Chapter 10

We leave the city immediately after Mr. Tiny's warning. Mr. Crepsley told me to hop up on his back. "Keep your arms tight around my neck," he said "Do not let go or make any sudden movements."

As I was getting up, I looked down and saw he's wearing slippers. I thought it was strange but didn't say anything.

When I was on his back, he started running. I didn't notice anything odd at first, but then I began to realize how fast buildings were zipping by. Mr. Crepsley's legs didn't seem to be moving quickly. Instead, it was as if the world was moving faster and we were slipping past it!

As every minute past, I become weaker and weaker. The colour of the sapphire stone also turn lighter and lighter. I think I'll die if we didn't reach Evanna's before dawn. But thank god, we did it!

Even so , I'd have missed the clearing if Mr. Crepsley hadn't budge me and said , "we're here" . I later learnt that Evanna had cast a masking spell over the place, so unless you knew where to look, your eyes would over her home and not register it.

I stand straight ahead, but for a few seconds could see nothing but trees. Then the power of the spell faded, the imaginary trees 'Vanished' and I found myself gazing down upon a crystal – clear pond, glowing a faint white colour from the light of the moon. There was a hill on the opposite side of the pond, and I could see the dark, arched entrance of a huge cave in it.

When we reached the mouth of the cave, we stopped. Mr. Crepsley sat down and laid aside his packs.

"Aren't we going in?" I asked.

"Not without being invited," Mr. Crepsley replied.

"Isn't there a bell we can ring?"

"Evanna's has no need of bells," he said. "She knows we are here and will come to greet us in her own time."

Moments later, a woman emerged from the cave. She was the ugliest, most unkempt woman I'd ever seen. She was short – barely taller than me – with long, dark, untidy hair. She had rippling muscles and thick, strong legs. Her ears were sharply pointed, her nose was tiny. When she got closer, I saw that one eye was brown and the other green. What was even strange was that the colour switched – one minutes her left eye would be brown, the nest her right!!

"Vampires!" she snorted. "Always ugly bloody vampires! Why don't handsome human even come a-calling?"

"Well I'm a human don't I?" I replied.

"Yes ...yes, you certainly are."

"So," I said feeling as though I should speak, saying the first thing that popped into my head, "you're a witch, are you?"

Mr. Crepsley groaned.

Evanna's nostrils flared and her head shot forward so out faces were millimeters apart. "What did you call me?"

To be continuing......

Don't worry ...this time I'll be much faster. see u!!