Chapter 17
The book was a hypnotizer. We sat there for who knows how long. Finally, a spirit seemed to enter the room. In my mind's eye I could see a greedy smile within the invisible evil presence. "So I caught my hook and my hook caught my catch," it jeered. Somehow, just because of it's presence in the room, I could tell that whoever this was, whatever it was, it had used it's malicious book to lure Sorina and then when I realized something was wrong it would capture me it's mesmerizing gaze also. As much as we both wanted to move or do something, we were helpless.
I felt my body being lifted off my feet, and knew that the same was happening to Sorina. We floated for a few seconds, and then seemed to touch down on solid floor. Immediately, I regained power over my body. I stumbled and quickly stopped myself. Glancing at Sorina, I found her to be paralyzed with fear.
The room we were in was dark and almost completely in shadows. It looked somewhat familiar. Was it the crazy evil wizard's lair? It sure seemed like it.
"Who and where are you?" I asked as clearly and calmly as I could. I had suspected that there would be another attempt at capturing me, but I never thought that Sorina would be captured too. I waited for a reply, but to my dismay I heard none.
Sorina whimpered. I gave her a questioning look and saw she was looking incredibly scared. She gave me a desperate gaze as she breathed in low, shallow breaths.
"Calm down, Sorina. We'll be okay. I promise I can get us out of this. I'm going to try something. If anything happens, shake me until I answer." I took a deep breath. I hoped I could do this.
"Wait," Sorina interrupted, sounding like a lost child. "Is this place…one of the evil 3 wizards places? I…" She sounded as scared as a person facing a life or detah decision. I put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Relax. I'll be right back." With that, I shut my eyes and imagined Dumbledore's office behind a semi-transparent brick wall.
With a whoosh of air, I was there (hey a poem!) and I saw Dumbledore pacing. Potter burst in the door and stomped over to him!
"She could be spying on us for heavens sake! We've got to figure out how she can control her powers! She's not mature enough to use them correctly and honestly, Emma's not a great role model. I mean, missing a lesson in order to go out with my best friend. SERIOUSLY!!!!!" he shouted in a rage!
"Harry, calm down," Dumbledore ordered the angry teacher. "We'll work it out. We have bigger problems now. Look at this." He handed Potter a letter.
He angrily grabbed it and looked down. Almost instantly he went pale. "Emma," he gasped, mouth open in shock. I tried to float closer to see what it read but stopped myself. I had a bigger problem right now. I just hoped it would work.
"Dumbledore!" I shouted as loud as I could.
Dumbledore glanced up as if he had heard a small far off voice. Then he shook his head and looked down.
I tried again. "Professor Dumbledore and Professor Potter!' I shouted even louder."
Potter jumped. "Did you hear that?" he asked Dumbledore incredulously.
Dumbledore nodded. "It sounded like Ashley. I… Ashley are you in here…in a matter of speaking?"
"YES!" I shouted back.
Potter shook his head in amazement. "Where are you?" he asked.
I ignored him and tried to explain to Dumbledore my situation. After all, I could only yell so much before I lost my voice. Even in this creepy spirit-like form I still could wear out my throat.
Dumbledore alertly nodded and took notes. He immediately grabbed his wand and a mirror and walked out the door.
I guessed that he was heading to the Gryffindor common room to see what he could do.
"He's probably going to the Gryffindor Tower." Harry explained, being unable to see the understanding on my face. As I felt someone shaking my physical body, I rolled my invisible eyes and shouted one last bye.
Right before I left I thought I heard him mutter, "I guess I'd better go save Emma." He almost sounded love struck and awkward. I immediately dismissed that though. He already had Hermione to be in love with…and Emma had Ron. Right?
Instantaneously, I was back in the dark place with Sorina frantically shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes and scanned our surroundings. Still darkness but we could hear footsteps coming from one area of it.
"I'm here." I whispered to Sorina.
"Footsteps!" she cried, softly!
"Then it's the crazy one. Shh. We have to be careful." I told her.
"I know," she said. "That I definitely do know."
Chapter 18
"Could you portal us away?" Sorina asked.
I slowly shook my head, trying to be inconspicuous as the dark figure walked menacingly closer. He was still in shadows. "I would just get us caught by another evil wizard, and I don't even think I can portal anyone other then myself. For now, we're doomed. At least this wizard isn't smart enough to kill us right away. He'll probably act like a total idiot for a while then toy with us and threaten us a whole lot. By then, hopefully, Dumbledore will have found a way to get us out of this mess."
Sorina took a deep breath and, as calmly as she could, told me, "There's another way for us to get out. I'm not sure if it'll work but it might be our only hope. We have to…"
She was cut off by a maniacal voice saying, "So, my fish, now I've caught you. Who knows how well I can rule the world now?" he chuckled, evilly. Then he added madly, "Though I know that I soon will." He began to laugh evilly. "MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Sorina gave me a look as if to say 'what an idiot.'
His laughter was cut off abruptly. "No. I am no longer going to be the crazy one. I am going to be the all powerful overlord.
The man stepped into the light and Sorina gasped. I just squeezed my eyes tight. What kind of mess had I gotten us into? Why did I have to be such a "different" witch?
The short, fat wizard with the insane gleam in his eyes grabbed my arm, roughly. I screeched as I was yanked forward onto my knees. The evil wizard's rough hands tied a scratchy rope around my ankles and wrists. What a nightmare! This was like a bad dream.
He proceeded to covering my sight. I saw him raising a blindfold and tried to squirm out of my bindings. I couldn't. I was helpless. This unbearable torture continued as he tied to blindfold in front of my eyes.
"Sorina, help!" I cried. Just as soon, a gag was tied over my mouth. I couldn't make a sound.
I heard her shriek and then heard nothing else. He had done something to my ears to make all sound unhearable.
I felt myself being lifted up, but I was helpless. He had prevented 3 of my 5 senses. I could no longer see, hear, or taste in addition to not being able to talk. I could only feel and smell. Smelling wouldn't be any help, except for the damp smell of the dark room we were in. Not that I could tell it was still dark as I couldn't even see anything anyway.
I was slammed into a hard something and felt my neck buckle against the pressure. My head drooped forward and I no longer had the strength or determination to lift it. I had given up all hope. I knew somehow that the evil wizard was preparing to drain me of my portal powers.
I then realized that it didn't even matter anymore if I portaled. I would have to leave Sorina but I could probably make it back. If I portaled off to another of the evil wizards, I would be safe from having my powers drained. The other evil wizards would have to realize I was there, wouldn't they? Hopefully my bonds wouldn't portal with me although I had a bad feeling they would.
I clenched my jaw and imagined Dumbledore's office. Somehow, I did not feel the atom-tingling sensation of portaling. I tried again, this time imagining my four-poster at Hogwarts. Once again, no success. I probably would've broken into tears if it weren't for my fear that my powers were already gone. What would that feel like? How would I know? Would it kill me to have my powers taken away? I sure hoped not.
Feeling hopeless and useless, I waited for my fate to befall me.
Chapter 19
I was chained to something, my hands at the top, my legs dangling at the bottom. The hard wall was still behind me. I probably looked like a prisoner in a medieval dungeon.
Even though my eyes were closed, I began to feel almost as if my body was…untingling. It was the opposite of when I made a portal! Oh no! My powers. I began to feel weak and faint. I would've cried out for help, but the gag stopped me from doing that.
In my mind, I saw darkness approaching. Death.
Almost fainting with the weakness, I began to feel sore all over. My body felt like it was being pulled apart, atom by atom. I screeched and…wait a second, screeched? As in actually made noise. I moved my jaw around as I realized the gag was gone. I was growing weaker by the second. I knew that unless I was freed from whatever was stealing my powers, I would die very soon.
Something yanked at my wrist and I felt a splintering feeling running down my arm. Tears welled up in my eyes.
Suddenly I was being pulled away from the darkness. My ragged breathing began to sound farther away and in moments, I was unconscious.