The short life of Kyrah Swanson

Chapter 17 | Year Three

     Kyrah found Cole in the library, engrossed in a potions book, pushing the book down so their eyes could meet she saw his eyes light up before it disappeared. She was feeling nervous, afraid of the mind that she had reached. But she honestly didn't want to upset Cole with this news.

     "You wanted to see me?" She asked a bit tentatively because earlier that day she had been sobbing into his chest about what she had done to Lily Evans. 

     "Yeah." He nodded as he closed the book and started to stare around them. She followed his gaze but not seeing anything she turned back to him with a frown.

     "There's another Legilimens in this school." He blurted out and she felt a chill run down her spine. That thought she had felt earlier seemed more real than it did before. 

     "What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

     Cole snorted in frustration, "I felt someone inside my head earlier, but it wasn't you. Your presence has a golden glow whenever you enter my mind but this..." he trailed off looking into the distance.

     "Was murderous? Invasive? Shocking?" Kyrah finished for him, he nodded and she could see the fear in his eyes. "I think it was Evangeline." He finally said, still not looking at her.

     Kyrah felt her heart jump into her throat as he said this, fearing that her evil aunt could be inside the school frightened her more than the new dark lord that was rising further down in London. They stared at each other for a while, both thinking about who it could be, or where this person could be.

     They sat there for twenty minutes or so. Kyrah heard a noise just behind the bookshelf to their right and Cole immediately jumped from his chair and ran over. Following him around the corner she saw Summer standing there with a notebook. 

     "What's this?" Cole demanded grabbing her notebook from her hands. She was small compared to Cole and she grabbed her book. Looking over Cole's shoulder Kyrah stared down at the little notebook. In a neat scrawl there was written:

     Kyrah Kimberley Swanson, a second-year student. Half-Veela. Evangeline (Evil Aunt).

     Caleb Cole Moriarty, a fourth-year student. Quater-Veela. Quater Metamorphmagus. Tom Riddle (Cousin).

     They both stared at the paper for a while in total shock. "Caleb?" Kyrah asked looking at Cole in confusion. He ignored her quizzical stare and ripped the paper from the notebook.

     "Who the hell are you?" he demanded still clutching the ripped piece of paper in his hands. 

     Summer met his glare with an innocent look and answered. "I'm Summer. Summer Blanc." Kyrah stared at her in disbelieve, suddenly she remembered something.

     "Wait. What?" Kyrah demanded, not sure if she had heard correctly. Cole's face was closed off, she couldn't tell what he was thinking and she didn't try to reach out towards his mind afraid of the dark presence that she had encountered earlier.

     "Don't worry that wasn't me.'" It was Summer's voice inside their minds. Kyrah glanced at Cole and she could see total shock etched on his face. So he had heard her too. "We have to go somewhere else, it's not safe here." Summer whispered and both Cole and Kyrah just nodded unable to say anything.

     "What are you two up to?" they heard Madam Pince's voice and whipped around to look at her. Kyrah glanced back to Summer but she was gone. Before either of them could respond Madam Pince was behind them glaring at the scrunched paper in Cole's clenched hand.

     "OUT!" She yelled "HOW DARE YOU RUIN BOOKS IN MY LIBRARY! GET OUT!" and they both ran from the library not stopping until they were safely inside the Slytherin common room. Kyrah glanced at Cole and saw that he was watching her, as though worried.

     "What do we do now?" she asked feeling her sides stitch from the run down to the common room. 

     He gave her a small smile before answering; "Now we wait for Summer."

     The next day at breakfast Kyrah was staring around the Great Hall for a glimpse of Summer but she couldn't see her. The Great Hall was fairly busy since today was the first Quidditch match of the season. 

     Cole got into the team as the Seeker, and James got into the Gryffindor team as a Chaser. As Kyrah scanned the Ravenclaw table one last time she heard Jonah McCain telling the team to hurry up.

     The weather was clear but cold, Kyrah didn't envy any of the Quidditch players today. She and Beatrice sat down in the crowd to watch the game, the Ravenclaw boy named Peter Patel was commentating and Professor McGonagall was standing guard at the podium where Peter was.

     "Welcome my fellow students, welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor versus Slytherin! And what a team these houses have put together! In the Gryffindor team:

     Quidditch Captain Michael Arc!

     The three chasers, Megan Twinning, James Potter, and Andre McQueen!

     The Beaters, Olga Browne and Carly Pickles.

     And last but not least the seeker David Twinning!"

     Everybody on the Gryffindor side of the field whooped and clapped as the Gryffindor team entered the pitch. Kyrah clapped alongside Beatrice, more for James than anyone else. 

     "In the Slytherin team, captain Jonah McCain playing in the chaser potion with Andy McGraw and Daniel Black.

     The keeper Erica Node.

     The beaters Gregor and Craig Boyle,

     And the team seeker Caleb Moriarty."

     The Slytherin side of the pitch burst into loud applause and cheers.

     "Caleb?" Trixie frowned as Cole zoomed into the air, "Did you know Cole's real name was Caleb?" she looked at Kyrah in shock as she shook her head. She didn't know until late last night when Summer had written it in her notepad.

     Madam Hooch whistled as four balls zoomed into the air, signaling the start of the game. Kyrah was watching Cole through her monocular when she noticed the blond curly hair of Summer at the other side of the pitch. Zooming in towards her Kyrah saw that she was staring straight at her. A small voice whispered inside her mind, 'meet me at the edge of the forest.' And when Kyrah glanced back to where Summer was she had gone.

     Cole was rushing towards the ground in hot pursuit of the golden snitch his voice softly whispering inside her mind, 'don't go without me Rah.' But Kyrah couldn't wait for the game to be over, something in Summer's tone seemed determined to talk to her alone. Kyrah gave her monocular to Beatrice.

"Where are you going?" she asked but happily pressed the thing to her eyes and watched Cole swinging out of his dive with easy grace. Kyrah walked towards the exit and saw Sirius whooping for James. Behind him, Severus and Lily glared at her probably still mad about the second-degree burns she had given Lily earlier. Kyrah smiled apologetically at Lily but she just glared back at Kyrah and nudged Severus.

     Kyrah walked past them and out of the stadium, she could sense Cole trying to enter her mind but she blocked him out knowing he'd be furious with her. In the distance, as she neared the forest edge where Summer stood they could hear loud cheering and Peter yelling.

     "Caleb has caught the Snitch! Slytherin has caught the Snitch, but Gryffindor wins!"

     "The score is thus Slytherin 200 points! Gryffindor 210 points!"

      The only word Kyrah heard inside Summer's mind was 'Snitch!'

     Kyrah's heart contracted as she realized that this was probably why Cole wanted to come along, he was afraid it was a trap and he was right, but before she could scream out or open her mind to Cole everything went dark.