Chapter 17 - A Secret Found
Barney didn't have much time to think about Nevermore's riddle that evening as he was forced to attend an emergency Slytherin Quidditch practice. Though their next game wasn't for another couple of months, the previous weekend Hufflepuff had resoundingly beaten Ravenclaw with three hundred and forty points, putting Hufflepuff firmly at the top of the table. Silvanna knew they needed to up their game if they were to stand any chance of lifting the cup so she had doubled up on their practice time. And even though Barney was unlikely to play, he still had to train just as hard as the other players.
It was late November and the evening was dark and cold but still Silvanna pushed them on. By torch light they whizzed around the Quidditch pitch on their brooms practising manoeuvrers. Barney was still using Silvanna's old broom, unable to afford a new one. And though he polished it regularly, had replaced some of the twigs and generally took excellent care of it, it still underperformed and meant he was slower than the rest of the team.
After a while Silvanna separated them into groups and set Barney and Velyan off to try and catch a Golden Snitch.
"You OK?" Velyan asked, noticing how despondent Barney looked as the pair flew side by side as they went around the stadium looking for the Snitch.
"Yeah I'm fine. Just got a lot of work to catch up on so could do without being out here in the cold tonight."
"Look I'm sorry about the team," Velyan said as he turned to Barney.
"What do you mean?" Barney asked but still kept looking for the Snitch.
"About me taking the Seeker spot. The others told me how you've been reserve for the last three years. If I hadn't have come here this year it would have been yours."
"It's OK. You deserve the position. You're a better player than me anyway," Barney said and though he did genuinely think Velyan was a better flyer than him, he also knew Velyan was right. If he hadn't come on the exchange programme to Hogwarts this year the Seeker position would have been his, so there was a little resentment there.
"Maybe I could talk to Silvanna and see if you can play the next match?"
"Don't be stupid. We need you playing. Plus Silvanna would never go for it. She's determined to win and won't do anything that might weaken the team."
Before Velyan could answer he had spotted a flash out the corner of his eye. Barney had seen it too and they both suddenly pulled their brooms in it's direction and sped off. But Barney's broom was no match for Velyan's Lightningbolt and he barely kept pace. Soon Velyan was a good few lengths in front of him as they both chased the Golden Snitch around the pitch and it wasn't long before the Snitch was in the American's hand. All Barney could do was look on in disappointment, knowing Velyan's place on the team was just as certain as ever as practice came to an end.
By the time Barney got back to his dorm he was knackered. He just had enough energy to take a hot shower to warm himself up again before he collapsed into bed and was asleep instantly. Though his sleep was not peaceful as his dreams were filled with Blue Fairies dive bombing him and stone beasts firing arrows in his direction. He woke up with a start in the early hours of the morning and lay in bed thinking of Nevermore's riddle.
The next day, and feeling tired, Barney grabbed breakfast before heading to his History of Magic lesson and took a seat at the back of the class. The only good thing about Professor Binns and his lessons were that at least Barney could take a nap in class and his professor wouldn't even notice.
As Binns began to talk about the great Goblin rebellion of 1612 most of the class started to talk amongst themselves as their teacher droned on. Barney rested his head against his arms on his desk and was soon asleep. Again his dream was filled with Blue Fairies that flew around him but this time he was on a broom and in the air. As he looked down he saw the stone beasts but they were not firing arrows at him but cheering him on. Barney looked around to see he was in the middle of a Quidditch match and he was playing Seeker for Slytherin. The Blue Fairies disappeared and when he looked down again the stone beasts were gone and were replaced by his fellow students in the stands. Barney saw the Golden Snitch flash past him and instinctively he gave chase. The Snitch darted around the pitch and Barney never let it out of his sight. He felt like he was travelling extremely fast and he looked down to see he was riding a Lightningbolt broom. As the broom went faster he got closer and closer to the Snitch. It was now within his reach. He stretched out his hand to grab it when Marek jolted him awake.
"Wake up sleepy. Lesson is over," Marek said.
Barney looked around a little disorientated at the almost empty classroom as everyone else had left and he started to gather his things, feeling disappointed his near victory had just been a dream.
After the class Barney headed to the Great Hall for his free period to work on Nevermore's riddle. When he arrived there were a few other students around doing work and hanging out but the Slytherin table was largely empty and he was glad of the peace and quiet to enable him to concentrate. He retrieved Nevermore's journal and opened it to the page with the riddle on and studied the words even though he knew them off by heart now.
He considered each line in turn and scribbled down notes of what they may be referring to but his notes started to become a jumble as he considered so many different possibilities and he was just as lost as he had been to begin with.
Barney looked up from his notes to see Thomas enter the hall and he quickly headed over to the Slytherin table. "I thought you had Charms class?" Barney asked as Thomas sat down opposite him.
"We did but Professor Pomperduke was teaching us a laughing charm and miscast it on himself and couldn't stop laughing. He had to go to the hospital wing so Madame Pomfrey could treat him, which meant our lesson ended early. You working on the riddle?" Thomas asked as he looked down at Nevermore's journal open on the table.
"Yeah but I'm not having much luck with it," Barney said as he turned the journal around so Thomas could reread the riddle. "The second line about standing next to a rook must be referring to a knight like on a chessboard, but I have no idea what knight carries a gold coin."
Thomas thought for a second before speaking, "Well there are lots of knights around the school, maybe one of them is holding a gold coin."
"Yeah true," Barney said thinking. "But where to start? There are loads of suits of armour, stone statues and a few portraits around the school with knights in. It would take ages to check them all."
"Maybe we should head to the library. Might be something in Hogwarts: A History about a specific one."
Barney looked across the hall. "No need," he said as he got up. "Wait here."
Barney headed over to the Ravenclaw table and returned with Tilly's copy of Hogwarts: A History, which she always carried around in her bag and the pair turned to the contents page. There was nothing listed for suits of armour but there were chapters on the castle's portraits and statues.
"Which one shall we start with?" Barney asked.
"Statues. If it's one of them it will be easier to find. They don't move around like the portraits do," Thomas replied, though Barney remembered being told how the statues around the castle had been bewitched to come alive and defend the school during the Battle of Hogwarts, but on the whole Thomas was right, the statues were the more stationary of the two.
Barney turned to the chapter on statues and they both began to read for any mention of knights or gold coins but to no avail. The only statues mentioned were about ones of specific witches or wizards like the school's four founding members or of Gunhilda de Gorsemoor who found the cure for Dragon Poxs. But nothing about any knights.
Barney was about to turn to the chapter on portraits when Tilly came over.
"Are you done with that yet? Cos I'm heading back to my common room now," she asked.
"Not yet. Can I bring it back to you later please?" Barney replied with his best pleading helpless lost boy look.
"Sure. Just don't crease any of the pages."
"Thanks Tilly. You're a star."
"I know," she said half in jest and turned to leave.
"Hey Tilly," Barney called after her. "You don't happen to know any knights in the school that hold a gold coin do you?"
"A gold coin? Well there's meant to be a statue of Sir Gendarall," she answered back.
"Who?" Barney asked and was pleased to see Thomas was just as in the dark as he was and had a blank look on his face too.
"Don't you two ever read any books?" Tilly asked and she walked back to them and put her bag down on the table and started to rummage through it.
She pulled out numerous books and placed them on the table as she looked for the right one.
"How do you fit all those in there?" Thomas asked looking bemused.
"Extension charm," she replied as her arm was in the bag almost to the shoulder and she pulled it back out with another book in hand. "Here it is. Tales of Sorcery," she said as she passed the book to Barney who took it. "It has a story in it about Sir Gendermere. He was a knight who supposedly helped witches to safety in the seventeenth century when there were many trials and burnings of women accused of witchcraft. His fee for helping them was one gold coin."
"And there's a statue of him in Hogwarts?" Barney asked before he even bothered to open the book.
"Yeah I think it's by the main entrance."
Barney jumped up and grabbed Nevermore's journal and shoved it in his bag as he hastily made his way to the door with Thomas quickly following behind.
"Hey don't you need my books anymore?" Tilly shouted to them, looking a bit confused and annoyed as Barney was about to disappear out the door.
"Who needs books when we have your brilliant mind at hand," Barney shouted back, which made Tilly smile and instantly she forgave him for his hasty exit.
Barney and Thomas rushed down the steps to the main entrance and were met with walls of stone knights on either side of them. Each stood on its own plinth in alcoves in the wall and each statue was slightly different. Some held swords and shields, others had axes or clubs, some were damaged with pieces broken off and some plinths were empty. Barney summarised that the empty plinths and damaged statues must have been casualties from the Battle of Hogwarts.
"I can't see any with a gold coin," Thomas said as he looked around at them all.
Barney was about to agree with Thomas when he looked a little closer at one of the knights. In its right hand it held a sword pointed to the ground but in its left hand it seemed to have something small between its fingers. Barney stepped closer for a better look. The knight's hand was closed around the object but he was sure this was the right one.
Thomas stepped beside him and examined the statue too and was convinced as well. "So what next?"
"We go up," Barney said remembering the next line of the riddle and he looked above him to the high stone ceiling.
Though he knew the castle layout well enough to know exactly what was above them. The Astronomy Tower.
Barney and Thomas climbed the many steps up to the Astronomy classroom at the very top of the tower. He considered finding Viola first as he knew she would want to be there when they solved the riddle as she had helped uncover it. But he didn't know where she was right now and he didn't want to waste time looking for her as he couldn't wait to see where the riddle would take them.
Once they reached the top (and had caught their breaths) Thomas asked to see Nevermore's journal again so he could read the next line of the riddle but Barney didn't need to look, he already knew it off by heart.
"So now we look down to where the elements meet?" Thomas said after reading the journal.
They both walked over to the opening in the wall of the tower where they had a clear view over the grounds of Hogwarts and beyond, which stretched for miles into the distance.
"Shame it couldn't be more specific," Thomas said as he scanned the vast expanse but Barney did exactly what the riddle said and looked straight down.
"Earth and water," he said and pointed to the Black Lake below them. "Where the elements meet. The shore of the lake."
"And the lake is where the squid lives. Squids produce ink. You use ink to write. The source of the written word," Thomas added as he read the next line of the riddle and they both shared a knowing smile.
As quick as they had climbed the Astronomy Tower, they were heading back down it and outside towards the lake. Thomas still held Nevermore's journal and when they reached the shore he looked at the riddle again.
"East to a night where no one sleeps," Thomas said reciting the next line out loud even though Barney knew it already. Thomas looked up towards the sun which was partially obscured by a cloud and around at the grounds of Hogwarts.
"East is that way," he said pointing towards the front of the castle.
Barney walked towards the lake until his feet were almost touching the water and then looked across to the front of the school where it rose up from the lake on its rocky cliff. "I guess we go that way then," Barney said as he turned back to Thomas who looked less than thrilled.
"Across the lake?" Thomas said sounding surprised.
"Well yeah. It must be somewhere along the cliff."
"And you want to go out there? You've got to be joking. That cliff is a pretty shear drop and the water is freezing this time of year."
"We can go on broom. It will be fine," Barney said not sounding worried at all.
"For you maybe. I'm not as an experienced flyer as you."
Barney started to get a little frustrated and felt Thomas was going to slow him down.
"Fine you can wait here and I'll go alone."
"I still don't think it's safe," Thomas pleaded.
"You worry too much."
Barney dashed off to the broom shed which was close by and hurried back to the lake with a practice broom in hand to where Thomas was waiting and still looked very worried and nervous.
"Are you sure about this?" Thomas asked as Barney mounted the broom.
"If I'm not back in ten minutes, don't tell Professor McGonagall what I was up to," Barney joked but Thomas didn't find it funny and was filled with worry. "Relax I'll be fine."
Barney kicked off and stayed a few feet from the ground as he started slowly flying out over the lake and then along the front of the cliff. He carefully scanned the rock surface looking for anything that might be the reference to 'a night where no one sleeps' but when he got to the end of the castle he stopped, having seen nothing. He debated going along further but all he could see in front of him were the school grounds then the Forbidden Forest in the distance. He turned his broom and worked his way back. This time flying higher up the cliff and again looked hard for anything.
Thomas could see his friend returning and was glad he was OK as Barney swooped down to him and hovered on his broom just in front of him.
"Anything?" Thomas asked, but from the disappointed look on Barney's face he already knew the answer.
"Nothing. I'm gonna take another pass," Barney replied as was off again and flying over the glistening surface of the Black Lake.
As he neared the middle of the cliff he spotted vines growing down and remembered back to his first year at Hogwarts and how they had arrived at the castle across the lake and through an entrance in the cliff. The vines must have been covering the opening so he glided down for a better look. As soon as he got there he noticed some blue flowers growing out of the rocks. He remembered learning about these flowers in Herbology. Their two large petals fluttered like wings, not from the wind but by the plants themselves to attract the attention of bees to help pollinate them and earned them the nickname Blue Fairies. Barney knew this was the right place.
He hovered in front of the opening and reached his hand out to part the vines and looked into the darkened cave and slowly inched in. He retrieved his wand from his robes and cast Lumos and the cave was sudden bathed in light. He looked up to the ceiling and saw movement. Dangling from the roof of the cave were numerous bats - nocturnal animals that don't sleep at night.
The small river that led into the cave soon stopped at a stone dock where Barney remembered climbing out of the little boats many years ago. He landed there and placed the broom against the wall and thought of the next line of the riddle and immediately started to look for anything which might be a 'stone beast's arrow' that he was meant to follow.
There was certainly lots of stone around he thought to himself as he looked at the rough walls all around him and followed the path that had been dug out centuries ago through the rock and led up to the castle.
As he scanned the walls by the glow of his wand he started to notice faint carvings etched into them. Last time he had been in there he was so excited and nervous to get to Hogwarts that he had been oblivious to them. From what he could tell the carvings were pictures, depicting various scenes like a picture book telling a story. As he slowly moved along the path he came to a scene showing a battle, with wizards pointing their wands and bolts of light emitting from them. As he went further he saw a group of centaurs and there at the very front was one centaur holding a bow with an arrow flying high into the sky. The arrow was facing downwards and he followed its line of sight which was pointing to the setting sun in the distance - the ember and where the last light dies.
He pointed his still glowing wand at the setting sun carving. "Memini," he said, reciting the Remembering charm and waited to see what happened.
Dust started to fall away from the wall and slowly the stone carving of the sun started to rise up the wall like a sunrise, leaving behind a hole in the wall about a foot wide. The hole was dark and Barney shone his wand in it. It seemed deep but he could make out something lodged at the very back of it. He carefully placed his hand and arm in it and reached to the very back, his fingers just managing to get a grip of the solid object that was back there. He cautiously prised the object forward but could still feel it scrapping the edges of the hole as finally he pulled it all the way out. He now held the object in his hand and gazed at it. He was a wooden box. Mahogany or similar he presumed from the colour of it. On the box, almost looking like they had been burnt into it were markings, markings that Barney did not recognise and he thought to himself great, more ciphers.
He tried the box to see if it would open but it was sealed shut and he couldn't even see where it was meant to open from. Another puzzle from Nevermore to solve he summarised to himself.
He was about to head back down the path to the river and where he had left the broom when he froze. Behind him he could hear a noise. As he listened closer the noise got louder. It was a deep rumbling noise and as it got louder he recognised what it was. It was a growl.
Slowly, Barney turned around, not knowing what to expect to see. But there stood in front of him partially hidden by the shadows of the cave he saw two blood red eyes and two giant fangs. He knew at once it was the same creature Thomas had seen in the Forbidden Forest on Halloween night.
Barney cautious moved his wand towards the creature in the hope that the light would keep it away but to also get a better look at it. As Thomas had described the creature had a head like a wolf but it was much bigger and it's body was huge like a bear's. It's fur was jet black and it was snarling at him.
As Barney and the creature stared each other out Barney could feel his heart racing. He doubted he could make it down the cave and to the broom without the beast getting to him first but he knew he had to act fast and he readied himself.
"Vermillious!" Barney shouted and red sparks flew out of his wand towards the beast.
The beast instinctively jumped back away from the burning lights and Barney made a run for it but it didn't take the beast long to give chase.
Barney heard the beast's footsteps pounding on the stone floor and he turned back. "Stupefy!" he yelled and again red light emitted from his wand and struck the beast in the shoulder.
The beast fell and cried out a howl of pain but the Stunning spell had little long lasting effect on the beast and it was quickly back on it's feet and giving chase again.
Barney was still a long way from the river and again he could hear the beast coming down the stone steps behind him. "Immobulus!" he hollered as he briefly turned back again and blue light lit the cave.
Again the beast was struck and howled out in pain but the spell did nothing to stop it, but only gave Barney a few seconds to get ahead before once more the beast was up and giving chase.
Barney knew he wasn't going to make it. Nothing he was firing at the beast seemed to be having much effect and the creature was too fast for him. He racked his brains for a stronger spell he could cast at it but his mind was blank and he couldn't think of any. He didn't dare turn back again to see how close the beast was and continued running forward but he could hear the growl of the beast close behind him.
"Accio broom!" Barney shouted, unable to think of anything else to do.
Barney was glad to see the practice broom zooming through the darkened cave ahead and straight into his outstretched hand. Hastily he jumped on the broom and kicked off from the ground. He felt something behind him and heard the ripping of fabric. The beast had struck out at him and caught his robes as he bolted through the cave on the broom and he was glad to burst back out into the day light.
With the box he had just retrieved safely tucked under his arm he turned back to look at the cave's entrance as he hovered on the broom above the lake. Barney had no idea what the beast was and he really hoped he never had to come face to face with it again.