Chapter 19. Flying Class Ends

I was panting while running towards where Dumbledore’s map had directed me earlier. Ever since wondering what I was forgetting that night, I felt my magic start growing out of control. The warm feeling of magic that I used to have during these days, had begun to feel like burning. Everything was too loud everywhere, and the bright daylight blinded me. Running through the empty halls, the clapping of my shoes grew faster and faster as I felt I needed a place to rest, and expel all this extra power dwelling within me.

Crashing through the doors, I was back outside. A small stone path led to my destination. The Whomping Willow. I hurriedly rushed down to where the instructions listed. “Where? Where? There!” The tree started to move, waking up to hit me just like the instructions said, during that time, I was looking for the knot. With the bright light of the day, it was hard for me to even open my eyes to check, but by some miracle I found the knot at the base of the tree. I quickly pushed it with all my force, causing the tree to groan under the strain, and freeze.

I then glanced around the base of the tree, until I found the hole. I groaned at having to do this, however there was no alternative to rest without putting Val or my room in danger. ‘After the second time, father had built me a room to sleep in during these nights.’ I bit my lip in angst, before diving into the hole headfirst. The entrance was small, making me crawl, and dirtying my clothes. However once fully inside, I could stand (Or crouch rather) on my feet, and began walking down the darkened path.

Feeling my power growing, I quickly made my way to the end of the passageway. Up the damp steps, I slammed open the wooden hatch, and climbed into this strange room. Everything was dusty, and stained. It reminded me of a room that some of the ‘lower classes’ would use. With the exception of all the dust, and large gashes in the rotten wood. I shook my head, resolving myself to clean this up later. To make a place for me to not catch a disease from some of the rats that I assumed made this place their home as well.

There was no time to do that now, so I would just have to bear with all the dust for tonight. I closed the hatch behind me, and went up the old wooden and creaky stairs. I then went into the first room that I found. The hinges creaked as I pushed the door open. It seemed to be an abandoned bedroom. I sighed from how all of this was unkempt, but since my head felt it was about to explode, I moved towards the bed.

I took off my robes, and other clothes except for my underwear. Not because I trusted the old raggedy bed to be a calming experience, but because every time that I did unleash my magic in my sleep, my clothes would rip. It was quite annoying before, but now that I had to sleep in this place, I felt even more that I needed to clean it up for the future of my sanity. I grunted, while swatting the comforter to remove excess dust. Content with that, in my altered state of mind (Mostly from the pain of my headache), I went under the covers, and let everything melt away into blackness.

Back in the courtyard, Pansy was tapping her foot while waiting. The rest of the class had devolved into the Gryffindor’s yelling about how Potter should be exonerated from being removed from class, and how Lucas should be at fault. While the Slytherins were defending Lucas, and saying that Potter deserves whatever he gets coming to him. A loud whistle blew, stopping any more arguing from happening. Everyone looked towards Madam Hooch, speed walking towards the class with an un-amused expression. “I left for only a few minutes to the hospital wing, and some of you took it upon yourselves to break my only rule?”

Everyone was silent, until the mudblood girl explained. “Harry only left the ground to catch Neville's Remembrall Peterson threw away.” Madam Hooch scanned around quickly, and then landed her eyes on Pansy. “Where is Peterson?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. Pansy answered slowly and in confusion. “He said he went to the Hospital Wing for his headache. Did you not see him?” Pansy watched as Madam Hooch’s eyes widened, she then darted her head upwards, causing Pansy to follow her gaze in more confusion.

When she did, she saw what looked like a red bird perched on the same statue Neville’s robe was caught on. Just as Pansy was starting to get a better look at the bird, it took off behind the walls of the castle. Her attention was then brought over to Madam Hooch as she spoke. “Ah, right… Dumbledore needed to see him today. We must have missed each other.” Many of the Slytherins were chattering in hushed tones about how great Lucas must be to have the headmaster in his pocket, but Pansy felt something was off. Since class was essentially over anyway, everyone was released early to their next classes.

When everyone left the field, Hermione spoke to Ron in worry. “There is something wrong about Peterson.” She quickly compiled all the memories she had since she met him only a few days earlier. Strange things happened all around him. His inordinate amount of magic power, and especially the hissing that he sometimes emitted. However now he was acting rash, and violent, completely different from what she knew of him. Ron scoffed while shaking his head. “He’s just finally showing his true colors as a Slytherin.”

“That’s not-” Hermione was about to try and explain better that something was strange about Peterson, but stopped herself, biting her lip in angst. ‘Maybe there’s something in the library.’ Realizing, trying to convince Ron or Harry without proof wouldn’t work, Hermione took it on herself to research anything for the symptoms she has witnessed.

Waking up, I groggily looked around. It was much darker than I remembered, signifying all the energy I had built up had been released. The only light came from the shuttered windows with enchantments to help keep them in place despite all that happened last night. I felt my lower half, and noted that my underwear was gone. I sighed and blindly felt the nightstand beside the bed for my clothes.

Dressing back up inside my robes, I strained my eyes to see how much damage I had done to the room. To my astonishment, nothing was broken. In fact, the parts of the room best illuminated from the streams of morning light seemed in better shape than I remembered. I felt the covers, and noted that they were still dusty, but not torn into pieces like how the ones in his home always did. “Maybe this room has some self repair function using my excess energy. Quite clever.”

I nodded with appreciation at this marvelous room Dumbledore gave to me, and took my wand to look better. “It is a Saturday, so I have some time. Lumos!” With the chant, the room alighted, and I could see dust still present everywhere, but the tears in the wallpaper, and splintered wood flooring seemed much better. “Reparo.” I waved my wand at some of the more dilapidated parts of the room and bed especially. I watched the plentiful amounts of cracks reverse back like they never existed.

“Hmm… What was the pronunciation again? Ter… Tergeo!” I yelled while waving my wand all across the room, removing all the dust and stains the room had accumulated. With that, the room started to look somewhat presentable, and breathing became an easier task. I nodded with accomplishment, and began my cleaning crusade against the entire house.

There were only a few other rooms and a singular bathroom. Each room was in around the same state as the one I slept in, besides one singular outlier. “Did they keep a feral bear in here?” I asked while studying the myriad of claw marks all along the pitch black room. It had no windows, and no furniture. The door itself felt reinforced, and it was clear from the scratch marks on the inside, that whatever was kept in here tried to get out. I took a deep breath to help ease my anger of a caged animal, and bit my lip, hoping the school had a good reason for doing so. ‘Perhaps it was Rabid, and they needed a place to keep it while making a cure…’