Haunted

VI

Draco knew Potter far too well. He knew that, when the next morning he wouldn’t touch his breakfast, it was because he was still upset about the night before and not because he was tired of mopping, which was the lame excuse he gave Granger and Weasley. He also knew Potter was a bit of a masochist, since he didn’t want to forget he was the one to blame for Draco’s death, even though it pained him to remember. Draco’s visits where, therefore, a double-blade knife: they made Potter suffer, but they also made him feel better.

«Damn you, Potter… why do you have to be so complicated. Well, guess what, you won’t have any visits today. Or at least that you know of…»

Draco followed the trio around all day, but he didn’t show any sign of presence. Somewhere around six, Granger said she was going to the Library to do some research on ghosts. The Weasel went along with her, but Potter said he was tired and wanted to go and lie down for a while.

Draco followed him up to his room and, after checking it was empty, Potter asked, ‘Malfoy? Are you in here?’

Draco didn’t answer.

‘Come on, Malfoy… I know you’re here.’

Potter waited to see if he got a response or something telling him he wasn’t alone, but he didn’t get it. Then, he walked to his school trunk and took some parchment out of it.

‘I solemnly swear I’m up to no good’

Draco peaked over his shoulder and saw a map of Hogwarts appear in it. He followed Potter’s gaze and found the room they were in. There where two small tags that read “Harry Potter” and “Draco Malfoy” in it.

‘I knew you were in here’, Potter said, slumping on his bed. He sounded relieved, somehow.

‘Nice toy, Potter. I hope it was worth it’, Draco said, leaving him alone.

He went down to the Library to bug the other two, still annoyed about Potter knowing he was there. Luckily, he’d find out something useful. Granger and Weasley were both sitting on the floor with their backs against the bookshelf. Granger was flipping through the pages of a book entitled “Living Death and It’s Secrets” and Weasley was pretending to be reading over her shoulder.

Draco lay down on the nearest table and waited, until Granger said, ‘Ron, hear this out. “Ghosts have the ability to posses the living when they have reached the third level of their development. The first level is human contact and the second is obtaining their visibility.”’

‘You mean, after he gets his glow he could posses us?’, he asked frightened. ‘Wouldn’t that be tomorrow night?’

‘Yes, but he doesn’t know that… or at least, I hope he doesn’t’, she added. ‘According to this book, they don’t realize what their powers are until they discover them, unless they are properly instructed. If Moaning Myrtle hadn’t told him about the glow, he wouldn’t have known how to get it, if not by accident.’

‘Stupid Myrtle…’, Weasley grumbled, and Draco resisted the urge to tell him so were they. ‘Does it say how they posses people?’

‘Er… yes. “When the ghost penetrates the body”, save the comment to yourself, Ron, “and lingers inside, their minds merge, and both will powers war for control. If the ghost is convincing enough, he can use the body and do whatever he pleases with it. If the possessed individual is stronger, it can expel the ghost from the body”. Well, at least he won’t be able to get Harry. If he can release himself from the Imperius Curse, it’s obvious he can get rid of Malfoy’, said Granger. ‘Oh, and listen. “If the person is indeed possessed, it will keep no memory of what occurs whilst it’s being controlled.”’

‘I don’t like this one bit…’, said the Weasel.

‘Honestly, me either.’

«And for some reason, I do. Why do you think that is?», Draco thought. «Death will be a blast as soon as I get that bloody glow»

‘Hermione, I think it would be a good idea to start looking for some sort of defensive spell or something.’

‘I’m one step ahead of you. This morning I found a shielding charm to use on the hangings of the bed. That way, he can try all he wants, but at least we will rest in peace.’

‘Funny girl, don’t say that again’, Weasley said bitterly. ‘Why don’t we go to my room and put that shield on Harry’s bed. I bet he’ll need it more than we will.’

«No! Damn you! Both of you!»

Draco followed them to Potter’s room. He was still lying awake in bed with the Marauder’s Map in his hands.

‘Harry! Is Malfoy in here? We’ve got to tell you something’, Granger said.

‘Yes, he’s here’, he said after checking the map.

‘We can’t tell him if he’s here’, Weasley told her in a whisper.

‘He probably knows already. He’s been at the Library all along’, Potter told them.

The colour on Granger’s and Weasley’s face vanished.

‘Idiots’, Draco laughed.

‘Why?! What did you find out?!’, Potter asked, suddenly very alarmed.

‘We sort of…’, Weasley began.

‘Taught him how to… posses people.’

‘YOU WHAT?!’