Janna Black and The Cite of the Dead

Winter's frost

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Nothing can beat lying on a feathered pillow—that had been burrowed into then unstuffed with the feathers strewn on the flagstone by one ferret—in front of a low fire, crackling into embers that fluttered with life before dimming like dying stars.

On the pillow Ash watched the low, glowing flames twirling on the logs that seemed to mimic the effect of hot metal that had been crusted, he waited for his owner to arrive to come back. Ash knew what he was thinking about, of course his family did as well, he huffed out the thought of his family from his head... He missed all his brothers and sisters and his parents who were just ordinary run of the mill, snow white ferrets. He knew what that horrible man had done to his family, the day he escaped he only expected a worse world, until he saw a strange creature that did not smell human at all. Eventually Janna became his family when she took him everywhere with her, he did not mind lazing in her pocket but now he wondered where she was... Had she left him?

Ash felt his back lift, he swung his head to see small flakes lift from under his hairs, maybe he could travel the castle to find her. POOF! A shower of flakes that chased after the ferret's whereabouts shot through the air as though in a wild breeze then slid under the double doors of the room to follow the rest of the body.

Finally on a railing above the school Ash thought of where Janna would be... Where he took her after her fall in the dusty old house. The ferret traversed down the panelling of the roof, his claws clattered, causing squeaks  under the shale covering. He dove into a broken opening in a glass circle where three arms pointed out the sun's movements in the sky.

In front of the Hospital Wing door sat a boy with his hazel hair in his eyes as he hugged his knees, his hands clasped a wand, around the corner Professor Potter came up the last of the steps, Ash realised that Janna was most definitely in the large hall behind the doors but he did not want to take chances on where to land so he anticipated when the jet black haired man would go to the door, instead he stopped at the boy.

Ash watched from atop a small globe that balanced in the curls golden cogs of the glass window, the loud ticking of the clock caused his tail to flick in sync with the noise behind him, he sat like a patient dog with his long back arching up, ready to catapult him off the globe when the door opened.

   "Are you alright, Al?" The Professor asked, he sat at his son's side with a soft smile that shone through the five o'clock shadow on his face that was contorted with concern, his purplish black robes spread under him as the he settled. Only when he patted the hazel headed boy did the he react "Good morning" The Professor greeted with a playful, disposition, the young boy looked up at his father, both seeming to look in a mirror but each was as opposite as the other.

   "Is Janna alive..?" Albus' eyes were pink and wet, "I saw she had something on her left arm..." Albus broke his stare from his father looking at the cogs of the clock, seeing Ash watching him curiously "I think he hexed her"

Professor Potter hummed in understanding "I was coming to see her... er ...condition, in fact" Professor Potter wished he could have better words "But since  you are here, I can attempt to get Pomfrey to—"

   "Save it, dad" Albus interrupted his father, slowly standing up then walking away with his head bowed "I'm not going to see her much now anyways" Albus took the flight of steps directly before the Hospital wing.

Professor Potter stared, not knowing what to do, whether to chase after his son or leave Albus be... Taking in a deep sigh Potter stood up understanding he had a job to do that outweighed his responsibility as a father. His hand touched the door but he pulled away when a sharp icy feeling stung his arm, he stared at the door before placing his palm on the wooden door to open it but when his foot came in the room there was a strange crunch under his foot, he lifted his foot but saw nothing under his feet, not even on the floor.

There was a scream of pain, Potter darted to the curtained bed where Janna was hidden, at her side was Orion holding her white hand with both of his hands. Her legs kicked as Pomfrey attempted to remove the wand from her other hand. Harry saw a obsidian like substance on her arm that lead from her scars, the gashes seemed to be leaking the dried liquid that looked like blood trailing on the skin over her heart where the darkness branched out and visibly went past the ribs that shone through her blackened inside to show a murky depth too far to see as the inkiness faded.

   "What happened?" Potter questioned Orion, "It may help me get this off her" Putting a firm hand on the young boy's shoulder, his eyes were puffy and his eyebrows were puckered.

    "I dinnae ken wot magic she used—I was playin' the fool—there was black stuff in the air tha' ate away at the line I cast—" Orion wailed as his friend squeezed his hands tightly, possibly disfiguring bones "WOT IS THIS?!" Orion yelled at the Professor who came to Pomfrey's arm to a bench which had a tray of multi-textured thread and strange needles, some which curved strangely and some which were like copper curls.

Quickly Potter pulled a pair of dragon hide gloves from pockets quickly slipping them on he examined the shards in the glass beaker Pomfrey has collected, he lifted a shard of what looked like glass with his gloved fingers. The shard gave off a black mist that was chillingly cold, even through the thick gloves—he knew where he felt this type of cold before.

   "Mister Cintola I need you to leave, I need to perform some spell I'd prefer you to not be witness to" Potter explained as he dropped the shard and pulled his gloves off while gentle guiding Pomfrey with his outstretched arm from Janna's arm.

Orion stared at Janna's face which was tight with pain, her body constricting as she twisted in the bed, Potter gave him a look then gesturing to the door hurriedly. Reluctantly Orion pulled himself away from Janna then he moved to the doors keeping his eyes on Janna who buried her pale face in the pillows.

As Orion spun to close the door he head a squawk below, he looked at his feet when he closed the door to see Ash "Sorry..." Orion then lifted Ash from the floor, holding the ferret in his elbow "Ya wouldn't wanna see Janna in there"