' so many questions,

so little time to answer.

do whatever it is you believe,

you need to do to get it,

but beware, you might not like the answer

you receive. '

' as you are presented and enter inside of the twelve doors,

your humanly morals become no more.

the thought is no longer 'what is wrong?' and 'what is right?'

it is 'do i die here?' or 'do i put up a fight?'

' be careful of what you do in here, young one.

you're always seconds away from the room's decision of whether it should let you live,

or die here tonight.

should it let to wither away, or live to see the morning's light ? '

' so, what is it you will say;

do you desperately crave to know,

despite the price you may or may not have to pay ?'

' you may now enter

the department of mysteries. '

___________

[ harry potter | black mirror crossover ]

[ alternate universe | fanfiction ]

[ groundbreaking- | teia © 2018 ]

____________

[ a/ n ]

hope you enjoy !

-teia

[ INDEX HALL ]

' EACH DOOR SHALL PRESENT YOU WITH A DIFFERENT THING,

NOT EACH ONE IS ONE OF THE SAME. '

━━━━

[ i. A STEP INTO THE KNOWN ]

i. THE DEATH CHAMBER

ii. THE TIME ROOM

iii. SPACE

iv. MEMORY

v. HALL OF PROPHECY

vi. THE LOCKED ( LOVE ) ROOM

━━━━

[ ii. A DIP INTO THE UNKNOWN ]

vii. FEAR

ix. HATE

ix. PAIN

x. TRUTH

xi. WISDOM

xii. ALCHEMY | THE ESSENCE OF MAGIC

───── THE PUTRID SMELL CONTINUED TO LINGER IN THE MISTY AIR, stinging their noses, burning their eyes and violating their tongues. Nearly nine depths into the building, with each trip sinking away what remained left of light, the smell of decay itself continued to linger around, and infest on their clothing.

The hazy pendants of light continued to hustle and bustle overhead, almost going in sync with the clanks and dangles of the lift itself as it continued to spiral downward rapidly. Shadows fell and glimpses of the passing floors were seen. Inside the traveling lift──stood two men; one with piercing green eyes, and the other, at his left, with bright flaming red hair; but both sets of jaws locked in concentration, and internal debates.

At the arm cuffs of their black and buttoned robes that fell at the ankles, the muscles underneath their hands could be seen flexing as their grips adjusted and tightened on the wooden wands held at their right side. Sharp ends of broken wood stuck out in the space behind them and at their sides──the splits of white acting as silent threats to which not be broken within their time inside the transportation.

And alas, after these observations, the lift stops──though, it's shaky and sudden. Its abrupt pause jerks them forward, and sends out low vibrations that wobbled down to their feet; the shrills of the outer, yanking cables numbing their ears. The usual cool voice of the disembodied female had become distorted and deep, being filled with heavy static as she said, 'Department of Mysteries.' And a high pitched cry sounds out as the golden doors stretch open slowly; allowing them space to pass through.

A simple step out abandoned them into pure darkness; the occasional drips and drops of water from above being the only source of company with them. The lift─now currently heading back up─creaked, its echoes climbing back down to remind them of how empty the place truly was.

"Lumos!" They announced quietly in sync after a moment, and the tips of their wands soon glowed with a strong stream of marvelous light. With a look to one another, and a quick nod of confirmation, the duo of Auror partners Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley began to tread forward; on high alert.

With each distribute of light from their wands, occurred even more strange findings.

The stone walls, which stood several feet or so higher than them, were chipped severely. The holes filled with sticky, dark liquid that practically oozed out and gathered densely underneath their feet. The surface of the wide, rectangular path was moist, and the reflections bouncing off appeared as blurry.

The deeper in they travel, the more it became clear that things at the Ministry had taken a dark turn ; the majority of its passages were either destroyed or too dark (literally and physically) to travel down; and by the looks of it, there had been even more recent incidents.

It was halfway up the abandoned hall, as their feet sloshed and sunk into a cool, shallow puddle, with their minds focused on nothing but the glowing door at the other end of the hall, a voice rang out in the distance.

' Ron? Harry ? '

They swerved around within seconds, and directed their wands towards the voice, lethal spells sitting on the fine edge of their tongues in case a duel was to be engaged. But as their eyes squinted harder, the further down they peered, identical smiles slipped onto their faces a soon as they saw a grinning Hermione Granger standing at the end of the hall. Her bushy hair was pinned up with several clips, and she was dressed in a baby-blue pantsuit; a small brief gripped at her side.

It didn't take long for her to join them, and we she did; tight embraces were passed around the Trio.

' I was up at Atrium. ' She'd begun to say a bit breathlessly after Ron released her, 'I was supposed to be elsewhere in the Ministry ──at one of the higher floors to discuss more about S.P.E.W with the remainder of the members here, but the other lifts weren't working. I thought about apparating, but a specific room hadn't been told, and I didn't want to make a bad impression by apparating all over the building. So, after──what I now believe to be as your lift──came up, I hopped onto it. Though, instead of going up, it headed down. Not left, not right, but down. '

Hermione went on to tell them how no matter how many times buttons were pressed, how many multitudes of spells had been sent out, and how many heeled kicks had been sent at the door, it continued to speed down. ' [..] And it was because of that, that you two had the perfect view of me crouched awkwardly in the elevator, and attempting to successfully slide out from the small space as I held my shoes and case. ' She'd said with a laugh of embarrassment, causing the three to burst into a fit in remembrance.

Though, Harry found himself quiet as another figure began to appear in the distance; this one with flowy, red hair flying out behind her.

He knew why Hermione was here, of course, but as for his own girlfriend, he had no clue. For all he knew, she was supposed to still be training over in northwest Wales with her team, the Holyhead Harpies - and wasn't due back home for another month or two.

"Ginny──" He was barely in reality as he spoke; being, for the most part, unaware as he moved past his friends, and pulled her aside. His held onto her arm gently, staring into her eyes as if the answer would pop up there. But when it did not, the question managed to let out itself, "What're you doing here?" His voice was soft, barely audible, and it held more confusion than anything else.

Upon being questioned, Ginny looked as puzzled as he did about the whole situation. Her brows met in the middle of her forehead, and maroon lips were pursed as if she were thinking to herself. Mascara -decorated hazel eyes stared up at him, and after a good second, her head tilted to the side - in silent questioning.

Harry knew then that something was most definitely wrong; questions and answers between them were open, and there was barely hesitation to answer.

But now..it was different.

Unnatural.

As he considered dropping the topic, as he considered walking off, and to only be happy about the fact that she was here, he caught sight of her lips slightly parting - and he soon gave hopes into an answer.

But then──

"Luna?"

All heads wheeled around, and landed on Luna Lovegood; standing there as plain as day with her long white-blond hair swirled up into what can only be described as a mini-sculpture, wearing multicolored and multi star-patterned rain boots, and a transparent, knee-length raincoat sitting on top of her loose-fitting patchwork dress.

"Hello everyone." Her soft voice greeted them, as her smile showed off her slightly crooked teeth, but brought warmth nonetheless. She beckoned them forth, "Come in, come in, there's enough for everyone to fit with us. " And with that, she disappeared behind the turn of the wall her hand was seen at mere seconds ago. Looks of unsurety were exchanged, but they followed her - advancing into a dimly lit room.

Lined against the curve of the door were books; all enormously big, and language of the unknown scribbled into words of rusty golds - looking as old as time themselves as they sad in their messily stuffed positions into the dusty wooden shelves. Faded orange shadows of light danced along them, and eventually drew the group towards a round wooden table - where a white-haired man sat, fully absorbed in the book in his left hand.

It was none other than Draco Malfoy.

" I am merely reading. " He spoke after another moment of words not being exchanged since their arrival. Draco slowly rose his head, attentive grey eyes scanning the group before himself as his hands raised up - the backs resting gently against his white button up as he offered a proof of no harm, "I do not have my wand, and I do not possess any weapons. I am here alone, and I am simply reading these books. So if you could, please put down your wands.."

( It took a while, but the wands were eventually tucked away - but still within arms reach. )

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, looking around the room before his eyes met the book again.

"Didn't you hear me earlier?" Draco shook his head, " I am reading──"

"──Besides the obvious!" Harry snapped.

The blond flinched, then dipped his head back down towards the book, offhandedly flipping through the pages, " I am..researching."

"Researching for what?" Ron questioned, stepping forward slightly. Neither taunts nor leers were exchanged but by the look of his face, the redhead had wanted to say something ── was fighting back from saying something.

Draco's head visibly twitched, and mutters drew out from underneath his breath as his nails dung into the palms of his hands ── alarming the others.

Some time passed with him doing this.

Then another.

And eventually, his hands slammed onto the table; causing Ron's eyes to widen, and for him to jump back at the sudden action.

"It is for my wife!" Draco yelled at last, immediately regretting it once not even the sound of breathing could be heard in the room. He bit his lip as tears began to gather, and dropped his head as he struggled to explain, "She..she's quite sick. And I was hoping that something in here would help manage it - postpone her illness - but it seems not." He sniffled, "So I waste my days away in here hoping to sudden find the answer."

There was a mutually shared pity, but only Hermione bothered to voice it, to which, was given a half-smile in return.

However, as Ron went forward, he was shut off with a sharp wave of the hand.

"──Save it, Weasley!" Draco spat out over his attempt of an apology, quickly gathering the books into his arms with a grunt; and moving to the other side of the table to put them up to place back in the shelf nearby, "We're all gonna leave here tonight, and we won't have to see one another again ──"

He paused, his arm having bent in mid-air , "──That is, unless I have a fit out in the public and it gets on the paper. Or better yet, I get attacked for being an ex-Death Eater and you two--" He gestured to the Aurors, "──Have to see my corpse." He half turned to the group, his solemn expression enhancing even more in the odd candlelight light beside him, "Either way, it doesn't matter. So don't waste your breath on it." He left his back for them to face, but gave out a chuckle as he muttered, "Even if Granger here scolds you for it."

Nothing much was thought of to say, so after finishing up, Draco quietly returned back to the table, Luna sitting quietly beside him.

"You all know why I'm here now. Now I want to know about you──"

"Sent here on a mission." Harry quickly replied, and Draco nodded.

"Granger? Wait──" He thought for a moment, then answered himself, "No doubt a meeting with the Minister, yes?"

He was correct.

Apparently, Luna had been here as long as he had, because he didn't bother to question her, instead, going for Ginny.

"Why are you here, Ginevra?" Immediately, her eyes squinted down at him in a glare at the mention of her first name, and her lips curled up as if she'd had a hex sitting right on the edge. But he noticed, and went on, "Aren't we all adults here?" He glanced around the room, then sighed, "I am simply asking a question - you can answer if you'd like, but if you don't, simply don't say anything. There is no need for threats nor a duel ── especially in a place that's likely to collapse any second."

Ginny's expression then sat as a weird one── it held in both anger, and what seemed to be an inner conflict. Casting her head aside to gaze at something at the bottom corner of the room, she replied, "I was uh.. I was called in for an application I'd sent a little while back. That's why I'm here."

Harry frowned to himself, "I didn't know you had an interest in becoming part of the Ministry," He said quietly, glancing over at her.

"It wasn't a major one, Harry." She was quick to reply, groaning in irritation, " It was a small one. Besides, I was recruited by the Holyhead Harpies - you knew that was my dream. I wouldn't give that up for anything. So I went, a-and forget about the whole application." She paused, "Though, after a while of being on the team, the Ministry contacted me." She held herself in her arms, shaking her head, "I was confused..but the girls thought it had something to deal with you so..so they let me leave. I have a shit load of workouts to catch back up on, no doubt, but they let me leave."

"Deep down, I knew it wasn't about you." She glanced around the room, shrugging, "So here we are.."

"You could've at least told me something."

"What part of, 'it wasn't a major interest' do you not get, Harry?" She snapped no so delicately, "I didn't think of it as important, nor did I put a good amount of focus in it. That way, no matter of my applications outcome, I wouldn't be upset, and neither would you. You wouldn't have built up the image of us working together side-by-side on cases, and I wouldn't have had false hope either."

"Can we..can we not do this here?" Harry urged at the raising of her voice, pinching two of his fingers to massage the bridge of his nose - in an attempt to calm down, "I can already hear it in the way you're talking; we're about five seconds away from an argument. And I think, here, of all places, is the worst to do one. So could we──"

"Fine." She nodded, reaching out to touch the bend of his arm, "Okay."

A smile wasn't needed to know Harry was relieved at this. He cupped the curve of her head, and place a kissed onto the top of her head; whispering down to her all the while.

"What the hell are you so bloody amused about?" Ron snapped after seeing Draco's expression change at the sight of their scene.

"I am not laughing at the situation, if that's what you're implying, Weasley but merely ── confused." His gaze switched back between the couple, "I thought everything was so perfect with you two." Their eyes turned onto them, and he was quick to add on, "I'm not teasing you, no, but that was my actual viewing on your marriage, you see. Based on how you two work out so well."

"No, we disagree and argue sometimes." Harry started, " I-It's not bad, things are actually well ── but when argument do hit, they're kinda of hard. Part of marriage, you know."

"Do you two argue and much as he and I did back in school?" Draco questioned Ginny, smiling slightly.

Ginny rolled her eyes, snickering a little bit as she kept her arms cross, "No, not that bad. "

"Oh, I don't think anything beats our arguments, Malfoy." Harry replied with a grin.

He went around the room, "And you two; Granger and Weasley?"

Hermione shook her head, failing to keep in her laugh, "Ah, don't even get things started, Draco."

His elbows propped up on the table as he laced his finger together, "Let me figure it out; something will be said. A fact, if it's Granger. An opinion if it's Weasley. And when things are being decided on, you'll both put in your input. If you try to differentiate things, or disagree, you'll be lectured by her. And if you try to correct him, or tell him to choose the other option, he'll blow a fuse, won't he, Granger? This happens frequently."

A look appeared in his eyes as he said the last sentence, as Ron held Hermione tightly against him, and the smile she gave as she looked up, "But it really doesn't matter, because at the end of the day, you love one another, yes?"

He stares a bit longer, then turns off; grasping Luna's hand in his own as he looked up at her, "And Luna; tell me how are you and-?"

"Rolf." She carefully finished for him, beaming, " We are doing, fantastic, thank you." She leaned over and gave him a tight hug, lowly adding, "I hope you manage to find something for Astoria." He thanks her quietly, and lets her go.

"Luna is my cousin." Draco replied to the odd stares of their interaction, "Actually, she has been for a while ── though, it's only recently that I've begun to acknowledge it."

Their blood relation wasn't discussed much after that, and nor would it have like to been. The room soon after this, became filled up with light chatter amongst the adults, casual talk and nothing more.

But things got rather boring quickly; and with he being the only one not included in their talk, Draco decided to speak up.

"This may bring a sour taste to the current conversation you are all having, but did you all know that ever since the fall of the Ministry after the war, things have gone..morbid around here?"

Whether or not it'd like to have been admitted, interest of the topic began to peak in highly. Which lead to them leaning the room, and back down into the darkened, and decay-smelling hallway.

"I believe, if you stick out your right hand, angle it a few degrees over, and straight down, you'll find what I'm talking about."

Harry followed the directions, and shined his wand down on the pointed area; causing Ron to nearly vomit beside him upon seeing. In the light, barely visible in the murky brown water contained in a chipped hole in the floor was blood.

Not animal,

Not accidental.

But bled out blood,

The substance resembling balls of swirled up and contained red.

"What're you doing Weasley?" Draco glanced over minutes later at Ron who leaning against the wall, a greenish tinge coming up on his freckled face, " It gets worse."

And indeed it did.

The walls were now made up of some other material.

Harry peered in closer, and was horrified to discover that they were moving. The inners were moving, they were alive. Further investigation led to the figuring out of the 'wall' had consisted of tendons, and muscles big with thick, and juicy veins ready to burst ── their sound resembling a worm sloshing in mud.

And those pieces of torn cloth hanging overhead, what they'd once believe to be torn beige fabrics around the window; Flesh. Stripped and worn-down flesh; drying out and getting lighter with each day.

"How long did you know?"

"For a while now," Draco faced him, "Since nearly the beginning."

"How come you didn't tell?"

Draco scoffed, "Not like anyone would believe me, would they? A Death Eater."

"An ex." Grey eyes immediately narrowed in his direction, and Harry chuckled nervously, "Past tense."

"An ex-Death Eater, courtesy of Potter's pointing out." He shook his head, "Besides, exactly what could I do if I reported them, and they confronted me? I don't have a wand. Do you expect me to fight them myself?" Draco threw his head back and let out a sharp laugh, "I'd certainly die. At least with a wand, I have somewhat of a chance."

"I──" Harry cleared his throat, "We could testify for you, be at your side whenever you tell. Since you know, you don't have a wand." He scratched his face, "W-well, you but──"

"──Yeah, I get it; you have it." Draco rolled his eyes, catching something under his breath, "And as much I'd like for you to testify in my honor again, I can gladly say it isn't necessary." Harry quirked a brow at him, "I won't be telling anyone. And I mean, why should I?" He questioned to the widened eyes, "If they want to know how messed up things have gotten in here, and can visit for themselves, and experience it." He shrugged, "Plus, those things? The wands? No. They're useless ──in here, at least."

"How?"

"Your wands..are nothing more than tracking devices for them. Why do you think they need to know specifically who you are, and your reasoning for being here?" He began to walk around, listing, "Once you are signed up for something involving this building, such as you and Weasley's meeting, more example, they know who you are, what you're doing here, and where you are at."

"Well, how did you get in here?"

"Wandless apparition. Took a lot of practice, but I've managed it." He pointed back, "That room I've been in? Not the main library. It's an off-charted room they don't care about, therefore it is neither tracked nor guarded. Nothing and no one is alarmed when I appear in there." He sighed, "Which is why I spend most of my days in here. I practically have all the time in the world."

Harry frowned, something still wasn't adding up. "Well, how could you have──"

"I'll answer if you'll tell me why your Auror partners still aren't here after twenty minutes of arrival." The question threw Harry off entirely, how did he know? "You split off from your group after mutual agreement, yes?" He was asked, and as badly as he wanted to interrogate him of his knowings, Harry only managed to nod - because his curiosity always gets the best of him. " They took a different route from yours, both in the end, both lead to the lift. Only you have made it down, they have not."

"What are you on about, Malfoy?"

"After further thought on it, I can only conclude that your partners are dead." And as the mention of a possible capturing comes up, Draco is quick to dismiss that as well, "If you are captured, death on your part is inevitable. You are dead the minute they find you."

Harry looked over at his best friend, "You don't think──?"

"No," Ron shook his head, "Couldn't possibly be──"

But with the idea settled into their mind, increased the actual reality of the possibility.

"Well, since we seem to be the only Aurors left in the building, and since this was technically our mission," Harry pointed his illuminated wand towards the door at the other end of the hall, "Into the Department of Mysteries, we go."

_________________

──── THE DEPARTMENT ENDED UP LOOKING THE SAME AS LAST TIME THEY REMEMBERED. Everything will still in place; and there were the same panels, the same torches, and the same dread continued to hang in the air..

Almost, as if nothing changed.

( But did things change.

For example, the door closing back behind them, the moment the last person entered.

Though, that seemed to be the only thing to differentiate. )

Over in the back corner, comfortably alone in his own space, Draco stood in front of a section of the wall. And he continued to remain there, even after everyone else's attention was caught, and drawn over to him; as they surrounded him. A quick observation revealed that he was staring at a certain spot, and focused all his concentration there. With the raise of his hand, he took a deep breath and pressed it lat against the wall; exhaling at the cool surface.

Nothing much was thought of it, that was, until, they saw his hand dash across, and behind it followed a ball of light. "It's underneath it," Draco informed them quietly, smiling somewhat to himself.

His finding continued in silence, before he cut if off abruptly. "Alright, when I say, point your wand at this light and concentrate. Something is supposed to ignite, and it'll make the door open, and allow us out. Now," He gestured them forward, and their wands lit up one by one as they stepped to the panel.

The ball of light continued to glow brighter with each passing second, drawing out exclamations of surprise and deepened interest. Together, they'd managed to get it to move slightly from its spot to shift left ── towards the door.

Harry was standing in the back, proud of the progress as much as the others. But as time went on, the repeated roll of noise overhead began to get the better of him ── eventually causing him to step away.

The mere second his wand retracted, Draco noticed, "Potter, what have you──?"

But Luna's hand fell onto his shoulder before she's pointed upward, and then, he, too, grew silent upon hearing. With their absences, the others had also withdrew their wands, and had begun gathering around the three and investigating the sound themselves. The previous rumble that was heard earlier, had grew louder as this point grew louder, and the once growing light in the wall behind them had faded - exploding out and striking those who'd held a wand against it mere seconds ago.

They knocked back into the room's center, sprawled out messily. Sitting up with wincing pain ──with the others──they watched in horror as the torches began to change colors.

A peaceful lapis of blue has now turned into a merlot red, and its lighter undertones glow ominously.

The once sleek-black doors and floors are now a dangerous midnight blue. Reflections of images other than themselves played about, and the room began to spin ; circling around them ── as if mocking their current situation.

Once.

Twice.

And now it's a whirlwind.

Screams echo out, and stretch into sobs as they all reach for one another.

Harry's first instinct is to reach for his family - his right-hand goes out to Ginny, and his left to Ron──and the Gryffindor prays that his best mate his grasping Hermione's hand tightly as he does it.

But it doesn't matter, because his fingertips reach nothing.

With no time to waste, he swirls around - and colors are blurring around him. He sees them, he sees them all, grouped up in front of him; their faces looking like they were experiencing their worst nightmare before their very eyes. And this causes Harry to let out a frustrated cry, because the stronger his effort are to get them, the stronger they get pushed back with the circulating wind.

He begins to choke up - no longer in anger, but due to the wind clogging deep in his throat. His glasses are pressed against his face, adding more pressure onto his face. And everything in the moment damn sure resembles his encounter with the Dementor back on the train, and on Privet Drive.

And then it's over.

The wind, the screaming──

It's over.

The color of white surrounds, before it fades entirely and the Department restores to its normal appearance──minus the blue lights.

But Harry's friends are nowhere to be found.

"Hermione?" He yells out, scanning around, "Ron?"

"All you had to do was ask!" A hysteric voice screams out in reply.

Behind him, Draco is balled up on the floor, his hands up in the back of his hair as he violently shakes. "All you had to do was ask!" He chokes out again, tears filling his eyes as Harry come into his view, "The room would have granted you, it would've all granted us permission to leave." Several more tears drop as he closes his eyes, "You didn't have to──"

But he doesn't finish his sentence.

"Malfoy-" Harry crouches down beside him, internally debating whether or not he should reach out, "What're you talking about?"

"You..you all," He pauses, as if suddenly realizing the green-eyed man was there, "Are you telling me you don't remember? What happened more seconds ago?"

"Yeah, yeah; the room fought back and uh, things began to spin. There was screaming, and confusion.."

"You don't remember──?" He trailed off, the volume of his voice doing the same.

"Look, I'm telling you all I know."

"Oh." Draco stands up, and begins to pace back in forth, "Oh no."

"What?"

"I thought it was you."

Harry jumped up, "W-who was me?"

"I-I don't know." Draco grabbed his head, and started back pacing, "It happened in the middle of the wind. You──um, he──didn't speak. He only looked. A-and I thought you were leading your friends back out, or protecting them, but when everything returned to normal..none of them are here."

"Are you saying you let 'him' take my family?!"

"Look, I'm not responsible for every goddamn thing you do, Potter!" Draco shouts back, "And we wouldn't even be in this situation had you not gotten curious, and gotten distracted!"

Harry stepped back, and removed his glasses; rubbing a tired face over his face, "I am not in the mode to sit here and argue with you, okay? I'm completely lost in this entire..whatever it is. So I don't need you be added into the mix." He placed his glasses back on," There is only one thing we should be worried and focused about; and that's finding everyone." His eyes cast over to the door.

"No possible way. I've already tried asking it, and it's denied. My only other guess is.." He leaned around Harry to suggest the twelve doors. All Harry could think about was his last visit there, and his emotions of fear and anger read clearly. " It is..quite complicated how the system of the room works, how everything has turned out, yes." Draco faced him, "But it is not advised to go against it. Plus, it doesn't really look like we have a choice."

Harry hesitated, but at the thought of his loved ones, followed after the blond in front of him.

" I'll get this door," Draco placed his hand on the outer frame, "And you get the other." Harry blinked, "They're the only ones not occupied. And if something is heard, I'll be able to hear it and alert you, so you can round the others. "

Harry gave an uncertain nod and faced the door again. However, before he'd had a chance to push it open, his right hand was yanked and placed on the burning torch beside him. He screamed out instantly, feeling as the heat increased and hearing his flesh bubble as it traveled deeper. He unscrewed his eyes, and once they were opened, landed on Draco who was watching intensely with his hand clamped on Harry's wrist.

As their eyes met, he shot up his own dominant hand, and placed it on the door of his door - hissing in pain, but handling it nonetheless. When the pain was no longer felt, was when the hands were drawn back.

Harry held his burned hand, shaking in both pain and anger, "Why did you──?!"

But another rumble was heard overhead.

Biting back from cursing the blond out, Harry ended his question there, and stepped into the room ── but didn't close it quite yet.

Something in this moment didn't feel right.

It was either the way the blond man at his right kept staring at the entrance door, and kept nervously planning with his slender fingers; or it might've been the feeling of the situation as a whole.

A thought popped into Harry's mind after a moment, and he reached out to his right to tug at his arm sleeve, "Mal-"

But said person's door slammed shut mid-sentence.

It wasn't by him,

It slammed automatically.

And before this could be fully processed, Harry was knocked back into his room, and his own door slammed shut.

Now, anything ── any noise of any kind, be it a cry, or a groan, a scream of help or even the last intake of so much as a breath ──inside any of the twelve door was now mute to the outside world.

The lights are there.

The floors are still sleek, and continue to resemble standing water.

And the room was still once again.

( It is unknown how long how all of this takes, but, after they have all disappeared behind the doors, the entrance door wretches open; spilling a small stream of white onto the reflective flooring before. )

Light, barefooted steps pad against the floor as the stranger behind the opening enters the room themselves; the dark, velvet hood upon their head shifted from side to side as the person below it looked back and forth across the room.

Removing their coverup, the figure reveals to be a woman; she is old, and her fingers show her to be frail ── but she is not a muggle. No, by the look of her robes, she appears to be a worker at the Ministry──an Unspeakable in this specific location.

She heads to the nearest corner and examines it before touching the space a certain blond had before. A cold shudder passes through as a sudden thought crosses her mind.

But then, something occurred; it is the notice that both the entrance and the space are connected to the room across from the exit. The lady reaches the door, and upon glancing, she gasps.

"Draco!" She cries out, falling to her knees before the door as she begins to openly sob. They racket across the room, each one sound more pitiful than the last.

If she'd been here sooner when the destruction began..

The back of her hand dries her dampened eyes as she pulls herself up, the trouble of breathing still present.

And her eyes catch another thing.

All the torches outside of the (twelve) door(s) glowed a vibrant white - but this worsens her previous state. Not externally, but internally. Now, pushing back her urge to break down then and there, she simply raises her hands, and with an item inside the box of her robes pocket, marks the first two doors she sees.

She then steps back into the center, her eyes still focused on the marked doors. The lady then tips her head back, her-tea streaked face illuminating heavily in the darkened light crossed room; before it fell and her chin tucked down to her chest, soft sobs escaping before she whispered,

"Forgive those who trespass."

She makes a motion sign on her chest, and in the air above her. Her hands are bunched in front of her as her long robes drag against the floor behind her. She doesn't dare glance back as she leaves; not because she doesn't want to.

It's because she can't.

( It'd interfere, and at least this way, they'd still have a chance. )

_________________________

[ a/ n ]

this was a lot, 5k words, but it was all necessary. it took a while to write, but i hoped you enjoyed.

- teia