𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 ── chilling adventures of sabrina

ix | the harrowing to end all harrowings

ACT I — CHAPTER IX
Tʜᴇ Hᴀʀʀᴏᴡɪɴɢ Tᴏ Eɴᴅ Aʟʟ Hᴀʀʀᴏᴡɪɴɢs

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───

After Sabrina stormed away from her, Lydia decided to walk around the Academy and see what it had to offer. She remembered Quentin saying that nobody knew how many pentagons were in the school, so she decided to count as many rooms as she could.

As Lydia walked, counting the rooms, she could feel the stares of other students on her. Normally, this would bother her, but for some reason, she didn't care. She guessed it was because she was still riding off the high of speaking up for herself in Blackwood's office. this thought prompted her to look at the Acheron Configuration in her hands. If she and Sabrina had any chance at defeating the Dark Lord, then Lydia would have to prove herself and get into conjuring class.

Lydia had counted 33 pentagon rooms when she saw Thomas Loher. She quickly turned around and started walking the other way she came in the hopes of avoiding the boy, but that idea was crushed when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Hey," he said. Lydia simply smiled in return. Thomas continued anyway, "You know, I heard a rumor that you and your sister got into a fight with the Weird Sisters."

This caused Lydia to internally roll her eyes, "You shouldn't believe everything that you hear."

"Well, I'll just have to keep that in mind for next time," Thomas replied. He looked down at the Acheron in Lydia's hands. "Where did you get that?"

"Um, Father Blackwood gave it to me. Once I solve it, I'll be able to take conjuring classes," Lydia quickly explained. As much as she didn't like the boy, she also didn't want to be rude and avoid his questions.

"Interesting," Thomas began, "You know that particular configuration is your father's thesis, right?"

"What?" Lydia asked, slightly shocked.

"Yeah, he designed it and he built it. Father Blackwood's been trying to solve that thing for about two decades," Thomas said. He grabbed the Acheron from Lydia's hands and peered at it.

Maybe Lydia should've let Sabrina take the Acheron Configuration after all.

"I tried for about four years, gave up three months ago. The thing is, this configuration is sort of like a kaleidoscope. The patterns and the colors of it make it pretty addictive, and the longer you stare at it, the harder it is to solve. this thing can really mess you up if you're not careful," Thomas explained. He handed the Acheron back to Lydia.

"Brilliant," she replied.

"I'm going to be honest with you — you can't do it," Thomas said, bluntly. This made Lydia's blood boil.

"Why? Because I'm a girl?" Lydia asked, rage slightly hinted at in her voice. Thomas' eyes widened and he frantically shook his head.

"No, of course not. It's just as I said, I tried for four years and Blackwood tried for twenty. The odds are against you," Thomas quickly replied. A thought then entered Lydia's mind.

"Well, since my father made it, then he's bound to have written about them in his journals. There's got to be something in it that that can help me, don't you think?" Lydia asked, not necessarily expecting an answer.

Thomas once again shook his head, "Unfortunately not, at least nothing useful."

"Perhaps not for you, but I am a Spellman, and if anyone can figure out my father's writings, it's me. I suppose I can just go to the library and look at the journals and see what I can find," Lydia said. The last part was mainly directed towards herself, but Thomas didn't need to do that.