A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Thirty-Four- The Unmasked Girl

It had been a few weeks of serving detention with Poppy, Sebastian, and Ominis. Only one more month though until the school year ends and OWLS are next week. It was the first day in a while of me attempting to relax in the library- studying alone for once. It was quiet, to no surprise, with rarely anyone around. At least that was the case until Cressida came to my table, slamming her hands on it, and erupting in shouting.

"Merlina! You remember that person who hit Ominis with bombarda?! I just saw them take him!" She shouted, not caring about where she was. I immediately stood, asking where, not even bothering to put my books away that I was studying.

She instructed me to follow her, which I did. We ran throughout the entire castle. As I followed her, I noticed under her robes, she had scars of what seemed like burns on her arms which I know for a fact she didn't have before. Was she messing with fire maybe? We stopped in the dungeons, one gate away from the Map Chamber. The statues of frogs remained silent and the gates didn't even dare to move despite there being a slight draft. She spun around, a smile on her face and her wand gripped so tightly, her hand was turning white.

"Cressida, what are you doing?" I asked, taking a few steps back for her to hit the ground only mere centimeter away from my foot. "...Ominis isn't really here, is he?"

"Do you see him anywhere? Of course he's not here! You're going to lead me to that repository Merlina. You're going to lead me to it and let me control all that magic."

"Impossible... you're the masked girl working with Rookwood and Harlow? But I saw-"

"You saw a past version of myself," Cressida explained. Reaching in for her robe was a tiny golden pocket watch with the glass cracked, the dials being stuck between nine and one. "This is called a time turner. The creator of this is barely even making the blueprints for it this year. I'm a seventh year- not a fifth year Merlina. Now, take me to that repository!"

She sounded bratty and mad. How did she even know about the repository? And a watch that turns back time? The magical world sure was something that never left me bored.

"I can't. I'm sure you understand." With that, I took my wand and casted depulso, making her fall backwards and land on her back. She stood up rather quickly, removing her robes that showed all the burns leading up her arms. My shock must have not been much of a surprise because she erupted in a crazed laugh- one that would have been enough of a ticket into St. Mungos.

"These? These are to remind myself to be strong. I can't be strong- a true Gryffindor- without that magic. Now tell me where-!" Before she could even finish, I hit her with confringo. If she liked her scars so much, she should only have more. Instead of screaming at the pain, or even trying to put it out, she just laughed even more and higher pitched.

Two cabbages rolled past my feet and finished the job the fire couldn't. I didn't even bother to turn around to see who it was. My best friend made her way next to me as we watched whatever was left of Cressida faded away.

"Did you follow me?"

"Kind of. I thought it was strange that I was having a conversation with someone you were following. I just figured it was a polyjuice potion. Not whatever that was." Poppy explained, sighing. I casted accio on the watch, pulling it into my hands. Despite it being in fire, the metal was still cool to the touch. I couldn't help myself but tuck it into my robe. Perhaps it could be useful in the future.

"I'd watch out by the way. Lavina is apparently looking for us since she heard Edward spoke to you from his sister" I turned to Poppy, raising my eyebrows at her statement.

"Who's his sister? And we spoke to the guy for two seconds so why does Lavina have her trousers twisted?"

"How do you not know Morgana? She's in our year, best friends with Lavina and Lenora, and one of the Twenty-Eight." Poppy exclaimed as if I should have already known that, completely ignoring the question about Lavina.

"Twenty-Eight... there's that term again. What does that even mean?"

"Merlina-! Sometimes I forget you're basically a muggle-born. There are twenty-eight families that have zero traces of muggle blood. Ominis is one of them, along with Edward and Morgana Avery. Cressida's body is pretty much a burnt skeleton so can we leave now?" Poppy moved on from the topic, pointing at Cressida's body which was, as Poppy pointed out, bone. She was using her sleeve as a way to block the smell of rotting flesh but nothing was going to block that out.

"Yeah... it stinks now."

"Do we tell Cressida about this?"

"No... she'll find out sooner or later."

*****

Poppy and I sat in the Great Hall for lunch, surrounded by various people talking. Even though they were on the other side of the Great Hall, I felt eyes burning into my head again. The same feeling as before. I turned my head from the soup to see a group of male six year Slytherins, some sitting on the table, others sitting around the ones the ones on the table, making the most noise in the hall. Who had his eyes directly on me despite still able to hold a conversation? Edward Avery.

"What did I do to apparently get a pure-blood's attention?" I asked Poppy, now just annoyed at the idea of having my own stalker. I had barely met him and he was already popping up everywhere I go, whether in conversation or just being there.

"Breathe? I don't know Merlina. You're pretty, popular, brave, kind, smart. Pick your poison. Why do you think Ominis is so obsessed with you?" Poppy responded. As if feeling his ears burn, Ominis emerged into the Great Hall, pushing both doors wide open and getting everyone's attention. Poppy and I exchanged glances before running over to Ominis.

"Ominis, what's wrong?!" I asked, whispering despite all eyes being on us.

"Sebastian... he's gone. I think he went to Anne. I think... I need to find Anne." Ominis was out of breath, taking pauses just so he could breathe.

"Okay, you go to Anne. Poppy, can you search around the castle for Sebastian? Also, distract any staff if they decide to be nosey. I think I know where he would have gone so if you can't find Anne, meet me at the Feldcroft Tomb."

We all separated, breaking off into our individual missions. I knew that if Sebastian had finally figured out the relic, it was only a matter of time before something went wrong. Whether this be taking the life of an innocent for Anne or Anne being the innocent. With everything going on, I had honestly forgotten all about that damned thing and had hoped he did too. I went out into the courtyard and hopped on my broom, gripping it tightly and began the flight to Feldcroft.