Witch Me?(Witch or Shadowhunter?Book 2)

The Attack on Halloween

  I flash across the sky above the Quidittch pitch, makeshift bat raised and scanning the sky for the balls I'd enchanted. One of them zooms at me and I swing the bat, knocking the ball away and making the school's broom sway dangerously. Having been chosen as just a backup beater I got stuck training on my own, with only Ms. Know-it-all to tell me if I do something wrong. Which, of course, she doesn't as she hates and doesn't understand the sport. Luckily I've already read "Quidittch Through the Ages" so many times I could pass quiz on it in my sleep. Another of my enchanted wooden bludgers comes at me and I duck, waving my wand and mutter a spell to hold both of them in place. I'm painfully aware of how unprotected I am currently with only a single seraph blade and about three daggers stuck in my belt. I land lightly on the ground and put the wooden bludgers into a sack. Ms. Know-it-all comes over and I hand her the broom, leaving her behind as I head to the Great Hall to eat something. She lets out an annoyed sigh and returns the broom to the shed before running after me.

  I take a bite of toast right as the many owls start flying in with the mail. Since it's already been over a month I'm getting used to this happening on a daily basis. It's not until the owl is almost on top of me that I realize it's here for me. It lands next to my empty goblet and holds out its leg for me, cocking it's head. Rolling my eyes with a sigh, I untie the neatly tied letter. When I then ignore it, the owl ruffles it's feathers and takes off, clearly put off. After just one glance at the handwriting and I let a smile brighten my face for the first time since I left Nick at Kings Cross. I tear the envelope open eagerly, ignoring the three mundanes who're now watching me intently. I mouth the words silently as I read the letter. For a moment I freeze, rereading the sentence over several times. "She has something to ask me, too?" I whisper, scanning the rest of the letter quickly. Nothing gives me any hint at what she wants to ask me and I wonder if we both have the same question in mind. "Who has something to ask you?" Ms. Know-it-all inquires, attempting to read the letter over my shoulder. I swat her away as Mr. Thunderhead and Mr. Eats-a-lot nod in agreement. "My friend Grace, she's a fellow sh....a muggle I grew up with," I say, shifting gears mid-sentence. Without waiting for a reply I push away from the table and head back to the Gryffindor common room.

I lean against a tree, deep in the Forbidden Forest. I watch and listen, trying to be patient while I wait for Valentine. I know it's unsafe to meet with him to train in broad daylight but it's not like I have a choice at this school. A hand touches my shoulder and I jump, my left hand reaching for Tinea's hilt. That is, until Valentine starts speaking. "Thank you for meeting me here, I know you'd prefer to train in a more open area," he says. I tilt my head up and smile brightly, "I'd do anything to get to train with another Shadowhunter right now, especially you." He removes his hand and steps in front of me, pulling out his sword, "that's my beautiful angel-demon. Let's begin." I have just enough time to whip Tinea out before Phaesphoros swipes at me. Tinea parries the blow but the force sends me stumbling backwards over a root. Valentine uses his advantage to drive his blade down towards me, but I'm already standing and dodging out of the way. Tinea comes around in an attack of her own, only to be parried by Phaesphoros. I jump upward and flip onto a fallen tree, landing in perfect balance on the trunk. When Valentine brings his weapon around to strike at me, I knock it down, pinning it in place with Tinea. Unfortunately this leaves the rest of me unguarded and Valentine brings his free hand up to my neck. Instead, he places his hand on my upper arm brings me close, laughing. "Nice job, but you must keep everywhere protected when fighting. You're already better than the others, although you still have a lot to learn," he says to me, sitting down on the tree trunk. I smile goofily at him and sit down too, listening intently to what he tells me.

  The sun is starting to dip behind the castle when I realize I best be returning to school for the Halloween feast. "It'll be nothing like at the institute, hunting demons this year instead of downworlders, but I'll make it count," I tell Valentine, sheathing Tinea and retrieving the dagger I'd lost in our most recent fight. He nods and gives me a small hug, the most he ever gives me anymore. I nuzzle my head in his shoulder momentarily before taking off back to the school. "Tell my parents I miss them," I call back, almost at the double oak doors. I can't see Valentine from here, and I know it's not safe for him to be so near the institute, but I know he both heard me and will let them know.

  The meal, while different and made of more sweets than normal, does nothing to make me happy. The best part is the fact that Ms. Know-it-all, Mr. Eats-a-lot, and Mr. Thunderhead are nowhere to be found. I let my gaze stay to the Slytherin table and find my blue eyes immediately locked with grey ones. Instead of doing anything, even looking away, I just sit there and search Draco's eyes for signs that he could indeed survive Assenation. After a moment he looks away and I stand up, noticing that we're some of the last ones left. I hear him following me and smirk, noting how easy it is to get this one. We climb the stairs where a crowd has gathered, his attempting to keep his distance from me but failing. Knowing he'd be rude making his way to the front his way, I slip between students easily, leaving a confused path for him. The first thing I see is the writing above the torch: the chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware. The next thing I notice is the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, hanging frozen by her tail from the torch. Tell me this isn't what I think it is, I beg silently. I suck in a sharp breath of air as Draco, beside me, shouts, "enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"