The One That Got Away {Book One in The One Series}

Chapter Twenty ~ Dumbledore's Task

Chapter Twenty

Dumbledore’s Task

            The tunnel was dark and damp, and slowly began to slope upwards. Adalyn didn’t know what waited for her at the end of this tunnel; whether someone would be ready to take her life or welcome her in; deciding it would be best to change her appearance in case members of the DA were present, she mutter the incantations to change her hair and eye colour.

Soon, her hair (which had been getting long anyway; half way down her back now) was long and shimmering blonde, flowing all the way down to her tailbone, straight as a rod. A quick check in a little mirror from her bag confirmed that her eyes were now a light, mossy green. If anyone asked (which no one would, since she would be invisible) she was Ada Blanche, member of the Order and former DA teacher.

Soon she reached the end of the tunnel; taking a deep breath, she pushed the portrait hole open. What she saw surprised her; the room of requirement was smaller than she had ever seen, morphing itself into a small chamber with a small cot, fire place, rickety table, a couch and arm chairs, a wireless radio and several stuffed book shelves. Stepping out of the portrait, Adalyn’s gaze swept the room quickly; she had to find the blue brick, but it could have shifted anywhere in the room! The ceiling was fairly high, so it could be there, too.

“This’ll take forever by myself,” she mumbled, flicking her wand so the fire ignited “Maybe I should get some help…” grinning, Adalyn mumbled the charm to make her invisible and stepped through the heavy oak doors into the hall.

~*~*~*~

            The halls of Hogwarts were silent as Adalyn slipped through them, heading towards the Gryffindor common room. To enter, all she had to do was whisper Dumbledore’s name to the Fat Lady, who knew her from many Hogwarts visits. Passing through the large common room full of comfy furniture and a slowly dieing fire and turning to the left staircase, she climbed the steep stairs and slipped into the room marked ‘Seventh Years’.

There were five four poster beds with scarlet hangings, but two were empty. Harry and Ron’s bed, most likely. Deciding to have a little fun, Adalyn leaned against the door and flicked her wand, so not only did the lamps light, but all four boys were yanked into the air by their ankles.

“Oi!” shouted Dean Thomas, face stormy “Who the bloody hell are you?!”

“Go back to sleep, Dean…” mumbled Seamus Finnegan “It can’t be morning yet, I was having such a good dream…”

“Ada Blanche?” Neville was the only one who didn’t seem to be angry or shocked “We haven’t seen you since fifth year!”

“Yup, sorry about that lads…heard you were shut down.”

Neville shrugged (as well as he could hanging upside down by the ankle) and smiled broadly at her “Yeah, well, it was great while it lasted.”

“Speaking of down, would you mind?” Dean grumbled, desperately trying to reach his wand.

“Oh, sure.” With another flick of her wand, the three boys fell to their beds, rubbing sore spots.

“But Ada, why are you here?” asked Neville, getting up off his bed and walking over to her “Don’t you know how dangerous the castle is now?”

Rolling her eyes, Adalyn had to give Neville credit; the kid had guts, but she had more. “Danger and I have shared space for a long time, Longbottom: I can handle myself. And as for why I’m here,” she sat down on one of the empty beds and surveyed the three boys-or men really, they were all seventeen- and wondered how to ask them for a favour; she could always use persuasion, but that was sneaky “I need your help.”