Arc 1: Immaterial Bonds
Chapter 4: Seashells Have Secrets Too

"Please, sit down." I offered to the boy who knelt on the ground next to me. "What happened?"

The boy's eyes found it difficult to look at mine. If he was Terrell's best friend, then he must be pondering if what he would say would be a betrayal to his late friend.

"Alright. Here are the details: I'm sure you're aware that Rayer was a beater on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team? And then he had to resign because of his arm injury?"

I nodded and the boy grew slightly stiff. I hope he doesn't throw up; I'm wearing my favourite clothes.

"Rayer was obsessed with his image. He joined the Quidditch team only because he thought it would make him popular. To be fair, it definitely worked. But after his third year, people were normalised to him being on the team and were more focused on the new seeker."

"So people weren't paying him attention anymore? And he hated that?" I asked as I painted a mental image in my head.

"In a way. I thought he enjoyed being popular but it wasn't until... it got out of hand. That was when I realised that Rayer was out of his mind. I tried my best to get him to change his ways but he wouldn't listen!"

He became increasingly distressed and fast-talking as he spoke. I wanted to hug him but that wouldn't be received well.

"Take your time. It's alright." I comforted him as best I could.

"Right... right. He used to tell me about his plans to get people to notice him again. It started with meaningless stuff like spreading posters of himself, flirting with girls and pulling some pranks but it wasn't enough. He wanted the whole school to know of him again. That was when he decided to take drastic measures. His arm injury wasn't an accident. He broke his arm on purpose because he knew that it would bring him attention."

"The thing is... is that he hadn't planned for the injury to be so severe. He accidentally broke a major bone in his arm instead of a minor one and, even with magic, it would take a miracle to heal properly. He lost his position as a beater because of it. Despite it all, he was happy because he got the attention of the entire house. It was so stupid. I would look at him disapprovingly but he would give me this smug look every time someone did his homework for him."

He took a deep breath and looked deeply at me. His face was washed with anxiety.

"You've done really well. Thank you so much for telling me. This might help bring a breakthrough in the case." I reassured him in a gentle tone.

After all of it, he smiled weakly. He thanked me for listening to him and that he was glad he could be of assistance.

Now I have information on MacKenna, Marin and Terrell. Something is starting to form but I still knew nothing about Beckett. She was only eleven and she was gone. That's hardly a life lived.

I pulled out the black notebook and jotted down what the boy informed me of before I forgot. The previous pages mentioned that Beckett was on good terms with the librarian, Madam Pince. There may be some indication of Beckett's habits in the books she read or what she was interested in. It's a good starting point as any.

*****
The Hogwarts library was an outstanding facility that covered two floors; the third and fourth. There were countless rows after rows of bookshelves that were several times my size. If it weren't for magic, it would be impossible to reach half the books as they were simply too high up. After every few rows, there were small alcoves containing long wooden desks that stretched across the long side of the shelf. Students would sit and read the books for their essays or, against Pince's wishes, discuss school life and schemes.

The second I stepped foot in the library, a horrifying scream echoed throughout.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!? EATING IN THE LIBRARY IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN!"

A flurry of students dashed past me, almost knocking me over in the process. I barely managed to catch my footing. Somewhat more cautiously this time, I continued to enter the library. It must have been Madam Pince who yelled as there was no other explanation for such a horrible shrill. How could someone as supposedly sweet as Beckett be friends with her?

A tall, thin woman dressed in all black and a gigantic witch's hat with decorative feathers walked down the alleyway of the nearest bookcase to me. Yep, I definitely do not understand Beckett's choice of friends. Then again, can I really say I'm not the same?

Pince came and silently sat down at her desk that oversaw much of the library. She did not look like she wanted to be approached but, in the name of sacrifice, I did so anyway.

"Excuse me, could you-"

"Ridiculous, isn't it? They know the rules and they still eat in the library anyway! Why, if it weren't essential for students to be able to use the books, I'd keep them under lock and key myself!" she rambled, not paying much attention to what I was saying. It took her a moment but she slowly looked up and realised I wasn't a student here to pester her. "And what do you want?"

"Sorry, I was just wondering if you could tell me about a student that came here quite frequently. Her name is Christina Beckett, a first-year Gryffindor. I heard you two were friends of a sort."

A perturbed look sprung on her brow. Her vulture-like eyes did not seem pleased.

"Miss Beckett and I were not friends. She came to the library in her free time, checked out many books, but we were not friends. I did help her with the books she needed as I knew she was careful but nothing else. She followed the same rules as everyone else. Annoyingly enough, she had several books checked out before she disappeared. Dumbledore won't let anyone touch her belongings still in her room so I can't go and get the books back!" She was getting quite emotionful now. She was much more bitter about the missing books than a child going missing. Her priorities sure seem backwards.

"I see. Thanks then." I replied and left the library. Madam Pince was underwhelming and almost entirely useless. She couldn't give me a simple book list that said which books Beckett had taken out or tell me anything about her personality. If she had no friends, then how am I supposed to understand her to compare her to the other three? My mind wandered back to what Dumbledore said to me before: if something needs doing, I had his permission to do it. If Beckett left her books in her room before she disappeared, then maybe she left something behind. Time to visit the Gryffindor Tower.

I had to ask a student where to access the tower since, obviously, I had no way of knowing beforehand. It was located on the seventh floor and the entrance is locked behind the portrait of the Fat Lady which leads to the common room. They seemed a tad on edge at me asking what the password was, but a quick explanation got them to tell me it was currently "Flying Hogwash".

Upon entering the common room through the hole in the wall behind the Fat Lady, a couple of students who were relaxing or working on their projects looked at me like a deer in headlights. Someone not a Gryffindor or McGonagall was a strange sight to see, indeed. A quick questioning of who I was wound up with one of them leading me to Beckett's dorm room.

The room itself was similar in shape to mine but with five beds propped against the walls with tall red curtains to pull across for privacy. One of the beds caught my eye. The sheets had been unused for months. Dust coated the bedside table and trunk in front of the bed. I gave a quick rummage through the table and ended up empty-handed except for blank bits of paper. Next step, Beckett's trunk.

Unsurprisingly, it was locked tight. I whipped out my wand and muttered a quick "Alohomora" and slowly propped it open. The hinges creaked and pierced the silence. Inside, there wasn't too much but it was neatly organised as if the owner had too much spare time on their hands. To one side were textbooks separated by class. Despite being a first-year, some of them were tattered with notes much more advanced for her year. Must be from all that reading she did. But still... none of these were library books. These were all her personal jotting books... If they weren't in her bedside table or her trunk, where would they be? And why would she be hiding them?

Think, Cassandra, think. If you were a girl with no friends- wait, that's reality. Think more specifically. If... you were an eleven-year-old girl who dedicates her entire existence to books, where would I hide them?

That's it.

I dropped to my knees and tried my best to wiggle underneath the bed frame. It was a tight squeeze for being an adult but being an eleven-year-old, it was perfect. The bottom of the mattress was concealed by a thin black layer of plastic. I motioned my hand around and found a small tear. Bingo. Reaching my hand inside, I hit the hardcover of the books and pulled them out.

There were three in total. Two of them seemed completely normal. Hogwarts: A History and A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. Typical books for Hogwarts students. The third was a copy of Book of Potions but, unlike the previous two, it was much more used. There was a folded corner page and opening it lead to the page for a Beautification Potion. Did Beckett have insecurities about her appearance? From the photo I received, she looked remarkably average.

A small piece of paper fell out of the book a couple of pages inward.There was messy writing and the paper was somewhat tear-stained.

Dear Diary,

Today was another lonesome day. Nobody at all spoke to me during breakfast. It's like I'm invisible! Why does nobody ever talk to me? It's not like I never try... I had Herbology with Professor Sprout today where we had to work as partners. Everyone paired up and left me alone, minus one other boy. When he saw that he had to work with me, he kicked up a massive fuss! Oh, he didn't think for a moment how I felt! I wanted to burst into tears and run away but that would be so embarrassing. I'd never find any friends doing that.

If people don't want to be my friend, maybe I can... force them. Madam Pince gave me a potions book and inside is a Beautification Potion! If I drink it, it'll make me gorgeous! I'm certain Edward won't be able to stop looking at me too! It's the perfect plan. I'll have to go smuggle some ingredients from Professor Snape's cupboard and it'll be foolproof!

But on another note, I've been having these weird dreams lately. I guess my desire for friends is giving me intrusive dreams. The voice keeps urging me to do something about it which is why I'm going to use the potion. It's been getting kind of aggressive though. I always feel so drained right after having it. Hopefully, it stops soon.

Well, Diary, wish me luck.

Christina Beckett, a girl who wished for friends so much that she felt she had to go and make them like her. It didn't seem like she was disliked but more that she had nothing to make her stand out. I think it's time we go back to the drawing board.

Approximately One Month Later

Now the middle of October, the castle grounds had turned into a stunning white from the early snow. Students and professors alike were wrapped up in their winter best to protect from the bitter cold. This time of year, the third years and older would be getting excited for the first Hogsmeade trip of the academic year, and I was quite enthusiastic to see the wizard town myself.

The only disappointing thing was that I had hardly made any progress since discovering Beckett's note. Terrell and Beckett both did immoral things for what they wanted but Marin and MacKenna did no such thing. How is it there is always one thing linking two or three but never the last? The number of ropes going across the board was beginning to get a little ridiculous and I had to start taking notes in another book just to jot down more ideas. None of them proved fruitful at all.

After a month's time, I think the students were beginning to warm up to me. Flitwick seemed impressed in my development too! It was still a tad nerve-wracking to help but he said to rely on my knowledge and all will be well. We started to spend some of our free time together too. He's a far kinder and fairer man than that spiteful Severus Snape.

Speaking of Snape, ever since our fight, I'd been avoiding attending his lessons. McGonagall inquired why and I simply said he didn't want my help which was probably the truth too. Though, I don't think she believed me as she told me to find it within myself to go back. As for breakfast and dinner, I managed to convince one of the other professors to let me swap so I could sit next to Flitwick and far from Snape. I knew by then that there was no real seating arrangement but it seemed like the polite thing to do.

But it had been over a whole month since... Would it be immature to keep avoiding him? Or would it be stupid to try to make amends? What are there to make amends for? I didn't do anything wrong, after all. Ugh. I'm sure before coming here, I wouldn't have cared less about my standing with people but... Hogwarts is a community. If there is something wrong between two people, the atmosphere will be sour until it is resolved.

The feel of the dungeons felt as foreign as it had done the first time I came down here except it was now significantly colder. I tightly grabbed my cardigan and pulled it further across me for any additional warmth it could offer.

"Why am I doing this?" was the last thought I had before coming to the Potions classroom door. Ten minutes early. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door and entered. I hope you appreciate what I'm doing, McGonagall...

Sitting in the chair at the teacher's desk was the man who made my heart shiver. Somehow, his dark hair managed to look scruffier than usual. He heard the sound of the door open and when he looked up, I could see dark rings under his eyes. His traditional indifferent facade was failing him.

"Why are you here?" was all he said. I don't know if it was in my head, but there was the slightest change of tone. It sounded remorseful.

"I don't know why I'm here either but," and I picked up the same textbooks from before, "I'm here to help. Get used to it." I beamed a little cockily.

Without a word, he stood up from his seat and unhurriedly approached me. His long black robes trailed behind him, giving him the appearance of a much larger physique. He bit his lip and met my eyes.

"You don't have to do this, Cassandra. McGonagall will understand-"

"She spoke to me too, you know. She didn't give me any credit so, despite our differences, I'm here to do my job. Also, I didn't realise we were on a first-name basis now. Is that quite alright with you, Severus?" That's right, I'm here to investigate, not for you... but that didn't feel right for some bizarre reason.

Snape was unspoken momentarily before submitting to an "as you must" and returning to his desk. I continued to distribute books until students began to enter the classroom. A few of them were surprised to see me, with one calling out "It's Miss Juniper!" rather bubbly. Such an action did not go unnoticed by Snape.

The lesson was in full swing with students roughly halfway through creating their potions. I had to show some of them how to correctly cut the herbs involved and the correct speed to stir but overall, there were no major incidents.

That's what I thought until McGonagall came in. She hushedly summoned Snape and me outside the classroom, away from the ears of the students. Her face was pale in fear.

"I wasn't expecting to see you two together but that saves time. Severus, Cassandra, it's not good." Her voice went dry as she tried to force the words out.

"Another student went missing. A sixth-year Slytherin named Genny Roberts. It's a student from your house, Severus, so I thought you ought to know immediately."

Not another one... What does this mean...? Did I fail? I felt so sick and nauseous. I wasn't fast enough and it all happened right under my nose. If figuring out the link between four students was difficult enough, five will make it borderline impossible.

"Meet me in my office in five minutes." Snape whispered in my ear as he stormed off down the corridor.

Talk about the best Potions class in all of Hogwarts's history. But it seems that Snape knows something. Will there be something that he knows about Genny Roberts that will finally give me the answer I've been seeking all this time?