A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Twenty-Nine- Goodbye Innocence

Fig and I raced through the many battles taking place around us goblin VS teacher, troll VS teacher... you get the idea. Every staff member except Moon, the school nurse, Kogawa, and Headmaster Black were down here and helping us with the rebellion. According to Professor Weasley, they were in charge of escorting all the students to Hogsmeade for their safety. I could only hope all of my friends made it through safely. Poppy.. Sebastian... Ominis.

I really hoped that last kiss wasn't my last one with him. I cared for him too much and I wasn't ready to let any of that go. And what about Sebastian? Who will help him cure Anne. And Poppy... my new found best friend. At least I know all the beasts in the room of requirement would be taken care of.

"Merlina! Watch out!" Professor Sharp shouted, bringing me back into reality before a goblin could swing his mace at me. I pushed him away just in time with Fig having us finally cross the stone bridge Professor Weasley created.

It didn't take long before we could see the giant ball of magic, acting as a prison to keep it caged. Each feeling- each student's power, all taken and turned into a beautiful blue light that illuminated the entire cave.

"Miriam believed this forgotten magic could be used for good... but she didn't know the risks. She didn't see what the Keepers- and Isadora have showed you. You are now the keeper of whatever and how much power this holds. What do you intend to do with it all?" Professor Fig asked, staring at the ball moving slowly.

"It needs to stay as it is- a caged ball of magic." I responded, already wondering if this would be the right choice. What if Sebastian was right and this could save Anne? I needed to think of the greater good though and the truth was that Hogwarts was above a magical bomb. If I even let it crack a little... no good could come out of that.

"I'm glad to hear that but I've been thinking Merlina, I've spent all year keeping our journey a secret from everyone- including Professor Weasley. Now I wonder if I should have shared it with her- and the others sooner. You know... trusted them more. The Keepers want this to be locked away forever but will you follow in their footsteps or your own?"

Before I could answer, slow clapping commenced as Ranrok appeared from the shadows. One hand gripped the wand owned by Professor Fig's wife before she had fallen to her demise, waving it around with nonchalance.

"Ugh... the arrogance of wizardkind. Goblins built this repository. It belongs to us." Ranrok demanded, gripping the wand tighter with his metal claws.

"Enough Ranrok! This doesn't belong to anyone!" I shouted, standing in front of Professor Fig. He moved around me though, muttering about the wand Ranrok held belonging to Miriam.

"If she had just handed me the container... all of this could have been avoided. Foolish, self-important witch."

Professor Fig let out a yell of anger, casting a spell on Ranrok but the goblin avoided it with ease. I glanced at Professor Fig who himself looked scared of what could happen next. What power Ranrok wielded with the wand of his late wife.

"Seems you two were of the same kind. She didn't know when to give up either." Ranrok shouted in a smug tone.

He casted a spell that almost hit me if it wasn't for Fig jumping on top of me, pulling me down the the ground with him. We watched as the ray of the spell went directly to the repository, making it blow into a million pieces and the magic surround us. Ranrok was able to become one with it, turning himself from a goblin into a metal bound dragon surrounded by red magic.

"Goblinkind shall answer to no one!" Ranrok's voice echoed throughout the cave and although distant, faint cheers from his loyalists answered and celebrated. Ranrok began attacking us, blowing fire down on Fig and I, making the boulders above us rain down.

I glanced over to Professor Fig and before he could run over to me, a boulder fell directly on him. My heart ached and my stomach hurt, worse than when Sebastian casted crucio on me. I didn't have time to react though as the ground beneath me crumbled and I began sliding down to a whole new area where Ranrok was waiting for me.

We battled back and forth for what felt like hours, getting hit with spell after spell. No matter what I threw at him, he seemed to be two steps ahead still and able to cast three spells at the same time, back to back. Still- he was no match for me. Even though I was barely able to stand at the end of it all, he was consumed by the magic with only Miriam's wand left behind.

Magic began flying all around me, zooming past my ears and almost singeing my hair. Boulders, like before, starting crashing down all around me. Hogwarts was not going to still be there if I didn't cage the magic. A support bridge made of stone started the crack but with all the strength still in me, I started trying to repair it. I can't do this... I can't do this alone. Professor Fig should be here. My friends should be here. Why am I alone?

Just as tears began to weld in my eyes, another blue magical beam of light hit the support, finally being enough to fix it. I spun around and there he was- Professor Fig. Tears of joy formed in my eyes and although I knew he was in pain, I couldn't help but tackle him in the biggest hug I have ever given anyone.

"I thought you died! I-I thought-"

"Merlina, you need to... focus. Contain... the magic." Professor Fig instructed, wincing between words and holding his stomach tightly.

I nodded in understanding, and casted the containment spell up in the air, struggling to keep it. Every muscle in my arms felt like they were being ripped apart, one by one. No matter how much power I put into my wand, nothing was containing it.

"You are stronger than you know! I believe in you Merlina!" Hearing those words from Professor Fig sent the surge I needed.

Every bone felt like it shattered, every muscle officially torn, and the will to do anything faded away with every surge from my wand. Every drop of blood from my arms and face quickened it's pace, creating a tiny puddle on my shoe. Yet with a loud yell to try and push out everything I had in me, the red zooming lights changed to blue shadows from the illuminated ball right in front of me. I turned to Professor Fig with a smile, proud of myself to see him on the ground, laying there. I could barely move but I managed to limp to him, collapsing by his body.

"Professor..." I started but he interrupted, coughing up a tiny bit of blood and muttering his wife's name. Immediately handing him her wand, a smile crept up on his face. He held it as tight as he could to his chest, locking eyes with me and smiling once more.

"Miriam would have loved you. Thank you Merlina... for being the daughter I always wanted to have. The wizarding world couldn't be in more capable hands." Tears welded in my eyes as I watched his eyes go from joy to emotionless. He... he was now dead. I rested my head on his body, facing his face and I knew the battle was finally done... he was able to rest.

Rainfalls of tears fell over his corpse, unable to control the mixture of tears and blood dripping onto his body. I gripped it tight, refusing to leave it. He died because of me. If I hadn't come to Hogwarts, he wouldn't be down here. He would be alive. It was all my fault. I can't leave him now though- even if I could physically move. He needed me to make sure nothing happened to his body.

"Merlina! Merlina, where are you?!" I could hear Sebastian's voice echo against the walls. Ominis and Poppy's voices followed, shouting out for me. None would hear a response though, as I was now too weak to even speak.

"She's down here!" Professor Sharp announced. I could hear the clicking of his leather loafers against the stone flooring and the sudden pause, halting only a few feet away from me and Professor Fig.

"Merlina... can you walk? The nurse will be opening the hospital wing shortly and..." Professor Sharp spoke but I started tuning him out. I refused to take my eyes off of Professor Fig.

The clutter of multiple shoes echoed until they also halted immediately. Even though not able to hear the words clearly, I could hear Professor Sharp arguing with all of my friends on what to do. Specifically arguing with Ominis and Poppy, saying they could help me. Nothing of what he was saying mattered to Sebastian though as he ran around me and met my face. He ran his fingers along my face with eyes beginning to form tears.

"Merlina... we're going to get both you and Professor Fig out of here... alright?" I didn't answer him but it must have not mattered. He scooped me up with ease. Even though every part of my body ached and felt broken, I didn't even have enough energy to yelp or wince. Just slowly close my eyes and let everything around me fade to black.