Chapter 17

The next quidditch match was coming up. Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor. Hermione and I were in the school library. We were seeing what information they had on basilisks so that people won't be suspicious of how we got the information we had. I had to go soon because I couldn't miss the quidditch match but Hermione needed the help and I still had a whole hour before it started.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something important. I think something happened before the quidditch match in the book but I was having a mind blank. I knew it was important. I was desperately trying to remember. I had a bad feeling. Like we shouldn't be here.

Then I remembered. We had to get out of the library now! I looked to Hermione and froze in panic. She was on the floor petrified. I was sure it had just happened. I heard hissing behind me. Quickly, I shut my eyes. What am I going to do? If I look I will get petrified at best. But I would just run into a wall if I tried to escape. Then there was also the possibility of the basilisk killing me by biting me.

The hissing was getting louder as I herd the basilisk move closer. What was I going to do? I have to find a way out but the only way was behind me. Behind me where the basilisk was. Then I thought of something. There must be an entrance to the secret library somewhere. It makes sense that there would be one in the library after all.

I started blindly feeling along the wall. I was getting desperate. The basilisk was getting closer. I could only think of two reasons why I wasn't dead yet. The first one was that it was waiting for me to look. The other was that it found my desperation amusing. I kept feeling along the wall. Crap! What if there isn't an entrance here.

As I thought that I felt the section of wall I had just touched, quickly slide into the ground. I ran into the passage and it closed as soon as I was inside. I think the castle sensed my panic. I slowly opened my eyes. I was safe. I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding. I moved through the passage.

"The heir of Ravenclaw demands entry to her library." I said when I reached a door. It opened and I walked inside. I collapsed into one of the chairs. That was terrifying. Thank god for the ravenclaw library. Poor Hermione. At least she is only petrified like last time. I felt terribly for leaving her but the others might need my help later on and I can't help if I'm petrified.

That was horribly. There must be some kind of way to see without actually looking. There must be a spell. Muggles have sonar after all. I'm not really sure what sonar is but I think it has something to do with seeing with sound. I watched a TV show once and there was a blind person who could see by feeling vibrations. There must be something like that for wizards.

"Is there a way to see without using your eyes?" I asked the library. It was badly worded but I hoped that it knew what I meant. Nothing happened. No books flew off the shelves. "Is there a way to know whats around you with out looking?" I said, wording it differently. Still nothing happened. How can there be no wizard sonar. This is so frustrating.

I thought for a moment. "How do you invent spells?" I asked the library. Several books came to the table this time. I picked up the one that was open in front of me. It said:

Inventing spells is tricky business. You have to have the right combination of latin words, wand movement, and feelings to get the desired result. Feeling however, is the most important part. If inventing spells had no feeling it would be nearly impossible and completely random. Once a wizard or witch has created a spell it becomes much simpler to recreate.

The first step to creating a spell is to find a range of latin words that are relevant to what you are trying to do. This helps give you something to focus on. Speaking words is a good way to focus your magic on one thing. You can invent wordless spells but it is considerably harder.

The next step is the least important but if done wrong, can still have disastrous consequences. You must find the right wand movement. Wand movements help to indicate what the spell should be doing. For example, when disarming someone, you almost flick your wand as if trying to jerk something out of ones hand. When levitating something, you first move your wand swiftly in a small swish (indicating floating) and a flick (indicating lift off).

Last and definitely most important, you need to come up with the right feeling. For instance the patronus charm is made from a happy memory. This fights the negative emotions of demetors. Were as the killing curse, is pure hate directed at a person. You need to know what you want your spell to do and will it to do it.

Hell, this seems complicated! I took latin in high school for a bit but I wouldn't say I know the language. I thought of Latin words I knew that could help me. I knew the latin word for sound. However, that word is already used to amplify ones voice I think. I also knew eye. I might use that. I know to help. I know to see. Umm... "An English to Latin dictionary would be nice!" I exclaimed in frustration. A book flew off the shelf and stopped in front of me. In big letters on the cover it said, English to Latin dictionary. "Oh." I said sheepishly, "Umm. Thanks." How did I not think of that.

I started flipping through it. Finally I settled on the Latin words, Video sonito. Ruffly translated it means I see with sound. Now that I have the words I needed the wand action. I decided that since I wanted to see the room it should be an inclusive action. I settled for a wide circling motion with my wand tip towards the ground.

Now the last thing I needed was the feeling. Since this was supposed to be the most important part, I continued reading about it. Basically, it is saying that the best way to pick the right feeling is to focus on what you want to happen and why you need it to work. I wanted to be able to know what's around me without looking. I suppose the feeling for that would be need. It could be useful for blind people and when it is dark. However, I want to use it to not feel so helpless when I can't look around. I guess thats determination and not wanting to be helpless. What is the opposite of helplessness? Strength, I suppose.

The feelings I settled on were a mixture of need and strength. I took out my wand. I took a deep breath. I focused on the feelings. I repeated what I was trying to do it my head. "Video sonito" I said as I made the circular motion with my wand.

At first I felt nothing. I was convinced I had failed. Then I closed my eyes and I gasped. It wasn't like seeing. There was no colour. There was no details. However, I found myself just knowing where things were. I was like I was creating a sound no one could hear and it was feeling around for me. It was like when you close your eyes and use your hands not to crash into things. But much better. I knew were everything was in the room. It was amazing. I opened my eyes again and the feeling left. I was just seeing everything normally again. I closed my eyes but I was just left with darkness.

Opening your eyes must break the spell. Holy crap! I just invented a sell. That is so cool! I cast it again and closed my eyes. Amazing. It really works. I opened my eyes again and looked at the clock. Oops. The quidditch match was supposed to start three hours ago. I have been in here for four hours. I knew the match was canceled but the others knew I went to the library with Hermione. They must be worried sick. I hastily made my exit. I took the passage to the Gryffindor common room and went in.

Ron, Harry and Neville were sitting on the couch. They looked terribly stressed and a huge wave of guilt hit me in the chest. I am such a bad friend. But it wasn't just them the other Gryffindors looked very grim. No one had noticed me yet. I pretended acting ignorant was the best way to go. "Who died?" I asked loudly. Everyone's heads snapped up.

"Your not dead!" Harry yelled. He jumped up and threw himself at me.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Ron asked angrily. Most of the people in the common room were looking at me, waiting for an answer.

"Why? What happened?" I asked, trying to avoid the question. I feel like such a terrible person for being gone so long. There was silence. No one wanted to tell me what happened to Hermione.

"Wait, where's Hermione?" I asked. I felt so bad for asking but I couldn't tell them what happened while there were all these other Gryffindors watching.

"She was petrified." Ron finally said. I tried to look devastated. It wasn't hard because Hermione being petrified was devastating.

"B-but, I was just in the library with her. I fell asleep. I thought she left. How long was I gone?" I asked in confusion. I felt so bad for lying but it's a good thing I am such a great actress.

"Four hours." Neville told me. I made my eyes widen in surprise.

Suddenly McGonagall charged in. "I'm sorry, I can't find her. We have searched the castle but..." She trailed off when she saw me. "Your here! Explain yourself!" She commanded angrily.

"I was in the library with Hermione. I fell asleep. I didn't know...I'm sorry." I spluttered. I was pretending to be panicked.

"I must let everyone know you are alright." She said quickly and left with a slight expression of relief on her face. I sat down beside my friends.

"Meet me here at midnight. I need to tell you something important." I whispered to my friends. Then I got up and in a normal voice said, "I'm going to bed." I walked up the stairs to my dorm room.

...

I snuck quietly down the stairs at midnight to meet my friends. They were all waiting on the couch. "Come to the library with me." I whispered. They didn't need much prompting and they quickly followed me to the wall. I placed my hand on it and it slid down into the floor. I took them down the passage way and into the library where we sat down at the table.

"I didn't really fall asleep." I told them when we had sat down. "Hermione and I were looking for books on monsters and I saw her stiffen and drop to the floor with the mirror in her hand. I knew she was alive though so I just quickly shut my eyes."

"So it just left you alone?" Harry asked.

"No." I said. "I could here it moving towards me. I figured my only hope was to find an entrance to the secret library. I was feeling along the wall and luckily I found one before the basilisk was close enough to attack me."

"Then where were you for the last four hours? We were worried." Harry said.

"I forgot you guys would be looking for me because I had an idea." I said. I was unable to hide the guilt that was showing on my face.

"What was the idea?" Harry asked.

"Do you know what sonar is?" I asked them. They all shook there heads. I bit my lip. How do I explain it? "Well, it's a thing muggles do to see using sounds bouncing off surfaces and vibrations. I think." I still wasn't sure that was what it was but it seemed like the best way to explain it. Thy motioned for me to keep talking. "I thought that there must be some kind of spell that works like sonar. So that we could see without actually looking."

"And was there?" Neville asked excitedly.

"No." I said. They all visibly deflated. "Which is why, I decide to invent one." I continued. "That's why I was gone so long. I was trying to invent a spell. I didn't even realize how much time had passed."

"Did you do it?" Harry asked. I nodded happily.

I stood up and moved away from the table, before performing the spell and closing my eyes. "Move around." I told them. I felt Ron shrug and stand up. Harry and Neville followed his lead. They were all different shapes and it was easy to follow their movement. I pointed to where Harry was standing. "Harry's over there." I said. I then pointed at Neville. "Neville is over there." Finally I spun around and pointed at Ron, who was behind me. "And Ron is over there." I opened my eyes and sure enough, they were all standing where I thought they were.

I spent an hour teaching them my spell. We were all exhausted when we got back to the common room. We trudged up to our dorm rooms. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.

...