The Fourth Year Of Usool Jahanara

15. No!! It Can't Be!!

"I don't remember properly! But he looked pretty young! I couldn't see his face because of the hood he wore!"

We nodded to his answer as that third year boy looked painfully at the sling tied to his arm. Half of his lower body also had second degree burns. We wished him well and left as staff took him to Mungo's.

Another student got jinxed. This scene became so regular that it was a surprise if there was a day when all students would be safe without even one case. The only thing that has been changing though, is the scale. What started off as one student per day, raised to two, three and now no less than thirty students get hexed per week.

Seizing chances, the three of us had been hopping from classes to the Hospital Wing, interrogating each of the students, hoping for a new development. But everyone gave the same answer 'He seemed pretty young but I couldn't see his face! He wore a black robes with a hood on!' And needless to say, this was making us frustrated. Only Jahan, Julia and another seventh year who got hospitalized last week, told that that person had that burn on his arm, meaning the others were hexed from a far.

What was this for after all? What did this hooded guy want? Why was he doing this? And most importantly, who was he? Will we end up not finding him at all? Will this not end? Will I not get an answer to these above questions?

"Another case today!" Caren hissed, vexed.

I remained quiet, but inside, my mind was rambling just like him.

"And what pisses me more is that wherever we go, we get the same answer. No new clue at all!" Megan said.

"But we cannot lose hope!" I replied.

"We need a new approach! We've been digging the same hole for a long time! We must try to find out in another way, as soon as possible!" Megan suggested.

We looked at each other as we continued walking to our Common Room and nodded.

"But how?" Caren asked.

"That requires a bit of a brainstorming!" I said sheepishly.

We continued walking and were nearing the Common Room.

"On the other hand, hey Usool! How are things going on now?" Megan asked me.

"Well..... um..... My grades are just fine, Jahan's recovery is also really fast and..... yeah! We have Astronomy class this midnight! Thanks for reminding me!" I said patting her arm.

They both gave me a flat look for that. "What?"

"She wasn't asking about that!" Caren said.

"Then? What else thing must go on?" I asked.

Megan rolled her eyes. "Do we even need to spell it out? I meant, did you meet Fazal boy lately?"

Instead of the usual fluttering, I felt a strange ache cut through my heart. Ever since we came back from Mungo's, I rarely saw Wahid. Everytime I peeked at the Slytherin table during breakfast and lunch, I always saw him sitting alone infront of his plate, stabbing his food, a sad cloud looming over his head. He looked too lost for the world around him. And moreover, he stopped gracing me with that smile oh his. Saying frankly, that was when I realized how hard was I dying to see Wahid's smile. How much my hand which had got a burn tingled, reminding me of the tingly feeling of his touch. How much my little heart cried as it craved to see him laugh and all he did was look away. We seldom crossed paths but whenever we did, he just looked down and walked past me.

It felt like..... like he was avoiding me these days, but why? I tried to find a fault in my own behavior and even asked Caren and Megan indirectly, but came out with nil. Did he not like me too? Okay, he didn't say it, but weren't his actions pretty obvious? Or was I being an emotional fool all the time, considering a kind gesture as a crush and unnecessarily blushung madly for just one mere eye contact?