"(Y/N)!" Harry greeted her sweating and panting form. "We have been wondering where you were..."
She breathed heavily a few moments longer, pointing her index finger at him, before resting both her hands on her knees, catching her lost breath. "Sorry! I accidently got lost...after, after Madam...Hooch's...period. Gosh, how many...blasted staircases are there?" She looked back up again and met their eyes as Ron told her. "(Y/N), you wouldn't believe this!" She had learnt that Harry was nominated as the Gryffindor Seeker for the Quidditch team and that his father was one as well, back in the day.
She did miss that though unfortunately due to some kind of particular staircases that decided to move during a very, very inconvenient time! Ehem, anyway, the four friends began strutting towards their Common Room that was up the marble staircases and Ron caught up with Harry, as (Y/N) walked calmly beside Hermione, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Stupid stairs! Today wasn't her best hair day, it seemed.
Or, you know, in general.
"I'm telling you, it's spooky! She knows more about you than you know about yourself!" Ron told Harry, freaking out a little. Said boy replied, easily, shrugging his shoulders, "Who doesn't?" Before anyone could answer Harry, the marble stairs began moving and she let out a gasp of surprise as they moved into another direction than the way that was planned.
"What's happening?" The raven haired boy questioned.
"The staircases change, remember?" Hermione reminded them. The stairs stopped suddenly, landing the children on the Third Floor. The forbidden floor. She was never the one for breaking rules, or have fun, for that matter. This was a huge step-down for her principals. "Let's go this way." Harry said to them, pointing to his desired route to take with his index finger. "Before the staircases move again."
(Y/N) spared a longing glance once more at the stairs before hesitantly following behind her friends, her Heart beating rapidly fast inside of her chest. "Oh, no..." She muttered to herself quietly and worriedly. "I don't like this at all." (Y/N) let out a stressed out sigh and went inside the dark room, a few paces behind the Hermione and Harry. Ron was the last to enter.
"Does anybody feel like we shouldn't be here?" He asked them, his voice wavering in the slightest.
Hermione stated the obvious, "We're not supposed to be here. This is the Third Floor. It's forbidden." (Y/N) wrapped her small arms around her middle, suddenly feeling afraid and vulnerable, she furrowed her brows and worried lines appeared on her forehead. It was very dark.
A cream marble pillar suddenly ignited a bright fire, lighting the cryptic room they were stood in and she jumped back. Harry gulped. "Let's go." He turned around, but spotted a cat with grey fur, long pointed ears and glowing golden orbs of eyes. It meowed a nasty meow and the group stepped back from the sitting animal. "It's Filch's cat!" Hermione exclaimed seriously.
"Run!"
The four ran with full speed as the cat stood still, they ran through the dark room, as the heels of their leather shoes clicked on the stone floor. The statues began lighting up with flames of orange fire. Harry spotted a wooden door nearby and tried budging at the door to open it, but struggled heavily, to no use. "Ugh! It's locked!" Ron whimpered, his lips pulling down. "That's it! We're done for!" He cried out, already losing hope. Hermione rolled her eyes at them and pushed Harry away. "Oh! Move over!" (Y/N) watched as she pulled out her Wand and waved it at the lock, saying a funny word, "Alohamora!"
The door unlocked and Hermione glanced at (Y/N) and the others, saying, "Get in!" Hermione was the first to go inside and the three of them fruitlessly followed. Ron closed the wooden door behind him and asked Hermione curiously. "Alohamora?" She retorted to him with ease. "Standard Book Of Spells, Chapter Seven." Hermione explained as (Y/N) leaned the side of her head against the hardwood to listen if Filch and Mrs. Norris were still remained inside. "He is gone..." (Y/N) announced to them, her voice shaking slightly.
"Probably thinks this door's locked." Ron replied to her as she sighed. "That was close." Hermione noted. "It was locked!" She glanced at Harry as he responded. "And for good reason..." (Y/N) gazed up with wide (Y/E/C) eyes at a humungous three-headed dog sleeping soundly, that was, until it slowly began stirring, drool dancing away from his mouth. Her breathing started to become choppy and uneven. This was not good! No good st all! Why did she have to do this to herself?
All four of them let out gut-wrenching screams of 'Ahhhhhh's' and left the room with lightning speed, struggling to close the door behind them with the monstrosity of a dog attempting to escape and attack them with its razer sharp teeth and large, over-sized paws.
"Come on! Let's go!" Shouted (Y/N). Everyone managed to be safe and unharmed by the creature as the group made their way back to the Gryffindor Common Room. "That was close...too close, for that matter." (Y/N) said, softly, completely in denial that she had just seen a three-headed dog, with her very own eyes.
Ron protested. "What do they think they're doing? Keeping a thing like that locked up in a school!" Hermione rolled her brown orbs at him, obviously already knowing the correct answer. "You don't use your eyes, do you? Didn't you see what it was standing on?" It took a moment for Ron to debate. "I wasn't looking at its feet! I was a bit preoccupied with its heads. Or maybe you didn't notice; there were three!" Harry said to Hermione curiously, suspiciously, "It was guarding something..." She replied. "It was standing on a trapdoor, under those paws. Which means it wasn't there by accident."
This time, it was (Y/N) that questioned, putting a cold hand on her cheek. "So...if it's guarding something. What's inside it?"
Hermione let out a sigh through her lips, "That's what I don't know." She looked back at the two boys who had their brows furrowed in concentration. "Now, if you two don't mind, we're going back to bed." (Y/N) glanced at Hermione and nodded her head. It was a lot to take in, especially at the time span of Twenty-four hours. Less than that, even. "Before either of you can come up with a clever idea, to get us killed. Or worse, expelled." Hermione laced her fingers through (Y/N)'s as they made their way to the Girl's Dormitories.
"She needs to sort out her priorities." Ron told Harry.
(Y/N) gazed at Hermione as she sat on her bed, whispering. "I can't seem to stomach the idea of that trapdoor the Dog is guarding. Everything...is too much." Her brunette friend replied to her, sensing an off tone, "I'm worried, to be honest. But, we'll figure it out." Hermione said brightly. (Y/N) laid down on her bed and let out a broken sound of a laugh. Oh, dear, how funny was that? We? Ha! "You mean, you will. Hermione, you're way too smart for this century." She paused, frowning gently before saying softly, "But that's not a bad thing. Not at all." (Y/N) smiled up at her bedpost.
Hermione sent her a toothy grin through the dark and (Y/N) watched the action with glazed eyes. Sad eyes. "Thank you." Hermione blushed.
(Y/N) speedily changed into a pair of spotted socks and soft cotton pajamas, before slumping down on her respective bed. She fiddled with her fingers as she stared at the ceiling. Her jaw clenched lightly. Hermione's voice startled her from her reverie when her name was being called. She responded softly, "Yes?"
There was a long, thirty second pause. She swallowed.
"I think that...that you're too pure for this World, (Y/N). Sometimes it's just quite hard for others to see - to understand. They're too self-absorbed...There isn't much kindness left to give; and...I think, I think that you could be someone to change that." That was all the brunette said, before falling sound asleep.
(Y/N) pressed her lips together, her eyes beginning to well up with salted water.
It was a whole new beginning for (Y/N), leaving behind her Mum was a big step to take. And she obviously didn't fit into the Wizarding World nor the 'Muggle' World. But, it was nice to have a friend for once. To know that there is at least someone that cares. Someone that actually spared a second glance at (Y/N) (Y/L/N). It was nice...to have a friend and not just her books or stuffed animals for company.
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Dearest Readers
Awe. So heartwarming, is it not? It made me tear up a little just writing that last paragraph. Now, I am well aware that (Y/N) isn't like Harry nor Ron nor Hermione, and that she is insecure. On the contrary, may I remind you, that this book is about #selfdiscovery. So, just give her character a chance. It gets better, I promise.
If you enjoyed this Chapter, remember to Vote and Comment, it's really appreciated.
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Mikayla