A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Ten- Haunted Hogwarts

Since I was in the hospital, Ominis and Sebastian have barely spoke to one another. Seeing them next to each other, I couldn't help but avoid bringing up the tension that was clearly there. Even Poppy left lunch with us yesterday due to how they were acting.

Poppy and I were sitting in the common room, relaxing like nothing bothered us. She somehow found a black cat and was stroking its back, making it pur out every few seconds. Everyone was keeping to their own conversations or reading their books to themselves when Lavina and Lenora came running in, quite literally screaming at ear-drum shattering pitch.

"T-t-there's a-a-a g-g-ghost!" Lavina shouted, pointing at the exit. The room was silent, as if asking if she was serious before bursting into laughter.

"There's ghosts everywhere Lavina."
"No wonder why she wasn't picked for Ravenclaw."
"She cannot be seriously scared when one of our own professors is a ghost, correct?"

"It's terrorizing the library! It's throwing books, scaring the portraits; and even the librarian left because of it!" Lenora explained, trying to defend Lavina's fear.

"It's probably Peeves. Just do whatever you were doing in the room." I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"We can't watch Sebastian from the-" Lenora started but Lavina slapped her hand over Lenora's mouth. Trying to play it off, Lavina started to make excuses. It seemed almost immediately after they mentioned Sebastian's name, something changed in Poppy.

"We have to go there if Sebastian is there. Even if it is Peeves Merlina. We need to make sure he's safe."

"Poppy, he was probably in the restricted section and-"

"Merlina!!" She shouted in a begging tone, already getting up and setting the cat down. I rolled my eyes once more but gave in to her demands. Even if it was just Peeves, I couldn't let my new (and slowly best) friend get hurt. We quickly exited the barrel and ran up the stairs, running into Ominis outside of the Great Hall.

"Ominis! You've got to come with us! Sebastian might be in danger!" Poppy exclaimed, without a second to wait and explain the situation.

"What are you going on about Poppy?"

"Peeves is probably doing some poltergeist stuff in the library and Lavina said she was in there to watch Sebastian so now Poppy is in a bit of a tiff." I explained for her.

"Merlin's beard... just in time for Halloween too. Alright let's head to the library." We all ran together, pushing students out of the way and even directly running past Professor Weasley. I wasn't sure why Poppy was all worked up over this. Sebastian can take care of himself and before me, was the best duelist of our year.

Entering the library, the lights were out and the few students we could see were all still cowering behind shelves as books and paintings were being thrown around. The air was cold as a winter night and so silent, a cricket could be heard from down the hall.

"We need to find Sebastian... quickly." Poppy stated, clearly upset and worried for him.

"You two go on ahead. I'm going to see what's causing all of this." This was clearly Peeves work but where he was hiding while doing all of this... I have no clue. Poppy nodded her head and grabbed Ominis' hand, leading him in the direction she was entering. It was up to me to be the hero... as always.

I leapt behind the librarian's desk and still was no sight of anything but a small tornado slowly forming in the middle of the library. A tornado full of books and portraits... hopefully they managed to escape their current frames.

"Peeves! Someone has been naughty naughty!" I screamed out. I threw a cabbage, seeing if it would attack Peeves for him to throw it back at the wall in front of me.

"Come out fifth year! Let's play! Everyone in this school is ever so boring!" He shouted, his voice deeper and angrier than usual. I had never seen Peeves like this before. I did as he demanded, jumping out from behind the desk and there he was. He wore something new though- a necklace with the dark magic Ranrok and his followers have.

"That's a nice necklace Peeves! Where did you find it?" The more steps I took towards him, the stronger the wind picked up from the small tornado.

"Wouldn't you like to know? She said you would." She? When has Peeves ever accepted gifts from people?

"Accio!" I shouted, attempting to take it off but he dodged my spell. How did he move so quickly?

"Merlina watch out!" Sebastian shouted from the restricted section fence. I hadn't even seen but a book was flying directly towards me from the side. Dodging it, I was able to quickly get back up but only to the sound of Peeves manic laughter.

"Naughty naughty! You've been caughty!" No matter what spell I casted towards him, he thought twice ahead and was able to dodge every single one.

"Poppy! Ominis! I need your help! One of you free Sebastian from the restricted section and the other help me with Peeves!" I shouted. Ominis came out from the bookshelf in the back and casted arresto momentum, ceasing the tornado and Peeves both temporarily. Poppy and Sebastian also casted it, helping to hold everything in place. I was finally able to cast accio and take the necklace off before shoving it in my robe pocket. The tornado ceased to exist, making every book and frame fall on the ground along with Peeves.

"Poppy! Did you get-" Before I finished, Sebastian came running over and hugged me ever so tightly.

"You did it Merlina! You helped everyone out!" Poppy also shouted, jumping in and making it a group hug.

"Not without all of your help. Thank you."

"What is this? Slytherin and Hufflepuff working together to stop Peeves?" We all turned our heads towards Professor Weasley with Headmaster Black and the librarian. She wore a smile and nodded her head, acknowledging us. "Fifty points will be rewarded to both houses. Now, all of you help us fix up this library."

*****

Poppy and I exited the library alone as Sebastian had detention to serve and Ominis just didn't want to be there I suppose. The necklace in my pocket still there, I couldn't help but wonder who gave it to Peeves. Whoever it was had to be either staff or a student, meaning they were working with Ranrok.

"Merlina... can I confide in you about something before we go back to the common room?" Poppy asked, completely halting in the middle of the hall. I nodded my head, stopping beside her.

"I'm not sure why but when I heard that Sebastian may have been in danger today, I froze. My heart... it felt like it was sinking and that I needed to be there as quickly as possible. It's like when I hear poachers hurting the beasts."

"Poppy... it sounds like you're in love with Sebastian." I answered, smiling from ear to ear. She was finally breaking from her tiny bubble of me and the beasts. Blush rose and she glanced down.

"No no.. that can't be it."

"Poppy, there are different types of love out there you know. Platonic, romantic, family. It's up to you which one it is but it definitely sounds like it."

"Well... then that's a quest for another day yes?" With that, we locked arms and made our way back to the common room to finally relax once more.