Hogwarts Mystery: Ataraxia Gale and the Curious Corridor

5. Revenge is Best Served Magical

"Why do you think Felix wants to meet with us?" Rowan asked as they and Ataraxia patiently waited for their prefect in the common room.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Merula somehow got us kicked out of Slytherin." Ataraxia was only half-joking.

"Do you want to talk about what she said about your sister?"

Ataraxia hesitated. "Not really. I mean, you already know most of the story from the Daily Prophet. My sister was obsessed with the idea that there were these Cursed Vaults containing mysterious treasures hidden at Hogwarts. But no one believed her. Not even our parents. She broke all kinds of rules and put people in danger while trying to prove she was right. I'm sorry. There's more to it, but I'd rather not even think about it right now."

"I understand, Attie," Rowan said with a comforting smile. "You'll tell me when you're ready."

Ataraxia smiled back, glad to know Rowan wouldn't press her. "Thanks. I just wish there were something we could do about Merula; I'm so sick of her."

"That's exactly why I wanted to see you, Ataraxia," someone said, walking up behind them. Ataraxia looked over to see Felix Rosier approaching them.

"You know about what happened with Merula?" Ataraxia asked.

"Word travels fast at Hogwarts," he answered simply, seating himself on the sofa across from them. "I wouldn't be doing my job as your prefect if I didn't help teach you to defend yourself. Even if you insist on fighting someone from our own house . . . I'm going to teach you two how to duel."

"But we don't even know any duelling spells," Ataraxia said.

"Slytherin keeps a secret duelling book hidden in the artefact room. It will teach you various spells, potions, and techniques. Meet me again after you've learned a duelling spell, and I'll teach you everything else you need to know."

He directed the two to the artefact room, a small room off the second-floor corridor used for storage, and left them to search.

"They say untold treasures lie within the artefact room," Rowan marvelled.

"Along with untold odours." Ataraxia wrinkled up her nose. "Let's hurry up and find that duelling book."

"I find the urge to catalogue every single amazing thing in this room. I'll probably fail, but at least I'm good at multitasking."

Ataraxia searched the shelves that stood against the back of the room, noticing an odd amount of human skulls that she hoped weren't real. There was a good number of various textbooks thrown haphazardly onto the shelves, but she'd yet to come across one that looked as though it belonged to Slytherin house. After examining a stack of copies of A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot, Ataraxia heard her name.

"What?" she responded.

"What what?" Rowan asked, confused.

"You said my name," said Ataraxia.

"No, I didn't," said Rowan, even more confused.

"I heard a voice."

Rowan shook their head. "It wasn't me."

Ataraxia shrugged it off, her face heating slightly in embarrassment. Good Lord, was she actually going mad? "It must've been my imagination. Let's just find that book."

After another ten or so minutes, Ataraxia found a dusty book and flipped through to make sure it was the right one.

"I found the book!" she called to Rowan.

"Brilliant!" Rowan said. "I can't wait to learn a duelling spell, so Felix can train us to stand up to Merula!"

Suddenly and with no warning, it felt as if Ataraxia had been sucked into some other world. Everything in front of her was foggy, completely clouded up. She blinked, but nothing cleared it. Visions flashed like memories in front of her eyes, yet she could've sworn she'd seen nothing like any of it before. The halls of Hogwarts being covered in ice, students getting hurt. The ice is here, a voice told her. A staircase shrouded in mist. The vault will open. A suit of armour seemed to attack her — or to whomever the memory belonged. Were they memories? If so, were they perhaps Empyrea's?