The Man and the Mask
It was Piniet who stood there “You?!” Luz shouted, he turned to her and smiled and his face wasn’t twitching at all “Yes… I wonder whether I’d be meeting you here Noceda” He said calmly “But I thought Clawthorne…” Luz muttered.
“Lilith?” Piniet laughed, but not his usual stuttering giggles either, but cold and sharp “She does seem the type, doesn’t she? She’s useful to have her swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to her, who’d suspect p-p-po-po-poor s-s-stu-stut-tt-ttering pro-pro-professor Piniet?” Luz couldn’t take it in, it couldn’t be true.
“But didn’t Lilith try to kill Willow?” Luz asked “No, no she did not… My master did, wanted to test the limits of what was possible, hadn’t Lilith knocked me over when her clothes caught fire, Willow would be dead, it would have happened sooner if she wasn’t muttering her counter-course, trying to save Park” He rolled his eyes in anger “She tried to save her?” Luz couldn’t believe it.
“Of course, she was” Said Piniet coldly “Why do you think she wanted to referee her next match? To make sure I or master didn’t do it again” He scoffed “Don’t know why she bothered, if her sister and Bump there? We wouldn’t try anything, all the other teachers thought she just wanted to make sure Gryffindor wouldn’t win, she did make herself unpopular” He continued.
Piniet made a circle in the air with his index finger, a circle of orange light formed and ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Luz “You and your friends are too nosy to live Noceda, scurrying around the school at Halloween… For all I knew you’d seen me coming to look at what was guarding the stone” He smiled coldly at her.
“You let the Troll in” Luz muttered “Certainly, I’ve always been gifted when dealing with Trolls, you saw what I did with that one, two chambers behind” He bragged “Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Lilith came to the third-floor, she already suspected of me back then… I couldn’t beat you to death nor get the dog to reap at least one leg of Lilith!” He turned his back to Luz and only then did she realize what stood behind Piniet.
“Is the Mirror of Erised?” Luz thought “This mirror is the key to finding the stone” He muttered, tapping his way around the frame “Trust Bump to come up with something like this, but he's in London, and Eda is bent on correcting all the exams... By the time they’re done I’ll be long gone” The only thing Luz thought was to keep him talking and not focusing on the mirror.
“I saw you and Lilith in the Astronomy Tower” She blurted out “Yes” He said idly walking around the mirror to look at its back “She was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I’d got. She suspected me all along, tried to frighten me as though she could when I have Emperor Belos on my side” He came back from behind the mirror and stared avidly into it.
“I see the stone… I’m presenting it to my master… But where is it!?” Luz struggled but the ropes didn’t loosen up and she needed to keep him talking, focusing on her “I thought Lilith didn’t like me” She said and Piniet scoffed “Oh, she does not like you… She had a… Complicated relationship with your father, by the time he graduated he loathed her, but she never wanted you dead” He explained.
“But I saw you sobbing a few days ago, I thought Lilith was threatening you” For the first time a spasm of fear flitted across his face “Sometimes, I find it hard to follow my master’s instructions he is a great wizard and I’m weak…” Luz gasped “He was there?” How could he be there, she didn’t hear him.
“My master is with me wherever I go…” He said quietly “I met him when I traveled around the world… How foolish I was… Thinking about good and evil, when in reality there is only power and those too are too weak to seek it… I’ve obeyed him ever since he taught me that, but I’ve failed him many times…” He shivered suddenly.
“He does not forgive mistakes easily… After Gringotts, he said he needed to keep a closer look on me” He cursed under his breath “I don’t understand… Is the stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?” Luz's mind raced to an idea.
She wanted the stone, to keep it away from Piniet and Belos, so if she looked at the mirror, would she see where the stone was hidden? It was worth the shot. Piniet ignored her when, trying to edge to the left, she tripped and fell over.
Suddenly Piniet stopped for a moment “Use the girl?” He muttered then turned to Luz “Yes Noceda, come here” He made another orange light circle with his index finger, and the ropes binding Luz disappeared and she slowly walked towards him.
“Tell me what you see” He ordered. Luz stood in front of the mirror I need to lie to him; she thought as she opened her eyes. The mirror showed her, pale and scared, but in her hand, she had a sky-blue stone, her reflection smiled at her and put the stone in its pocket, he tapped it three times and suddenly Luz felt something heavy in her pocket, the reflection winked at Luz.
“Well, tell me what you see” Luz screwed up her courage “I see myself shaking Bump’s hand” Luz invented “We won the House Cup” Piniet shove her aside “Out of the way” She felt the Galdorstone press against her leg. Could she make a break for it? “Come back here Noceda” He shouted, Luz hadn’t walked 5 steps yet “Tell me the truth! What did you just see!?” But he stopped, he seemed surprised “But Master, you’re not strong enough… Of course” He lowered his head.
Luz felt as if Devil’s Snare were wrapping her legs, she was petrified. She watched as Piniet reached for his hair, his hand was fully covered by his long green strands of hair, it look as though he was trying to find a popcorn that got stuck in there.
He then pulled, from inside his long green hair, a golden mask with two hollow holes for eyes and two long upward-facing horns. He put the mask on his face, Luz would have screamed but she couldn’t make a sound, as suddenly two bright green eyes appeared from the hollow holes in the reflection on the mirror, the same two she saw in the forest, and the man body started to twist.
The sound of bones being dislocated and pulled back together filled the room for a few seconds. When Piniet's body went back to normal he turned back to Luz “Luz Noceda” He spoke, but another voice spoke alongside Piniet’s, a cold evil whisper.
“See what I have become?” Said the voice and the whisper “An echo of my older self, no more than a lingering spark, about to put myself out. But there is always someone whiling to keep the fire burning into their hearts and minds… Unicorn Blood has strengthened me for the past few weeks, had I tried to kill your friend in this week, no counter-curse could have stopped me and I would be able to see the look on your face as you hold her dead body in your arms” He chuckled.
“That’s why you chose her? To hurt me?” He chuckled again, but more maniacally “Look how weak I’ve become, but once I have the stone, its endless power will allow me to create a new body for me! Now, be a good girl, and give me the stone in your pocket” So he knew, the feeling surged back into Luz’s legs, and she stumbled backward.
“Don’t be a fool” The whisper snarled “Better save your own life and join me or you’ll meet the same fate as your half-a-wizard of a father, he begged for life before me” Luz shouted “Liar!” Piniet controlling only his body walked forward.
“How touching, I always value bravery, yes girl, your father was brave, he didn’t need to die that day, but he was trying to save you… Now, give me the stone, unless you want his sacrifice to go in vain” Luz sprang toward the flame door but Piniet’s body dashed forward and grabbed her by the wrist.
A needle-sharp pain seared across her mark, it felt like her head was about to be split in two. She yelled struggling with all her might and to her surprise, Piniet let go of her. The pain in her head had lessened; Piniet was hunched in pain, his head searing “Seize her” Belos ordered.
Piniet lunged grabbing Luz by the neck with his two hands and raising her to the air. Being choked to death felt like nothing compared to the blinding pain the mark made her feel, but again he let her go.
Luz fell to the ground and Piniet kneeled in front of her, his hands looked burned, raw, red, and shiny “If you can’t touch her, kill her” Piniet was halfway done with another light circle when, in instinct, Luz reached him and grabbed his neck.
He shoved her away, his neck searing too, and then Luz knew, that if he touched her skin he’d suffer terrible pain, it was her only chance. She jumped to her feet and caught Piniet by the arm and hang on as tight as she could.
She felt the man try to throw Luz off, the pain in Luz's head building; she couldn’t see or hear Piniet, she only ever heard the sound of his skin searing and one last line from Belos “You are a pathetic excuse of a wizard” before the pain overcome her and she fainted.
She woke up in a bed, her body heavy as a car could barely move. She blinked twice and the golden eyes of Edalyn Clawthorne appeared “Good afternoon Luz” She said with a smile, everything came rushing down Luz's mind.
“Ma’am, the stone, it was Piniet, he got the stone, you need to” Eda smiled “You can calm yourself; you’re a little behind on the news. Piniet doesn’t have the stone” Luz blinked “Then who does? Ma’am I…” -- “Luz, please, relax or Madame Cutburn will drag me out” Luz swallowed and looked around.
She was in the hospital wing and lay in a bed with white linen sheets and next to her was a table piled high with what looked like half the sweet shop. “Tokens from your friends and admires… You have some very expensive gifts there” Eda said beaming.
“What happened down in the dungeon between you and Professor Piniet is a complete secret… So, naturally, the whole school knows” She said playfully “I believe your friends, Mr. Edric and Mss. Emira Blight were responsible for trying to send you a lavatory seat, no doubt they thought it would amuse you” She was clearly holding laughter as she said that.
“Madame Cutburn, however, felt it might not be very hygienic and confiscated it” She added “How long I’ve been here?” Eda made a three with her fingers “Mister Porter and Miss Park will be very relieved you’ve woken up, they’re this close from crawling all over the walls worried about you” She continued.
“But ma’am, the stone?” Luz asked again “I see you won’t let it go, okay then” She pulled a chair and set down in front of the bed, looking Luz directly in the eyes “I’ve arrived in time to prevent Piniet from getting the stone, although you were doing very well on your own if I do say so myself” Luz's eyes were filled with hope.
“As soon as Principal B realized the latter was fake he sent me a message, I must admit, I was a bit too focused on correcting the exams and at first I didn’t see it. But once I got it I made it just in time to separate you from Piniet… I feared I might be too late” Eda explained.
“You nearly were, I don’t know how much more I’d have kept the stone” Eda shook her head “Not the stone girl, you. Keep the stone safe nearly killed you… For a terrible moment, I was afraid it had. As for the stone, it has been destroyed” Luz asked blankly “But Bump’s friend, Nicolas Flamel” Eda seemed delighted.
“You know Nick? You did it properly I see. Principal B, Nick, and I had a little chat and apparently, Nick was already considering destroying it" Eda explained “But he and his wife will die right?” Eda nodded “Eventually, they still have time to set their affairs in order” Eda smiled at the look of amazement on Luz’s face.
“‘To a well-organized mind, death is just the next great adventure’, Principal B told me that a few times, and I agree with him. All the power and life is something most people would choose in a heartbeat, the thing is, people tend to choose the things which are worst for them” Luz lay there, lost for words.
“Ma’am… Even without the stone Belos — I mean, the Emperor…” Eda shook her head “Call him by the proper name, fearing the name only leads to fearing the thing itself” Luz nodded “Belos is going to try another way of coming back; he’s not gone is he?” Eda shook her head gloomily.
“The mask got away, perhaps it is looking for another body for him to possess. He left Piniet to die there; he shows as much mercy for his followers as he shows for his enemies… Nevertheless, you delayed him, that cannot be changed, we’ll continue to defy him, until one day when he is truly stopped” Luz nodded, which made her head hurt.
“Can I ask some questions? I want to know some of the truths” Eda nodded “Why did Belos try to kill me when I was a baby” Eda sighed deeply “Of course, the very first thing you ask me I cannot tell you, not today at least, one day, I promise you, when you are older – I know you hate to hear this – When you’re ready, you’ll know” Luz knew she wasn’t going to convince Eda to tell her so she moved on.
“Why Piniet couldn’t touch me?” Luz asked “Your father died to protect you, that kind of act lives a mark – Not like the one on your forehead – Something Belos cannot understand is Love, especially one as strong as your father’s for you. It leaves with us protection in our very skin, which lasts eternally” Luz couldn’t help but give a small smile, her father’s love protected her, and the thought brought comfort to her.
“Piniet was filled with hate and greed… Have shared the body with Belos, he couldn’t touch you. The agony was all he could feel touching you” Luz cleaned her tears in her sheets “The invisibility cloak?” Eda smiled “You father happened to leave it in my possession before he died, thought you might like it, a very useful thing” The woman’s twinkled.
“He used more to walk around the school grounds, get food whenever he wanted and of course, visit all the forbidden corridors, dungeons, and towers this school ever had” She joked and Luz chuckled, so that was the kind of student her father was.
“Hum, Piniet said the Lilith and father had a complicated relationship… Was he a bad student?” Luz asked “Not really” Eda replied “Then, why would a teacher hate a student so much?” Eda looked at her for a moment; she was more serious for some reason.
“Student and teacher?” Eda asked and Luz nodded “How old do you think me and my sister are?” She asked and Luz widened her eyes “I-I-I am-hum-hum…. Ammmmmmmmm” Eda waited for an answer “60… something?” Eda frowned.
“Excuse me, I’m only 44” Eda replied and Luz’s jaw dropped “Then, you were…” She mumbled “Yes, in the same year as your father. I still remember the day… when the Sorting Hat fell on my head and yelled for the entire school to hear; Gryffindor!” She imitated the hat.
“And your father’s sorting too of course, when the hat yelled, after more than 5 minutes of silence; Slytherin gained one of the best students the house ever had” Luz's expression froze, she couldn’t believe, her father was in Slytherin? She thought about Boscha and Belos, was her father like them? She was about to cry when she remembered someone, Amity.
Sure, Blight wasn’t a sunshine and rainbows kind of person, but she wasn’t all bad… She lingered to the tread of hope, which was that her father wasn’t like the Slytherins she knew “Any more questions?” Eda asked and not wanting to maybe insult her sister in front of her, Luz moved on.
“How did I get the stone out of the mirror?” Eda chuckled “One of Principal B's best ideas – And let’s be honest, that’s saying something – You see, only someone who wanted the stone -- but not to use, to protect it – Could ever get it, otherwise, they’d just see themselves having endless power or endless life… Sometimes that old brain surprises me” She turned to the pile of candies beside Luz.
“You should get started on these sweets… Oh, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? First time I ate one I was delighted to get a vomit-flavored one… Never tried one again, but I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if I tried one” She slimed and popped the golden and brown bean into her mouth, she swallowed and sighed “Earwax…” She left.
Madame Cutburn was a strict and serious woman “I said no, I only let Edalyn in because Principal Bump asked me to, you rest now” Luz begged a few more times before she let Gus and Willow in “Only five minutes” She warned.
Gus resisted the urge of hugging her again, something she appreciated, her head was still very sore “We’re so worried” Willow said almost tearing up “The school is talking about it” Gus said “But what really happened?” That was one of the rare times where the true version of a story was wilder than the rumors.
Luz told them everything; Piniet, Lilith, the mirror, the stone, the talk with Eda, and the golden mask; Willow and Gus were a very good audience, they gasped at the right moments. “And what happened to you?” Luz asked.
“Well, I got out just fine, bring Willow did cost me some time” Gus started “But the moment we were on our way to get a Crow to Bump, we met with Eda and Lilith halfway through the entrance hall, she already knew you were there” Luz blinked.
“Yeah, she said ‘Luz went after him, didn’t she?’ and hurdled off to the third floor… Do you think she intended for you to do it?” Willow asked “Between the cloak and all” Luz pondered for a moment.
“Maybe she thought I’d been given the chance, maybe that’s why she told me how the mirror works… But ultimately I think Bump’s idea was to trap Belos in the room with the mirror and had Eda or himself take him down, maybe lock whatever was left of him in a safe place, but we kinda ruined the plan” Maybe Luz should have learned the lesson of not meddling with things that day, but she did not.
Luz wasn’t excited for the end of the term feast the next day, Slytherin had won the cup because, due to her injuries, Willow couldn’t play the game against Ravenclaw and Gryffindor was steamrolled. Madame Cutburn sent Gus and Willow away.
Against Madame Cutburn’s suggestions, Bump said Luz could come to the last feast and Hagrid was allowed to visit her. He busted into tears the moment he saw Luz “It’s… all… my… fault…” He cleaned the tears out of his face.
“I told him how to get past Fluffy… I told him… Yer could have died… All for a Dragon Egg… I’ll never drink again! I’m a disgrace…” He sobbed loudly “Hagrid” Luz reached the big man’s hand “He’d have found out even if you hadn’t told him, it's Belos we’re talking here” He didn’t stop sobbing for minutes.
After calming him down, Hagrid gave Luz her present “Bump gave me the day off yesterday to fix it, of course, he should have sacked me instead” The present was a nice looking leather-covered book and she opened it.
Inside were pages and more pages of photos of her father, he smiled and waved at her “I send Crows to all of yer father’s old school friends, asking for photos… I never told yer that but… he was…” Luz simply looked up at him and smiled, tears falling down her eyes, all she cared about was that now she and her mother could look at her father and have more photos than just their wedding or the one with baby Luz.
After one last checkup, Madame Cutburn let her go to the last feast of the year. By the time Luz arrived at the Great Hall, it was already full and decorated with the Slytherin colors; green and silver. They won for the seventh time in a roll.
Luz slipped between Gus and Willow, she tried her best to get in undetected but the door was too loud, before she could sit, everyone was staring at her, some even standing up to look at her. Luz peeked at the Slytherin table, Boscha had a triumphant smile, Skara seemed like a kid who just won the present they desired and Amity stared at her for a brief moment and gave her somewhat of a nice smile.
“Another year has gone” The moment Bump stood up everyone quieted down “And I must delay the feast itself with the standard procedure, what a year this was, hopefully, your heads are a little less empty than they were, you’ll have a whole summer to get them nice and empty again before next year starts” He clapped his hands and Professor Moncullus, Professor Milo and the two Professors Clawthorne stood up.
“As for the House Cup, the points stand thus: In 4th place, Gryffindor with 312 points” Eda raised her wrist to the air, the house crest barely visible “In third, Hufflepuff with 352. Ravenclaw has 426 and Slytherin 472” Each time he said the points, the head of the house raised their wrist to the air, revealing the crest that became more and more visible.
The Slytherin table busted in cheers and stampings, Boscha whistled loudly and Skara clapped her hands vigorously while Amity simply smiled, she had lost them some points, she preferred to not draw attention to her.
“Well done Slytherin, however recent events must be taken into account” Bump said, causing more than half of the smiles on Slytherin's table to fade. Lilith turned to Bump, a mixture of disbelief and anger in her eyes, Eda seemed in a blink of a laugh.
“I have a few points I’ve to count” He cleared his throat, and Milo and Moncullus sighed “To miss Willow Park, for a great display of knowledge in Herbology and flight, I award Gryffindor house… 50 points” Willow was caught off guard when a mass of students started to shake her.
“Second, to mister Augustus Porter, for general knowledge in spells and the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in years, I award Gryffindor house… 50 points” Gus’s jaw dropped. The cheers of Gryffindors made even the stars above quiver.
“Third, to miss Luz Noceda” Said Bump, the room went deadly quiet “For the use of cold logic and pure nerve and outstanding courage and selflessness, I award Gryffindor house… 60 points” The din was deafening. They were tied with Slytherin.
Bump raised his hands and the deadening sound toned down “There are many types of courage…” Bump said smiling “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends… Therefore, I award 10 points to miss Star Butterfly” A wave of students jumped over the girl, pale as the moon, hugging her.
Over the Slytherin table; Boscha angrily slammed her goblet on the golden plate, Skara stood in utter shock while to their surprise, Amity clapped slowly. Bump, with a clap of his hand changed the entire decoration of the place.
Green became scarlet, silver became gold and a giant snake banner became a banner of a lion. Eda cheerfully tapped her sister back while Lilith had a horrid forced smile; she furiously slammed the table a few times when nobody was watching.
Luz knew, Lilith probably disliked her even more now, but she didn’t care, it was the happiest evening of her life, more than Christmas, winning in Quidditch or taking down Mountain Trolls, she’d never forget that night.
The exams results came a few days later; she and Willow passed with good marks, Willow ended up in third place in Herbology of the 1st year; Gus ended up second in the whole year, behind only Amity who aced pretty much every exam; even Star scraped through, her good Charms mark making up for her abysmal Potions mark.
And with that, Luz’s first year had finished, she journey back through the lake, the Hogwarts express, and platform 9 ¾, where she met her mother and exchanged a few last words with Gus, Willow, and a few other friends.
Luz, King, and Camila set down that afternoon and had a very long lunch, Luz told Camila pretty much everything that happened throughout the year, and though she tried to get past the whole Belos and Galdorstone part, Camila had already received a Crow from Bump telling her everything. Camila almost fainted when Luz told her everything that happened in the room with the mirror.
“Are you sure that place is really that safe?” Camila asked hugging her daughter tightly and crying on her shoulder “It is, this year was an exception, I’m sure next going to be just a normal one” She reassured. The Noceda made the book Hagrid gave Luz their most precious belonging; they went through every single photo there trying to guess when and why each photo was taken.