Collin made his way to the corridor where he and Merula had heard Snape and Filch talking. Ben and Rowan were waiting just outside for him. Ben was pretty scared as usual. "I'll admit this is more terrifying than I ever imagined. And I spend a lot of time imagining terrifying things…" He then turned to Collin. "I'm even more confused by you saying this wouldn't be dangerous, Collin."

Collin shrugged. "I… honestly have faced something far more scarier than Mrs. Norris… and I said it wouldn't be that dangerous… Now, are you both ready?"

"I'm ready to run at the first sight of danger."

"I spent all night studying maps of this section of the castle, and going over the plan, Collin." Rowan replied with determination. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Collin sighed and nodded. "I convinced Filch into staying in his office, but we should still hurry. Snape might return at any minute." He then looked at his friends with his own determination. "Ben will keep watch to make sure no one is coming. Rowan will give the sleeping draught to Mrs. Norris while I use Alohomora to unlock the door."

Rowan now looked puzzled. "I've read a lot of books, but none of them explain how to make a cat drink a potion…"

Collin shook his head. "I mixed it with milk. Just pour it on the ground," Collin said as he handed over the bottle. "She should lick it up then."

Rowan nodded and proceeded with his part of the plan before scampering back to the others. "I imagined myself doing all sorts of things at Hogwarts, but I never thought I'd be giving a cat a sleeping draught…" They turned to see the red eyed cat do as Collin had theorized. "Brilliant Plan, Collin! You have a real gift for this. If wizarding doesn't work out, you should really consider burglary."

Collin shook his head with grief in his blue eyes. "Let's hurry, and get inside that door…" He sounded a little hurt, but his friends didn't notice.

They reached the door, and as Collin had suspected, it was locked. "Quick, get the lock open before Filch comes back!" Rowan kept looking about anxiously.

Collin wasn't worried though. He did the motions and his speech was perfect. "Alohomora!" The door was unlocked. They were about to go in when Collin was knocked back by a jinx!

"Flipendo!"

"OOOF!" Collin found himself sprawled out on the floor, having been knocked into Ben and Rowan. He rubbed his head, having landed hard against the wooden door. "Hello, Merula… can't you think of a better greeting?"

Merula just sneered. "Only an idiot like you would invite a spineless Mudblood to keep watch, Kintobor."

Collin rolled his eyes. "He has a spine, Merula. He's a lion, not a jellyfish."

"Shut up." Then the dark haired human smirked as her purple eyes glowed with devious mockery. "I was wondering how to unlock the door, and get past that nasty cat. All I had to do is follow you, and wait for you to do it for me." She glared, a small grin on her face. "A cursed vault could be inside, and no one is going to reach the cursed vaults before me."

Collin looked up at the tall girl from his position on the floor. "If you want in first so badly, just ask." He muttered as she went past him and his friends through the door.

Rowan groaned as the trio of Gryffindors got up. "Have I mentioned how much I hate Merula?"

Collin nodded. "You boys alright?"

Rowan grimaced but nodded. Ben rubbed the back of his head as well. "Now I know the exact pain you saved me from when Merula was bullying me…"

Rowan looked to Collin, who had somehow become the leader, despite his small height and youth. "What are we going to do, Collin?" He asked the small human.

Collin shook his head as he headed towards the door. "As mad as it sounds, we have to help her. She could be in danger. I'm not up for having anyone die on my watch, Rowan."

"You're right, it sounds mad." Rowan sighed. "I'm right behind you, Collin."

Ben grimaced. "I'm afraid of what might be inside, but I'm even more afraid of being all alone in this corridor." Rowan was surprised at this version of courage from the cowardly lion.

Collin nodded. "Let's see what's inside this room…" They open the door, and Collin's eyes go wide at the ice surrounding them all. "Merula?!" He calls out in shock. His blue eyes couldn't get any bigger, and his jaw almost dropped.

Ben gasps but confusion is written more clearly on his face than anything. "What happened?!"

Rowan was smirking and laughing though as he spotted the purple eyed Slytherin. "This is too good…"

Merula was trapped in ice, and it was spreading. Her wand was currently keeping the room lit with the Lumos spell. "The ice st-stuck m-me t-to the f-floor, and k-keeps sp-spreading over me!" She managed through chattering teeth.

Collin glared at the ice and muttered. "It's the same ice from my vision…"

Merula was just getting more upset and colder by the second. "It's spreading over the door too! Get m-me out of this ice b-before I j-jinx the three of you!"

Collin turned around just in time to see the door literally covered in ice crystals. "Great… the door is frozen shut…"

"COLLIN, HELP!" Collin turned quickly to see Rowan and Ben also being frozen just as Merula was!

"Agh, Hold on!" The young human groaned as he tried to figure out what to do. He kicked at the ice a few times before casting a spell. "Flipendo!" That was Rowan freed at least. "Are you okay, Rowan?"

"Don't worry about me! We have to help Ben…" They turned to the muggle born wizard who was surprisingly quiet for someone with a large amount of fear in general.

The two boys looked at the ice. "The ice is stronger, so we'll have to cast together."

"Right."

Together the two of them cast the spell. "Flipendo!"

Ben found himself out of the ice, and finally able to speak. "Thanks, you guys. I was afraid I'd freeze to death…"

"No one c-cares about y-you! S-save m-m-me!" Merula cried out as more ice covered her.

Collin got into position and willed his power to his wand. "Everyone… stand back!" The boys stood back as the tiny Gryffindor looked at the ice with a bit of anger. "Merula… this might hurt…"

"What are you t-talking about?! What are you g-going t-to d-do?!"

"I'm going to get you out of there, young lady." Collin stated as he prepared to cast the spell. "Flipendo!" the boy practically growled as his wand lit up.

Merula found herself not only freed, but also knocked down to the ground. "Owwww…." She got up and stamped her foot angrily while Collin calmed himself down again.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Rowan asked cheekily.

Collin shook his head. "Save it, Rowan. We have to get out of this room…" He turned towards the door. Collin tried to use the knockback jinx, but it was too much after freeing Merula. He was too tired. "Ben… you're up. I know you know the knockback jinx. We need you to open the door."

"I… I can't, I'm too afraid!"

"Worthless, Mudblood!" Merula spat.

Collin shook his head. "Don't listen to her, she's just annoyed. Ben, I know you can do this. You just have to try… for your friends?" He tried, hoping Ben would snap out of his depressing fear filled mindset for a moment to save them.

"…" He sighed and readied himself. "I'll try…" He stood in front of the door and cast the spell. "Flipendo!" As Flitwick had said, Ben was quite skilled in charms. The ice was gone.

"You did it, Ben!" Collin grinned.

Ben looked at his handiwork in shock. "I did it…"

"Let's get out of here!" Rowan indicated for the door.

Ben was worried about something else now though. "Do you think this ice will keep spreading throughout the castle?"

Collin wasn't looking at his friends now though. He spotted something written near the door. "What the… wait, guys, look at this!"

"What is it?" Ben looked where Collin was pointing.

Rowan was curious, his eagerness to leave was temporarily calmed. "It's some sort of code. Someone left a message in the ice…"

Collin went for his bag but realized he didn't have it for once. "Agh, I forgot my bag! I wish I had something to write it down with…"

"I already have it memorized. Let's get out of here…" Rowan said with determination. Collin blinked. He had memorized the writing as well, but having it on paper would make it easier for him. Nevertheless, he hoped that Rowan wasn't bluffing. The group left the room. "We did it!" He smirked as they left the ice room.

Merula sneered. "I should have known better than to follow you idiots. I'll find the real cursed vaults by myself…"

"I suppose I should be thankful that that wasn't a real cursed vault." Collin muttered as he leaned against the stone walls for support.

"It almost seemed like the ice was escaping from the vault…" Rowan muttered as well. "Deciphering those runes could give us a clue as to where the real one is…" Rowan then looked at his friend with concern. "Looks like your vision was some sort of prophecy. If the ice is spreading, it could eventually encase all of Hogwarts…"

Collin shook his head and started to lead his friends away. "We can try to work it out later. Let's get back to the tower and our common room before we get caught by Filch or Snape…"

The next day, Collin went down to breakfast like normal in the Great Hall only to have Angelica call him over. Collin sighed and made his way over to the tall prefect. "You wanted to see me…?"

"I warned you that word travels fast Hogwarts, Collin…" Collin raised a brow, wondering what she was talking about. "Is it true that you entered a forbidden corridor with Rowan, Ben, and Merula Snyde?"

"… define forbidden…" Collin grimaced.

"Do not lie to me, Collin. It will greatly damage our relationship…"

Collin sighed. "Look, I want to lie to you, but I won't. It was my idea. I thought it was connected to the cursed vaults. I was hoping to understand a bit more on who my sister was, since everyone has deemed it fit to compare me to her." He snapped at the prefect, causing her to step back a little, despite their difference in height and age. "S…sorry…" He was back to his fearful self.

"I… I understand why you did it, but you have to realize that you represent all of Gryffindor. Professor Dumbledore has requested to see you later this evening." Collin's eyes widened in shock.

"Why?"

"I assume to talk about what did or did not happen in that corridor. Good luck, Collin. You're going to need it…"

Collin spent the rest of the day worrying while doing his classes. What did Dumbledore want to talk to him about? Would he be angry about the ice? Would Collin be blamed for it? Would his friends be alright? These were all things he worried about as he tried to figure out what to do.

On his way to see the headmaster, Rowan stopped him. "Collin! I wanted to catch you before you meet with Professor Dumbledore!"

Collin sighed and had a saddened face. "I'm sorry, Rowan, but I'm pretty sure I'm on my way to be punished. I can't ask the Headmaster if he'll hire you to be a professor someday." It was a grim bit of humor, but it was all he could do.

"It's not about that. Although, if the opportunity presents itself, that would be really cool. It's about the code we saw scrawled in the cursed ice last night. I found an obscure book about ciphers. I think I know what it means!"

"That's amazing… and fast…. What does the code say?" Collin had a bit of his normal spark in his eyes again.

"The Ice Knight stands guard past the vanished stairs."

"Huh… I saw stairs and a suit of armor in my vision…"

"It's obviously ominous, and since we found it in the cursed ice, it must be connected to the cursed vaults. I'll spend the summer holidays searching for any references I can find to Ice Knights and Vanished stairs at Hogwarts. Hopefully, I'll have it worked out by the time we return for our second year."

Collin felt bummed again. "If we return for our second year. I'm sorta expecting to be expelled…"

"I hope not, Collin. I want to solve this mystery with my best friend." Collin nodded. He'd like to do that too.

"I gotta go. I'll at least send you an owl later…" He muttered as he headed towards the courtyard, where he had been told to go by an earlier owl.

Dumbledore was waiting for him, gazing at the stars. He didn't seem to notice Collin, until he spoke up as the short human came close to him. "Thank you for meeting with me, Collin."

"Of course, Professor Dumbeldore. I…" He was a bit confused and nervous.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" The old man indicated to the stars above.

"Sir?"

"The quiet night, the crisp air… it truly puts your troubles into perspective, doesn't it?" He smiled while Collin took a quick gaze as well, agreeing with the sentiment. "I oftentimes come here when I need to make an important decision."

Collin sighed and tried to prompt the older man to get to the hard part already. "My prefect said you wanted to see me about everything I've done wrong this year… and about what happened with the cursed ice."

The professor looked down at the young human with a bit of stern curiosity. "You are expecting a lecture, but I feel as though you want to ask me about something…"

Collin thought about it and steeled himself to ask. "I had a vision, Professor. I saw living armor, hidden passages, cursed ice…and … when I heard about the ice, I had to know what it was about. I thought… I think it has to do with my sister… as vague as that sounds…"

Dumbledore nodded. "Interesting. I have a feeling these things will become clearer to you in the coming years at Hogwarts."

Collin's eyes lit up and went wide with surprise. "I'm not going to be expelled?"

"You have made many, many mistakes this year, Collin. But you have also demonstrated bravery, compassion, and resourcefulness, which is probably why the hat had such a problem sorting you, even though it ordinarily would have sorted you by your lineage." Collin flinched at that. "You show great promise." Dumbledore's expression softened, as did Collin's stance. "All things considered, I believe you have earned one hundred points for Gryffindor."

Collin's jaw would have dropped if not connected to him by skin. "One hundred House points?! Wow. Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

The professor became serious again. "In the years to come, you must be mindful of how your decisions impact others. Remember, Collin, it is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices. Your own have already started to change some things around you."

"Can we talk more about the cursed ice… and my sister… and the Cursed Vaults?"

The headmaster smiled again. "We can, and we will. Next year. You have enough to think on already. Enjoy your summer Holidays, Collin."

The headmaster left Collin outside to think about what had just happened. Looking at the stars, Collin felt himself a lot… lighter… than he had in a long time…