Chapter Twenty-Six

The Historic Nightmare

When the wind began to violently rattle the window of Dawn's Ravenclaw bedroom, Gloria got up and shuttered it while Dawn brightened the light on the candles. She shivered.

"It's so cold in here," Dawn complained.

"I'll put another log on," Gloria decided, going over to the stove. "I bet it snows really early this year... not like last year at all when I thought it'd never snow. Still, I hope it gives us at least a week or two, we haven't made nearly enough mittens to sell. Not to mention Hogsmeade is next weekend. Are you allowed to go to that, at least?"

"Yes, as long as I stay away from Douglas until then," Dawn said.

"Is it really as hard as all of that? You're not even in the same classes," Gloria said with exasperation. "If you stopped worrying so much about what the Maxens are up to and start worrying about your marks, you wouldn't be in trouble at all."

"That's what Mickey said. It's not my fault they're always up to things around here, and yet most of the time they don't even get caught! If this school's security is as good as they boast, how come they're always getting away with everything?" Dawn complained.

"I think it's because the security is designed to protect students from the outside world, not to protect students from other students," Gloria said.

"Then maybe it's time that it did!" Dawn declared. "Maybe we should form some sort of student organization to stop crime in the corridors or something..."

"That's part of what prefects do," Gloria pointed out. "But if you wanted to be a prefect, maybe you shouldn't have gotten in trouble for stalking Douglas. I'm fairly sure Professor Laura will remember that when she's ready to choose who the next one's going to be."

"I'm telling you, those Maxens are up to no good," Dawn insisted. "Look, I know you were into Culver and all of that, but even you can't be blind to the fact that something is going with on with them."

"I'm sure Culver left for a reason, as I'm sure Mari did as well," Gloria said. "But doesn't that say something in and of itself?"

"That they're willing to suddenly drop off the face of the planet? Yes, it proves that something's wrong," Dawn said.

"It also shows us they're not all one and the same, Dawn. After all, Douglas didn't get caught up in that tomb robbing adventure they got into trouble for. Maybe you should think about giving him the benefit of the doubt," Gloria said.

"The benefit of the doubt? I don't think they deserve it in the slightest," Dawn protested immediately.

"If you were giving them the benefit of the doubt, you wouldn't even be thinking that way," Gloria said, shaking her head. "I know you're unhappy that you weren't able to go to the ball this year. But rather than be bitter, I think you'd be better off taking the lesson and making tomorrow a better day... without all of the prejudgements that got you into trouble in the first place. How are you coming along on that essay on Matthew Hopkins, anyway?"

"Oh... almost done," Dawn said, growing thoughtful as she finished the last few lines. "Thanks for staying and helping me with my history homework, Gloria," she added, showing her work to the older girl.

"No problem," Gloria said with a smile, looking it over for her. "It looks good... it has all of the points that Professor Scribe looks for, including different viewpoints.

"That's not easy when it comes to the sixteenth century... especially considering who I had to research," Dawn said.

"I know what you mean. Fortunately, the days of witch hunters are long gone. That's the whole point of the Secrecy Act. You did mention that too, didn't you?"

"Yes, of course I did, although I'm not really sure if it applies in this day and age... but that's more a paper for Aunt Anna' class," Dawn said, and Gloria nodded with a grin.

"Anything else left to do?" Gloria asked.

"No. Now I just want this day over with," Dawn grumbled.

"I know what you mean," Gloria said, then glanced outside. "Awfully rough weather out there tonight... it reminds me of that time those Hags came down off the mountains. Maybe we should dig out some Night Candles. I'm sure there's a box of them stored in the common room."

"What? I'm not four! Besides, I have a test tomorrow and I don't want the light to wake me up. The glow off the stove is more than enough," Dawn protested.

"Suit yourself, I suppose. I'm not too big to take precautions," Gloria said, getting up. "Good night! See you in the morning, or in the Owl Room if I miss you before class."

"Good night," Dawn said and watched her go, shaking her head again before putting her work away.

She frowned at the other two beds in the room, wondering how much noise her roommates were going to make when they got back from the Spectral Ball. Were they staying for the pie fight, she wondered with a pang of regret. Well, at least she wasn't going to be restricted from Hogsmeade like the Maxens were. Surely she could stay out of trouble until then. Checking to make sure the Elves had already put in the warm water bottle for her toes, she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over her head. It was only as she was drifting off that she wondered if she had heard voices in the wind.

Dawn found herself standing in the main courtroom of the Magistrate. It felt so real that if it hadn't been for the period costumes, she wouldn't have known it was a dream. Maybe she shouldn't study history right before bed, she mused, especially when it came to studying the witch trials. Still, she didn't seem to be the accused despite the fact that she was facing the judge... a strange, hazy wizard robed figure with a gnarled, ambiguous face. A pudgy human-like man in black stepped forward with a collar so high that she wondered how he kept his breath.

"Here stands the accuser, this timid, innocent child..."

"Timid? I'm my mother's daughter," Dawn protested.

"That gentle sweet face," the man continued as if she hadn't spoken, his eyes unfocused and sympathetic. "Traumatized as she has been by the presence of a witch that has infiltrated our society."

"Would they even use a word like infiltrated back then?" Dawn criticized, folding her arms.

"Be brave, young one, and point at the witch who has cursed you!" he commanded. A pair of shifty guards paraded Douglas Maxen out and onto a railed platform. "Is this the witch who has cursed you?"

"First off, he's not a witch. He's a wizard," Dawn pointed out.

"Even worse! He possesses the high magic of the devil himself!" the high-collared man shouted. Point out the devil's footman who has wronged you!"

"Wait. It seems like you're making your own narrative to this regardless to what I - hey! Stop

it!" Dawn snapped when her right arm rose on its own and she pointed at him.

"He's the witch. He cursed me by looking at me, and now I'm ugly..." Dawn heard herself say, then was able to regain control. "Wait! I am not ugly, I look like my mother! Stop forcing me to do things I don't want to do! I don't like it!" she demanded.

"Do you deny that you've consistently condemned this boy?" the high-collared man challenged her with a critical eye.

"Well, maybe I did a little... but accusations aren't enough! You need evidence!" Dawn explained.

"Your testimony is evidence enough. Tie this man to a stake!" he ordered.

"I'm positively sure he knows how to cast a fire protection ward without a wand by now, so sure, go for it," Dawn dared them defiantly.

"Then we'll simply behead him instead," the man said unconcernedly. Dawn did a double-take.

"Wait! Woah, this really is going to far..."

"Stop! There is something you don't know!" called out a gnarled hag from the audience, pointing at Dawn. "The girl standing there is a witch as well! She is only accusing the other one of being a witch to get him out of her way!"

"This girl is a witch as well? Is this true?" the high-collared man asked.

"Uh... sort of?" Dawn replied sheepishly.

"I see. Behead her as well," he decided.

The crowd got so loud that Dawn's protests went unheard. They quickly swarmed over her, dragging her out of the courtroom and outside over to a chopping block where an axeman waited. Where was Douglas, she thought frantically, but then was forced to kneel and put her head on the block. But no one had touched her head at all... it was almost as if she had been forced to do it herself.

A shadow was over her, and she could see the edge of a blood-stained axe.

"Stop! I want to make a confession!" she shouted, hoping to buy more time.

"It's too late for that," the high-collared man declared coldly, raising his own hand to signal the axeman when to bring the axe down.

But before he could lower his hand, there was a blazing white light so bright that she could barely see. Then she all she could make out were vague silhouettes frozen around her.

That was when someone pulled her back, taking her hand with a strange warmth that didn't make sense with what was happening around her.

As a dark lightning bolt breached the sky, she suddenly felt herself thrown backwards, landing in her bed with a jolt.

Holding her hand was Albus Dumbledore. Standing behind him was Aurora Sinatra, and the tip of her wand was black from the spell she just cast.

Dawn looked over at her in a daze to see her blowing at the tip of her wand as if cooling the barrel of a gun. The wand became normal again and Sinistra put it away.

"Are you alright?" Albus asked Dawn with open concern, and she nodded. Albus relaxed. "Goodness, that was close... not as close as when I had to rescue your mother, mind, but close enough for a fright," he said with a sigh of relief. "Aurora? Gone, I take it?"

"I sent her back to her homeland, wherever that is.. and I added a curse so that she can't come back here again," Aurora informed him. "Of course, that curse only applies to that particular Hag. It doesn't account for those still howling outside. They still use Dawn as a conduit to get in, you know."

"Yes, I concur. We'll have to set up something special in the Hospital Wing to make certain she can get some rest to recover from this. Ancient Magic is probably the strongest defense to this sort of attack," Albus suggested.

"I'll go get Severus and meet you there, then," Aurora said.

"Wait... is Douglas alright? He was in the dream as well. Douglas Maxen," Dawn explained.

"Alicia, where is Douglas Maxen?" Albus asked the guard painting on the wall.

"Still at the Spectral Ball, having a shoot-out with Quintin in the pie fight," Alicia reported. "Do you want to know who wins?" she added mischievously.

"That is where you get it from," Albus commented with a wink at Dawn.

"I know, I know," Dawn admitted with exasperation.

"Throw on your dressing gown and let's get you to the Hospital Wing where you'll be safe for the evening," Albus said, handing it to her from off the chair.

"But what about after tonight?" Dawn asked worriedly.

"The effects of the attack aren't likely to linger for longer than what it'd take to get a full night's sleep," Albus explained, turning and walking over to the door. "But it seems that it leaves a puzzle for me to sort out."

"What kind of puzzle?" Dawn asked curiously, but then Albus became aware of her again.

"It's alright, I was just thinking out loud, really, about something that doesn't have to do with you directly. Are you ready?" he asked, and she came up beside him to show that she was. "Come along, let's take the Doorlift down."

Nodding at that, Dawn followed him out of Ravenclaw and was soon settled comfortably in the back room of the Hospital Wing.