Chapter 5
Narnia looked from side to side, gazing at both ends of the hall. "It's this way to start," turning left. As she made her way in what she believed was the direction of the owlery, she couldn't help but stop to look at the fixtures that littered the corridors. She had always been driven by curiosity and her inquisitive nature was steering her away from her main objective. She was finding that the further along she went, the more things looked unfamiliar. After making a series of turns and bends and after what felt like at least an hour, she still hadn't found the owlery. She came to a complete stop and stood looking at her surroundings. This place seemed foreign to her and she knew at once that this had not been part of Hagrid's tour. "Well, at least I'm still in the castle," she thought to herself, but she was beginning to think that she should have taken Hagrid's advice. She decided to go just a bit further and if she was unsuccessful, she would try to find her way back and worry about sending out her letter in the morning. Being lost was not exactly how she had envisioned spending her first night in the castle. She walked forward down the corridor and came to an intersecting hallway. She was just deciding which way to turn when someone spoke from behind her.
"Lost, Professor?" came a low, silky voice.
Startled, Narnia turned to face the person speaking. The corridor was faintly lit but she was able to see who had approached her. He seemed to be dressed in robes of black and he was a bit taller than her. His skin was pale, almost glowing in the shadows, and his features were rigid. In his demeanor, there were no traces of kindness, but she didn't feel threatened by him either. He almost seemed amused at their meeting.
"Just looking around," she replied, clearing her throat and pulling her cloak a little tighter around her. "I'm afraid we haven't met. Narnia Fair."
"Yes, I'm well aware," he interrupted. He swiftly stepped towards her. Narnia stayed rooted to the spot in which she had been standing, stiffening slightly. "It would prove wise not go lurking about the school alone at night, Professor," he stated, his tone threatening and with a hint of triumph. He paused and then continued, " The owlery is in that direction. Good evening." He swept past her, turned a corner, and disappeared.
Narnia stood looking after him for a moment, unsure of whether that had just occurred or if she was actually back in her bed, dreaming about it all. Her breathing became rapid and the thought of his conduct irritated her. How dare he threaten her? To her recollection, she had done nothing to provoke him to act in such a way. He had seemed almost satisfied to catch her off guard. Gritting her teeth, she headed in the direction she had came from, opposite of what the man had pointed out. What if he had sent her the wrong way, only to be waiting for her when she found herself even more disoriented? She would not give him any further satisfaction by following his instructions. He had taken advantage of her helplessness, something she would have never done if the circumstances had been reversed. She knew she hadn't mentioned to him that she was on her way to the owlery, but perhaps he had simply seen the letter in her hand. The day had been so wonderful and he had ended it sourly for her. She would wait and send her letter tomorrow and resolved to ask Hagrid or one of the other teachers to take her to the owlery. By the time she reached her chambers, the adrenaline rush had worn off and quite exhausted from the trek and her day's travels, she crawled into bed and fell quickly to sleep.
Narnia looked around at the forest. It was happening again. She didn't wait to hear the voices this time; maybe she could get there in time to save him. She started to run for the clearing. She didn't worry about concealing herself; she knew what she had to do. As the clearing came into view, she could see all three men and again, he was the only one aware of her. His hands were outstretched towards her as he labored to crawl away from the others. She had almost reached him when the man speaking raised his wand again.
"Nooooo." Narnia sat straight up in bed and struggled to catch her breath. She looked around, and for a moment, was unsure of where she was. It then dawned on her. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then wondered if anyone had heard her scream. She got up out of bed and walked to her door, opened it, and looked out into the corridor for any sign that she had been heard. Silence enveloped the hall and Narnia sighed in relief. Shutting the door, she walked to her desk, laid out her journal and quill and poured herself a glass of water from her bedside table. She sat down and began to write what had happened, just like every time before. When she finished, she put the journal away and moved to the chair by the fireplace. "I was almost there," she thought as she watched the flames dance back and forth. The warmth of the fire embraced her and she slowly drifted back to sleep.
Sorry, this is the shortest chapter so far.
Narnia looked from side to side, gazing at both ends of the hall. "It's this way to start," turning left. As she made her way in what she believed was the direction of the owlery, she couldn't help but stop to look at the fixtures that littered the corridors. She had always been driven by curiosity and her inquisitive nature was steering her away from her main objective. She was finding that the further along she went, the more things looked unfamiliar. After making a series of turns and bends and after what felt like at least an hour, she still hadn't found the owlery. She came to a complete stop and stood looking at her surroundings. This place seemed foreign to her and she knew at once that this had not been part of Hagrid's tour. "Well, at least I'm still in the castle," she thought to herself, but she was beginning to think that she should have taken Hagrid's advice. She decided to go just a bit further and if she was unsuccessful, she would try to find her way back and worry about sending out her letter in the morning. Being lost was not exactly how she had envisioned spending her first night in the castle. She walked forward down the corridor and came to an intersecting hallway. She was just deciding which way to turn when someone spoke from behind her.
"Lost, Professor?" came a low, silky voice.
Startled, Narnia turned to face the person speaking. The corridor was faintly lit but she was able to see who had approached her. He seemed to be dressed in robes of black and he was a bit taller than her. His skin was pale, almost glowing in the shadows, and his features were rigid. In his demeanor, there were no traces of kindness, but she didn't feel threatened by him either. He almost seemed amused at their meeting.
"Just looking around," she replied, clearing her throat and pulling her cloak a little tighter around her. "I'm afraid we haven't met. Narnia Fair."
"Yes, I'm well aware," he interrupted. He swiftly stepped towards her. Narnia stayed rooted to the spot in which she had been standing, stiffening slightly. "It would prove wise not go lurking about the school alone at night, Professor," he stated, his tone threatening and with a hint of triumph. He paused and then continued, " The owlery is in that direction. Good evening." He swept past her, turned a corner, and disappeared.
Narnia stood looking after him for a moment, unsure of whether that had just occurred or if she was actually back in her bed, dreaming about it all. Her breathing became rapid and the thought of his conduct irritated her. How dare he threaten her? To her recollection, she had done nothing to provoke him to act in such a way. He had seemed almost satisfied to catch her off guard. Gritting her teeth, she headed in the direction she had came from, opposite of what the man had pointed out. What if he had sent her the wrong way, only to be waiting for her when she found herself even more disoriented? She would not give him any further satisfaction by following his instructions. He had taken advantage of her helplessness, something she would have never done if the circumstances had been reversed. She knew she hadn't mentioned to him that she was on her way to the owlery, but perhaps he had simply seen the letter in her hand. The day had been so wonderful and he had ended it sourly for her. She would wait and send her letter tomorrow and resolved to ask Hagrid or one of the other teachers to take her to the owlery. By the time she reached her chambers, the adrenaline rush had worn off and quite exhausted from the trek and her day's travels, she crawled into bed and fell quickly to sleep.
Narnia looked around at the forest. It was happening again. She didn't wait to hear the voices this time; maybe she could get there in time to save him. She started to run for the clearing. She didn't worry about concealing herself; she knew what she had to do. As the clearing came into view, she could see all three men and again, he was the only one aware of her. His hands were outstretched towards her as he labored to crawl away from the others. She had almost reached him when the man speaking raised his wand again.
"Nooooo." Narnia sat straight up in bed and struggled to catch her breath. She looked around, and for a moment, was unsure of where she was. It then dawned on her. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then wondered if anyone had heard her scream. She got up out of bed and walked to her door, opened it, and looked out into the corridor for any sign that she had been heard. Silence enveloped the hall and Narnia sighed in relief. Shutting the door, she walked to her desk, laid out her journal and quill and poured herself a glass of water from her bedside table. She sat down and began to write what had happened, just like every time before. When she finished, she put the journal away and moved to the chair by the fireplace. "I was almost there," she thought as she watched the flames dance back and forth. The warmth of the fire embraced her and she slowly drifted back to sleep.
Sorry, this is the shortest chapter so far.