The Renegades

Chapter 20 : Imperio

Penelope felt disappointed when she realised that the Yule Ball had not brought about any changes in her relationship with Sebastian. Their interactions remained the same with their usual playful banter, and they continued spending most of their time together with Ominis. The trio had spent the first week of the Christmas holidays playing wizard chess, enjoying a game of Quidditch when the weather allowed, and reading by the fire in the common room.

It all felt very peaceful and pleasant, yet Penelope couldn't shake her restlessness, as was typical for her. Her thoughts were consumed by Isidora, a constant presence in her mind. Penelope acknowledged the futility of restoring her reputation, as she had been largely forgotten by the wizarding community. However, Isidora was poised to share her knowledge of Ancient Magic with Penelope. As she reflected on the unwavering loyalty she had sworn, Penelope questioned Isidora's intentions for her. The Keepers were no more, and Ranrok was gone too. Who, then, was the enemy?

"Sebastian, that's cheating!" Ominis' sharp voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"It's not cheating to be better than your opponent," Sebastian smirked, proud of himself.

Penelope hadn't visited Isidora at all during the holidays. The Yule Ball preparations had kept her busy, and she felt an increased level of scrutiny following the incident in the hospital wing. This feeling, whether grounded in reality or not, had kept her away from the Undercroft. All her friends had stayed at Hogwarts this Christmas to attend the ball, so she could never be left alone for more than thirty minutes at a time—except, of course, during the nighttime.

Penelope abruptly sat up. There it was. She no longer needed to come up with excuses or resort to deception; only to be discreet and avoid getting caught. It was a skill she had become quite adept at. She spared a glance at her two friends, their attention still caught up in their game of chess. They didn't need to know.

Later that day, as everyone settled in for the night, Penelope followed suit. She drew the curtains around her bed and patiently waited for her roommates to fall asleep. The moment Imelda had started snoring, Penelope quietly slipped out of bed, quickly getting dressed in the dark. The time frame of her return was uncertain, but she anticipated it would be hours before she came back.

Penelope applied a disillusionment charm, causing her to wince at the peculiar sensation. It felt as though an egg had been cracked onto her head, and its contents were slowly dripping down. Navigating the corridors, she focused on every subtle sound around her. While the disillusionment charm served its purpose, she acknowledged its limitations; it wasn't as effective as an invisibility cloak. They were rare and very expensive.

The journey to the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower proved unexpectedly tranquil, devoid of encounters with any patrolling prefects or professors. However, just as she crossed over the suspension bridge leading to the tower, Peeves materialized before her with an audible pop. Penelope, caught off guard, tensed and instinctively reached for her wand. The mischievous poltergeist grinned in delight, relishing in the reaction he had elicited.

"Well, well, well, what's this I see? A sneaky student, trying to flee?"

Penelope said nothing and sidestepped him, but she felt a tinge of panic course through her. Peeves, however, was not so easily dismissed. With each step she took, he flitted around her, his rhymes echoing through the air. 

"No need to be quiet, no need to be shy, tell Peeves your secrets, my, oh, my!"

She rushed into the tower, but he followed, his voice loud and now echoing off the stone walls. He called out in a sing-song tone, "Off to face the darkness, little one, you go. The hero of Hogwarts, in shadows you sow!"