Chapter 4
Narrelle carefully opened her left eye just enough to see Madame Frink through the slit. No, she thought, don't open it; don't ask why I want it. Just then footsteps could be heard stampeding towards the library. Narrelle shut her eyes tight again and tried not to move.
"What happened?" Professor Dumbledore asked as he magiced up a stretcher and levitated Narrelle on to it.
"She collapsed Professor. She was complaining of a pain in her head. Oh, and she wanted to take this with her".
Professor Dumbledore nodded. The green book flew out of Madame Frink's hand and landed next to Narrelle. He began to move back through the gathering students towards the door. Narrelle hovered along behind him. This is the best feeling in the world; she thought trying not to smile. I feel as light as a feather.
"Miss Taylor I don't think you should be smiling if you're unconscious."
Slowly Narrelle opened her eyes and looked right into the cool blue ones of Professor Dumbledore.
"I said to you before you got on the train that I wanted no more behaviour of this sort and yet you have disobeyed me."
Narrelle sat up and tried to avoid Dumbledore's gaze. "I'm sorry Sir I just wanted to get a book out of the library."
Dumbledore picked up the book lying beside Narrelle. "Interesting choice Miss Taylor. Why is it that you need it?" He asked after glancing at the title.
"Well Professor Lynch suggested it Sir as extra reading and well…." She paused, well what? Her mind had gone blank. She fumbled with a loose thread on her robes as she struggled to finish her sentence.
"You thought it would be easier to check the book out as you have so many lessons and so little time?" Dumbledore suggested.
"Yes Sir," she said. Why didn't she think of that? He's not going to believe that now is he? She silently cursed herself.
"Hmm well I see no harm in that. Next time I suggest you don't waste our time and just ask in the future". He smiled as he handed the book back to Narrelle. She couldn't believe her luck. Jumping down from the stretcher she thanked Dumbledore and headed back towards the Common Room. Dumbledore smiled after her as the stretcher disappeared. He was going to have to keep an eye on Miss Taylor, there was defiantly something unexpected behind those brilliant blue eyes.
"Ellouise, are you in here?" Narrelle asked in a whisper.
"Yes what's up?" Ellouise said as Narrelle entered the dark room.
"Are any of the others in here or are you on your own?"
"I'm on my own. Narrelle what is going on?"
"Lumos". Narrelle's wand tip lit up as she sat on the end of Ellouise's bed, "How come you're in here on your own in the dark?"
"I wanted some rest, it's half nine Narrelle". Ellouise sat up and propped herself up on her pillows. Her blonde hair was loose and hung to her shoulders.
"Where are the others and when will they be back?" She continued ignoring Ellouise's yawn.
"How should I know?" She shrugged "They said they were going to see some of their classmates in their dorm. I don't know when they'll come back"
"Ok, then take a look at this," Narrelle pulled the green book from her robes and flicked through to the page she wanted. Ellouise took it from her and spun it round so she could read what it said.
'Blendartus Chamelability how to blend in with your surroundings with one simple potion'. Ellouise looked up and grinned. "This is fantastic Narrelle," she looked back down and ran her finger down the list of ingredients "I don't know about simple though, look how much we have to get." She pushed the book back to Narrelle eyebrows raised.
"Well most of it we can get from the student cupboard and the rest Lynch has, I'm sure. We just have to wait until really late and sneak into his office."
"Oh great! Sneaking around, this really sounds easy," Ellouise said sarcastically.
"Well its better than your idea, 'lets fly', we wont get caught this way, if we're careful."
Algernon Rookwood had heard enough. He had followed Narrelle all evening and knew enough of her progress to report back to Tom. I don't see why I should though, he thought to himself, I mean she's no good for him anyway so why should I help him? He headed right up the stairs to the ground floor of the dormitories and shut the door to his room behind him.
Tom was sat on his bed opposite the door on the other side of the circular room. Folgrum and Valetta were sat on the one to the left of Tom's and Elladora right next to them. Algernon frowned that was something else that got on his nerves. Why was Valetta here? She wasn't even in Slytherin; she didn't have the right to be in this common room. The others in this house tolerating her often surprised him but then there was Tom to answer to if they had objections.
"So, did she get the book?" Tom asked.
"Yes, she got the book," He said as he threw himself on his bed to the right of the door. Steven Witt and Colin Parsons owned the two other beds but were hardly ever in the room. Algernon made his feelings clear that he didn't like them and that they were better off staying out when ever they could. "She did an awful job though," he smiled suddenly. "First of all she forged a note, that worked quite well but then she got a bad head ache or something and collapsed."
Tom sat bolt upright and in an instant had crossed the room and was towering over Algernon. "She collapsed?" He said quietly. Algernon rolled over onto his side.
"Well like I said she got a pain in her head and then she fell to the floor. I think she was faking it so don't worry, she's alright" Tom nodded.
"So what did she do wrong then? Looks like she fooled you." He turned his back on him and waved for him to continue.
"She didn't fool me, I just said she was faking it". Algernon burst out at the injustice. " Anyway She asked Madame Frink to unlock the book so she could take it to the hospital wing with her. Then she collapsed and was carried to the desk. Frink saw the book and read the title and stuff while she was waiting for help to arrive, she read it and then talked out loud" Algernon put on an old woman voice "What does a little girl like you want to know about invisibility dear?" He laughed and the others joined in. Tom gave them a sullen look and they stopped abruptly. "She knows too much already and you can bet she sticks her nose in again."
"Don't worry about Frink, I'll deal with her. Its not like she can defend herself is it? The dumb muggle! What does she think she's playing, at living and working in our world?" Tom had started to pace the room. "Same with all those mudbloods, they don't belong here".
"Tom, sit down". Valetta took his arm as he walked past her and pulled him on to the bed. "Let Algernon finish before you start the whole pacing thing again, ok?"
Tom smiled "Continue Algernon" he said. Valetta returned his smile and lent back into Folgrum's arms. He suppressed a glare and fixed his gaze on the wooden floor determined not to attract Tom's anger.
"Well Dumbledore turned up and took her away on a stretcher. I followed of course but they didn't go far. He lent over her and said something then she sat up. They exchanged words although I was too far to tell what was said. I guess he saw through her act and was talking about punishment. He looked at the book as well then he gave it back and let her go. She ran back to her room and talked with Ellouise. She's planning to get some ingredients from Lynch's office."
"Then she did well indeed," Tom said, Algernon snorted. Tom rose again, strode over to Algernon and pulled him from the bed, his face close to his own. "You may not like her Rookwood" He said in a menacing whisper, "But we do, I do, and she will be one of us whether you like it or not. Now I don't want to hear another word out of you unless I ask for your advice." Tom pushed him away from himself and Algernon thudded back onto the bed.
"Ellouise wake up, Ellouise come on, get up" Narrelle had pushed back the curtains of Ellouise's four-poster bed and was shaking her. She had waited until the early hours of the morning before forcing herself to leave her comfortable bed. With any luck they could have the potion finished before lessons started and would be able to make it to Hogsmead just after lunch. She could not believe her luck when she read the potions instructions and found it could be completed within twelve hours. Very modern, she had thought, no more hanging around for a full moon.
"Hmm, what? Leave me alone."
"Wake up for heavens sake." Narrelle continued to whisper glancing this way and that and checking the others were still snoring.
"Alright I'm awake, I'm awake". Ellouise opened her eyes and struggled to sit up.
"About time, come on, we have to get them now."
"I know and I'm up aren't I?" Ellouise pulled on her robes.
Narrelle nodded and left the room, her wand lighting the sleeping faces of their roommates as she went. The door creaked slightly as they exited the common room but after pausing for a moment they decided no one had awoken. They started down the corridor making as little noise with their feet as possible. Ellouise took hold of the back of Narrelle's robes so as not to be left behind. They were approaching the stairs down to the dungeons when a clattering noise from somewhere behind them sent them scurrying into an empty classroom. Narrelle leant against the door to listen.
"Peeves, was that you?" The distant voice of the school's caretaker Miss Sutton called out into the night.
Ellouise shuddered, "This is a bad idea Nell, if Miss Sutton catches us we're going to be in so much trouble."
"Shh" Narrelle pressed a finger to her lips "Sutton's busy taking care of Peeves. We'll be fine, that poltergeist is helping us really," she whispered. She listened for a second longer before pulling open the door, "Ok, let's go," and beckoned Ellouise to follow.
Nothing else disturbed them as they crept down the remaining stairs and corridors to Lynch's office.
"Alohamora" Narrelle muttered pointing her wand at the rusty lock on the heavy oak door to the office. Nothing happened. "Alohamora," she frowned as she repeated the spell. Ellouise glanced around nervously.
"Why isn't it working?"
"He must have other charms on it or something."
"Well, what now mastermind?" Ellouise said sharply. "I want to get back to bed, this place is giving me the creeps."
"Scared of the dark are you?"
"Oh shut up Nell" She gave her a playful push and smiled.
"All we need is another way in. He must have a window so we'll just have to go through that"
"You are joking right? Narrelle we're in a dungeon!" Ellouise said gesturing wildly.
"Don't worry I have a plan"
"Oh no, not another one" she sighed. This time it was Narrelle doing the pushing. "Ouch" Ellouise rubbed her arm and started after Narrelle. "Nell, where are you going?" she asked in a whisper as Narrelle disappeared into the next room. To her dismay she saw in the dim light from her wand that Narrelle was piling up boxes and chairs attempting to reach the tiny window set right up near the high roof.
"No way! No way Nell, you'll fall" Ellouise dashed forward and grabbed Narrelle's sleeve.
"I won't fall, watch me" She said pulling herself free of Ellouise's grip and lifting herself up her make-shift ladder out on to the thin stone ledge. "This would be so much easier if I had the concentration and skill to levitate myself!" Glancing down at the pit that ran around the edge of the school she still felt a long way up despite being at ground level. "Just stay there and keep look out ok?"
Ellouise nodded her eyes wide with fear for her friend.
"I'm ok Ellouise, I got in" Narrelle's muffled voice filtered through the wall. "Now go to the door, I'm going to see if I can open it from this side."
Ellouise scurried round to the door to Lynch's office and heard Narrelle scrabbling at the handle.
"It won't open from this side either. Just hang on, I'll bring the stuff we need back through the window"
"Just be careful, ok?" Ellouise called back, biting her nail as she waited. She returned to the storeroom and found she could hear the distinct chinking of glass bottles through the wall. Who else can hear us? She thought to herself. Preferring not to think about this prospect she busied herself by examining her surroundings. She saw that the room was full of broken wands and brooms, mops and buckets, feather dusters and boxes of all shapes and sizes. She crouched down to take a closer look at the instructions for the 'Does It For You Duster' when she heard whispering outside. Crawling over to the door she peered through he keyhole. What she saw outside made her breathe catch in her throat.
Just outside the door was a black hairy eight-legged creature. Ellouise's hand flew to her mouth to prevent the scream escaping her lips, her heart beating so fast she was sure she could hear it out loud.
The thing shuffled slightly, resting its large pincers on the floor as it looked towards something just out of Ellouise's vision with eight unblinking eyes.
"Please let me go." It spoke in a clicking, rattling voice. "I can't stay here with the thing, the monster on the loose."
"A'right, I'll see wha' I can do. It won' be easy tryin' to get y' out of the castle unseen y' know."
Ellouise thought she recognized the voice, "Could it be Hagrid?" she thought to herself.
"Thank you Hagrid". Ellouise stifled another gasp. "You are so good to me," it continued.
"Yeah well, com' on now I need to get some rest. I have a potions exam tomorro'."
Ellouise waited open mouthed as the creature scrambled into a metal box. Hagrid walked across her vision, he obviously picked up the box because as he moved off it had disappeared from view. What was Hagrid playing at? First werewolves now this? Did he want to be expelled?
"Ellouise what are you doing? Come and help me will you?" Ellouise jumped up from the floor
"Nell, you are not going to believe this," she hurried over to help Narrelle back through the window.
"You're kidding? Hagrid in league with a monster? Ok, I know he's a little crazy when it comes to weird animals and all but, really."
Ellouise frowned. "I'm not making it up Narrelle, I saw them with my own eyes. Look, I know it sounds daft but I don't think the thing he was talking with is all that dangerous."
Narrelle snorted, "I'm serious" Ellouise said starting to sound frustrated.
"Now your sounding like that oaf, "It don't mean any 'arm honest". Really Lou what's got into you?"
"Hear me out will you? It was talking about something else something it was afraid of. Maybe the monster it was talking about is the one that attacked that poor Ravenclaw boy."
Narrelle sighed "Ok I do see some sense but I'm far too tired to think about all this now. Come on, let's get back to the common room".
"Not so fast Miss Taylor, Miss Lawson. What do you think you're doing?" Suddenly the room and corridor were illuminated with light.
Slowly Narrelle and Ellouise looked into the eyes of Professor Lynch.
"Well? I'm waiting," He frowned.
"We… um… we…"
"Give me your bag," he extended his hand impatiently, glowering at the pair of them. Hurriedly Narrelle pushed the bag into his grasp and grimaced as he pulled it open to expose the many bottles from his private stores. Ellouise glanced up and immediately wished she hadn't. Professor Lynch's face was contorted with furry and going a dark shade of red.
"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MESSING WITH?" He glanced from one to the other his hands visibly shaking. "HOW DARE YOU BREAK INTO MY OFFICE!" He strode past them and unlocked the door "GET IN HERE THIS INSTANT." He roared.
Narrelle forced herself to step into the room. Ellouise followed looking distinctly pale. Taking a deep breath Lynch gestured to the two empty chairs and took up the one behind the desk. Resting his hands on the table he stared at the two girls before him waiting for an explanation.
Narrelle did not look up as she spoke. "It was my idea Sir, we wanted to visit Hogsmead every weekend and thought that if we could blend in with our backgrounds using a potion we could slip out of class unnoticed."
"I see" Lynch lent back in his chair to consider what she had told him. "Well Miss Taylor I'm impressed, not many Slytherin students would dare to attempt such an idea, or in fact have thought of it in the first place."
Ellouise glanced at Narrelle clearly not believing what she was hearing.
"However you can not go about stealing from your own house teacher. Had you discussed with me your desire to miss lessons for recreational activity I may have been able to arrange something for you. Now I'm afraid you will just have to suffer with the rest of your class."
Narrelle looked up sharply.
"That is your punishment. If you want to escape lessons so badly it is only fit that you should remain in them. Don't even consider complaining Miss Taylor. You are lucky not to be punished further."
Narrelle swallowed hard. "Thank you Sir," she muttered as the words threatened to catch in her throat.
"Yes, thank you Sir," repeated Ellouise.
"No Miss Lawson I had not discussed your punishment yet. You had nothing to do with this plan as far as I am concerned. You were standing outside while Miss Taylor did the work for you."
"But Sir! It was my idea to escape class in the first place!" Her voice rose in outrage.
Professor Lynch raised his eyebrows "Indeed? If that is so it is even more satisfactory than Miss Taylor's excuse" To her surprise he smiled. "A true Slytherin is devious and looks out for number one alone. I am impressed by your resource. You shall get one weekend off a month, that is all."
"Sir" Narrelle said shocked at what she had just heard.
"Miss Taylor you have been dismissed I have made my decisions. Now get back to bed, both of you."
Ellouise rose from her chair and pulled Narrelle from the room. "Get a grip Narrelle we got off lightly," she muttered.
"You did you mean. I still get stuck with lessons," She said seething at the injustice of the situation. She stormed past Ellouise and made her way back to the dormitories alone.