The Other Black - Book 7

Chapter 29 - The Sacking of Severus Snape

She hurried up the staircase within the cupboard, which was long, lit by torches, and turned corners in unexpected places. At last she reached what appeared to be a solid wall. She cast her Charm there and pushed the wall. It melted away at her touch and she slipped outside. Aurora glanced back and saw that it had resealed itself at once.

She had appeared on a wall facing a spiral staircase, and whatever instinct she had inherited from her mother told her this was the tower. Silently thanking the Room of Requirement, not really knowing whether or not it heard her, Aurora -- invisible -- climbed up the staircase.

The staircase wrapped around the center in tight, dizzying circles; Aurora had never been up here before. At last she reached a door. There was no handle and no keyhole: nothing but a plain expanse of aged wood, and a bronze knocker in the shape an eagle.

She heard a loud bang from inside the door.

Instinctively, Aurora called out, "Harry? Luna?" taking care to be mildly quiet.

A hand pushed open the door, and Luna's voice asked, "Aura? But I don't see you."

"Get in here and close the door!" Harry's voice hissed, and Aurora did, bumping into something invisible as she did.

"Sorry!" she whispered as a door across the common room and a stream of Ravenclaws, all in their nightclothes, flooded into the common room.

Aurora used this time to take in what was around her as they all gasped and cried out in surprise.

Ravenclaw common room was a wide, circular room, airier than any Aurora had ever seen at Hogwarts. Graceful arched windows punctuated the walls, which were hung with blue-and-bronze silks. By day, the Ravenclaws would have a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. The ceiling was domed and painted with stars, which were echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. There were tables, chairs, and bookcases, and in a niche opposite the door stood a tall statue of white marble.

Aurora recognized Rowena Ravenclaw from the bust she had seen at Luna's house. The statue stood beside a door that led, he guessed, to dormitories above. He strode right up to the marble woman, and she seemed to look back at him with a quizzical half smile on her face, beautiful yet slightly intimidating. A delicate-looking circlet had been reproduced in marble on top of her head. It was not unlike the tiara Fleur had worn at her wedding. There were tiny words etched into it. Aurora carefully stepped around the Ravenclaws and climbed up onto Ravenclaw's plinth to read them.

Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.

Aurora now followed what the Ravenclaws were staring at.

A woman Aurora recognized to be Alecto Carrow from the few Prophets they managed to find was lying still. One brave little first-year darted up to her and prodded her backside with his big toe.

"I think she might be dead!" he shouted with delight.

Aurora stayed where she was, knowing that she'd never get back to where she'd been standing before without notice. There was a rap on the common room door and every Ravenclaw froze. From the other side, Aurora heard a soft, musical voice asked "Where do Vanished objects go?"

"I dunno, do I? Shut it!" snarled an uncouth voice that Aurora figured was that of the Carrow brother, Amycus, "Alecto? Alecto? Are you there? Have you got him? Open the door!"

The Ravenclaws were whispering amongst themselves, terrified. Then without warning, there came a series of loud bangs, as though somebody was firing a gun into the door.

"ALECTO! If he comes, and we haven't got Potter --d'you want to go the same way as the Malfoys? ANSWER ME!" Amycus bellowed, shaking the door for all he was worth, but still it did not open. The Ravenclaws were all backing away, and some of the most frightened began scampering back up the stair case to their beds.