Enemies of the Moon Dog | Open Novella Contest 2019

The Professor

The night air was cool and unusually still. A pale full moon cast eerie rays across the school grounds. Long shadows stretched like grotesque arms over trees and bushes. They walked in silence, the damp grass along the path swishing quietly against their pant legs. Talieson felt goosebumps tingle on his neck and shoulders. William nervously squinted into dark corners and Micheal grew increasingly uncomfortable with the moon dog's mood. He seemed to grow in size with every step he took. His teeth looked longer, his claws sharper. The clock struck midnight as they reached the entrance of the castle. No one said a word as they walked up the stone steps. Rose walked up to the door with her head high, her shoulders square, and the goat close to her heels. She pushed hard but it didn't move. 

"The door's locked," she gasped.

"What? No!" exclaimed Talieson. The boys joined Rose and all four of them thrust their weight against the heavy oak doors. They would not budge. 

"We can try the door Hagrid and I snuck the alligator and the bear out of," suggested Talieson. Rose picked up the goat and tucked him under her arm. The group walked back down the steps and made their way towards the west side of the castle. The moon dog remained on guard as they rounded the corner, peering into dark shadows with suspicion and emitting a low growl at the slightest noise. They came to the small round door and, to their relief, it opened easily. A long black corridor stretched in front of them. 

"Lumos," said Rose. The tip of her wand illuminated the darkness. The others followed suit.  "Weird that this corridor is completely unlit. I guess no one goes this way at night," she said nervously. The moon dog seemed even more on edge as they entered the castle. They walked down a long corridor without any doors, up a spiral staircase, and down another long hall with empty classrooms that were no longer in use. They crossed a covered bridge into another tower. All of the corridors were as dark as the first.

"I don't even know where we are," said Rose after they had walked in silence for what seemed like ten or fifteen minutes.

"I think we are near the Room of Requirement," said William. Sure enough, they could just make out the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.

 The moon dog was almost twice his normal size. He paced back and forth continuously in front of the wall across from the tapestry.  

"We should go," said Rose watching the moon dog anxiously. 

"There's something in there," said Micheal. 

"Let's get back to the common room," Rose urged again.

The hairs on the back of Talieson's neck were standing on end. He thought wistfully of the warmth and comfort of the fire in the Griffyndor common room. But he couldn't ignore the moon dog's behavior. They had faced danger before and it was worth it. "We need to see what is inside the Room of Requirement. Whatever is in there is a threat to Hogwarts. We can't just ignore it,"  he said gripping his wand a little tighter. 

And that's when they heard a familiar cackle that made them freeze. The goat whimpered and buried his face in the crook of Rose's arm. She held him more tightly. All four students pointed their wands at the large stone wall. 

"You're right," said Rose. "She doesn't belong here."

The moon dog's eyes glowed red and he paced frantically three times before the wall when suddenly the door appeared. He hurled himself against it and the door burst open to reveal a large cavernous laboratory. Potions bubbled on top of dozens of lab benches. Glassware and spinning machines cluttered the room. Bottles with thick dark liquid crowded together on shelves and in between bubbling cauldrons. Jars with small pickled animals, brains and other body parts lined one wall. There were small cages scattered throughout the room. Some appeared to contain magical creatures, though it was too dark to be certain. Eyes glowed from the shadows. In the middle of the room, stood a frantic looking Professor Dunes. He stood next to what appeared to be a prison cell made of shimmering light. Surrounded by enchanted walls that sparkled gold, green and orange stood the small angry figure of the witch. Her hands were raised and sparks flew from her fingertips towards the wall in front of her. Rose screamed. The boys stood still in shock. Professor Dunes cast charm after charm at the walls containing the witch, but with each reinforcement, she seemed to break down more of its strength.