The Clock Tower

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As usual, adjust the outfit in the image to the one described for this scene :) (Mentioned in the last part)

Your POV

"This place is much creepier than I remember it - and far less romantic." I looked up at the solid stone walls - not trembling at every tick, tick as the surrounding structures were.

"Tell me about it, I can't believe I used to come out here alone." Harry slowly led me to the back door. "What exactly should we be searching for?"

"Anything Horacio may have left behind, or hidden here before, well, whatever happened to him." I took care to watch out for the uneven grounding. "And that is, in assumption that it lasted however many hundred years - and that no one else got here before us."

The narrow building was pitch dark despite the daylight which encompassed it on the other side of the door. Harry brought out the flashlight on his phone and pointed it upwards. The spiral staircase looked far longer than it did the last time.

"Well then, let's get started." Harry pointed the light at the walls around us as we began to ascend the stairs.

I dragged my hand along the wall, hoping to find something like a magic button that opens up into a secret lair. It did nothing but turn my fingertips charcoal black.

We seemed to be half-way up the tower, and there was nothing spectacular about the place that even remotely helped us.

"I'm beginning to think this was a waste of time." I stopped climbing the stairs.

"We're only half-way done, don't lose hope," Harry assured.

We were about three-quarters of the way when I noticed something abnormal on the wall.

"Harry, shine your light on this." It was a protrusion I felt which his light hadn't skimmed over.

"It seems like a handle!" He looked at me in amazement. "This could be it - what we're looking for."

I tried to pull on it, but it wouldn't budge. "It's stuck."

"Here, stand back." He pulled out his sword and followed the vague square outline on the wall, getting rid of the rust and whatever else had grown in between the cracks. I pulled on it once again, and it practically opened itself. "Works like a charm." He smiled, pleased.

I reached in, praying that there wouldn't be a spider sitting on whatever was inside the secret shelf. I got lucky.

"It's a bunch of papers!"

"Do you think it's..." He didn't care to finish his sentence and shone the light on the pages.

"It picks up where that last page in his book left off!" I began to read it out loud. "They became like his children, and Horacio cared for them like no other until two of his apprentices... killed the others," I spoke slower as I was processing what I was reading. "Horacio refuses to release the names of the victims, for he claims it brings him pain too much to bear to speak it aloud, but has no hesitance in making the identities of the other two known to the world. The two pupils which went rogue were of the names Rumplestiltskin and Esther Gothel. It was at this point in time Mr. Witrist not only gave up his interest in magic, but also his esteemed position of Timekeeper." I looked up at Harry. "And that's the end. The rest of the papers are on his research, but this was what we needed. Here's the connection. Horacio Witrist was Mother Gothel's mentor, she learnt everything about dark magic from him, and then passed it on to Coy and Lydia."

"We found it (y/n), I can't believe it!" He pulled me into a quick hug. "We should head back."

"You're right, this darkness is giving me a headache. Let's do a quick scan on the way up, and we can take off from the top." I closed the door to the now empty shelf, and followed Harry up, century-old papers in hand.

The rest of the way had no hidden handles or anything else of interest, so we opened the trap door and headed out - into the blinding light.

"Wait (y/n), there's just something that doesn't make much sense."

"What is it?"

"Horacio had no problem releasing who the two apprentices gone bad were, so why would they be ripped out of the only copy of his biography, and concealed here?"

"You don't think this was a set-up do you?" My heart began to race. "Someone put this here long after he died, and either thinks they're the only one who hangs out at the clock tower - or knows that we would come here!"

"We have to get out of here - fast."

As I bent over the edge to try and alert Carpet that we were done, my phone rang.

"It's Uma." I picked it up.

"(Y/N), Lydia-" Suddenly, at the worst timing possible, the clock began to boom. "Shoot! Uma I can't hear what you're saying!" I screamed the words in an attempt to get it through the phone.

Harry pulled my shoulder, forcing me to spin around. What can be so important? Uma seems to be in trouble! My mouth gaped open as I realized the answer.

Coy stood at the other end of the roof. Not good. Because of the clock, we couldn't hear his footsteps and were completely caught off guard.

Carpet realized we were here and was ready for us just over the edge of the tower railing - a railing much higher than the one that was on the balcony of the dorm room.

Coy was beginning to approach us, and Harry tried to tell me something, but I couldn't hear a word. He tried again, mouthing something along the lines of "you need to go first".

I began to climb the stone wall, trying to find gripping which would hold. I finally stood on the edge. Coy and Harry were going at it - sword fighting - but it wouldn't be long before the attention diverted to me, and magic would come into play.

I stepped onto the carpet and yelled to Harry. "You need to climb the wall!"

Why is it still booming? I glanced at my watch - 10 o'clock - 10 painfully long, deafening booms. I'd say around 5 had passed so far.

Coy's gaze shot up at me. He immediately stepped back from Harry - the perfect window for Harry to begin his climb - and looked down at his hands.

In this moment I realized how silly it was to have threatened Coy with my magic - but how it was even sillier that he seemed to take it seriously. That wouldn't make sense... unless mine is genuinely stronger.

His palms emitted the same bright streams of light as from the security tape, aimed right at me. I almost fell, but thankfully maintained my balance. I think I finally understand Harry's fear of heights. I tried as hard as I could to not look down from the unstable carpet I stood on - while being shot at with magic.

Just as I had hoped though, my bracelet stepped up. I felt that familiar rush of energy leave my body and meet his at the center. We wavered back and forth, as time seemed to stand still.

Just hold on long enough for Harry to get over.

Coy stepped forward, pushing me back. The carpet flew back to compensate with me, now about a meter from the edge of the clock tower.

Finally, the last boom ended and I could once again hear.

Harry stood on the edge.

"I can't hold it much longer Harry!"

"Come closer!"

"I can't! You need to jump!"

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not jumping!!"

"You need to!" Coy's magic was well-trained, focused - mine was raw and energetic, sure, but couldn't handle such a long flow without severely draining me. I held on for mere seconds when curing Harry of Lydia's curse, I'd say this has been going on for at least a minute. It's too much. A little longer, and I may collapse.

He took a deep breath in, waited a second, and then jumped.

And missed. 

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Come back Friday to find out what happens!

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