A Journey At Hogwarts

XIX. Third Time's the Charm

Warnings: Mild violence, Injuries 

Ominous, dark clouds covered the stars. A shadow darkened the clockwork tower. Some cursed ice had afflicted parts of the stone structure, glimmering even in the dark. Even the fountain was frozen as the ice spread to the castle's water system. Earlier today, a student partially froze from the water out of the loo. It shuddered Juniper to think about how nowhere was safe.

Bill looked around her like he was looking for someone. "Why didn't you bring your friends?"

"That's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about," Juniper said. "With the cursed ice causing problems at Hogwarts, we can only take one with us. Hogwarts needs all the help they can."

"Any thoughts on who you will be taking along with us?" Bill asked.

"I'm thinking of asking Ben Copper. I know he was trapped in the ice, and I won't force him if he doesn't want to, but he's really good at casting powerful charms." Juniper explained.

She had thought long and hard about who to take. Penny was most willing to help even if it frightened her, but her potions and personable skills meant they were better suited to help out with the hospital wing along with Chiara Lobosca. Rowan was terrified about freezing up again in the ice vault, which Juniper understood, and her talents lay best in organising help she already had been helping. Ben was the best candidate. He had one of the most powerful spell-casting skills, but his one weakness was his fear.

"I remember Ben. Charlie shares a dorm with him and has talked about him," Bill recalled. "Charlie actually said the same thing, that Ben was one of the most powerful wizards in your year. He just needs some encouragement."

"I'll get him, and then we'll meet at the forbbiden corridor."

"Okay," Juniper was ready to find Ben, but Bill had another thing to say. "Juniper, we better defeat this curse for Hogwarts."

"We will." Juniper confidently said before leaving for the great hall.

She was more confident that they would defeat the forsaken snowflake in some parts. Another part was nervous as everything was riding on her to stop the cursed vault and subsequently stop the cursed ice. The staff needed more time to find the source and stop it themselves.

Juniper quickly found the sullen boy helping out near the hospital wing.

"You know what I'm going to ask."

Ben looked at her with a defeated look.

"You're going to ask me to join you in defeating the cursed vault again, aren't you?"

"Aye, was I a tad obvious?" Juniper tried to joke, but her smile faltered. "Look, you ken I would nae be asking if I was nae important." Her expression turned serious and calm.

"I know," Ben sighed, his fears barely hidden beneath his words. "But I'm worried I'll get hurt, or you or Bill will get hurt, and I can't do anything to help. I'm too scared." He tried his best attempt to place a brave face but failed.

"I'm scared too," Juniper admitted. "This entire year, I blamed myself whenever Rowan, you, Bill, or anyone else got hurt. But Bill made me realise that we can be less scared if we are prepared."

"That's why you got us to train."

"Aye. We are all trained to be ready even if we are all scared. So what'd you say and we tackle this vault?"

"Fine." Ben reluctantly agreed. "Only because it's you." The corners of his lips twitched ever so upwards.

All the staff were far too distracted by the ice to notice the students sneaking down the forbidden corridor on the fifth floor. It's the only good thing that came from this mess. Bill was already waiting for them, all dressed up in winter clothes.