The Queen of Vipers || Fred Weasley

I.V

The Clock Tower should be chiming eight soon.

With that in mind, Electra hurried out of the second floor girls' bathroom, where Moaning Myrtle was sobbing in her wake. "It was right here you know," she'd said to Electra in a depressing tone. "Where I died."

"That's lovely Myrtle," Electra had said impatiently. "But I really have to be going. Bye now."

"Don't you want to hear it?" blubbered Myrtle, her thick glasses sliding down her tear stained nose. "It's dreadful."

"Salazar, I'd love to, but another time, Myrtle." Electra rushed from the bathroom and hurried for the Grand Staircase, praying that there'd still be food on the tables. The drone of students still enjoying the Hallowe'en Feast floated up the Main Staircase and greeted her ears. But it was a different sound that made her stop dead.

A chill ran up her spine and the hairs on her arms and neck rose.

She strained her ears to drown out the Great Hall and hone in on the thundering coming from above her head on the second floor landing. It didn't sound like something Peeves had dropped down the stairs, it sounded like it was running, skittering on the marble stairs.

Whatever was making the sound was hurtling down the Main Stairs, towards her.

Fear gripped her. She ripped her wand out of her hair and pointed it up towards the stairs. The noise grew louder as it got closer and it was getting closer at an alarming speed.

Her instincts kicked in. She sunk into the shadows, backing swiftly into the corridor. Using her free hand, she felt the air behind her, trying to keep her from running into anything behind her, but still keeping herself facing forward, never looking away or turning her back on the threat. Things she picked up at Our Fair Lady when hiding from Vivienne in the dark.

Too soon she reached the fork in the corridors and she pressed her back against the curved stone wall, still aiming her wand towards the stairs. Her mouth went dry in fearful anticipation as she waited with bated breath.

It happened too fast. The thundering grew louder and louder until she saw a black streak darting past the landing ahead.

Just as she'd seen on the greens.

A jolt of fear coursed through her belly like a bolt of lightning, that kicked her into high gear. Electra pushed off the wall and turned, dashing down the corridor that would put as much distance between her and whatever that was on the stairs.

She didn't make it far before she slowed to look back and make sure there was nothing behind her. Nothing had followed her. She sighed in relief, just as her foot snagged on the leg of a heavy piece of furniture that sent her stumbling to the ground. The candelabras on the stand swayed and the portrait above it yelped.

Luckily the floors here were covered with a long labyrinth of heavily trafficked Persian runners so her fall was cushioned (barely), though she wasn't sure the rug burns were much better than scrapes. She fell on her side, her palms and elbow taking most of the blow, along with the side of her hip.

"You should really watch where you are going girl," berated the man in the portrait. "You almost lit my canvas on fire!"

Electra mumbled a curse as she curled her body and rose onto her knees, pulling her skirt over her hip again with a hiss of pain. She looked at the ruined heels of her palms and groaned.

"Miss Black?" Electra gave a start and whirled around.

Professor Lupin looked at Electra with surprise, but Electra felt nothing but relief wash over her like a wave. "Are you alright?" He bent over his knees and took her elbows (which she hissed at, so he only took one) to help haul her up.