The first two weeks seem to pass in the blink of an eye. Rowan and I work hard in classes. She always knows the answers to questions, while I'm better at practical magic.
The only classes we have with the Gryffindors are Charms and History of Magic. Not even Ben can find Professor Binns' boring classes scary- unless he's afraid of sleeping. His confidence in Charms seems to be growing as well, thanks to his success with simple spells and the praise given to him by Professor Flitwick.
As far as our fellow Ravenclaws, Dylan remains cold with me and Helena is still annoying. Andre has started to get on my nerves as well with his constant fashion advice. You'd think the fact that he's never seen me in anything other than my uniform would stop him, but no. He's always criticizing someone's hair or lack of accessories.
The third boy, Talbott Winger, hasn't spoken a word to anyone, at least not that I've heard. Alana has taken it upon herself to lure him out of his shell, but so far it isn't going very well.
Flying classes start today, and I'm pleased to see that we're with the Gryffindors. Ben is going to need all the help he can get if he's going to ride a broom.
I join the other Ravenclaw first-years as we walk outside to the Training Grounds. We might have spread out during meals, but when we're going somewhere new, we prefer to travel in a pack. There's something comforting in numbers, although it's not like we need protection from anything. I guess inside, we're all just more afraid than we like to admit.
My thoughts are disrupted when we reach the Training Grounds. Flying classes are taught by Madam Hooch, a woman with short gray hair and yellow eyes. Before we're even allowed to touch the brooms, she gives us a long lecture on all the things that might make us fall to our deaths. Long hair, a loose grip, lack of concentration... it's a long list.
Ben weaves through the crowd of Gryffindors to my side and grips my hand. I give it a reassuring squeeze. His face is pale, and his palm is sweaty. Sweaty hands were on Madam Hooch's list, I remember nervously, but I refrain from pointing it out to Ben. I'm sure he's all too aware of the fact.
Finally, we're allowed to stand beside the brooms. Rowan takes the broom on the end, with Ben next to her and me on the other side of her.
"Hold your right hand over the broom and say, 'UP!'" Madam Hooch instructs.
"UP!" Everyone shouts. My broom leaps upwards, but falls short. Halfway to my hand, it drops back to the grass. I look over to see how Ben is doing. His broom barely twitches.
Madam Hooch orders us to mount our brooms. Ben's knuckles are white as he grips the broom.
"Try to relax, Mr. Copper," Madam Hooch says as she passes him. "Forgetting to breathe won't help you."
Ben lets out a shaky breath. "You'll be fine," I whisper. He nods, but he doesn't look reassured.
When Madam Hooch blows the whistle, we kick off and rise in a shaky line. I try to stay by Ben's side, but it's difficult since we're only just learning to fly. I drift above him. Rowan manages to stay near him.
"To come down, simply lean forwards." Madam Hooch is circling around us like a hawk. I know she's looking to help us, but she reminds me of a bird of a prey. It's making me nervous, and Ben is much worse. Even from a few feet above him, I can hear his ragged breathing.
We lean forwards and return to the ground. Ben is hesitant and doesn't move.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone streak downwards too fast and hit the ground, crumpling with the impact.
It's Alana. I land as Madam Hooch helps Alana to her feet. Alana stumbles and almost falls again. Her face is white. It's clear that she's in pain.
"Broken ankle, probably." Madam Hooch looks up to where Ben is still frozen above us. "Mr. Copper, you need to come down. I'm taking Miss Morgan to the Hospital Wing."
She doesn't wait for a reply, but starts walking slowly in the direction of the castle, Alana leaning on her.
I look up again, watching Ben. It's clear that he's not going to return to the ground by himself, so I mount my broom again. A few of the other students protest, but I ignore them. Madam Hooch never said we couldn't fly while she was gone, and besides, I'm only helping a friend.
"Come on, Ben," I say when I reach him. "You can't stay up here forever."
"What if I get hurt like Alana?" Ben whimpers.
"You won't," I assure him. "Take it slow. I'll help you. You'll be fine."
Ben nods and leans gently forwards. He drops a few feet. The drop seems to startle him, and he squeals and stops. I hear a few snickers from the ground, but they're soon silenced, probably by a glare from Rowan.
"It's all right." I do my best to soothe Ben. "Catch your breath. Take your time. You'll be fine."
Slowly, we make our way back to the ground, dropping a few feet at a time. I say encouragement the whole time. It seems to be helping. Ben's breathing slows, and his grip on the broom loosens a tiny bit.
Finally, we land on the ground beside Rowan. I look around as Ben collects himself, panting. For once, the other students are polite enough to abstain from insulting him.
Then I realize that it's not so much politeness as fear of a professor. Madam Hooch has returned, without Alana.
She gives me an approving nod. "Ten points to Ravenclaw for helping Mister Copper, Miss Serantos."
For once, I'm not proud to receive house points. I shouldn't have been the only one willing to help Ben. How could everyone else simply watch as he struggled, offering laughter instead of help?
"Thanks, Celena," Ben mumbled, his face still pink from embarrassment. I hear a snicker finally escape a Gryffindor girl.
Madam Hooch turns to face the girl, who I recognize as the one I talked to after our first Charms class. "And ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Macmillan."
Macmillan- I can't remember her first name- looks down as well. I feel a surge of satisfaction.
Ben's face pales. "Excuse me, Madam Hooch. I think I'm going to be sick." He sprints towards the castle. No one laughs. I can't find it in me to be grateful for something that should come naturally.
My house is empty. Cold. What happened to the fire? Where is my family?
I wander through the house, calling for Mum, Dad, Jacob. There's no response. Only then do I notice the dust that has settled over everything. They've been gone for a long time. I notice other details, too. The dishes in the sink, the half-eaten bagel on the counter. Wherever they went, it wasn't planned.
I try to look out a window, but there's nothing but gray mist. I'm alone, cut off from the world.
There's only one place left to search, but it's the one I dread the most. I push open the door to my brother's room. It's just as he left it, bed unmade, dirty laundry carelessly tossed in the corner.
A mirror hangs above his desk, one that isn't there in the waking world. I know now that this is a dream, but it feels so real. The cold is the most vivid, piercing into me. It burns. My breath forms clouds in the freezing air.
I look into the mirror. Jacob looks out.
"Find me, Celena." His voice is pleading, a desperate whisper. His fingers reach out, pressing against the glass. I put my own hand to the mirror, wishing that it would pass through like water, and my brother could come home.
But no. There's only cold.
"You know where to find me," Jacob says. His face starts to melt away.
"No," I plead. "You have to stay. Come back."
My breath fogs up the glass, and I'm left alone in a ghost house.
The first thing I notice when I wake is the cold. It's not as bad as in my dream, but I'm colder than I ever remember being.
I shiver and start walking. Is it always this cold at night? Maybe I need warmer pajamas. But no, I would have felt this cold before.
I think back to my dream. It felt so real, so vivid. I can remember the feel of the mirror beneath my fingers. The sound of Jacob's voice.
Jacob. I think back to his last words, "you know where to find me". But I don't know where to find you, I think. I don't have any idea where to start.
It gets warmer as I near the entrance to the common room, and my suspicion that this cold isn't normal grows.
My feet are still numb, so I decide to return to my dormitory for some socks. I really need to start putting them on before I go to bed.
As always, the Common Room is empty. That isn't so strange, though, because I've been waking up earlier every night.
I pull on a pair of thick blue socks. When Mum found out that I had been sorted into Ravenclaw, she sent me all sorts of blue things- socks, sweaters, notebooks, quills. Dad sent me some tie-dyed shirts to balance out the blue. He probably made them himself. He likes to say that magic is wonderful, but nothing can compare to making something with your own hands.
Rowan must have forgotten to take her potion last night. She's snoring again. Since I won't be getting any more sleep, I decide to look over my Potions essay once last time.
I find the carefully rolled parchment in my trunk and crawl into bed, pulling the covers over my head. "Lumos," I whisper. The tip of my wand glows.
Merula hasn't bothered us since our first Potions class, but I'm certain that she's merely biding her time. Ben and Alana have both had to endure her teasing, since they're Muggleborns.
I don't exactly when it happens, but I must fall asleep at some point, because I wake up in the morning with my essay still gripped in my hands.
And what happens when I wake?
Well.
You could say that's when it all begins.