Bagsy wasn't sure if Mezrielda was right. She was a doppelganger, which meant everything she was she'd stolen from someone else. Yet, Mezrielda thought she was the same person still, and Bagsy did trust Mezrielda. So where did that leave her?
Bagsy didn't have time to think on it as she and Mezrielda ran through the corridors. Mezrielda was complaining about brick-ticks sealing holes and not having any more salt, which didn't help Bagsy's confusion.
As they moved, she felt rumblings, and Bagsy noticed cracks in the floor. 'What's happening?'
Mezrielda cringed. 'That's my doing... I think I was a little too overzealous with my stone transfiguration.'
Trying not to think about the castle falling around them, they pushed on. Eventually, they came to the entrance corridor.
'Wait!' Mezrielda held out a hand to stop Bagsy. 'Those are catercolumns. Teresa said they're territorial.'
'We'll have to be quick then,' said Bagsy, looking Mezrielda up and down. Her friend was physically weakened. Bagsy picked her up. 'Hold tight,' she warned, forcing thaumaturgy into her muscles. Mezrielda let out a surprised noise as Bagsy kicked off and shot through the hall at a speed so fast the columns didn't so much as twitch in response. She just barely managed to stop before they tumbled off the clouds and into the air, now outside the castle.
'Never do that again,' Mezrielda said shakily as Bagsy put her down.
Bagsy didn't respond. She was too busy looking at the nearing figures. Was she seeing things or where Jon, Itsuki, Teresa and Greenda approaching? And who was that Greenda was carrying?
Mezrielda didn't seem surprised as she rushed over to them. 'Emmeline?' she asked, looking at the body Greenda was carrying. Whoever they were, they were wrapped in a jacket. Greenda pulled the jacket aside to show the face.
As she recognised the scales Bagsy was truly confused. What was Primrose doing here? And unconscious, too? She thought this might have been some kind of a rescue party, but Primrose wouldn't dream of rescuing her.
'We need to leave.' Mezrielda checked her wand as if she was concerned it might have broken. 'Everyone to the carriage.'
'We can't,' said Greenda. 'Not without Emmeline.'
Mezrielda looked at Greenda sharply. 'I thought...'
'I couldn't find her,' said Greenda. 'That doesn't mean she's— She could be trapped somewhere!'
Bagsy frowned. 'Emmeline was here? Then yeah, we can't leave without her!'
Mezrielda looked at the exit platform and then at Greenda. 'There's not time to look for her, this place is falling apart...' Suddenly, her eyes widened. 'Put Primrose on the ground.'
Hesitantly, Greenda did so. Primrose didn't wake from whatever had sent her to sleep, but she was breathing. Mezrielda put a hand on Bagsy's shoulder and guided her to kneel by Primrose. She looked at Greenda. 'I need you to make sure everyone looks away.'
'What are you going to do—?'
'There isn't time!' Mezrielda hissed. 'Do as I say. Now.'
Greenda nodded, getting Jon, Itsuki and Teresa to move aside.
Mezrielda bowed her head close to Bagsy, who was still very confused. She said, 'I'm sorry to ask this of you, but it's the quickest way, and time isn't something we have right now.' Bagsy regarded Mezrielda warily. 'I need you to look into Primrose's memories and find out where Emmeline is.'
Bagsy felt the blood drain from her face. 'No. I can't... what I am is... it's disgusting... I can't do that!'
'If you don't, we won't find Emmeline in time.'
As if to emphasise Mezrielda's point, the whole castle shifted, leaning on its side. Bagsy could feel the clouds beneath her knees grow thinner.
'I'll be right here with you the whole time,' said Mezrielda. 'You're Bagsy. You help people. You save people. I need you to be Bagsy right now. Can you do that?'
With a nod, Bagsy touched Primrose's forehead. She wasn't sure how she was meant to do this, but something in her core led her fingers as they pressed against cold skin. She closed her eyes and mentally slipped into Primrose's shoes.
In a void of darkness, she stepped through a doorway of white. Then, Bagsy was gone, and in her mind there was only Primrose.
***
Primrose kicked her feet onto the Hufflepuff coffee table. She'd finished unpacking and was excited for the new school year to begin. 'How's your brother doing?' she asked Rebekah.
Rebekah shrugged. 'The healers say his condition is stable. He's just an idiot, though. Of course you get injured if you try and high-five a ten foot bear. I bet he did it as a bet, too.' Rebekah shook her head. 'Boys, eh?'
'Hey,' Logan protested. 'That's not nice.'
Rebekah sighed. 'You're right. It's got nothing to do with him being a boy. My brother's just a particular kind of idiot.'
Primrose drummed her claws on the arm rest. 'If you two are interested, I have an idea for something that could entertain us this year.'
'Oh?' Rebekah and Logan murmured in interest.
Primrose inclined her head. 'You know how Professor Mephit's always going on about how anyone could have the sight?'
Rebekah looked unsure where Primrose was going with this. 'Yeah? Apparently, he's also always flip-flopping in care for magical creatures, too. What's your point?'
She grinned. 'I was thinking we make the missing Hufflepuff think she has the sight.'
Rebekah and Logan shared a look, before grins broke out on their faces as well.
'That's brilliant,' Logan laughed. 'That'll be hilarious to watch.'
'She's gullible enough for it, too,' Rebekah added.
Satisfied, Primrose set to planning. It had been frightfully easy. When possible, pick out something Bagsy said and make it happen. She'd stolen money from her parents to bribe a famous fashion designer into giving dirt-styled clothes to students for free when Bagsy had told them her and Mezrielda's muddy robes were a new fashion trend. She'd deliberately made herself choke on a tomato, knowing some student or other would be able to help her before she died. Some stunts had been more complex than others. She'd bought an enchanted bag from Hooshair that allowed her to make however many tools fall out as she wanted so that no matter what number Bagsy said she'd be correct. She'd even found an ingenious test kit that was rigged. The card Primrose selected on one side of the screen changed depending on what card Bagsy chose on the other. The pouch with the item shifted to match what Bagsy chose, and when Bagsy guessed a specific word, Primrose waited while Rebekah wrote the word in smoke and put it into a linked pouch she had hidden at the other end of the hall. Once that was done, Primrose opened her pouch to reveal whatever word Bagsy had predicted.
The snivelling wimp had, like the jerk Primrose knew she was deep down, chosen the word snake, most likely to mock her.
It had been looking to be the best year yet, were it not for two issues. Firstly, when she auditioned for the part of Rose Deprive she was ignored in favour of none other than Queen-Nosy Bagsy herself. The acting troupe's cleaner, Lewis, invited her to hang out at the tent but it did little to soften the blow.
Secondly, Emmeline seemed set on befriending her. It was repulsive. But, in the end, Emmeline had helped her get Bagsy to take the sight test, hadn't she? If Bagsy hadn't wanted to swap taking the test for Primrose playing quidditch, she never would have managed to fool her into believing she could see into the future. Watching her squirm under all the attention was more than worth it.
It was the final evening before Primrose would be returning home for Christmas, and she was dreading it. Except, a villain didn't dread things—they made people dread them—so Primrose decided she was perfectly fine and happy to go home and not get to see her friends and be surrounded by people who thought she was evil. Yes. Perfectly fine.
'Primrose?'
It was Emmeline.
Primrose rolled her eyes and put on the sourest expression in her arsenal. 'What?'
'I was wondering if you wanted to go to a quidditch match with me.'
Primrose paused, looking at the dates on the tickets. It would mean a whole day away from home. One whole day. Away from home. 'Fine,' she said, detesting the surprised expression on Emmeline's face.
'I guess I'll see you then.'
Watching the Rocketing Unicorns had been fun, Primrose hated to admit it. Emmeline had been bearable. The worst part had been the fact Emmeline was much taller than her, being much older, and could see more of the game. The idiots sitting in front were all wearing large hats and banging balloons together to cheer on their favourite team. Primrose had her claws ready, about to slash their balloons to shreds and throw their hats onto the seats below, when Emmeline had crouched down and gestured to her shoulders.
'What?' Primrose sneered.
'If you hop on my shoulders you'll be able to see more,' said Emmeline. 'Look, if you want to be downer and ruin the game, go for it, but don't say I didn't offer a solution.'
It had taken Primrose a few minutes of incoherent grumbling but, eventually, her frustration at not being able to see all the players got the better of her. To her surprise, quidditch was somewhat interesting to watch—and not just because it had violence in it.
'Alright,' Primrose said, out of the blue.
'Alright what?' Emmeline responded in confusion. 'I'm not a mind-reader.' Primrose just shrugged in response. Miraculously, Emmeline understood, and crouched down. Primrose got onto Emmeline's shoulders, and then Emmeline stood back up. 'Any better?'
Primrose folded her arms, not responding as she watched the game. 'I'm colder up here,' she complained eventually, though her voice was distant as she found herself engrossed in the game.
'Here.' Emmeline offered a scarf up to her. 'I think you'll look cool in that.'
Primrose took the scarf as if it might explode. She was cold so she pulled it around her neck. 'Did you enchant it to ssssssssstrangle me?' she asked, to which Emmeline laughed. 'Hey!' Primrose hissed, trying to kick Emmeline and nearly sending them both falling over the railings.
'Sorry.'
'Put me down.'
'No, no, it wasn't the hissing I was laughing at,' Emmeline clarified, now she had regained her composure. 'It's the idea that if I wanted to strangle you I'd have to bring you to a quidditch match to then offer you a scarf that would do the job for me. It's very... convoluted.'
'Whatever, nerd.'
'Everyone has verbal ticks,' Emmeline added. 'It's nothing to be embarrassed about.'
'I'm not embarrassed about anything but being related to you.'
'Alright, then.'
Primrose told Emmeline she'd hated seeing the match with her, and never wanted to go again. That didn't stop the smile she always caught on Emmeline's face when her sister spotted her wearing the scarf.
***
Primrose practised quidditch a lot more after that. She almost practised it as much as she practised her villain face in her mirror.
She might have given up on being a villain altogether. Emmeline had been so insistent on her doing other things that she was slowly out of time to actively try to be mean. At one point, she even smelt the horrid stench of Bagsy in the acting troupe's tent, clearly where she shouldn't be, and could have told on her. She could have ended Bagsy there and then. But what would Emmeline think of her if she did?
It was beginning to worry Primrose what the thought of Emmeline could stop her from doing. Thankfully, Primrose had met Lewis at her audition for the part of Rose Deprive, and Lewis had been sure to remind her of who she really was. As she'd been crying, furious, that she'd been turned down for the role, Lewis had approached.
'You're too villainous to play the hero,' he'd said, as she'd turned her head to hide her reddened eyes, one human, the other snake.
'Piss off.'
'I didn't mean it as an insult. Some people are meant to be villains, and they, and the rest of the world, as better off if they can accept that.'
Having her thoughts, that had festered in Primrose's mind for as long as she could remember, said out loud by someone else had felt like a slap in the face. She had been shocked out of her misery and had stared at Lewis.
He'd sat down next to her. 'I'm Lewis.'
'Primrose.'
Lewis's eyes had crinkled, as if his lower face, hidden by a mask, was smiling. 'I feel like I've finally met someone like me. Am I wrong?' He had slowly pulled down his mask, and Primrose had stared
Eventually, she shook her head. 'You're not.'
***
At the vampire ball, Primrose saw Emmeline and Greenda talking, enjoying the confliction on Emmeline's face. There was nothing better than her sister suffering. Except, suddenly, Greenda and Emmeline were dancing, and Emmeline looked so happy, and everything seemed right with the world. Primrose should have been mad.
Why wasn't she mad?
Lewis arrived in time, just as the idea of being happy for her sister was hooking its claws into her heart.
'Haven't you been listening to me?' Lewis hissed in her ear, jabbing her side to get her attention.
Primrose looked at him, narrowing her eyes. 'Of course, I have.'
Lewis gestured at Emmeline. 'You look like you might actually like her.'
'She is my sister.' The words had slipped out. She wasn't sure where that had come from.
Lewis' face, or at least the parts not hidden by a black mask, turned grave. He grabbed her arm and hauled her into a side corridor, leading her onto a terrace. Whirling on her, it was clear to Primrose he was in a rage. 'I thought you understood,' he said. 'I thought finally I wasn't alone.'
'You're not! I get it! I do! You have to be a villain, just like me. You have to cut everyone off, and you have to be cruel, because there's no avoiding the inevitable. It'll only hurt more if you fight it.'
Lewis hissed, 'Then why, if you understand this so well, are you looking at your sister with fondness?'
Primrose ground her pointed teeth together, resisting the urge to angrily flick her forked tongue in and out of her mouth. 'Because she's been kind to me no matter what I do in response. It's easier to let her think we're getting along than to push her away. She refuses to leave me be.'
Lewis shook his head in disbelief. 'You're kidding yourself and, if you're not careful, you'll get both yourself and Emmeline hurt.'
He stormed off after that.
***
The worst thing was, Primrose really was trying to push Emmeline away, but her sister was so dedicated to befriending her that it was an impossible task. It made no sense and Primrose despised it. It seemed her only option was to cut herself off from Hogwarts as much as she could. She even stopped hanging out with Rebekah and Logan, who became annoying, whiny babies when they told her they were concerned with how much time she was spending with Lewis. They didn't understand what it was like to be a villain. Not like Lewis did. He got it. Either you embraced it and became the villain you were meant to be or you'd become a victim instead.
Primrose refused to be a victim.
But then, Emmeline did understand. She'd been through it herself, people had once believe the villain prophecy was about her, and yet she was showing Primrose a different path where wasn't a victim or a villain.
She was a sister.
It was all so confusing, and what didn't help was that, every time she flew to the acting troupe's castle to hang out with Lewis, she saw Bagsy walking about like she owned the place, like her personality had switched. It was similar to when she'd seen her at the end of last year. She'd been so filled with hatred and malice, looking to hurt Winifred and Robin. That wasn't Bagsy's role. She didn't get to be evil. She hadn't had to work for it like Primrose had, to prepare for its burden, to slowly cut into her our soul to do it.
As time went on and Bagsy didn't return to normal, and didn't return to Hogwarts at all, Primrose felt the frustrating feeling of concern. She convinced herself it had been a mistake when she told Emmeline about the situation with Bagsy, even if she knew that wasn't the case.
When Emmeline came back and told her there was a plan to save Bagsy, and that Bagsy was in danger, Primrose made the mistake of mentioning that she could get invitations from Lewis. She needed a new one every time she visited; the security of the floating castle was tenfold than that of the tent, so she'd simply told Lewis to give her a whole week's worth in advance. He'd thought nothing of it. In that way, he was a bit of an idiot.
At least Emmeline wasn't a complete idiot. But Mezrielda, as far as Primrose was concerned, was.
Last year, Mezrielda had tried to obliviate her. At the time, Primrose had thought her spellcasting was weak and that was why she'd kept her memories. But then Mezrielda had tried it again this year, when she'd taken the invitations from her. Primrose had felt the spell hit her, had felt a shuffling of her memories, and then felt her snake brain repel it. Maybe her scales guarded her from more than just external magic.
Primrose had grabbed her broom and waited, fury keeping her awake. Emmeline had been spouting lies. If she trusted Primrose, if she really thought of her as a sister and not a villain, she would have let her help.
This was all Emmeline's fault.
When Primrose's eyes saw the carriage rise into the sky, she set off after them on her broom, putting her quidditch practise to good use. Within half an hour, she was approaching the castle. She could make out the group ahead of her, but by the time she reached the main hall the statues were gone, and Teresa was wriggling around on the floor with a bunch of worms the colour of bird droppings.
Primrose's eyes widened, and she pulled a face at the strangeness off it, but then she caught sight of Emmeline disappearing around a corner, and she didn't have time to stop and think about what on earth Teresa was doing.
Primrose shot after her, guiding her broom around the corner, but she took it too tight and was flung from the device and into the wall. Angrily, she kicked the broom to the other side of the corridor.
'Usssssssseless thing,' she hissed. 'Why couldn't Bagsy make a good broom,' she added as she got to her feet and picked it back up. She stormed down the corridor in the direction she'd seen her sister go.
Primrose was familiar with the layout of the castle—she and Lewis walked it and talked while he completed his daily cleaning. Lewis wasn't a part of the acting troupe. He interned with them as a cleaner. At least, that was how Lewis put it.
Eventually, Primrose stepped onto one of the many terraces, finding Emmeline there, frantically trying to open a locked door.
Emmeline gave up on the door. 'You caught me.'
Primrose raised the only eyebrow she had left and pointed her wand at the door. 'Alohomora.' The door swung open. Emmeline didn't go through it. 'You wanted me to catch up. Why?'
'I'm sorry for not telling you,' Emmeline burst out. 'I wanted you to help us, I wanted you to be a part of this, but I was overruled.'
Primrose shrugged. 'I don't care,' she lied, hating that it was a lie, and hating how her voice wavered like some six-year-old toddler about to burst into tears.
Emmeline took a step forward. Primrose took a step back.
'I know you're not dumb,' said Emmeline. 'You know what I've been trying to do this whole year.'
'Maybe I am dumb because I have no idea what you're talking about.'
Emmeline tried again, taking another step. Again, Primrose moved backwards.
'It's horrid when everyone thinks you're a bad person. You've spent so long trying to be the villain that you may not even know if there is anyone else underneath it all. But I'm telling you, Prim, there is.'
'Don't call me that.'
'Primrose,' Emmeline pressed one regardless, taking another step. Primrose stood her ground this time. 'We're here to save Bagsy. I know you want to help us. I know you're lost and you just need someone to show you the way. Let me show you there is a girl in there. A girl who isn't a villain, who isn't a hero, who just is. Let me help you find her.'
'We're saving Bagsy?' Primrose checked, voice thick.
Emmeline reached out a hand, almost touching her. 'Of course, we are. Didn't you hear what I just said?' she teased lightly.
Primrose's eyes caught something. Standing in the shadows, someone was watching.
Lewis.
He looked angry. He looked betrayed. His eyes fires boring into her.
'You should leave.' Primrose's eyes slid back to Emmeline. She didn't want to hurt her, but she didn't want to hurt Lewis, either.
It was Emmeline's turn to take a step back. 'Not until we rescue Bagsy.'
Primrose took a step forwards, her claws glinting in the moonlight. 'Leave, Emmeline.'
Fear flashed on Emmeline's face. 'Primrose?'
In a flurry of claws and teeth, Primrose shot forwards, tackling Emmeline to the floor.
Emmeline was larger, and stronger, and after a brief tussle shoved Primrose off. 'What are you doing!?' Emmeline cried angrily. 'I won't let you do this. I know I can help you. I know you can help yourself if you'd only chose to! Give up, Primrose! You're not a villain, and I'm not leaving your side until you realise that.'
Primrose only smirked, slowly raising the invitation she'd pulled from Emmeline's pocket, as well as Emmeline's wand. 'You still always keep your mosssst important things in your front pocket, then,' she hissed, for once embracing the snake-like sound.
Even though he was wearing a mask over his mouth, Lewis' eyes narrowed as if he was smiling. He stepped further into the shadows, vanishing from view.
'Primrose,' Emmeline said, cautiously, as if she was a vase balancing on the edge of a countertop.
Primrose threw Emmeline's wand over the balcony, then ripped the invitation in two. 'Clock's ticking, Emmeline,' she said, holding the torn invitation for her to see. 'Ten minutes to get back to that platform. You'll easily make it if you leave now.'
The paleness of Emmeline's face was like bone as she glanced at the side of the terrace, and at the endless emptiness below into which she'd fall if she didn't get moving. Primrose had her now. There was no way Emmeline wouldn't run. She was deathly afraid of heights, especially after that incident with the broom during Primrose's second year. She'd abandon Primrose, and—
'I'm not leaving you.' Emmeline clenched her fists. 'If you don't come with me back to the platform then I guess I'll fall.'
For a moment, Primrose wanted to believe her. Then she laughed. 'That's a bluff and we both know it. Get going, Emmeline, you gain nothing by wasting our time like this.' She waited for her sister to move. Primrose's destiny called, and Emmeline was in the way.
But Emmeline wasn't moving.
'Emmeline,' Primrose said, seriously now. 'You need to go. You'll fall through.'
'Not without you.'
'You... you can't just...'
Emmeline's voice was soft. 'Primrose, I want to help you.' Even though they stood far away from each other, Emmeline held out her hand for Primrose to take. 'You're my sister. I'm not leaving without you.'
It was like being split in two, as if her scaled side was falling and her skinned side was rising. For an agonizing moment, Primrose didn't know what she was going to do. She stared at Emmeline's hand.
At last, she hissed, 'Fine.' Her scaled hand slowly raised to take Emmeline's. But it wasn't the warmth of Emmeline's palm that her fingers found.
It was an invisible wall.
Primrose stopped in her tracks, her hand pressed against the coolness of rock-solid air. Lewis had mentioned this to her. It was a safety mechanism for when intruders were detected. Once one of the troupe members activated it, it locked everyone in place until one of the approved individuals, who could move freely even in lock down, shut it off.
A cold raced through Primrose so freezing she felt as if her scales were falling off. Her head shook from side to side as denial struck her. 'Emmeline you have to run,' she said. 'Emmeline get to the platform! Go!'
Emmeline couldn't, though. Her hands were pressed flat against her own invisible prison. 'Primrose? What's going on?'
Looking at the ground, shoulders shaking, Primrose sunk to the floor. She'd tried to take Emmeline's hand, she'd tried to be a good person, and this was what she got.
'Primrose? I can't move. I can't get past this... whatever this is!' Emmeline kicked the invisible wall in frustration. 'This isn't funny, Primrose. We need to go now I—' The break in her sister's voice almost killed Primrose. 'I'm going to fall if we don't—'
'Don't you get it!' Primrose looked up.
Dread crept onto Emmeline's face. 'Prim, why are you crying?'
'The castle's in lock down. These walls won't be gone for who knows how long.'
'That can't be right, because in a few minutes it'll be too late. In a few minutes...' The situation finally dawned on Emmeline. She sunk to her knees, too.
They sat in silence. When Emmeline wrote something on a small chalkboard Primrose glared at her, wondering how she could think to write in a time like this. Then there was more silence. Primrose could feel the time slipping away from them. She wanted to say something, but her throat was blocked with stupid emotions. She just stared ahead of her, not quite able to accept what was happening, and racing through all the possible ways she could stop this, and yet finding none.
Why? Why was this happening? Why had she ripped Emmeline's ticket? She didn't want this. She'd never wanted this! She'd thrown Emmeline's wand away, too, and there was no broom in Emmeline's prison. No way out except for down.
When it felt like there were only minutes left, Emmeline, hand shaking, wrote something else on the board.
'What are you doing?' Primrose snapped, rubbing her watery eyes, not sure what to do with herself, what to say, what to think or what to feel.
'I'm...' Emmeline's voice faltered. 'I'm saying goodbye.'
'You can't say goodbye!' Primrose yelled. 'Because you're not going to leave!'
Emmeline looked at her. 'I'm sorry, Primrose,' she whispered, face white like she was already a ghost. 'But I think I might have to.'
Shaking her head, Primrose banged her fists against the stupid, stupid invisible wall in front of her. She tried dragging her nails across it, she tried spells, but she knew already nothing would work. 'There has to be a way!'
'Primrose.'
'A spell! Something!'
'Primrose.'
'Lewis!' Primrose called hopefully. Was he still there? He was one of the approved members. He could shut off the walls and then Primrose could use the broom she'd flown here on and give it to Emmeline. She didn't have the fall. She couldn't. She couldn't leave Primrose like that. Not when that would leave Primrose alone, no longer anyone's sister.
Not when it would be her own fault.
Enraged, she threw the torn invitation onto the floor.
'Primrose.' Emmeline got to her feet and put her hand flat against the wall.
'What!?'
'I love you,' she said. She was shaking all over. 'I need to know you'll be good, Primrose. I need to know you'll try to find who you are. For me. Please.'
'Don't talk like that!'
'Primrose, it's not true. What everyone thinks about you. Don't let them fool you for a second. You're not a villain. Not now, not ever. You're just a kid. Please, please don't listen to them. Don't listen to mum and dad and everyone else at that stupid gated community.'
'Shut up!'
'Promise me!'
'Stop talking!'
'Primrose, you better promise me this before I fall or I swear I'll haunt you for the rest of your life—'
'Look at me! I'm a monster! I'm hideous! A Ministry official threatened to lock me away because of my disfiguration jusssst last year! There is nothing for me! I am nothing but what the prophecy says I am. A villain.'
Emmeline was crying. 'You're wrong. You're my sister. Please. Promise me you'll remember that.'
Primrose's voice was hoarse. 'I can't—'
'Promise me.'
Primrose drew in a breath. Seconds of silence ticked by. Seconds wasted. Just like every other moment of her life.
She clenched her fists, digging her nails into her scaled palms. 'Okay.' She couldn't bring herself to say the word promise, but Emmeline didn't seem to mind.
Emmeline smiled, her lips quivering. She let out a laugh that was the single most miserable sound Primrose had ever heard. 'What a way to go, eh?' she joked, voice wavering with terrible anticipation. 'Do me a favour. Remember me playing quidditch, not—'
Emmeline didn't get to finish her sentence. She fell through the floor, the curls of her blonde hair tailing above her head as she vanished.