Ariane had just received the news that there would be a Quidditch match of Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Having flying lessons with the Hufflepuffs for a week, she knew flying on a broomstick was not an easy job, though she still managed to fly quickly without much wobble or falling. She was not sure if she should support Gryffindor or Slytherin, but Claudia and Hugo were sure about their stand.
"Of course Gryffindor, Slytherins are nasty," said Hugo.
"That's overstating!" exclaimed Claudia. "At least Yulia and Louis are friendly."
"I think Maure is quite friendly too," said Ariane quietly.
"Maure?" yelled Hugo. "He's a rac—a bloodist! He likes you because you are a pure-blood."
"He's got the point," chipped in Joanne, who was passing by and sat beside them. "Maure and his gang tease me because I am a muggle-born."
"I don't see blood counts in Maure's eyes, just look at Dan, he's got a howler for every week and the Slytherins snigger at him."
Everyone looked at Daniel, who had received another howler from his mother again.
"DANIEL CRAWFORD, THIS IS THE LAST TIME I BUY YOU A CAULDRON FOR THIS MONTH, IF YOU KEEP ON BLOWING UP PROFESSOR SNAPE'S DUNGEON, I WILL PICK YOU UP FROM SCHOOL AND LET YOU STUDY LIKE A MUGGLE! DO YOU KNOW YOUR EXPENSE ON CAULDRON IS THRICE THAN YOUR EXPENSE ON YOUR PARCHMENT AND INK? I AM REALLY FED UP WITH YOU!"
The howler reduced into ashes and fell onto the table, while Daniel looked at his new cauldron with embarrassment and dullness, the Slytherins laughed at him and cheered.
"Careful, Crawford, or else you will be a muggle!" said Yates, a pale and dark haired boy.
"He's not a muggle, he's a squib!" jeered Seneca, a boy with curly brown hair with piercing reddish amber eyes.
"Stop it, Giulio!" yelled Hugo. "Daniel is not a squib, he is magical like us all."
"Be careful, Huggins," sniggered Maure. "You are just one step from muggle."
Hugo's face turned red and glared at the Slytherins. Ariane patted his back and told him to calm down.
"Let's hope the Gryffindor beat them," said Hugo darkly.
"You'd better hope we in the house cup," said Claudia.
"I don't think we can," said Ariane.
"Why?"
"For the first month, Snape took twenty-one points off from us."
The trio moaned and ate their rolls hopelessly as Professor McGonagall walked out off the hall through the aisle between Ravenclaw and Slytherin's table.
"I wonder what tonight feast would look like," said Claudia dreamily while having Charms lesson. "Friday is always so dreamy."
"I think we will have pumpkin juice like usual, but I will look at the decoration definitely," said Joanne at the front, who had just performed the Levitation Charm. Her feather hovered for a while and then fell back onto the table.
"Wing-dar-dum-lovely-o-tsar!" said Daniel, who was aiming his wand at the feather.
"Dan, it's Wingardium Leviosa—"
The feather exploded and reduced to ashes. Everyone glanced at Paloma, who was sitting beside Daniel. Her face was covered with ashes and she was trying to control her sobs. Instantly, there was a snigger at the back of the classroom and all the Ravenclaws glared at the chuckling Gryffindor. When the lesson ended, Paloma headed to the bathroom and did not arrive at the hall.
"Do you think she's alright?" asked Joanne.
"She'll be fine, we might be able to bring some pastries to the common room and let her eat," replied Leo. "Don't worry, she'll be perfectly okay next day."
Ariane, though persuading herself that everything would be fine, had a peculiar feeling that things weren't going her way.
"Pass me the pumpkin juice, Anne," said Hugo.
Ariane stared at Hugo blankly, then slowly gave him the jug.
"Anne, you don't look good," said Claudia.
"I think we should go and find Paloma."
"Okay, we'll bring something for her to eat, though Snape would confiscate the food when he finds out."
The door swung open suddenly and Professor Storette rushing in and yelled. His face was filled with terror and anxiety. When he reached the teacher's table, he crashed into the table and fell onto the ground. Shaking, he staggered up clumsily and was out of breath, "Occamy—Occamy in the dungeon—in the dungeon—thought you ought—ought to know."
He passed out and his face clashed onto the floor, lying still.
The hall was silent for a while, then uproar arose from the tables, everyone was taking their things and headed towards the door.
"SILENCE!"
The hall became silent again and everyone looked at Dumbledore.
"Everyone will please, not panic. Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons. "
"What's an occamy?" asked Ariane.
"Some kind of aggressive creature that is over at least twelve feet tall, may be taller than a troll, occasionally eat monkeys," replied Claudia.
"Let's hope it doesn't take us as monkeys," said Hugo darkly.
"Paloma!"
"Who?"
"Paloma, she's in the bathroom!" exclaimed Ariane. "We've got to tell her."
Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.
"Hide!"
They hid behind a large stone griffin, peering around it, however, they saw not anyone but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.
"He's heading to forest if he's going to that direction."
"Why would he want to go to the forest?"
"How would I know?" said Hugo. "Possibly he's the one who kill the unicorns and sets out this occamy to distract us."
Suddenly, a plumed, two-legged serpentine-bodied creature with bird's head appeared in front of them.
"So…this is…" began Claudia, gulping and sweating hard.
Immediately, the beast attacked and slashed its tail onto the trio. Paloma walked out from the bathroom and screamed as loudly as she can.
"Do something!"
"What?" asked Ariane, who was going through the spells that she had learnt, but none of them seemed to be useful to defend themselves from an occamy.
She did not have time to think of any other plan. Then a small word pop out from her head and she somehow knew this incantation would help.
"Confringo!"
The blast from her wand hit the creature and flames surrounded it. The creature screeched and thrashed its tail with agony. The children stood at the corner, watching the flames died out and the creature fell onto the ground, worn out and passed out. The room trembled as it collapsed onto the floor.
It was Paloma who spoke first.
"Is it dead?"
"Pass out," replied Hugo.
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Storette bringing up the rear. Storette took one look at the occamy, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart, smiling nervously to ease the atmosphere.
Snape bent over the occamy and frowned. Ariane noticed that silvery stains were on the bottom of Snape's and Storette's robes. Professor McGonagall was looking at the children. Ariane had never seen her look so angry.
"Give me your wand, Ms. Larsen," said Snape.
Ariane gave him her wand with fear and hid behind her friends once Snape got her wand.
"Prior Incantato!"
A red smoke emerged from the wand's tip. The smoke became a spherical shape and blasted out suddenly, and within a pop, it disappeared. Snape looked at Ariane with suspicion, and also Professor McGonagall.
"Explain yourself, Ms. Larsen," said Professor McGonagall.
"I—I—"
"Do you know what spell you have just cast?" asked Snape.
Ariane shook her head, fearing that the curse she cast was something unforgivable.
"Blasting curse," reported Snape. "Know as Confringo for its incantation. Not taught to students until Year Five."
"Ms. Larsen, where did you—"said Professor McGonagall. "Where did you learn the spell?"
"I don't know," replied Ariane. "I—I just use it."
"Perhaps it would be better if we use veritaserum on them," said Snape. "We can get a better view on it."
Claudia gulped. She knew the veritaserum was something up to no good. They all looked at Professor McGonagall, hoping to hear something fortunate.
"As for you four I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a full grown occamy and live to tell the tale. 5 points...will be awarded to each of you. For sheer dumb luck."
Ariane could not believe their luck.
"If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Ravenclaw tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Flitwick will be informed of this. You may go."
Ariane nodded. They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the chamber, quite apart from anything else.
The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Paloma, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.