(A/N: I put some times in to make the story easier to follow.)
The Time of Your Life
One Week before school starts (August 24)
Janine Weasley separated from her family and headed for the food plaza. Her mother and brother were still shopping for the things he needed for his Seventh Year at Northwoods School of Magic. He would be graduating at the end of the year and needed new dress robes and other things that Janine didn't need or already had. Her family was somewhat poor but they only had two kids in Northwoods now and had a little more money to spend on both of them. Her family was shopping in Roosevelt Field, which was a combo muggle-wizard mall. Muggles were likely to walk right past the entrances to the wizard mall without noticing them. The muggles did it every day in malls all across the country because almost all of the muggle malls in the U. S. contained wizard malls too.
Janine was waiting for her best friend Willow Black who also went to Northwoods and was in her year. She had seen Willow in the mall earlier when she was with her family and knew Willow was going to be there soon. Micky and Mike the girls friends, who just happened to be boys, were doubtlessly shopping in the mall somewhere and would show up to bug the two of them eventually. Until Willow showed up Janine was happy to be sitting in the air-conditioned, unlike muggle air conditioning it was accomplished by cooling charms, mall. New York, after a mild, rainy early summer, was in the middle of a heat wave. The past week had seen everyday having temperatures above 90 degrees. Janine was very upset about the heat. She hadn't liked the rain (bad for Quidditch practice) but the cool temperatures had been very nice. She hoped Willow got here soon. She felt like a muggle born at a Death Eaters convention, lots of people around no one to talk to.
* * *
Willow was having some trouble finding the place she was supposed to meet Janine, in the mall. The Wizard mall in Roosevelt Field was a new place for her. She had shopped a lot in the muggle part of it but had only gone to the wizard part 4 times before now. Willow hadn't known she was a witch at all before getting a letter from Northwoods School of Magic when she was 11 years old. Her identical twin sister Lise was also a witch and she went to school with Willow but they were in different houses. Lise and Willow were both going to stay with friends for the week before school started. Lise with her best friend Penny Cooper and Willow with Janine. Willow and Lise helped their father find the entrance to the wizard mall; it was hard because the entrances changed often. They were located in the great big wooden barriers designed to keep muggles out. Millions of muggles walked past them every day and never noticed the one or two people who walked right in to them. Willow thought it was one of the best wizard inventions since self-slicing bread.
After getting into the mall (which took some time) Willow went to look for Janine on the directory. Unlike a muggle mall directory which only showed you the location of the stores, a wizard mall directory could show you the location of any person (in the mall) you wanted to find. Willow walked up to it and said in a clear, authoritative (well she hoped it was authoritative) voice, "Janine Weasley," then she added a sheepish, "please." Lise and their dad had been expecting this because Willow was kind to fault even to inanimate objects.
The directory showed that Janine was still with her family wandering around the mall shopping. So Willow, Lise, and their dad went to shop for the girl's school supplies before Willow went to meet Janine and Lise went to meet Penny. They went to Wizards, Witches, and Spell Books, oh my! the bookstore to get the books they needed for school. Then they went to the Wizard Gap and Wizard Old Navy to get robes and new dress robes for the school year. Willow spotted Janine and waved hello but Janine was leaving while Willow was going in, so they only reaffirmed that they were meeting at the food plaza in an hour.
* * *
Willow started walking towards the food plaza a little after an hour had passed. 'I hope Janine hasn't been waiting to long' she thought as she hurried towards the food plaza. The food plaza was one of Willow's favorite places in the wizard mall. It had screens that could be pulled around the tables for privacy and the screens were painted with scenes of wizarding history that would act out in front of your eyes and outdoor scenes with magical animals like dragons, unicorns, and phoenixes that wandered from screen to screen. In between the tables were long garden areas with fountains. The fountains shot different colored jets of water every few seconds. In the middle of the area was a large fountain with many different tiers that flashed different colors. These weren't anything like the colors in the water muggles called colored that were all washed out, these were brilliant bright colors in nearly every shade imaginable.
Willow found Janine sitting on a bench watching the fountains and screens. "I'm sorry," Willow said with a grin. "You knew I would be late, Lise can never pass up an opportunity to shop. Really neither can I. Where are we going to go first?"
Janine had a satisfied grin on her face. "I figured you'd be late and that you'd let me choose the store so I have one all picked out," she said. "The Quidditch Supply Co. naturally. 'Purveyors of fine Quidditch equipment since 1709.' It's my favorite store, come on."
"I wasn't arguing with you was I," said Willow looking exasperated. "Let's go already."
Willow had known Janine would want to go to The Quidditch Supply Co. or as its loyal customers knew it just The Supply Co. Janine was a huge fan of Quidditch and was quite proud of being the youngest person to play on her house team in the history of Northwoods and was a Seeker. Janine said this gave her a connection to Harry Potter, who was her idol. She loved Harry Potter. Half the girls in school did. Willow liked him, too. Willow actually wanted to buy a poster of HP, as his admirers knew him, to put in her dorm room. Willow played Quidditch, too, but wasn't the youngest player on her team and was a Chaser. Janine was always trying to do Harry Potter's famous move the Potter Feint. The Potter Feint was when the Seeker tried to draw the opposing Seeker up when he or she really saw the snitch down, recently he had changed it so that sometimes the snitch really was up and the opposing Seeker was faked into going down. Janine always tried to do it but her Shooting Star 2001, though a good broom, didn't have the speed or handling of Harry Potter's Firebolt 7, the best broom on the market.
The girls were soon lost in the rapture of Quidditch supplies and looked around rarely speaking to each other. Willow managed to find just the right poster of Harry Potter for her wall and Janine picked up a copy of Which Broomstick to look through and admire all the brooms. The girls left to look for other interesting stores.
* * *
After Willow and Janine left The Quidditch Supply Co. they went to Margaret's Magical Accessories Shop-Your one stop shop for talisman's to ward off curses and look stylish. Willow bought an enchanted Cowry shell necklace. It was supposed to ward off curses and bring good luck to the wearer.
"Do you actually believe that necklace can do any of that?" Janine asked. "Jeez, it couldn't do any of the things she claimed it can. Why did you buy it?"
"I don't think it will bring me good luck but I think it looks cool," Willow answered. "Where are we going to go now?"
"Let's check out Eiger's and Deem's Express Shopping. They have a song on the radio I like," Janine said. "It goes like this: If you're in a hurry, There's no need to worry, Eiger's and Deem's will help you out. So come on down, come on down. We'll help you out."
"It scares me that you know the whole song," Willow said.
"What can I say? I really love that song. They have a good slogan, too. The place you know when you're on the go."
"Hmm. You know that, too. Now you're really scaring me. Why is that the motto and slogan anyway?"
"I forgot you wouldn't know about the store. It has enchantments that let customers rapidly place an order, apparate or fly in to the store and pick up the order. It's really neat. If you want to see the neat things they have here you should look through the catalog at my house."
"Okay I'll look when we get back to your house. I'm so glad that I'm staying at your house. Let's go to the candy store."
Moments later Janine and Willow were walking into Chaston's and Green's Candy Emporium. As was always the case the place was packed with kids and everyone looked like they were having fun. All the kids were carrying big bags of candy or were scooping all kinds of candy into bags. Janine and Willow looked at each other and ran into the aisles looking for candy.
"Samples!" Janine and Willow yelled at the same time and ran to the table with them.
"Would you like to try the new flavors of Bertie Bott's every flavor beans?" the lady behind the counter said.
"What kind are they?" Willow asked. She was always cautious because she had eaten a pepper flavored way in her first year at Northwoods.
"They are Lint and Yucky Grape Cough Syrup."
"Why would you put the word yucky in the name? Who would buy that?" Janine asked.
The employee didn't have an answer and the girls decided against trying the new flavors.
The girls bought a lot of candy to last them the first month or so of school. As they were wandering around the mall they ran into their friends Micky Masters and Mike Whitford. Both boys were Pendragons and very mischievous. They wanted to go to Ye Olde Joke Shoppe, so for lack of something better to do the girls went with them.
* * *
The day school starts (September 2)
After a very fun week at Janine's, it was time to go to school. They went to Northwood's which was considered by many to be the premier Wizarding School in the U. S. Only young wizards from New England and New York and a few students whose parents fought for them to go there went to Northwoods. Three trains took students, one that left from Western New York, one that left from Maine, and of course the one that left from Track 12 1/2 at Grand Central Station that Janine and Willow took to school. Janine's whole family (well her Cousin Brucie was a used car salesman but no one in her family talked about that) was wizards and that made getting to the station much easier.
Willow was really eager to go to school but she was sad about leaving Janine's house and she was having a lot of trouble packing. With all of her school stuff the trunk was way to full to close. She had a lot of course books because she was taking more extra courses than everyone else was. In addition to the courses everyone took-Herbology, Potions (horrible!) History of Magic (boring!) Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration (the best!)- Willow took Divination (great for laughs!) Arithmancy (very interesting!) Care of Magical Creatures (Janine was in it so Willow had taken it, too) and Practical Magical Theories (it was the most challenging course Northwoods offered-the students were even allowed to try alchemy!)
The thing Willow missed about school was being challenged. She hoped Proffessor Granger had some good hard lessons for them to study when they got back. Proffessor Granger was Willow's very favorite teacher. She liked to challenge her students and expected them to do well. Willow couldn't wait to go to Transfiguration.
After much more fanfare (and almost being late) Janine, Willow, and Janine's family were off to become wizards (wonderful wizards of Oz.)
* * *
On the train Willow and Janine settled into an empty compartment to talk about the new school year.
"Are you excited about the new school year? I am," Willow said after the train had started moving.
"I am, too," Janine answered. "I wonder if we'll have good Quidditch seasons. I don't knbow if our house team will be able to beat your house team. The Eaglefeather seeker, Davy Jackson, is really good. What do you think?"
"I think we'll be you and win the Quidditch cup because our team is going to be great this year. Still don't give up hope for your team. You may surprise us and be really good this year."
"Don't worry, I'm not resigning myself for losing just yet," Janine joked. "Do you think you'll be able to sneak me into your dorm this year? I know it worked every other year but will it work this year?"
"I'm sure it will work this year. I'll sneak you in the first Saturday we're there. Almost no one is in the common room then so it'll be easy."
"Sometime after that you can sneak into my dorm room. It should be easy because your twin sister is my roommate so no one will wonder about why you are there."
The girls spent the rest of the train trip chatting. They didn't even notice the time passing until the train stopped at Childwold station.
* * *
The banquet was great like it always was and there was even a new teacher. She was a veela who had charms to stop her from being irresistible to men. She was going to teach Folklore and Mythology to everyone in the school. Everyone in school was really excited about taking this class and immediately pronounced it most likely to be interesting.
The veela teacher, who's name was Professor Zora, was very nice and all they needed to have was parchment because she told the stories to them and gave them copies she had magically copied for them. All they had to do was take notes on the meanings of the stories. No one had been dissapointed in her class, but every other class was the same as always and pretty boring. Willow did enjoy her electives and couldn't wait for the Quidditch season to start. Before that started though she and Janine snuck into Willow's dorm room to talk privately.
First Saturday of the School year (September 8)
"You know what I never noticed before now, my trunk is bigger on he outside than inside," Willow said after the girls had exhausted ebery other subject of conversation.
"Maybe it has a secret compartment," Janine answered. "There could be treaure or something else really cool in it. Let's open it!"
"I think it's over here," Willow said after looking the whole trunk over. "I'll tug on this handle till the side pops off."
Willow gave the handle a couple of hard tugs. It didn't budge. Janine who had been looking excitedly over her shoulder came to help. With the two of them tugging at the same time it popped off, Willow and Janine flew backwards into a heap.
"Um, could you get off of me?' Janine asked from her positon under Willow.
"Sure, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to land on yo like that," Willow said apolegetically.
"It's okay. What's that?" Janine asked pointing towards a piece of paper on the ground near the trunk. "Aaa-choo," Janine sneezed. "Sorry dust."
"I think it's a letter. Should I read it?" Willow asked unsurely.
"It's from your trunk. I don't see why not."
" 'To whomever finds this letter:'" Willow began to read. " 'I urge you to locate the Path of Ploratio. It would be an invaluable asset to whoever finds it. It's abilities'- the sentence isn't finished. Do you think we should try to find this path thing?"
"I think we should. This person thought it was important." Janine answered.
"Oh wait there's more. 'the dark forces can not get there hands on it. I will most likely never get to see my work finished. I have found it necessary to join the fight against the dark forces. I am not afraid. I have lived my life with the firm conviction that when I came to an end I wanted to regret the things I had done not the things I hadn't. If I don't join this fihgt I will be regretting it. I only hope those that find this letter continue my work.' There isn't a signature. Now I know we have to find the path. Where do we start looking?" Willow said.
"I think we should start in the library," Janine said. She didn't look too happy about it.
"We'll start Monday after classes," Willow said with a smile. Janine hated spending her free time in the library.
* * *
Monday Two weeks after last conversation (September 17)
"The legend I'm going to tell you today is very old and has been changed many times since its origin," Proffessor Zora said standing in front of her class of Eaglefeathers and Pendragons. Everyone really liked this class but a lot of people were distracted. Joy Tan, one of Willow's roommates, was trying unsuccessfully to Spellotape her broken wand back together. She had snapped it in Charms last period and was pretty upset about it. Deciding it was a lost cause and she would just have to get a new one she set it to the side. Janine and Willow were both thinking about their unsuccessful search for the Path of Ploratio. Micky and Mike were thinking up some splendid new prank, no doubt, in the corner. Professor Zora realized this and paused a minute before continuing, "This story is very important to the final exam so I would hope you will all listen to it. All right?"
Everyone answered, "Okay."
She continued, "This legend is about The Path of Ploratio," Janine and Willow looked at each other amazed. Trhis is what they had been waiting for. "The Path was suposedly used by the gods to keep there secrets in the day when everyone had magical ability. One day a mortal found out how to get in and discovered the secrets of the gods. The gods instead of being displeased allowed this mortal to keep the knowledge as long as he didn't tell anyone else.
"This mortal told no one but another less reputable mortal also got into the Path. This mortal also promised not to tell anyone but he did tell someone, he made this other person promise to tell no one but she also did. Some people promised not to tell and didn't keep their promise but others who had found out from other people did not tell the god's secrets.
"To punish those who had told the gods secrets the gods took away their magical ability. The descendents of those who had told were also cursed to never have magic. But a kind hearted lesser god took pity on them. He made it possible for their desendents to get magic if they were trustworthy and good people. This was orginally the legend made up o explain why there are muggles and wizards in the world. Another legend on this same subject is the one about the muggles forgetting magic. We'll talk about that one more next week."
* * *
After class Willwo and Janine went up to Proffessor Zora to ask about the Path of Ploratio. "Where could we get more information on the Path of Ploratio?" Willow asked.
"I believe the only book with information like that is in the Restricted Section of the library here," Professor Zora answered. "My information came from sources at the school where I used to teach so I'm not sure what is in this book but if you are interested I'd be glad to go get it with you."
"Thanks, we'd really appreciate that," Janine answered sweetly as the girls followed Professor Zora out of the classroom.
* * *
Willow and Janine had taken the book and started to look through it. Janine was flipping through the pages looking for the Path.
"I found it," Janine called out. "You read it, Willow. I don't want to."
"Okay," Willow began to read. " 'The Path of Ploratio was used is the place where the gods supposedly kept their sedrets.'"
"Tell us something we don't know!" Janine said.
Willow continued, ignoring Janine's little outburst, " 'The path is legendary but a spell does exist that supposedly has the ability to open the path. The only catch is that the spell must be performed on New Year's Eve. First draw the shape of a door on a wall. After that point your wand at the door shape and say Ploratio luctus Expositos. The door should open after that.'"
"So that's how we do it? It seems so easy. Not at all what I expected."
"I guess now we just have to wait for New Year's Eve."
* * *
New Year's Eve (December 31)
Willow and Janine would have felt really conspicuos doing the spell to open the Path of Ploratio during the day so they had waited till almost everyone was asleep. The girls tried to sneak into the least used (and closest possible) hallway to do the spell. They go to a good place and set out to do the spell.
After drawing the door on the wall Janine said, "Let's do the spell together so it has more of a chance of working."
"Okay," came the slightly nervous answer from Willow.
Both girls pulled out their wands and said, in the least nervous sounding voice they could muster, "Ploratio Luctus Expositus!"
A silvery light spread from around where the girls had drawn the door. Slowly the whole door shape swung inward and let the two of them pass through it.
* * *
No time or date (A/N: The path has no time so I had to put no time because it is not New Year's Eve anymore and I don't want you to think it is.)
The path looked supiciously like every other pathway in the castle except the walls wer glowing slightly with the same silvery light that had been around the door shape when it opened.
The girls walked down the path toward where the silvery light was strongest. Willow was doubtful that the Path held the secrets of the gods. There were scenes being acted out in alcoves on the sides of the Path. They didn't appear to be holding the secrets of the gods. They just seemed like people you would see everyday doing things they must do every day.
"Janine, I don't know if this holds the secrets of the gods. I think it is something else."
"I do, too. I looked up Ploratio in a Latin dictionary and it said it meant Lamentations. I've been trying to find out how that is related to secrets of the gods. Now that we are in here I think it has nothing to do with what everyone thought it was."
"Maybe that was what the person was writing about in the letter. Maybe she had found out what the Path really was. Let's hope we can find out the real purpose of the Path."
The girls walked down the passageway eventually coming to the end where the silvery light was the strongest. A mirror sat in a small bracket there. An engraving decorated the edges. Delicate flowers and leaves wound their way around words on the outside. The words were: Sdogeh tfoegdel wonkeht tub, ecaf ruo yuoy wohston odi.
"I wonder what it means?" Janine said out loud, shattering the silence that had built around them while standing there.
"I don't know," Willow answered whispering despite herself.
Janine and Willow stared into he mirror but did not see their faces. The scenes before them were of a type of knowledge no mortal could posses. These were the secrets of the gods. Willow and Janine chided themselves mentally for not thinking this held the secrets of the gods. They both thought they should leave but some force stopped them from vocalizing this idea. It was even impossible for them to move from the spot where they were standing.
"You see things you can not hope to understand," a strange mystical sounding voice said from where ever it is that disembodied voices talk from so they sound like they are all around you. " This is knowledge no mortal should possess. Too many would misuse this knowledge for us to allow all mortals to see it. We will allow you remember it on the condition you never tell anyone. If you do you will face the Wrath of the Gods." With that the voice was gone leaving Willow and Janine standing there just a little confused.
"I think we should go," Willow said quickly.
"Okay," was Janine's fast answer.
* * *
About 2 weeks later (January 15)
"I think I know what that person meant when she said the path shouldn't be allowed to fall into the hands of the 'dark forces,'" Willow said while the girls were in the library.
"What do you mean?" Janine answered.
"Well what that voice said. It contains knowledge no mortal should possess, right? Well there is a quote that says 'The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it' Laurence Sterne."
" 'Knowledge is power' I don't know who said it but it also describes what the voice said."
"Francis Bacon."
"Huh? Where did that come from?"
"He said the quote."
"Oh."
"Now we found the path and solved that mystery."
"And can't tell anyone about it."
"So we don't have anything to do for the rest of the school year. So, Let's try not to find anymore mysteries for this year. I want to be nice and normal for the rest of the year."
"I agree."
The girls sat there listening to a specially modified muggle radio that worked at their wizard school. They were both thinking about the incredible experience they had been through and that there might be more to come. Janine was wishing that there would be more adventures.
All of a sudden a song came on that seemed to describe what they wanted to do with their school years left.
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
So take the photographs and still-frames in your mind
Hang it on the shelf of good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on the trail
For what it's worth it was worth it all the while
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
"Hey, Janine," Willow said, "I think the song is right."
"Huh?" Janine answered quite mystified. She was giving Willow a look that said 'You are kind of scaring me.'
"I mean it. The song is saying you should enjoy life while you can. Well we should enjoy life."
"Okay. I still don't entirely understand your meaning but I think I get it."
The girls did enjoy the rest of that year and there were more adventures but those belong in other stories and will be told later.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
The End
A/N: I hope you liked my story. If you enjoyed it or even if you didn't please review because I really appreciate it. This story is a follow up to my Northwoods School of Magic Stories that aren't really finished but I don't care I wrote this one anyway. I have quite a few ideas for other stories and need some help to see if anyone would like to read them. If you would really like to read any of them email me. You can get it by clicking on my profile.
Disclaimer: I own all the characters in this story(except one I think you know I don't own.) The song is by Green Day off their "Nimrod" Album. The name is "Good Riddance(Time of Your Life)"
This is Slaybelle signing off!!!!!!
The Time of Your Life
One Week before school starts (August 24)
Janine Weasley separated from her family and headed for the food plaza. Her mother and brother were still shopping for the things he needed for his Seventh Year at Northwoods School of Magic. He would be graduating at the end of the year and needed new dress robes and other things that Janine didn't need or already had. Her family was somewhat poor but they only had two kids in Northwoods now and had a little more money to spend on both of them. Her family was shopping in Roosevelt Field, which was a combo muggle-wizard mall. Muggles were likely to walk right past the entrances to the wizard mall without noticing them. The muggles did it every day in malls all across the country because almost all of the muggle malls in the U. S. contained wizard malls too.
Janine was waiting for her best friend Willow Black who also went to Northwoods and was in her year. She had seen Willow in the mall earlier when she was with her family and knew Willow was going to be there soon. Micky and Mike the girls friends, who just happened to be boys, were doubtlessly shopping in the mall somewhere and would show up to bug the two of them eventually. Until Willow showed up Janine was happy to be sitting in the air-conditioned, unlike muggle air conditioning it was accomplished by cooling charms, mall. New York, after a mild, rainy early summer, was in the middle of a heat wave. The past week had seen everyday having temperatures above 90 degrees. Janine was very upset about the heat. She hadn't liked the rain (bad for Quidditch practice) but the cool temperatures had been very nice. She hoped Willow got here soon. She felt like a muggle born at a Death Eaters convention, lots of people around no one to talk to.
* * *
Willow was having some trouble finding the place she was supposed to meet Janine, in the mall. The Wizard mall in Roosevelt Field was a new place for her. She had shopped a lot in the muggle part of it but had only gone to the wizard part 4 times before now. Willow hadn't known she was a witch at all before getting a letter from Northwoods School of Magic when she was 11 years old. Her identical twin sister Lise was also a witch and she went to school with Willow but they were in different houses. Lise and Willow were both going to stay with friends for the week before school started. Lise with her best friend Penny Cooper and Willow with Janine. Willow and Lise helped their father find the entrance to the wizard mall; it was hard because the entrances changed often. They were located in the great big wooden barriers designed to keep muggles out. Millions of muggles walked past them every day and never noticed the one or two people who walked right in to them. Willow thought it was one of the best wizard inventions since self-slicing bread.
After getting into the mall (which took some time) Willow went to look for Janine on the directory. Unlike a muggle mall directory which only showed you the location of the stores, a wizard mall directory could show you the location of any person (in the mall) you wanted to find. Willow walked up to it and said in a clear, authoritative (well she hoped it was authoritative) voice, "Janine Weasley," then she added a sheepish, "please." Lise and their dad had been expecting this because Willow was kind to fault even to inanimate objects.
The directory showed that Janine was still with her family wandering around the mall shopping. So Willow, Lise, and their dad went to shop for the girl's school supplies before Willow went to meet Janine and Lise went to meet Penny. They went to Wizards, Witches, and Spell Books, oh my! the bookstore to get the books they needed for school. Then they went to the Wizard Gap and Wizard Old Navy to get robes and new dress robes for the school year. Willow spotted Janine and waved hello but Janine was leaving while Willow was going in, so they only reaffirmed that they were meeting at the food plaza in an hour.
* * *
Willow started walking towards the food plaza a little after an hour had passed. 'I hope Janine hasn't been waiting to long' she thought as she hurried towards the food plaza. The food plaza was one of Willow's favorite places in the wizard mall. It had screens that could be pulled around the tables for privacy and the screens were painted with scenes of wizarding history that would act out in front of your eyes and outdoor scenes with magical animals like dragons, unicorns, and phoenixes that wandered from screen to screen. In between the tables were long garden areas with fountains. The fountains shot different colored jets of water every few seconds. In the middle of the area was a large fountain with many different tiers that flashed different colors. These weren't anything like the colors in the water muggles called colored that were all washed out, these were brilliant bright colors in nearly every shade imaginable.
Willow found Janine sitting on a bench watching the fountains and screens. "I'm sorry," Willow said with a grin. "You knew I would be late, Lise can never pass up an opportunity to shop. Really neither can I. Where are we going to go first?"
Janine had a satisfied grin on her face. "I figured you'd be late and that you'd let me choose the store so I have one all picked out," she said. "The Quidditch Supply Co. naturally. 'Purveyors of fine Quidditch equipment since 1709.' It's my favorite store, come on."
"I wasn't arguing with you was I," said Willow looking exasperated. "Let's go already."
Willow had known Janine would want to go to The Quidditch Supply Co. or as its loyal customers knew it just The Supply Co. Janine was a huge fan of Quidditch and was quite proud of being the youngest person to play on her house team in the history of Northwoods and was a Seeker. Janine said this gave her a connection to Harry Potter, who was her idol. She loved Harry Potter. Half the girls in school did. Willow liked him, too. Willow actually wanted to buy a poster of HP, as his admirers knew him, to put in her dorm room. Willow played Quidditch, too, but wasn't the youngest player on her team and was a Chaser. Janine was always trying to do Harry Potter's famous move the Potter Feint. The Potter Feint was when the Seeker tried to draw the opposing Seeker up when he or she really saw the snitch down, recently he had changed it so that sometimes the snitch really was up and the opposing Seeker was faked into going down. Janine always tried to do it but her Shooting Star 2001, though a good broom, didn't have the speed or handling of Harry Potter's Firebolt 7, the best broom on the market.
The girls were soon lost in the rapture of Quidditch supplies and looked around rarely speaking to each other. Willow managed to find just the right poster of Harry Potter for her wall and Janine picked up a copy of Which Broomstick to look through and admire all the brooms. The girls left to look for other interesting stores.
* * *
After Willow and Janine left The Quidditch Supply Co. they went to Margaret's Magical Accessories Shop-Your one stop shop for talisman's to ward off curses and look stylish. Willow bought an enchanted Cowry shell necklace. It was supposed to ward off curses and bring good luck to the wearer.
"Do you actually believe that necklace can do any of that?" Janine asked. "Jeez, it couldn't do any of the things she claimed it can. Why did you buy it?"
"I don't think it will bring me good luck but I think it looks cool," Willow answered. "Where are we going to go now?"
"Let's check out Eiger's and Deem's Express Shopping. They have a song on the radio I like," Janine said. "It goes like this: If you're in a hurry, There's no need to worry, Eiger's and Deem's will help you out. So come on down, come on down. We'll help you out."
"It scares me that you know the whole song," Willow said.
"What can I say? I really love that song. They have a good slogan, too. The place you know when you're on the go."
"Hmm. You know that, too. Now you're really scaring me. Why is that the motto and slogan anyway?"
"I forgot you wouldn't know about the store. It has enchantments that let customers rapidly place an order, apparate or fly in to the store and pick up the order. It's really neat. If you want to see the neat things they have here you should look through the catalog at my house."
"Okay I'll look when we get back to your house. I'm so glad that I'm staying at your house. Let's go to the candy store."
Moments later Janine and Willow were walking into Chaston's and Green's Candy Emporium. As was always the case the place was packed with kids and everyone looked like they were having fun. All the kids were carrying big bags of candy or were scooping all kinds of candy into bags. Janine and Willow looked at each other and ran into the aisles looking for candy.
"Samples!" Janine and Willow yelled at the same time and ran to the table with them.
"Would you like to try the new flavors of Bertie Bott's every flavor beans?" the lady behind the counter said.
"What kind are they?" Willow asked. She was always cautious because she had eaten a pepper flavored way in her first year at Northwoods.
"They are Lint and Yucky Grape Cough Syrup."
"Why would you put the word yucky in the name? Who would buy that?" Janine asked.
The employee didn't have an answer and the girls decided against trying the new flavors.
The girls bought a lot of candy to last them the first month or so of school. As they were wandering around the mall they ran into their friends Micky Masters and Mike Whitford. Both boys were Pendragons and very mischievous. They wanted to go to Ye Olde Joke Shoppe, so for lack of something better to do the girls went with them.
* * *
The day school starts (September 2)
After a very fun week at Janine's, it was time to go to school. They went to Northwood's which was considered by many to be the premier Wizarding School in the U. S. Only young wizards from New England and New York and a few students whose parents fought for them to go there went to Northwoods. Three trains took students, one that left from Western New York, one that left from Maine, and of course the one that left from Track 12 1/2 at Grand Central Station that Janine and Willow took to school. Janine's whole family (well her Cousin Brucie was a used car salesman but no one in her family talked about that) was wizards and that made getting to the station much easier.
Willow was really eager to go to school but she was sad about leaving Janine's house and she was having a lot of trouble packing. With all of her school stuff the trunk was way to full to close. She had a lot of course books because she was taking more extra courses than everyone else was. In addition to the courses everyone took-Herbology, Potions (horrible!) History of Magic (boring!) Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration (the best!)- Willow took Divination (great for laughs!) Arithmancy (very interesting!) Care of Magical Creatures (Janine was in it so Willow had taken it, too) and Practical Magical Theories (it was the most challenging course Northwoods offered-the students were even allowed to try alchemy!)
The thing Willow missed about school was being challenged. She hoped Proffessor Granger had some good hard lessons for them to study when they got back. Proffessor Granger was Willow's very favorite teacher. She liked to challenge her students and expected them to do well. Willow couldn't wait to go to Transfiguration.
After much more fanfare (and almost being late) Janine, Willow, and Janine's family were off to become wizards (wonderful wizards of Oz.)
* * *
On the train Willow and Janine settled into an empty compartment to talk about the new school year.
"Are you excited about the new school year? I am," Willow said after the train had started moving.
"I am, too," Janine answered. "I wonder if we'll have good Quidditch seasons. I don't knbow if our house team will be able to beat your house team. The Eaglefeather seeker, Davy Jackson, is really good. What do you think?"
"I think we'll be you and win the Quidditch cup because our team is going to be great this year. Still don't give up hope for your team. You may surprise us and be really good this year."
"Don't worry, I'm not resigning myself for losing just yet," Janine joked. "Do you think you'll be able to sneak me into your dorm this year? I know it worked every other year but will it work this year?"
"I'm sure it will work this year. I'll sneak you in the first Saturday we're there. Almost no one is in the common room then so it'll be easy."
"Sometime after that you can sneak into my dorm room. It should be easy because your twin sister is my roommate so no one will wonder about why you are there."
The girls spent the rest of the train trip chatting. They didn't even notice the time passing until the train stopped at Childwold station.
* * *
The banquet was great like it always was and there was even a new teacher. She was a veela who had charms to stop her from being irresistible to men. She was going to teach Folklore and Mythology to everyone in the school. Everyone in school was really excited about taking this class and immediately pronounced it most likely to be interesting.
The veela teacher, who's name was Professor Zora, was very nice and all they needed to have was parchment because she told the stories to them and gave them copies she had magically copied for them. All they had to do was take notes on the meanings of the stories. No one had been dissapointed in her class, but every other class was the same as always and pretty boring. Willow did enjoy her electives and couldn't wait for the Quidditch season to start. Before that started though she and Janine snuck into Willow's dorm room to talk privately.
First Saturday of the School year (September 8)
"You know what I never noticed before now, my trunk is bigger on he outside than inside," Willow said after the girls had exhausted ebery other subject of conversation.
"Maybe it has a secret compartment," Janine answered. "There could be treaure or something else really cool in it. Let's open it!"
"I think it's over here," Willow said after looking the whole trunk over. "I'll tug on this handle till the side pops off."
Willow gave the handle a couple of hard tugs. It didn't budge. Janine who had been looking excitedly over her shoulder came to help. With the two of them tugging at the same time it popped off, Willow and Janine flew backwards into a heap.
"Um, could you get off of me?' Janine asked from her positon under Willow.
"Sure, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to land on yo like that," Willow said apolegetically.
"It's okay. What's that?" Janine asked pointing towards a piece of paper on the ground near the trunk. "Aaa-choo," Janine sneezed. "Sorry dust."
"I think it's a letter. Should I read it?" Willow asked unsurely.
"It's from your trunk. I don't see why not."
" 'To whomever finds this letter:'" Willow began to read. " 'I urge you to locate the Path of Ploratio. It would be an invaluable asset to whoever finds it. It's abilities'- the sentence isn't finished. Do you think we should try to find this path thing?"
"I think we should. This person thought it was important." Janine answered.
"Oh wait there's more. 'the dark forces can not get there hands on it. I will most likely never get to see my work finished. I have found it necessary to join the fight against the dark forces. I am not afraid. I have lived my life with the firm conviction that when I came to an end I wanted to regret the things I had done not the things I hadn't. If I don't join this fihgt I will be regretting it. I only hope those that find this letter continue my work.' There isn't a signature. Now I know we have to find the path. Where do we start looking?" Willow said.
"I think we should start in the library," Janine said. She didn't look too happy about it.
"We'll start Monday after classes," Willow said with a smile. Janine hated spending her free time in the library.
* * *
Monday Two weeks after last conversation (September 17)
"The legend I'm going to tell you today is very old and has been changed many times since its origin," Proffessor Zora said standing in front of her class of Eaglefeathers and Pendragons. Everyone really liked this class but a lot of people were distracted. Joy Tan, one of Willow's roommates, was trying unsuccessfully to Spellotape her broken wand back together. She had snapped it in Charms last period and was pretty upset about it. Deciding it was a lost cause and she would just have to get a new one she set it to the side. Janine and Willow were both thinking about their unsuccessful search for the Path of Ploratio. Micky and Mike were thinking up some splendid new prank, no doubt, in the corner. Professor Zora realized this and paused a minute before continuing, "This story is very important to the final exam so I would hope you will all listen to it. All right?"
Everyone answered, "Okay."
She continued, "This legend is about The Path of Ploratio," Janine and Willow looked at each other amazed. Trhis is what they had been waiting for. "The Path was suposedly used by the gods to keep there secrets in the day when everyone had magical ability. One day a mortal found out how to get in and discovered the secrets of the gods. The gods instead of being displeased allowed this mortal to keep the knowledge as long as he didn't tell anyone else.
"This mortal told no one but another less reputable mortal also got into the Path. This mortal also promised not to tell anyone but he did tell someone, he made this other person promise to tell no one but she also did. Some people promised not to tell and didn't keep their promise but others who had found out from other people did not tell the god's secrets.
"To punish those who had told the gods secrets the gods took away their magical ability. The descendents of those who had told were also cursed to never have magic. But a kind hearted lesser god took pity on them. He made it possible for their desendents to get magic if they were trustworthy and good people. This was orginally the legend made up o explain why there are muggles and wizards in the world. Another legend on this same subject is the one about the muggles forgetting magic. We'll talk about that one more next week."
* * *
After class Willwo and Janine went up to Proffessor Zora to ask about the Path of Ploratio. "Where could we get more information on the Path of Ploratio?" Willow asked.
"I believe the only book with information like that is in the Restricted Section of the library here," Professor Zora answered. "My information came from sources at the school where I used to teach so I'm not sure what is in this book but if you are interested I'd be glad to go get it with you."
"Thanks, we'd really appreciate that," Janine answered sweetly as the girls followed Professor Zora out of the classroom.
* * *
Willow and Janine had taken the book and started to look through it. Janine was flipping through the pages looking for the Path.
"I found it," Janine called out. "You read it, Willow. I don't want to."
"Okay," Willow began to read. " 'The Path of Ploratio was used is the place where the gods supposedly kept their sedrets.'"
"Tell us something we don't know!" Janine said.
Willow continued, ignoring Janine's little outburst, " 'The path is legendary but a spell does exist that supposedly has the ability to open the path. The only catch is that the spell must be performed on New Year's Eve. First draw the shape of a door on a wall. After that point your wand at the door shape and say Ploratio luctus Expositos. The door should open after that.'"
"So that's how we do it? It seems so easy. Not at all what I expected."
"I guess now we just have to wait for New Year's Eve."
* * *
New Year's Eve (December 31)
Willow and Janine would have felt really conspicuos doing the spell to open the Path of Ploratio during the day so they had waited till almost everyone was asleep. The girls tried to sneak into the least used (and closest possible) hallway to do the spell. They go to a good place and set out to do the spell.
After drawing the door on the wall Janine said, "Let's do the spell together so it has more of a chance of working."
"Okay," came the slightly nervous answer from Willow.
Both girls pulled out their wands and said, in the least nervous sounding voice they could muster, "Ploratio Luctus Expositus!"
A silvery light spread from around where the girls had drawn the door. Slowly the whole door shape swung inward and let the two of them pass through it.
* * *
No time or date (A/N: The path has no time so I had to put no time because it is not New Year's Eve anymore and I don't want you to think it is.)
The path looked supiciously like every other pathway in the castle except the walls wer glowing slightly with the same silvery light that had been around the door shape when it opened.
The girls walked down the path toward where the silvery light was strongest. Willow was doubtful that the Path held the secrets of the gods. There were scenes being acted out in alcoves on the sides of the Path. They didn't appear to be holding the secrets of the gods. They just seemed like people you would see everyday doing things they must do every day.
"Janine, I don't know if this holds the secrets of the gods. I think it is something else."
"I do, too. I looked up Ploratio in a Latin dictionary and it said it meant Lamentations. I've been trying to find out how that is related to secrets of the gods. Now that we are in here I think it has nothing to do with what everyone thought it was."
"Maybe that was what the person was writing about in the letter. Maybe she had found out what the Path really was. Let's hope we can find out the real purpose of the Path."
The girls walked down the passageway eventually coming to the end where the silvery light was the strongest. A mirror sat in a small bracket there. An engraving decorated the edges. Delicate flowers and leaves wound their way around words on the outside. The words were: Sdogeh tfoegdel wonkeht tub, ecaf ruo yuoy wohston odi.
"I wonder what it means?" Janine said out loud, shattering the silence that had built around them while standing there.
"I don't know," Willow answered whispering despite herself.
Janine and Willow stared into he mirror but did not see their faces. The scenes before them were of a type of knowledge no mortal could posses. These were the secrets of the gods. Willow and Janine chided themselves mentally for not thinking this held the secrets of the gods. They both thought they should leave but some force stopped them from vocalizing this idea. It was even impossible for them to move from the spot where they were standing.
"You see things you can not hope to understand," a strange mystical sounding voice said from where ever it is that disembodied voices talk from so they sound like they are all around you. " This is knowledge no mortal should possess. Too many would misuse this knowledge for us to allow all mortals to see it. We will allow you remember it on the condition you never tell anyone. If you do you will face the Wrath of the Gods." With that the voice was gone leaving Willow and Janine standing there just a little confused.
"I think we should go," Willow said quickly.
"Okay," was Janine's fast answer.
* * *
About 2 weeks later (January 15)
"I think I know what that person meant when she said the path shouldn't be allowed to fall into the hands of the 'dark forces,'" Willow said while the girls were in the library.
"What do you mean?" Janine answered.
"Well what that voice said. It contains knowledge no mortal should possess, right? Well there is a quote that says 'The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it' Laurence Sterne."
" 'Knowledge is power' I don't know who said it but it also describes what the voice said."
"Francis Bacon."
"Huh? Where did that come from?"
"He said the quote."
"Oh."
"Now we found the path and solved that mystery."
"And can't tell anyone about it."
"So we don't have anything to do for the rest of the school year. So, Let's try not to find anymore mysteries for this year. I want to be nice and normal for the rest of the year."
"I agree."
The girls sat there listening to a specially modified muggle radio that worked at their wizard school. They were both thinking about the incredible experience they had been through and that there might be more to come. Janine was wishing that there would be more adventures.
All of a sudden a song came on that seemed to describe what they wanted to do with their school years left.
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
So take the photographs and still-frames in your mind
Hang it on the shelf of good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on the trail
For what it's worth it was worth it all the while
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
"Hey, Janine," Willow said, "I think the song is right."
"Huh?" Janine answered quite mystified. She was giving Willow a look that said 'You are kind of scaring me.'
"I mean it. The song is saying you should enjoy life while you can. Well we should enjoy life."
"Okay. I still don't entirely understand your meaning but I think I get it."
The girls did enjoy the rest of that year and there were more adventures but those belong in other stories and will be told later.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
The End
A/N: I hope you liked my story. If you enjoyed it or even if you didn't please review because I really appreciate it. This story is a follow up to my Northwoods School of Magic Stories that aren't really finished but I don't care I wrote this one anyway. I have quite a few ideas for other stories and need some help to see if anyone would like to read them. If you would really like to read any of them email me. You can get it by clicking on my profile.
Disclaimer: I own all the characters in this story(except one I think you know I don't own.) The song is by Green Day off their "Nimrod" Album. The name is "Good Riddance(Time of Your Life)"
This is Slaybelle signing off!!!!!!