House: Slytherin

Category: Themed

Prompts: [First Line] There was always something not quite right about the door.

Word count: 2826 (Excluding Author's Note, but including entire entry and Title)

Warning: This is an AU (Alternate Universe) piece. Characters are going to be OOC, and normal High School drama exists.

Characters: Harry Potter; Hermione Granger; Lavender Brown; Fred Weasley; George Weasley; Severus Snape; Theodore Nott; Draco Malfoy; Luna Lovegood.

Summary: At the end of the corridor stood a mysterious door. No one went in, and no one certainly came out. One night during patrol, Theodore Nott's curiosity gets the best of him, and when he stumbles into the door, it's not at all what he expected. Luna Lovegood has been keeping a secret, and in the end, she reveals to him that everything thus far has only been nothing more than a game and the only way to escape is to drop down into the Mirror and play. Mirror of Erised; AU; Theo x Luna

Author's Note: I was totally determined to write a nice Theo x Luna piece, thus spurring this masterpiece on! At first, I wanted to go the Alice and Wonderland route, but I just couldn't risk being deducted since it would be considered a crossover. So, to bypass it, I came up my own little world to which would mirror the wonderfully enchanting landscape of Wonderland. :) I do hope y'all like it because (my sad case) I was cursed again and I may come back and plump the piece up a bit after the Competition ends.

As always, enjoy

-Carolare Scarletus

.~.

Eidolon

.~.

There was always something not quite right about the door. The door was the grey of unburnished silver, dull and spotted with years of water damage. For ages, the Headmasters of Hogwarts have warned the students not to venture into the door on the third-floor, stating it was simply out of bounds and if anyone who wished to meet an untimely death, by all means, they were welcome to. Where there should have been some fancy matching handle was only a square shaft of dark cold metal, there was nothing but a hollowed hole and rust adornments. One of which, was the knob. He wanted to close his fingers around it, to twist it, but the thought simply slipped over the coarse edges of his mind and came away blackened by the corrosive ink of his curiosity.

Theodore Nott stared at the jarring surface of the door, taking in as much as the towering entrance as he could. It was located off a corridor on the third floor, close to a tapestry of dark intentions. Every day, Theo passed by the abandoned door, allowing his thoughts to wonder as to what might be laying behind its deceptive face. As far as he was concerned, no one went in, and, if they did, they certainly haven't come out. He'd heard rumors about it, of course. Everything ranging from the downright implausible to just plain dumb. Much of what he heard was just speculation, though he didn't expect anyone to know anything about it, or what might be hidden behind its deceptive wooden face. All he knew was that he was inexplicably drawn to it, and no matter how many times his best mate, Draco Malfoy insisted, he couldn't help bringing up the subject time to time. Many of his Housemates thought he was nuts, but on some nights, he could have sworn he saw Luna Lovegood go into that same door, and a bunny come out.

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what again?" He was staring at the door. Their next class was due to begin soon, and if it hadn't been for him, they'd still be trudging up the staircase, lost somewhere. Theodore had been keen to get to class. Unfortunately for Draco, he'd been dragged along.

Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened at Hogwarts. Aside from the normal scandals among the adolescent populace, Theodore supposed that their world was anything but exciting.

"The thing I don't like," he smiled, tucking his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you, Theo, but there isn't anything behind that door. I reckon it's just an old broom closet or something."

Theodore tried and failed to keep up with the taller boy. "How do you know?"

"I just know."

"Come on, Draco. You must know something. Stop trying to hide it from me."

His accusation made him laugh. "Really, Nott? I'm not trying to hide anything, I don't know any more than you do. I don't know why you're so obsessed with it. It's just a door."

But, it wasn't just any old door.

"Lovegood hasn't been seen for three days. Surely, even for you, that's suspicious?"

"Looney probably got herself lost off the 5th floor corridor, or she was taken by a troll as a bride or something. She'll show up; she always does."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Theodore hissed, agitated. "Don't you think it's odd that Lovegood went missing after Brown did? I swear, something is going on and I'm determined to figure it out!"

"In my defense," Draco said, "Brown is a dumb bimbo, and would not make a good bride. Just so that's out there."

To this, Draco reacted in a way that Theodore hadn't expected. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time he tried to keep something from him because it wasn't long ago that he roused suspicion. Theo had woken up in the middle of the night to find Draco sitting up in his bed. Through the space between his curtains, he was able to make out the faint flow of a wand as it protruded from the tip of some sort of hat. An odd cry issued from his lips, as a hideously high-pitch laugh, before everything fell quiet. When he confronted the boy in the morning, he had no recollection of the night before and shrugged it off as sleepwalking. Though, there wasn't any walking involved. Theo reckoned he was keeping something from him, and he was going to find out what it was.

"I distinctly remember them finding Brown. I can't remember where, but she was found."

"If being found means completely incapacitated, then by all means, Draco. Ignore that anything of significance happened."

"You're not going to drop this, are you?"

Theodore shook his head, totally enamored by the idea of the door. Everyone was, even him.

Draco suddenly pushed him backward until they had gone away from the corridor and were standing in a small niche. The distinctive glow of a charm rocked between them. Theo looked up, meeting Draco's dark, stormy eyes.

"Listen to me," he told him. "There is absolutely nothing behind that door. I've looked, and it's just some old supply closet of Snape's."

"Then, why do people keep disappearing?"

"Because Snape's cooking up Christmas supper, I don't know!" snapped Draco. "Whatever the reason, just drop it. People are already talking about you as it is."

"What do you mean?"

Before Draco could speak, someone came up and asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, of course," replied Draco, which immediately struck Theo as odd. Malfoy never apologized; he always exerted the same exuberance of authority that, when upon hearing those words, Theo believed someone hexed the poor bloke. But, upon further investigation, he knew that wasn't the case.

Instead of trying to refute his claim, Draco said, "D'you think that Snape will have our head if we ditched our duties? I don't feel like patrolling tonight."

"What else do you think are in those jars?"

Draco thought for a minute before bursting out in laughter. "Good point, mate. I don't think I want to end up like those poor blokes."

"Walk me to class?"

"Thought you'd never ask."

During their exchange, Theodore's eyes drifted toward the door. It was but a passing fancy, an escape to a world in which he could not explore. But, it held more than met the eye. As he settled into the steps of normalcy, his mind was still whirling with the discursive thoughts of what lay behind that deceptive door. Whilst his mind cranked, he made up his mind.

He was going to find out what everyone was trying to keep secret.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Peeves? The ladies lavatory is strictly out of bounds and you ought to know that bombs are forbidden as well."

The silly poltergeist sneered before flying away, his rapturous voice echoing down the corridor.

"I hate that damn poltergeist." Theodore murmured, resisting the urge to bang his head against the wall.

"We're almost done here." Hermione reminded him. Over the last several years, the bookworm had become sort of an anchor in which he used to keep from floating away. Granger was a great listener, and even greater rival. If only she had the same tenacity when it came to supporting his more risky endeavours.

Theo grumbled something under his breath, never missing the beat to follow her. They were in the middle of making their rounds. It was Slytherin and Gryffindor's turn (go figure), and he wasn't enjoying in the slightest. Not because Granger wasn't a good companion to have during the long nights of keeping the older students from locking themselves in empty classrooms, but simply because he just wasn't able to allow himself the least bit of enjoyment. Peeves was only making matters worse; though, he hadn't expected to have an easy night no matter what.

"You don't seem so into it," Hermione pointed out. "If it's Peeves that's getting to you-"

"It's not Peeves."

"Then, what is it?"

"Nothing," he told her, trying to be as vague as possible. knowing her, she'd see right through it. She always did.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, came to a sudden halt and looked at him with an air of suspicion. He felt the hairs on his exposed arms prick at the coldness emanating from the Gryffindor. Bloody Hell, he knew he should have skipped. A month's detention with Snape looked like the pearly gates of heaven compared to sinfully bitter expression that glossed over Hermione's face. Sighing, he stopped too.

He turned a little and asked, "Are you coming?"

"Malfoy talked to me today."

"Surprise, surprise," he told her sarcastically. Draco and her were like twins, except that they were dating and weren't related. "What did your little spy of a boyfriend say?"

"He said you've been acting strange, Teddy," continued Hermione. "Is there anything you need to tell me?"

"If there was, I'm afraid it would only scare you away, Granger."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Theodore snickered. Turning fully, he walked right over to where she stood. He toward above her small frame. Despite the fact, the Gryffindor kept her stance. She didn't back down even when he said," Everyone is entitled to their secrets."

"I'd be careful if I were you, Nott." Hermione warned him. "Some people would kill to know those secrets of yours. Are you sure they're worth protecting? Even if they're a risk to your very life?"

Theo shrugged. "Maybe."Then, he pulled away from her, finding the sanctuary of the dank corridor more inviting than her presence. He hastily said goodbye to her, telling her that he had left a floor unchecked, and, if he didn't act fast, Peeves might very well flood the whole floor. Hermione readily agreed and left him to his own devices. Though, as she turned away to head back to the Head Girl's office, she couldn't have known how destructive his thoughts had become. He was, with all intents and purposes, keeping something from her. But, it wasn't like she wasn't either. Hermione was just as bloody guilty as everyone else.

The entire school was draped with the cloak of secrecy. Ever since their first year, Theodore has wondered about the door on the third floor. After some time, he'd forgotten about it, but that was until people began to vanish. When they were found, he noticed that they weren't the same as the were before they were taken. He hadn't the slightest clue what was happening, but he knew it had something to do with that door.

Through the winding tunnels, Theo was able to compose himself justly. He had lied to Hermione about Peeves, knowing that the unfriendly monster of Hogwarts had no business searching for trouble on the floor he was going to visit. Even the ghosts were afraid to hang around on the same floor, and if they hadn't been deceased, they'd avoid the floor altogether. Nonetheless, he found the invitation quite inviting and it didn't take him long to arrive at the spot where all his troubled thoughts manifested from.

In the povical moment it took him to decide, Theodore had raised his hand and was already pressing his palm against the cool surface of the door. The connection was unfathomable; beyond that door lay every wish he'd ever placed, every hopes and aspirations. He felt like a little kid finally receiving a present. though, this present would final put to rest the rampant thoughts. The school was hiding something, and he was determined to find out what it was.

Carefully, wand poised in front of him in preparation for battle, Theodore pushed the door open to find utter darkness. Murmuring a charm under his breath, a burst of light issued from the tip of his wand, disrupting the seemingly impregnable barricade protecting the secrets beyond the door and him.

He continued to walk through the suffocating tunnel. When he finally made it to the other side, he was met with a brilliantly lit basin the size of a large sink, decorated with questionable attributes such as dried flowers and offerings. As Theodore came up to the marbled pedestal in which it sat, his coiled back, finding the milky substance within its body more frightening than anything he's ever seen. Inside were the faces of his friends; though, they weren't really his friends but malformed freaks of grandiose proportions. He took a moment to consider what he was witnessing; these couldn't be mirrors, but a passage to an unworldly dimension. A strange unveiling came over him.

"What are you doing here?" a voice asked, looking around as if something would pop out and attack them.

Theo jumped and looked around to find Luna Lovegood standing behind him. Though, she didn't look like the strange girl he knew. There was something entirely different about her, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Luna was not an ordinary witch. Any decent fool could see that. Theodore stared at her, as if she alone was a spectacle of nature. How can one witch sway him like the wind caresses a tree? It was subtle, little breeze but it was all the more significant. He felt his cheeks heat up and he tried to head it by rubbing the back of his neck and looking away. Although she wasn't prone to pay much attention to people around her, the witch's blue eyes remained glued on him. In one moment he could change, he could fleet or expire; it seemed to be something she lived by dearly.

"What is this place?"

"You must leave."

"Not before you tell me what the hells this is," he pointed to the basin, narrowing his eyes as he tried to come to terms with what he was witnessing. "Is this where all the missing students are going?"

"You would not understand, Theodore Nott."

"Tell me," Theo yelled, his voice bouncing off the walls in a deafening tone of defiance.

Luna only stood there, her lip tremblings as her eyes glossed over in fear.

"Theodore, please do not ask this of me."

"TELL ME!" Theo had had enough with all the secrecy. "Or I'll go there myself!"

"NO, you can't!" Luna cried, desperately trying to keep Theo from moving closer to the basin. "Draco wouldn't allow it!

Theodore stopped and looked at the short Ravenclaw. "What did you say?"

"Draco," she swallowed the lump inside her throat. "He's the one who has been taking them and transporting them back into their realm. He's the transporter and only he can bring you there. If you try on your own, you'll die and I cannot allow that."

"So, that's what he's been doing at night? Taking students and bringing them here? But, why? Where does this thing lead to?"

Luna's eyes flickered to the glowing basin and her body automatically moved closer to it. "If I tell you, I'd have to take you with me."

"It can't all be that bad, can it?"

"You don't understand, you were never meant to know. You're not like us, Theodore."

"What, I'm not good enough to know?"

"No, I just care too much to let them find you." Luna turned around and met his eye. "You're not the only one who doesn't know. Ron Weasley's older siblings don't know, as well as a handful of students from each of the Houses, including you and Blaise Zabini. We didn't tell you because they can't sense you. You're magic has been concealed in order to protect you from them."

Theodore didn't speak for a moment until the question who they were came up. "What is after you?"

"They're called the Exterreri. They dwell in the shadows and have only recently seeped into this world. The basin you see over there is where we originate; it's our place of origin."

"And, Draco is their protector?"

"Of sorts." a familiar male voice answered his question.

Draco appeared out of the darkened tunnel, his face devoid of any emotion.

"How could you keep this a secret from me?"

"I thought Hermione talked you out of coming back here, Nott."

"Does she know too?"

Draco looked at him before shaking his head. "Unfortunately, she one of those who we must protect. Now, come Nott. We have much to discuss. We'll come back to the basin, but I need to speak with you."

Theodore looked to Luna, who recoiled at his curious stare. There was something different about her, he knew that. Be it the shining bright blue eyes, or the gorgeously adorned headpiece she was wearing. In that moment, as he followed Malfoy out of the small room where the basin sat, he realized that now that the door's secret was out, he'd have to do everything in his power to protect it as well.