Act I: I Can't Believe I'm Doing This

Part 25

I nearly fall in my rush to get away, the stone steps far too narrow to navigate at speed. I can hear Cissa behind me, though the sounds of her footsteps are nearly entirely drowned out by the rough scraping of that thing's skin against the small stone tunnel. Its size must be hindering it - when Cissa and I make our way into the starlit room once more, it's still on the steps. I don't like the idea of running back through the mirrors, but before I even have the chance to think of an alternative, Cissa grabs my free hand and drags us forward.

We don't let go of each other, though Cissa casts several spells to obliterate the mirrors in our way - I keep us safe from the shards with a few defensive charms. It's quick thinking on her part, though I fear the consequences of that magic left unbound. My worries are abated when I see the glass piecing itself back together, and I return my focus to getting away from that thing.

It roars, shaking the air around us and even shattering several of the mirrors - though its body shatters more as it chases us. Cissa leads us through the first door we see. To my dismay, it isn't the storage room, it's a simple stone passageway. We no longer have the slim advantage of being familiar with the area.

An idea pops into my mind, and I weave several spells over us to hide the sounds of our footsteps and prevent us from being noticed. Then, I quickly turn into the nearest opening. Cissa must understand, as she follows easily - even casting a spell to mimic our footsteps moving further down the corridor.

Thankfully, my random choice is a room with an exit, and... a large pit in the center, full of pitch-black water. We don't have time to stop and investigate, as much as my curiosity burns to know what it is. Instead, we move around it quickly, careful not to fall in, and through the doorway on the other side.

I can only hope that our ruse will buy us time. I can't maintain these spells forever, especially having burned so much energy flying earlier, so I have no doubts that it will find us again eventually. Likely sooner this time.

We have to figure out a way to kill it for good. There's no way we'll be able to safely escape if we don't - worst case scenario, it could escape into the nearby countryside. I don't want to think about what would happen if it came upon a muggle town. Even a wizarding town would struggle to cope with that thing, but at least they would be able to get away.

The monster comes crashing down the hallway, chasing after our false footsteps at nearly the same time as we enter the room beyond the water. We have speed on our side - for now, at least - so it's best we keep moving. The next room is nearly empty, except for two stone slabs set at about my waist height, and another metal door opposite us. Both of them have dozens of metal studs set into the surface, with manacles mounted on each corner. The stone is stained black.

I don't have time to think about what these tables may have been used for - though I have an idea, unfortunately. Did Bellatrix build any of this? When? I make a note to try and figure that out later, when I can't hear that thing stomping down the stone corridor just one room away.

We make our way around the stone tables to the door, where Cissa silences the hinges before we open it. As she leads the way into the next room, I'm once again struck by the thought - How big is this place? We've been in several different areas, traveled both up and down, and we still have no idea of the limits to this underground complex.

The next room does bring something of an answer to my question, as it's a dead end. Or, at least, it looks like one. The walls are gouged with deep scratches that remind me of the damage dealt to the manor above ground, and there's metal studded into them like the stone slabs, though these studs are worn shiny. Was that thing trapped in here? How?

Even though there's no obvious way out, I can't be totally sure, since we've already been through one false wall. I push the door closed behind us, muttering under my breath, "Hope it's as reluctant about doors as she said it was."