a glowing light
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the Forbidden Forest in a shroud of twilight. Andie stood at the edge of the forest, her yellow and black scarf dancing in the wind. The chill in the air had intensified, but her excitement kept her warm. Lucy and George stood beside her, quietly bickering about their favourite musicians while they waited for Lockwood.
“Lucy- the fact you would even say Queen was the best band of the 70s PROVES I have a better taste in music, David Bowie is clearly the single most influential musician of the time. Even Andie would agree with me on that one”
"Hey- I'm not getting involved in one of these again"
“oh please, George" Lucy chimed in, "you know I love Bowie but have you listened to Queen recently? Plus we both know if she got involved Andie is just going to say fleetwood mac is the best from the 70s"
“Guys, we get it, we all love Queen, we all love Bowie, we all love Fleetwood Mac. Let’s agree they’re great and move on, Lockwoods coming, besides we can't afford for you both to get into a fight like you did when you argued which spiderman was the best” and sure enough, alongside an eruption of argument involving Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, Lockwood with his usual glint of excitement was striding towards them.
“Everyone ready?” Lockwood asked, his voice hushed but charged with excitement.
“Always,” Lucy replied, twirling her wand between her fingers. “Let’s just hope we actually find something worth our time.”
With one last check that everyone was in, Lockwood nodded. “Alright, let’s go. Stick together and keep your eyes and ears open- and for the record, I think we can all agree on ABBA.”
With a knowing glance of agreement between the group, they ventured into the forest, the towering trees creating a canopy that blocked out the last remnants of daylight. Their wands provided faint illumination, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. Every crack of a twig and rustle of leaves heightened their senses, making them hyper-aware of their surroundings. As they moved deeper into the forest, a sense of foreboding settled over them. The air grew colder, and an unnatural silence fell, broken only by their footsteps and the occasional hoot of an owl.
"so, who's your favourite spiderman Andie, promise I won't tell George if it's not Tobey" Lucy whispered, mock crossing her heart in the faint light.
"I mean I LOVE Andrew and Tom, but honestly Miles Morales is probably my favourite." Before Lucy could respond, an eerie chill passed over the group like a blanket of fear. “Does anyone else feel like we’re being watched?” Andie whispered, her grip on her wand tightening.
Lucy nodded, her eyes melting Andies. “Stay close. We’re bound to find something soon.”
Before she could respond, a grating voice interjected, “finally someone finds me, and you’re too busy staring into each others eyes to notice me”
“Did you hear that?” she asked, pointing towards a cluster of trees. “Lockwood is this you? Cause it’s not funny”
George frowned. “Andie? What are you talking about”
“Someone said something to me, made a joke” Andie insisted. “Say something again” she said louder, ignoring the hushing from the group. “Don't go silent now I HEARD YOU”
Clearly hearing a response, to the horror of the group Andie rushed forward into the forest, until she saw a faint glow emanating from the base of a tree, withered and old among the young and firm trees in the clearing.
The others approached her and the spot cautiously, their wands at the ready as she pulled something from the ground.
“What is that?” George asked, somewhat curious but mostly looking like he was ready to pass out on the spot. Lockwood knelt down, brushing away the dirt of the relic, to reveal a skull in a jar.
“Looks like a relic,” he said. “But why would it be out here?”
“Is nobody else concerned that there’s a skull?? And I think it spoke to me,” Andie urged, her eyes wide.
Lucy hesitated for a moment before agreeing
“A skull certainly is… creepy,”
“I might just die of a broken heart. Oh wait-“ the voice retorted, faint and distant, but unmistakable.
“I swear to you on anything it said something again. Give me something sacred to swear on and I will- or, doubt me later and just believe me now!” Andie insisted. She turned back to the skull, her heart pounding. “Who are you?”
The voice came again, a whisper that seemed to echo in her mind. “Clearly, I’m the skull. And you, it seems, are the first who can hear me in decades. Honestly id rather be in silence than have to deal with a daft girl. Obviously you can hear me. You know, it would be nice to get a bit of respect for a change. It’s been rather dull just lying around here,” the skull replied, its tone dripping with sarcasm.
Lucy and Lockwood exchanged glances. “What’s it saying?” Lucy asked. Repeating what it had said, Andie looked at the others, who despite their earlier disbelief had seemed to move past it, now meeting her gaze with horror and shock.
“So it’s called The Skull?” George repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Not very creative, is it?”
“Take it up with the long-dead wizard who cursed me,” the Skull retorted. “Now, what are you going to do with me? Carry me around like a trophy? Or maybe you’ll find some use for my vast, and I do mean vast, knowledge. But I’m not sharing any of it for free. You’ll have to earn it.”
“Well, what is you want?” she asked, her voice steady, sounding far more confident than she was.
“Andie, you need to tell us what it’s saying, clue us in, please” Lockwood pleaded, trying to meet her eyes.
“Ignore that insolent boy, besides we both know it’s not him you have interest in.” The skull answered, and for the first time, Andie was glad she was the only one who could hear it. “For starters, a bit of freedom. I’m tired of being stuck in one place. Take me with you, perhaps let me out of this box” the Skull said, its tone shifting to almost pleading.
After filling in the others about *most* of what the skull had said, the group stood in silence for a moment.
“And how do we know we can trust you?” Lockwood chimed in.
The Skull chuckled again. “You don’t. But I’m your best shot at getting the answers you’re looking for. Besides, it’s not like you have many options.”
“Let’s just take it with us, what’s the harm? Plus it’ll get us out of here faster.” Despite the uneasy atmosphere in the group, the others agreed and Andie carefully picked up the Skull, placing it in her bag. “Let’s go. We can figure out our next steps back at the castle.”
The group retraced their steps through the forest, the sense of foreboding slowly fading as the forest got further behind them, although the presence of the skull in the bag hung over the group like a ghost. By the time they reached the castle grounds, the stars were twinkling overhead, and the chill in the air had deepened.
Back in the library, they gathered in their usual nook, the warm light from the lamps casting a comforting glow. George placed the Skull on the table, and they all stared at it, the reality of their discovery sinking in.
“So, what now?” Lucy asked, leaning back in his chair.
“We figure out what the Skull knows,” Lockwood said, his eyes never leaving the ancient artefact. “And we see how it can help us.”
The Skull’s voice echoed in Andie’s mind again. “I’ll start with a bit of free advice: there’s more going on at Hogwarts than you realise. Dark forces are stirring, and if you’re not careful, you’ll be caught in the middle of it.”
“Dark forces?” Anna repeated, frowning. “Like what?”
“Wait- Dark forces” George asked “NOBODY said anything about dark forces”
“It’s a talking skull George. What did you think, it would sing to us?” Lucy mocked.
“To answer the boy's question, it’s old magic, dangerous and unpredictable,” the Skull replied. “And it’s not just confined to the Forbidden Forest. It’s everywhere, seeping into the very walls of this castle.”