Little Snake - A Black Legacy

Chapter Five - Survive

Finally, the wagon came to a stop for the last time. "We have arrived," the goblin almost sang. He seemed very happy that the dungeon was finally visited. He had noticed Hazel's look and explained himself. "We are always happy when the longest closed vaults are visited" he smiled, walked to the door and started to open the vault. There was no escape from here without a wagon or broom, it was a platform, around it nothing but black, endless depth and this door. The goblin put the key into the lock, turned it and the mechanisms of the door moved as by themselves. One by one the locks loosened and the heavy door swung open. Hazel and Fig thanked the Friendly Goblin and stepped past him into the small vault. Suddenly, the goblin started talking again. "Well, the instructions we have for Vault Twelve are very strict. They state that once a person who had the key has entered, I am to close the door behind them" he said and abruptly closed the door, leaving them in the darkness of the barely lit vault. "No!" exclaimed Hazel. "I'm sorry, but I'm just doing my job" they still heard the goblin's muffled voice say, then silence settled in.

It was only supposed to be a trip to Hogwarts. A long, and probably annoying trip. She was to arrive, her clothes intact as well as her school supplies or herself. She was not supposed to see anyone die today, not be involved in any deep secrets, not nearly die herself.

Instead, they now found themselves locked in a vault with nothing but a pair of magic candles and odds and ends like golden goblets. Fig took a deep breath. "I have to think. It must be -" But Hazel's mind was working at full speed. She wasn't ready to sit here idly, to let her thoughts and feelings take over. She preferred to be alone for that. Without prying eyes to calmly face her feelings and survive her impending panic attack alone. "Revelio!" she called, waving her wand and looking around. "There on the wall Professor," she pointed to the other end of the vault and walked toward it. It was the same glow as on the casket. "I think I found a way, sir," she said, touching the glow as she had before.

From one moment to the next, there was nothing but dusty-smelling blackness around them. "Lumos," they both conjured, wands raised to illuminate as much as possible. "Well, I guess you solved the mystery of the dungeon. You really are a promising student!" the professor praised her with a smile and looked around curiously, as did she. "Revelio!" called Hazel, snuffing out the light of her wand with the new spell. "Nothing Professor." she answered the questioning look of her professor, who sighed. "I'm afraid this is not a normal vault. We will have to deserve our way out" he predicted. And he didn't know how right he should be. " Deserve... If I have to, I'll burn down the whole bank Professor" Hazel said dryly. She could hardly wait for this adventure to end. Professor Fig gave a short dry laugh. "Let's hope that won't be necessary". Together they walked through this massive room filled with pitch-black silence and pillars. Their footsteps echoed in the empty space like ghosts hunting them. Then, barely visible to them far ahead, she saw that bluish ghostly glow again. She pointed there and took the lead, since Fig couldn't see it. "hmm... on the ground this time" Hazel muttered, pointing her wand at the puddle of old magic. All magic light was extinguished. The air smelled less dusty now, but aside from that, nothing had changed in the blackness. Fig cast the light spell and they found themselves in some sort of magical barrier, the ground made of mirror-like rock and Hazel on her knees. She had barely realized what had happened. This magic, it was not for free she noted. >Keep calm. It's all because of you, but you can handle it, Hazel< she told herself. "Merlin's beard!" Cursed the professor.

Hazel took a deep breath, fought the dizziness and stood up, taking a good look at her situation. The floor was as black as the rest of the room, but it reflected. And it reflected something that wasn't there. From this point on, Hazel decided to settle this matter with herself. She had gotten Eleazar Fig into this mess, thanks to the magic that seemed to be in her. She would not let anything happen to him because of her. Not anymore. "Are you all right?" the professor asked anxiously. "Yes, sir," she replied crisply. Restlessly they walked around the room until Hazel remembered the reflection. "Revelio" she cast the revelation spell. And there, above the reflection appeared the real statue, a knight, on his knees, leaning on a sword. "Fascinating!" wondered Fig. Hazel frowned, wondering what to do now, when she noticed that the reflection seemed to follow the light. "Lumos! Professor would you please extinguish your light? I have a guess which I would like to check" she said concentrated and looked at the reflection. And she was right, now the reflection followed her and she tried to align it correctly so that statue and reflection were in harmony. The statue got a barely recognizable glow when everything was right. Slowly the statue straightened up to stand, dust falling from it. And with a loud pop, the statue let its sword hit the ground once. Like a wave, magic passed through the empty room, activating the barrier Hazel had already suspected. It was an arena.