Periculum (Fred Weasley Love Story)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The wind whipped my face as we travelled over sprawling green fields. We'd chosen our path based on the least muggle areas so we wouldn't be seen, and also a little confusion charm would keep any wandering eyes from us.

It may take us a little longer than just flying from the England/Scotland border straight to Edenborough, but we couldn't risk being seen. We headed East for a little while, until we were well over the ocean, and then headed parallel with the coastline.

The whole time I was running through scenarios in my head of what could happen next. My heart almost beat out of my chest if I thought too long about losing Roze or Cameron the way Ari was taken from us. Every moment I second guessed myself about the decision to let my friends come with me.

Ari was already god knows where, and Roze and Cam could be next. I couldn't bear the thought of what they were doing to Ari right now, let alone if they got their hands on these two. Mrs Weasley's heart would shatter, and Cam's little brothers... they'd already lost their parents in this war. To lose the only family they had left because of me? I-

"Stop thinking that way Charlotte Hale!" Roze's voice rang loudly over the whip of the wind. "I know what's going through your head! And guess what? Cam and I aren't going anywhere. We're by your side through this" she stopped yelling as Cam steered his broom much closer to mine. "We're going to get Ari back. We're going to be much more careful, but whatever happens, it's not your fault. We're here to save the people we love as much as you are. We love the same people" she added with a smile. Cam nodded firmly to that.

"But if you guys get hurt, it'll be my fault" I shook my head.

"No, it'll be his fault. He is the one to blame here, Charlotte, not you" Cam said, giving me a long look. I nibbled my lip between my teeth, looking off towards the coastline. We were close to turning toward Edenborough.

"We're here to protect you, but also ourselves, our families. Whatever happens, we're in this together. No blaming yourself", Roze reached out, gripping my shoulder tightly. I managed a small nod, and gripped her fingers with mine. She nodded back, and went back to clutching Cam as we all swung and headed directly inland.

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Thousands and thousands of books. No, hundreds of thousands. Stacked in neat rows, all orderly arranged and aligned back-to-back where their insides could not be judged by their covers. Their titles all curled and looped in one direction and turned to the side so that one had to tilt their head in order to read them. Each book held its own world of wonders and answers to short and lifelong questions about humanity, the wizarding world, history, and every other topic imaginable from the few titles I'd managed a proper glimpse at. So much information in one place... a dangerous amount.

Roze and I dare not talk. After the excruciating slowness and meticulous caution it took to get in here, there wasn't a chance we'd slip up with a whisper.

Mr. Weasley wasn't kidding about this places security. If it hadn't been for that one wizard carelessness with the visibility of his wand work and Roze's keen eyes for spells, we would have never found our way in here.

It was easy enough to recognise the filing system of the library, and we quickly found our way to the locations, geography and important places section. There was probably a better suited description for the section, but I wasn't about to ask.

I pulled on Roze's sleeve and she stopped her scanning of the titles in order to look at me. I pointed to the book that'd caught my eyes, and I watched Roze as her brain ran over the possibility's.

"Eleven?" she mouthed, surprise blanketing her expression. I shrugged, quickly checked around me and reached for the book titled 'The Eleven Long-established and Prestigious Wizarding Schools of the Wizarding World'.

I tucked the book under my arm as we continued to look for any book that may hold information about magical cliffs.

The frustration began to become apparent from both Roze and I as we began to run out of time, and none of the books revealed to be about any cliffs. Mountains, caves, rivers, and forests, but no cliffs. Roze had grabbed a couple almost promising ones about caves in Austria, but my hopes weren't high for that one.

We'd agreed to meet Cameron two hours after separating, and that time was almost up so I gave Roze's sleeve a tug, and indicated we needed to go. Her look of disappointment mirrored my own.

Leaving the way we came, I was not expecting the loud screeching of an impossibly high piercing alarm to assault my ears in the practically silent library. Immediately I heard the rushing footsteps of the librarians, and on instinct I grabbed Roze's hand. We sprinted in the direction we came in.

From above us I heard the unmistakable sound of metal against metal, and I looked up to see an enormous, solid door descending from the ceiling, approaching fast in order to seal off our only way out.

Tugging on Roze arm, we sprinted together under the invisibility cloak faster than I'd ever run before, my eyes never leaving the menacing decent of the door. Roze's wand was out, and she spoke the incantation "Arresto-momentum!" but the gate didn't slow.

The wizard librarians shot blind curses from behind us, and luckily managed to miss most. Roze and I deflected the few that came near.

"Char!" Roze whispered frantically, her eyes wide as the moon as she frantically looked from me to the wizards chasing us, to our only chance of freedom.

My heart beat in my ears, and I could feel something rising in my chest. I squeezed Roze's hand tightly, pulling her closer to me in anticipation for whatever was about to happen. I may not be able to control these powers, but I could feel within myself when they were about to appear.

All of a sudden in the matter of a breath, our feet no longer touched the ground. It was as if we were afloat in the ocean, caught up in an immense wave that sent us tumbling head over heels at unimaginable speeds towards the exit. A shimmering white light sparkled at my feet, joined by Roze's and seemed to be hurtling us along. The door crashed to the floor with a resounding bang, somehow with us on one side, and the wizard librarians on the other.

I shared one panicked, relieved gaze with Roze, but we were smarter than that to stick around, so with our feet firmly planted on the ground once more, we sprinted to meet up with Cameron.