Sasha Liliana Jackson & The Secrets of Hogwarts

Chapter Three: A Warning To Be Heed

As soon as they arrived to the train station, Sasha and her friends had entered Hogwarts Great Hall. Sasha was surprised to be greeted warmly by the other Ravenclaws and the teachers seemed to be smiling at her and Rowan as they made their way towards the Ravenclaw table. Penny and Tonks were both chatting happily with the other Hufflepuffs. Nicholas was talking quietly to Barnaby and Liz at the Slytherin table. Bill was already scolding a pair of overexcited second-year Gryffindors for dancing on the table and Ben was talking to Angelica Cole, the second Gryffindor Perfect. Tulip was talking eagerly to Badeea, who was giving her an amused look and was on the edge of laughing.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts!" Professor Dumbledore said, his voice magically enhanced, after everyone is properly placed. "I'm pleased to have all of you, new and returning students, here for another year of magical learning and self-discovery."
Sasha and Rowan both exchanged swift looks, probably thrilled with the perspective or another year of knowledge and books.
"Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention the Erumpent in the room," he said, calmly. "As many of you know, last year, Hogwarts was afflicted with cursed ice caused by one of the long-rumored Cursed Vaults."
Once again, Sasha and Rowan both exchanged swift and knowing looks, probably wondering if everyone knows about their adventures with the Ice Knight.
"The curse was released by someone attempting to enter a vault, so I am ordering everyone in this room to stay away from the rest." His blue eyes sparkle in Merula's direction. "It's said that tampering with each vault unleashes a unique curse, and I will not have my students and faculty endangered again. It is true that the students who opened the Cursed Vault broke the curse and saved the school. It is also true that the students' offenders had put all of us at risk by doing so. Students are absolutely forbidden from seeking the remaining vaults. The penalty for anyone caught doing so will be severe. Especially so for repeat offenders." His eyes focused on Sasha. "I had chosen a handful of people who had some curse breaking experience to deal with the Cursed Vaults, but this warning shall go out to the rest of you. Don't not enter the Cursed Vaults! It is the staff's responsibility to take care of this situation, and ensure that Hogwarts is safe for everyone. So, once more," His voice gets higher. "Do not attempt to locate and enter the Cursed Vaults!" Professor Dumbledore looked back at Sasha and Rowan, his voice softened. "But for the handpicked volunteers, this warning does not reach out to them. They have the responsibility of locating these Cursed Vaults and sealing them."
Sasha looked at Rowan and their friends, a silent understanding had passed through through them. Professor Dumbledore had gave them some more chances to find the Cursed Vaults, but after what happened to Jacob and the school's incapacity to find him, Sasha stood by what her parents had told her: She must be the one to find her brother.
"My apologies." Professor Dumbledore's lips turned into a kind grin. "I hope temporarily damaging your eardrums has saved you from more permanent harm. Now, please enjoy our feast! I've had the opportunity to sample this year's pumpkin tart, and it's particularly tasty."
After his announcement, Sasha and Rowan both inched closer to each other.
"We better focus on our studies before we do anything else," Sasha whispered to Rowan.
"Maybe we should wait till the next curse comes to the school," Rowan whispered back.
"I guess we just have to wait and see." Sasha shrugged uncertainly, before catching Professor Dumbledore's eye.
After a while, Sasha walked up to Penny, who was standing by the Hufflepuff table as she was gently speaking to a first-year Hufflepuff.
"Hey, Penny," Sasha called, getting Penny's attention. "How was your summer, Pen?"
"Perfectly fine, thank you," Penny claimed, putting on her usual bright smile. "Though, I think Beatrice is about to join us next year or so. As she soon as she read the latest Daily Prophet, she can't wait to finally meet you."
"And I can't wait to meet her too," Sasha said.
"Well, if it isn't the Clobberer of Curses, the Pulverizer of Polar Platemail, Sasha Lily Jackson!" Bill announced, making his way over to them. "Notice anything different about me?"
Sasha looked at Bill, and noticed a familiar golden badge pinned onto his shirt.
"I'm the new Gryffindor Prefect!" Bill answered, before Sasha or Penny got the chance to say anything. "They even gave me a shiny badge!"
"Congratulations, Bill," Sasha smiled.
"Thanks," Bill nodded. "Maybe you'll become a Prefect too, someday."
"Not sure if that would be a good idea, considering I would have to dock myself House Points give myself detention and report myself to my Head of House," Sasha joked, a mischievous gleam can be seen her eyes.
"On the other hand, you could use the authority to get around the rules," Penny suggested slyly.
"That's a good point," agreed Sasha, feeling equally as sly as Penny.
"Do I have to cast Quietus on you two?" commented Bill, sounding alarmed.
"Nah, how's your summer been serving you?" Sasha looked at Bill curiously, she had started to see Bill as a older brother figure. It's been a while since that role had been filled Sasha's life, but she doesn't wish to replace her birth brother.
"So far, so good." Bill leaned back with a slight smirk. "Fred and George had both made us loose half of our showers with explosions from Zonko's and had been chased us up a tree with those Fanged Freebees." Bill shuddered at the reminder. "Ron was trying to learn how to fly on his first broomstick with Percy helping him, who almost lost that blasted rat four times to the twins' experiments. Ginny had learned how to walk to Mum and Dad."
"And how is Charlie holding up?" asked Penny.
"Still dragon addicted as ever." Bill rolled his eyes and shook his head as he snickered softly.
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A day after Professor Dumbledore's announcement, Sasha and some of her friends had went to Flying Class. At three-thirty that afternoon, Sasha, Rowan, and the other Ravenclaws hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.
The Hufflepuffs and Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground.
Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and sharp yellow eyes like a hawk.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."
Sasha glanced down at her broom curiously. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front. "And say 'Up!'"
"UP!" everyone shouted.
Sasha's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Sasha couldn't help, but noticed that some of the Quidditch team members were watching them nearby.
Penny's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Rowan's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Sasha; there was a slight uncertain quaver in Rowan's voice that said only too clearly that she wanted to keep her feet on the ground.
Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Sasha and Rowan were both slightly amused when she told Merula she'd been doing it wrong for years.
Sasha jumped in place as soon as she heard a loud crash from Rowan. She turned around to see her best friend had fell off her broom by accident.
"Row, are you okay?" Sasha walked towards Rowan and helped her up. Rowan rubbed her head and gave Sasha a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Rowan winced as she brushed her hands over a bruise. "Just a little bumped up. Though, I don't think my broom likes me too much."
"I think the brooms are a bit like horses," Sasha said thoughtfully. "If they're wild, you have to tame them."
"How do I do that?" asked Rowan curiously.
"The most important part is to not be afraid." Sasha wasn't sure where she was getting this information from, but it was her closest understanding towards a broomstick. "If they brooms know that if you're afraid, they won't follow your orders. The brooms will just give you a wild ride for your life."
"Miss Snyde!" The two girls turned to hear Merula screaming and saw her flying off the ground with a wild broomstick going all crazy on her.
"And I'm guessing that's a bad example of it," commented Barnaby Lee from Slytherin as they all watched as Merula zigged and zagged at the rooftops.
"Now that's scary," Rowan whispered nervously as they continued watching Madam Hooch doing a wild broom with Merula.
"How about I fly with you?" Sasha suggested to Rowan. Rowan smiled and nodded as she inched closer to Sasha.
It wasn't long till Professor Snape had came outside to most of the Flying Class was watching a show that Merula and Madam Hooch was making on their broomsticks.
"What is going on here?" demanded Professor Snape. "I just saw Miss Snyde flying past my window on a broomstick."
"Merula was trying to impress us with her flying skills," Liz explained carefully without looking away from Merula and Madam Hooch. "And as you can see... It's not going too well."
"That's an understatement," muttered Sasha before she leaned over to Rowan. "Did you reckon Merula had crashed a window or something?"
Rowan squinted as they continued watching Merula's wild ride before she whispered back to Sasha, "It's a little hard to say."
Sasha nodded. But everybody had started flinching, covering their eyes, and oohing as Merula had crashed landed rather roughly onto the ground and Madam Hooch had managed to land a bit more gracefully than Merula as she started helping the Slytherin.
"Ooh." Sasha cringed back from the sight of Merula's rough landing. "That's gotta hurt."
"By the way she had landed, I think she might of sprained her wrist," Rowan guessed, a little uneasily.
Everyone watched as Merula began cradling her arm and Madam Hooch steered Merula away from her broom and headed indoors, probably to the Hospital Wing if she was about to guess. Professor Snape had quickly told them not to fly off anywhere till Madam Hooch returns.
"Or a sprained arm," added Rowan. "That was going to be my second guess."
One by one, everybody had placed their brooms down as they began sitting down on the grass next to their broomsticks. Many of their classmates had started chatting or gossiping with each other, some where fixing up their brooms, and a few were reading. Sasha and Rowan both sat down next to each other, though a little away from the others. It wasn't long till Penny had decided to join them, she gave them a beaming smile as she sat down next to Sasha.
"So, mind if I ask what's the newest made up gossip around these parts?" asked Sasha warily.
Penny gave Sasha a sympathetic smile. Sasha wasn't the most popular girl, due to her constant search for the Cursed Vaults and her knack for accidental trouble. Also, Sasha's family reputation had been dragged into the mud by the nosy Rita Skeeter and the prideful Ministry of Magic.
"I've heard that Merula and her partners in crime are going to try and find the Cursed Vaults too," Penny said. Sasha and Rowan both exchanged swift looks before looking back at Penny. "But one of her friends had became smart and disjoined the gang. Anyways, one of the teachers had caught wind if this and Merula is stuck having detention for the next couple of months, while Merula's friends are both having a good talking to with Professor Snape."
"Maybe it was Tulip," suggested Rowan. "She did give you that key at the end of the first year."
"You're probably right." Sasha nodded at Rowan's suggestion. She's been wearing the key for a long time and kept hidden just as well. So far, only Sasha, Rowan, Penny, and Bill know about the key.
"Hey, do you remember what I've told you about Quidditch?" asked Penny. Sasha was a little relieved for Penny to switch topics, the talk about the Cursed Vaults had made her feel uncomfortable.
"Yeah, what about it?" Sasha looked at Penny curiously, still unsure about Quidditch.
"I really think you should play as a Chaser," said Penny. "I've seen you in action, you having that a Chaser qualifies: swiftness, agility, cleverness, bravery, patience, daring, and strength."
Sasha felt herself blushing fiercely and looked away before she whispered, "That's really nice of you to say. But let's face the facts, I'll never become a great Chaser like the ones from the Quidditch team."
"Don't underestimate yourself so quickly," Rowan said soothingly. "You haven't given yourself a chance. Just take a leap of faith and you can't go wrong."
"Ahhh! My Charm notes!" screamed a Scottish Ravenclaw girl.
It wasn't long till Sasha had started helping the Ravenclaw girl gather her notes. Sasha took a few sharp and yet swift turns as she made quick grabs for the flying Charm notes. She had managed not to trip over her feet as she collected the last of the flying notes. She kept a firm grip on the notes as she walked towards the Ravenclaw girl. The girl seemed to be around her age. Her hair was brown and cut above her jawline, dyed with blue tips, and has on her right side that formed a short ponytail. Her eyes are in a light shade of green and her skin was light from her time in the sun. She was wearing a leather jacket and jeans with the patches and buttons Wigtown Wanderers symbols on it and her blue Ravenclaw t-shirt has a knot tied to the left.
"Here, I think these are yours." Sasha quickly gave the notes to the sporty girl and almost bolted as soon as they both made eye contact by accident.
"Thanks mate," said the girl with a smile. "I'm Skye Parkin. What's your name?"
The two girls were both started shaking hands as Sasha said, "My name is Sasha. Sasha Jackson."
"No way," Skye gasped, her green eyes shone with excitement and amazement. "Really?"
"I'm afraid so," said Sasha softly with a weary sigh. But she spotted a Charms packet that's was used as practice for last year's exams, a Charms textbook and notebook with ripped out pages. "I see you that you have a slight problem in Charms."
Skye blushed slightly as she rubbed the back of her neck and murmured, "Yeah. I reckon you could say that."
"How about I help you with Charms?" said Sasha with a small smile. "I'm pretty descent in my Charms classes."
"And that's just her putting it mildly," Rowan called out teasingly.
"Rowan!" protested Sasha, sounding embarrassed.
"You want to help me?" asked Skye. "Without any bargains for learning how to fly or playing Quidditch?"
"I highly doubt I can play Quidditch and I rather learn how to fly fairly without any shortcuts," Sasha said softly.
Skye narrowed her eyes as she looked at Sasha's slender and athletic figure, her graceful and agile movements, and the fearless, almost daring, look in her eyes. But Sasha didn't notice this as she placed the notes in Skye's notebook to be protected by the wind.
"If you say so," said Skye, sounding a little surprised and unsure.
The two of them both sat down on the grass and Sasha started tutoring Skye patiently through her Charms packet, which was noticed by Penny and she started squealing excitedly at the sight. Rowan looked up from her "Quidditch throughout the Ages" and smiled as she saw Sasha befriending and tutoring Skye. Nearby, Orion and Murphy had both saw and heard Sasha's interaction with Skye, with a bit more training and confidence in herself, Sasha will make an fantastic Chaser.
After a while, Madam Hooch had returned and allowed everyone have a free period, since they had lost a huge amount of time from Merula's accident.
"Thanks Curse-Breaker," Skye said with a smile after they were done with her Charms packet. "I'll make sure I should study with you next time I have trouble with Charms."
"Sure thing." Sasha gave Skye a puzzled look before she asked. "But why did you call me 'Curse-Breaker'?"
"Hey, it's a great nickname for you," said Skye, smirking slightly.
"First time for everything I suppose."
The two of them had both mounted onto their broomsticks and they both smiled at each other. Sasha felt a thrill of excitement and kicked off from the ground. What a rush — Sasha swooped in and out of the rooftops and then sped up and down the field.
"Hey!" yelled Skye. "Wait up!"
Sasha gave Skye a cheeky grin as the two of them both landed on the ground together, she barely noticed her friends and classmates watching them both. Sasha felt her heart racing and she ran a hand through her windblown hair as she caught her breath.
"I have Herbology next," Sasha said. "How about you?"
"I have Potions." Skye gave a rueful smile to her. "I guess we'll see each other in Flying Class or free period."
"See you later then." The girls collected their belongings before they both went their different ways. Sasha nodded to Rowan and Penny before the three of them walked away towards their next class.