A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Eighty-Nine- As It Appears

I ran straight to my dorm room, trying to avoid every one of my friends. I couldn't find it in me to trust anyone anymore. With Morgana still looking for the repository and Sebastian's flirting with her, I needed to play everything safe. I grabbed a bag and shoved a few items in it. Clothes, potions, food I had gotten from Hogsmeade. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to move it but I needed to.

"Merlina? What are you doing?" I heard Poppy's voice from behind me. I turned to her, looking upon her face.

"I... I walked in on Sebastian and Morgana flirting with one another. I have to move the repository in case he lets the location slip." I answered, looking away and shoving things back into my bag.

"Why would he flirt with her?"

"I'm not sure but I don't care Poppy. I can't let the Puppeteer release all of that magic."

"Merlina! You can't move the repository! If it was moveable, don't you think the original Keepers would have done it themselves?"

I turned to Poppy who's eyes were staring to fill with tears. This wasn't about the repository... she was worried I was going to run away again. Placing the bag down on the bed for a moment, I walked over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. I never had siblings growing up but I feel like whatever Poppy and I had was equal to twin sisters. We would always be there for one another no matter what.

"Poppy... I'm only going to be gone for the weekend max. I'm hopeful I can contain it in a new location and be back for dinner tomorrow night. And if I can't move it... I'm going to seal it off for good. Better than the old Keepers." I promised, finally pulling away from the hug.

"Well, let me go with you then!"

"No Poppy. You are the only person I still trust. Goodbye for now."

I grabbed my bag and walked right past her. Perhaps I could do what I did last year by storing a vivarium into a bottle but instead, the repository. Or maybe... maybe Poppy is right. That I can't move it. I still needed to take the risk though. As I ran through the halls of the castle, ever so careful not to get caught by any staff member or ghost, I glanced in my bag to make sure I had everything I needed- including the empty glass jars.

I... I wonder... Professor Fig knew so much about magic and how to help with the repository because of his knowledge with magical theory. Professor Chang did say if I ever needed help or to ask questions to come straight to her. As I was walking to her classroom, I ran into no one other than my favorite teacher.

"Merlina... what are you doing at this hour?" Professor Sharp asked, sounding more like a disappointed dad than anything else.

"Would you believe if I said playing blind man's buff with Poppy and Garreth?" I asked, flashing my teeth in an awkward smile.

"No considering I just saw Garreth trying to convince Ominis to steal potion supplies for him." Professor Sharp held out his hand, signaling at the bag by my side. I sighed, groaning loud enough to make my point while reluctantly handing it to him.

"I'll be back for that in an hour. I want to talk to Professor Chang before I go on my adventure."

"Very well. And what is this adventure exactly?"

"I want to see if my... special storage can be contained elsewhere. Say, a jar or even just moved." I informed in case there was anyone around. It took him a second but when he finally understood, he nodded his head.

"It will be in my office. I'll fill it with extra potions for the adventure." He responded with a soft smile on his face. "I still have those special books Miriam wrote so I'll see if she has anything in it."

"And Professor Sharp?" I spoke, "If I'm not back in a day for that bag, ask Poppy to take you to the Keepers and then perform a charm to make sure nobody, not even me, can get in. I'm not sure what's going on but I have a bad feeling on it."

*****

I knocked softly on the wooden door of Professor Chang's office, already knowing she was in there by the light peeking under her door. She shouted an invite but seemed to be surprised when she saw my face on the other side of the door. The room was just the same as last time with tea already prepared and cookies on a plate by her side. She was reading a book I hadn't seen before and once saw me, set the book down.

"Ms. Wood! What can I do for you at this hour?" She asked, signaling me to take a seat across from her.

"I was wondering if you could answer a hypothetical question I have. It involves your expertise." I answered, doing as she instructed.

With a flick of her wand, the tea kettle lifted itself off of the golden tray and poured the liquid into a small tea cup for me. Multiple heart shaped cookies with jam inside flew off the small plate and onto a napkin that slid it's way toward me.

"Is there a way to keep a storage of magic contained? Say, I don't know, a jar of some kind?" I asked, taking a nibble out of the cookie. It was perhaps the driest cookie I had ever had before in my entire life. I tried to keep my coughing controlled but it was uncontainable.

"Have some tea dear." Professor Chang demanded, nudging the tea cup closer to me. "And of course but not a popular form of magic here. It's a practice seen usually with dark wizards in Asia to use them as something similar to an explosion."

I nodded while sipping on the rich tea. Warm liquid slithered down my throat, allowing the cookie crumbs safe passage. A wave of funkiness ran through me, causing me to shiver for only a moment before continuing our conversation. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at me, as if silently asking if I was alright.

"How much magic can those usually store?"

"Well it depends how powerful the magic is. If it's extremely powerful, you may need goblin silver for it."

"If it's a lot... could you shrink it? Hypothetically of course." I asked again, the same wave hitting me as before.

"It would need an extremely gifted witch or wizard to do so. Why all these questions Ms. Wood? Is everything alright?" Professor Chang asked, finally setting her cup down and furrowing her brows at me.

"No uh... I'm just curious is all. Thank you for your time." I thanked before standing and bowing in appreciation.

"Good night-" I started speaking before the door was shoved open. In the doorway was someone I couldn't believe my eyes. The last time I had seen him, he was dead. He now wore a silver mask with details that covered half of his face. Once he saw me, a smirk crossed his face.

"Hello Merlina."