Lysander Scamander: The Hall of Voices

6: Stand-In Trade

I opened my eyes immediately and shot to my feet. I looked at everyone around me.

"We have to make a replica of the locket." I said, "By sundown."

Lorcan furrowed his brow, "Why?"

"I need to meet Patch Man in the Forbidden Forest at sundown to trade the locket for Riley, but I can't let him have the locket."

Alice frowned, "Why not?"

I looked at her, "Because I promised Nana, I'd give it to Matilda."

Erika stood up and looked at the locket carefully before taking Lily by the hand and high tailing it out of there. I looked at Lorcan and Alice, wondering if they knew what she's doing. They gave him slight shakes of the head.

My sister is strange.

I sat in that corridor, drumming on my leg. Lorcan and Alice sat beside me, equally as bored but unsure what to do.

"Truth or dare?" Alice suggested. Lorcan and I shrugged, so she said, "Okay, Lorcan. You first."

Lorcan, who was twiddling his thumbs, said, "Truth."

I jumped to the opportunity, "Have you done special activities with Becca?"

Lorcan sighed, "I wish we were playing truth or drink."

Alice chuckled, "Well, we're not. Spill!"

Lorcan's jaw clenched, but he did answer with, "Maybe we did. Maybe we didn't."

I laughed and kicked his foot, "He's got that dog in him!"

Lorcan sighed frustrated, "We're done with this game!"

The three of us went back to staring at the walls, Alice and I both laughing in our hearts. That's when we heard two pairs of feet running towards us. Erika and Lily, looking tired, rounded the corner. Lorcan, Alice, and I got to our feet instantly and as they regained their composure, Lily produced the locket from her bag.

"One locket replica!" she said to me, "As requested!"

Erika smiled as she held the chain of the actual locket still around her neck. I took the replica from Lily and held it up.

"It's absolutely gorgeous!"

"Lysander?" Lily spoke in a hushed voice.

I looked up at her, "Yes?"

She looked at Erika, "This is the corridor Riley saw."

I looked around the corridor, looking for something that made them think this, but I saw nothing.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Erika pointed to the hall, "Walk past the corner."

I, confused, walked past the corner. When I turned around, I saw no opening. Just a stone wall. She wasn't crazy. It's enchanted. Patch Man must've tampered with it on Halloween.

I stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, replica locket in my pocket, ready to get my best friend back and apologize. I looked over my shoulder. Lily, Lorcan, Alice, and Erika stood a good distance away waiting for me to venture into the wood so that they can follow.

If something goes wrong, I need back-up and they'll be there.

I breathed in and stepped forward. As I walked through the forest, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The sounds of the forest often got spooky as it got dark, but I had never been in here while that was happening.

But I was doing this to save Riley. I couldn't be chicken.

"I'm coming, Riley." I whispered.

I came into a clearing and saw him. Patch Man. He stood there, his patchiness standing out in the golden rays of sunset.

"Finally." he said.

I took the locket out of my pocket. Holding it out, I stared at him.

"Give me Riley." I said, "Then you'll get this."

Patch Man sighed but waved his hand compliantly. Riley appeared at my feet, her appearance breaking my heart. Her face was badly bruised, the back of her shirt was soaked in blood, and she lay at my feet shivering in pain. I looked at Patch Man and threw the locket to him. He caught it as I pulled Riley up onto my knee.

Patch Man held up the locket, as if trying to do an enchantment. When he noticed nothing was happening, he looked at me.

"Why isn't anything happening?" when I didn't answer, he got angry, "I know the locket is here! I sense it!"

"Yeah, you have it in your hand." I told him.

Patch Man shook his fist as he clenched the locket, "This isn't the right locket!"

And he flew himself forward, going through Riley and making her convulse, at me. I screamed and fell back. I saw a stream of light shoot from the edge of the clearing.

Erika stood at the forests edge. Patch Man looked up at her.

"Ah, there it is." he said in a low voice.

He flew at Erika, pushing her up against a tree and lifting the locket out from under her jumper. I watched as Lily, Alice, and Lorcan tried to fight him, but their attempts were unsuccessful. I looked back at Riley, trying to get her to stop convulsing when my eyes caught sight of the replica.

Once Patch Man realized he had no use for it, he discarded it, so I snatched it up and cast an enchantment over it. Then, I got to my feet and turned to Patch Man.

"Patrick!" I called out. He turned his head, and I readied my arm, "Time to go back in Pandora's box!"

Patch Man frowned, "What?"

I opened the replica and threw it at the ground in front of him. Then I pointed my wand at him and pulled him close to the locket. When he got close enough to it, he got locked into the enchantment's current. He realized what was happening and tried to go up, but it was too late. As he was sucked into the locket, his grasp on Erika was gone and she dropped to ground, coughing and trying to regain her breath.

I ran forward and slammed the locket shut and shoved it in my pocket. Then, I ran back to Riley and picked her up and went to the others.

"Is Erika okay?" I inquired.

Lorcan, who was crouched next to her, stood up and nodded, "Yeah."

I nodded and handed Riley off to my brother, "Ok. You guys take Riley to the hospital. I'll meet you there."

Alice looked at him, "What are you doing?"

I pulled the locket out of his pocket and looked at it,  "To dispose of Mr. Smythe."