Metanoia • Harry Potter • Book I

Chapter Nineteen

The ghost's words rang in the silence of the Chamber.

"Curse?" asked Ron. "Why are there ghosts here? What's going on? I thought we saved the day..."

"I'll explain in a second," said Harry, shaking his head. "Where's is it?"

The ghosts glanced at Daphne and Keziah.

"We do not welcome the other living ones," the oldest ghost snapped. "Two is fine. We do not trust the others."

"Hey!" Daphne protested.

"That's not fair," said Keziah. "Ron and Daphne are completely trustworthy! Plus you need us to set you free! If you won't let them come, we just won't help."

She crossed her arms firmly.

"We have waited here for nearly half a century," said the older ghost sourly. "A few more decades won't kill us."
The blonde ghost's lips wobbled. "Um... Arthur... I don't want to wait here for any longer."

"Neither do I!" the girl piped up.

Arthur frowned. "But — Will... Holly... they're living ones! How can we trust any of them? We do not know them! What can they do for us?"
"Help us?" exclaimed Will. "They have defeated the beast who hounded us all year! I see them all worthy."
"I second that," Holly nodded earnestly. "Please, Arthur? What can they do?"

Arthur's scowl grew deeper and for a moment, Keziah thought he was going to curse them with some spooky spell from beyond the veil but instead he vanished.

"Where do you go when that happens?" asked Harry.

"Anywhere in this chamber," Holly sighed. "A single gift from Riddle."

If she was alive, she might've spat on the ground at the name.

"We shall show you the bearer of our curse," she continued. "We are not sure, but this may be its source."

"How do you know it's the thing?" Keziah asked. "Slytherin could've just kept it in his Chamber for decor."

"Perhaps," Will mused. "But curses often have to be placed in objects of significance. No silly old thing will do, It needs to have meaning."

They were walking for a long time. The ghosts were unaffected as they glided over the slimy floors, through side passageways and crannies. Whatever this object was, Riddle clearly wanted it well hidden. Around twenty minutes in, Keziah was bent over, panting and the others weren't faring much better. They'd left Lockhart behind — making him promise not to wander off — so he didn't slow them down.

After being dead for so long, the ghosts had clearly forgotten that humans couldn't walk so fast for so long.

"Hurry up!" Holly called. "We're nearly there."
"Easy for her to say," Ron muttered along with a few choice words Keziah was really glad the ghosts didn't hear.

Fawkes flew above them, keeping his spirits up with his haunting song. He was holding the Sorting Hat, having picked it up from where Harry discarded it after a freaking sword fell out. Keziah's jaw dropped when he told her what happened.

"You got a sword," she said. "And what do I get? Pneumonia."

She and Daphne hadn't dried off from their dip into the canals and they were shivering all over. Flitwick hadn't covered heating charms yet so they were stuck like drowned rats.

"Once we get this artefact thing, we'll be right in Madam Pomfrey's office," Harry promised.

"Yeah," Ron said, smiling. "Sitting in nice warm beds... getting assaulted with charms and sleeping potions."