Chapter 10 – Down the Rabbit Hole
Months had passed since that night and nothing happened. Absolutely nothing happened regarding the stone which was making Harry twitchy. Had Voldemort got cold feet? The stagnation had become infuriating and made him paranoid. Also, none of the Elementals had been able to find a private place to train as Hogwarts seemed to be packed with as many portraits as possible all of which were nosy little buggers though who could blame them. The problem was that it was close to the end of the year yet he couldn't make any progress on training his Elemental ability's nor could he find out anything concerning the stones safety except speculate further as to why both Snape and Quirrell wanted the stone and the best he could come up with at this point was that they were just both greedy gits wanting immortality and wealth.
On the plus side, he was still at the top of the class which wasn't that hard for him and the Quidditch season went incredibly well with Slytherin demolishing Hufflepuff 510 - 60 and beating Ravenclaw 180 – 40 in what was the shortest game in Hogwarts history with Harry catching the snitch in less than 3 minutes. With his success on the field and his prowess at magic being established he was quickly considered one of the greatest Slytherin's to have come through Hogwarts in over a century. Also, it was looking like Slytherin house would be holding both the Quidditch cup and the house cup for the duration of Harry's time at Hogwarts as he had racked up more points for Slytherin house than anyone else making him almost beloved by his housemates much to Snape's ire. The greasy git had gotten vicious with his attacks against Harry throwing him in detention for any perceived slight that Harry made and considering that his very existence seemed to annoy Snape it meant he spent a lot of time with the grease ball as he tried to come up with new and inventive ways to mentally torture Harry in detentions. Luckily Harry got out of this by going to McGonagall, who despite being a die-hard Griffindor was very supportive of Harry, and told her that Snape's detentions were unfounded and getting in the way of his revision for the upcoming exams, plus he had his friends and even some supportive Slytherin's stand by him. The result of this was that Harry had almost fully usurped Snape within Slytherin house as he was seen as the one to lead them whilst Snape was quickly looking like a relic of the past which was, in Harry's mind, hilarious.
He and Daphne where on their way back from the library after they had lost track of time reading and it was nearly curfew when Sera crashed into them and they collapsed in a heap on the floor.
"Damn Sera watch where you're going," Harry said as he slowly got up off the floor.
"Harry!" Sera yelled, "Someone's gone to get the stone now, we have to stop them."
Harry just blinked back at her processing what she just told him.
"Have you told Dumbledore?" Daphne asked not wanting to go on a foolhardy mission.
"We told McGonagall who said Dumbledore's out of the castle and she wouldn't believe us when we said that either Snape or Quirrel was after the stone," Sera quickly explained, "We have to go or the stone will be taken."
"Do we have to?" Daphne asked stunning Sera "I mean it would be pretty well defended."
"I'm not willing to take that chance," Sera said sternly.
"Me neither," Harry said quietly shocking Daphne "Look I know it's crazy Daphne but we aren't exactly normal people and if Dumbledore is gone and they get the stone then who knows how quickly it will be before Voldemort is back. We can't just ignore it when we can stop it."
Daphne just sighed. He was right. The terror that Voldemort would inflict would be terrible for everyone especially her family who barely escaped being forced to become death eaters last time and she doubted they could do so again.
"Fine let's go," Daphne said and the three broke into a run towards the third-floor corridor.
"Where's Granger?" Harry asked and Sera responded, "She said she would wait for us while I and Ron would tell some other teachers what was going on."
"Wait Weasley's coming?" Harry asked wincing at the idea of working with him.
"Should be? He went to find Flitwick and I was going to look for Snape in case he was still in his office and not going for the Stone," Sera explained.
"How do you know that someone is after the Stone anyway?" Daphne asked.
"We've been visiting the third-floor corridor daily to see if someone was after the stone and we saw the door already opened," Sera said, "What's with all the questions?"
"Just checking to see if you're right in your assumptions," Daphne said frowning "Annoyingly it seems like you're right."
Sera was a little smug after Daphne said that as the three approached the third floor to see Hermione waiting there looking nervous.
"Sera!" Hermione said as she approached "What are they doing here?"
"They want to help where's Ron?" Sera responded
"I don't know, he isn't back yet," Hermione responded
"Should we wait for him?" Sera asked to which Harry and Daphne responded with a no.
"If we wait then whoever is going for the stone has a greater chance of getting it we have to go now," Harry explained.
"You just don't like him that's why you want to go now," Hermione stated.
"That is also true but my point still makes sense," Harry said and could see Hermione agreed with him albeit begrudgingly.
"Right then let's go," Sera said and the four elementals entered the third-floor corridor.
OoO The Elemental Order OoO
Entering the corridor they saw that the door furthest from them was indeed open but by barely a crack as if it was hastily closed. As they approached it they heard the faint sounds of a harp being played.
"The Cerberus should be asleep so we can get under the trap door without worry," Hermione whispered.
"How do you know?" Daphne asked.
"Hagrid told us music makes the Cerberus sleep," Sera explained
"And I assume Hagrid told whoever is going after the stone as well?" Harry asked making Sera and Hermione frown.
"Yeah but he was bribed with a dragon egg so he wasn't paying much attention," Hermione said in defense. Harry just sighed at this. Hagrid really was the worst secret keeper of all time and his friendliness was so easy to exploit that he was literally too good for his own good.
"Come on then let's go," Harry said as he slowly pushed the door open as they all drew their wands ready for a fight.
Inside they saw the Cerberus snoring in its sleep and a paw on top of the trap door making Harry sigh in annoyance.
"We're gonna have to lift that paw off to keep going," Sera said.
"We have to lift it together to even do that everyone get around it ready to lift it at the count of three," Hermione ordered but Harry just held his hand up to stop them "What are you doing?"
Harry ignored her as he waved his hand over the giant paw and, in an instant, it floated off the ground leaving the three girls stunned. Harry turned around to face them as he knelt to open the trap door with his eyes glowing red "Come on let's go."
"Did you use your Elemental powers?" Sera asked, "Wendy told us not to in public until we're ready."
"Yes I used my chaos power to alter the laws of gravity on its paw letting me lift it like a feather and as there is no one here to see it is there," Harry answered when he heard the harp stop playing "Get in quickly!" Harry said as he jumped down the hall as the Cerberus began to wake up. The three girls quickly followed and they all fell onto what felt like a soft mattress. As Harry gained his bearings he saw that it was, in fact, a plant that they had landed on and it definitely was alive which was more worrying. All of a sudden it began wrapping itself around the four elementals trying to consume as they tried to fight off the plant. Harry's limbs had been quickly wrapped up and were slowly being pulled away from him as Daphne was being strangled whilst Hermione was slowly entombed by it and Sera's body was becoming twisted by it
"SERA BURN IT," Hermione yelled just before the plant wrapped itself around her mouth like a makeshift gag. The fury and passion within Sera could be seen through her eyes. Where once they glowed auburn brown, now they were blazing orange as if alight by passion as fire erupted from her hands as it consumed every inch of the plant as the four of them fell through the plant onto solid ground. Sera was growling in anger which seemed to stoke the flames gathering around her hands
"Well, that was unpleasant," Harry commentated making Hermione and Daphne scowl yet seemed to help calm Sera down as she stopped growling and the fire dissipated.
"Not funny Harry," Daphne replied making Harry grin at her slyly.
"Are you alright Sera?" Hermione asked as her friend kept taking heavy breaths to calm herself.
"Yeah, I will be," Sera replied with a smile.
"I guess using your Elemental ability's causes emotions to run high?" Harry said making the three girls look at him.
"Depends," Daphne said, "For me, I have to calm myself and asses the situation."
"I just need a goal to help power my Element," Hermione answered.
"I need some form of fuel," Sera answered in bated breaths "Anger seems to be a good one."
"How about you Harry?" Daphne asked making him sigh.
"I just need to want something to happen and it seems to happen," Harry replied getting puzzled looks "Even I don't get Chaos, it seems to be my will controlling the world around me, what I want to happen tends to happen."
"So you control reality, that's what you're saying?" Sera asked.
"To a certain point yeah," Harry replied, "I can make pure chaos energy as well but that's what it is, pure chaos, I have no idea what would happen if I hit someone with it."
"What's with you, Harry? You've never been this open before?" Daphne asked.
"Look, the chances are that we are gonna know each other our entire lives because of our powers," Harry answered "Every past Elemental who has shown their power to the public has been seen as nothing more than a weapon and when they refused to be a government weapon they were either forced to or killed so like it or not we will have to work together our entire lives."
"And you telling us about your powers helps us how?" Hermione asked skeptically.
"Because my power literally defies any reason or logic so I may need other ideas as to what to do cause it seems that my limit is only what I can imagine so having more ideas only helps me," Harry answered sternly taking Hermione back a bit. She had never seen Harry so open about himself.
"We should keep moving," Harry said as he lit his wand and moved down a narrow passage as the girls followed.
They entered a room that was empty except for a floating broom and a great bunch of something's flying above them.
"What are they?" Sera asked as the four looked at the flying things above them.
"Birds?" Daphne theorized
"Too small, look like butterfly's," Hermione countered.
"They're keys with wings," Harry said as looked at them with intrigue "One has a broken wing which must be the one we need as it must have been grabbed roughly hence the broken wing."
"I guess one of us has to get on the broom to fly up and grab it," Daphne said as Harry rubbed his chin in deep thought.
"Just try the door," Sera suggested as Hermione tried to open the door only to find it locked.
"Alohamora," Hermione chanted but the door didn't unlock surprising her.
"This isn't making sense," Harry said making the girls confused.
"What do you mean?" Sera asked.
"We all agree that these traps were designed to stop an adult wizard right?" Harry asked getting agreeing nods from the girls "Then how come some first years can past them I mean even the very first door to the Cerberus can be opened by a simple unlocking charm why?"
All the girls thought about it and seemed to agree with him. It had been rather easy so far so what was Dumbledore planning with all this?
"We can figure that out once we're sure that the stone is safe," Hermione said ending the conversation "Come on Potter, you are the best flyer here so you should be able to get the key no problem."
"True, but seeing you fry them sounds more fun," Harry said with mischief practically radiating from him.
Hermione looked at Harry with contempt as she sighed and then raised her hand into the sky as if pulling the heavens towards her. Energy began radiating throughout the tall room as the walls began pulsing with wild energy as the winged keys were all struck with lightning which seemed to be bouncing from one key to another compounding its effect and grounding the keys. Harry, due to his instincts, grabbed the key with a broken wing and walked up to the door to unlock it. Hermione lowered her hand and wiggled her fingers as if trying to shake off any excess magic at least that's what Harry thought she was doing.
"Ladies first," Harry said as he held the door open for the girls who walked through into a long corridor that would lead them to the next puzzle.
"What are we gonna do with the stone?" Sera asked the group.
"Return it to the Flamel's obviously, they need it or they die," Hermione answered as if it was obvious but Harry just quizzically hummed making Hermione sigh and ask "What now?"
Harry just had to grin at the girl's behavior "You really like being right all the time don't you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked in anger.
"You crave being the person with all the knowledge," Harry explained, "You crave knowledge like it's a drug and you love being told that you're right."
Hermione was now so enraged that electricity was cracking around her as if she was a living storm made human and Harry just held his hands up in peace.
"I didn't mean to offend you it just explains a lot about you and I presume that you have a good reason for it," Harry explained. While he did always love riling people up now wasn't the time.
Hermione just sighed and calmed down stopping the storm raging around her before quietly explaining "It used to be all I had."
"What'd you mean?" Daphne asked.
"I was bullied because of my looks all the time before Hogwarts so I spent most of my free time alone reading," Hermione explained, "I thought that even if they didn't like me at least I could be better than them."
"I get it," Harry said with a smile "But your idea is flawed."
"Oh, and how is that?" Hermione asked challengingly.
"You get all your knowledge from books and I'm sure you've heard the saying 'history is written by the victors'," Harry explained making Hermione frown in annoyance "I'm the perfect example, everyone thinks they know about my life and who I am yet everyone is wrong as I'm sure I've proven over the past year."
"True, it isn't written that you are infuriating to talk to," Sera chimed in making everyone laugh
"My that's quite a big word for you," Harry fired back.
"I rest my case," Sera said shaking her head with a comical scowl.
"If you want the truth you have to find it yourself," Harry said getting back on topic.
"Yeah I know but as I said being the smartest was all I had," Hermione said wearily.
"I have no doubt that when it comes to the written side of magic you are better than everyone but all you do is parrot answers other people have already figured out and written down," Harry said beginning to question why he was helping the girl that annoyed him.
"Yeah well I'm only twelve I can't be expected to know enough about magic to form my own theory's now can I," Hermione said in frustration.
"Granger, I'm trying to help you, you don't have to bite my head off about it," Harry said sternly.
"And why are you helping her?" Sera asked making Harry sigh.
"Whether we like it or not we are stuck in each other's lives thanks to our control over the elements and given how corrupt magical Britain is it could very well end up being us four against the world," Harry said "So I don't want to have a potential ally as my enemy."
"So you're saving your own skin that's what you're telling us," Sera stated frowning.
"It's who I am," Harry answered while shrugging.
"Can we hold this off for another time you know when there isn't the potential for an immortal dark lord to emerge in the middle of a school," Daphne stated sarcastically "And anyway I'm pretty sure Harry was going to explain what he thought about the stone being here."
"What?" Harry asked as he recalled his train of thought "Oh right, so if the Flamel's need the stone to stay alive then why did they give up the one thing keeping them alive to let Dumbledore set a trap?"
"Well it's not the stone that gives them immortality it's the elixir of life made from the stone," Hermione replied, "Maybe they have enough of it stored for Dumbledore to see that You-Know-Who is still around and he can return it back."
"Okay I can see that happening but I doubt it I mean if the stone gets destroyed then there eventually dead so why risk it?" Daphne stated as Harry nodded in agreement.
"I don't think that the real Philosophers stone is here it's probably a fake," Harry replied shocking the Griffindor's "It does make sense, what better way is there to lure a desperate enemy out of hiding then by showing them what they want."
"Then how do you explain the traps being so easy?" Sera asked as they approached the next room.
"It will make him overconfident," Harry said, "We will run into him as he working on the last trap and stop him there."
"Why are we still doing this then if you think that Dumbledore has this great plan?" Hermione asked.
"Dumbledore's not here so we have to stop him instead or at least prove that it is Voldemort if that is his end goal," Harry replied.
"If?" Sera asked.
"Well Dumbledore could be a complete sociopath who enjoys setting up elaborate traps to see how talented a student is or just a deluded old man who wants to take down another dark lord," Harry replied only to scoffed at by the Griffindor's "I didn't say he was any of those things only it is possible."
"But you don't think he is either of those things?" Daphne asked him.
"No, Dumbledore has always believed that Voldemort will return someday so by making him act Dumbledore can begin a counter plan stopping Voldemort from rising again ," Harry answered as he opened the door to the next room "Come on."
The four Elementals entered the room to find it empty except for a giant chessboard and some rubble on the sides of it.
"We should have waited for Ron," Sera said.
"Why?" Harry asked confused as to what that idiot could do.
"Cause he's really good at chess you git," Sera replied hotly.
"Him?" Harry loudly replied in complete surprise.
"He beat McGonagall," Sera Stated plainly.
"Who said anything about playing chess?" Daphne asked with a look that screamed that she had a plan.
"I doubt those giant pieces that block the door will just let us through," Hermione replied as if it was simple.
"True but look at the sides of the board," Daphne said pointing out the rubble "Voldemort has played a game so skipping it would give us plenty of time to catch up to him."
"But how are we going to do that?" Hermione asked when all of a sudden the temperature of the room plummeted and Harry, Hermione and Sera all curled up out of instinct. Daphne however just stood straighter with a determined grin dominating her face as her eyes glowed like diamonds
"I've been itching to let loose for some time now," She declared as ice covered the white chess pieces freezing them in place and stopping them from moving "Let's get going."
The others didn't need telling as they practically ran through to the next room desperate to get away from the cold.
"Oh come it isn't that bad," Daphne said with a smile as the ice faded into water and warmth returned.
"Did you have to freeze the whole room?" Harry asked.
"As I said, I've needed to have a bit of a release," Daphne stated, "We really need to find a place to practice our elemental powers next year."
"Agreed," Harry said as he opened the door only to nearly vomit when the smell of the next room hit him "The hell is that?"
As he pushed the door open he saw the source of the smell is a troll's body only its chest was missing and its insides seemed to be decoration for the far side of the room.
"Well that's disgusting," Harry said jokingly.
"Trust me we already knew that git," Sera said sarcastically.
"Let's just go before I throw up," Hermione said holding her hand to her mouth as the four quickly made their way past the dead troll and into the next room which was empty except for a table with five potions on it stood. As they fully entered the room a wall of fire erupted into life blocking the door that led onwards.
"It's a riddle, one of these potions will make the drinker immune to the fire," Hermione said as she approached the table.
"Which one is it though?" Sera asked
"The one that's already been drunk I imagine," Harry said smirking as Hermione picked up the vial with the least amount of liquid inside it.
"There's only enough for one person," Hermione said sadly "Only one of us can on ahead."
"Sera do you mind moving the fire please?" Daphne asked a little too sweetly.
"What? Oh dam … Darn it why didn't I think with that?" Hermione mumbled to herself.
"Cause you were too enticed at the idea of solving a riddle probably," Sera said reassuringly making Hermione smile to herself.
Sera calmly walked up to the fire and held her hands out as if grabbing hold of something and the firewall turned into a ball that gathered in her hands which she began casually toying with in amusement. They were all chuckling at the apparent easiness that their powers as they all walked through the door leading onwards with Sera crushing the ball of fire into nothing.
OoO The Elemental Order OoO
"Blasted puzzle why won't it work," A voice could be heard cursing aloud.
"Is that Quirrel?" Hermione asked with a whisper as the four Elementals hid in the darkness of the corridor
"Well then this should be easy," Sera declared and began to step forward only for Harry to pull her back "What are you doing?"
"Haven't you noticed that he isn't stuttering?" Harry asked her as she looked confused "I highly doubt that he is the idiotic coward he's been acting as."
"Yeah so it's four on one and we're Elementals," Sera said confidently "We can take him out no problem."
"Are you willing to kill him?" Daphne asked her bluntly.
"What?! No! We just have to stop him," Sera said shocked at Daphne's question.
"We cannot risk anyone learning that we are Elementals yet, if we do then the Ministry will try and control us or the department of mysteries will want to study us to learn how we are Elementals in the first place," Daphne explained "And lets not forget how the bigots in this country will want to kill the two of you simply because two muggle-born witches have more power than 99% of the worlds magical people."
"How would anyone find out?" Sera asked scared now.
"If we capture him then he will be arrested and stand trial in which he will claim that we are Elementals and even if no one believes him the simple rumor about it could cost you two your freedom," Daphne elaborated.
"She's right if we use our powers we have to kill him if we don't then we just capture him but it will be harder," Harry stated.
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Hermione said determinedly.
"We try and sneak up on him though if he spots us we talk to him," Harry said.
"You think we can talk him out of it?" Sera asked skeptically.
"No, I'm gonna piss him off so that he isn't thinking properly," Harry said, "That way when the fight breaks out he will be predictable."
"Okay, so what do we do when the fight actually breaks out?" Daphne asked knowing Harry had a plan.
"All four of us hit him as hard as we can and push him against the wall that way he can't run anywhere and he can't block everything so something is bound to hit him, once he is down we bind him and take him away," Harry explained.
"That could work actually," Hermione stated slowly.
"That looked painful for you to admit," Harry said with a smirk but before she could retort he said, "Showtime, let's go."
Hermione took a deep breath and walked alongside Harry determined to live up to her promise of being braver. Sera joined them excited to be fighting alongside the people she knew would be the greatest friends she would ever have. Daphne was willing to admit to herself that there was a tiny bit of fear within her but it was quashed by the knowledge that should Voldemort return the best she could hope for her and her sister was to become a broodmare when she was so much more than that. Harry was almost giddy at the prospect of revenge and was actually licking his lips as if he was looking at his favorite meal. Then again they do say revenge is sweet and it was time for him to taste just how sweet it really was.
The four Elementals walked into the room to see a long set of stairs leading to an atrium that housed a mirror that Harry recognized as the one from Christmas. Quirrel was stood in front of it looking angry and frustrated.
"You know something," Harry said getting Quirrel to turn around to face the four elementals "you're a terrible actor."
"Saw through that did you," Quirrel said with a smirk.
"Like looking through a window," Harry stated, "So, you want the Philosophers Stone but why do you want it?"
"For my master, so he can return and bring the magical world into the greatness that it should have always been," Quirrel declared as Harry yawned in boredom.
"Is that it? Really?" Harry asked unimpressed "So the great and powerful Voldemort is nothing more than a whiny little bitch."
"You dare!" Quirrel said trying to hold his rage in check.
"Let the boy see," A voice coming from Quirrel hissed.
"Master, you're not ready yet," Quirrel said in worry
"Do it!" The voice commanded as Quirrel began to unwrap his turban slowly.
"Ooh hope you girls are ready for the big reveal I'm giddy with anticipation," Harry said way too over-dramatically making the girls snigger despite their nerves.
"Can you not be a git right now?" Sera asked him jovially as Harry just smiled at her which she knew meant no.
When Quirrel was done he turned around to reveal the back of his head and Harry could see that there was another face there. One that was snake-like and one that he recognized from his nightmares when he was younger. It was Voldemort.
"Look, Potter, look what you have reduced me to, you see me at my weakness but once I get the stone none shall be spared from my wrath," Voldemort hissed at him.
"Shame none of it will happen seeing as you don't have the stone so it's nothing more than an empty threat," Harry said with a smirk "Yet it is wonderful seeing you look so … pathetic."
"YOU WILL HELP ME GET THE STONE OR YOU WILL WATCH ALL YOUR FRIENDS DIE IN FRONT OF YOU," Voldemort screamed at him.
"Or I could just destroy the mirror clearly holding the stone and then I can get to work on making you beg me to kill you," Harry stated sinisterly. Surprisingly Voldemort laughed at this.
"You don't see it, do you? With the stone, death is of no consequence and I can return what I took from you," Voldemort declared "I can bring your parents back to life and together we can right the wrongs in the world and create an eternal era of peace so long as you help get me the stone."
Harry just started laughing uncontrollably making everyone look at him like he was crazy.
"Seriously? You expect me to buy that?" Harry asked the dark lord before straightening himself and readied his wand prompting everyone else to do the same "Every crappy part of my life all comes back to your actions and you expect me to just stop wanting to get my revenge for a false promise? Your legacy will become nothing more than a harrowing reminder of what happens to those that piss me off and the only fear that your name will spread is that of the pain that awaits those who seek to hurt me but go ahead keep talking it will allow to come up more creative ways to make you suffer before I grant you the mercy of death."
Any trace of humor had been replaced by the storm of anger that was waiting to be unleashed by Harry and his smirk had been replaced by a look of sinister hunger that didn't belong on a mere boy and for the first time, Voldemort felt fear. All of a sudden Harry's smirk had returned as he looked at Voldemort like he was nothing.
"It's rather funny don't you think," Harry stated, "That one of the greatest Dark Lords of all time can't figure out a riddle when an 11 year old can."
"What are you talking about boy?" Quirrel demanded as Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the Philosophers Stone.
"See easy," Harry stated simply
"Enough," Voldemort rasped out in anger "Kill him NOW!"
Quirrel began reaching out for his wand only to be attacked by spells from both his sides by Hermione and Sera who used the Flipendo spell making him spin in the air before being slammed headfirst into the floor. Harry saw the opportunity he had been waiting for and charged at Quirrel as he chucked the stone to Sera and tackled Quirrel as he tried to get up leaving Voldemort's face facing upwards. Harry grabbed Quirrel by his robes and proceeded to brutally punch Voldemort in the face rapidly as the girls looked on in horrid fascination. They could see Harry's rage being focused as each punch was precise and accurate despite the speed of them before they noticed Quirrel's body quickly turn to dust.
"HARRY!" Sera yelled as she tackled him off of Quirrel.
"WHAT THE HELL SERA," Harry yelled out before he saw the state Quirrel was in.
Quirrel was trying to scream in agony but his entire body was quickly dissolving into dust shocking the Elementals.
"What the hell?" Daphne exclaimed quietly as she watched Quirrel's body dissolve.
As Quirrel became nothing more than a pile of dust a black ethereal wisp floated out of him and stared at Harry who was still on the floor stunned and confused as to what was going on.
"NOOOOOOOOOO," The wisp which Harry realized was Voldemort roared "YOU AREN'T LEAVING THIS PLACE ALIVE POTTER!"
The wisp charged into Harry causing him to scream in pain before Voldemort flew off through the wall in retreat. At this point, the world began to turn black and the last thing he saw was the looks of fear in the girls face as he passed out in pain.
Author's Notes.
Yes, I know that it has been far too long since an update but every time I've gone to write I've drawn a blank.
Next chapter will be the end of year 1 thankfully and I can move on to year 2 were things will start to pick up.