In the years since his disappearance, Jacob has become both a comfort and a thorn. A thorn, because he left me to bear the consequences of his actions alone. A comfort, because when things get too bad, I can remember the days when I was a little kid, when our family was whole, before Jacob was corrupted by the Vaults' influence.

But even the happiest memories have been marred by the darkness that's always lurking. His loss has become a constant ache, turning everything bitter.

Today, we're learning a potion that could take all of that pain away, if only I would let it. It's a fact Merula is all too aware of, and one she uses to feed her return.

"Serantos," she says, the ever-present smirk not fading from her face. For the first time, I notice dark circles underneath her eyes. Is it possible that her nights are as troubled as my own?

No. I force myself back into reality. I will not allow myself to feel pity for a girl like Merula Snyde, especially not when she's insulting me.

"Thinking about drinking today's potion, Serantos? It would let you forget all about your mad brother." There's false sympathy in her voice, but I can still pick out the underlying current of cruelty. "Of course, I would never let you forget."

Rowan wants to reply to her, tell her to back off. I can feel it, and I'm grateful for her friendship, but Merula isn't worth it.

I stubbornly ignore Merula, gathering my ingredients even before Professor Snape's instruction. I can't brew with one eye on Merula this time. The Forgetfulness Potion is too difficult. I'll just to hope that she won't try anything.

Hope. Trust. These things are so fragile, like spiderwebs. Like dreams, there's no substance to them. How can something so intangible be so powerful?

I wave my wand over my cauldron and leave it to boil. Across from me, Merula is only just adding her Valerian sprigs. I wonder what delayed her.

Merula is quiet as she finishes the first stage of brewing. Her silence makes me uneasy, far more than her taunts. It means she's planning something. I dread finding out what it is.

I crush a mixture of mistletoe and standard ingredient in my mortar, adding two pinches of it to the cauldron. I stir the potion five times and wave my wand over it again.

When class finally ends, I fill my bottle with my potion, which has turned the correct shade of orange. I cork the bottle and carry it to Professor Snape's desk.

"Serantos." Professor Snape stops me as I set my potion down. "I visited your dormitory earlier this morning. There were stolen potions ingredients underneath your bed."

My eyes find Merula, who is hovering by the door. The barest trace of a smirk is visible on her lips.

Culprit caught, I think. Now I just have to turn her in.

"Why would I do such a thing, sir?" I ask. I want to cross my arms, but I don't want to come across as too disrespectful.

"Because you're just like your brother, and you're determined to ruin Hogwarts. How should I know what goes on in your tiny mind?"

Water running over stones. You've heard it all before. I take a deep breath. I shouldn't expect anything different from the biased head of Slytherin. "Merula obviously did it, sir," I say, struggling to keep my voice polite.

I've just resigned myself to a detention when Professor Snape looks over at Merula. Her eagerness to watch this conversation has made her seem guilty. "Is this true, Miss Snyde?"

"Of course not! Serantos is obviously a liar!" Merula's response is too quick and too fierce. The only question is if Professor Snape will be willing to call her out on it.

"I genuinely wish you weren't lying, Miss Snyde." Is that disappointment I hear in Professor Snape's voice?

"Excuse me?!" Merula is fighting a losing battle, but she's too stubborn to back down.

"You are a terrible liar, especially for a Slytherin," Professor Snape says. "You will spend every night after dinner helping me organize ingredients until the holidays as punishment for attempting to frame Serantos."

Three months. If he hadn't believed me, I would've had detention for the rest of the year.

Merula's eyes stare into mine. Their meaning is clear. This isn't over.

I look back at her. No. It isn't.

One reminder of Jacob. That's all I have. Everything else was confiscated by the Ministry.

And according to Madam Hooch, it will make me fall to my death.

I don't understand exactly what the danger of a simple bracelet is, but Madam Hooch has a strict "no jewelry" policy, so before every Flying class, I remove my bracelet and place it near everyone else's jewelry- Alana's watch, Helena's necklace, Tulip's Dungbomb necklace, and a collection of other items.

Ben has grown more comfortable flying. He still sticks close to my side and maintains a death grip on his broom, but at least he can attempt new manouvers without shaking.

Rowan stays near us, nervous, but not as much as Ben. The only time her fear shows outwardly is when it's time to return to the ground. Looking down.

Andre is already an incredible flyer, certain to make the Quidditch team in a later year.

Me? I'm not bad, I guess. I'd say that half of the class is better than me and half is worse.

Anyways, we all spend the class idly circling, touching down and lifting off again under Madam Hooch's watchful eyes. Finally, she blows the whistle and we all return to the ground for the final time.

I stay airborne for an extra second, watching Rowan, Ben, and Alana. Even though Alana hasn't spoken much to me, I've grown strangely protective of her. Maybe I just don't want to see her get hurt again.

I breathe a sigh of relief when the others all return to the ground safely. I lean forward and follow them.

The pile of jewelry has been reduced to just one item, Alana's watch.

What? No. That can't be right.

But it is.

My bracelet is gone.

But I didn't tell anyone what it meant to me... except Rowan and Alana... in the Great Hall... where anyone could have overheard. Countless people hate my brother, and it's impossible to know which one is responsible.

Unless, of course, they decide to make themselves known.

I hide my emotions behind a blank face and ditch Ben and Rowan as soon as I can. It's surprisingly easy. Ben, of course, has to return to the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey, Rowan," I say, managing to keep my voice level.

Rowan looks at me sideways. "What?"

"There's something I have to do. Do you mind going back to the common room without me?"

Rowan looks uncertain. I don't have the most convincing of stories. But then, it doesn't need to be. I just need her gone. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"I'm sure," I assure her. We turn and walk in opposite directions. I hope Rowan won't follow me. This is something I need to do alone.

I stand outside the Slytherin common room for an hour, but the girl I'm looking for doesn't appear. Eventually, I realize how odd I must appear and return to my own common room.

Rowan looks up from her book when I enter our dormitory. "Did you do what you needed to do?" she asks.

"No," I say, but I'm interrupted by a strange noise.

Tap. Tap. Tap. A large, handsome Barn Owl is tapping at the window. It has a letter gripped in its beak.

I open the window, letting the owl flutter in. It drops the letter on my pillow and flies back out through the window. I close it behind the owl and pick up the letter. What's so important that it couldn't wait until the morning? I wonder, unrolling the small scrap of parchment.

There are just a few words written, but enough that I can guess who sent it.

Tomorrow morning, seven o'clock.

Below the instructions is a hastily drawn map of the rooms near the Charms classroom. One small, non-descript room is circled, presumably where I'm supposed to meet Merula. Because I'm certain that the note is from Merula.

I hide the note under my pillow so Rowan can't see it, waving away her questions. Maybe I'll tell her tomorrow. Or maybe I won't.

The next morning, I wake up in my own bed. It's a rare occurrence, but not completely unprecedented. My sleepwalking hasn't always been so frequent.

I leave Ravenclaw Tower at six forty-five, leaving me with plenty of time to find the storage closet or whatever that Merula circled.

And there she is. Just as I knew she would be.

I'm tense, preparing for a fight. I don't know any dueling spells, but my fists will get the job done if it comes to that.

Merula hands over my bracelet without even a taunt. "Why bother taking it, then?" I wonder. I don't realize that I said the words out loud until Merula smirks.

"I wanted you to see what's inside this room," she says, pulling open the door and gesturing for me to look inside.

I take a step forwards, inside the room. "I don't see anyth-"

The door slams shut, plunging me into darkness. Something wraps around my ankle. I try to kick it away, but it only holds on tighter.

"That's a plant called Devil's Snare," Merula says. "Any Ravenclaw will know how to fight it."

I hear her footsteps leaving. Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... Come on, you know this! The first tendril has been joined by others, wrapping around my legs and creeping up towards my waist. I can feel them trying to pull me down towards there fellows.

"Lumos," I yell. My wand flares bright red, and I aim the light at the tendrils snaring my legs. The ones highest up retreat, but I still can't tear myself away. And the others will return, as soon as my concentration wavers.

"Help!" I scream, hoping someone, anyone, will hear me. I would even be grateful for Merula right now.

I twist around, stabbing my wand in the direction of any vines that I feel creeping higher up. The constant movement, combined with the concentration required to maintain the brightest Lumos possible, not to mention my constant shouting, eventually tires me. If only I could free myself enough to open the door. The light from the corridor would be enough to drive off the Devil's Snare.

The light dulls to yellow. The vines creep higher. "Lumos!" My wand flares red for an instant before fading back to yellow. I feel vines wrapping around my waist, creeping towards my left arm.

I yank my arm free and struggle towards the door. The tendrils tighten their grip on my legs. Just a bit more...

I'm close enough to the door that I can feel the knob, but not quite close enough to turn it. Frustrated, I stab my wand downwards, forcing the vines to recoil. I jerk first one leg, then the other, free. My hand closes around the doorknob. I'm never been so happy to feel something in my life.

It won't turn.

I'm locked in here. Trapped. I can hold the Devil's Snare off with Lumos, but only for so long. Already the light at the end of my wand is fading. What will happen when it goes out entirely?

Author's Note; Pretty short but I thought this was a decent chapter. This finishes up chapter three- yes, THREE- of the game. Hopefully the pace will pick up a bit after this.

Anyways, how do you think Celena will get out of this one? I'll give you a hint, it won't be the same as in the game. And who do you think took the bracelet for Merula?