- Day 72 of 366 Days of Writing Challenge: Dust

- The Emotion Challenge: Shocked

- Chocolate Frog Cards Club: (silver) Ghoul: Challenge: Incorporate a ghoul into your story.

Pairings/Characters: Ursula, Belvina

Word Count: 521


Attic Dweller

Here in my web of dreams, my whispers turn to screams.

Belvina Black held her arms over her head as a shower of dust rained down upon her and her mother. Ursula didn't seem too fazed by the dust, as she continued beating on the ceiling with the handle of her sweeping broom, causing all manner of cobwebs and dirt to fall from the beams. "Mother, I dare say this is having no effect."

"I will get that awful creature out of your father's house, girl," Ursula snapped back. Her white hair sprinkled with grey as she gave a particularly heavy-handed shove to the ceiling. She reared back and wiped her perspiring forehead on her sleeve. "Phineas will not be happy when he returns from Hogwarts this weekend, oh no," Ursula clucked her tongue. While her husband, Phineas Nigellus, spent his weeks at Hogwarts where he acted as headmaster, he expected Ursula to maintain the housework.

When Belvina became old enough to carry a dusting cloth, she was expected to follow in her mother's footsteps. When all of her brothers went off to Hogwarts with Phineas to learn, Belvina was not allowed to attend. "Young ladies do not need an education, dear," her father had sneered patronisingly when Belvina had dared to follow up on why she didn't receive a Hogwart's letter. She knew that other girls were receiving their letters, but because her father was the headmaster, he was able to prevent one from reaching her.

Ursula had taught Belvina all the spells and potions that she needed to know, but they mostly revolved around cooking and cleaning. She reached fifteen with no defensive or combative spells under her belt, and now she was faced with a potentially life-threatening creature in the attic.

"What on earth are we going to do?" Belvina cried as she heard the ghoul wailing. Ursula hollered back at it rudely, but it didn't seem to listen.

"You're going to have to pop your head up into the attic and take a look at it, Belvina," Ursula demanded. "Lure it towards the entrance and I shall curse it."

"I don't want to go up there!" Belvina whined, but Ursula wasn't giving her any other choice. Grumbling, she advanced up the ladder, hitching her skirts around her ankles. She took a deep breath and opened the trapdoor, lighting her wand into the dim attic.

Almost immediately, a human-shaped figure lurched towards the source of the light. As soon as its face was illuminated, Belivina let out a cry of shock—the ghoul was horrifying; an ugly, grey-skinned creature with wispy white hair and a single yellow tooth in its gaping mouth. It moaned and threw something in Belvina's direction, but she skidded down the ladder instantly, allowing the trapdoor to fall shut.

"Stupid girl!" accused Ursula, while Belvina caught her breath at the bottom of the ladder. She was still shocked, and her heart was beating loud enough to thrum in her ears. She stood up, throwing a glare at her mother, and headed downstairs.

She wasn't about to confront that ugly thing again—or the ghoul.