11- "Door"
Jerrod sprawled on the couch in front of the crackling fire. He let out a sigh of contentment. The rumours about Beck and himself had spread like wildfire. Glancing out of the window, he saw the darkness falling. A bell rang from deep within the castle; a reminder that all students should be in bed. Jerrod got up, and exited the portrait/door, with a stern look from its occupant.
'You should be out and about, young man!' the witch said.
'Sod off!' Jerrod scampered through empty corridors, until he reached his destination. Inside the classroom, Beck was waiting for him. A quick kiss, and they got to work. For a few weeks now, they'd been having secret rendezvous about the castle, to practise self-Transfiguration. So far, Jerrod had taught Beck the face-change charm, which he employed for his Gothic appearance, and they both had the spell well and truly under control.
'Gothis!' she said, and the chill overcame her. Blackness sprang from the roots of her growing hair, until it reached her waist. Black eye makeup darkened Beck's eyelids and lashes.
'Yeah!' said Jerrod, pleased with Beck's progress. Their ultimate aim was to transfigure their entire selves; with a few skills they'd learned in Spell-Writing.
'Okay, lets try the final spell' said Beck, a zealous look in her eye.
'Your enjoying this, aren't you?' Jerrod laughed, as he fetched the parchment with the spell they'd written. 'Okay, the incantation is "Gothis Selbst".'
'Gothis Selbst!' repeated Beck, her wand discarded. She picked it up, and hesitated.
'You first' she said, 'It's your spell.' Beck watched, as the dark shadow spurted from Jerrod's wand, and surrounded him. Jerrod shivered as his felt himself changing. The shadow dissipated, and Beck clapped her hand to her mouth. Jerrod conjured a mirror, and looked himself over. Instead of his natural brown eyes, startling blue orbs stared back. His school robes had been replaced by a black shirt and heavy black jeans. Across his shoulders, he wore a long coat, which black hems brushed the floor.
'That's amazing!' said Beck, walking around the new Jerrod. She took a few steps back, and said firmly 'Gothis Selbst!' The shadow swirled about Beck, turning her. She too stepped from the shadow barely recognisable. A flowing black dress adorned her slender figure. The dress was short on one side, revealing knee high buckled leather platforms. A full-length hooded cloak covered her face. With two hands, Beck drew back the cowl, revealing her deathly pale face, and long black hair. She too had the clear blue eyes.
'Wow! We did it' she said, throwing her arms about Jerrod. Jerrod kissed her, quickly. A resounding crash sprang them apart. Peeves, the poltergeist, hovered above the broken mirror.
'STUDENTS OUT OF BED!' he cried. Jerrod grabbed Beck's hand, and they fled the room. Filch appeared at a corridor in front of them, with a look of fury on his face. It soon turned to shock as the two ethereal-looking teens sprinted past him. Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris bounded after the pair, Filch giving chase.Jerrod turned this way and that, lost in the flight. Turning into a long corridor, they sped blindly through the hanging webs of dust. The door at the end was old and worn, but Jerrod ripped it open. Nothing was on the other side, only blackness.
'Jerrod…' said Beck, cautioning him. He let go her hand and stepped hesitantly through the door.
Beck screamed.