A/N: (insert awkward silence here)... Well, hello everyone. Firstly, I deeply apologize for my long unexplained absence here. I've been away from this website for almost four months, due to a series of unfortunate events and, well, daily responsabilities. However, being apart from this story seemed to increase a bunch of things I've been struggling with - anxiety being one of them - so I figured it was time to get back. Wanting or not, Athena is a part of me now and I really missed being connected to her. I have two other chapters that had been written back in September, so I'm going to post them in the course of the next weeks, and hopefully I'll be able to write some more. I hope you guys enjoy today's chapter. I wanna thank you a lot for all the new followers and for everyone who sent me messages, asking if I was okay. You guys are amazing. Without further ado, let's head to the chapter. Any comments, critiques or concerns, feel free to contact me.

Chapter Seven - Through the Looking Glass

There is not a single word, in the whole world

That could describe the hurt

The dullest knife just sawing back and forth

And ripping through the softest skin there ever was*

I wish I could say that we found Beatrice before nightfall. That before a single star had shown in the dark blue velvet sky, we already had her back, safe within Penny's arms.

But that's not what happened.

It hurt like a thousand needles seeing Penny going back to her common room, buried in anguish and hopelessness, and heading to a sleepless night that she'd spend worrying and wondering if her sister was okay. Amongst all the pain, I was wishing there was something I could do. I spent the entire night wishing to be more powerful, just so I could find Beatrice and bring her safely back to her sister's side.

That was one of the longest nights ever. I got out of bed several times, and each time I'd go to the window and consider transforming and looking for Beatrice during the night, but the shapes and silhouettes against the clouds told me that the teachers were already doing it. The Prefects were even summoned to help look for Beatrice instead of doing rounds, and Rowan's empty bed wasn't bringing me any more peace of mind.

When the morning came and I had to take my lonely and tired walk to the kitchens, Beatrice's sweet face was in my mind all the time. When I left detention and went to the Great Hall, it was Penny's dismayed face that brought me even more anguish. We spent the entire Sunday looking for Beatrice, without success. Penny became more and more sad and was already considering writing home to tell her parents that her sister was gone. And the tears, unceasingly falling down her beautiful face, were now her continuous companions.

"I don't know what else to do," Rowan tells me when we were heading back to the Great Hall for dinner. "James and I checked the entire West Wing last night. There's no sign of Bea."

"I remember back in third year, when Penny was upset because her friend had passed away," I say. "I never wanted to see her that way again. And now she seems so hopeless…"

"We need to find a way to find Beatrice."

During dinner, Penny doesn't eat. Rowan, Tulip, Talbott and I watch her during the entire meal; her plate remains empty and clean. Her eyes, sunken and bruised, show all the desperation inside of her. After the meal ends, as we're leaving the Great Hall, Bills lands a hand on my shoulder.

"Athena," he says. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," I say, as my friends continue their way to Ravenclaw's Tower.

I follow Bill to the Courtyard; he remains silent the entire time, looking like he's buried in thoughts. When we get there, I realize we're not alone. Sitting by the fountain, looking bored as always, is Merula.

"What is she doing here?" I inquire, when Bill walks directly to her.

"It's not like I'm thrilled to be here too, Lockhart," Merula says, dry.

"This is not time to exchange barbs," Bill says. "We're a team now. Beatrice's disappearing clearly has something to do with the Cursed Vaults. If we're going to look for them together, we need to get along."

"What about Madam Rakepick? Shouldn't she be here too?" Merula asks.

"We can't rely on her for everything," he says. "We still need to be proactive."

I cross my arms. "And what do you suggest?"

He looks at us with seriousness. "We need to start looking for the next Vault. Right away."

Merula rolls her eyes. "But we don't even know where it is, Weasley. How will we know where to begin?"

Bill's eyes focus on me. I clench my jaw, remembering Professor Snape's words. That I have to make Rakepick trust me. However, despite my endless distrust, Penny is deeply more important to me than any issues I might have with either Rakepick or Merula.

I let out a long sigh, staring at the castle's silhouette against the night sky. "I might have a clue."

Talking to Merula about everything that's been going on as if we're the best of friends was definitely one of the most bizarre things that ever happened to me. She kept her face serene during my entire speech, only moving to nod at certain points of my monologue. Bill, standing next to us, grew more serious with every word; his jaw was clenched, and his arms were crossed, and he looked extremely worried.

I told them about the Dark Wizard's attack on Ben and me. I didn't drag Professor Snape's name into the conversation, so I simply said that the Portkey theory was all mine. I told Merula about the items we found in the previous Vault – the dragon picture and the tiny sweater – and she seemed disappointed that the Vaults held such useless things.

"I know that they sound like worthless junk," I told her. "But they are clues to the next Vault."

She seemed to get more contemplative after that. Her violet eyes, glistening under the moonlight, looked like they were trying to connect the dots of everything that made the Cursed Vaults so… mysterious.

"I'll try to figure out where these two objects can lead us," she said. "I'll let you know when I'm successful."

"When? Not if?" I questioned.

She smirked. "Oh, silly Lockhart. There's no such thing as if in my vocabulary."

She returned to the castle, leaving me alone with Bill. He looked at me, his eyes revealing all the concern inside of him. I barely noticed, with the passing of the years, how much he grew. His face was now of a grown man – mature, serious and responsible -, his hair was longer, now touching his shoulders, and the subtle shade around his jaw told me that he had started to shave.

"I can't believe these curses started to reave everything so soon," he said, dismayed.

"This is just the beginning, Bill."

"You don't trust Merula, do you?" he asked. "Nor Rakepick."

I shook my head. "But I'll work with them. For the greater good."

He smiled softly. "I won't say that I trust them either."

"Then why you agreed to work with them?" I asked.

"Rakepick sent a recommendation letter to Thomas Buckling," he told me. "He's her boss at Gringotts. He'll give me the opportunity to work there when I finish Hogwarts."

"Bill, you don't have to subject yourself to this just to get an awesome job. You are an incredible wizard. You'll get everything you-"

"It's not just the job, Athena," he said. "It is, of course, an important part of it all, but my reasons aren't so futile."

He looked at me, sombre. "I'm doing this to end these curses faster. I want my siblings to attend a safe school. You've seen what happened to Percy. I want to make this castle better… safer… before I leave."

I smiled. "You're a wonderful big brother, Bill."

"Thank you, Athena. We do all sorts of crazy things for our families."

"Yes. Yes, we do."

Penny seems to get more dismayed with the passing of the hours. Not even the beautiful Sunday morning, full of blooming flowers and chirping birds, is able to bring a smile to her lips. At breakfast, she doesn't eat again. We watch her leave the Great Hall, tears in her eyes, and return to her common room.

"Seeing Penny cry makes me feel like crying," Barnaby says when he walks past us, looking extremely worried about her.

"We need to find out how everything is connected," Rowan says. "The Vault items… Portkeys… didn't Rakepick say something about a map?"

I nod. "Last year she was inquiring Mr. Filch about it."

"It's all so strange…"

We head straight to the library; Madam Pince gets shocked when she sees our big group entering the lonely place. We find a table long enough to fit the ten of us – Liz and Percy join us, with his pet rat on his shoulder – and begin to look for information about Portkeys and whatever else that might help us.

"So, a Portkey is an enchanted object that transports anyone that touches it to a specific location," Rowan reads. "Most of the time, it's an everyday object that doesn't draw Muggle attention."

"Like what?" Liz asks. "Like a shoe?"

"I guess it could be," Rowan says. "Athie, was the Dark Wizard holding a shoe?"

I frown. "No. Not that I saw any."

"He was probably holding something small," Tulips says. "Something hard to see."

"Doesn't the Ministry supervise these sorts of things?" Rowan asks. "Underage magic usage… transportation…"

"The Ministry is flawed," Bill says. "I think we've all recognized that after they erased the twins' parents' memories last year."

I shiver. "I'm terrified to think that they might be involved…"

"What? The Ministry? That's nonsense," Percy says.

"Perce, I know you want to be Minister of Magic one day, but you've got to admit that the Ministry isn't perfect," Charlie says.

Percy mumbles, returning to the pile of books in front of him. We spend the whole morning searching for any information that could help us, but nothing leads to nowhere. So, we return to the Great Hall for lunch – frustrated and dismayed – and as we eat, we realize that Penny never shows up for the meal.

Tonks looks for her in their common room. "She isn't there." And we begin to feel tremendously worried. This time, we don't search the castle for Beatrice, but for Penny instead.

"Whoever finds her, cast Vermillious to warn if she's in danger and Verdimillious to say she's okay," Bill tells us, and we part ways, looking for her everywhere.

Talbott and I search for her at the rooftops and, from where we're flying, we can see Rowan and Charlie scanning the Quidditch pitch. My heart feels heavy and uneasy, and I spend the whole flight wondering if I'm going to relieve another episode of what happened to Julian and Nora.

He lands at the top of the Astronomy Tower roof, transforming back. I follow him, feeling my stomach slightly twist when I see how far we are from the ground.

"Still afraid of heights?" he asks me, amused.

"Only of extremely unsecure ones," I say, wrapping my arms around his waist.

He looks at me, his garnet eyes glistening under the strong afternoon sun. "You are dazzling. Did you know that?"

I blush furiously, feeling my heart race with anticipation as he shortens the distance between us, bringing his face closer to mine. I get lost in his eyes, mesmerized by how they can be red and gorgeous, but also reflect the bright blue sky and the sparse clouds. They're like mirrors to his soul and in his arms, intoxicated by his marvellous perfume, I wanna drown forever.

Before our lips can touch, I see him frown and immediately look back. Cutting the blueness of the sky, a myriad of greens explode like fireworks. At first, I feel the concern invade my body, but as I remember that the green means that Penny was found and is okay, I allow myself to relax.

"Let's see if she's okay," he tells me, placing a soft, delicious kiss on my lips.

We transform back into birds, flying across the sunny skies as the warm sunshine kisses our feathers. Talbott is much faster than I am, so I follow him from a distance, watching as his wings beat and as he skilfully inclines his body to land.

The Courtyard is crowded with students, but we manage to land in a tree nearby and transform under the branches. Talbott jumps softly to the ground, opening his arms to get me as I mimic him. I feel his arms closing around me before my feet even touch the ground. He kisses my forehead – sweet and gentle – and we rush to Ben, who's standing near the Artefact Room, wand in hand.

"She's in there," he says, and we watch Tulip and Tonks rush through the Courtyard towards where we're standing.

We enter the room, closing the door behind us. The only source of light inside in a candelabrum that is rested upon a wooden box. Next to it, Penny is sitting on the ground, over an old, ragged rug, with her legs crossed and a bunch of potion ingredients spread around her.

"I think she's catatonic," Ben says. "She hasn't moved a muscle since I found her."

Indeed. Penny is sitting static, her elbows rested on her knees, staring at the bluish potion that simmers inside the cauldron in front of her. Her eyes seem to be lost somewhere inside the liquid and she's sitting so still that it seems that she isn't even breathing.

"Penny?" I call, kneeling next to her. "Are you okay?"

She doesn't look at me. At first, I don't even think she'll move, but then she slowly reaches out to get a spoon to mix the potion. She adds a powder from a small flask and mixes it again. She then returns to her default, motionless position.

"Penny, what are you doing?" I try asking.

"I've lost count of how many ingredients she's added…" Ben says.

"Whatever she's brewing, seems more complicated than anything I've ever seen," I say, eyeing the many jars and flasks around her. "Powdered Doxy eyes… Porlock blood… Gryndilow bile? Jesus…"

"It's because I just invented it," Penny says, breaking her silence.

She looks at us, her eyes full of purpose. "I'm going to find my sister after I drink this potion. Nothing will be able to stop me. Everything will be fine. My sister is fine."

"What is this potion supposed to do?" I ask her.

Her eyes return to the cauldron. "It will allow me to speak telepathically with her. And once I know what she's thinking, I'll find out where she is."

"Like a Legilimency potion?"

"Exactly," she says, mixing the liquid one more time.

We watch her grab a tall mug and pour a bunch of the now transparent liquid into it. It smells a bit like lemongrass but given the origin of the ingredients inside of it, I'm sure it won't taste like it.

She takes the mug to her lips, drinking the entire content in a few big gulps. She cleans her mouth with her sleeve, closing her eyes as we all wait in silence.

At first, it seems like it worked. Her face rests serene as a soft smile appears on her lips. However, as the minutes drag, I watch her smile fade away and a big glistening tear fall from the corner of her eye. I rest a hand on her shoulder, and my gesture makes her burst into tears.

"Oh, Penny," I say, wrapping my arms around her.

She grapples my blouse, drenching my shoulder with her warm, sorrowful tears. "I can't! I just wanted to know that she's okay! That she's safe! Now I'll never find her!"

I tighten my embrace around her. "It will be all right."

"How can it be all right?" she sobs. "My sister is missing!"

"We'll create another potion," I say. "I know you'll be able to brew something brilliant."

"It's no use," she cries. "What if I never find her?"

I sigh in her hair. "Then we'll never stop looking," I tell her.

We manage to convince Penny to leave the dark and dusty Artefact Room and sit with us around the Courtyard fountain. Charlie found a way to smuggle some tea from the kitchens for her and since words won't help us find Beatrice, we all sit in silence. Barnaby wraps an arm protectively around Penny's shoulders as she silently cries. In the desperation within her eyes, I can see my own despair. Many times, I've been afraid that I would never find Jake. It took us many years to get close to finding him, but I don't want to see Penny losing hope as the years go by, wondering if she'll ever find her baby sister.

We see Bill leave the castle, walking to us with dismay. "McGonagall has already notified the Ministry."

"It means that they also lost hope," Penny murmurs, sadly, as many other tears fall down her cheeks.

"Don't lose your hope, Penny," Tonks says, running her fingers through Penny's hair. "We'll find her."

Penny looks down, the tears dropping from her eyes and staining her jeans. My heart breaks with the sight of her so sad and forlorn. She has been there for me so many times before, and not being able to help her when she mostly needs, is something that shatters me.

I look away, watching the hands move in clock, showing us how merciless time is. From the tower balcony, I see a familiar brown and caramel messy hair.

Merula acknowledges us – squinting in our direction - and I watch her disappear, but, shortly after, arise through the opened door. She walks to us with confidence. Her short hair shakes upon her shoulders with every step. Her black combat boots produce heavy sounds on the stone floor and she finally stops in front of us, with an expression that is a blend of seriousness, arrogance and pride.

"I found your sister," she says, solemn.

Penny lifts her head slowly. Her blue eyes meet Merula's violet irises. Though Merula's eyes are fierce and framed by the usual smudged eyeliner, the tears don't wash away the fire inside Penny's eyes.

She looks at Merula. "Where?"

Everything happens so fast that I'm barely able to comprehend my surroundings. Merula turns on her heels, making a gesture for Penny to follow her. As expected, none of us would let her go alone. I watch all my friends stand up and follow them, hasty through the corridors, as I look at Talbott with my heart racing. His eyes express everything I'm feeling.

This can't be good.

Merula leads us to the Great Staircase, buried in silence. Penny doesn't question her about her sister's whereabouts. She simply stands next to Merula, her hands clasped together, as the stairs take us to the seventh floor.

I notice Rakepick standing next to the archway that leads to the Divination corridor. She watches us arrive with a grim expression on her usual cocky face.

"I've never seen this sort of Dark Magic," she says.

"I found her by accident," Merula adds.

Right behind Rakepick, wrapped inside a heavy golden frame, is Beatrice. Her figure seems to be blended with the rest of the painting; the dark grass and the dry trees seem to be made of the made material as she. Inside of the portrait's horizon, a lightning strikes.

"Bea!" Penny cries, resting her hands desperately on the painting.

"Penny?" Beatrice says, her voice muffled. "Is that you? Where are you?"

Penny stares at Rakepick. "What happened to her?"

"I've already attempted every spell in my arsenal," she says. "As have both Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. They're currently speaking to the Ministry's Aurors inside Professor Dumbledore's office, which I'm certain will be ineffectual."

"What do you mean?" Penny gasps, the tears returning to her eyes.

"This is no ordinary magic. The only way to free your poor sister is by finding the next Vault and breaking its curse."

"So, this is the current curse?" I ask. "Will this happen to other students?"

Rakepick flashes me a dead serious stare. "We are all doomed to end up trapped within the portraits if we don't find the next Vault."

"But how did she end up in there?" Bill inquires.

"She hasn't been able to give us a clear answer," Rakepick says. "Whatever she's experiencing inside of the portrait appears to be distorting her perception of reality."

She looks at Penny with an expression of pity and slight boredom. "She may soon lose her connection to reality altogether."

"But someone must have seen something!" I say. "The other portraits, perhaps!"

I look at the portrait next to Beatrice's, where thin and serious Mage Merlin stares at us with long entwined fingers.

"This is what happens when you abandon the ways of ancient magic," he says, his voice deep and husky. "To know the curses, you must know what the Vaults were meant to hold."

"Extreme acts of villainy demand extreme acts of mobility!" someone shouts.

"Who said that?" I question.

Bill rolls his eyes. "Sir Cadogan."

"Who is Sir Cadogan?" I ask him.

"WHO IS SIR CADOGAN? HAH!" the portrait on the other side of Beatrice says, breaking into laughter short after. "I am Sir Cadogan. The one and only! The mighty! The strong! Some will claim I was sleeping when this egregious act occurred. I say BALDERDASH!"

The portrait bears the image of a short and chubby old man with a long moustache and a very short grey beard. He's wearing a full suit of armour that sparkles in silver and bearing a long, thin sword. Right behind him, a pony grazes upon the infinite grasslands.

Penny looks at him with defiance. "What happened to my sister, Sir Cadogan?"

He scratches his beard, looking very much embarrassed. "Well, I do not know, exactly. I was engaged in other activities…"

"He was sleeping," Merlin says, annoyed.

"Oh, yeah? Why don't you come here and say this to my face, huh, you old hag?!" Sir Cadogan incites, as Merlin simply rolls his wrinkled eyes.

Penny returns to look at Rakepick. "Not even a knight and one of the most powerful wizards can help us."

"Should a curse disturb this hallowed ground again, Sir Cadogan shall strike it down!" the knight shouts.

"This is your punishment for losing touch with ancient magic," Merlin says.

"Penny has never lost touch with ancient magic," I reply.

Merlin's lips curl in a smirk. "I was not talking about her. You were the one who lost touch with it. You were the one who forgot the origins of the source of your power. To the Vaults, you are the curse."

I clench my jaw, staring at his icy blue eyes that could cut steel. He runs his fingers through the extension of his long, white beard and flashes me a complacent smile.

"Do not dismay, half-blood," he tells me. "You will figure it all out. Time has a magic of its own."

"These riddles annoy me deeply," Rakepick says. "Don't worry, Miss Haywood. We'll find a way to free you sister from this dark magic. We just need to find the next Vault."

Just…

Penny looks at me, her eyes bearing pure disposition and determination. "Then I'll do whatever it takes to free Beatrice and prevent anyone else from this awful fate."

I reach out and hold her hand. "And I'll be with you, Penny. In every step of the way."

* I Hate to See Your Heart Break, by Paramore.