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Chapter 7: Halloween Mischief

A week later, Halloween day …

Room of Requirement, Somewhere in Hogwarts Castle


Arya pressed her back against the pillar as another disarming spell flew past her.

"Give up Stark!" Trystane yelled across the room.

"Make me!" Arya retaliated, trying to distract him long enough for her plan to work.

The configuration of the room had been set up for a duel. The ceiling was low and the walls were adorned with axes, swords and maces, giving the room a claustrophobic feeling that pushed the two combatants closer together. The only noteworthy structure was the thick stone pillar in the centre of the room that Arya was currently hiding behind.

Trystane's eyes flickered to the sidelines at their audience. Behind Myrcella stood her two Grandfathers, who had insisted that duelling was the best way for the quartet to demonstrate their skill levels.

"Go on, lad," Steffon bellowed, shifting impatiently from foot to foot.

Trystane edged towards the pillar with his wand ready, coming close enough to see the detail of the carved snakes and badgers that covered the thick central structure. In this position her only hope was to unleash her disarming charm before he could do the same, but Trystane was confident he had the faster reflexes. Now he was an arms length away and the heightened tension was almost unbearable. Just a few more steps til victory.

He jumped around the pillar and screamed, "Expelliarmus!"

But the spell cut through empty air.

What? Trystane's mind stuttered as he tried to comprehend the scene in front of him.

He realised too late what the sneaky Slytherin had done as he felt the tip of a wand pressed into the back of his neck.

"Nicely played," Trystane said sincerely, pocketing his wand and conceding the duel with good grace.

"Thank you," Arya replied, withdrawing her wand, "I had to make you focus on what was in front of you so you wouldn't think about what could happen behind you."

Trystane looked at the curved pillar before turning to face Arya, "I didn't even hear you move."

Arya smiled and pointed to her feet.

She had no shoes on.

Trystane grinned, "Brillant!"

"Excellent use of your environment, Miss Stark," Tywin praised, watching her put her shoes back on, "You couldn't match Mister Martell head on with magical ability and sought another alternative to overcome him. Smart."

Professor Baratheon did a double take at his friend's words, "Did you just give a student a compliment?"

"It is rare but it does happen, when merited," Tywin responded, before pointedly turning to Myrcella, "Are you still recovering?"

"No … Shireen ran rings around me," Myrcella admitted before adding with gusto, "but next time will be different!"

Shireen simply gave a shy smile and accepted the challenge with a nod.

Tywin pulled out his golden pocket watch.

"Today's lesson is over. Professor Baratheon and I will assess what we have seen and will see you next week."

"Excellent," Trystane said, rubbing his hands together, "I still need to decide my outfit for the Halloween feast."

"Cutting it a bit close, aren't we?" Myrcella chuckled. "The feast is tonight. I had mine sorted out weeks ago."

"Sorry to interrupt this charming conversation," said Professor Baratheon, though his tone made it obvious he couldn't care less about the topic, "but I want your word that none of you will enter a trial without alerting myself or Professor Lannister."

A chorus of "Yes, Professor," rang out in the low-ceilinged chamber.

The large wizard brushed his solid black beard as he scrutinised the four children bunched up in front of him.

"Let me make this clear, it is up to you to find the trials and locate Aegon's Tomb," Steffon flicked his eyes towards Tywin, "but as teachers, and Grandparents we want to prepare you as much as possible."

All four of them nodded solemnly.

"Good," Steffon boomed as he led the charge for the exit.


"Miss Stark."

Arya gave her friends a nod to leave her and she turned to face Professor Lannister.

"Yes, sir?"

"What did Lann have to say about the riddle?"

Arya's eyes widened at the memory of her encounter with her house ghost, "Um … I recited the riddle to him and he burst out laughing. He said I was a poor excuse for a Slytherin if I couldn't work out the answer."

Tywin raised an eyebrow. The excitement radiating off her told him there was obviously more to the story.

"He told me the answer…after I forced his hand," said Arya smugly.

Tywin's eyes shined with interest, "Oh?"

"I said he was a liar, that he didn't really know the answer, and was just trying to seem clever. He didn't like that very much."

"And to prove he was as clever as his name implies, he had to tell you the answer," said Tywin, following her logic, "And?"

Arya cleared her throat, clearly basking in her success, "It runs and runs but can never flee. Often watched, yet never sees. When long it brings boredom, and short it brings fear— a clock!"

Tywin nodded as if confirming his own thoughts before turning towards the door and gesturing for Arya to go ahead. She reached the exit when a realisation caused her to spin around to face her Professor who was following just a few steps behind.

"You knew the answer! Why didn't you tell me when I asked for help?"

Tywin rested his hand on the intricately carved wooden door, closing the already narrow gap between them. He was so tall that his arm cleared Arya's head, and he had to look down his nose at her.

"It's not my job to find Aegon's Tomb anymore, it is yours."

"Why help us at all then?" Arya challenged.

"I am a teacher of Hogwarts," he said, as if that explained everything, "the welfare of you and your friends remains my responsibility, and as I have made abundantly clear, these trials are not games for children."

Tywin pushed the large door open with one hand as if to highlight his stature over hers and emphasise his point. Arya gritted her teeth at his condescending tone and walked past the threshold.

"Shireen already has a list of all the clocks in Hogwarts that were built during Aegon's lifetime. We will find the first trial's location soon."

"I hope Myrcella will be ready when the times comes for her to face the Trial of Courage," Tywin said, striding through the deserted corridor back towards the dungeons.

Arya detected the man's worry for his Granddaughter behind the warning and begrudgingly held back her fierce retort, instead focusing on keeping up with his long strides. This was a nice time to walk the castle, she noted, enjoying not having to push her way through hallways of rushing students as she would most other mornings.

But, still her mind lingered on Aegon's Tomb.

"Professor Baratheon completed his trial when he was in second year."

"He did so against everyone's wishes," Tywin growled, scrunching up his face at the memory.

It was typical of Steffon Baratheon to charge into danger head first, alone, and without telling anyone. It was a miracle he'd returned relatively unscathed, or returned at all for that matter.

"I do not wish for my Granddaughter to do the same thing. You are all around the same age, you have time to mature together and face your trials when you are older."

"What if it takes years to find each trial? The clues aren't always going to be riddles we can figure out. We don't want to run out of time. We need to complete the trials before we leave Hogwarts!"

"I presume you don't want to die either," Tywin snapped.

"We were picked for a reason!" Arya said loudly, not feeling the full force of his retort as she was practically jogging to keep up with his increased pace.

Tywin's march stopped before an imposing metal door, clearly finished with the conversation. He knocked on it twice and snarled, "Brightroar."

The door swung open to reveal the Slytherin Common Room and this time Tywin didn't wait. He swept in and made a beeline for his office.

"Happy Halloween to you too, Professor," Arya muttered not so quietly as she watched him go, and in equal measure stormed off to her dormitory.


Halloween evening …

Hogwarts Library, First Floor, Hogwarts Castle


Arya looked over her shoulder to where Shireen and Trystane were huddled together in the restricted section. Trystane was holding his wand above her head, casting the lumos charm, while Shireen vigorously flipped through page after page before abandoning one book for another.

"Should we go help them?" Myrcella asked, dangling her legs over the edge of the table both of them were perched on.

"They have it covered. Besides, we're supposed to be keeping watch," said Arya, turning her attention back to the main entrance.

It was eerily quiet. Not that the library was normally a hub of activity on a Saturday evening, but even Mr. Seaworth had left his post in favour of the Halloween festivities. Only books and empty tables remained, and the only source of light was emanating from the tip of Trystane's wand.

Myrcella tapped Arya's shoulder, "I never did thank you for standing up to my brother after he pushed me off my broom."

"If you mean foolishly attacking him when I had no chance of winning, you're welcome," said Arya with a wry grin.

"I'd say you won. Grandfather gave him detention and the howler my Mother sent him was worth it. I think his ears are still ringing!" Myrcella chuckled before sending Arya a sincere look, "Thanks for having my back."

"He may be a Slytherin, but you're my friend," Arya said, giving Myrcella's arm a light punch.

"Guys!" Trystane called out.

Both girls turned around and fixed Trystane with a glare.

"Keep it down, we aren't supposed to be here!" Myrcella hissed as she slipped off the table and approached the normally locked double doors that housed the restricted section.

Trystane made a face but beckoned them over. Arya and Myrcella walked over to hover around Shireen. She was holding a heavy tome in her arms, and had a sombre look on her face.

When she didn't offer any information Arya frowned, "Did you find something?"

"Yes …"

"Go on, tell them," Trystane encouraged as he continued to illuminate their surroundings.

"This book contains the known history of all the past heirs; what their trials were like and what they received if they completed them."

Myrcella and Arya shared a glance, but remained silent letting their friend continue.

"You get a key," Shireen said, "When we have all four keys we— "

"Can open Aegon's Tomb!" Trystane jumped in.

"Great, but how do we locate Aegon's Tomb in the first place?" Arya asked. "Having the keys is no use if we don't know where the lock is."

Shireen consulted the page she had been reading from, "It says here that Aegon's Tomb reveals itself once the first trial has been completed."

"Is there any information on what my trial will be like?" Myrcella asked.

"Multiple accounts state that the Gryffindor heir's challenge is about demonstrating your courage and many of the survivors say that— "

"Woah, woah, woah, survivors?" Arya interrupted.

Shireen gave everyone a nervous glance, "Some heirs have entered their trials and never returned."

"My Grandparents survived and Aerys did too," Myrcella pointed out.

Myrcella's hands had clenched into a fist at Shireen's words, but she quickly hid them in her pockets. All the while, her gaze remained intent on the leather-bound book Shireen was cradling, as if hoping it held all the answers. However, the slight waver in her voice told the others that the revelation had particularly unsettled her.

"It seems that previous heirs weren't as lucky or as well prepared," Shireen said, dejected at what she had uncovered. "Looking through these records it seems it is quite common for an heir to fail their trial or never come back."

"Explains why Aegon's Tomb hasn't been found yet," Arya thought out loud before inclining her head towards Myrcella, "and why your Grandfathers want to train us up."

Shireen flicked to another page, "It took weeks for Aerys Targaryen to return from the Trial of Curiosity, and Professor Lannister has been the only Slytherin to have ever completed the Trial of Ingenuity."

"My Grandfather passed the Trial of Courage in his second year," Myrcella stated, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve, "and even though my Grandmother failed her trial she still came back."

Trystane placed a comforting hand on Myrcella's shoulder, "How about we focus on finding the location of the first trial, and then we can decide if we want to continue the hunt for Aegon's Tomb?"

They all nodded mutely and Trystane retracted his hand, flashing Myrcella a beaming smile intended to lift her mood. She acknowledged Trystane's efforts with a weak smile of her own.

"We are looking for clocks then if Lann got the riddle right?" Myrcella asked, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to keep her focus on the task at hand.

In answer to Myrcella's question Shireen produced a folded-up piece of paper from her pocket, "I have a list of clocks that were built around the time Aegon was alive. We can start checking them out tomorrow."

Suddenly, the door to the library creaked open and a set of heavy boots could be heard, getting closer and closer.


Everyone heard the approaching footsteps and scrambled to leave. Trystane extinguished the light as Shireen hastily placed the book back on the shelf. They groped their way back to the entrance and Myrcella resealed the lock.

Meanwhile, Arya had tactically placed herself behind a bookcase to keep a look out. She watched as the silhouette of Mr. Seaworth was suddenly illuminated by the glow of a desk lamp. It seemed the man couldn't be parted from his books for too long. He placed a book lovingly on the table and proceeded to make himself comfortable in the neighboring armchair.

"It's Mr. Seaworth," she mouthed silently as her friends appeared beside her.

Arya flexed her fingers in anticipation. She realised that from their current position they couldn't reach the exit without crossing the librarian's line of sight.

"We need a distraction," she whispered.

Myrcella had her wand out before Arya had even finished,"Wingardium Leviosa."

The sound of an entire bookshelf of tomes cascading to the floor filled the library. Mr. Seaworth jumped out of his chair, crying in alarm when he took in the sight of the mess. The four students didn't wait another second, and quickly scampered to the exit.

Mr. Seaworth returned to his chair in time to see the library door swinging slightly, but he ignored it in favour of returning to his much anticipated novel, The Adventures of Salladhor Sann on the Narrow Sea.


"That was a close one," Myrcella wheezed once they had made their way back to the Entrance Hall.

The booming music indicated that the festivities were still in full swing.

"Looks like we've missed curfew," Trystane pointed out as he peaked through the doors of the Great Hall to see that only the older students remained.

"Great, now we need to get back to our common rooms without being seen," Arya said, irritated.

"I thought Slytherin's enjoyed sneaking around," Trystane quipped.

"Sometimes it's nice to simply walk along the corridors and not creep around them," Arya replied, rolling her eyes.

"Fair point. I'd say no one get caught, but Hufflepuff is really trying to win the House Cup this year," Trystane winked at them before jogging off towards the kitchens.

"Good luck," Shireen offered, nervously edging around the corner towards the Ravenclaw tower.

Arya and Myrcella exchanged smirks at the challenge ahead of them.

"See you in detention," Myrcella shrugged, knowing her absence had probably already been noted by a Gryffindor prefect, and she doubted Arya would get past her Grandfather or Margaery.

"No, you won't. Slytherin's don't get caught remember?" Arya smirked.

"Except by other Slytherins," Myrcella countered, before taking off down the corridor.


Arya turned the doorknob to the first year dormitory, but it didn't budge. She scowled at the door, simultaneously hoping it would open to her will and silently cursing Myrcella for being right.

"I told you not to get caught the next time you broke school rules. Are you trying to singlehandedly lose the House Cup for Slytherin?"

Arya's entire spine went rigid and she had to force herself to turn around to face her Head of House.

"I didn't know being in the common room was breaking any rules."

Tywin stepped into the centre of the room. The light of the roaring fire illuminated his face, increasing his already overwhelming presence that dominated the space, "You are out past your curfew."

"I wanted a glass of water."

Tywin's eyes flicked down to Arya's empty hands, "Change your mind, did you?"

"Got distracted."

"By?" Tywin asked, playing along for now.

Arya stepped away from the door but her eyes went to the floor as her mind grappled with the desire to know the truth, "How did you survive your trial?"

Tywin blinked. Why is she asking this now? But it only took him a second to put two and two together and answer his own question.

"Mr. Seaworth really needs to review the security measures around the library."

Arya's lips curled into a small smile, "Yes, he does, but I'd have found a way in regardless."

"Myrcella and Miss Baratheon have to complete their trials before you have to face yours. We will discuss my trial experience when it becomes necessary."

"We know heirs have died," Arya blurted out.

Tywin's eyes snapped down to take in the girl's appearance. She was doing a good job at hiding her fear but the slight tremor in her bottom lip gave her away.

"Go to bed, Miss Stark," he said in a gentler tone, "and when the time is right, we will discuss my trial experiences."

Arya blinked at the change in his demeanour. With anyone else she'd say they were being nice, but this was Tywin Lannister and she wasn't so bold yet to assume she'd earned his kindness. But, seeing as he was letting her go she didn't want to question it too much, and gratefully took the chance to slip into her dormitory.


Author's Notes:

The Quartet have found out that the trials are deathly serious! The Tywin & Arya relationship goes from strength to strength with Tywin seeing her potential and Arya trusting his advice and opinion more and more.


Reviews:

Supremus85 – You were right on the howler but I suppose that was rather predictable! Because we're aren't in a feudal society Cersei isn't so focused on Joffrey in this universe. Yes, Ramsey is the Slytherin Quidditch Captain!

Ro781727 – Okay again I guess the howler was obvious ;P The Tywin & Arya bond is just beginning but he is already seeing her worth and how alike they could be which is translating into him treating her differently from other students. Margaery is a smart cookie! Brienne? No, the head girl is Ygritte.

Ksyushangel - Yes, I wanted to up the pace and get the story rolling. Oh, of course Denis = Dany. Yes, Robert still killed Rhaegar in this story but he died before Dany was even born and she was brought up by Willem Darry with Viserys in a friendly environment. Haha the table is a good idea!


Next Up: The location of the first trial is discovered and Myrcella has to make a choice while a hunter waits for his chance to strike.

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