Down the Rabbit Hole - Chapter 5
The Gryffindor Bedroom
A piece of wood popped in the fireplace. The couple on the couch didn't pay any attention -- they had something else on their minds, and couldn't be bothered -- not even with the small, dark head peering around the girl's stairwell. They didn't notice it; if they had, they'd have definitely been upset. The head peeked further around the stairwell, and resolved itself into a smirking girl. She paused at the top of the stairs, and considered the teens at the bottom.
I can't tell who they are standing here. She thought, idly. She slowly, carefully began stepping down the stairs. Lucky these stairs are made of rocks. She paused, and raised an eyebrow as the couple on the couch grew louder. Rocks don't squeak when you step down them. The girl reached the foot of the stairs, and began making her way past comfortable red couches and chairs. I have to know who they are! This could make such juicy gossip! She nudged a chair to the side as she made her way to the fireplace.
A loud screeching sound broke the silence. The couple on the couch tore apart, and looked over to the sound.
She ducked. I knew it! Sirius Black and Sarah Williams! Everybody will be so shocked! She's still together with Rob Anders.
The boy in front of the fireplace narrowed his eyes, and studied the chair that had seemingly made the noise. Then he turned to face the girl. "You better go back to your dorm." He said, grimly. She glanced towards the stairs, then nodded, and left. Sirius stood, and drew his wand. He stalked over to the guilty chair.
Merlin, he's coming over here. The girl hastily jumped to her feet. "Hi Sirius!" she chirped. "I was hungry and thought I'd come downstairs and dig up a bite to eat from the kitchens. Want anything?" She didn't wait for his answer, but headed for the door.
Sirius glared at her. "One of these days you will truly stick your nose where it doesn't belong, Bertha." He shoved past her, and up the stairs.
Bertha Jorkins unhurriedly walked back towards the stairs, listening for footsteps in case he decided to come back. She had been hexed the previous year, when she'd caught Florence Fingle and Andrew King kissing behind the greenhouses, and she wasn't taking any chances now.
No steps sounded on the stairs though. Bertha danced over to the fireplace, smirking. This is the story of the year! No one can top this! She plopped herself down carelessly onto the couch in front of the fireplace, and laughed. I can't wait to tell!
She looked around her common room, snickered, and raised her hand to the fireplace in an imaginary toast.
"What's his name again?" She wondered. "Oh yeah," she paused, "thank you Godric Gryffindor for the wonderful Sirius Black." Bertha laughed, then dropped her hand, and stared at the fireplace.
A hole had just appeared to one side of it.
Bertha couldn't move. There's a hole in the wall of the Gryffindor common room. It kept running through her head. "There's a hole in the Gryffindor common room." She said aloud, as if that would change it. She hesitantly stood up, and cautiously walked over to the hole. She stuck her head through it, and looked down.
It looked like a slide. She wiped one finger along the slide, and skeptically examined it. "No dust." She said loud. The slide felt slick, with no rough spots to catch on robes. There was a small bar above the slide -- probably to grab onto when pulling oneself up onto the slide.
Bertha paused. So I want to? She turned from the slide, and glanced around the room before her with blank eyes. This would be such a coup. She thought. What a thing to tell! She turned back to the slide, determination lining her face. I'm doing it. She grabbed hold of the bar, pulled herself through the hole, and pushed off.
This is so cool! Bertha held her arms out, hands brushing the slick walls moving past her. I'm moving so fast! She let out a whoop of delight.
"This is so… AHH!" She screamed as the floor fell out beneath her.
She landed in a sea of red. Bertha sat up, and stared around the room. Wow… What a nice room. She pulled herself to the edge of the bed, and looked around. A really nice room. She could see a chest of drawers, and a wardrobe, and desk -- all in a warm red -- standing around the room. A Gryffindor's room. Bertha thought in wonder. What a funny shape though. Bit octagonal. Her eyes fell on a door in the wall opposite the bed.
She crawled off the bed, walked over to the door, and turned the knob. She studied the room with interest. Like the previous room it was octagonal, with grey stone walls, and a door on each wall. A banner hung above each door; in red, green, yellow, and blue. A table sat in the middle of the room with twelve chairs surrounding it.
Bertha walked over to the first door, under a red banner, and opened it. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. Just a kitchen. How boring. She left the room, and closed the door behind her. The next room was another bedroom, identical to the red bedroom, except this was blue. Bertha closed that door behind her, and headed to the next room. She opened the next blue door. Inside was a library. A piano sat in one corner. Bertha grimaced. Also boring. She closed the door behind her as she left the room, and headed to the next door. This was a green bedroom. There was a portrait on the wall -- the first she'd seen down here -- but no one was in it. The room beyond that was a quidditch pitch. Bertha paused, considering the possibilities. Wait 'til the guys on our team hear. We'll take the whole team down here to train. They can get double the practice! Then maybe we'll beat those stinking Slytherins. She reluctantly left the room, shutting the door behind her, and continued exploring. The next room was, predictably, a yellow bedroom and the room after that was just a bathroom.
Bertha closed the last door behind her, and unhurriedly sat in one of the chairs in the middle of the room, considering the possibilities. I could rent out the bedrooms by the hour maybe? The quidditch team would be thrilled to have a quidditch pitch available whenever they wanted it, and the fifth and seventh years would kill to have the library to help with studying for their exams… She smiled at the thought. I should get back first.
She walked back into the red bedroom and stopped short. A problem had just occurred to her. How do I get out of here?
She sat on the edge of the bed and considered her dilemma. Let's think about this… How did I get down here? I was laughing, and I thanked Gryffindor for Sirius…
"Thank you Gryffindor for Sirius Black…"
She paused. Nothing. Think Bertha. What exactly did you say? She tried again.
"Thank you Godric Gryffindor for Sirius Black…"
Nothing. She swore. "I was on the bed." She said aloud. Maybe I have to be on the bed? She crawled onto the center of the bed and repeated the sentence. Once again, nothing happened. Bertha sighed. "Fat lot of good this place will do me if I can't leave." She dropped back onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling, thinking. Then she sat straight up. The doorway was in the ceiling… So maybe she had to be on the ceiling?
Bertha stood up in the center of the bed and started jumping, each time repeating the line, "Thank you Godric Gryffindor for Sirius Black." On the third jump the ceiling opened, and she started sliding back up the pipe. She reached the beginning the slide, and carefully pulled herself backwards out of the hole.
She studied the passage. "Thank you Godric Gryffindor…" The passageway closed before she finished the sentence. Thank Merlin… It was a bit of a mouthful the way it was.
She smiled, victoriously. "I feel like having some cake to celebrate." She headed to the entrance to the common room, and stepped out still thinking about the secret rooms she had discovered. "Now to decide how much I want to make them pay for it." She spoke aloud.
"I beg your pardon?" The voice sounded out of the darkness. Bertha whirled around the face the sound. Sarah Williams stepped out from behind a suit of armor. "You're planning on making us pay? I could take points for that." She brushed a hand over her prefects badge. "But then it would come out that I was cheating on Rob. I think I'll try something else." She glanced up at Bertha, the wicked gleam in her eyes showing her Slytherin. "OBLIVIATE!" She shouted, bringing her wand up to point at Bertha.
Bertha staggered as the spell hit her and fell back against the wall. Her head hit the wall with a sharp smack, and her sight went dark.
Bertha moaned as she came to. She brushed a hand up her head, looking for the bump that, if the pain in her head was anything to go by, must be there. What happened? I was heading downstairs to get a bite to eat from the kitchens and then… She paused. And then… "Oh Merlin." Something must have happened, but what? She grimaced. Do you truly want to know? You must have been obliviated, why else wouldn't you remember what happened? Better you don't know. She sighed. I bet it was really good.