Chapter 2: Trees and Spirits.
"We'll be in and out," Serena said. "Don't you want to find out what's got everyone so spooked?"
"Uh, not really," I reply, grabbing myself a slice of pepperoni pizza. "I have everything I need right here."
"I didn't want to do this, Cass," she replies. "But who kept you from falling down the moving stairs when you were blind, huh?"
"Mildred," I reply, pointing to the girl sitting further down the table, receiving a small wave in response. "You said it would've been funnier if I fell!"
"You don't know that," she retorts. "You had that concussion from the other fall. It's making you forget things."
She placed her hands together in a praying gesture. "Please, Cass," she whined. "In and out, I promise."
I eyed the pizzas lining the cafeteria tables longingly. Barbeque Chicken, Pepperoni, Margherita. I spotted Hawaiian, but pretended it didn't exist. Who knows when I'd get the chance to have it again, and I also knew better than to trust Serena's "in and out".
"Uh-huh," I reply. "Last time you said that, we were cleaning bathrooms for a week. And what about class? We've only got about 20 minutes."
"Since when do you care about being on time?" Serena replies while grabbing a slice of the Hawaiian.
"To Divination Class? Maybe not," I reply. "But Professor Selwyn? You're kidding me. He'll string us up, maybe send us out to the wardens. Well, me at least."
"Yeah, I wouldn't skip his class if I was you," one of the kids sitting across from us voiced. Matthew, if I remembered correctly. "We just came from his class. We're learning about the Unforgivable Curses."
"See!" I say to Serena, giving her a sideways glance.
"Not just learning," another girl added. "The professor had us test them out on… Nevermind."
Looking at the girl, she seemed rather pale. She even refused to touch any of the food on the table.
"Are you good?" I ask.
"Peachy," she replies, not even meeting my gaze.
Peachy? She looks like she's about to throw up.
Just to be safe, I move my food out of the danger zone.
"Well, I'm going," Serena adds, clearly not having given up. "With or without you."
She finishes the slice in her hand and gets up to leave. She was already walking down the aisle, but moving incredibly slowly, clearly hoping I'd change my mind. Halfway down the aisle, she looked over her shoulder, catching me watching. I roll my eyes.
"Wait up. I'm coming." I shout, grabbing a slice to eat on the run.
I caught up with her lounging against the wall just outside the cafeteria entrance. Looking rather smug, I might add.
"You owe me," I barely make out through a mouthful of salami goodness.
"Depends on what you want," she replies. "You gonna try to kiss me again?"
"That was an accident, and you know it. Let it go," I reply. "But, I do need help cleaning Professor Newt's storeroom this weekend."
She groans in reply. "C'mon, anything else?"
"Nope," I reply. "Sunday, Professor Newt's storeroom."
"Do you know how hard it was to get those stains out before my father saw them?" She replies. "Not to mention the smell. If I never smell cinnamon again, it'll be too soon."
"If you wanna go alone, just say," I reply, pretending to retreat back into the cafeteria.
She gives me a bemused look, before eventually dropping her shoulders in defeat.
"Where we going anyway?" I add, finally finishing my pizza.
"I asked around while you were stuffing your face" she replies. "Apparently, Percy saw some professors exiting the Room of Requirement. I think they're using it as a makeshift ghost quarters. Only one way to find out, though."
"As good a spot as any," I muse. "Nick did say his quarters were overflowing."
"And you want to speak to them for?" I ask.
"Because they know what's happening out in the world, Cass," she replies. "The Professors won't say, neither will my dad, so they are the next best thing."
Serena was once again striding down the hallway, much faster now than her earlier exit. This time it was my turn to follow. Lucky for us, the hallways were far less crowded than usual. At least the Room of Requirement was also located close to the Defense Against the Dark Arts and Demon Tower, meaning we had some hope of making it to class on time.
A few twists and turns, and we made it to the tower. We ascended the spiraling steps, eventually coming out to a long hallway on the 7th floor.
"You remember which wall it is?" I ask, scanning the walls as we walk past them. I'd visited the room years before, and all I could remember was that it was the wall opposite some kind of tapestry.
"It's been a while," she replies, but still seemed pretty confident.
She came to a stop in front of a nondescript flat wall just before the stairs that led to the Astronomy wing. Looking at the opposite wall, I spot a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach Trolls ballet. Whether this was the wall, though, I couldn't be sure since more tapestries decorated the hallway back the way we came.
"I think this is it," she adds. "But unless we know what we need the room for, we can't get in."
"Well, they're keeping the dead here, right?" I ask. "So, we need a place to keep the dead?"
I repeat the phrase in my head 3 times as I walk to and fro, watching for signs of change, but don't get a reaction.
"That's not it," Serena says, her hand on her chin. "But I'll be sure to give you a call should we ever need a graveyard."
"Or, it's the wrong wall," I reply.
She ignores me. Instead, she begins walking back and forth, with her features scrunched in concentration. Steadily, a door begins to materialize in front of us.
"Okay, so right wall."
The door, once it finished materializing, seemed to be made of mist, with an ethereal glow that cast faint shadows on the stone walls. It was floating just above the ground, its edges flickering and wavering as if it were not entirely solid.
Intricate carvings of ghostly figures and swirling mists adorned its surface, the decorations subtly shifting and moving as though alive. The handle, shaped like a delicate ghostly hand, glowed softly with a luminescent light. I reached out to touch it and felt an unexpected chill. It wasn't just the handle either. The entire door radiated a cold chill.
As I stood there, I could hear faint whispering sounds, like distant, echoing voices. The whispers seemed to come from all around, filling the corridor with an eerie yet enchanting atmosphere.
"Hm," I say. "What'd you think of?"
"I need a place for the departed who have yet to cross over," Serena replies while grabbing the ghostly hand and pushing the door open.
"I mean, I was close, but I guess that's a better description," I reply. "And this definitely looks like a place to store the dead," I remark while ignoring the whispers.
Even though the door was open, we had yet to enter. It was pitch black past the floating door's boundary and hard to make out any details on the inside. We both just stood still for a few seconds, waiting to see if we could spot anything.
Serena turned towards me, raising her eyebrows.
"What?" I ask in confusion.
"You want me to go in first?" she asks. "Aren't you supposed to be a guy?"
"You're the one that wanted to come here," I reply with an incredulous look. "Also, ever heard of ladies first?"
"If you don't want to go in first, I'm fine to just stand here and be late for class." she replies, crossing her arms and lounging against the wall.
I release a sigh and pull my wand free. Whatever was in there couldn't be worse than an angry Professor Selwyn. Actually, after he was done with me, I could probably join the ghosts in the Room of Requirement.
Lumos!
The tip of my wand bursts into light as I carefully walk across the threshold, followed closely by Serena. She had her own wand out, also with light gently wafting off of it. Once we were both on solid ground, Serena closed the door behind us, plunging us into further darkness.
I give her a questioning look.
"What?" she replies. "I don't want anyone walking past and seeing the door open."
She wasn't wrong. My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, but even so, our surroundings were hard to make out.
"I mean, I guess ghosts like it dark?" I say, more to ease my nervousness than anything else.
Since the small amount of light from our wands did barely anything to improve our vision, I upped the ante.
Periculum!
Red sparks erupted from my wand, shooting high into the sky and bathing our surroundings in a dull red glow. Still dark, but we were able to get a better look at our surroundings.
We were on what looked like a hill, the bottom of it. The room seemed to be mimicking the night sky, with a moon that looked too big for some reason and had a blue hue. I couldn't tell how large the Room of Requirement was at the moment, but if it could do all this, then why not a beach? If I kept it a secret and charged an entrance fee…
My thoughts were interrupted by a shooting star streaking across the heavens.
"Make a wish," I say to Serena.
Even though I knew it was fake, I made my own. Safety for me and my family. It's not like wishing upon a real shooting star did anything anyway.
""I didn't realize it could get this big," I add, continuing to look around. On second thought, I think. Memories surfaced of a student who had used the room as a vivarium, keeping all sorts of magical beasts in here a couple years ago, until he was caught smuggling in a dragon egg and sent to the Wardens.
Periculum!
Another burst of light explodes from my wand, giving us some more light to work with.
"Cass!" Serena calls out in what I think she thought was a whisper. "Look!"
Following her finger, I see a lone spirit sitting on the ground. He was positioned with his back to us, but it did little to hide his terrible state. I wasn't sure how ghosts determined their appearance, whether it was the clothes they died in or if they had some choice in the matter, but this particular one was dressed in ghostly rags. He was also lithe and skinny. If someone told me he died of starvation, I'd believe it.
Since we were here to speak to the departed, we steadily drew closer while trying our best not to alarm the ghostly apparition. It was speaking, its voice an airy whisper. We were only a few feet away when I could make out what it was saying.
"All I wanted was to fight. To fight, as a warrior, to the last… So, why? Why O' guidance of grace do you still not show yourself."
"Uh, Mr. Ghost," I call out, only to get elbow to the rib from Serena.
I give her a confused look, but let her take the lead.
"Sir," Serena calls out. "Can we ask you some questions?"
The spirit turns to look at Serena with pale, silvery eyes, but I don't see quite the same intelligence as when we talk to Nick. Its eyes shift over to me, however, and they widen in surprise.
"You!" it shouts out crawling towards me in one sudden volatile movement. "You are guided by grace! You are chosen."
I take quick steps back, avoiding the spirit, but have my wand at the ready. If Casper the Dessicated Ghost tried anything, I wasn't above Stupefying his pale ass.
"Cass, there's more!" Serena shouts, alerting me to more spirits.
Looking over, I see more translucent figures lining the terrain. Tens, if not hundreds. They were all kneeling, facing one direction, but with their hands raised to the heavens.
"Serena," I say, getting a bad feeling. "I think we should leave."
She ignores my words and continues onward, climbing the hill and weaving between the pale figures.
"Serena!" I shout out in a hushed whisper. With gritted teeth, I follow her up the hill, eyes still scanning my surroundings, but my attention is eventually drawn to a golden glow in the distance. As I crest the hill, coming up alongside Serena, my breath catches in my throat.
Dominating the horizon, stands a golden tree towering far above anything I've ever seen. Its immense trunk rises like a natural skyscraper, its base as wide as a fortress. The bark, a blend of deep brown and shimmering gold, looks ancient, and is etched with countless grooves and knots.
Its canopy stretches out in a magnificent, sprawling expanse, its vast branches forming an umbrella that encompasses the sky. Each of its leaves are a vibrant gold, shimmering with a radiant, otherworldly light that washes the land below in a warm, golden glow. It's almost as if the tree is made of pure sunlight.
Even the air felt different. As a wizard, the feeling of magic had become the norm for me, but standing here, the air felt like it was charged with a tangible sense of magic and life.
Soft, golden dust gently drifts down from the leaves like snowflakes, sparkling as they fell. I reached out to touch one, and I think of the golden light that I had witnessed in class earlier.
"What is it?"
"Huh?"
"What do you think it is?" Serena asks again, eyes focused wholly on the golden tree before us.
"I could be wrong," I reply dead serious. "But I think it's a tree."
In return for my sarcasm, I get another elbow to the ribcage. As if to answer her question, though, one of the spirits to our right begins to speak. Much like the previous one, it had that same whispery voice.
"Oh, Erdtree. Great Erdtree. The Golden Order itself, unwavering, stretched to the sky. Confer your guidance. To our Elden Lord. To put this weary world to rights."
I let its words wash over me, giving me clarity. By this world, did it mean ours? Also, Elden Lord.
"I don't think these are our ghosts, Serena," I speak aloud, taking another look at the massive golden tree.
But I catch sight of something else, flecks of black interlaced with the gold. Little by little, more of the black flecks come into view. Eventually, they're close enough to recognise. Tall, hooded figures shrouded in dark, tattered cloaks silently gliding around the tree. I couldn't see their faces hidden beneath their hoods, but their decayed, rotting hands extending from their sleeves told me all I needed to know.
"Serena!" I speak in a whisper. "We're leaving. Now!"
"Yep," was her short response.
She must've caught sight of the Dementors as well, because for once we were in agreement.
We steadily backed up, keeping our eyes on the golden tree and its protectors. One of the closer Dementors slowed, turning towards us. I couldn't see its face beneath its hood, only darkness, but there was no way it couldn't see us. Even so, I stood extremely still, hoping for the best.
A ghastly howl escaped its throat dashing my hopes and stirring the figures surrounding it into a frenzy.
"Run!"
We were on the move, now sprinting down the hill. We had to bob and weave between the still praying spirits, though, slowing us down. Reaching the base of the hill, I feel a hand close around my ankle. My forward momentum halted, I slam into the ground face first.
"Go! Get the door open!" I shout to Serena, before turning to look at my attacker.
It was the first spirit we saw, the one speaking of being touched by grace. Even now, it continued its complaints.
"Why you?" it moaned, pulling itself further up my body. "Why have you been gifted grace?"
Luckily, I hadn't dropped my wand in the fall. Years of spells weaved through my mind, but none particularly effective against ghosts came to mind. It was grabbing my leg, though, so it had to be tangible, right?"
Stupefy!
The spirit's head reeled back from the impact, but showed no harm otherwise.
"It should be me!" it whined, clawing at me.
Hopelessness began to creep in, my thoughts growing fuzzy. The effects of the Dementors rapidly closing the distance. The feeling was exacerbated by the constantly dropping temperature.
"Alarte Ascendare!" I scream.
The spirit was propelled into the air. I'd hoped to launch him off of me, but his grip was too tight, taking me with him. While in the air, I cast the first spell that came to mind.
Periculum!
Red fire erupts from my wand, clinging to the spirit's face. It howls in pain, releasing me, but I was still falling rapidly. I closed my eyes, hands around my head as a shield, waiting for the impact of the fall.
But none came.
Opening my eyes once more, I see the ground slowly growing closer, too slow to be falling. Looking around, I spot Serena with her wand pointed in my direction, her face twisted in concentration. She gently lowers me to the ground and sprints up to me.
"The doors open!" she shouts. "Let's go."
I could see the door in the distance, as well as the hallway beyond, but the chill in the air and overbearing hopelessness told me it was too late. Anguished howls began to surround us in a tornado of black.
Serena was quick on her feet. A white light burst from her wand, slowly coalescing into the shape of a black stallion. It had wisps of white mist gently rolling off of it, spreading warmth to its surroundings. Enough to move, at least. I followed Serena's actions, casting the Patronus charm myself.
Expecto Patronum!
Light erupted from my wand, but took no form. I hadn't mastered the Patronus Charm to the same extent as Serena. Instead, a formless wave of mist shrouded us. Less powerful than Serena's corporeal stallion, but helpful nonetheless.
The Dementors continued to circle, howling at us, but kept at bay. Serena and I stood back to back, using the stallion for protection as we step by step walked to the door. A Dementor separated from the pack, lunging for us, only for Serena's stallion to rear up and trampling it beneath its hooves.
By now, we were within 30 feet of the door, close enough to see the tapestry on the wall opposite the door. If we could leave, so could they, but luckily for us, the Dementors were more concerned with the two humans in front of them than escaping.
We kept moving, the door now 10 feet. Perhaps sensing our escape, the group grew more aggressive.
One attacked, but its haphazard assault was blocked by Serena's stallion. With Serena's Patronus distracted, though, I feel something grab my robe, yanking me deeper into the sea of black.
Wand still in hand, I channel everything I have into my Patronus Charm. White mist streams from my wand in waves, permeating my surroundings. My attacker weakened, I feel the hands grabbing me release.
I stand up, wand raised, and take in my surroundings. Serena is by the door, and I breathe a sigh of relief, but even from this far, I could see the worry on her face. Her missing stallion, however, comes thundering in, dispersing the group of Dementors surrounding me.
I was about to call out a thanks, but I freeze when I catch sight of Serena with her wand pointed my way.
"Shit!"
I brace for the inevitable. Another force tears at me, ripping me off my feet towards the door. I slide along the floor, past Serena, and through the door, eventually coming to a stop just beneath the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.
From my position on the floor, I see Serena's stallion surrounded by a sea of black. She closes the door, not caring in the least. With the door closed, the feeling of hopelessness and despair finally relents and warmth returns. The only thing that could be heard was the erie whispering of the door and our heavy breathing.
I lock eyes with Serena. "We'll be in and out!" I say in the most sarcastic voice I can muster.
That done, I stand up, dust myself off, and begin walking down the hallway. I can hear Serena calling out from behind me. "Where are you going?"
"We're late for class!" I shout, pointing to the now empty hallways.