Chapter 3: Alys Karstark
Pushing her plate away from her Alys stood up from the Ravenclaw table and motioned for Wylla to join her. Grabbing her bad and wand off the table she made for the doors to the great hall, hoping to get through them before everyone else realised what time it was. Unfortunately that would not be the case. At the sudden departure of Alys from the table people soon began to check their watches, realising how breakfast was almost over.
Soon enough Alys and Wylla had a pack of worried students on their heels as they fled the great hall hoping to get to class in time. Pausing for a moment to wait for Wylla to catch up with her Alys let out a loud laugh at hordes of pupils sprinting to get to class.
"Honestly they should learn to check their watches more often, don't you think?" Alys said to Wylla as the girl finally caught up with her and also paused for a moment. Breathing heavily at the sudden and unexpected exercise she got.
"Yep...They...need...to...time...watch!" Wylla stuttered as she gasped for breath and grew bright red in the face.
"Are you alright?" Alys said beginning to get concerned with how long Wylla was still out of breath.
"I'm fine...just need some water". With that Wylla took out her wand and said still gasping for breath."Aguamenti".
At once a bright blue light appeared and soon a steady stream of water began to dribble out her wand. Wylla raised it above her head and began to drink in enormous gulps.
"I still don't get how you can do that?" Alys said astounded at her friends ability to preform a N.E.W.T level spell in fourth year.
"I've been practicing with Wynafryd and father thinks it's because of my grandmothers mermish hair in my wand" Wylla said as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and placed her wand back into her bag.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about your grandmother" Alys said silently as she remembered her best friends mermish ancestry. "Well anyway let's get to Divination, I don't want to be late for Professor Asshai".
At that the girls once again made off to Divination, all be it at a slower pace due to Wylla still being extremely tired and sore after the unnecessary run. Making their way up to the tower Alys soon began to realise how deserted the corridors were and so quickened her pace.
Sprinting up the last few steps to Divination Alys took a breath of relief when she noticed the hoard of people still standing outside the classroom. Almost instantly however the ladder descended and a haze of white smoke descended with it.
Not wanting to seem cowardly Alys started forward and began to climb the ladder with her classmates following behind her in single file. Ascending the ladder was like entering another world. The room was shaded in darkness and covered in blood red wallpaper preventing any light from getting through the windows. However it was what was in the centre of the room that drew the gasps of astonishment from the class.
A large brazier was lit, sending flames roaring to the ceiling just before they fell back into it. The woman who stood beside it was no less bewildering. Professor Asshai was garbed head to toe in blood red robes, making her seem as if she was part of the wall itself. Even her hair was red although this red was more like copper instead of the colours that covered every inch of the room.
"Take a seat" she said in a polite tone but it possessed a quality making it seem as though this is a teacher who would not tolerate sceptics.
The rest of the class shuffled across the room, squinting in the darkness as they carefully made their way over to a bunch of pillows that lay strewn carelessly across the carpet. Once all of them had settled Professor Asshai came over and with a swish of her wand a sofa appeared as well as a table with a massive crystal ball resting on it.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts pupils and for those who don't know me I am Professor Asshai. Now for the first couple of months we will be studying the art of crystal ball fortune telling". As she spoke an aura of the unknown and mystery seemed to lie over the class. Every word that left her red lips seemed to place the class under an enchantment.
Moving to the sofa she gracefully sat down and drew back her sleeves, revealing a blood red ruby clasped around one wrist. "You girl, come and sit beside me".
At that Alys for a brief moment turned round hoping that Professor Asshai was pointing at a girl behind her but that was not the case. Standing up slowly and trying to ignore the eyes of her fellow peers watching her she moved to the sofa and sat down gently.
"Now what is your name child" Professor Asshai asked kindly as she positioned her hands at either side of the crystal ball.
"Alys Karstark" Alys replied confidently as she clutched her wand in her pocket. Feeling more safe around the mysterious professor with it in her grasp.
"Alys Karstark" the professor drawled as though she was savouring the name with a sweet relish. "Well Alys let us both see what the crystal ball has for you". With that the professor soon became hunched as she leaned forward so as to be able to reach the orb comfortably.
For a few moments their was silence until. "A girl garbed in grey rides a beast with black wings and a fondness for flesh. Death and despair follow her as well as await her and the darkness closes in around her!" The Professor announced in a booming voice that contained power and authority.
The class remained huddled together, many of them clutching each other as the professor finished the prophecy. Many of them turned to Alys and gave up looks of sympathy for the supposedly doomed girl.
Professor Asshai stood up and for the first time looked slightly fearful. Saying "Lumos" she ushered the pupils out of her slightly brighter classroom, clutching her wand in one hand and with a final pitiful glance at Alys she closed the trapdoor. Alys pushed past the pupils who had already started to spread the rumours of the class and caught up with Wylla who was sitting on a bench in a nearly desterted corridor.
"Hey" Alys said quietly as she removed her bag and sat down beside Wylla on the rickety wooden bench.
"What a right cow" Wylla said giggling as she turned to face Alys. "Honestly everyone knows that fortune telling is a load of rubbish made up by people desperate for money".
"Your probably right" Alys said regaining her confidence slightly. "Well anyway we better be off. Don't want to miss transfiguration with Professor Rivers".
With that the two girls when off in a more cheerful mood. Unfortunately the events that had played out in the classroom still lay in Alys head and she silently contemplated what these words of prophecy might mean.
