Fathers Daughter

Part 1: Chapter 9

A CHRISTMAS GHOST STORY

"Sweet master doctor, learned master doctor, who ever heard of a witch that really died? You can always get them back."

C. S. Lewis, "Prince Caspian"

"Bella! Guess what?" Charlotte ran up to Arabella after classes the day before end of term. Arabella had just entered the Great Hall for supper. Charlotte grabbed her arm and led her over to the Gryffindor table. Celine was already sitting in their usual spot. She smiled as the other two girls sat down beside her.

"I asked my mum if you two could come over for New Years, and she said it was ok with her but I should ask my dad. So I did, and he said it was ok with him if it was ok with mum! So, you guys want to?"

"Um, my family's going to Spain for the holidays, so I guess I can't." Celine sounded disappointed.

"Oh, that's too bad," Charlotte replied, her face falling. "I mean, going to Spain sounds amazing! Just too bad you probably can't come over for New Years." She turned. "What about you, Bella? Think maybe you could come?"

"I'll have to ask my cousin if she's ok with it," Arabella replied. "But I really want to. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun!"

After supper, the girls chattered as they exited the great hall. "I'm bushed,' Celine said. "All these exams are driving me crazy!"

Charlotte patted Celine's shoulder. "Hang in there, Cel...just one left to go. We're nearly done." She turned to Arabella. "You want to study for the potions exam with us?"

Arabella nodded. "Sure, I'm kind of worried about that exam. I think it's going to be pretty tough." She twirled her hair as she spoke, a sure sign that she was nervous.

Celine laughed. "You? Worried about a potions exam? You're the best in the class at potions, Bella! You always get perfects, or nearly so."

"But this is the midterm," Arabella replied. "I'm just extra worried about doing it well, that's all. I'm going to stop off in the library. There are a couple books I want to check. I'll meet you in the common room later and we can go over notes." The girls parted ways, with Arabella heading off to the library and her friends starting up the stairs.

Arabella loved the library, and went there to study or read most evenings, if even just for a short time. She loved books and learning about new things, and she was an avid reader. Growing up, Augustus would frequently take her to muggle libraries and let her check out as many books as she wished. Sadly, there were relatively few books in their house, due to their moving around frequently in the early years. Once, while they were still living in Ireland, he'd even taken her to the library at Trinity College in Dublin. Arabella had never seen so many books in one place! But even that was nothing compared to the library at Hogwarts. Arabella also enjoyed the library at Greengrass Manor whenever they visited there. Her cousins collected old and rare volumes.

She found the books she was looking for and sat down at a table, quickly losing herself in reading. She jotted down notes and got a few other books that had been referenced in the ones she'd started out with.

Eventually, she heard a clock striking Eight somewhere in the castle and jumped up from the table. "Uh oh," she muttered. "I've been here way longer than I'd planned! The girls are going to kill me!" She returned the books to their shelves, gathered up her notes, and dashed out the door.

As she neared the stairway to the dungeons, she heard a rustling sound. A voice whispered, "Arabella!"

She glanced down the stairs in time to see what looked like a shadow around the curve, flickering in the torchlight. "Hello?" She called. The shadow descended the stairs and moved out of sight. She walked to the top of the staircase, trying to see around the curve. But no one was there.