When Myths Meet Magic || 5

39|| Hermione

Ron growled in annoyance as the group split up and entered separate rooms. "I swear, if I hear one more comment about how they've been on all these brave quests..." he made a violent gesture with his fist.

"Ronald," Hermione scolded, biting her lip in worry. Both Harry and Ron had been increasingly cross that year, especially towards Percy.

"Look," Harry said, distracting both of them. The door had led to a large arena-like room that neither Hermione nor Ron had noticed, benches lining the circular walls like a curved, staircasing amphitheater. In the center was a cracked stone archway that looked like it could fit Hagrid comfortably.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Ron whispered. In the sudden silence it seemed fitting to whisper.

It was a veil, she could see, as they drew nearer. It rippled slightly, as if there was the faintest autumn breeze in the room, but there was no wind.

"What are you saying?" Harry said suddenly, very loudly, and his voice echoed around the empty stone benches.

"No one is talking, Harry," said Hermione. Harry began drifting closer to the archway as if entranced.

"Is that you, Ron?"

"I'm here, mate," said Ron.

"You can't hear it?" Harry demanded, not pulling his eyes away. "There are people in there."

Hermione was suddenly seized by a wave of anger and she gripped Harry's wrist before he could draw any closer. "What do you mean, in there?" she demanded. "There isn't any in there, it's an archway, there's no room for anybody to be in there— Harry, stop it, come away."

She pulled but Harry resisted.

"We're supposed to be here for Sirius!" she snapped.

"Sirius," Harry repeated as if not really processing the name. "Yeah..."

And he wrenched his eyes from the veil.

"Let's go," he said.

"That's what I've been trying to — oh, nevermind," Hermione sighed. "Come on."

"What d'you reckon that arch was?" Ron asked as they quickly ascended back up the seats and out the door.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous," said Hermione as she quickly drew a firey X over the door that joined several others. Ginny was peering into what appeared to be an empty room but as she saw them leave she quickly stepped away and closed the door, which was also marked with a red scribble. The room began to spin again, quite violently, and Hermione wondered what would happen if someone left the door at that moment— but she needn't have worried because then it stopped again and Harry pushed open another door.

"This is it!" he gasped, and stepped inside.

>>>• Neville •<<<

Neville, Thalia, and Nico entered the door between Harry's and Percy's as the others vanished as well, except for Ginny who was having trouble fit through the door.

As soon as the door closed, the lights came on.

"Ahh," Nico grimaced, flinching in surprise as the cool, bright, silver moonlight washed over them. "I hate glass ceilings."

"It's not a glass ceiling," Thalia said, stepping forward and lifting her hands as if grasping for the source. "This isn't moonlight from the sky, it's from inside."

A lamp post like glass structure stood in the center of the room. In the main container hovered a silver orb of pure light. It pulsed gently in its glass container as it was tugged and pulled and almost kneaded by the container. The pole supporting the container was a clear tube as every now and then, another flicker of light was sucked down the tube deeper into the ground. Along the walls and ceiling, ancient runes were carved in glowing silver ink that pulsed and flickered as if it was alive.