Cast yourself (you are the spell)

Chapter 57

The letter comes for her a week later, while Hope is sitting in the great hall with her friends.

She settles down next to Rose for breakfast when her owl suddenly swoops high above them and startles half of the Slytherin table.

She knows instantly that the letter isn't from her parents, Hope is sure of that. They hardly ever write to her, so why should she think they'd care enough to even be bothered?

Hope shares an unsettled glance with Rose before untying the letter from her owl's foot. Some students begin to grumble miserably as Marbles jumps down onto the table and makes a mess, but Hope doesn't notice. If she looks, she'll find that Rose is furtively trying to hand him a piece of toast, but she isn't paying much attention. Her eyes are still stuck on the letter.

There is nothing written on the envelope. No name, no return address. Nothing at all.

Hope casts a surreptitious glance around the table to make sure no one is looking. Maya is glaring at her and Ethan is preoccupied with his food and Rose is watching him eat and Penelope is noticeably not even present and—

Why is Maya glaring at her?

"What's with her?" Hope asks Rose, nodding her head in the direction of the other girl. She thinks she sees Ethan make some sort of frantic slashing motion across his throat, but Hope Mikealson is an idiot and ignores it.

"Don't mind her, H," Rose warns, shaking her head slowly. She lowers her voice, whispering, "She started her monthly this morning."

"Oh. I can ask Snape for a potion to help with that, if you want," Hope offers. Maya only glares at her even harder. "Or not. All right."

She turns back to the letter, absentmindedly petting her familiar, Marbles, as she tries to break the seal to open it, but for some reason she can't seem to. After a long moment, she finally notices the faint, inscribed words:

Tap me with your wand to open.

Of course, Hope thinks. It's a locked letter.

She secretly unpockets her wand, looks around, and taps it against the parchment. Almost instantly, the letter falls open and a message written in black ink reveals itself.

Miss Mikaelson,

I hope that you have settled back into school nicely and that you are enjoying your classes. However, it would do you well not to forget the task that has been assigned to you. I'll expect a report of your progress by the end of the month. If you find yourself struggling with where to start, do not worry. I have taken the liberty of including a map of your school, given to me by a dear friend of mine who works in the Ministry. Simply tap the back of this parchment with your wand and the map will reveal itself to you. I sincerely hope it will be of service and aid you in completing your task. Forgive me if I have not made myself clear, I am afraid I cannot elaborate further on this matter in the event that this letter ends up in the wrong hands. On that note, please believe me when I say that we are all rooting for you. Make no mistake, Miss Mikaelson, this is an honor I have bestowed upon you.

I trust that you will make your family proud.

Take care,

Malivore Clarke

Hope grits her teeth, knuckles clenched so tight the fragile parchment crumples in her hands.

An honor, he called it. As if he isn't asking her, expecting her, even, to betray her school, her classmates. An honor. To help him infilitrate the castle, to help him spy on her professors, to help him steal some pathetic, powerful wand that she wants nothing to do with. An honor Hope never asked for but accepted because—what choice does she really have?