Chapter 10: Nina's Secret (Part 2)
Nina stared at the figure lying still on the bed. It took her brain a few seconds to absorb what was happening.
"NATASHA!" Nina cried. "No! Not you too! Natasha, wake up! Please Nat! WAKE UP!" Nina felt someone grab her. She turned around to see Madam Pomfrey's gentle face.
"There, there dearie . . . maybe we should leave her alone for now. Come over here . . ." she pried Nina, who was in hysterics, from her sister and gently guided her towards a bed a little further away. She then signaled for the other four, including Macgonagall to come over. Macgonagall started to talk and Nina stopped crying to listen.
* * *
"This is Ms. Holland's sister. I expect you all know that?" she asked Harry, Ron and Hermione. They nodded slowly. "She was found near the Forbidden Forest just before dinner. That would be at about 7.30 p.m. Why she was there nobody knows as she was found in the state you see her now. Obviously, she was attacked. By what or who, we don't know. Why was she attacked? We don't know that either. We have asked around. Nobody had seen her going there. Now, it was very clearly stated earlier in the year that nobody was to go out of the castle after sunset. Why she still went nobody knows. I have contacted Professor Dumbledore and he's said that he'll be here as soon as possible . . ."
"WHAT?! Professor Dumbledore's not around?" Harry cut in. Macgonagall stared at him.
"I am afraid not, Mr. Potter. He had urgent work to see to. Now I know this is a big shock to all of you, especially Ms. Holland, considering what she has already gone through . . ." Macgonagall hesitated. Nina did not look up. Macgonagall continued, "I think, you all better head up to your common room and take a rest. Ms. Holland, maybe you'd like to spend the night at the hospital wing? Madam Pomfrey will take good care of you."
"No Professor. It's ok. I think I will be better if I don't stay here. I would like to stay with my sister but I am afraid that . . .er . . . I mean, I don't think I want to face the fact that she's been attacked all night . . ."
"As you wish then." Macgonagall left and Harry, Ron and Hermione followed her out after taking one last look at Nina and Natasha. The three of them were devastated about what had happened. Hermione was close to tears, Ron kept tripping over his own feet, as he wasn't even concentrating on where he was walking and Harry just stared straight ahead like a zombie.
* * *
Nina took one look at her sister lying ever so still on the bed.
"Madam Pomfrey . . . she . . . she isn't dead, is she?" Nina asked swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.
"No, of course not dear. She's just unconscious. Now you go ahead to your common room and don't you worry about a thing."
Nina nodded somewhat uncertainly and left the room. She headed straight for the Prefects' bathroom (She was a Prefect and so was Hermione). She knew she needed a bedtime bath to cool off.
Nina entered the bathroom, and got ready for a nice bath. She got into the bathtub and turned on several taps. As the bathtub filled, she turned off the taps and lay in the water. Watching the ripples on the water sent her memory back to last year . . .
*** FLASHBACK ***
" Nina, listen to me! The Dark Lord is back and he will waste no time in seeking us out. This is very, very important Nina. The whole world's fate is now in your hands. Here, take this."
"No, Aunt Janice! I can't! This is too much responsibility on me."
"Nina please don't act ridiculous! Don't you want the people of the world to live in peace? Don't you want to accomplish what your parents strived to do? Listen carefully. There are very few people you can tell about your mission. The first two are Harry Potter and your sister Natasha. You must ask them to help you. However, you cannot tell your sister anything yet. You cannot tell her unless it's absolutely necessary. It's Harry Potter you must seek first. What you must do is to fuse your wand with his. Only then will you be able to work its magic. The reason why you can't tell Natasha yet is because Natasha is only your substitute. She is as powerful as you but you are the one who possess this. If you are in a situation where you cannot fuse your wand with Harry's, only then can Natasha take your place. You understand don't you?"
"But . . .but . . .Harry Potter is so famous and I never talk to anyone of my own will, especially not someone so famous!"
"Nina, will you stop giving me nonsensical excuses? There isn't time for all that. You have to do this . . . for the world. The other person who can help you is Dumbledore. You should not tell anybody about this except the people I mentioned. It is a rule and if you don't follow this rule, this piece of powerful magic cannot be used anymore. Now I shall teach you four spells. One is to fuse your wand with Harry's and another is to magically transport this to Harry in case it is your possession and you are in a situation where you cannot fuse your wand with his. The third spell, in case of critical situations, is to hide this such that only the person who hid it can retrieve it and the last spell, is to retrieve it. Using the hiding spell would also mean that it cannot be counted as in your possession anymore even though it would still belong to you. After I teach you these spells, you have to leave for your grandmother's place at once. Remember to hide this using the hiding spell until you are back at school or you will be in grave danger . . ."
*** BACK TO PRESENT ***
Nina snapped out of her daydream and realized that she was still in the bath. However, now she knew what to do. It was the only thing to do. It was the only thing she could do now . . . before anyone else got hurt. But first . . . she needed to ask . . .
Nina got out, dried herself and dressed at double speed. She raced to her dormitory ignoring stares from her fellow schoolmates. Relieved to find it empty, she unlocked her trunk and took out a shiny crystal ball from its depths. Nina stared into the swirling mist inside the ball and spoke softly to it.
"Professor Dumbledore, do you hear me?" Professor Dumbledore's face appeared in the crystal ball.
"Yes, Nina. Do you need my help? How is your sister?"
"Professor, I do need your help. I have to do it. I have to hide it. Natasha is still unconscious from the attack and I don't want anyone else I know to get hurt just because it is in my possession."
"I understand, Nina. However, I don't have a say in this. It is entirely up to you. I do not know a thing about it. Let me just tell you one thing. I understand your concern for those around you and I trust you enough to know that every decision you take has a good reason behind it. Do what your instincts tell you. Good luck."
"Thank you, Professor. I . . . hope I will live up to that trust." With that, she packed up the crystal ball and took out a silvery coat. Then she locked her trunk securely and as she put on the coat, she disappeared from sight. Nina crept off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room just as all the Gryffindors came up to bed.
Nina stood in front of the empty common room's fireplace. She pointed her want at it and whispered, "Revealashio Ixm!" The fireplace disappeared into the wall and there was a small opening there, leading to a tunnel that was brightly lit by an object that lay on a tall platform at the end of it. Nina stepped into the tunnel and the fireplace closed the opening once more.
**** **** ****
What is this mysterious object that Nina possesses?
What can this object do? What is it going to be used for?
Will Natasha be okay? What attacked her? Or is it who?
Read on and find out!
A/N: Wow . . . so that is Nina's past . . .the fate of the WHOLE WORLD is in her hands. I hope this chapter cleared up a few mysteries and . . . created a few more too . . . hehe! PLZ READ AND REVIEW! Thanx a whole lot.
-Nutti=)
Nina stared at the figure lying still on the bed. It took her brain a few seconds to absorb what was happening.
"NATASHA!" Nina cried. "No! Not you too! Natasha, wake up! Please Nat! WAKE UP!" Nina felt someone grab her. She turned around to see Madam Pomfrey's gentle face.
"There, there dearie . . . maybe we should leave her alone for now. Come over here . . ." she pried Nina, who was in hysterics, from her sister and gently guided her towards a bed a little further away. She then signaled for the other four, including Macgonagall to come over. Macgonagall started to talk and Nina stopped crying to listen.
* * *
"This is Ms. Holland's sister. I expect you all know that?" she asked Harry, Ron and Hermione. They nodded slowly. "She was found near the Forbidden Forest just before dinner. That would be at about 7.30 p.m. Why she was there nobody knows as she was found in the state you see her now. Obviously, she was attacked. By what or who, we don't know. Why was she attacked? We don't know that either. We have asked around. Nobody had seen her going there. Now, it was very clearly stated earlier in the year that nobody was to go out of the castle after sunset. Why she still went nobody knows. I have contacted Professor Dumbledore and he's said that he'll be here as soon as possible . . ."
"WHAT?! Professor Dumbledore's not around?" Harry cut in. Macgonagall stared at him.
"I am afraid not, Mr. Potter. He had urgent work to see to. Now I know this is a big shock to all of you, especially Ms. Holland, considering what she has already gone through . . ." Macgonagall hesitated. Nina did not look up. Macgonagall continued, "I think, you all better head up to your common room and take a rest. Ms. Holland, maybe you'd like to spend the night at the hospital wing? Madam Pomfrey will take good care of you."
"No Professor. It's ok. I think I will be better if I don't stay here. I would like to stay with my sister but I am afraid that . . .er . . . I mean, I don't think I want to face the fact that she's been attacked all night . . ."
"As you wish then." Macgonagall left and Harry, Ron and Hermione followed her out after taking one last look at Nina and Natasha. The three of them were devastated about what had happened. Hermione was close to tears, Ron kept tripping over his own feet, as he wasn't even concentrating on where he was walking and Harry just stared straight ahead like a zombie.
* * *
Nina took one look at her sister lying ever so still on the bed.
"Madam Pomfrey . . . she . . . she isn't dead, is she?" Nina asked swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.
"No, of course not dear. She's just unconscious. Now you go ahead to your common room and don't you worry about a thing."
Nina nodded somewhat uncertainly and left the room. She headed straight for the Prefects' bathroom (She was a Prefect and so was Hermione). She knew she needed a bedtime bath to cool off.
Nina entered the bathroom, and got ready for a nice bath. She got into the bathtub and turned on several taps. As the bathtub filled, she turned off the taps and lay in the water. Watching the ripples on the water sent her memory back to last year . . .
*** FLASHBACK ***
" Nina, listen to me! The Dark Lord is back and he will waste no time in seeking us out. This is very, very important Nina. The whole world's fate is now in your hands. Here, take this."
"No, Aunt Janice! I can't! This is too much responsibility on me."
"Nina please don't act ridiculous! Don't you want the people of the world to live in peace? Don't you want to accomplish what your parents strived to do? Listen carefully. There are very few people you can tell about your mission. The first two are Harry Potter and your sister Natasha. You must ask them to help you. However, you cannot tell your sister anything yet. You cannot tell her unless it's absolutely necessary. It's Harry Potter you must seek first. What you must do is to fuse your wand with his. Only then will you be able to work its magic. The reason why you can't tell Natasha yet is because Natasha is only your substitute. She is as powerful as you but you are the one who possess this. If you are in a situation where you cannot fuse your wand with Harry's, only then can Natasha take your place. You understand don't you?"
"But . . .but . . .Harry Potter is so famous and I never talk to anyone of my own will, especially not someone so famous!"
"Nina, will you stop giving me nonsensical excuses? There isn't time for all that. You have to do this . . . for the world. The other person who can help you is Dumbledore. You should not tell anybody about this except the people I mentioned. It is a rule and if you don't follow this rule, this piece of powerful magic cannot be used anymore. Now I shall teach you four spells. One is to fuse your wand with Harry's and another is to magically transport this to Harry in case it is your possession and you are in a situation where you cannot fuse your wand with his. The third spell, in case of critical situations, is to hide this such that only the person who hid it can retrieve it and the last spell, is to retrieve it. Using the hiding spell would also mean that it cannot be counted as in your possession anymore even though it would still belong to you. After I teach you these spells, you have to leave for your grandmother's place at once. Remember to hide this using the hiding spell until you are back at school or you will be in grave danger . . ."
*** BACK TO PRESENT ***
Nina snapped out of her daydream and realized that she was still in the bath. However, now she knew what to do. It was the only thing to do. It was the only thing she could do now . . . before anyone else got hurt. But first . . . she needed to ask . . .
Nina got out, dried herself and dressed at double speed. She raced to her dormitory ignoring stares from her fellow schoolmates. Relieved to find it empty, she unlocked her trunk and took out a shiny crystal ball from its depths. Nina stared into the swirling mist inside the ball and spoke softly to it.
"Professor Dumbledore, do you hear me?" Professor Dumbledore's face appeared in the crystal ball.
"Yes, Nina. Do you need my help? How is your sister?"
"Professor, I do need your help. I have to do it. I have to hide it. Natasha is still unconscious from the attack and I don't want anyone else I know to get hurt just because it is in my possession."
"I understand, Nina. However, I don't have a say in this. It is entirely up to you. I do not know a thing about it. Let me just tell you one thing. I understand your concern for those around you and I trust you enough to know that every decision you take has a good reason behind it. Do what your instincts tell you. Good luck."
"Thank you, Professor. I . . . hope I will live up to that trust." With that, she packed up the crystal ball and took out a silvery coat. Then she locked her trunk securely and as she put on the coat, she disappeared from sight. Nina crept off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room just as all the Gryffindors came up to bed.
Nina stood in front of the empty common room's fireplace. She pointed her want at it and whispered, "Revealashio Ixm!" The fireplace disappeared into the wall and there was a small opening there, leading to a tunnel that was brightly lit by an object that lay on a tall platform at the end of it. Nina stepped into the tunnel and the fireplace closed the opening once more.
**** **** ****
What is this mysterious object that Nina possesses?
What can this object do? What is it going to be used for?
Will Natasha be okay? What attacked her? Or is it who?
Read on and find out!
A/N: Wow . . . so that is Nina's past . . .the fate of the WHOLE WORLD is in her hands. I hope this chapter cleared up a few mysteries and . . . created a few more too . . . hehe! PLZ READ AND REVIEW! Thanx a whole lot.
-Nutti=)