The Ancient Wielder

Chapter 8: The Helm of Urtkot

October 1st, 1995 Sunday

              The trees soon shifted into different shades of orange as fall quickly rolled in, its fallen leaves littering the school grounds. The whole school was covered with scattered pumpkins along with other decorations that represented the soon upcoming Halloween as it was now October 1st, 1995. It had been about three weeks since Alice had completed the Keepers' first trial. As school progressed, so did the assignments. Which meant for the past three weeks she had been immersed in her studies, the assignments seeming to have become more advanced. She spent a lot of her time in the Room of Requirements, using the very room that Professor McGonagall and Deek had introduced her to in order to study long and hard. Professor Fig had also been busy with teaching his elective class, Magical Theory, as the fifth-year students would be taking their O.W.L.s this year and would need to prepare themselves for the exam.

It was a Sunday, meaning there were no classes for the day in which Alice was grateful for. She had finished all her soon-to-be-due assignments the day prior, meaning she finally had a free day on her hands. She wanted to take the chance to finally look into the goblin that she had noticed when entering the Three Broomsticks that first day she had went off to Hogsmeade alongside Draco. The same goblin whom she had seen speaking to Sirona. Alice immediately began to ready herself, quickly doing her makeup and searching through her trunk for the perfect outfit for her trip to Hogsmeade. She pulls out a black long-sleeved turtleneck to pair with a black-and-white checkered dress she also removed from within her trunk. Alice puts on the black turtleneck first before placing the checkered dress atop, the dress fitting snug against her small waist. With the weather beginning to change, there was always a cool breeze as the temperatures were slowly dropping due to the change in season. Alice finishes the outfit with a pair of black boots and smiles at herself in the mirror. She looked good. Her hair wasn't in its usual black curls, the now pin-straight hair swaying against the end of her back. She smiles as she eyes herself, the usual burgundy on her lips accentuating her pretty outfit for the day.

***

Alice pushes against the door leading into the Three Broomsticks, immediately spotting Sirona whom was wiping down the bar counter. A single elderly witch sat at the far right of the bar, drunkenly asleep in her stool. The friendly chatter of a few witches and wizards sitting at the tables to the right of the room emanated throughout the vicinity. Alice saunters up to the bar, the door closing behind her with a soft thud. At the sound of the door closing, Sirona looks up to meet the gaze of the young Slytherin witch.

Sirona stands up from her leaned position against the bar as she smiles at Alice, "Hello there! Nice to see you. I'll say it again: can't thank you enough for helping to save the village from those trolls."

"Hello, Miss Ryan. I wanted to thank you again for your help with Rookwood and Harlow the day of the troll attack," Alice says with a smile full of gratitude.

"Sirona, please. And I was happy to help. Those two are nothing but trouble. Glad you and your friend were here when they found you," Sirona says sincerely.

"I am too. You were speaking to a goblin here that day," Alice finally brings up, hoping Sirona would have the answers she seeked.

"Yes, Lodgok. He's a friend," Sirona answers back with a smile.

"It seemed as though you were on good terms with him," Alice says.

"I've known him for years. We met when I was waiting tables here as a student - well before I bought the place. He was cordial enough, but we weren't friends then. His mistrust of wizardkind ran deep."