Chapter 14- Segosius

The book came in very handy in the next class, where she hadn't studied, but following the book's orders (she refused to think of them as Snape's instructions) helped her make her sleeping draft perfectly.

She was almost bouncing with excitement through Transfiguration. She had little trouble today morphing her pebble, and earned five points for Gryffindoor by being the first one to get it right. She smiled to herself. If her luck held up, she just might be able to get into the headmaster's office before the week was out.

She ate silently, be raided by questions from Neville. She told him he would find out soon enough. She looked over to where LiaDawn and Luna smiled back from their table. She winked at them, and stood. She had left her bag, and the book in her dorm, so that she would have something to do while the Great Hall emptied.

When she returned, there were only seven people in the room. Neville, LiaDawn, and Luna looked curiously at her, and she walked past the group of first year girls standing near the door. "Shouldn't you be somewhere?" She shot to them, and they quickly disappeared.

"Alright!" LiaDawn said, smiling. "Now, explain."

Ginny smiled. "I have this book, you see." She explained to the others what the book was and why she thought it could help. They stared at her, each with unreadable expressions. Neville almost looked excited, but Ginny couldn't be sure.

"So, there it is." Luna said, when Ginny had finished. "All we have to do is find something in this book that will open the door, and we'll be fine."

LiaDawn looked at her. "Yeah... That should be easy."

They set to work immediately. Ginny split the book with a few "diffindo"s and handed them out.

"But..." Neville began, then stopped, obviously not wanting to offend Ginny.

"What?" Ginny said, smiling encouragingly.

"I just was wondering, how will we know if it works, if we don't try it."

LiaDawn nodded, taking the pieces of the book. "Reparo." They went back together. "I think we should go up there, and you can just start reading stuff that looks promising." She smiled at Ginny, offering the complete book to her.

"Um..." Ginny hesitated, but they all looked very sure. "Okay..." She said, and grabbed the book.

As they left, Ginny noticed the same group of first years standing in the hallway, talking quietly among themselves. "Hey!" She called, and they scattered. She sighed.

They climbed up to the headmasters office, and took their regular spots. Ginny began reading aloud, smiling to herself. She was almost sure they would find something in the book. There were a few that were scribbled ominously in the margins. She skipped over those, telling herself that if nothing else worked, she would try those later. "Engrasio" She said, and her wand began spouting vines that she couldn't stop, and had to have LiaDawn and Luna light them on fire to kill them. "Please don't do that again..." LiaDawn said, as she rejoined Neville down the hallway.

Ginny nodded, and set back to work. "Amphibilus" Made a frog spring out of her wand, which proceeded to climb over the walls and up the ceiling. She was getting ready to pack up, when Luna pointed out one to her. "What is this one?" Luna said, pointing to it, scribbled largely in the corner, with a note:

Segosius, never use again.

"Well..." Ginny said, "I think that one might be... bad"

Luna shook her head. "No... I don't think so."

"Okay..."

Luna raised her wand, and smiled, "Segosius" She said. Suddenly, out of the wand popped a beautiful white flower. "Its a Sego Lily."

"Oh..." It was the most perfect flower Ginny had ever seen.

Suddenly they both remembered why they were there. They glanced up in anticipation, but the door remained closed. Luna sighed. "Damn..." Ginny said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Ginny looked back down at the flower, which was now wilted, and half dead. "Oh." She said, frowning. "How sad."

"Yes." Luna said. "That lasted about as long as a nargle in a vat of cheddar cheese."

Ginny didn't question.