Aza Sterlings

[21] Ghosts

GHOSTS

Matt didn't approached me for our lesson that evening. Heck, he didn't even show up! I sighed and swished my wand in the air. I've been here in the training room for half an hour now.

"Quesida!" I summoned my spell book from my bag and flipped through the pages. I'm pretty sure I can learn these spells all by myself! Who needs Matt anyway?! With a new found determination, I focused on the electric attack charm. After taking in a deep breath, I muttered,

"Electrosaprikus!"

I felt a uncontrollable force seeping out of my wand. My eyes widened in horror when bolts of electricity came flying everywhere. It hit and burnt the wall opposite from me. "Oh, shit!" I immediately pulled back my wand and stared at the damaged done.

I held my forehead and flipped through my spellbooks' pages once again.

"There has got to be some 'clean up' or 'undo' charm here!" Madam Maxines will kill me once she spots this mess! My gaze landed on a particular spell. I bit my lower lip and chanted,

"Ivalio Deltera!"

I waited for something to happen. Just then, a fluid-like light came out of my wand and splashed over the damaged wall. I sighed in relief and smiled when I saw the wall rebuilding itself. But just when I thought that's the end of it, a loud explosion errupted from the wall.

Double shit!

My mouth gaped when a giant crater appeared. It was then times worse than before! You're in for a LOT of trouble, Aza Sterlings! Shakily, I reread the spell I used and face-palmed when I misread the description. It doesn't just fixes things----it fixes things and makes them worse! It's the bad luck charm!

Vevito Alemana

"Huh?"

I turned around, frantic about that mysterious voice again. Shit, I must really be out of my mind. I knew the MidWorld's doing something to me! I closed my eyes and concentrated as I tried to recall what spells are suitable for a situation as terrible as this. Somehow, those certain words kept ringing inside my head.

Vevito Alemana..

I searched it up on the spellbook but none matched those foreign words. Then, I froze when I heard footsteps coming nearer, just outside the training room's door. I panicked and instantly pointed my wand at the disaster I made.

"Vevito Alemana!"

And just like that, the crater fixed itself and the wall looked as good as new. I waited for an after effect or something but none came. As if on cue, the door swung open and Natalina came smiling playfully.

"Training after curfew hours? I'm so proud of you, Az!"

I smiled at her and picked up my things. "What are you doing here?"

She grinned. "Well, I just wanna ask if you're up for some nighttime stroll? It's Friday night and I have this habit of doing naughty things." Natalina winked at me.

I furrowed my eyebrows at her. Wait, it's past curfew? Dammit!

"Nat, we need to get back! The prefects will be patroling the castle and if we get caught.." She cut me off, "We won't get caught, Az. Trust me, I've been sneaking around this castle for months now. See?" She gestured herself, "I'm still in one piece! Come on, let's go!"

And without asking my permission, she dragged me out of the training room.

Natalina and I passed several dim hallways and hid behind every corner whenever a prefect would suddenly pop out of the opposite direction. She wasn't kidding when she said she's good at sneaking around.

"Nat, where are we going?" I whispered as we slid into a certain room. She grinned, "You'll see."

When the door closed behind us, Natalina cleared her throat and turned to the empty room.

"You can come out now."

I furrowed my eyebrows, thinking she probably lost her mind. But then, just as I was about to drag Nat back to reality, a semi-transparent figure emerged from the wall. I held my breath and gazed at cerulean blue eyes that bore into mine.

"Az, don't freak out, okay? This my ghost friend, Mace Cadburns."

My eyes shot wide. "G-GHOST?!"

"Yeah. And basically we're in the Southern part of Liondalle.."

The ghost drifted near me and eyed me closely. He's handsome for a ghost, I'd give him that. He's just about our age, but his clothes were different. But there just something in the way his ghostly features screamed danger. Fuck this! This is a freakin' ghost! My chest rose up and down irregularly. I think I'm gonna have a heart attack!

Mace smiled. "I don't think your friend likes me, Natalina."

I remained silent. Natalina looked at me worriedly.

"Aza, are you okay?"

I felt my hands shook as I take a step back. Just then, a swarm of ghosts came out of nowhere and looked at me with those curious eyes.

"Isn't she Professor Vines' niece?"

"Oh, dear. I think she's afraid of us."

"There's no reason to be afraid, Sterlings."

I was breathing heavily now. Dammit! Why did Natalina take me here in the first place?! And it's even past curfew hours! From where I stood, I can see Mace staring at me intently. His expression was dead serious. I saw his lips moved and his voice magically reached my ears.

"He's talking to you, isn't he?"

My heart raced. I spun around, no longer being able to endure these spirits and fumbled to open the door.

"Aza! It's alright. No need to---"

"Let me out!"

My voice broke and when I managed to open the door, the first thing I saw where the majestic eyes of Lincoln Walter. He grabbed my shoulders and scanned the room behind me. The ghosts were gone and Natalina gulped when she saw the prefect. Lincoln's gaze fell on me again.

"It's past curfew hours. You know what this means, right?"

I nervously nodded. Damn, I'd rather have detention with trolls than be stuck in a room filled with ghosts any day!

***