Chapter Fourteen: Answering An Unheard Call

"What is there to explain, Headmaster? I was asleep in my chambers when I woke suddenly and heard someone calling out to me. It didn't sound like they were in danger, but the voice was slightly urgent nonetheless. I followed the direction I thought the words were coming from, but they kept fading, becoming quieter and more difficult for me to hear. When I could no longer hear anything, I returned to my room."

"And what did this voice sound like?" he continued.

"I'm not entirely certain I understand what you mean by that. Though I will try to explain to the best of my abilities." Adara paused and concentrated upon the voice she heard. She kept her eyes closed as she spoke in hushed tones. "It was a female. I remember that distinctly. I am not sure how old she sounded, I couldn't judge as the voice was so soft. She sounded a little distressed, but not enough to be assumed she was in imminent danger. I can tell no more than that." She opened her eyes and immediately noticed the colour had washed from the Headmaster's face, his bright eyes looked dull and the concern in his expression had increased. "What is it, Sir? Is there something wrong?"

Dumbledore shook his head slightly and looked back at her. "Are you certain this voice you heard was not in your mind, Adara?"

She nodded and continued to gaze at him. "I'm certain, Headmaster. I have not been able to hear anything in my mind, aside from own thoughts, since breakfast yesterday morning."

"Curious," muttered the Headmaster.

"What is?" questioned Adara. "The voice or the silence? I see nothing curious about either, Sir. Having my telepathic abilities vanquished is a burden lifted, and I find nothing odd about hearing someone call my name."

"It isn't that, Adara. Not exactly. Don't you find it strange, however, that the very day you lose certain powers, you hear someone calling out to you yet cannot find the source?"

Adara pondered this statement for a moment and smiled. "I find nothing at Hogwarts strange, Sir. This is a place where anything is possible."

"That's true, my dear, but I would still prefer it if you were more careful. Anything could hap-"

"I'm sorry, Headmaster, but I have much to accomplish today. Perhaps we could speak of this later." Adara was no longer interested in hearing what Dumbledore had to say. She understood he was merely concerned for her well being, but it was starting to bore her. She rose from the table without touching her food, curtsied and made her way out of the Hall.

"Why does everyone seem to be under the impression that I can't take care of myself? I'm in my twenties, for goodness sake, I think I can manage on my own," Adara complained as she walked along.

'Adara, help me.'

She stopped in the hall instantly and peered around. "Where are you? Who are you? I can't help unless I can find you." 'Then I can prove you exist,' she added in thought.

'Follow me,' said the ghostly voice. It was clearer this time, and Adara could determine an approximate age. The voice seemed to belong to a child. Not yet old enough to attend Hogwarts, but not so young that she could not make her desires known.

Adara bustled along trying to follow the direction the voice was coming from. "Keep talking, I'm on my way, ma chere. Are you hurt, or in trouble?"

A sniffle echoed faintly through the corridor. 'I'm lost. Please help me.'

After following the voice for a short time, Adara arrived at a room in a long abandoned tower where the sound was apparently coming from. She reached out, took the handle and carefully opened the door. No sooner was there a crack to see through that she stumbled backward as if shoved away. She fell into the wall behind her and the door closed tightly without the aid of anyone's hand.

Adara gripped her head in both hands and felt as though something was trying to escape. She opened her mouth to scream in agony, but no more than a squeak came out. Tears ran down her cheeks like rivers. She had only once in her life experienced anything so painful as this. It was as though her mind was being raped. She opened her eyes to glance around, hoping to find a way back down. She saw instead the figure of a young girl standing over her. The child had light brown hair and was very thin. She looked almost like she had been starved. There was a gracefulness to her carriage and an almost calming presence surrounded her.

At first it seemed as though the anguish in her mind was receding, this did not last, however, as another wave swept over her and she was forced into the darkest reaches of her subconscious.

A myriad of colours and shapes swirled before her eyes. Adara sat up and held her head feeling rather dizzy from the sight. She opened her eyes slowly and chanced a look around. She was still sitting on the floor, propped up against the wall, and there crouching before her was the small girl.

'Hello, Adara,' came a whispering voice from the girl's lips. 'Are you feeling better? You went to sleep.'

Adara carefully nodded so as not to provoke the dizzy spell. "Yes, a little. Who are you?"

Instead of answering the question, the child covered her mouth, giggled and ran off down the stairs.

"Wait!" Adara called after her, but it was too late. The girl had disappeared down the staircase.

Adara wasted no time getting up to follow the small girl. After hefting herself to her feet, she moved as quickly as she could in pursuit. She watched in amazement as the fleet footed girl sped off down an adjacent corridor. "I never knew a child could move so rapidly," she said between breaths as she ran. "Please, slow down! I want to help you!" She turned a corner sharply and was met only by a dead end. A frown creased her brow as she looked high and low for the child. "That's not possible. I know she turned here."

Another giggle echoed quietly in the empty hallway, this time from behind. Adara turned to see the child standing there with her hands over her mouth, navy eyes dancing. 'Play with me, Adara.'

"I don't have time for games, ma chere. I thought you needed help."

The girl pouted and looked at the floor, dropping her arms to her sides. 'No one has time to play with me. I don't have any friends and all they want me to do is stuff I don't understand. They never play with me!' And with that, she was off again, crying miserably as she went.

Adara sped after her again, hoping to make things right. "Please, wait! Stop running and I'll help you!" She stopped in mid-sprint and thought of something. "Why don't we play a game?"

"Alright. What kind of game would you like to play? I believe I have a Wizard's Chess board laying around somewhere. Probably gathering dust."

Adara moaned and opened her eyes to see Dumbledore sitting in a chair next to her and rummaging through his cloak. "Sir?"

The Headmaster looked up and smiled calmly at her. "You wanted to play a game. Isn't that what you said, my dear?"

"No, this isn't right." She looked around bewildered. "Where am I? Where's the little girl?"

Albus Dumbledore, usually considered a rather odd man, looked around curiously. "Little girl? There are no children present in the Hospital Wing right now, dear. Perhaps you were dreaming."

"I was not dreaming. I found her, in a tower. She was the one who was calling me." Adara closed her eyes and told the aged man of the child she had encountered. "I know what I saw, Headmaster. I was not dreaming. I am not delusional."

"No one said you were, Adara. And none would ever accuse you of such a thing. However, you were in quite a state when you were found. It is possible this girl you saw was only a figment of the imagination produced by a mind in shock."

Adara narrowed her eyes at him, a gesture she had never used in his presence before. "My mind was not in shock and I was not imagining this, Sir," she told him curtly. "I know what I saw, and I've told you what she looked like. I have to find her again."

Dumbledore shook his head and leveled her with a stern gaze. "I do not like having to restrict you in any way, Adara, but it seems you leave me with no choice. I forbid you to return to that tower." Adara was about to argue this when the Headmaster continued, forcing her to remain silent. "I also forbid you to leave this room until I have learned more of your ... situation. Do I make myself clear, Miss Sage?"

The use of that term 'Miss Sage' took Adara by surprise. The Headmaster was very rarely so formal with her, unless there was a serious need for it. She bowed her head and sighed, "Yes, Sir."

"Very good. I will bring a few things from you room so that you will not grow bored. If you do have to leave the Wing for any reason, you will report to Madam Pomfrey first and foremost, and you will tell her what you are leaving for and how long it shall take you. If you are gone longer than you say, she will inform me directly and I will find you myself. Is this understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

Dumbledore rose from his chair. With the brief lecture done with, he smiled warmly again and spoke in more soothing tones. "I will leave you now so that you might get some rest. I pray you are feeling more like yourself soon, Adara." He left her then to her own thoughts.

And think she did, but not of what Albus had told her. She thought instead of the girl she had encountered in the abandoned tower. Where could she have gone? And who was she? Adara had not recognized the girl, yet the child called her name. Was it possible she was someone from the past? Someone Adara had healed in earlier years? Only confusion reigned in her mind. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.