The Darkest Bequest (Hogwarts Mystery Book 1)

Chapter Nine - Chocolate Frogs

Help me...

Find me...

Athena...

"Jacob!" my brother's name jumps out of my lips as I wake up, sitting on the bed, breathless after spending my whole nightmare running. His voice is still fresh in my memory: a scared, desperate call.

I look around. Thankfully, none of my roommates heard me and their heavy breaths prove me that they're sound asleep; hopefully, they're having good dreams. I sigh escapes my lips as the desperation that I felt in my nightmare continues to run inside of me. I get up, put on my jacket and loafers and leave the dorm.

Everything is silent. My steps on the spiral staircase is the only sound that can be heard. I enter the common room – majestic Rowena Ravenclaw greets me with wise eyes – and I find a nice place to sit on front of the fireplace. In the dark, I can hear the crickets singing in the distance.

I rub my hands together, trying to warm them. The coldness inside of me can't seem to fade away and the darkness within the fireplace is no help. I hug my bent legs, resting my cheek on one knee, staring at the void. My mind, so loud, won't let me sleep again.

I hear one of the dorm's door open and soft footsteps march upstairs. A gleam accompanies the person who's climbing the stairs and my heart feels slightly less restless when I see the face of my best friend.

"Athie?" Rowan says, walking to me. "Are you okay?"

"Did I wake you up?"

"Would it upset you if I said you did?" she asks, sitting next to me. "You've been doing it since Snape mentioned expelling you. You know... screaming your brother's name."

I look at her – at her kind eyes that glisten under the soft light of her wand – and feel my heart withering. "Sorry."

"I know you love Hogwarts," she says, resting a reassuring hand upon my arm. "But you don't have to be afraid. You won't be expelled."

"I know," I say, letting out a sigh. Rowan is truly an amazing friend. She's loyal and sweet and funny and endlessly trustworthy.

Then why the hell have I been omitting things from her?

After I returned to my common room after hearing Professor Snape and Mr. Filch talking about my brother, the Cursed Vaults and something that they're suppose to guard, my mind was a swirl of so many unhinged thoughts that I ended up keeping them all to myself. I was afraid that, if I spoke about them out loud, Rowan would end up thinking that I'm a freak and wouldn't want to be my friend anymore. However, keeping it all to myself has been more damaging than helpful.

"I'm terribly sorry, Row," I say, my voice barely a whisper.

"You don't need to apologize, Athie," she says. "It's not your fault that you've been having nightmares."

"It's not just that. I've been a bad friend... I've been... keeping things from you."

She frowns. "What do you mean?"

"The night Professor Snape mentioned his deep desire of see me expelled, something else happened," I say. "Regarding... Merula."

"What did that awful worm do to you?" she says, altered. "I swear to Merlin. I'm going to kick that disgusting brat right in the-"

"She didn't do anything," I say. "Shocking. I know. I just ended up following her that night. She went snooping on Professor Snape and Mr. Filch. They were talking about the Cursed Vaults."