It was cold, just as the woman had said it would be. Inside her prison, she had never been subject to a variance in temperature. There was snow falling-it was snow, wasn't it? That was what she could recall her mother calling it. For a moment, the girl paused, taking in the beauty of the flakes that landed on her skin and clothing. At first they melted, but as she began to get colder, they were sticking.
Move, her mind said, and her feet obliged. She found herself staring up at the massive doors of the castle. Now what should she do? Taking in the rings of metal, a small memory in the back of her mind took control. She reached up and took one into her hand. It was so cold.
She lifted it, and let it drop, twice. It made an odd noise, and she flinched away from it. Why had she done that? The girl sat on the stone steps, head in her hands.
"Who are you?" The snarling voice made her jump and slide down the stairs. She fell in a heap, and for a moment, she was aware of a stinging pain her arm. Turning, she looked up with wide eyes at the man wearing nothing but black. Of course, with the glare, she could not be sure of that.
"I repeat: who are you? Five points from your House for your lack of response."
"My house?" she asked in confusion. Belatedly she realized she had stabbed herself in the arm with her blunt scissors in her fall.
"Stupid girl," the man snarled. He grabbed her arm, and she cried out.
"Ouch," she whimpered, pulling on the scissors. She had to get them out. Bracing herself, she gripped the handle and pulled. It came out with surprising ease, she noted in her only moment free from pain.
"Damn it," the man hissed, and she found him incredibly close. "Don't you know that we have spells to do that painlessly?"
"Spells?" the girl asked. What was a spell? Did she have to swallow it? A bit dizzy from the pain, she closed her eyes. She did not realize how long they would stay closed.
Move, her mind said, and her feet obliged. She found herself staring up at the massive doors of the castle. Now what should she do? Taking in the rings of metal, a small memory in the back of her mind took control. She reached up and took one into her hand. It was so cold.
She lifted it, and let it drop, twice. It made an odd noise, and she flinched away from it. Why had she done that? The girl sat on the stone steps, head in her hands.
"Who are you?" The snarling voice made her jump and slide down the stairs. She fell in a heap, and for a moment, she was aware of a stinging pain her arm. Turning, she looked up with wide eyes at the man wearing nothing but black. Of course, with the glare, she could not be sure of that.
"I repeat: who are you? Five points from your House for your lack of response."
"My house?" she asked in confusion. Belatedly she realized she had stabbed herself in the arm with her blunt scissors in her fall.
"Stupid girl," the man snarled. He grabbed her arm, and she cried out.
"Ouch," she whimpered, pulling on the scissors. She had to get them out. Bracing herself, she gripped the handle and pulled. It came out with surprising ease, she noted in her only moment free from pain.
"Damn it," the man hissed, and she found him incredibly close. "Don't you know that we have spells to do that painlessly?"
"Spells?" the girl asked. What was a spell? Did she have to swallow it? A bit dizzy from the pain, she closed her eyes. She did not realize how long they would stay closed.