Finis coronat opus (Professor Riddle)

Chapter 11

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from previous chapter:  "get dressed Aurora, that was a warning. I'll see you here tomorrow at 6 p.m. If you don't show up again, it won't end there." I was so stunned by the whole situation that I didn't know what to say.

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It was already getting dark outside. I decided that before I went to the astronomy tower to smoke, as I do every evening, I would visit Louis in the hospital wing. 

the situation between us was not entirely clear. if what Riddle said earlier was true, this conversation shouldn't last long. I pushed the door open and started looking around to find the boy's bed. 

he was lying at the end of the room, under the huge windows. when I got to his bed I noticed that he was sleeping, I sat on the edge of the mattress and looked at him carefully. it was only a few minutes before he opened his eyes. 

"Rora" he said in a sleepy voice, extending his hand to me, which I did not accept. "don't worry Louis, I just came to apologize for Mattheo, I don't know why no one responded" he stared deep into my eyes in almost complete silence, broken only by the steady breathing of other patients.

 "did you really not know how to keep your mouth shut? did your colleagues like what you said about us? I hope it was worth our friendship" I looked away, holding back the tears that were coming to my eyes. "please don't say that Rora..." 

he started, but stopped, coughing, "I know I completely screwed up, I don't want to beg you for forgiveness because I don't deserve it, but let's not end this relationship in anger. I know that I'm a total asshole who didn't take advantage of the chance that fate gave me such a wonderful person in my life.

 but there is one thing I am sure of. I loved you Rora. I loved, I love and I will love, no matter what. even though I will probably no longer be the first person you turn to with your problems, but know that I am always nearby. 

whatever happens, I will listen to you and try to help" I couldn't stop crying. "one more thing. "Professor Riddle" I almost gasped when I heard the name. "I'm not blind, I see something is wrong. 

he did something to you... something no one else could do. he just broke you in half. I don't know what happened, but you can still stop it, Rora. 

a girl I met as a child was not afraid to fight for herself, she did what she wanted and no one stood in her way when she wanted to achieve something. 

and when someone was already standing on that road, you dealt with them very quickly. Don't let anyone undermine your worth, darling, even if it costs you a lot.

 I have no idea what he did or said to you, but know that whatever it is, you are stronger than it. You can do it, Rora, no matter what. 

please go back to being that girl who kept me company throughout the holidays, who laughed when someone told an unfunny joke so that he wouldn't feel sorry, who wasn't afraid of discussions that sometimes turned into arguments.

 there is always a way out Rora, don't forget about it" these were the words I needed to hear so desperately. my anger at him suddenly evaporated. I put my arms around his neck and we sat there in silence for a long time. "I promise," I finally whispered.

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my mood improved slightly, apart from the disgust brought by the memory of the event in the Professor's office. I took a pack of cigarettes from my dormitory and, as planned, I went to the astronomy tower. 

I sat down, leaning against the stone wall. for the first time in a long time I had time to just think, with a clear head. I blew the smoke out of my mouth and started to analyze Louis' words. he was right, what exactly happened to me? 

Because of the new Professor, my self-confidence evaporated practically overnight, I was no longer the same as during the holidays. but why did he only pick on me? many students had much worse grades than me, and some of them had behavior that would warrant at least a year in Azkaban. 

I flicked the ash onto the ground, looking at the shape of the burnt tobacco. the moment I started to notice something specific, a strong gust of wind came, sweeping it off the stone floor. the wind carried some lost envelope behind it.

 I approached the railing of the tower to observe the direction in which the wind would take it. 

I had to rub my eyes in surprise when, almost as if on cue, the envelope slipped through a slender crack in the window and into the library.

 After a few seconds of staring at that place practically aimlessly, I decided to go to the library.

 I was wearing a black robe, so no one should be able to easily find me in the shadow of the night. no one who would deliberately look for me...

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I carefully moved down the spiral staircase. the corridors were empty at this hour, you couldn't hear anything except the owls that lost their course and wandered over the castle.

 I stood in front of the entrance to the library, the door was closed, I didn't have to be afraid of confrontation with unwanted individuals. 

I pulled out my Alohomor wand, the door opened in front of me and I stepped inside, closing the entrance again. 

"Lumos" light appeared at the end of my wand. I started walking between the shelves, looking for the letter. I finally found him. 

it was lying between the end shelf and the forbidden books section. I picked up what I came here for. "weird" I thought. as the letter floated in the air, it was white, clearly visible in the night sky. 

I was now holding a matte black piece of paper. I turned it over in my hands, looking for the recipient or any information, before opening it. Suddenly, a silver-green shape began to form on the back of the envelope.

 it looked like illustrations from the daily prophet. first, a skull appeared and a huge snake crawled out of its mouth, then the paper turned black again and started to burn my hands slightly. 

suddenly it was as if air had cut through my lip. a large drop of blood fell onto the paper. it looked terrifying. like blood filling the veins, there was a skull again, and a snake came out of its mouth, forming what I assume was some sort of sign. 

I opened the card to see Latin writing. "proximus conventus in conclavi tenebitur in fine subterranei huius corridor, cum vocatus fueris, huic loco statim apparebis." I didn't know Latin, we were only taught single words in this language during botany classes. 

I stood there terrified of what had just happened. the appearance of the mark was part of a blood ritual that was not light magic.

 why did the spell react positively to my blood? what remained was the content of the message, written in an ancient language rarely used openly.

 I decided to get a Latin dictionary and translate the sentence written in it. my thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. I quickly put the envelope in my coat and turned towards the main passage. 

"what are you doing here at this hour?"

TBC

have a nice day/night!

see u soon!