Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 76: Sea anemones and sand paintings

Gemma waved goodbye across Harry's back and he turned and waved to her. Then he headed across the library to the room that Besel had shown him earlier. He hoped that Madam Flamel wasn't going to quiz him too much on the book she'd lent him and he wondered if he was supposed to read the whole thing.

He paused at the entry to the classroom, listening to get an idea for who was in the space before he entered.

"Hello?" said Aminah.

"Hi, Aminah," Harry said.

"You're really good at recognizing people's voices, you know that Harry?" Aminah said.

"Oh? I don't know. I mean, I guessed you were in this class. And how do you know I didn't just do the Reveleo Memento spell?" Harry said.

"Did you?" Aminah asked.

"No, I just guessed and your voice is kind of distinctive... it reminds me of caramel," Harry said.

"Oh, well, that's nice, I guess," Aminah said laughing.

Harry moved into the space and found an empty chair next to Aminah.

"Is it okay if I sit here?" he asked.

"Sure, I don't think we have assigned seats," Aminah answered.

He pulled out the chair and sat down and did the Reveleo memento just out of curiosity. It was just the two of them in the room.

"I'm supposed to meet Madam Flamel here early so that she can catch me up on what I missed yesterday," Harry explained.

"Oh, I just got here, but she wasn't here when I arrived. I came early so that I could practice. I think it is going to take me a really long time to learn how to read braille," Aminah said.

"Yeah, me, too," Harry sighed.

He got out the Louis Braille book and continued to read it, pausing occasionally to listen for Madam Flamel.

Finally he heard someone approaching, but as they got closer he decided that it wasn't Madam Flamel as the tapping was more like a staff than a cane.

"Hi Aminah and Harry," Fitz greeted. "Harry, you missed this lesson yesterday."

"Uh, yep," said Harry.

Harry heard Madam Flamel's distinctive gait approaching the door.

"Oh, well, this is excellent. I love the punctuality of the British wixen," she exclaimed. "Le métier de Morgan! Harry, I'm so sorry! I forgot that I had asked you to arrive early!"

"It's okay. I just used the time to read the book you lent me," Harry said, holding it up.

"Well, that's very good of you. Again, I apologize," she said.

After a moment, she started Wingardium leviosa'ing items off shelves behind them and they floated over their heads to the table, all with different tiny bells sounds so that it sounded as if a forest of fairies had been suddenly awoken from sleep, rose into the air, and then descended upon them. Finally, it was quiet and everyone seemed to be holding their breath.

Harry held his hands tightly in his lap. He was so tempted to reach out and see what had descended in front of them.

"Don't be shy, go ahead. Take a look," Madam Flamel encouraged.

He heard his classmates reaching out so he did, too.

He jumped in surprise as his hands came in contact with something spiny. It didn't hurt him, but it was a lot more prickly than he imagined. He had no idea what it was. He had pulled back his hand and reached out again more tentatively.