Chamber of Love

Chapter 28

She put her chin in the palm of her right hand and stared at her orb with disinterest. She was completely sure that no such fortune teller lady was waiting for her inside the glass with open arms. So when the swirling fog started to turn into green flames as if threatening to melt the glass, she felt a breath hitch in her throat.

It was spreading around like a wildfire, taking control of the harmless grey fog and consuming it with hunger.

She tried to take her eyes off the orb so she could call Professor Trelawney over and ask her million questions but she couldn't. It was almost impossible to look away from the green flames as if they had magnetic powers. Her eyes were lit up, reflecting the green blaze.

Juliette leaned forward, her lips parted and brows furrowed with concentration, and watched the flames slowly disappear. She held her breath and waited for the grey fog to come back but it didn't. Instead, it quickly swirled around, turned pitch black and then took the shape of a... human.

She tried to put a distance between her and the crystal but an invisible force grabbed her shoulders, dug its nails into her skin through her clothes and forcefully pulled her in. She didn't realise what was going on, it all happened in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, the calming presence of the strange smoke coming from Professor Trelawney's desk was gone. She couldn't even smell it. Instead, an eerie fog was surrounding her, slowly moving closer to her imported body as if carrying the heavy presence of death itself.

Juliette shivered and looked around. Numerous questions accompanied by pleas of help were occupying her head, almost giving her a painful headache.

"What is this place?" A voice asked. Existence of confusion and fear were detectable behind the quiet tone.

It took a second for Juliette to realise the voice didn't belong to her, and it was in fact coming from behind.

Her lips parted as she recognised the voice even before turning around to look at him. She could detect that slightly shaky soothing tone anywhere.

Her head turned around and her body hesitantly followed. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw the exhausted form of her best friend right in front of her.

Cedric, wearing a uniform with his house colours, was nervously holding his wand with both hands. One foot in front of him and arms slightly raised, he looked ready to attack if needed.

Juliette could see the dirt on his face and the shapeless holes in his uniform with cuts peeking through even though it was dark around. But the most confusing thing was the fact that he was looking straight at her, but not really seeing her.

"...Cedric?" Juliette asked with a trembling voice. He didn't react. He didn't hear her. How could he? Even Juliette herself found it difficult to speak louder than an inaudible whisper.

What is this? What is this? She kept asking herself, not being able to form another sentence even in her mind.

"I know this place." Another voice said, startling Juliette and causing her to frantically look around. She couldn't see anything because of the fog and it made her anxious. She couldn't even seek comfort from Cedric because she was somehow invisible. She could see the wind passing through Cedric's hair but she couldn't feel it on her skin.

What is this? What is this?

She took a deep breath in. Was this a vision? But how could it be? She was never physically present in any of her visions. This... this was different. But how? Did it have anything to do with the Crystal Orb? How was she supposed to get out?