Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 6

Chapter 44

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENCE, TORTURE AND DEATH.
"Hello? Alex? Ben? Merula?"

Dani got up. She was completely enveloped in darkness-the bright light of the column was nowhere to be seen.

She spotted a figure in the distance-a brown-haired girl in Hogwarts uniform, definitely a first or second year. She took a few cautious steps towards the young student.

"Hey, Jackson, wanna know what I found out about your freak brother?" Dani almost cringed at 5-years-younger Merula's chirp. She couldn't even remember what witty comeback she-

"You think I'd CARE about you stupid Gryffindors? Nah, and do you idiots know that Alexander Jackson is a Death Eater? ...FLIPENDO!"

The bolt never comes as Dani's surroundings warp and shift around her, but she certainly felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Out of her defenseless inner 11-year-old.

Dani's vision refocuses as she finds herself surrounded by Ben, Bill, Merula and Penny. Her friends are all sprawled on the ground as Rakepick laughed maniacally. "None of you are entering the vault... CRUCIO!"

The scene shifts again. Merula is still on the ground, howling. Rakepick is still standing there, wand raised. Bill and Penny are gone, but a determined Ben stood next to Dani in a fighting stance. Dani knew immediately what this was-more vivid than any nightmare she'd had in the past three months.

"Because I want the pleasure of killing you MYSELF. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

As green light erupted from Rakepick's wand, Dani felt someone drag her away from the beam. She felt as though she'd rolled down a flight of stairs and hit her head somewhere along the way, but she found herself lying on the marble, back in the temple. She could still see the glowing column from there.

There was a long silence, until Ben asked, "Did you guys see-"

Dani nodded.

"Maybe the person who built the vaults wasn't trying to keep others from getting their treasure," said Alex. "Maybe they were trying to keep something i-."

There was a pop behind the group, and everyone turned around to see a cackling redheaded dark witch.

"Not you again!"

"How did you get past Barnaby?!"

"Of course, I did see the oaf on the shore," said Rakepick in the underwater version of the most BBEG-y voice Dani had ever heard. "You idiots seem to have forgotten that we're off school grounds."

"AV-"

"MOBILICORPUS!"

An invisible arm grabbed Merula by the ankle and flipped her upside down, dangling inches above the marble floor. Rakepick stalked over cockily. "Always so desperate for my approval. I'm sure you don't have it in you to-"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Rakepick's outstretched wand suddenly got flung past Merula's face, through the waterfall, and towards the still-glowing column in the distance.

"Nooo my wand :("

Alex's wand was still pointed at Rakepick. "The only thing more boring than villain monologues is Dani spamming depulso at you. INCARCEROUS!"

"Nooo!" Rakepick cried again as she was bound in ropes. "My treasure! My wand!"

"Yeah, I wish my dad's video camera worked at school too, but it doesn't, so save your voice for when the aurors come to pick you up," said Ben. "SILENCIO!"

"Mmmf! Mmh!"

Ben turned back to the glowing passage. "Now, what to do with this..."

The group looked at one another. Alex shrugged. Dani shook her head. "Just let me down," Merula whined.

"FINITE INCANTATEM!" As Merula was set back on the ground, Ben turned his wand to the passageway. "CONFRINGO!"

The smashed pillar pieces fell back into place behind the waterfall.