Chapter 12.3

1.7K 48 11
                                    


Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sounds of their own feet running across the corridors of Hogwarts was all the trio could hear. They could hear Filch yelling "STUDENTS OUT OF BED" in his annoying, sharp voice. But all they did was run, force themselves to run.

Though, as her friends ran, Ariel felt it again, the same shiver, the same dark feeling creeping over her, the voice mumbling in her ear. And then she couldn't help but yelp out in pain as the scars on her face, courtesy of the werewolf who ha attacked her, started flashing with pain. Her hand was still secure around the book.

Ariel fought the feeling and soon she found herself in front of the portrait of the Fat lady.

"What are y-" The lady began.

" Draconis ignis!" Vedika whisper-yelled, cutting her off. The Fat lady gave a disappointed sigh and let them enter.

The three entered the common room and made themselves comfortable on the small red couch. The fire in the common room seemed to leap and hiss lowly, it's light dim.

Bringing out her wand and uttering a small "lumos" Ariel finally took a good look at the book.

With a dusty green cover with designs on it made of thin gold coloured lines, The title in bold gold letter and the author's name etched in silver, the book felt like it was special.

And then she opened the book. Her first thought was "What?" as she looked at the symbols etched on the book. But slowly, very slowly, the symbols arranged themselves. And the book that once looked like it was made up of jumbled words that made no sense, now looked arranged and formatted, with the text in the same looped handwriting.

And right there, on the first page of the book, there were a few words written. The words that at that moment made no sense whatsoever.

"When the voices grow loud, pierce them through the heart. When you find no answer, begin from the start."

Ariel read the words out loud, slowly and in a whisper. It still made no sense.

Vedika and Leonard shared a look.

" What are you three doing up!?" Ariel snapped the book shut at the sound of the voice, instantly hiding it behind her back. Leonard, Vedika and Ariel turned around swiftly to find Percy Weasley standing near the staircase to the boys' dormitory.

"Oh, um, nothing" Yes, very good, Ariel, not at all suspicious. She almost wanted to smack herself.

Percy gave a suspicious glance. "You three should be in bed, this is not the time to be out. Now go, sleep. "

The trio nodded and wishing each other a goodnight, headed to their separate dormitories.

That night, Ariel was wide awake, reading through the book, everything she could find. But the book was playing games, every statement given as a riddle. And as she read through it, Ariel realized that every sentence meant several things, things she couldn't recognize due to her lack of experience in magic.

And when her clock read 5 a.m. , the book still having many pages left, Ariel heaved a sigh and went to bed, yawning.

And she was woken again two hours later by her alarm clock springing to life, her eyes looking tired and her mind buzzing with thoughts of what was possibly about to come.

Bruises ( Ariel Celeste Black)Where stories live. Discover now