Lapis Eskander wasn't having a good week.

As he sat by himself at the edge of the lake, staring out over its icy surface, he couldn't help but replay events in his mind. Potter had nearly killed himself, Tadygbbo had been taken out by the boggart, he had barely eaten or slept, and Valerie and Samantha were both mad at him. Claimed he was 'spending too much time' worrying about Potter's well-being and that he'd get better, just like he had the previous times he had been injured. Lapis hadn't liked the tone they had used when talking about him, as though he were some kind of thing. What had changed? They had been supporting him before, so why now?

'Because,' he thought to himself, drawing his knees up to his chest, 'they're probably scared that hanging around him will get me hurt at some point...'

Closing his eyes and blowing out a slow sigh, he wrapped his arms around his legs. It was freezing cold out, but it was still the only place he could try to get his head screwed on straight. He had tried talking to them, but they seemed set in their ways. So there he was, needing to get things off his chest, with no one to talk to. He didn't care about Quidditch if Potter was laid-up. There was simply no challenge to be had. Either he'd get a worthy opponent or he wouldn't bother at all. It was a pointless endeavor to play when he was guaranteed victory.

He had gone up to the Hospital Wing a few times over the course of the week. Each time, he would be filled in on Potter's rapidly-healing condition. And though it helped to know that he would eventually wake up, it did nothing to improve his mood. A part of him was desperately trying not to pull the Slytherin boy aside once he was better and explain everything to him. Another was warning that this would drive him away, too. Whatever Potter had feared was terrifying enough to him to invoke a spell that nearly took his life. He wasn't playing around at hiding whatever it was.

He hated this. He hated having no one who knew what he was going through, save for two girls who refused to speak to him. He hated lying constantly. He hated the way the teachers danced around the issue, as they were well-aware of what was going on. He hated that he had such a stupid crush, and he hated that he would be unable to act upon it. Another sigh escaped his lips as his eyes opened, wincing as the brightness of the snow and ice hit him again. Of everyone he could have chosen, why did it have to be Harry Potter's son?

It was all so very irritating, and he had no other option than to simply struggle onward until he couldn't anymore. He was just scared that 'anymore' would come sooner than later. He wouldn't be able to keep his lies up forever. And the moment someone realized this, things would change. He didn't want them to change. Despite hating having to lie, he liked who he was. He was proud of who he was. He had worked hard to get to where he was. And now it was all threatening to come unglued thanks to one boy fighting against what seemed like an inescapable fate. Potter had been willing to risk it all; been willing to suffer the indignant stares and hushed voices that would no doubt surround him once he got out of the hospital. He never looked happy by them, but he wasn't letting them throw him into a depression, either.

So lost in thought was he, that he didn't hear footsteps approach. Nor did he notice when someone sat down next to him, assuming a similar position. It wasn't until the new arrival spoke that his attention was snapped away from his thoughts.

"Feels good out here, doesn't it? My throat's enjoying it, anyway. Really sore for some reason..."

Lapis turned and blinked owlishly at Vega, who was smiling faintly as he stared out over the frozen lake. "Potter... when did you get out?"

"About an hour ago, I think. Went to get something to eat before coming to find you. That part didn't take too long. You seem to like being outside." Vega said, tilting his head to look Lapis' way.

"...The air is fresh out here. Should you be out here so soon, though?" Asked Lapis, his voice quiet.

"Gabrielle said it was fine. Like I said, my throat appreciates it. So what's up? Vivi told me you'd stopped in to see me..." Vega said.

Lapis bit at his lower lip, unsure of what to say in response. Of course he had stopped in. They were friends... weren't they? To be honest, Lapis wasn't sure what they were. They were rivals at the very least, and that was enjoyable, certainly. He knew what he'd like to be seen as, but that was nothing more than a pipe dream. Frowning slightly, he finally said, "Yeah. Was worried, that's all..."

"Appreciate it. Sometimes I feel like the twins are the only ones who care about me." Vega said, smirking slightly. "But what's goin' on, Eskander? You have a fight with the girls?"

"Something like that." Lapis said, scowling. "We couldn't see eye to eye over something, and they're both being... girls about it."

"Well, I know how that is." Vega said. "Vivi can get that way sometimes, too. You okay?"

"I've been better." Lapis admitted, turning his attention back to the lake. "Lot's been going on lately. Not much of it good. I guess it's all just getting to me. I've stepped down as Seeker for the time being, you know."

"What? Why?" Vega asked, looking slightly alarmed. "Come on, Eskander, you were the only decent Seeker left, since I'm probably not going to fly anytime soon! Was hoping to at least be able to enjoy seeing Ravenclaw play. Man, it's gonna be boring now..."

Snorting, Lapis let himself smile a little. "It would've been boring even if I was in the air, Potter. There's nothing interesting about me flying rings around the other Seekers. You're the only one I wanted to fly against, because you were the only one who could fly worth a damn."

"Well... I can't say I don't know how you feel. They are kinda middling, aren't they?" Vega said, glancing off towards the Pitch. "...Well, I guess this gives me more time to study. ...Oh goody."

"Yeah, I'd say so. Especially if you plan to use any more high level spells." Lapis said, sounding rather irritated. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Vega slumped slightly, knowing this was coming. "I wasn't, okay? I thought I could handle it and I couldn't. It's... complicated. But I didn't want anyone to see. That's all it comes down to."

"Was it really that bad?"

"It was. To me, anyway."

"...What was it?"

"I'm not telling." Vega said.

"Why? I wouldn't tell anyone. And if you can't tell the Malfoys, I'm going to hazard a guess that it has something to do with them." Lapis said, watching Vega's expression closely. It was brief, but he caught a slight wince. "...On the right track? In any case, I guess I'm here if you feel like talking. Not got anyone else to chat with these days. Team's mad at me for obvious reasons, the girls are being idiots at the moment, and I don't make very good conversation with myself."

"It's... look, I appreciate the offer, Eskander, but it's just..." Vega said, fumbling for words. With a sigh, he shrugged and repeated, "It's complicated."

Lapis studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Your call, Potter. Offer stands, though."

"Thanks." Said Vega, leaning back on his arms and staring up at the overcast sky. "...Hey, Eskander?"

"Mm?"

"We - me, Vivi, and Hyde I mean - are gonna try hunting the boggart down."

Lapis' head whipped around and he stared at Vega as though he had gone mad. "What?"

"We can't just sit back and do nothing. It'll kill again if we don't do something." Vega stated.

"The staff can't find anything. The Aurors couldn't find anything! What chance do you think you have of finding it?" Lapis cried. "You're going to get yourself killed, Potter!"

"Maybe. But better to get killed trying to stop the boggart than to sit around and wait for the boggart to come and kill me. It's already attacked me once, you know. It's how I worked out what it was. But it didn't actually injure me is the thing, and I dunno why." Vega explained. "It did damage, but I wasn't physically attacked. I want to keep people safe... I think this is how dad must've felt when he was at Hogwarts. No one else could - or would - go after what was in the school, so he went after it. Don't worry, I've got a plan."

"I hope it's a little more thought out than your last 'plan' was!" Lapis said, voice still slightly higher than normal. "What's stopping me from informing one of the teachers about this? I don't want you to go waltzing in and getting your throat clawed out or whatever the hell it is the boggart'll do to you when you cast something you have no business trying to cast!"

"Because I trust you. That's what's stopping you." Vega said, looking back at Lapis suddenly. "One of the three people in this place that I would trust to that degree. And before you ask why, it's because I think I get you, Eskander. You're like me, in a way. You feel isolated for some reason. You've got problems you can't talk to anyone about. You know what it feels like. Especially right now. If we don't come back within a certain time, then you can tell a teacher or something. We'll be setting out soon. I'll let you know the day we do, just to keep you from worrying until then."

"Because I'll totally stop worrying when you tell me you're off to hunt the thing that killed the Defense professor, right?"

"You know what I mean."

"Not sure I do, Potter." Lapis said. "You sure you're healed all the way? You're sounding pretty crazy to me."

Letting himself keel over onto the grass completely, Vega spread his arms out at his sides, staring lazily up at the cloudy sky. "It's not going to work unless I explain Cygnus, is it? I haven't even told Vivi and Hyde about Cygnus yet... look, it doesn't make sense and it probably still won't make sense, but if you promise not to tell anyone, I can try explaining."

"I sure wish you would, because you're making less sense by the minute, Potter. Are you positive you don't need me to take you back up to Pomfrey?" Asked Lapis, one eyebrow raised.

Sighing, Vega closed his eyes. "Better get comfortable. This may take awhile. I'm not sure when it started, but I first noticed it earlier in the year, when the attacks first began..."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Vega walked through the halls of the school, rubbing at the back of his neck. He had tried to explain Cygnus' presence for about half an hour, but he wasn't sure Eskander quite got it. It was, after all, a bit weird. As he headed for the Pit, planning to spend the evening on the schoolwork he had missed while unconscious, he couldn't help but wonder if he was making the right decision. He hadn't seen Dumbledore yet, but he had a feeling what that would bring. A twinkle in the eye, perhaps a telling nod, or simply a seemingly innocent statement that belied what he really meant. That was how Vega knew Albus Dumbledore. The man never came out directly and stated the truth to anyone. He liked to watch, and wait, and see how things played out on their own, only stepping in when it was absolutely necessary.

Why Dumbledore thought the death of a faculty member wasn't strong enough reason to get involved was beyond Vega's comprehension, however, so he tried not to spend too much time worrying about it. As he entered the Pit, Vega headed for the couch, sitting down and staring over at a small pile of books. With a bit of a scowl, he reached for one and flipped it open. He tried reading over the page, but he wasn't taking any of it in. He knew why, of course. He was still nervous about going after the boggart. It was, in essence, something of a suicide mission. But Cygnus had ideas, and Vega had realized that ignoring the voice in his head wasn't really smart. Especially when said voice could hijack his body.

"Help me focus, would you? Be useful for a change." Vega said, murmuring quietly in the quiet room. "I need to calm down. Not going to fix anything if I'm a shaky wreck.."

'Not my department.' Said Cygnus. 'Need to learn some meditation tricks or somethin'. Ask dad. He probably knows a few.'

"I guess." Vega said. "...Think they'll be mad?"

'Who, mum and dad? Oh, they'll be furious. But it's to be expected, really. We are their kid, after all. We attract trouble like it was our job. Better to get yelled at and not have to spend every moment looking over your shoulder, though. Don't worry. We went over a ton of things. We've got this. If you don't, I do. And vice versa, I suppose. I think you just need to come to terms with the fact that Hyde might see a boggart turn into him, though. I'm sure he's wondered why you seemed so freaked out after we were 'attacked' by it.'

"Yeah, I know. I don't like it, but if it happens, it happens. Don't think using the Exsilium again is a very wise move."

'If it comes to it, that's what we'll do. But only as a last resort.'

"Only as a last resort." Echoed Vega. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself a few deep, slow breaths. When he opened his eyes again, he began to read. Weird as it was, he was almost happy that Cygnus was around to talk to. He couldn't tell Eskander, and while Vivi was there for him, it still felt strange to him. Something felt different, though, since he had awakened from his coma. He wasn't sure it was confidence stemming from the fact that he and Cygnus had reached a deal, or just because he was tired of ending up in the blasted hospital bed every few weeks. He wanted to finish the boggart off.

He had liked Tadygbbo, dammit.

"Cygnus?"

'Hm?'

"We're gonna win, right?"

'Not only are we gonna win, we're gonna come back as heroes. Gonna attract even more attention, but now we've reached an agreement, I'll be helping you on some of your uh... shortcomings, as it were. No more bad marks in class.' Cygnus said, chuckling quietly.

"A win would be nice... even if we do wind up back in Madam Pomfrey's care for awhile." Vega admitted. "Sick of feeling paranoid. ...Think tomorrow's too soon?"

'If you're feeling upto it, we can go whenever you want. Want to get it over with?'

"I kinda do, yeah." Vega said. "Get it done with so I can at least try to enjoy the last bit of the school year, you know?"

'Then tomorrow it is. After dinner?'

"Probably be easiest to sneak off then, yeah. Gonna need to tell Eskander, though. Did he seem kinda odd to you earlier?"

'Yup.'

"Good. It's not just me, then."

'No, it is just you, actually.'

Vega made a face. "You know what I mean."

'Yeah, I do. But it's fun getting you frustrated.'

Rolling his eyes, Vega focused back on the Transfiguration book he was holding. He needed to get this batch of homework knocked out as quickly as he could. Especially if he was just going to wind up back in the hospital wing. Optimally, they'd all come back uninjured. At least he knew he could survive the Exsilium going south, though he was pretty sure he'd be able to successfully cast it the next time, if he had to. He wouldn't be fighting with Cygnus for control, for one thing. And he knew that Cygnus was right about Hyde seeing the boggart turn into him. If he had to, he could always make up a reason for it.

No more injuries. No more deaths. He was going to make sure the boggart wouldn't claim any more victims.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The following day was something of a blur to Vega, who had informed the twins of his plan that morning as they walked to the Great Hall. Vega's stomach was in knots, and he had had to force himself to eat anything. At the Ravenclaw table, he noted that Lapis was still sitting alone, casting an irritated glance or two up the table every so often. He had forced himself to eat earlier in the day so he could skip out on dinner entirely, but that wasn't worked out very well. He wasn't sure how long it'd take to find the boggart, but Cygnus had given him some ideas on where to begin searching.

Dumbledore's presence was... oddly calming, he felt, looking up at the staff table. The old wizard was chatting quietly with those around him, though he looked rather somber. McGonagall didn't look so great at the moment, either. There were deep bags under her eyes and, like Vega, she also wasn't eating anything. Viola and Hydrus were eating and chatting back and forth, each thinking that avoiding dinner wouldn't help anything.

"Hey," Vega finally said, attention turning back to the Ravenclaw table. "Gonna go tell Eskander, yeah? Told him I would before we left."

"You sure that's wise? Didn't he tell you that he'd inform the staff?" Hydrus asked.

"I trust him." Vega said, getting to his feet and heading for the Ravenclaw table. Lapis saw him coming and stood to meet him at the table's end. Vega walked back to the wall the doors leading in were on so they wouldn't be overheard. "Tonight."

"What? So soon?" Lapis replied, keeping his voice down. "Why?"

"Aren't you tired of being jumpy? And having to be escorted everywhere?" Asked Vega. "Because I am. And anyway, I've got a plan, remember?"

"Still don't get why you trust me, Potter." Lapis said, blowing out a sigh and running a hand back through his hair. "I appreciate it, but it's a bit confusing."

"Is it really? C'mon, we've flown together. You're the only decent Seeker I flew against this year! If we can't find common footing from that, then it's hopeless." Vega said, grinning crookedly. "Seriously though, Eskander, don't worry about us. We'll be back by morning, surely."

"I hope you're right." Lapis said. Leaning against the wall and crossing his arms, he murmured, "Are you sure I can't talk you outta this, Potter?"

"Positive. I've got my mind set on ending this now. Guess no matter how much I want to avoid trouble, it's not gonna avoid me. Best to get it over with now before it gets any worse. Honestly, it isn't fighting the boggart that I'm really nervous about right now." Vega said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"What? What would make you more nervous than that?" Asked Lapis.

"It's really dumb. I just... I know I'm gonna be going down some really dark hallways and..."

"You're afraid of the dark?"

"No! Uh... maybe. I dunno. More like I'm afraid of might be hiding in the dark, if that makes sense. Had some pretty nasty nightmares about... well, just things that live in the dark, I guess. I get kinda freaked out if I'm in a dark place I'm not used to. Like, I can walk around my house at night with no problems, but this is different." Vega said.

Snorting, Lapis shook his head. "You're weird, Potter. Anyone ever told you that?"

"Many times." Vega said. "...We're gonna get going, I think. If any of the staff gets up, and Dumbledore doesn't stop them, cause a distraction for us?"

"Sure... but why do you think Dumbledore might do something?" Asked Lapis.

"You kidding? He's been sitting there watching us this entire time, smiling. He totally knows we're going after the boggart." Vega said, nodding his head toward the staff table.

Glancing aside, Lapis saw that Dumbledore was indeed behaving as Vega had said. "...He's kind of mad, isn't he?"

"Dad thought so." Vega said. "Can't say I disagree. Anyway, I'm gonna go grab Vivi and Hyde and take off."

"...Good luck." Lapis said, frowning slightly.

"Thanks. We'll need it." Vega said, turning and heading quickly back to the Slytherin table, where Viola and Hydrus were just finishing their dinners.

Pushing away from the wall, Lapis walked back to his seat as the three Slytherins left the Great Hall, trying to be as casual about it as they could. As he sat back down, Lapis leaned against the table, a shiver running down his back.

'Just come back to me alive, Potter...'

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Where are we even going to start looking?" Asked Viola as she and Hydrus trailed behind Vega.

"Starting with the dungeons and working our way up from there." Vega replied. "It's hiding somewhere. Best to start at the bottom and work our way up."

"Do you have any idea how unlike yourself you sound right now?" Viola asked. "It's weird hearing you actually sound confident. No offense."

"None taken." Vega said, grinning over his shoulder at the girl. "Uh... and if I seem to be out of it, it's just because I'm talking with Cygnus."

"Talking with a voice in your head?" Hydrus chimed in. "You can try explaining it all you want, that's never not going to be strange, Potter. You realize that, right?"

"Well aware of it, Hyde." Vega said. "Not like I asked for a split personality, you know. Just trying to make due with what I have so we don't have another Voro Exsilium incident. He was trying to get control away from me, I was fighting him, and I nearly killed myself because of it."

"So let's recap events." Hydrus said, hands slipping into his pockets. "Tadygbbo holds a class to help us protect ourselves from boggarts. You think whatever you're scared of is bad enough to warrant the use of some spell you found. You freeze up while casting, your other personality takes over, you fight with it for control of your body, and end up turning your ribs to dust as a result. When you wake up, you've apparently befriended the voice in your head, named it, and hatched a scheme to hunt down the thing that killed the Defense professor. And now here we all are, wandering by ourselves through the castle, unaware of where to actually find this thing."

"Nice summary." Said Viola, rolling her eyes.

Vega twitched slightly and came to a halt. Turning around, he glared at Hydrus through decidedly un-Vega-like eyes. "You know, this is all your fault anyway. You should be happy that we're trying to kill this thing. You always tell us that we should be more assertive, right? So, we're being assertive! You can't just turn around and tell me not to be that way now! Bit late for that! Ass."

Vega's eyes closed then, he wobbled, and when he opened his eyes they were their normal green again. He made a face, looked up at Hydrus, and muttered, "Please don't give him a reason to do that. It's like being thrown into a very dark room with a very small window. I can see out, but only just, and I can't really do anything to get out unless he wants me to."

The twins blinked at this rather odd exchange, glancing at one another. Viola shrugged and asked, "So that was Cygnus, was it?"

"Yes. That was Cygnus. Sorry, Hyde. We're a bit tense right now. I think it's getting the better of him." Vega said, turning back around and starting to walk again.

Hydrus squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, shaking his head. "Okay, first of all, you really don't have any idea how odd that is. Second, how is any of this my fault?"

"All in due time. Need to focus right now. Vivi, not a word." Vega said, hunching forward slightly as he walked. His cheeks felt rather warm and, even in the relatively low light of the dungeon corridor they were in, he didn't want to risk either of them seeing him blush. "I wish I had dad's map with me right now..."

"Why? Doesn't that thing only tell you where people are?" Viola asked.

"I dunno. Boggarts can take human form, though. Just gotta bait it with someone whose fear involves a person." Vega said. Then, under his breath, he added, "I'd make for pretty good bait, come to think of it..."

"When they all came to check the castle over, I'm sure they searched all the secret passageways." Said Hydrus, rubbing at his temples.

"Right. So that means the boggart's getting around in the plumbing or something, like what happened with the basilisk." Vega said.

"Well, now I have a mental image of someone flushing a boggart. Thanks." Viola groused.

Snorting, Vega continued, "I dunno. Dad said there were a few places - like the Pit - that weren't marked. Right?"

"I suppose. But that still leaves us searching without a goal. We can't possibly scour the entire castle if we've got to search while keeping our hands against the walls in the hopes of finding a secret door or something." Hydrus said.

"You know, for someone who's actually here, you sure sound like you don't want to be." Vega said. "C'mon, Hyde, we can't keep ignoring this thing. And if Dumbledore's not going to do anything, we're gonna have to. It's like some stupid rite of passage for us or something."

"I'd like to have a few words with whoever decided that." Hydrus stated. Sighing, he shook his head again. "Just do me a favor, Potter."

"What's that?"

"If we can't find where this thing is within a week, we should give up. The school year's only got a few more months. I'm sure McGonagall will bring in as many people as she needs to when Hogwarts isn't filled with students." Hydrus said.

"In that 'few months,' more people could die." Vega said. "I'm going to search however long it takes, Hyde. If I have to go it alone, I will."

"I'm not letting you hunt this thing by yourself!" Hydrus declared, sounding extremely frustrated. "But I also don't want to spend all of my free time hunting something that's killed a staff member!"

"Would you two ladies settle down?" Viola requested, her tone dry. "We're trying to find a boggart and I daresay it isn't going to come for us while you two are bickering like little old women."

Vega scowled, then muttered, "You drive. I need a rest." He lurched forward, then sputtered, "Oh you have to be kidding me... you can't do that!" There was a pause, and then, "'I just did'? I'd slap you, but that would hurt me, too. Oh, this is going to be intolerable!"

"You're telling us." Hydrus said, voice quiet.

Letting out an almighty sigh, Cygnus turned around to face the twins again. "Okay, since he went to get his stupid beauty sleep or something, I'm in charge for awhile, I guess."

"And you're Cygnus?" Viola asked. "Just to clarify and all."

"Blue eyes, Vivi." Cygnus said, smiling pleasantly. "Right, just do us a favor and stick to the naming scheme me and the idiot came up with? It'll help. At least until he accepts what I am and we merge or whatever it is we're supposed to do."

"You're not helping my headache, Potter. Can we get on with it?" Asked Hydrus, looking about as sour as he sounded.

"Yeah yeah, I ju- what? Where?" Cygnus said, frowning.

"Where what?" Asked Hydrus.

"Not you. Him." Cygnus said.

"Him?"

"Him! Vega! He said something!" Cygnus explained, rolling his eyes. "Now where did you see it?"

Cygnus frowned for a moment, then walked past the twins, feeling along the rightmost wall. As he moved, he kept murmuring quietly to himself. At one point, he seemed to be having a fight with Vega, which sounded incredibly odd to the twins, who could only hear one side of it. Finally rolling his eyes, Cygnus went to lean against the wall... and promptly vanished into it, letting out a surprised cry. Viola and Hydrus jumped at this, then rushed over to where they had seen their friend last.

"Vega! Er... Cygnus! Are you okay?" Viola called.

A head poked back out through the wall, green eyes shining. A grin on his face, Vega triumphantly declared, "I saw the boggart!"

"Is the entire night going to be this weird?" Hydrus asked, turning to his sister.

"Shush, Hydrus." Viola said. Looking back to Vega, she asked, "So... green means Vega? Are you okay?"

"Green means Vega." Confirmed the blond. "And yeah, we're fine. Cygnus pushed me back out as we fell so I'd feel it instead of him. Jerk. But yeah, come through here! I totally saw the boggart here. Or... I saw what I feared stick its head out, I guess I should say. Was a bit strange."

"Seems to be the direction the evening's going, yes." Hydrus said, now looking like he wanted nothing more than to go have a nap.

"There's another hallway that kinda... curves downwards as it goes." Vega said, turning his head so that only half of it was visible. "Never seen anything like it in the rest of the castle. I thought the dungeons were supposed to be the bottom..."

"There are lower dungeons." Hydrus said. "They've been in disuse since long before our parents were students here, though. We're under the lake right now. Or we should be, anyway. Some of them were apparently flooded a long time ago. There's no telling where this path will take us."

"Well, at least we have a lead." Viola said. "Right. You two get your wands out. We know it's in front of us now. So at the very least, we also know we can't be snuck up on!"

Vega ducked back behind the false wall, drawing his wand and turning to look back at the curved hallway he was standing in. As the twins came through, each holding their own wands, he nodded at them and started walking again. "Let's try and keep quiet, yeah? Don't wanna alert the dumb thing that we're coming for it..."

The curved hallway went on for what seemed like forever, bending at such a steep angle that the three had a bit of trouble keeping their footing at one point. When it started to level out again, the stone around them was tinted green from moss growing all over it. Water dripped from places in the ceiling here and there, and every so often, a sickly creaking noise could be heard from somewhere overhead. It was around this point that Vega also pointed out something very bothersome - the candles that lined the hall had gone out just ahead, and there didn't seem to be any sign of light at all past that point.

"I'll use Lumos." Vega said. "You two keep your wands at the ready. If something flies out at me, you two are gonna have to be the ones to do something about it..."

"What do you think's making that sound?" Asked Viola, looking at the ceiling.

"Probably the lake." Hydrus said. "Let's try not to think about what happens if the ceiling decides to give way..."

"...Which is all I'll be able to think about now. Thanks." Viola said, shivering. "Let's go, Vega. The sooner we can deal with the boggart and escape, the happier I'll be."

"That makes two of us." Vega said, lighting his wand up and slowly advancing down the hallway. As they proceeded down the hall, Vega felt his mouth and throat going dry on him. "...Hey, guys?"

"Yeah?" Asked Viola.

"You know three summers back, when we were all out camping, and I woke up yelling?" Vega said, his voice quiet.

"What about it?" Asked Hydrus.

"You remember how everyone woke up to check on me, and I wouldn't sleep anywhere but next to the fire that our parents had made?" Vega continued. "And how I wouldn't say what I had dreamt about that made me so scared?"

"This isn't going somewhere good, is it?" Viola said.

"No, probably not." Vega said. "It... ever since then, I've kind of had this irrational fear of dark places..."

"You're scared of the dark?" Hydrus asked.

"Not the dark. What's in the dark." Vega corrected, swallowing hard and aiming his wand low. "...See, I had dreamt that I was alone in a long hallway like this one, and that I wasn't alone. All I had for light was a lantern with very little oil. So I walked and I walked... and then I saw something that shouldn't have been there."

"Is this really the best time for this story?" Viola asked, glancing around nervously.

"It was a shadow." Vega continued. "Only nothing was casting it. It wasn't my shadow, and there was nothing in the hall that could've made it. When I blinked, it was in a different position. I tried blinking one eye at a time, but eventually I had to blink normally, and that's when they got me."

"'They.'" Echoed Hydrus. "Who is 'they,' Potter?"

"Before we went camping, I was watching reruns. Dad had showed me some old episodes of Doctor Who that he liked..."

"Vashta Nerada?" Viola guessed.

"Vashta Nerada." Vega confirmed. "So ever since then, I've been terrified of things in the dark. I don't like crossing shadows very much, either, if I'm gonna be completely honest. Normally it isn't too big a problem, but down here... it brought back a lot of bad memories."

"On the up side, they aren't real." Hydrus said. "On the down side, now I feel like I'm being watched. Follow your own suggestion and be quiet for awhile, Potter..."

"Right, sorry. C'mon. This thing can't go on forever..." Vega said, holding his wand out further and leading the twins deeper into the underground corridor.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Author's Notes: Ugh. February has been terrible. Blizzards and sickness and everything inbetween. Feeling a bit more motivated now, and I'm gonna try to finish book 1 by the end of March. That's a promise. Because if I don't set dumb goals and make myself keep them, I'll never get book 2 finished before the year's up, ya know?

So we're almost at the end now! I think I said book 1 was 18 chapters. Sounds about right. The big climax will happen in 17 and then 18 will wrap things up and set up book 2, Poison From the Stars. I'll probably go start up 17 right now just to get some of it done. It's 2:30 in the morning at the time of writing, and I'm feeling too apathetic to do anything else. Onward we go, to the finale of book 1!

Post-edit update: Well, for those of you who don't check my profile, I've completed the last two chapters. I'll be releasing one every weekend until book 1 ends at chapter 18. I powered the remaining chapters out over the course of about three days and at the time of this update, I've got a third of book 2's first chapter done, as well. Updates, dammit!