The Novelle Diaries & The Wampus Cub

Chapter 5: A Home From Home

The Ravenclaw first years followed their prefect out into the entrance hall then began to climb one of the staircases. The wall was covered in portraits of wizards and witches from past ages, all of them waving and calling out welcoming phrases to the passing children. Wren turned around at the top of the stairs to realise that Rosewaine was still half way down, waving a little disconcertedly at a seventeenth century lady in all her finery.

'Hurry up, Rosewaine or we will lose the others.' Wren warned.

'Sorry,' Rosewaine replied as she tore her gaze from the moving painting and hopped up the stairs two at a time to join her friend. 'Are they on a loop or are they sentient?' She asked Wren curiously. 'They seemed to react to me in real time.'

'Hhmm? Oh! Right, muggle pictures don't move.' Wren reminded herself.'Some are snapshots of events that repeat themselves. Most photos are like that. Paintings, especially those of people have their essence charmed into them, the best have most of the personality and memories of the real person.' Wren explained

The pair continued to follow the other first years down corridors lined with flaming torches and statues and up so many staircases that Wren lost count. As her thighs began to burn from use, she realised that she was going to become quite fit during her time at Hogwarts.

After around five minutes of walking, the first years found themselves climbing yet another set of stairs, however, in the cavernous room that they passed through countless more staircases criss-crossing above and below them. As Wren peered over the side of the carved stone bannister, she watched one of the distant stairs below begin to move, changing its landing point to an entrance at the other side of the room. Before she could even point this out to anyone, the staircase they were on shuddered, then began to drift, swinging away from the doorway they had been aiming for. The first years all scrambled to the bannister, clinging on for dear life as they were carried to a new landing, whimpering and squealing in fright. As soon as the staircase locked into its new position the prefect called 'come on now, no dilly dallying.' Wren and Rosewaine did not need telling twice as they practically sprinted up the stairs to safety before the ground beneath them decided to move again.

'This place is a bloody obstacle course,' Rosewaine exclaimed, catching her breath.

'Death trap is more like it!' a very pale boy concluded as the colour began to reclaim his face.

'There is always one,' Sighed the prefect impatiently. Wren turned to see the older girl still standing at the top of the stairs looking down. As Wren peared around the prefect, she saw a dark skinned girl with a halo of dark curls still clinging to the bannister in the middle of the staircase, her eyes squeezed shut in her frozen state.

'Come on, we haven't got all day. The staircase will move again soon and then you'll be sorry.' the older girl tuttedly iritably but the little girl didn't move, she just whimpered. Wren looked from the unsympathetic prefect to her new classmate and realised that this girl wasn't going to move without help. Fear had completely clouded her mind, locking her to the spot. Wren took a deep breath before walking back down the stairs. She wasn't great with these kinds of heights herself but she knew that someone had to fetch her.

When she reached the terrified girl she held out her hand as she crouched down in front of her. 'Take my hand,' She instructed in a kind, quiet voice. 'You don't need to open your eyes, I can guide you. Just let go of the bannister on the count of three and we will run up the stairs together ok.'

The girl gave a little nod, her eyes still clamped shut. '1,2,3' Wren counted and to her relief the girl did as she was told and released her grip on the staircase. They ran as fast as they could up the stairs to safety, Wren practically dragging the girl to ensure she didn't freeze up again. When they reached the hallway the girl finally opened her eyes and greeted Wren with a meek smile. 'Thankyou,' she whispered.