Title TBD (story in writing) (snape's daughter)

Chapter 7 ~ The Circling Steam

"Did you bring it?"

"Yes. Did Katie leave?"

"Yup, let's go, Maia is already upstairs."

Juniper followed me upstairs, he had a small black cauldron that he stole from the study room. He placed the cauldron next to the quills, on the rug, in the middle of the circular room.

"Are you sure water will work, Juniper?" I asked as I put the jug of water on the left side of the cauldron.

"I'm sure. According to the book, as long as the quills create steam the Torque will release it's guard. It does not matter what type of liquid we use. After all, with water, it won't cause any explosions."

I turned my head to Maia, she had furrowed eyebrows and her eyes were wide open. Explosion? If we cause an explosion, we will be expelled faster than Maia eating her treacle tart. And that's fast.

Juniper poured the water into the cauldron. It was half filled. We all popped our heads in, looking down at the water. Juniper slammed his hand on his forehead almost hitting my head in the process.

"How could I be so stupid!" He exclaimed.

"What! What happened?" I had to close my left ear because Maia was yelling.

"Shhh--," She cut me off.

"Juniper! What did you do?" Her voice was very threatening.

"Nothing. That's the problem. I did nothing."

At this point I wanted to slap Juniper--I mean is this really a good time for a joke?

"It's not going to steam--we don't have a fire!" Juniper cried looking at the space between the fire holder and the empty plate under the cauldron.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD!" Maia whisper-shouted. "ARE YOU A WIZARD OR NOT?"

He looked frightened but then it hit him. "Oh right!" said Juniper. He got his wand out, waved it, and mumbled something, pointing at the fire holder. A small blue spark hit the pre-existing ashes and there was a thin, long flame that was reaching the very bottom of the cauldron.

I had started to laugh as Juniper lit the fire. He looked at me and in a shallow voice said, "I forgot--." I just laughed even more.

"'Don't have a fire!' I mean seriously?" Maia mimicked Juniper, and even he started to laugh. We waited for the water to bubble.

"Alright. Maia we've done this before, just this Friday. Do you remember how to do it?"

"Yes," she replied confidently.

"Okay--," We put the two quills into the bubbling cauldron while their ends were touching. Maia and I backed away, Juniper was standing with his face right on top of the cauldron. I pulled him back by the collar of his shirt. There was steam everywhere, it was filling the area we were sitting in. I moved closer and I was sitting completely surrounded by what looked like an early morning white fog.

"It's working!" shrieked Juniper. The Monile was lifting the necklace off my chest and it was floating towards the cauldron. I started to unhook the necklace--

"DON'T! KEEP THE NECKLACE ON! It will float straight into the cauldron and then we won't ever be able to use it."

"WHAT? You're telling me this now?" I quickly hooked the necklace back on. It was trying to pull itself into the cauldron, but my neck was far too strong.

"The Torque no longer is protecting the Monile. The Monile is lifting itself into the cauldron because it's still trying to protect itself and the memories it holds from unwanted things... meaning us. We just have to wait for it to turn red," Juniper continued.