The Dragon Attack
-Madelyn Brooks POV-
“Ah! It appears we are almost ready to depart” said Professor Fig.
I adjusted my gloves, to which my sister just grabbed my hand.
“Stop doing that” I said. “You know what that does to you if you touch my skin”
“Maddie…” said my sister, Alice. “I never cared about magic. You know that. You are my sister. My only family”
“It’s still strange they’d allow a Squib like me into Hogwarts” I sighed.
“Well your situation has never happened before” said Professor Fig. “A Squib with the ability to nullify magic with just a touch. Professor Weasley has made a special lesson plan for you. You’ll attend non-magic classes like potions, a history of magic,… And you’ll train with her and other professors to see if you can use your anti-magic for good things”
“I still don’t buy it” I said. “I don’t trust people”
“Forgive my sister, Professor” said Alice.
“No” said Professor Fig. “It’s quite alright. I know of your situation. All I can hope, Madelyn, is that one day you’ll trust me and the other teachers”
“We’ll see” I said. “It’s a pity you didn’t have more time to practice spell-casting”
“Well, I do presume Alice has been practicing the spells we worked on” he said.
“I have, Professor” she said.
“She has, it was beautiful to see” I smiled. “I don’t like magic, but I do like Ali’s magic. It is beautiful”
“Well, I’m quite sure I’ve never seen anyone take so quickly to a second-hand wand” said Professor Fig. “You’ll be a force to be reckoned with when you get your own”
“Thank you, Professor Fig” said my sister. “I appreciate your working with me before the term begin…”
Someone suddenly apparated.
“Holy shit!” I shouted. “I’ll never get used to that”
Alice rolled her eyes at my vulgar language, but she has learned over the years I’ll never change that.
“Oh! Eleazar!” the strange man shouted.
“George. Glad my rather cryptic description of our location did not thwart your finding us” said Professor Fig.
“I’ve Apparated to more vaguely defined destinations than this” George chuckled. “Though I confess I may have miscalculated slightly on my first try. Gave quite the fright to some theatre-goers in the West End”
“Yeah, no shit” I said and he looked at me. “Muggles are not used to magic”
Professor Fig just coughed at my language. “It’s been much too long. When I received your owl. I must say I…”
But George interrupted him before Professor Fig could continue. “Best not speak here, Eleazar”
“Of course” said Professor Fig. “Why don’t we speak on route to Hogwarts? We have a start-of-term feast and a Sorting Ceremony to get to”
‘Not for me, I’ll just mess the stupid hat up’
“Wonderful idea!” said George. “As long as your young charges here don’t mind me tagging along”
“Not at all, sir” said Alice politely.
“Fine for me” I said.
“After you” said Professor Fig.
We got into the carriage and it began to fly.
“You wizards are crazy” I said. “Couldn’t we just take the train or something?”
“Maddie” whispered Alice. “I know you don’t like the situation. But mom can’t take care of us anymore. This is the only way we could stay together”
“I know” I said. “I agreed to this. I’ll try to be politer, okay?”
“Thank you” she smiled and squeezed my hand.
“Glad I caught you before you left for Scotland” said George.
“Just barely” smiled Professor Fig.
“And who are your travelling companions?” asked George.
“Two new students” said Professor Fig proudly.
“New?” asked George in disbelief.
“Yes, sir. Me and my sister are starting school as a fifth-year” said Alice.
“How extraordinary” he said.
“It is indeed” said Professor Fig. “None of the faculty has ever heard of anyone being admitted to Hogwarts so late”
“Nor have I” said George.
“Of course, as the other fifth-years will have been honing their magical skills for four years now, the Headmaster asked if I could get our new students up to speed a bit before the term begins” said Professor Fig.
‘So we’re not acknowledging that I am a Squib? Fine…’
“Well, you two couldn’t have asked for a better mentor” said George. “Professor Fig is not only an exceptional teacher, he is also a remarkably intuitive and gifted wizard”
“Mr. Osric is prone to flattery, I daresay it’s one of the reasons he’s risen so far at the Ministry” chuckled Professor Fig.
“Have you seen this?” asked George and took out a newspaper.
“Ali! Those pictures are moving!” I shouted.
“Ranrok’s Goblin Rebellion, Truth or Gobbledegook?” was the title.
“Muggle newspaper are indeed a lot different, Madelyn” said Professor Fig. “I have seen this. Opinions differ as to how great a threat Ranrok really is”
“Although I’ve yet to convince my colleagues at the Ministry, I believe he is a significant threat” said George.
Alice was looking outside and frowning.
“Ali?” I whispered.
“I don’t know…” she said. “It is probably nothing”
“And it was your wife, Eleazar, who alerted me to his activities months ago” said George.
“Miriam? How?” asked Professor Fig.
George sighed. “She wrote to me about Ranrok before she died, wondering what the Ministry knew about his activities” he took something from his pocket, I squeezed next to my sister to see the object better.
“Before I could respond, I received this” he said. “It was the last thing she sent me, Eleazar” he said.
It was a little box, with a glowing symbol on it.
“It came to me via her owl, but with no correspondence. I can only assume…” he said.
“That she had to get rid of it quickly to keep it safe” finished Professor Fig.
“Presumably from Ranrok” said George. “I cannot open it. Whatever magic protects this is powerful indeed”
“It looks like goblin metal” said Professor Fig.
“Is no one going to acknowledge the strange glow on that thing?” I asked.
“I was wondering that myself” said Alice.
“I don’t see a glow” said Professor Fig.
“Nor do I” said George.
Professor Fig gave it to Alice, who managed to open it with a simple touch.
“Merlin’s beard! How did you…?” asked George.
Alice was about to take it out, when Professor Fig stopped her.
“Wait!” he said. “we do not know what…”
But suddenly, half the carriage was bitten of by a dragon.
“Holy shit!” I screamed. “A freaking dragon?! Are you for real?!”
“Maddie!” yelled Alice and she grabbed my hand.
I looked back and saw suddenly black creatures pulling the carriage.
“Ali!” I yelled. “What are those creatures? Since when are they there?!”
“Hang on, girls!” yelled Professor Fig.
“Maddie! Don’t let go!” yelled Alice.
“Like I would!” I screamed back.
“Jump!” yelled Professor Fig when the dragon was about to spit fire.
Alice dragged me with her and we were falling…
Professor Fig was trying to catch the little box, but the key fell out.
“The key!” he yelled. “Give me your hand! Madelyn! Don’t let go of your sister!”
He grabbed Alice’s hand and grabbed the key, suddenly… we were somewhere else completely.
“Are you two all right?” asked Professor Fig.
“Maddie!” shouted Alice.
“I’m fine!” I said. “Definitely sprained something, but I’m alive. Are you okay?”
She cried out in pain when she tried to stand up.
“You both are hurt” said Professor Fig.
“Perhaps a bit” said Alice.
“Both of you, take this” he said and handed us a potion. “It’s Wiggenweld Potion. That stuff will right you in a second”
We both drank from it and I began to feel better.
“What happened?” asked Alice.
“Poor George…” said Professor Fig. “I can’t believe he… what the hell got into that damned thing? Attacking a carriage mid-air? A typical dragon would never…”
“Professor?” asked Alice.
“Sir, where are we?” I asked, he saved our lives, he deserves a little credit.
“I’m not sure” he answered honestly. “But that key you discovered was clearly a Portkey”
“Please explain to the non-witch here what a Portkey is” I said.
“An item enchanted to bring whoever touches it to a specific place” he explained.
I helped my sister stand up.
“You okay now?” I asked.
She nodded. “I feel much better, thank you Maddie”
“Maybe we should look around” I said. “Figure out where the hell we are”
“Good thinking, Madelyn” Professor Fig praised me. “But stay close. We have no idea who created this Portkey or why”
We walked out of the cave, it was beautiful outside.
“How far did that Portkey take us?” asked Alice.
“Farther from London than the carriage travelled” said Professor Fig. “We’re somewhere in the Scottish Highlands”
“Sir, those ruins” said Alice. “Do you think…”
“The Portkey was meant to lead us there?” finished Professor Fig. “I do. This has not been the day any of us expected. But Miriam sent that Portkey to George for a reason. And I believe that she – and now George – died in pursuit of whatever it was meant to lead to. If you two are sure you’re all right and wouldn’t mind indulging me. I’d like to have a look around”
“Absolutely, sir” said Alice.
“I’m okay” I said.
“Good, let’s see if we can find a path” said Professor Fig. “However faded it may be”
We began to follow Professor Fig.
“Mind your step!” he said.
The path was narrow… one wrong move and down the cliffs we go…
“Where do you suppose your wife got the Portkey that brought us here?” asked Alice.
“A good question” said Professor Fig. “Miriam spent years searching for evidence of a long-forgotten form of ancient magic”
“Ancient magic?” I asked.
“Yes, a powerful magic wielded by a rare few” he said. “That seems to have been lost to time. Hogwarts castle was built by and is itself a stronghold of that ancient magic. I don’t know where she came into possession of the Portkey. But I am certain it was to do with that search”
“But, sir” said Alice. “Why was your wife searching for evidence of lost magic?”
“Miriam wanted to understand why such a powerful magic disappeared from the wizarding world” he said. “Spoke of the good it could do. But magic is no different than any power. What really matters is the one who wields it”
“Is that ice?” asked Alice when our path was completely blocked.
“It’s not cold enough here” said Professor Fig. “It appears to be a sort of enchantment. Someone wanted to block this path. Madelyn, we have been practicing your control of your anti-magic. I still believe one day you can project it further from your body. But for now, why don’t you try to get rid of that wall?”
“Okay” I said and took my glove off, it was a simple glove, to shield of my skin so I wouldn’t accidentally let wizards and witches lose their magic for a short amount of time.
I touched the ice and it immeadiatly crumbled.
“I’ll never get used to that” said Alice in amazement.
“Excellent!” said Professor Fig proudly.
We continued on until we literally couldn’t anymore. The bridge was destroyed…
“I don’t suppose you have a magic spell to restore this bridge?” I asked.
“As a matter of fact, there is” said Professor Fig.
“Oh you have got to be joking” I said.
“Reparo!” yelled Professor Fig and the bridge was restoring itself.
“Holy shit” I whispered. “Unbelievable”
“I agree” said Alice. “I wonder if I’ll be able to do that one day. We’d buy a lot minder glasses and plates then, since you drop everything”
“By accident!” I corrected.
We crossed the bridge and entered the ruins.
“Why would someone have built this here?” asked Alice.
“I suspect they valued their privacy” said Professor Fig. “That Portkey led us here for a reason. Let’s have a look around for anything that seems out of place”
We each looked around, until I heard my sister yell. “Professor Fig! Maddie!”
Professor Fig and I ran to Alice.
“How odd” said Professor Fig. “Why would someone have conjured that enchanted stone here?”
“Is that a sort of mirror?” I asked. “The background is completely different”
“I think there’s a room behind it” said Alice.
“What room?” asked Professor Fig. “I don’t see anything”
“There’s that glow again, like the glow on the Portkey container!” said Alice, she touched it and suddenly the glow and mirror were gone.
“What in Merlin’s name…?” said Professor Fig. “Godric’s heart!”
“Where are we now?” I whined. “We are going to be so late for your sorting ceremony”
“I don’t believe it” he said.
“Professor…” I said. “What is that creature that is snoring?”
“That is a Goblin” he answered. “We should wake him up”
“Hello?” I tried, but he didn’t budge.
“Ahem” coughed Professor Fig, but nothing happened so he tried again.
And that time the goblin woke up.
“It can’t be” he said. “Just a moment”
He climbed down and he was so little!
“Welcome, to Gringotts Wizarding bank” he said and bowed… “Vault number twelve, I presume?”
“Precisely” said Professor Fig.
“The key?” asked the Goblin.
“Hm?” said Professor Fig.
“Your wife’s Portkey?” said Alice.
“Oh, yes. Of course” said Professor Fig and handed it over.
“This way then” said the Goblin and took us to a strange looking thing…
“Oh hell no” I whispered. “I have such a bad feeling about this.
“After you” said the Goblin.
Alice took my hand and we sat down on the carriage.
“Keep your hands inside the cart if you don’t wish to lose them” chuckled the Goblin.
“Real motivating!” I snapped.
“Relax, Madelyn” said Professor Fig. “Everything will be alright. It may be scary, but nothing will happen to you”
“Promise?” I asked and he smiled and nodded. I held out my hand and he grabbed it without thinking about it.
‘Okay, so maybe Professor Fig isn’t so bad after all’
The carriage began to move… it was so fast…
“How many vaults are there in Gringotts?” asked Alice.
“Hundreds” answered the Goblin. “In fact, you’ll see quite a few on our way to vault number twelve. As we speak, we’re just beneath the main lobby. The vault you see now are the newest”
“Are private entrances to the bank common at Gringotts?” asked Professor Fig, who was calmly squeezing my hand, knowing I was not the biggest fan of this ride.
“They are most uncommon” answered the Goblin. “Only one with great wealth or power or both could have arranged such a service. You’ll want to take a breath”
“Why?” I asked, scared.
But he didn’t answer since we drove through a waterfall…
“That waterfall washes away all enchantments” explained Professor Fig. “It’s a security measure”
“Experienced the Thief’s Downfall before, have you?” asked the Goblin.
“Heard of it” said Professor Fig.
“These are the lower vaults that we’re passing now” said the Goblin.
“How deep are we going?” asked Alice.
“Vault number twelve was commissioned shortly after Gringotts was founded over four centuries ago” said the Goblin. “It resides in the deepest part of the bank. Settle in. We’ve quite a way to go”
“I’m gonna be sick” I whispered.
“I could try a spell for nausea” said Professor Fig.
“Won’t work” I said. “Anti-magic, remember? Not a single spell works on me”
“Right” he said. “That part of your anti-magic is indeed difficult”
We stopped for a short moment, and we saw another Goblin.
I frowned when I saw a glow on his armband.
“Vault number?” he asked.
“Vault twelve!” said the Goblin who was driving. “Momentous day!”
“On your way” said the other Goblin.
“Maddie…” whispered Alice when we moved again.
“I saw it too” I whispered back.
“Professor” said Alice. “The armband that guard was wearing was glowing”
“Like the glow you two saw on the Portkey container?” asked Professor Fig.
“No darker” said Alice. “I saw that same glow on the dragon’s collar”
“What was that?” asked the Goblin.
“We were just wondering about that goblin back there” said Professor Fig.
“He watches over the oldest section of the bank” said the Goblin. “Rare anyone goes there anymore”
“Maddie, we’re here” said Alice when we finally stopped.
“Thank God!” I shouted and quickly got off the carriage. “Never again in my entire life!”
“Come on, it wasn’t that bad?” laughed Alice, she was teasing me.
“For you bloody wizards maybe” I sighed.
“When was the last time this vault was accessed?” asked Professor Fig to the Goblin.
“A Goblin has been stationed at my desk for hundreds of years” answered the Goblin. “In that time, no one has visited vault twelve, until today”
“And that’s not completely ominous…” I whispered.
The Goblin opened the door.
“Thank you for your help” said Professor Fig and we entered the vault.
“What do you suppose we should be looking for?” asked Alice.
“I’m not sure” said Professor Fig. “Sir, I wonder if you might…”
“The instructions for vault twelve indicate that I am to grant access to the holder of the key, and then close the door” said the Goblin.
“Oh no” I said.
I grabbed Alice’s hand… I am no good with closed off places…
“Professor?” I asked.
“That was certainly unexpected” he said. “Let me think. There must be something here. Revelio perhaps”
“Revelio?” asked Alice.
“Yes, a revealing charm” he said. “No time like the present. Let’s see what we’re missing, shall we? Ready your wand and focus”
“Revelio!” said Alice. “There! I saw something”
“Move a bit closer, and try again” said Professor Fig.
She tried again and a door appeared.
“Magic is crazy” I said.
“A door” she said.
“Well, that’s a start” said Professor Fig. “There’s that symbol again. I don’t suppose you see a way to…”
“I do, Professor!” said Alice. “That symbol has the same glow as the one I saw on the Portkey container”
“If what you can see reveals the way forward, then I daresay we are about to discover the secret of this vault!” said Professor Fig. “Lead the way”
She touched it and suddenly it was completely dark…
“Lumos!” said Professor Fig and a light came out of his wand. “This is no ordinary vault. I suspect we will need to earn our way out of here”
“What do you mean, earn our way out?” I asked. “Do you think this is some sort of test?”
“I do” he said. “But to what end, I can’t say. Stay close. There will be no Disapparating if things go poorly, not out of Gringotts”
We began to walk around.
“I see something up ahead” said Alice.
“What is it?” asked Professor Fig.
“It’s that glow again” I said. “But this time it’s on the floor. Ali, I think you should do something with it”
She moved the magic and the room became dark again.
Alice was on her knees…
“You okay?” I asked and helped her up.
“What happened?” asked Professor Fig.
“When I moved towards the glow, it suddenly seemed as if the ground was swirling about” said Alice. “And I’m okay, Maddie”
“You changed the floor” I said. “Nice touch though, with that knight in the ground”
“What knight?” asked Professor Fig.
“I see some sort of statue, but only as a reflection in the floor” said Alice. “Revelio!”
And suddenly the knight also appeared above the floor.
“I presume this is what you two saw reflected in the floor” said Professor Fig.
“It is” said Alice. “The reflection’s still there. But the positions don’t match it”
Professor Fig moved and the reflection moved with it.
“That’s not totally creepy” I said. “When you moved, the reflection turned in the direction of the light”
“Hm, perhaps you Alice, should cast Lumos” said Professor Fig.
“Lumos” she said and the statue began to stand up.
“Well done” said Professor Fig.
“Okay… what now?” I asked.
The knight lifted up his sword and touched the ground with it.
“Maddie, stay close to Professor Fig!” shouted Alice, more knights began to fall down…
Professor Fig grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him.
“Ali! Watch out!” I yelled.
“Protego!” she said and a shield formed around her.
The two of them began to fight the knights with magic.
A knight came close to us and I took off my glove and slid under its legs and touched it.
It crumbled down like it was never a knight at all.
“Nice one, Madelyn!” shouted Professor Fig.
I managed to dodge the knights and managed to touch a few so they had to fight less.
The knights were gone and the room was dark again.
“Ali?!” I yelled. “Professor Fig!”
It was so dark… I don’t like the dark… dark is scary… dark is bad…
“I’m right here, Madelyn” said Professor Fig. “Lumos”
I felt like I could breathe a little when I saw the light.
He touched my shoulder.
“Are you all right?” he asked and I nodded.
“Where is Alice?” I asked.
“It seems she needs to fight further” he said. “Come on, let’s find our way out of here so we can find your sister”
~
After what seemed an eternity… a door appeared.
I opened and we saw a huge hall, and Alice!
“Alice!” I yelled and ran to her.
“Madelyn!” she yelled back and hugged me tightly. “Are you okay?”
“Am I okay?” I laughed. “Are you okay? Did you have to fight those knights again? Are you hurt?”
“Yes, I’m okay” she smiled. “And yes, I had to fight those knights again and I am not hurt”
“I’m glad to see you’re all right” said Professor Fig. “What is this place?”
“I don’t know” said Alice. “But I found this floating above that basin”
“That is no mere basin” said Professor Fig. “That is a Pensieve, for viewing memories. I wonder…”
Professor Fig took the little bottle and let something fall into the basin… I mean Pensieve…
“Follow my lead” said Professor Fig.
“I can’t” I said. “If my skin even touches that water…”
“I’ll tell you what I see” said Alice. “Promise”
After a few moments they both came up.
“That’s what the two of you are seeing?” asked Professor Fig. “The glow that surrounded them?”
“Yes, sir” said Alice, she quickly explained what she saw. Two professors building this place, talking about trials and traces of ancient magic.
“Astonishing” said Professor Fig.
“So… Alice and I can see magic?” I asked.
“Traces of an ancient magic to be precise” he said. “The magic that Miriam had always believed existed but could never… Miriam and perhaps George, died in pursuit of knowledge that has been dominant for centuries. And you two, it seems, are the key to understanding why. We would…”
“It all looks rather different than it did a moment ago” said the Goblin from earlier, someone was trying to open the doors…
“Someone’s coming” said Professor Fig.
The door opened and more Goblins came through. Even Ranrok, who I recognised from the paper…
“I was right” said Ranrok.
“Ranrok” said Professor Fig.
“Seems my reputation precedes me” said Ranrok. “I was beginning to think no one was ever going to visit Rackham’s vault”
“And why are you here?” asked Professor Fig while drawing out his wand, Alice did the same.
“No need for that” said Ranrok. “Just give me whatever it is you found here, and we can bygones be bygones”
“Sir, they had the key to the vault” said the Goblin who took us here.
“Choose your next words wisely” threatened Ranrok.
“I only meant that the instructions for vault twelve were quite clear” said the Goblin. “Sir, I must insist. I was to grand access only to one with the key. And you didn’t have…”
But Ranrok began to glow red and killed the Goblin.
I put my hands before my mouth, so I wouldn’t gasp out loud.
“I have no patience for traitors” said Ranrok. “Now, where were we?”
“I’m not giving you anything” said Professor Fig.
“Well, perhaps one of your young friends here will be more helpful” said Ranrok.
Professor Fig attacked, but Ranrok attacked back and they both flew backwards.
“Now why are you still standing?” asked Ranrok and I ran to Professor Fig and my sister.
The room began to change and a huge glowing knight appeared and began to fight…
“I know a way out!” yelled Alice.
“Professor!” I screamed.
I touched Alice and suddenly we were out of the room.
“Are the two of you all right?” asked Professor Fig.
“Fine sir” said Alice.
“I really hope that was the last time we travelled. I just want to sleep” I sighed.
“I’ve never seen so powerful a Goblin” said Professor Fig. “He seemed wholly unaffected by my magic”
“Where are we?” asked Alice.
“It can’t be” said Professor Fig. “It seems those who set up the Pensieve, the locket and the path to both, wanted someone with your ability to end up here. Come, we’ve got a Sorting Ceremony to get to”
“Oh my God” I whispered when I saw the castle. “That is a school?!”