Rags are not Cute or Chic
Draco’s thoughts were interrupted by the train lurching towards a screeching halt. They weren’t at Hogwarts yet, so why were they stopping? The air grew cold, and frost grew on the windows. Draco tried to look out, but the train was enveloped in a thick fog.
Draco started to panic. This wasn’t about his socks, was it? There was no way, this was something much, much worse. Then he heard the screens. Horrible terrible screams a few cars away. Pansy. What if it was Pansy?
Draco threw the compartment door open and rushed down the corridor. It got colder the closer he got to the Gryffindors’ car. He should have gone with Blaise and Pansy. He couldn’t believe he left them alone.
Suddenly, Draco felt as if his soul was being drained. His world became colorless, and he couldn’t feel his heart beating. With all the strength he had left, he turned his head to the most haunting thing he would ever see. The figure was clothed in rags that seemed to move on their own. Its face was a black hole of despair. It didn’t make any noise, but Draco could hear it screaming. He was going to die here.
Then it left. Draco dropped down to his knees. He tried to breathe but it felt like he was drowning. He started to cry. The tears streamed down his face like a torrent of rain. He broke into desperate sobs, gasping for air. He curled up next to the wall, as if it would bring him back into reality. The cold hard surface was beginning to thaw, seemingly crying with the terrified boy leaning on it for solace.
He knew what that thing was. His father told him about the dementors that patrolled Azkaban when he was little to scare him into behaving. They were so much worse than he could ever imagine. Not even a murderer deserved that fate. Was this his father’s punishment? His punishment for existing? For failing to be the Heir of Slytherin? For being a brutal disappointment of a child? His father was cruel and heartless, but he couldn’t possibly have the power to send dementors after him. They had come to punish someone else. Not just punish, but hunt someone else. Dementors couldn’t leave Azkaban without a very good reason. Draco was terrified he would soon find out why.