Chapter 19: Nightmares Before Christmas
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Recap: After confessing almost everything to Lily and Sev. We found what's possibly to be Jack 'o Lantern's origin story. To confirm that we have to ask the only ghost still around in Hogwarts.
Turns out, that when looking for a ghost that likes to pop out where you least want it to - Finding him yourself was a lot harder than we first thought.
Before we know it, three days passed. The holiday started. The school became more desolate than ever. Some were even glad they could get away from school, and not just because to get away from the studies but from the mysterious sleeping epidemic as well.
Despite the seriousness of our mission. The three of us did enjoy the small peace given from the lack of scrutiny people gave us. Mostly me, but Sev and Lily weren't exempt from the judgemental look some gave them seeing how close the three of us are. When we aren't thinking about Ghost and just talked and laugh at the most random things like how to make a blue hot chocolate by hand, eating English muffin, and plotting ways to humiliate James and Sirius if our Prank War will ever start again. Sev and me even plotted ways to get them expelled, but Lily make sure we don't talk it further or else we might just do that. A sheepish grin was my only response to her.
Sometimes we try to sneak to the staff room or hid closely near teachers, eavesdropping for any clue they might about the Ghost or the condition of the two sleeping students still being watched in the school infirmary. Sev had told me before that the Black Family almost raised an uproar that they couldn't bring Narcissa back to their home and insisted she'd be taken to the best professional healer they could find.
Dumbledore had patiently and gently argued that seeing as normal spells couldn't wake her up. The surrounding magic invoke on her is still a mystery and not knowing what causing her sleep state could prove fatal if she was hit by a curse that might worsened when being drag further from the place she was put. Or triggered something worst when exposed foreign magical factor. He went as far as to compromise that they could bring as many healer as they want to Hogwarts if it helps get some answer.
Still no changes whatsoever for them.
Just when we thought our luck ran out. By time the morning of Christmas Eve came rolling in, we saw our target cackling madly as he put up crackling mistletoe randomly on the ceiling and walls.
"Peeves!"
The Poltergeist stopped from my voice, a manic grin stretched across his face waiting for the inevitable scolding he was probably waiting. So I had small satisfaction seeing his astonished look when the three pensive kids looking up at him and one of them said, "We need to talk."
I know. I sounded like a boyfriend waiting for a breakup talk.
"Oooh, what does Washout Percy with little ol' me? Oh wait, maybe I should call you Bad Luck Percy hihihihihi. Bad Luck Percy~Bad Luck Percy~ bringing Bad Luck everywhere he go- YOW!"
Peeves found himself dodging a spell narrowly and glared at the offender.
"Severus, behave." I warned him half-heartedly.
"Oops," Sev said monotonously before tucking in his wand.
Lily decided then that she took charge of the conversation, probably knowing we're too irritated to make a proper conversation with him. "Please Peeves, can you spare some time for us to talk? We promised not to throw spells at you."
"Well…" I drawled but shut up quickly at Lily's glare.
"No. Spells." Lily emphasized strongly.
Peeves seemed to be considering and his clownish face smiled "Alright, alright, since you asked very nicely. What do you need?"
"Can you tell us about where all the ghost might be hiding? Better yet, can you tell us why they're hiding, and who is Jack 'o Lantern?"
"Ssshh, don't say the word out loud." Peeves shushed us, making Lily clamp her mouth. He motioned us to come closer with wary glances thrown around and we inched closer to him, waiting for whatever he would reveal to us.
We should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Just when he was about to whisper to us, he blew out a raspberry, spitting at us in the process, much to our disgust. Peeves cackled loudly as he floated away, twirling in laughter.
"That's it." Sev snarled and pulled out his wand but Lily held him back at the last second
"Patience Sev, we knew it wouldn't be easy." Lily reminded him but she was also at the edge of her patience too. I wrecked my brain for any idea and smile when I thought of one.
"Actually. I think he would listen if he was in a bind don't you think so Severus?"
Severus eyes glinted in understanding at my message but so did Lily. Her eyes widened and opened her mouth to reprimand him again, but was a second too late.
"Incarcerous," he cried. Rope shoot out of his wand and slithered around Peeve and tied into a knot by the end of it. But Sev showed mastery of the spell by having one end of the rope in his hand, making him Peeve looked like an ugly overgrown balloon.
Lily threw her arm in the air and huffed. "Sure, tie him up, don't listen to the girl. How is he going to answer us now that we held him like this?" Lily demanded.
"Rather, I'm surprised that worked. Couldn't he just go intangible and float away?"
"Nah, he's a poltergeist and spells still works on him. So when I bind him, he is literally in a bind," Sev informed us with a smug smirk.
Just when I was about to compliment him, Peeves cackled loudly, getting our attention. "So you caught me, so what? You think I'll tell some meddling kids some old myth that the old timer ghosts are still afraid of."
Sev and Lily looked unsure what to do, but I only arched an eyebrow at him. "What makes you think we can't make you talk."
"Ha! I ain't telling you kids nothing, and nothing can make me talk!" He said with his tongue out in the end. For an old ghost, he acted like a real 5 year old.
"You sure about that?" I turned and made a look to my two friends and they both turned to watch over any outsider that could pass us by. Seeing that it's currently the holiday only assured us how unlikely there'll be anyone around.
I pulled out my pen and summon Riptide in my arm, the sharp end of the blade tucked under his round face. If it was possible, his ghostly skin has gone paler than before.
"I see you know what this is. That makes it easier, so here's what you're going to do. You're going to tell us everything we want to know, and when we release you, you'll say nothing of this."
"Y...you're bluffing. You wouldn't dare. Besides, Celestial Bronze shouldn't hurt us."
"Oh I bet everyone wouldn't miss Hogwart's resident menace. They are so eager to get rid of you that I dare say I would. Besides, there's a first time for everything and I always wondered if Stygian Iron is the only material that works on you ghosts, care to be the first lab rat?"
The audible gulp had a satisfying ring, but his mouth was still clamped shut. Looking resigned, I raised my sword and was about to struck him down when he finally cried. "Waitwaitwaitwait, I'll tell, I'll tell- spare me!"
My sword stopped just a millimeter away from between his eyes. My eyes didn't show any mercy and was devoid of any emotion.
"Well? I'm listening."
"Okay, okay, every ghost know about the Will 'o Wisps, it's a story all the old timer ghosts know. And all the ghost here are old timers except me. They know if one touches the fire you get nightmares but for ghost you'll be gone for good. Kaput. Vamoosh. Gone. No one knows if they move on or their soul got sucked for something. But since there's no good story about them, when they hear about the floating blue fire, they only know one thing and one thing only to do."
"What's that?" I asked but my tone demanded him to answer.
"Run," Peeves said seriously, and it was a tone I never heard him with that made it more ominous.
Making my eyes narrowed at the forbidding word, I kept my bravado, I've always been good acting confident. "What do you mean about getting nightmares?"
For a moment, Peeves looked delighted for whatever reason and I pushed the sword further to his neck as a reminder. "Alright, alright. They give nightmares to humans okay. Whoever comes upon them would put into into a deep sleep and stuck into their worst nightmare."
"For how long?"
A wicked grin spread on his lips and I didn't like his face nor did I like his response. "Forever."
I pursed my lips and held back cursed words in Greek. "Percy." I was caught by my own thought, I didn't hear the first Sev called out my name.
"What reason? For what reason is he doing this?"
Peeve chuckled, "If you know about Jack then you should know about his old tale. That Ol' Jack still wandering around, cursing for eternity for never living, never dying. So he tried to make himself whole once more from the essence gain by the fear of men."
"Percy," this time, Lily called out but I still ignored them both.
"Whole? What do you mean by that? Tell it to me straight!"
""PERCY!""
"What?!" I turned in frustration but instantly froze when all three of us witnessing the same thing we had studied and feared.
A Will 'o Wisp.
"Everyone back away slowly," I whispered as if we were a cornered prey. No one complaint while we did just that, but then a warm sense sprouted behind that sent shiver down my spine. I turned, dreading to confirm my suspicion, but to my luck it was another one of those cursed fire.
"Okay, let's just go to the side and we'll be out of our fiery friend's way."
My two friends nodded in agreement as we step sideways but two more fires blocked our way. Making the only only way out is the railing that would led us to a 20 feet plunge down to the ground.
"Guys whatever you do, don't touch the fire."
"Yeah, no need to state the obvious Percy." Severus snark, "So what's the plan?"
"You never like my plan."
"Yeah, but it's better with no plan at all."
More Wisps surrounded us, and we were backing away toward the trick railing we knew was not real. I whipped around for anything that I could do to improvise. I never was a plan-guy, but a more of improv-guy.
But the only thing I have on hand is rope to an obnoxious ghost, wands to use spells I'm not good at, and Riptide that I'm not certain would work on ghost. I looked down below where moving stairs kept their scheduled movement when an idea struck me.
"I have a plan."
Sev glanced at me, "Is it a good one?"
I paused. "I have a plan," I reiterate firmly. Making Sev groaned and Lily looked like she had a mix of worry and excitement on her face.
I pulled Peeves close with the rope and make sure we were face to face, "Listen Peeves. Here's how it's going to go down. We can all be struck down by those fire but while we risk putting ourselves to sleep, you'll be risking your very being. So help us and get us all out or you'll finally get to know what a fate worst than death feels like, capiche?" I made my best Death Glare I knew had made few monsters turned tail seeing and held back the urge to smile as he nodded vigorously.
"Good." More Wisps surrounded us and I didn't waste time giving the end of the rope to Lily and Sev. "Guys, you trust me right?"
The questioned was so out of nowhere, they only nodded as an answer and I had to be satisfied with that.
The Wisps were floating ever so closely.
"Peeve, I trust you you'll take us away from here. Lily, Sev, we're going to do two things."
"What's that?" Lily asked worriedly.
"First, no matter what you do, don't let go of the rope. Second-"
The fires lunge forward.
"JUMP!"
And we did.
Had I spare time to look back at my two friends, I would have realized they had only jumped because of my sudden order and regretted the moment they did.
They hang onto the rope for dear life and for a few seconds we were free falling down through the moving stairs. I thought I heard Sev making comments about how mad I was and a few curse words but I was too busy screaming myself.
Then I felt the tug of the rope and we all stopped midway. Looking up, Peeves held his promise and was holding us up with all the strength his fat little body could take. It was the first time I saw him floating so slow, and had he his skin was normal instead of pale white and actually has blood vein, I would probably see his face flushed red from effort.
I looked up, praying for Hecate's sake that the Wisps won't follow us.
Apparently it did.
"Peeves, fly us down!"
Peeves grunted and did just that, most likely thinking listening to me was the shortest way of getting rid of me too.
The three of us swayed in the air, but I doubt Lily and Sev had the upper arm strength to hold on for too long. So when the closes Moving stairs was just below us. I told them to jump and they did. I'm a bit surprised they still listen to me after all this.
The two of them grunted in pain as they land roughly on the stairs, but there's no time to check on them as I held up their hand and screamed for them to run.
The blue fires were still on our tail, taking random turns as we tried to shake off the ghost. The fires were also flying faster toward us and also gaining on us too. Damn my 11-year old body.
Lily decided to take matters into her own hands though and with her wand brandished yelled out a spells that spout out water like a hose garden. We paused as we waited for the spell to either work or fail, but Sev seemed to already know because he was already running with us in tow and the corridor was empty for only two seconds before the Wisps lighted itself again.
"It's a ghost with the form of a Will 'o Wisp, regular water doesn't work on it!"
We ran down the stairs and while deciding the next path to take, I was glad to see a familiar face on the wall and felt desperate to ask for a bit of hand, "Mira, we need help!"
"Haddian, you're here." She smiled warmly with a light blush on her, "What can I do for you, dear?"
"Percy, now is not the time!"
I ignored Lily, "Mira do you know any secret entrance of the sort around here?"
Mira looked uncomfortable as she looked down at her fish on her hand, "Actually - oh, I'm not even suppose to tell you - I have a secret entrance behind me, but I'm sorry Haddian, you need to know the password for me to get you inside."
"Di immortales!" I cussed while running my hand through my hair. Ignoring the way, Mira was pointing at her fish with eagerness.
Lily did though, she nudge both Sev and me and asked us, "Quick, what type of fish is she holding?"
"A haddock, why?" I answered automatically. I wasn't sure how I knew when I never even opened any kind of Fish Encyclopedia but I brushed it off as one of the perks of being Poseidon's kid.
A click was heard and we simultaneously turned to find a hidden passage behind the painting. With no time to spare, we rushed forward at the dim corridor until we found the end of the line. I touched the end of the wall, pushing to find it opened, finding ourself to the Front Hall.
Panting heavily for air, we turned to each other, unspoken question han in the air.
"We're clear. The Wisps are gone," Severus finally said.
Slumping down like a puppet who had its wire cut, we sighed in relief that we got away from the Ghostly Fire. We thought it was over with that so I didn't hold back the smile I had on me, "Lily, you were brilliant! How did you know what the password was?"
She rolled her eyes fondly but I didn't miss the blush she had from the compliment, "Unlike you two boys, I actually notice the hints she's given us. Like, gesturing at the fish and almost choking it?"
I breathed a small laugh, and slowly it turned to all three of us laughing together.
The small happy time were too soon cut off when a scream broke through the hall and we were up on our feet. In retrospect, we should have stayed out of trouble when we had just escaped from one, but curiosity got the best of us. Let's just hope the cat doesn't die from this.
We began to hear sobs from a familiar voice I recognized from one Ravenclaw.
"Angela...Angela, don't go to sleep please…" I heard her cry, and her tone was pleading and a bit desperate.
We arrived at the same time some of the three Professors. There was Professor Rose and McGonagall and one other woman I didn't recognize.
The Ravenclaw- May was it?- hugged my fellow 'Puff's body and tried to shake her awake. Even spotting out spells I've never heard with her wand, but with how distraught she was, I doubt it would work even if it wasn't the Wisps' fault.
"Please tell me Professor, please tell me there's a cure for her." She looked up pleadingly to the teachers.
Professor McGonagall bit her lip, but still continued in a grim voice. "Professor Rose, Professor Monte, please escort the girl to the infirmary."
The two professors nodded and did just that. May was about to follow but McGonagall stopped her. "You need to rest Dear."
"No please, let me stay. She's my best friend- my only friend. I need to be with her."
"You'll only worry yourself to exhaustion if you stay." Professor McGonagall gently chastised, "There's nothing you can do other than leave the rest to us adults...and hope for the best." She said those word in such resigned voice, it only made May cry harder while McGonagall pulled her into a hug and rubbing her back soothingly.
All three of us were pale at the sight, because the place the crime took wasn't very far from where we had lost track of the Wisp and took out to the nearest target instead.
Professor McGonagall finally look to the side and took notice of us three, "What are you doing? There's nothing to see here, off you go!"
The three of us did just that. Occasionally looking behind but out of earshot of McGonagall talking and wiping May's tears. It was weird looking them both so...vulnerable.
May had been a headstrong, know-it-all, and a bit of arrogant girl. Never had I ever imagined her crying over her friends and honest to God scared for her. Nor had ever seen the stern Professor being compassionate and looking older when being unsure what to say.
We went up the stairs, away from them and almost bumped to a pissed looking Peeves, his rope already untied.
"Peeves, you're okay!"
Peeves scoffed, "No thanks to you. First that Pretty Lady choked me with her wand to find the other ghosts' little hiding place now you meddling kids held me against my will. For shame I tell you. Shame!"
"You're one to tal-wait, back up. What did you say about the Pretty Lady?"
Peeves paused for a moment, before making a slow grin while cackling madly. Twirling around in the air, "I ain't tellin you nothin' kekekeke, I know somethin that you don't~ Peeves know something that you don't~!"
He quickly turned tail and flew away before any of us could press further.
"Who do you think he's talking about?" Lily asked.
Sev shook his head. "Unless we know anyone else investigating about the incident, I have no idea."
I was about to agree only to be reminded one other person in mind, "Actually there's one person in mind that fits that description."
""Who?"" They asked simultaneously.
"I'll tell you tomorrow, right now it's getting late and after running around we did, I think we should have our rest."
They looked like they wanted to protest but Lily's body betrayed her when she made a big yawn and Sev's yes softened at how tired she was, ending him up agreeing with me.
That night, I thought since it was Christmas Eve the dreams would take a break.
Again, I was wrong.
I was back again at the old dusty room where Voldylord and Circe seemed to have their meeting.
"How's the progress of that plan of yours?" The raspy cold voice said in a almost hissing tone.
"More and more victims have come down to a deep sleep Dark Lord, and he is ever much closer to revealing his true form. Unfortunately none has hit the intended target yet."
"Then I must ask, how did you handle the Ghost? Surely he's not so easy to deal with?"
Circe chuckled amusingly, "All is taken care of, let's just I have...turned the tables on him and leave it at that."
"And what of this nuisance you said that's been hindering you?"
"Do not worry, he hasn't figure out the real truth of the Ghost nor that I am closer than he thinks." She angled her head slightly so even under her hood, I can feel her eyes penetrating through me and made me shiver. "Even if he was to watch our conversation, he will only be helpless just as he is now."
She raised her hand and with a flick of her finger, I felt my body being pushed away like a mule just kicked me and found myself jumping up from my bed. I blinked a few times, feeling delirious of where I was for a moment before remembering that I'm in my dorm, in Hogwarts.
I heaved in the air slowly to calmed myself, not knowing the time I looked at my wristwatch but then remembered that it doesn't work. Then looked up at the small cuckoo clock hanging showing its three minutes to midnight.
In a sudden impulse, I took out my winter robe. Silently sneaking out of the warm comfy abode and purposely to the dark cold winter air through the corridors.
I knew it was a dangerous time to be out alone, but I couldn't help but finding an open window. When I did, I sat at the edge. An icy touch tickled my nose and I looked up to find that it was snowing. I played with the beads of my necklace and whispered to the friends and family I have in the distant place and future.
"Merry Christmas."