The Downsides Of Popularity ✓

Chapter 24

I'M NEVER GOING BACK, AM I?

I MOMENTARILY LOSE my senses as my body collides with the white marble floor.

'Ouch!' I turn to my left to see Sreyansh lying on his back, wincing in pain whilst caressing his elbow.

I push myself up and sit upright on the floor. I look around to see magnificent archways built over several doors that probably lead to other rooms or corridors. The interiors are in a soothing creamy white colour with delicate designs- some representing maple leaves- carved into them in gold.

When I look up at Ms. Carey, standing in front of us, I see her eyeing us through her rectangular glasses as we stand up from the ground.

'Maybe you could scream a little louder, dear boy and alert everyone in the office,' she scorns Sreyansh who retorts, 'You could've warned us that we could fall on some stone floor, so hard. It's like Harry and his friends with the Portkey.'

'You've watched Harry Potter?' I ask, startled by the reference.

'I've watched a few,' he casually remarks and the Potterhead in me resurfaces, forgetting the mission at hand.

'You need to watch them ALL! I can't believe you're going to be a Potterh-' I'm interrupted by Ms Carey who whisper-yells in our ears, 'Stop shouting like maniacs!'

That's when we hear footsteps echo through the hall.

'Hide!' Ms Carey points towards the white pillar on her right and we both dive behind it. I scoot closer to Srey and our shoulders brush against one another, the cloth of our jackets being the only thing separating us, by mere millimetres and the thought alone makes me blush.

I hear the doors at the end of the Hall open as two people walk in.

'Oh dear. How was it? Were you able to ensnare the boy?' I hear an older lady speak, who sounds authoritative.

'Ah yes. We'll start receiving his energy once he wakes up from his dream,' Ms Carey assures her and the older lady speaks again, 'Well, good job.'

I hear footsteps approaching in our direction so I nudge Srey and we both quickly, yet silently crawl towards our left to hide, just in case the two witches decide to turn around and fix their robes or something.

Peeking a look from behind the pillar, I merely manage to see a tall lady wearing black robes and another in purple robes trailing at her feet. They exchange a few words in hushed whispers between one another before opening the doors and walking out of the hall.

'You can come out now,' Ms Carey says and we both stand up to walk towards her.

'Who was that?' I ask, curious.

'She's the head of our Autumnal Coven- a woman you better not have another encounter with unless you want to be held in captivity forever,' she warns us.