Bruises ( Ariel Celeste Black)

Chapter 11.3

" What was it supposed to be ?" Vedika muttered under her breath as she tried performing the spell .

" I am pretty sure it is 'glacius' " Ariel said and shrugged as she bent over the piece of parchment to complete her Charms essay .

"Glacius, right . Why did professor Flitwick have to take a feedback test , again ?" Vedika asked she successfully turned the water in the goblet kept in front of her into ice, only for it to turn back into water again mere seconds later.

"I have no clue. On a happier note , it's time for me to head for quidditch " Ariel said , getting up and rolling the parchment into a scroll . Vedika groaned and wishing Ariel a good practice, went back to her charms assignment .

A few minutes later , Ariel found herself on the quidditch pitch clad in her quidditch robes with the number 6 etched upon it . She walked to the middle of the field, the place they were supposed to assemble, and was not surprised to find only Oliver Wood standing there and doing preparations for their practice.

"Hey , Wood " Ariel greeted her fellow captain , putting down her broom and reaching up beside him to help him set up the model of the small strategic plan the team had made for the session .

"Hello, Black . Any clue as to where the others are ? " Wood asked, looking up at her and giving her a small smile .

Talk of the devil and he's here . Wood had just finished saying the sentence when the Weasley twins , who had entered the pitch flying on their brooms , landed on either side of him , followed by the yell of Madam Hooch and the rest of the team gathering .

"Why , missed us ?" George Weasley asked before the practice took on in full force .

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Three hours of tiresome training later, Ariel found herself drenched in sweat, heading back to Gryffindor tower after a quick change of her robes in the locker room.

It was in the moments like these, when she was alone, did her memories come flooding back to her. This time, it was one from merely a few days back. The night of the Halloween Feast.

"Follow me, it's for your own good. The greater good"

The voice, one she did not want to hear, the same one was engraved deep inside her mind. The visions it showed, as if it knew all her deepest fears, they had left her into a state of numbness. And as she climbed up the stairs to reach the portrait of the fat lady, she felt a sharp shot of pain creep up her spine. It was gone just as quickly as it came, and she was left bewildered.

Ariel looked around, nothing. She found nothing. It was the same feeling as before, she realized, this time around, even more clear.

"Will you just keep standing there, dear?" The voice of the Fat Lady interrupted Ariel's thoughts. She was, for quite a few moments, visibly shocked. Wasn't she on the stairs just now, how did she even reach up here?

Ignoring the nagging of her thoughts, she quickly muttered the password and headed inside.

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That same night, Ariel made a rather rash decision.

With nothing but the safety of her wand, she stepped out of the common room. She was able to get past the Fat lady by buttering her up with the help of a few praises. She might have succeeded in passing the Fat Lady, but one could never not alarm their friends.

"Ariel?" Someone whispered in her ear.

"What-" She turned around swiftly, her reflexes already acting up to attack someone, only to find Vedika and Leonard staring right at her.

"Where do you think you are going?" Leonard asked. Ariel quietly motioned them to follow her as the trio carefully slipped passed Filch's office.

"I need answers." That was enough encouragement for her friends to follow her. They, as silently as they possibly could, walked down the stairs and to the first floor.

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Shuffling through several books in the library, her wand being the only source of light, Ariel stumbled upon a book. It was in a corner probably no one ever went to, for, spider webs hung around the shelves and it smelt of old books and dust.

The tile was what originally caught Ariel's eye. In shining gold that shimmered even in the dim light and perfect curved loops, the title read-

"The hushed voices"

Ariel reached for the book and pulled it out, a few spiders crawling on her hand that she hurriedly brushed off. She caught Leonard and Vedika's eye from across the room, and nodded her head, signaling them to come over.

She dusted the book, coughing a little due to the thick layer of dust on the book. The name of the author was etched below the title, in bold silver letters: Minos Gaunt

For a reason she quite did not know, the name made her lightheaded. And with shaky hands, she she opened the book.

At the same moment, Leonard sneezed loudly.

And suddenly they could hear footsteps approaching.

Vedika and Ariel looked at each other in alarm and then at Leonard, who looked somewhere between embarrassed and tensed.

"Dust allergy" Was all he said.

And then, they ran.