Chapter 4 : The Calm Before the Storm
The glow of dawn trickled through the windows of the Gryffindor dormitory and ploddingly crept around the edges of Joelle's four poster, jolting her out of a very peaceful slumber. Pulling herself up was made difficult by the drowsiness she couldn't shake off, weighing her back down into the mattress. She yawned loudly and winced as her eyes adjusted to the bright atmosphere of the dorm. The girls were seemingly awake for she heard murmurs of hushed discussions, snorting, and shuffling of slippers. Her face felt numb and unbearably oily. She even tried to comb the natural disaster that was her hair with her fingers but then struggled to wrench her hand free once her hair had coiled around it like the Devil's Snare. Joelle swung her legs off the four poster and her feet skirred the chilly ground for the warmth of her slippers. Once she'd slipped a pair of fluffy and pleasantly warm flip-flops over her feet, she rose off the bed and made her way to the bathroom. Her shoulders were hunched and her head drooped as if she were sleepwalking but from what Joelle could make out from dozen glances around her, she was being watched by a very moody crowd of mean girls. Joelle decided to straighten up. She knew too well not to show the slightest amount of ungracefulness to them. Walking away from the rows of four posters, she'd caught the faces of her once friends and now archenemies huddled up , gossiping away. She could see Clair's chocolate brown eyes glaring at her in displeasure. It is a good time to throw your chin up, Joelle thought, strutting away. It was all a silent deceleration for war and the first shots were bound to be fired soon, but whatever, it's either them or Elizabeth, she thought again. How could she have believed such company to be so altruistic and loyal only for them to unsheathe their daggers once she gave them her back ? And all for a boy ?! Nearing the bathroom, Joelle heard the spitting of a perfume bottle and the strong odor slipped from under the shut door and found its way through the allergic nostrils of Jo and she sneezed. She had encountered that unpleasant smell before but never quite ascertained to whom it belonged. It was a mystery to her as to who would find the odor of a dozen mashed roses entrancing. She covered her nose with her sleeve before the swirling purple tail of that attar engulfed the hallway. She couldn't picture just how it must be like in there. Joelle opened the door and was greeted with an enthusiastic," Morning, Joelle."and stepped in. "Hi," she said to Maya. Measuring the slim, dark skinned and resplendent lady as she combed those brown curls of hers, Joelle wondered how anyone could be so bubbly at such an early hour in the morning. "So, it's you with that perfume, ha ?" Joelle took her place in front of the mirror beside Maya. Maya looked embarrassed at that and she fidgeted with the bulge in her pocket which Joelle was certain where the bizarre bottle was ," Oh, yes," she said," My aunt got it from Greece. She wouldn't just let me give it back to her, you know. Does have a unique sort of smell, mind you." Joelle wasn't listening. She seemed to have been petrified by her reflection. What she imagined her hair to be like might've been a classier adaptation of what it really was. Those blonde threads looked rebellious interlaced into each other, making her whole head look like a shrub that needed some serious trimming. "Oh, some lotion could help with those," Maya remarked, jerking her chin at the image of puffy black bags under Joelle's eyes that were bloodshot. Considering her peculiar taste in fragrances, Joelle wasn't keen to find out just what kind of lotion Maya would recommend. Her eyes shifted to a curious crack in the mirror. Wasn't really a crack ; it was a triangular chop in the looking-glass. Looked as if a solicitous artist really wanted a piece of the mirror. "What's this ?" Joelle asked, edging closer to the triangle and furrowing her eyebrows. "What ? that ?" Maya turned to google at it too, forgetting the comb hanging for dear life to her curls. "Oh, yes, I don't how it came to be. It's the first time I have seen it there. Good thing it's in the corner otherwise it would've been a disaster." Maya returned to the seemingly endless cycle of combing her springy hair. Joelle backed away from the sinks and looked deeply thoughtful as she gazed at the broken corner of the glass. Inhaling deeply the flaring incense of Maya which she hoped to be pure oxygen instead, she coughed severely and then asked," You haven't by any chance seen Elizabeth here, have you ?"
"Yes, I have," Maya told," just a short while ago. She looked quite flustered, if I should say so myself."
Tiptoeing down marble staircases, peeking around corners, and rushing with the wind through narrow passageways, and that's about summed up Elizabeth's turbulent morning. She was as alert as a deer marking its tracks away from a pack of lions could be. Her lungs stung with every breath and her eyes were watery for they had missed the refreshing touch of a blink ever since the start of this troubling journey. Around her neck were bronze chains that came into a loop around her chest for a hanging triangular locket that had no family picture as it is supposed to, but a triangular reflector. The colors shimmering in the glass were distorted as if a kid came across several paints and decided to draw his perception of a rainbow which he had never seen. Coming to a halt in a clear hallway, Elizabeth leaned against the wall and struggled to pull short breaths. "Are you sure whatever that chamber you speak of is in a... bathroom ?!" She burst out. The blended colors of the reflector swirled together in a cloud at her utterance and then came a sudden gleam of light that faded to a depiction of the alien man she encountered in the bathroom. "And are you there yet ?" He asked. Elizabeth bent her neck to look down at him. Every minute or so a voice in her head would tell her that she had gone mad and she better get back to the common room before matters escalate and she's kicked out of school. And everything this "man" ( she still hadn't dredged up what he is exactly as he wouldn't tell her a thing he thought she didn't have to know ) said only made the calling of that voice louder and louder and not hushed it down. "Do you," she huffed clutching her knees, her little necklace was hanging only a few inches from the tiles now,"have any idea, the foggiest, slightest idea just what kind of trouble I'd be in ?"
And along with her scolding came an exasperated sigh from the dangling reflector. "And you don't even care !" Elizabeth raged , straightening up and the echo of her voice danced away throughout the deserted hallway. "I broke a portion of the bathroom mirror just to carry you around and now I'm up when I'm not supposed to be. If anyone catches me I'll be out of here before I could stutter," It was the man in the mirror !" !" Before she could stomp her feet in fury and wake up the castle, he reasoned calmly," Elizabeth, my dear, it's not much that I ask of you, is it ?" She stepped up her pace along the passageway lest any uninvited figure came their way."All I want you to do is to take me to that bathroom, conceal me under the sinks where no one can see, and come back after a day. Is that so hard ?"
Before she could mouth off and spew her endless objections, they were struck by the sound of falling footsteps that resonated a few yards back and at that Elizabeth sprinted away like a cheetah. A broom closet shaped up ahead and she hopped into its dark shadows and shutting the doors, she remained like lifeless statue for a while, afraid that her shortest breath might draw attention to their hideout. A few minutes had flown by and her necklace spoke out in a balmy tone, sounding bored,"Have you been caught yet ?" Sounding bored. Elizabeth's shaky breaths escaped her pursed lips and she wrung her hands until they'd turned pale, tears all but spilling from the corner of her eyes. Her outrage was swelling from under her fears. "O-oh, I'm- I'm sorry,"she stuttered, her voice breaking away but there was no mistaking her outrage," Have I not am-amused you with my little cl- clear out ?" If the dinky closet wasn't colored in darkness it would've been cast in a red glow from Elizabeth's livid little face that had turned the crimson shade of a tomato. Her necklace seemed like an ordinary necklace now that the man dwelling in its reflector no longer spoke. "Elizabeth, if we'll be having such meltdown once in every little time, we won't accomplish a thing. You need to pull yourself together."
Her back scratched as it slid down against the wall and after many rushed breaths she murmured darkly,"Of course, hang around my neck as I do all your dirty little work for you."
"I trust that you've brought your wand along ?"
"Wouldn't I ever ?" She responded, wiping its sharp end out before her like a sword. They'd finally arrived at their destination. The sun's gleam was powerful now as it illuminated the hallway, marking the end of dawn. It's almost time for breakfast, Elizabeth thought. She felt the hot sweat roll down her forehead as she reached for the doorknob. Clink-clunk. Locked. Thetip of her wand grazed the cold metal of the handle and she muttered," Alohomora."
Golden sparks swirled about the door knob and before long the lock clicked. Elizabeth slipped like a shadow into the bathroom. The dripping of leaked water and the flow of it through the ancient pipes smothered her hearing. "And we are here," Elizabeth said in a sing song voice. "Marvelous," he responded in equal enthusiasm,"Now, have a look around the sinks and tell me if you notice something rather odd."
"Alright, let's see,"
Five sinks were laid out before her in a circle. They all stood firmly against a towering column sketched with lines. She paced about them, her jaw hanging idly as she examined the column and its bearings. "I've never seen this anywhere else. See, the sinks are usually put in a row against the wall but this is quite different." She noted.
The reflector slapped rapidly against her chest as she came to a halt and the chains entwined and came apart. "True strange," he commented," but it won't get us anywhere. Try around the sinks." Elizabeth took to moving from one to another sink, opening each tap and watching the crystal water flow freely, until she got to the last one. She heard the rusty creak of the tap but no such water came. "Well, what do you think ?" She asked. "Hmm," she heard,"A little off, for sure, check the bottom of it, will you ?""
Crouching down, Elizabeth's grey eyes examined its white stone and concealed around a corner was just about what she earned to see. "Aha," she chuckled, running her fingertips against the carving of the minuscule snake. Its touch felt strangely coarse. Elizabeth clutched the reflector from around her neck and pulled the chains level with the snake. "See this ?" She said. He was quiet for a minute and then said," Try your magic." Elizabeth was perplexed," Are you sure that would work ? I mean, surely this chamber has lots of dark magic. I can't do this."
He was quick to correct her about it when he spoke out," But this chamber is run by a fifteen year old boy, Elizabeth. I just need an idea of what goes on around here." Her wand poked the snake and she muttered every charm that came to her mind but all in vain. The stone on which the snake was sculpted glistened spotless, unaffected by it all. The factuality that no such magic that she could learn on the premises of Hogwarts would help to crack the code occurred to her only when her wand was pressed against that stone so hard it was a touch away from being snapped in half."No, no use." She repeated, pulling her wand away and sighing. "I see. Now, hide me around the pipes of the opposite sink and hurry along. You can't afford getting caught."
"Okay then," she breathed. At the end of the opposite sink, the pipes erected in disarray. Elizabeth wriggled the necklace off her neck and thrust the chains under the thickest of pipes. When it sank under the blank aluminum and she heard the pipe groan back into place, Elizabeth got to her feet and stared down at the soaked hem of her robes. Sighing deeply, it was her wand to the rescue once again. She swished it sideways and out of its tip ejected the sparks that left her robes spick-and-span. And at that very moment her ears twitched to the familiar sound of footsteps right outside the bathroom door. There was no time to cower, no time to panic, and no time whatsoever for anything as the door slammed opened, unraveling the dark figure of Tom Riddle. His sleek black hair was his usual, neatly combed to one side, his robes so clean it seemed atrocious for them to be swept along such floors as that of this bathroom, and a distinguishable prefect's badge pinned to his collar, catching Elizabeth's eye with its momentarily gleam. Those dark eyes of his had a layer of comeliness to them that perfectly concealed how depraved and lifeless they really seemed to be, and if what was said about eyes being the windows to the soul was anywhere near truthful, Elizabeth couldn't possibly imagine what sort of person Tom Riddle would be. Elizabeth watched all sorts of expressions flash across his face at the sight of her in a twinkle ; shock, outrage, suspicion, appeal, and last but not least, calm. "Morning, Elizabeth," he greeted her with an air of self-importance. Elizabeth's lips and brain were far too dry to function after such unpleasant surprise. "You- you must be confused. This is the girl's bathroom." It could've been the most ingenious thing Elizabeth ever blurted of frustration. He instantly dropped his demanding gaze and looked a tad embarrassed at that. Yes, what are you doing here ? "I am terribly sorry," he claimed backing up against the door. "I just thought I'd check as this very door was locked last night." You bet. A flash of red soared across the black of his pupil. "Makes me wonder what brought you to barge in here this early in the morning ?" The lump in Elizabeth's throat was growing, blocking the oxygen route to her brain, and slowing her thoughts. Oh, no, no, no, think, think, THINK ! Pulling nervously at the edge of her sleeve, Elizabeth managed to say in a stammer,"Oh, that, well, uh, is it really ? I thought it was just time for breakfast at the Great Hall ?" Please let it be true, please let it be true ! Elizabeth's prayers raced through her mind like flown paper airplanes, and she bit her lip and kept her index-finger and middle-finger crossed. Tom's eyes dropped once more. Looking up again, he said,"You haven't told me, why this bathroom in particular ?" Elizabeth found that she really didn't have to think about what to say next. She looked him dead in the eyes and whispered," Well, it was sort of urgent, and as you said, it's just a bathroom. I've nothing to offer you. And now, if you'll get out of my way-"
Elizabeth tried to bypass him and she could see herself going through the doorway and out to the hallway just as his mean shadow loomed in until a firm hand held on to her shoulder and steadied her her place. They were so close that Elizabeth could smell the pleasant scent coming from him. "Hogwarts is a grand castle," his cool breath tickled her ear lop and sent shivers up her spine,"with numerous twists and turns and underaged wizards. Who knows what might happen? Every minute of the day there is an expectancy of an accident. And now that I see you wandering freely around these corridors, I feel obliged to warn you ; be careful, watch your back."
Feeling incredibly unnerved, Elizabeth pulled away aggressively. "I know that, thank you very much," she bristled and hoped that her walk was as unfaltering as it could be as she made her way to the Gryffindor Tower...
The walls of the toilet stall confined her as Elizabeth relished from her feast of pumpkin juice cup, white rice, and spinach soup on a tray, sitting on the toilet seat, Elizabeth was in a hurry to gorge it all up. Every minute or so, she'd hear the door slam open and delicate giggles would flutter in along with the stomping feet of her peers. She couldn't help feeling transfixed each time such intrusion occurred for one of her worst fears was that someone might find out about her odd eating habits inside toilet stalls, and her anxiety had been ever so active since almost all the girls had turned against her after her numerous encounters with the none other than the good old Tom Riddle. It wasn't a peculiarity for her to be spending her meal times locked up in restrooms ; in fact, she'd been onto it ever since her second year. She hated how clustered and loud the Great Hall seemed to be, always beating with laughter, shouts, banging of goblets, and the ever so obnoxious clinking of cutlery. She hated how her head couldn't stop spinning about how a pair somewhere in The Hall might be talking behind her back, laughing at her. Elizabeth always felt like a hotspot for shrewd eyes and nasty whispering whenever she was there. And thus, she found it a lot simpler to eat in stalls.
Sipping her pumpkin juice, its liquid cooling her jugular, Elizabeth almost choked herself to silence when she heard another rather loud barge in of hurried feet. "Elizabeth !" She recognized her sister's voice," Are you here ?"
Clearing her throat, she sort of croaked in reply,"Yeah, I'm here. Just a moment." Elizabeth carefully placed the tray on the ground and turned to unlock her stall. A pair of furious blue eyes were glowering at her as the door slowly creaked back to reveal the full figure of Joelle. "Eating in stalls again, are we ?" She tattled, hands on her hips. Elizabeth wasn't quite impressed with that look. Joelle could've looked much meaner if she had given up the four year old vibe for some sass. "Oh, please," Elizabeth moaned, bypassing her sister and stepping before the sinks,"What does it mean to you ?" She was frowning deeply at her reflection now. A childhood and several teenage years plagued with anxiety can be tough. And the worst part was, everyone who didn't understand always tried to butt in. "Where have you been all morning ? You have been acting in very strange ways lately. Are you trying to brush me off ? Is that what it is ?" Elizabeth couldn't help but to smirk in delight at this. She allowed herself the pleasure of beholding an outraged Joelle. She did this whenever she felt neglected ; widely flung arms, furrowed brows, and a whole expression that read," Come at me." It looked painfully cute each time. Tittering wickedly, Elizabeth responded with her staring eyes glued to the reflection of her sister,"Don't throw a bizarre scene now , will you ? 'Specially not here in a bathroom where no one can see it. I suggest you keep the drama for a greater spectacle or cat fight." A row between the two was imminent as theirs mouths were wide open, readied for shouting, but at the neck of time, an echoing cough of an elder sounded at the door of the bathroom. Her jaw loosely hanging, Elizabeth swiveled her eyes from the solid door to her sister and watched the tender red blushes on her cheekbones flush to a pale white colour. "Oh, my," she fumbled, blinking at the door as if not believing it really was there,"Um, Elizabeth, I've forgotten. I found Professor Dumbledore waiting out there... for you." Joelle's cautious gazed flashed like lightning to where the door stood. It was Elizabeth's turn now to wash out all colour from her features with fear. Splotching her face with an expression of mixed fury and horror, Elizabeth hissed," What ?"
"He told me to come in here and get you. He wants to talk." She sprung a few paces forward and clutched Joelle's shoulders. They were nose to nose now. "Do you mean to say that he knows I'm here ?" Elizabeth's eyes blazed with a fire and poured into the mortified ones of her sister, anticipating an answer. "Well, obviously,"her voice trailed off into silence and she tried hard to lose that scorching gaze of Elizabeth.
"Did he tell you what he wanted of me ?"
"No."
Sighing deeply, Elizabeth cowered away, her grey little eyes covered behind shaky palms. She turned away and marched towards the door, her breathing short and irregular. Someone knows and it's the one person you hoped wouldn't have to know. "Hello sir," Elizabeth greeted Professor Dumbeldore, her head poking out of the partially gaping bathroom door. He looked a tad fatigued with his eyes dropping over darks bags and sipping a fuming cup of coffee. "Is everything alright, Professor ?"
He looked down at her and his eyes ran over that false smile glued upon her face twice. "Yes, Miss Emerson, thank you," he cleared his throat with another cough and said, his voice remarkably low," I was hoping I could run in to you here. There are a few matters that we need to go over ." She tried to look inculpable at this, denting her ear-to-ear grin. Her thoughts were flashing in her head like a picture book with its pages caught in the wind of a gale. Could he possibly know about what happened in the other bathroom ? Stop it, how could he ? She beamed brightly. It was so pretentious ; it painfully strained her jaws. "What could they be ?" She asked, the words spilling from the edges of that crooked smile. Dumbeldore was gently spinning the coffee as he eyed her and Elizabeth could her its liquid slap against the glass of the mug as it revolved in his grip. "Your singing sessions with Professor Merrythought, of course."
"Sessions ?"Elizabeth repeated in awe. That was quick. If that woman thinks I will be yodeling on a stage in a matter of a short time, she may as well book a ward at St. Mungo's right now. Her thoughts incrusted on the back of her mind all the while her wide gaze rested upon Professor Dumbeldore. "Yes, session, Miss Emerson," he reassured her," Have the two of you not discussed this ?"
Elizabeth dropped her eyes to the white tiles, a ruminant gleam in them, and her hand, which held on the door, slipped to her side. "Yes, we have, but I thought I'd be meeting with her, Sir."
"You are, Elizabeth, you are. It's only that a few students over the past years have shown little to no interest in such activities, and if I shall say so myself, members of the staff have been astounded that a student wishes to sing for the school." What a time for wary smiles and sweaty palms, it was. The manner in which Dumbledore had spoken so complacently made it all seem as if he had never brushed anxiety over the course of sixty years of his life. Elizabeth was scratching at a spot in her hair as she tried to progress the wind in which she was caught up in. Blast her, what has this madwoman got me into ! She was half chortling, half squeaking in pure agony then. It turned out that toads and mice aren't the only ones that could be stressed out by Transfiguration teachers. "Uh-ha, yeah," more scratching,"So, what's that supposed to mean, Sir ? Will I not be rehearsing with Professor Merrythought ?"
"You will, just not now, Miss Emerson. Today, you'll be demonstrating your skills to the staff, only if you are comfortable with that, of course." Does being comfortable include hyperventilation and meltdowns ? No, I didn't think so, Sir. But out of her very pursed lips wriggled out a choked,"Okay." and she was whisked down the hallway away from her sanitary, alongside Professor Dumbeldore.
The teachers' room was sealed by a battered door that undoubtedly stood without a renovation or paint job ever since the first stone of Hogwarts was lain. They edged nearer towards it and their ears tuned in to the various muffled, falling-and-rising decibels of Professors' jumbled voices. Elizabeth's jaw was left to fall forgotten long before her lips went dry. She couldn't believe an entire staff room wanted to hear her sing. Ah, how badly this school needs a radio. She considered asking for a glass of water before she thought she'd die of dehydration but her lips wouldn't comply. A knock, an "Albus, you know don't have to knock.", a breezy swing of the door, and there they were, caught in the electric wave of a dozen elderly, watchful eyes directed their way. "Kathryn here to sing ?" Professor Binns lifted his transparent bowed head to goggle at the pair of them. Elizabeth watched back. It was definitely aberrant to any ears accustomed to the voice of this man - this phantom - to hear anything other than The Goblin Revolution from him. "Elizabeth," Elizabeth coughed her righteous name in correction. Those wild grey peepers of hers voyaged about the olive-shaped table, where the teachers lay back comfortably in armchairs, catching the eye of each one and - well, well, well, "Staff Room" is a tad ironic now, isn't it ? What's next Mr. Perfect, applying for headmaster ? Her gaze spilled into those fathomless eyes of his, drowning. Tom Riddle sat upright with his hands entwined besides Slughorn, his most sophisticated pose yet. He looked more like a man than a boy. "It is Elizabeth, Cuthbert, and yes, she is." Her ears were engulfed with the calm wording of Dumbledore, addressing Professor Binns, but her stationary eyes saw Tom blink in response to these words. Won't you try and outstare me this time ? She thought with her brows furrowed, her anxiety a forgotten history. And as if these juvenile contemplations were gripped from her stream of thought by an invisible pair of hands which facilely dropped them into the cerebrum of Riddle, a very, very hard stare was shot her way and, along with her breath, her whole body sized up. Defy it, defy it, don't let it break you...
It was an outface battle between the two, and strangely enough, Tom pulled out first. Before turning away, he did something quite inexplicable - he allowed himself a smile. An alluring, gentle smile, partially showing off the shimmer of his teeth and all but fluently altering his fine appearance. That was more than an enough of a blow to shake Elizabeth head to toe. What's that supposed to mean ?! She marveled in suspicion all the while Professor Merrythought's words fell upon a deaf ears. "... So happy I could show you all just what I have been telling you, and I will be even happier to announce that I will be looking for instrumental players now that we have found our vocalist, and Hogwarts will have it's own musical band in a heartbeat." The last couple of words were spewed from her mouth with the euphoria of a woman telling a an anticipating crowd that she's finally with child. Meanwhile in Elizabeth's head, there was a raging hurricane and in the midsts of the swirling were carried the echoes of shrill screams. She couldn't make out the words being yelled out as they were far off, but with the flash of lightening, she heard them loud and clear. They said,"Do something!"
Elizabeth instinctually gulped aloud before Professor Merrythought could only make it worse and claim that she talked the Daily Prophet into covering the event. "Yes ?" She leaned in. "Just a moment of your time please," Elizabeth mouthed. Scampering away to a corner, the eyes of the room on Elizabeth and Merrythought's hand on her wrist, she burst out in murmurs,"I'd hate to tell you that you're under the wrong impression but you are, Professor."
Merrythought's owl-like eyes widened and she set her in a quizzical gape as she voiced," Hmm ?!"
"I never agreed to this ! I thought we'd be practicing in private ! I don't know what your thinking, but I'm not ready to start a career," Elizabeth mouthed on until a jaded Merrythought clapped her bony hand upon Elizabeth's lips. "Hush, hush, dear child," she told as she used her other claw to stir Elizabeth, who tried to take advantage of friction by pressing her feet against the carpeted floor, away from their cramped corner.
"Don't speak of what you don't understand, what is talent if it's not flaunted ? "In private", what a joke ! You need to understand that anxiety comes and goes. You can't let it control you."
You need to understand that you're mental. Before long, Elizabethwas watching her pale figure through yet another circular mirror hanging on the wall. How I have grown to detest those bloody mirrors ! The reflection was that of Elizabeth's head pressed hard against her Professor's, thoroughly bothered by those skeletal hands clamped upon her shoulders. "All you have to do is to look at your reflection, my little darling, and sing as if you have the staff room to yourself this afternoon."
"With all do respect, Ma'am, I don't think that will be fitting."
Merrythought wiggled a fang-like finger before her dry lips and hissed in a threatening manner that may have been intended to be a,"Hush." Well, after that, how dare I contradict you ? Her shaky fingers were interlocked and the skin of them was pale spotted with red pinches of blood. "What's the meaning of this, Galatea ?" She heard Slughorn's gruffly tone, and her eyes were filled with image of the thin gold framing of the oval mirror and its reflection of her blanch face and inaudibly chattering teeth. "All but a simple method for her to focus on her singing, Horace." Merrythought replied. How embarrassing. "Sing the one you sang to me the other day, Elizabeth, my dear." She said before settling down on one of the seats. Good God, I can't. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, there's no turning back. You need to do it NOW ! Her head tried to force a melody out of her but the little and dominant insecure part of her kept her lips clamped upon when another, so tightly, she looked as if she'd swallowed a whole lemon. She was very much aware of the eerie silence wreathing her, followed by the buzz-like sensation of eyes on her back. The sooner we do this ; the sooner you're out of here. Okay, nope, no time for prayers either. Breathing in more air than any human lungs can possibly uphold, she closed her eyes and sang. The words that flew out off her lips were caked with a soft melody and were that of an ancient love poem in which she was so fascinated by its melancholy. Half way through the first stanza... her eyelids twitched impulsively and a roll of sweat trickled down her for head...
On to the second stanza... Elizabeth's voice broke off due to a slight prickling on her back which she couldn't explain, but then, her voice hitched back into an enjoyable tone.
Halfway there... the prickling had intensified ; it was becoming hard to concentrate.
ALMOST there... Elizabeth... You're in danger, everyone's in danger...
The adrenaline rushing through her veins threw both of her eyelids open wide, and as she was in that trance of hers, she caught Riddle's face at the corner of the mirror. He caught hers and the edge of his lips twitched to an unmistakable smile ... again. Panic, pure panic was what she felt. "Is everything alright, Miss Emerson ?" Dumbeldore spoke out.
"Albus - allow me," Merrythought interjected, her chair scraping the floor as she stood up. She was marching solidly towards her but before Elizabeth could feel the old hag's breath on her face, she burst out," Professor, I need to go." That glowering face of Merrythought overwhelmed Elizabeth's sight as she closed in on her, and she said in a soft growl only she and Elizabeth could hear," You're embarrassing me here, young lady. I forbid you from leaving. Turn right around and sing as you ought to." Elizabeth's eyes never left the Professor's even as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Professor," she tried to sound as sincere as she possibly could and sped off before her teacher could reach for her hand, catching Tom's bowed head as she rushed through the door.
Only when her feet almost gave out and she would've fallen to the ground from her brisk pace, Elizabeth found herself outside the door of the third floor bathroom. She burst through, the muffled sobbing coming from one of the stalls tickling her ears. Her eyes were wide and shimmering in the dim candlelight as they gaped at that particular sink behind which she hid the necklace. The door to the opposite stall slammed open and out peered a spotty, sniffing face with a trail of tears down her cheeks. Strangely enough, not even that faltered Elizabeth's pace. She got to her knees before the sink and grabbed about the pipes, only to reach for... nothing.
