PHANTOM FIGURES | harry potter

8. norbert the dragon

Aspen and Ron advised Harry not to go back to the mirror, but she knew he wouldn't listen. Harry also started having nightmares, his parents disappearing in a green flash, whilst a high voice cackled with laughter.

"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," Ron said when Harry informed them of the dreams. Dumbledore told Harry not to go looking for the mirror anymore as it was to be given a new home.

Hermione, who had come back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Harry being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that he hadn't found anything on Nicolas Flamel.

They had almost given up hope at finding out who Flamel was in a library book, even though Harry was positive he had read about him somewhere. Once term had started, the five of them were back to skimming books during their ten minute breaks. Harry had the least time out of them all because Quidditch practice had started up again.

"How was Kwanzaa?" Aspen asked Jasmine once she was back from home and they were in the Ravenclaw common room.

"Wonderful as always," Jasmine spoke. "Feasts and gifts. My younger brother, Micah, almost burnt the house down when it was his turn to light the candles."

"You have a younger brother?" Aspen said. "Why didn't you say anything?" She always thought it was so cool when kids had siblings, sometimes being the only kid, it got lonely.

Jasmine grimaced. "He's annoying." she said sourly. "Always talking about superheroes. But I guess I love him."

"How old is he?"

"Nine, turning ten in April."

"Do you think he'll come to Hogwarts like us?" Aspen said excitedly.

"Maybe," Jasmine shrugged. "I suppose I'll have to look for any signs of magic in him. When I was a bit younger I had a habit of shattering glass."

"Really?" Aspen was fascinated. "I can't remember ever doing anything to hint I had magic. I will ask Margaret when I get back."

"You should, I bet you made the electricity go out." Jasmine grabbed Aspen's wrist and checked her watch. "I gotta go though, promised Megan we could hang out."

"I'll walk you there." Aspen offered.

Walking through Hogwarts was one of Aspen's favourite things to do. The castle had an old sort of beauty to it. If you looked close enough, you could find tiny letters carved within trees or walls with initials, hearts surrounding them. Aspen had read somewhere that it was built in the ninth or tenth century, it only lasted so long because it was magic. She liked the way sunlight or moonlight would pour through the grand windows, the way some portraits were slightly tilted, the way walls and doors were chipped over the years.

Correction, she loved it.

"Aspen," Jasmine mumbled, dragging her from her thoughts. "Do you hear thumping?"

She paused, trying to listen. Slight pounding against the floors reached her ears. It stopped. A few seconds later, continuing.

As they walked more, there were slight pants and heavy breaths.

"Er, hello?" Jasmine called out. Aspen slapped her arm. "Is anyone there?"

"Jasmine?" the trembling voice asked.

"Yeah, and Aspen."

They walked toward the voice.

"Neville?" Aspen gasped. "What happened?"