Here's chapter 4! Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER:

I own nothing but my OCs and this plot line.

Chapter Four: House of Surprises

Nina's POV:

I noticed Giana and Fabian were becoming really close. Seeing as she's only been here a day and a half, I shouldn't have been worried, right? I mean, that's how my friendship with Fabian started - Fast Friends.

But I was worried. Well, a little.

I mean, he'd helped me out the most last term with the whole mystery and finding out what the teachers had done to Joy, etc., but I always thought he had liked me. I guess if he didn't after all, then I should be happy for him, right?

Right.

But… the kiss, I thought.

We had kissed at prom, and even though I know jumping to conclusions isn't the smartest thing to do in situations like that, I thought we were together… Or would have been by now, anyway. Evidently I was wrong.

"Hey, Gigi," I started off, sitting down on my bed. She was doing some homework. "Can I ask you something?"

She looked up. "Oh, hi Nina. What's up?"

"Well…" I hesitated. "Do you… have feelings for Fabian?"

She averted her gaze. "No," she answered shortly, returning to her work.

I shrugged. "It's okay if you do - I'm just curious."

"I've only been here a day and a half, Nina," she replied, closing a book. "I think of Fabian as a good friend… Maybe I might have some feelings for him, but it's too soon to tell. He is very nice, though - I'll give him that." She stretched. "Anyway, it's getting late. What time's curfew around here?"

"Well-" I was cut off by Amber entering the room and flopping down on to her bed. Just then, we heard the oh-so-familiar bellowing of Victor's voice from the foyer.

"It's ten o' clock!" he shouted. "You all know what that means. You have five minutes precisely, and then I want to hear a pin… drop."

Giana got up and closed the door, turning to my general direction. "So. That's it, huh? He gives a speech, drops a pin, and we're all supposed to be asleep in bed?"

"And then he goes to his creepy office and falls asleep," Amber added, flipping through yet another fashion magazine. "But normally, we'd-" she cut herself off and put a hand to her mouth. "Never mind."

"What?" Gigi asked. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No," I answered hastily. "No. I'm telling the truth. Everything's fine. Completely normal!"

She sighed and we all got ready for bed.

About an hour after lights-out, I was awoken by the light from my Eye of Horus locket. Tip-toeing over to Amber's bed, I gently shook her awake.

"Amber. Attic. Now." I whispered. "I'm calling a Sibuna meeting."

She groaned and complied, the two of us quietly leaving our room and shutting the door.

Giana's POV:

I woke up to the sound of the door closing. Beforehand I had heard Nina whisper something to Amber, and then they both left, just like that.

I got up out of bed and found my robe and slippers, as it would most likely be a bit cold in the attic - wherever that was. I was almost positive Victor had told me that going up into the attic or down into the cellar was out-of-bounds and in need of punishment, but I wasn't about to go ratting out my roommates.

Grabbing a flashlight, I made my way out into the hall, trailing the wall so it'd be easier to locate the space where the attic door was. I took a bobby pin out of my hair and picked the lock, opening it as quietly as I could.

A blast of cold air hit me as I slowly started going up the stairs, closing the door behind me. I eventually found myself in a large, dingy room, dimly-lit by a colorful stained-glass window that was straight ahead.

My night vision wasn't any better than my day vision - in fact, it was worse - but I somehow managed to avoid all the clutter, trailing along one of the walls with my left hand. My right held the flashlight.

I was freaking out a bit, but I didn't want to show it.

At one point, the wall felt different. It was… hollow, almost. I put my hand to it and sighed heavily, wondering if something was behind it, as well as what it could even be.

Almost as if the House could read my mind, the wall - which was now considered a panel, I guess - slid open, and I fell into a smaller room, hitting the cold, wooden floor.

Getting the feeling that I was being stared at, I lifted my head and flashlight, looking up. Six curious and confused pairs of eyes were boring into my head as I slowly moved into a sitting position.

"Um… hi," I said simply, playing with my hair. It was one of the mannerisms I had when I got nervous. "What's up?"

Nina's POV:

"Er, you tell us," I stated. "No offense, Gigi, but… why are you here?"

She moved more into the room, the panel closing behind her. "Being nosey?" she answered in a small voice, still fidgeting with her hair. "I, uh, overheard you whispering to Amber about going to the attic and then the door closed… so I followed you."

We all stared at her, and I felt so stupid. It was my fault she'd found out about the secret attic panel - wait!

"Giana!" I whisper-shouted. "How… How did you get in here?"

"What, the panel?" she asked. "I was leaning up against it and it just, well, opened. Then I fell into this little room. Why?"

I stared blankly at her, then turned to stare at everyone else in the dim light. No one moved.

Finally, Jerome was the first to speak. And he actually sounded scared.

"But… Nina's the only one who can open the panel, as well as the other secret passages in the House," he said.

Fabian then took over. "It's her necklace," he explained. "The Eye of Horus. It only works for her, but here you are…"

Hands shaking, I removed the locket from around my neck and placed it in Giana's hand.

It started glowing again.