her to calm down.
Meanwhile, both Harry and Draco could feel several gazes digging into the back of their necks. They came from those two… but not only from them; also from several other girls from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Some curious. Others clearly interested.
If someone had to compare it to something, it would be like watching several hunters observing their prey.
Professor McGonagall seemed to ignore all of it, while Harry and Draco wore somewhat tired expressions, as if they could already see the problems coming their way.
"Dress robes will be required. The ball will take place in the Great Hall and will begin at eight o'clock on Christmas night, ending at midnight. Now then…," she said while sweeping her gaze across the students. "The Yule Ball is, of course, an opportunity to relax. But that does not mean we will allow students to behave in a way that brings embarrassment to Hogwarts. Therefore, beginning tomorrow, etiquette and dance lessons will be held during your midday breaks. Attendance is mandatory. And all professors will assist in teaching you how to behave properly during a formal event."
The bell marking the end of the day rang, and immediately the classroom filled with excited murmurs. Many students looked ready to run straight out of the room. Some were clearly thrilled, probably already thinking about finding a partner for the upcoming ball.
"Malfoy and Potter," McGonagall said, stopping Draco and Harry.
Both paused and walked over, slightly confused since they did not remember misbehaving during the lesson.
The professor waited until the rest of the students had left before speaking to them.
"You should be aware of something. As champions, you will be the ones to open the ball with your respective partners. So…"
"Partners?" Draco and Harry said at the same time, interrupting her.
"Yes, partners. Unless you would prefer to dance with each other… which would certainly be quite a spectacle," the professor added with a faint smile.
"I'll pass. Draco isn't my type," Harry said calmly, taking it with humor.
Draco simply looked at him with clear displeasure at the joke before returning his attention to the professor, who seemed slightly amused as she shook her head.
"I am quite sure that when it comes to manners and dancing lessons, neither of you will require much assistance. However, it would be wise for you to find partners soon. We would rather not have the castle become too noisy because of the two of you. And well… this has happened before, but I would advise keeping an eye on any drinks offered to you, just in case," the professor said, finishing her warning. "You may go now."
Harry and Draco nodded as they left the classroom, thinking about Professor McGonagall's words. They could not help feeling a faint sense of unease settling over them. Something that, for a moment, reminded them of Professor Trelawney's words… like a darkness floating over the castle, waiting to devour everything.
So the two of them could not help sighing at the same time.