Harry Potter and The Jade Dragon

Chapter 22 ~ The Scroll of Wu-Hsien

Professor Snufflegint's office, illuminated in the light of their wands, was unlike any that Harry had seen in Hogwarts. It looked like the interior of a rocky cave, and rare and beautiful Chinese ornaments were scattered everywhere. A collection of about fifty delicate porcelain snuff bottles were arranged on a carved rosewood table, while large scrolls covered with calligraphy adorned the walls. A Chinese tea-set, consisting of a small teapot and cups of fine porcelain, reposed on another side table, together with an array of jars filled with different varieties of fragrant Chinese tea-leaves. Three large bookcases were filled with books and scrolls in Chinese, while even more were to be found in several shelves hewn into the wall.

They had managed to unlock the window without any problem, using the Alohomora Charm. As they peered into the dark interior of the room, a thin line of green fire could be seen glowing on the floor at the far end, running in a semicircle around a dark shape that must be the cupboard. Harry, leaving his broomstick against the wall near the window, raised his lighted wand and went toward it first.

"Careful," murmured Hermione, just behind him, as he stopped in front of the fiery line. Harry took a breath, then stepped across the line. Nothing happened; Robert had been right – the Charm didn't work on non-Chinese!

"All right," whispered Hermione, stepping over the line and fumbling around in her robes for her parchment. She tried opening the cupboard, but it was locked. She then brought a luminous toadstool out, and placed it on top of the cupboard where it dimly illuminated its surroundings.

Harry watched as Hermione tried Opening spells on the cupboard, one by one. Leaving her to it, he seated himself in a chair near the window and took the Marauder's Map out, to make sure Snufflegint was still at the Christmas dinner.

After about ten minutes, there was a slight creaking sound, and Harry saw Hermione swinging the cupboard doors open. Hurrying over, he saw that the cupboard was almost empty, except for a hemispherical glass dome on the top shelf. A bundle, wrapped in yellow silk, lay inside, and so did a carved vessel, made of bronze.

"What's that?" said Harry, looking at the bronze vessel with interest.

"Don't know," said Hermione. She gingerly tried lifting the glass dome away, but it refused to budge. With a small sigh, she unrolled her parchment again, and started going through the Opening Charms once more.

Harry, deciding to continue keeping an eye on Snufflegint, turned around and had a terrible shock. The tall figure of a human-like creature was standing silently several feet in front of him, silhouetted against the dim light from the window. His heart beating fast, Harry raised his lighted wand, and then realised, to his relief, that it was the Monkey King.

Hermione, turning around, saw it too and gave a small gasp of fright before she realised who it was.

"How did he get in?" muttered Harry, as the Monkey King came over to them, an inquisitive expression on its face.

"The window, I guess," murmured Hermione, as she turned back to the dome, still looking rather shaken. "Keep an eye on him, in case he starts whooping and gives us all away."

The Monkey King came and stood next to her, watching as she tried one spell after another. Harry watched it for a while, but to his relief, it didn't utter a sound, and seemed content to just observe what was happening. After a while Harry went back to the window and sat down again, and continued watching Snufflegint on the Map.

Hermione gave up after twenty minutes, and came over to Harry, looking discouraged.

"None of the spells are working," she said. "I can't get the dome open."