A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Eighty-Four- Cat And Mouse

"Are you ready for trial thirty?" I asked Professor Sharp. We had been following Miriam's journal entries for weeks, trying a different theory every night with nothing to work. It was a rare sight to see Professor Sharp look stressed enough to take off his coat and pull his hair up into a tiny bun. He hovered over a page in the journal, focusing closely on the pages.

"Merlina... it says here you can conjure your magic in the palm of your hand. Is that true?" Professor Sharp asked, ignoring my question.

"I've only done it once when the troll attack happened in Hogsmeade. Why do you ask?"

"I... I have an idea. Can you do it again?"
While I tried forming the ball in the palm of my hand, Professor Sharp grabbed the green bottle filled with wiggenweld.

A glowing blue ball formed in the palm of my hand like last time but barely grew more than the size of a marble. I shoved it inside of the bottle to which Professor Sharp shut it and began shaking it. For the first time since we've tried our experiments, we could see the potion change into a glowing blue with swirls of light floating through it. I glanced at Professor Sharp who could clearly see what I was seeing. His brown eyes were glowing with fascination.

"Drink it... I have a good feeling about this." I suggested. He nodded and swallowed his spit before opening the bottle and drinking it whole.

In a matter of moments, he went from being cautious to straight pain. The bottle crashed down onto the stone flooring with glass shards flying everywhere. Professor Sharp fell to the ground, screaming in agony while gripping onto his leg. I kneeled beside him, trying to help in whatever way I could until his eyes shut and the upper half of his body fell to the ground as well.

"Professor?!" I screamed out, hoping for an answer.

This was just like Professor Fig all over again. I can't handle this. A moment of silence passed with me trying to hear for a heartbeat when he, still knocked out, gasped for air and was now breathing. Perhaps the pain was too excruciating for him to keep consciousness.

"Is there anyone around?! Help!" I shouted.

I couldn't leave him vulnerable on the floor with everything that's going around. In that moment, a house elf that must have been cleaning outside the classroom entered and saw Professor Sharp. Within that moment, the house elf nodded and snapped his fingers to go get the nurse. By the time the nurse came, both Headmaster Black and Professor Weasley in their pajamas appeared behind.

"Ms. Wood! What were you two doing this late?" Headmaster Black shouted.

"I was... we were... it was just..." No matter what I tried to say to explain myself, no words could form fully. I couldn't tell them about the ancient magic or that Professor Sharp was trying to heal himself.

"Headmaster Black, why don't I take Ms. Wood out in the hall while you and Nurse Blainey work on Professor Sharp?" Professor Weasley suggested.

Headmaster Black nodded and just waved us both off. Before listening to their silent demands, I snatched Miriam's journal and tucked it into my robe. No matter how much I wanted to stay with Professor Sharp, with large reluctance, I stepped back and followed Professor Weasley out into the hall. The lights were dimmed and the rooms silent with only our footsteps sending echos off the walls.

"I'm sure you know Ms. Wood how bad of a situation this is. What happened?" Professor Weasley asked, halting by the fountain in front of the library.

"Professor Sharp and I were experimenting with potions madam. As you know, he's been trying to heal his leg." I explained, hoping she wouldn't ask for ingredients.

"Very well... what was in the potion?"

"Wiggentree bark, moly, dittany, flobberworm mucus, and... troll boogeys." I lied off the top of my head.

Professor Weasley eyed me, suspecting my lie. I know she knew it. These were the same eyes she flashed every time she would ask me about Professor Fig. The same way she would tuck her lips into themselves. Even her nose scrunched under the glasses.

"Very well. I have to give you detention for a week but you will be serving them with my nephew since he was caught trying to impersonate me to get out of the two-hour detention Professor Chang gave him."

Why was I not surprised Garreth was using the polyjuice again? Still, I nodded my head and excused myself. While walking throughout the empty corridors, I found myself lost in thoughts of what happened. Maybe I could sneak into the Hospital Wing in the morning to check on Professor Sharp. Just outside the Grand Staircase though, two cloaked students were arguing. As quick as I could move, I hid behind a statue and casted the disillusionment charm just to be safe. One could never be too careful- even if it is Imelda and Morgana.

"Are you sure they're not onto us Morgana? Ominis seemed pretty-"

"Oh shut up Imelda! You said you wanted in on this and so I've let you in. They want us there so we need to get there before she gets mad again." Morgana shut down.

Imelda whimpered like a dog before nodding her head. Where were they going at this hour? And could she be the Puppeteer? This was my one chance to find out and I knew that. They both zoomed past me and down the hall. As fast and subtle as I could move, I was chasing after them all the way from out of the castle and into the Forbidden Forest.

The night air, unlike the day, was cool against the skin despite the humid air. With wolves howling in the distance, I had to try and be weary of every bit of my surroundings. With the moon light as my only way of seeing them, I entered a cave not very soon after them.

It was pitch black with nothing in the save but a single rusted tankard on the ground floor. I followed them here but they were nowhere in sight. The tankard must have been a port key. With my wand at the ready, I grabbed onto the handle but nothing changed. Just my hand upon the ice cold metal. How could this be then? How did Morgana and Imelda disappear and where off to?

Lmao I'm sorry it took so long! I thought I posted it already.