Lincoln's School of Magic - Creating the Beast

Truth Hurts

Lucia and I go up to the hospital wing to visit David. The room has eight beds, four on either side of the room with a window above each.

"David?" Lucia asks while nudging his sleeping body.

David slowly flutters his eyes open. His brown hair is a mess and his skin is pale.

"How are you feeling?" She asks once he's awake.

"Good now," David replies in a cracky morning voice, "very tired though."

"I'm sorry for waking you, but Audrey has been wanting to talk to you."

I sit at the edge of David's hospital bed and hold his hand.

"You're not still with Adrian, are you?" David asks.

"Of course not," I answer, "but I have some questions about him."

"I figured you would," David smiles. It's nice to see his pure and bright smile again. He's been asleep all day.

"So you've known about this book since that rehab camp?"

"Yes," he says, "he was very proud of it and what his grandfather was doing."

"He said he didn't know his grandfather?"

"He did. Sort of." David pauses to think. "They would owl each other all time, but his mother didn't know about it."

"That story of his grandfather passing wasn't true?"

"That was true," David assures me, "but he received that book by owl two summers ago just before camp."

"Why didn't you mention this before?" Lucia sits next to me and asks.

"He threatened to kill me," David says in a shaky tone, "he knows the killing curse and all sorts of bad torture potions and spells."

I stay quiet for a moment, trying to comprehend what I'm hearing.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," David continues, "I was scared."

"It's okay," I reply. "Does he know his grandfather's name?"

"Tom Riddle."

"Tom Riddle? The Dark Lord?" Lucia says nervously.

David nods his head. I knew it. His grandfather wanted Adrian to be like him. That's why he sent him the book. What is Adrian going to do? I hope he doesn't go after Harry Potter. That war was fought and won.

Adrian is such a good liar. I don't know if he even liked me now. What if winning me over was all a part of his plan?

I get up and march out of the hospital wing with Lucia following closely behind. Once she catches up to me, she asks, "where are you going?"

"I'm going to warn Professor Burnaby. Lincoln may be in danger."

I can hear Lucia gulp and breathe deeply as we continue to march all the way to the Headmaster's office.

-

I knock on Burnaby's large oak doors with Lucia standing behind me. The doors open by themselves to allow us in.

The room has tall bookcases full of all sorts of novels and textbooks. In the centre of the room, is Burnaby's desk with a big red chair. Directly behind that, there is a large window overlooking the forests below.

"How can I help you ladies?" Burnaby asks from his desk.

"We believe Lincoln may be in grave danger," I answer.

"I am well aware or that Miss Mitchell," Burnaby says, "but thank you for your concern."

"Adrian Turner is Tom Riddle's grandson," I blurt out, trying to get to the point.

"How is that possible?"

"His mother and father left England when he was a baby to keep him away from all that darkness," I say, "but somehow, Riddle managed to get in contact with Adrian a few years back and taught him about dark magic through a book."

"Do you have this book?"

"I believe Adrian still has it."

"I suppose that makes sense," Burnaby says, "we do not mention those curses to first years, let alone, how to cast them," referring to this morning when Adrian used the Cruciatus curse on David.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner," I apologize, "I thought he disposed of that book months ago."

"That's all right Mitchell. You two best be on your way now."

Lucia and I nod our heads before turning around to exit the room.

-

After hiding out in our dorm for the rest of the night, Lucia and I have been discussing our situation. We're both sitting on my bed thinking of solutions.

"Should we kill him?" Lucia suggests after a moment of silence.

"No! Are you mad?"

"Perhaps," Lucia jokes, "but we have to stop him from coming back here."

"We don't even know where he is."

"You're right," Lucia pouts.

"It's best we leave this to the ministry."

Lucia nods her head before climbing her wooden ladder to reach her top bunk. I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight, or ever again. I am shocked that I couldn't see this coming. We all know what happens when someone gets their hands on dark magic. It's nearly impossible to let go. I hope Adrian is found soon before he hurts anyone else.

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Published December 29th, 2021