Chapter 12: A Talk with Grandmother Willow
Words: 4,859
Recap: So...after we escape from a very frenzied turf war - no thanks to James - we managed to get ourselves lost within the Forbidden Forest, where who-knows-what might pop out and threaten our lives. Nothing more than the usual. But, James' strange behaviour led us to a cave where a familiar face greeted us. Or at least...who I think was familiar.
"Uum, I'm sorry. Is it me or am I the only one seeing the talking tree?" James pointed out. His finger a bit shaky as he did.
"No, it's not just you seeing the talking tree." Lily confirmed. Her eyes locked at said tree, not daring to glance off at the off chance she might be hallucinating. I should know, I was doing the same after all.
"Better yet, I think it's more accurate to say a talking tree had just talked to us," I mused out my own thought.
"Oh stop it, you're making me blush," The Tree Lady gushed, and if her complexion wasn't so...woody. I figured she'd be blushing. Her eyes widen and gasped before she began clearing her throat, and schooling her features into one with more poised and meant business, "Greetings Wizards and Witches, I see you've come far in finding the hidden lake of the Endless Fall." We weren't expecting the drastic 180 degree change from her gentle sweet demeanor to a strict business tone which threw us off slightly. I couldn't help but find the thin line of her lips and her cold eyes didn't suited her at all until epiphany hit me like a hammer.
"Wait, that face...I know you," I pointed at her, "You're Helga, Helga Hufflepuff."
""What?!"" Both James and Lily cried. Their heads whipped between me and the Wood Lady's face with a new found insight. I know I'm not the sharpest knife out there but even I would recognized her after seeing her face every time I got back to the common room.
Immediately the shone in her eyes were back, and the familiar smile I would see every time I came back for a goodnight sleep emerged. "Oh, marvelous! You recognized me, and from my very own house," she giggled before she caught herself in the act, then schooling her expression once again. "Pardon me, but continuing from what I had said. Congratulation from finding me but know the key you seek is still out of reach until you've passed my ordeal."
The three of us exchanged confused glances before I spoke up, "You don't have to speak formally to us, it's not like we're anyone important or anything."
"Oh, but aren't you looking for the Lost Treasure? It's only prudent for brave searchers to be treated with respect. Age does not matter after all. Why us, founders, were barely out of our teen when we decided to build our very own school together."
I scratched the back of my neck, and pursed my lips, "Yeah, I don't think we're comfortable to be treated like stuck up...other than James here."
"That's ri-hey!" James nodded halfway before shooting me a glare I happily ignore.
Helga brighten at that, "Really? Oh thank god, I wasn't sure how to keep myself formal all the time." She breathed out a sigh and smiled warmly, "I'm used to it you know, being the founder of Hogwarts required you to, but that doesn't make it any less comfortable. All those traditions, etiquettes, and politics involved in my life when all I wanted was to give a place for the young wizards." A great big sigh followed from her slip outburst. Catching us off guard, "Oh, look how small and cute you three are, it just makes me want to baked you cookies and gobble you up later."
If I hadn't known any better, that sentence would have sounded ominous.
"That won't be necessary seeing as you're…" James gestured his hands at her overall, which I couldn't help but agree.
That earned him a slap from Lily and shooting him a look I was all too familiar with whenever I was being rude or sarcastic. She then switched her attention to Helga, "That would be nice of you Miss Helga Hufflepuff...or should we call you Professor Hufflepuff?"
"Professor! Oh that's so sweet of you Dearie. No one has called me that for ages. I do love being a teacher after all. Since I'm nothing more than a guardian now, I suppose you could just call me Helga. Thank you for asking though."
Lily nodded, "Alright then Helga, could you tell us this key you said to be guarding?"
"Hmm. oh yes...wel...sorry, my mind got sidetracked a bit there...heads in the cloud me, but are you sure you want to do this? It's not an easy task to do, much less someone so young."
"I thought you said you didn't care if we're young to seek it?"
"Doesn't make it less worrisome," she gently informed them, "Yes...well...here's how it goes," she started, "Anyone who seeks the Lost Treasure would be given the chance to obtain the Lost Vault Key. Luckily, it isn't that hard, so I would think you have of trouble getting it."
That small bit of news lighten the heavy lodge that had been stuck on our chest and giving us unease. It was more so for me, having to deal more deathly ordeal more than I could count, I could deal with a little less trouble for once.
"Great, what are we supposed to do?"
"Oh, you only need to fly up, find, and take it. Simple, don't you think?"
That got us to froze, slowly we looked up at the night starry sky, searching for whatever key-looking object that she assumed was on above but couldn't find any.
"Uhh...sorry Helga, but could you elaborate what you meant by flying up and take it? There's nothing up there." Lily hesitantly voiced what we all had in mind.
"Off course there is, it's right there in front of you," Helga persistently assured us with a patient smile.
"What is?"
"The star of course."
I swear at that moment we went deaf to the world, trying to process the inexplicable sentence she threw out like it was the most normal thing for her.
Lily was the first to snapped out of confused stupor, "Again, I'm sorry, but...you're not seriously saying the key is...a literal star right?"
The Tree Founder Lady gaped, she must have realized what she had said, "Oh, apologies, that wasn't a very good message was it?"
My red-haired friend relaxed, knowing we weren't actually going up and take a literal star from the sky. I've had my fair share of ridiculous and impossible experience, but even I admit that's a feat no one is capable off other than for a god.
"The star you're looking for is part of the little bear, it never moves so you should be able to find it easy."
But apparently she believes it's possible to take a star out of the sky. That might as well makes as much sense as telling me it's on the second star to the right and straight on till morning. I quelled the urge to run my hand through hair at the impending headache, "Typical, a riddle talking willow tree? If I didn't know any better, that would be a straight out copyright violation of Pocahontas."
Lily blinked before he squinted confusingly, "Poca-who?"
"Nevermind, it's an American thing."
"Rather than being all riddle, I say she's a whole 'nother basket kind of loony!" James was on the verge of exclaiming, "She's telling us one of the stars is a hidden key for the lost treasure? Even I find that hard to believe. Not surprising coming from Hufflepuff."
"Hey, lay off the house jab!" I growled. Honestly, this guy couldn't put away his house superiority. Not that I can say as much with Sev showing the same attitude most of the time, but he has friend benefit from me.
What a blatant racism...or should in this case be called housesism?
Lily finally tore her gaze from the sky to Helga, "So let me confirm again, so there's a way for us to somehow take...I can't believe I'm saying this...a star from the sky which is a key to the Lost Treasure?" she asked, feeling dubious, and I had to share her sentiment.
"Oh you three would be fine. After all, you did find this place so I'm sure you'll manage it somehow!"
I could appreciate some optimism as the next person, but even I have to admit hers was a bit,much. I looked back up at the various constellation in the sky, some I recognized, some I couldn't put a finger on. Yet I have no idea which star in which constellation she was talking about though it does ring a bell, at times like this Annabeth would know. She'll most likely answer in prompt then call me a Seaweed Brain with that exasperate yet fond smile of hers for not knowing what she would call "Basic knowledge".
"Okay," I clapped my hand loud enough to made the two wizard and witch jumped, rubbing my hands vigorously, "So putting aside how impossible that notion is, any ideas?"
The three of us exchanged unsure gazes, without a slightest clue how to even fly further than the already giant tree in front of us.
Lily huffed as she struggled for an answer while looking up at the sky, scrunching in concentration as if she would find an answer if she looked long and hard enough, before glancing back at Helga, "Any chance you might tell us how we could do that?"
"Oh, I'm sorry Sweetie. I would love to, but that would be destroying the whole point of all this," her eyes rolled to gesture the place in general.
"Isn't there anything else you can tell us?" James pressed insistently, "Like a signal, a clue, or an advice you can give?"
Helga curled her lips in thought, "I suppose this place does remind me of a book I know." We leaned in at possibly having clearer image of what we need. But even that hope began to feel far fetched as we look upon the struggled Helga Tree as she tried to remember, "I remember it was a bit of a long title, it's at the tip of my tongue, well figuratively speaking since I don't technically have a tongue, but...OH, Lewis Carroll, I remember that was his...the writer's name."
The name was over my head, noting triggering the familiar tingle in my head, and James looked just as clueless as I was. Lily was the only one who knew what she was talking about if the raise hairline of her eyebrows that almost shot out of sight.
"Lewis Carroll...I know of him, he wrote Alice in Wonderland!" she exuberantly told us at finally getting a small clue. I wasn't sure what it all meant other than today was taking on a very fairytale theme. She then took pity of James, being the pureblood that he is, he has no idea of a muggle story when he heard one, much less the writer.
"He's a famous writer known by muggles for his fairytale book, Alice's Adventure in Wonderland. It's actually one of my favorite book, reminds me of Hogwarts a little." She proceed to explain the summary of the book to him.
I thought back a moment to refresh my memories. Doors in unlikely places that could take you anywhere or none at all. Food and drink that does fantastical effect. Talking and mischievous creatures. An endless amount of tea and food in a banquet
Holy! That's more or less Hogwarts in a nutshell. I wonder if he was a student here once.
"Wait, that doesn't make sense," I suddenly realized, "I know it's an old book since it's a classic, but unless Hogwarts isn't as old as we thought or that book was published close to a thousand years ago."
Helga laughed in a whole heartedly way, "Off course not Silly. I do get bored easily having stuck here with no one around, I had to find my entertainment somewhere. Look at all my collection!" she moved curtain of leave. Revealing a sizable gap in the tree bark that holds a large collection of books that brings out more questions than answer.
"And how on earth did you manage to snag all those books for yourself?" Lily queried with arms crossed and shooting a suspicious gaze.
"Now I can't tell you all my secrets, can't I?" she winked and giggled, actually giggled.
"Putting that aside, how's a book suppose to help us in this case?" I wondered aloud. A harmonic hummed between the three of us as we contemplated our next action.
Surprisingly, James seemed to have a good lead on where the clue was pointing, "Hey Evans, so that famous muggle story, in the end everything that happened to her was nothing more than a dream?"
Lily was surprised by the question but confirmed his question, eliciting a wide grin on his face and bright knowing glint in his eyes. "I think I know how to take a star from the sky."
Before we could question him, James put his thumb and index finger in his mouth and whistle loud and high pitch enough to make me wince. "Good gods James, what was that for? Do you want the whole bloody forest to know we're here?"
He ignored me in favor of looking back at the cave's entrance. A whooshing sound echoed from it, and appearing in a brown blur, shooting past us in blinding speed, instinctively making us duck. James wicked smile grew wider, his hand outstretched, snatching his broom in the air with practice ease.
"It's a Call-Me Charm, it's an original spell my dad made. He put it on my broom so I could call on it anytime and anywhere I want."
He puffed his chest and tilt his chin up, acting like he had done something impressive enough to be proud off, yet to me it just made him look haughty.
But Lily's attention was on another point, "Calling your broom...don't tell me...you must be jesting!"
James winked at her. Mounted his broom. Then lifting off the ground and through the air, toward the starry night sky.
I gaped at his retreating sight, like a fish out of water, "He's not seriously thinking he could grab a star by flying straight to it, right? Even James must know that's an outrageous idea."
"Oh no, not outrageous at all," Helga preened as she gaze the same way as us, "In fact, I'd say he gets full mark!"
""Huh?""
It wasn't her claim that made us utter the single word expressing our incomprehension, but it was the sight of James' silhouette reaching out for the stars and he...manage...to grab...it?
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!
I had to blink a few times. Rubbing and squinting my eyes. Going so far to tilt my head. Making sure I wasn't mistaken and was seeing things. In hindsight, this wasn't the strangest thing I've experienced. But for the love of Aphrodite, there should be a limit to this things, and snatching up a star, with or without magic, should be one of them. Especially coming from James of all people!
"Oh," Lily puffed out, "So that's how it is," her words broke my bewildered trance.
"You know how he's doing it?" I asked her, my tone almost demanding.
She nodded, her eyes never leaving the now shadow of a flying wizard closing in on us, "the story of Alice in Wonderland...she never went to wonderland because it was all a dream."
My face scrunches in confusion. Opening my mouth to question her, but close when realization hit me as hard as the Titanic would have hit the iceberg. Looking over the non-ripple lake that has more depth than it looks, a waterfall coming from a torent river somewhere, a tree so tall it should have stolen anyone's attention from miles away.
"It's not real," I breathed out.
"Correct." James touched down to the ground beside us. His fist shining while he held the glowing key within, "I thought since whoever made this cave enchanted the lake to make it deeper than it looks, I thought it wasn't far-fetched to say the sky - or the ceiling - here was enchanted, hiding the key, so it'd look further than it actually is." His grin stretched out from ear to ear. His expression proud, and I admit that he deserved it. I was both impressed and chagrined that he managed to saw through this cave for what it is before any of us.
"How did you know which star to choose from?" I couldn't help my curiosity get the better of me.
"Really Percy?" Lily surprisingly voiced out, "It wasn't that hard of a riddle. Little Bear obviously meant the Ursa Minor Constellation, and the star that never moves meant the North Star Polaris. It's not that hard to work out. I thought Astronomy was one of the few subjects you were good at?"
"When it comes to constellation names and background I'm good, yes. Not the detailed name each of the stars has."
"Well, I've got what I came for. Let's go and get out of here now that we finished our business here."
"Actually…" Helga halted us. Her voice reserved, the leaves looked drearier as if reflecting her mood, "...I must apologize for not warning you, but the hard part comes after you get the key."
A throbbing headache cut through my cranium. I don't even have the mental and emotional energy to dignify her with an appropriate response because off course there's more to this dream cave than some fancy-smancy enchantment. I wanted to smack myself for thinking briefly it would be this easy.
Lily, being the brave soul she is, dared to ask "When you say the "hard part," what did you mean by that?"
Helga didn't answer, she didn't need to. Not when the cave decided to answer her by a loud blast coming from the waterfall. The shallow-looking lake was overfilling, the water spreading throughout the mossy cave in frightening speed. Reaching our knees before we could broke out from our reverie and react. I was the first to snapped out of it, "James, your broom!" I barked out.
"There's no way out!" He panicked, "The entrance is sealed, and the sky here is basically a ceiling."
"We're trapped!" Lily concluded. I would have bit out a sarcastic remark if I wasn't so concerned in them slowly drowning. My powers would help, sure, but that would ignite too many questions and I would leave it to last resort since I could play off my strange power as some kind of magic that runs in the family. Gods knows how many times I could trick wizards more easily than mortals with just the word magic. On the plus side, I'm confident this isn't a trap to kill, but the kind that needs to be solved. Meaning that there's a way out.
"The tree!" I yelled out in order, "We have to climbed up otherwise you'll get swept away or drowned at this rate!"
The water had reached our hips before they nodded. Swimming frantically toward the giant willow tree as we each grabbed on to the nearest branch. Yet, I missed my mark by a few inches, and had me slip down under the water. Lily's shout of my name was dampened over the cold water.
I opened my eyes that threatened to jump out of my socket, James wasn't kidding the place was like an ocean. I could feel the water was deeper than it appears to be, but it wasn't just deep, it was bigger too.
It would have a dark and dreary place if it weren't for the moon, giving the place a shroud of light. Accompanied by a smaller yet colored lights of the moss resided on the crevice of rocks around. There were corals of every color you can name and every shape you can think were there, and having seen my fair share of corals, I can say I've never seen more than half of them. While the scenery was big enough that I could only see the horizon around us, the middle of the lake dug deeper around the tree so I couldn't see its roots. It went further down toward a dark abyss that reminded too much of the hole where I fell to Tartarus.
Overall it was beautiful as it is creepy.
My mouth opens involuntarily. Gasping from the sight, but stopped short when water began lodging in my throat. My heart hammered out when realization sunk within me at the same time a hand shot out. Grabbing the back of my robe and pulling me out of the running water. My hand shot out to grabbed the nearest handle to hold on before finding myself hugging James like a overbearing koala.
He quickly pushed me aside with a sneer of disgust and I switched my hold to its bark.
"Bloody hell Percy, for once in your life could you stop giving me a heart attack!" Lily cried over the deafening rush of the waterfall.
If I had been paying attention, I would have amusingly noted the rare cursing Lily made or even gave her a witty comeback. I didn't, not when I was still in a state of shock. Looking wide eyes at the lake before glancing down at myself. My still wet self.
My mind began to retraced back to the moment of me nearly drowning, and it was only the firm grip of Lily's hand entwined with mine and her worried emerald eyes that kept me from a full blown panic attack. Forcing myself to gulped down a heap of air so I could calmed myself down.
"This lake...it's enchanted," I managed to rasped out.
James rolled his eyes and scoffed, "What gave you that idea? Was it the ocean-deep lake or the ever-flowing waterfall that's about to DROWN US?!"
I was still too shaken after feeling the loss of my ability that the sarcasm flew over my head. The only time I almost drown was during The Second Giant War, and it was one of the top three experience I do not want a repeat. There's something about not having your natural element, the one constant friend that helps me through the hardest of trials, going against you that left you feeling beyond helpless.
"Percy?" Lily shook me gently, her voice laced with worried that finally snapped me from my mind. Even going so far as to brush away my wet bangs shadowing my eyes.
"Sorry, I'm okay. A bit shaken, but fine."
From the way that she was biting her lip, she didn't believe me, "Are you sure?"
I finally gain my bearing and tried to ignore how discomfort I am from still being wet. Now isn't that ironic? A Son of Poseidon disliking being wet, "Totally. Now how about we figure out how to escape from here, any ideas?"
We were lost in our thoughts and emotions, we hadn't realize we were quickly brought eye to eye with Helga. Looking between the three of us in concern, "Oh dear, are you three all right? At this rate you might die you know?"
"Yeah, thanks for the cheery reminder."
"Helga, is there anyway you could help us?" Lily asked hopefully.
"Well I would, but you'll have to say the magic word first, and you'll have to do it quick before I get overwhelmed by the water myself."
"Do we look like we have time to guess your bloody magic word?!" James would have pulled his hair if he wasn't holding on for dear life, "There's literally a million magic word out there, how are we supposed to figure out one?"
"Well if you weren't so rude, you might have figured it out by now. After all, even a muggle child would know."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"
In normal standard, it was if it wasn't for me and Lily being here. We both exchange look that showed our understanding before we quickly yelled out that one magic word any children learn to use, "PLEASE!"
Simple? I know, even I was a bit underwhelmed, but this is Hufflepuff we're talking about.
In response to it, Helga's expression turned into something of a serene smile before molding her face into a smooth bark any normal tree would have. The branches rustled was becoming more restless. Moving back and forth before it became clear it was entwining toward the waterfall. Stretching. Rustling. Weaving. Creaking. Until it reached the deafening thousand pound of falling water before parting it to two, revealing another cave that lead to our exit.
There were no words exchanged before we began swim ourselves toward it. The wooden bridge guiding us.
"We're almost there. Keep moving!"
"No need to remind us!"
It wasn't easy, but it wasn't unreachable for us. The exit was half filled with the water which just rang a bad feeling inside my head. The exit was at the tip of my hand before a panic scream gave cold dread in my chest, James confirmed further by his followed up shout of her name.
I turned left and right and spotted a convenient vine. Tying it around my shoulder before I plunged down in pursuit of her.
Bubbles blew out from my muffled cursed. Lily was struggling to swim up. A whirlpool that wasn't there before, growing bigger by the second, pulling everything in without discrimination. The gripping trauma I had over the enchanted water was nothing compared to seeing the horrified face of her as she fought for her life against the strong current against her.
Her hand stretched out for me, and mine for her. Inches by inches, we came closer to one another. Ignoring the freezing sting on our skin, the pull of our muscle, and the near suffocating lack of breath we had. We kept our eyes at one another, with the end goal of our mind.
The tip of our fingers touched.
She released a bubble of breath.
Her legs lost strength.
Lily's eyes widen, in horror and resignation
And she got swept away.
I let go of the vine and grabbed her at the last second, but even I can't fight against a current this strong. I tucked her to my chest, praying to the gods even when it was left unheard.
It still felt like my prayer was answered though when something grabbed on my collar and gave a strong tug, enough strength to pull two kids away from the Growing Whirlpool of Doom and back up to the surface. Right at the entrance of the cave.
While Lily hacked out any remaining water lodge at her throat, I looked back astonished at James who had saved our collective butts. Himself struggling for a lungful of air. My gaze went toward his wet broom and couldn't hold back how impressive he was, "You just used your broom to "fly" through the water and saved us. I gotta say James, I don't like you but that was pure genius, I could kiss you right now!"
Lily giggled the last remaining drop of water and while James sounded nonplussed, he couldn't hide the smug smile on his face, "Don't expect a repeat Jackson, if anyone's giving any reward, I rather it comes from Evans."
"In your dreams," she scoffed, but it was good-naturedly rather than the usual hostile tone she had. "Putting that aside, shouldn't we be moving, the water is still trying to drown us."
That got us running real fast, but it was evident from how fast the water was reaching our torso that this cave was not done messing around with us.
"A DEAD END! ARE YOU FLIPPING KIDDING ME?!" James' rage was reaching its boiling point, "WE CAME ALL THIS WAY JUST TO HIT A DEAD END?"
I shook my head, not ready to let my fatigue or emotion get the better of me. Feeling the pile of rocks that was blocking our path. It was our last remain hurdle. The clock's ticking whether we make it or break it. "There must be something else we can do, maybe there's a switch, a clue, or maybe it needs another magic wor-"
"Oh, move over!" Lily ordered, her tone was callous and tempered, uncharacteristic of her, but given the situation. I'd say it was reasonable. "Reducto!" She shouted with a strong wave of her wand and the wall collapses, hit with her magic.
The sudden opening let the cascade of water pushed us out, and we were mercy to the law of Archimedes before hitting a pile of mud with a loud Splat.
Not my best exit.
Still, I had a wide grin on my face and looked back at my best friend, "Lily, you are a total badass!"
She grinned back with her mud covered her face that was dripping down, and I must have the same fate because there was mirth glinted in her bright green eyes, her teeth showed in her grin, and we found ourselves laughing with our backs on the mud. Our laughter ringing unashamedly through the forest.
AN: To all my Muslim's Readers.
Happy Eid Mubarak 1439 H
Minal aidin wal faidzin :)))
Okay, a message to all of you. I see you've been getting impatient on me. Though I'm happy some of you are eager of my story, I hope you understand that I can't always update regularly with my busy schedule as it is with life. I promise, I'll see through the story to the bitter end. So I ask for your understanding.
I'm stocking up my chapters so I could update it weekly, but since today is a special day. I'm willing to make it an exception.
Hope you enjoyed it, please R&R.
Turns out making a scavenger hunt is harder than I thought, and I was never good at one too.