Clue
Gail once again felt the sensation of being pulled through an invisible wind tunnel except this time not only was her stomach turning from the feeling of being pulled through the air but because of the guilty felling over what had just happened. Professor Mc Gonagall had a tight grip on her arm as they whooshed through the air. She had wanted to get Gail out of the room as fast as possible after she had displayed her magical abilities in front of everyone. Some of the students didn't appear to take the fact that Gail could do magic without a wand very well. Minerva couldn't really blame them it was a hard thing to process even for a more advanced witch or wizard. They would have a lot of explaining to do when she took Gail back.
Minerva and Gail landed with a thud outside a small wooden house. It had two floors and a brown shingle roof. The house had been painted white although it looked slightly under cared for as the paint was peeling around the four windows on the front of the house. The flower boxes on the windows were empty and the small front garden was overgrown. Minerva opened the gate and it creaked opened. It had been a long time she had come back to the house. She didn't like coming back, it was so lonely since her husband had died. It was more convenient anyway to stay at Hogwarts over the past few years after becoming headmistress. But when she had to take Gail somewhere and after remembering what had happened at the last magical destination they had gone to this was the only place she could think of. The house was a bit like a muggle home and Gail would probably feel more comfortable here than some magical destination.
Gail followed Professor Mc Gonagall up the pathway to the house. It was probably a nice house a long time ago. Gail wondered if Professor Mc Gonagall had lived in the house before or she just knew about it. There weren't any other houses around but Gail could see chimneys in the distance so they probably were close to some kind of village or town. As Gail walked into the houses she noticed the framed pictures hanging on the walls of the hallway. There was a younger looking version of Professor Mc Gonagall standing in most of them with a tall man with hair that was just turning grey. Gail assumed that it was her husband. He must have died years ago as Gail had never seen him or even heard Ms. Mc Gonagall talk about him. Also considering the house was falling into such a state it was obvious no one was living there anymore.
Gail realized she had been standing in the hall for a few minutes staring at the pictures. She went into the kitchen hearing the kettle whine signaling it was done. Ms. Mc Gonagall was pouring tea into mugs and she set one on the table for Gail. Gail took it and sat down at the wooden table in the center of the kitchen. Minerva sat opposite Gail and she smiled to herself realizing this was the arrangement that she and her late husband Elphinstone had sat in. Minerva had seen Gail looking at the pictures and as she didn't want the first thing they discussed to be what happened in the great hall she started with
"So you liked the pictures in the hallway." Gail nodded and almost spilled her tea everywhere embarrassed that Ms. Mc Gonagall had seen her staring at the pictures. She nodded in response and asked shyly
"Who was the man in the picture with you?" she didn't mean to be rude but the curiosity was killing her. Professor Mc Gonagall turned around to stare at the picture stuck to the front of the fridge. It was her wedding photo. She and Elphinstone had had a very simple ceremony of close friends and family only. In the picture she and Elphinstone were in the middle of their first dance. It had always been her favorite photo of them largely because you could only see the side of her face and Elphinstone was giving one of his huge full toothed smiles. He was twirling her and her cream colored dress was raised at the edges from the motion while he stood still grinning in his tuxedo. Dumbledore, her nephews, niece and her brothers could be seen in the background behind them smiling.
"Yes that was my husband Elphinstone. He passed away a number of years ago. We used to live in this house but ever since he died and I moved into Hogwarts it has fallen into a bit of disrepair unfortunately." Minerva sighed at this looking out the window over the sink at the overgrown back garden. She would really have to come back more often and try to fix the place up a bit.
Gail had noticed Professor Mc Gonagall staring at the picture on the fridge and she turned to look at it too. The man and woman in the picture were smiling and dancing. One of the men behind them looked slightly familiar to Gail.
"You look happy. Who's the man in the background he looks familiar?" Gail asked. Minerva smiled at Gail's recognition of one of the previous headmasters of Hogwarts. Dumbledore's portrait was hanging in her office and Gail had obviously taken notice. She answered smiling
"Glad to see you recognize Dumbledore, one of Hogwarts previous headmasters." Gail looked slightly taken back by the fact that she had recognized Dumbledore. Minerva now picked up the two empty mugs on the table and put them in the sink. She sat down heavily across from Gail. They were going to have the conversation she was dreading.
"Gail we are going to have to talk about what happened in the great hall. I know this may be difficult but you need to tell me what happened and I will try and explain what I can. What you did in the great hall was much greater than anything we ever practiced, now how did you do that?" she asked this all in a calm soothing voice so not to alarm Gail but she still looked upset by the topic of the conversation. Gail looked down at her hands
"I don't know. When you told me not to do magic I didn't and when you told me it was ok to do magic it just happened. Once I knew it was ok and didn't not want to do it then it just came out of me. I didn't mean to and then when I stopped the spell I felt myself losing control of it and then it just…" Gail looked up at Professor Mc Gonagall. She looked into the sad confused eyes of Gail and sighed. She didn't really know all the answers either.
"Gail I don't know what exactly what happened either but I have a theory. Most young witches get their wands at age eleven and because you didn't then the magic inside you didn't have any way of getting out and built up over the years. Now when you release it, it explodes out in an uncontrolled way but I'm sure with time this will ease up so don't worry. This is also the reason that I can disaperate in and out of Hogwarts when usually this is impossible. I am able to draw from your magic to make it easier, that is how we got here." Minerva stopped talking and looked at Gail who looked like she was processing the new information. Gail now asked
"Will everyone be asking about what happened when we go back?" Professor Mc Gonagall sighed and looked at Gail sympathetically
"I'm afraid so but don't fret things never get talked about for too long at Hogwarts. There are strange things happening all the time and I'm sure this will all blow over soon. Now we best be heading back its getting dark." Gail now noticed how the kitchen had become darker and looking outside the sky was turning a bluish black. Professor Mc Gonagall opened the back door and stepped out pulling her cloak around her as it had gotten colder. Gail reluctantly followed her down the pathway trying to avoid the overgrown plants as she walked. Minerva stopped and held out her arm for Gail to take. Gail reached out tentatively preparing herself. The moment Gail touched her headmistress's arm they were sucked back through the air to Hogwarts.
When they landed Gail and Minerva were standing in Minerva's office. Gail watched as Professor Mc Gonagall walked across the room and sat behind her desk. Fawkes the phoenix who was perched near the large wooden desk stirred and squawked making both of them jump. Minerva smiled and indicated the door to Gail
"I think there are some people outside that want to take to you." Minerva led Gail toward the large statue and watched as it brought Gail downwards through the floor, out of her office leaving Minerva to think about everything that had happened.
Gail watched as her headmistress disappeared from her view. She could feel the statue was nearly at the doorway and she wondered who wanted to talk to her. She assumed that it was Professor Riffle. Maybe Professor Mc Gonagal had asked him to give her private lessons on how to control her magic since obviously now there was going to more issues with her magic than Professor Mc Gonagall had originally thought. Gail hesitantly reached out to grab the door handle and opened the door. Instead of Professor Riffle standing there Gail saw the concerned faces of James, Rosie, Teddy and Victoria. Before Gail could say anything she was pulled into a massive hug with all four of them. Rosie was the first one to speak after they left Gail go
"Where the hell did you go? I mean what on earth happened in the great hall earlier? You did that kind of magic without a wand, practically destroy the great hall and then you just disappear. We were freaking out with worry, we looked everywhere for you." Gail didn't know which question to answer first and she stood opened mouthed trying to figure out what to say. James jumped in saving Gail
"Rosie, one question at a time. Even I barely understood what you just asked." Rosie frowned and opened her mouth to fire another round of questions but more slowly this time. Victoria however got there faster
"Gail why can you do magic without a wand?" this really was the most obvious question and Rosie was slightly irritated she hadn't been the one to ask it. Rosie, Teddy and James also turned to stare at Gail. However Gail was staring at her feet. This had been the very moment that she had been dreading. Now she would have to tell them what she was and they would never speak to her again. It was her own fault really she had gotten too close to her new friends when she knew what would happen when they found out. Rosie knew a bit about her history with her family and Gail wondered why she hadn't told her family yet. She figured Rosie just felt sorry for her. Gail looked up flicking the curtain of hair off her face and said quickly wanting to just get this over with
"I wasn't found until I was sixteen so I can't use a wand. The last time I used one I accidently burned down a building." Gail got quieter on this part remembering the expression on Mr. Ollivanders face also she didn't want the others to know she had been the one to destroy the wand shop. Gail carried on resisting the temptation to look down at her feet and burst into tears.
"Professor Mc Gongall came and told my family before term. They kicked me out when they found out because I'm a freak." Gail looked from face to shocked face. Suddenly they were all yelling abuse. Gail cringed away from the harsh voices and was just about to run down the hall toward the clock tower when once again she was pulled into a hug. Victoria had been the one to pull Gail into the massive hug. Gail could feel Victoria squeezing her so hard that she thought Victoria was trying to crush her. Finally Victoria let Gail go and Gail sucked air back into her lungs. She was about to run down the hall when she noticed the tears in Victoria's eyes. Gail turned confused to look at the others. The boys looked outraged while Rosie had the same teary expression as Victoria. Victoria now said
"Gail I am so sorry." Victoria turned to the others and once again they all started talking in angry tones. This time Gail listened to what they were saying rather than just the tones. Every one of them was talking furiously about her family had done to her and how horrible they were to have thrown her out. Gail turned confused to the others
"You're not angry at me. You don't think I'm a monster, a freak." She hesitated before saying this last word but even after she forced it out everyone looked at her shocked. This time Rosie was the one to hug her but Gail was still completely confused. James pulled Rosie back seeing Gail's expression and said
"Gail you are not a freak. It doesn't matter what your parents said or did but those muggles don't understand how amazing magic is and being a witch is. Muggles don't understand. Everyone at this school is special including you. You are not a monster understood?" Gail looked from face to face and said
"You're not angry at me. You don't hate me. Were still friends?" Gail asked the last question hesitantly dreading if the answer was no. Rosie pushed James out of the way as pay back from a few moments beforehand. Rosie answered Gail, wiping the tears from her eyes
"Of course were still your friends Gail and we definitely aren't angry at you. We have no reason to be and neither do those silly muggles. They were probably just jealous anyway. Don't worry Gail." A huge smile broke out across Gail's face and she hugged Rosie. James, Teddy and Victoria joined in too and when they finally broke away Teddy spoke up
"Now to more important matters. Did anyone else see Scorpius's face when Gail threw that ball of magic? Absolutely priceless." Teddy laughed and Victoria turned to look at Gail's expression. Gail was smiling too and laughing quietly. Victoria and the others joined in too and pretty soon they were all hysterical picturing Scorpius's face. They all walked down the hallway toward the common room still laughing. Professor Mc Gonagall could hear Gail and her friends laughing and she knew Gail would be fine.
When they got to the common room James stopped Gail before she could go upstairs with Rosie and Victoria. Gail was still laughing softly and James was glad that she was happy. He was worried that Teddy's comment earlier would have upset her. She seemed a lot happier now. Gail had probably been worrying about them finding out about her past for a long time. James smiled down at the beaming face of Gail and said
"I'm meant to tell you got into the next round of the contest." Gail looked shocked by this and she waited for James to continue
"They finished off the duels yesterday when you were gone and after they cleaned up. I won my round and you technically you won yours as points were awarded for skill and no one could claim that Scorpius displayed better magic than you, you won your round so our team got through. All the teams that won got one of these." James pulled a small piece of parchment out of his pocket. It was rolled up and sealed with a wax stamp. Gail took the piece of parchment and looked it over. It was still sealed. James took the piece of paper from Gail and turned it over in his hand for probably the hundredth time since Professor Riffle had given it him. James looked up at Gail and said
"I haven't opened it yet. I was waiting for you." He smiled down at Gail and she smiled back. James put his thumb under the wax seal ready to tear it open but stopped when he heard someone's footsteps coming towards the common room. It was probably one of the Professor coming to make sure everyone was asleep. James looked at Gail and she said
"Maybe we should open it tomorrow before class starts. How about after breakfast in the clock tower?" She smiled up and him and he nodded answering her question. Gail turned and walked up the stairs and wondered what the piece of parchment could possibly say. James walked to his room thinking the exactly same thing.
The next morning James couldn't wait any longer. He caught up with Gail and Rosie as they were walking to breakfast. Rosie knew that James had gotten a piece of parchment just like her as she had also made the next round of the competition. She knew he been waiting for Gail and she let them go without a word of protest. Rosie continued toward the great hall as James and Gail disappeared around a corner. James followed Gail to the clock tower considering she knew the way better than he did. He had never really been there before but apparently Gail had. She knew the way without even looking around. James followed Gail up a flight of stairs. He noticed on the way there he didn't see one other student. He didn't even recognize a lot of the corridors leading up to the clock tower. Not a lot of students usually came to this part of the castle.
When they had finally finished climbing the staircase James was panting but Gail walked straight to the window, completely fine. James followed Gail to where she was now sitting and he sat down beside her. He stared openmouthed at the view in front of him. You could see the entire grounds from where they were sitting. James could see other parts of the castle, the lake, Hagrids hut and the quidditch field. He could just make out people zooming around the field on broomsticks. James looked back to Gail who was also staring out at the view. There was a slight breeze against his face but he could see the ends of Gail's hair lifting like there was a much stronger wind.
James withdrew the piece of parchment from his pocket once again and put his thumb underneath the wax seal. This time he pulled upwards and broke the seal. He looked up at Gail and handed her the parchment as his hands were shaking. Gail took the parchment opened it up so she could see what it said. There were a few lines of writing printed onto the parchment and Gail read it out so James could hear
"Hidden behind a gate of gold, under a jewel of blood. Guarded by a creature of myth, few have known to behold. Placed for all to see, but few can see the inside. Only those who can see within, truly deserve the prize." Gail looked back to James confuse and he mirrored her expression. He took the parchment from her and read it over again thinking he might have heard it wrong and maybe if he saw it, it would make more sense. It didn't and he put the piece of parchment down frustrated. He looked at Gail and she gave him a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry we'll figure it out." He smiled back at her and looked out at the view again. He said more to himself than to Gail
"Guess were going spend some time looking behind golden gates. You know of any? He chuckled at his own joke and Gail giggled. James saw that the sun had come out from behind a cloud at the same time that Gail laughed and James thought that it was an odd coincidence. They both sat looking out and thinking of what the clue they had just read really meant.
