Playing Hero

Chantelle Shafiq was on trash duty today.

She wasn't particularly pleased by the situation. She was a teacher. Head of Ravenclaw, no less! What was she doing picking up trash?

Well... the old house elf who took care of it had caught wind of S.P.E.W. After an incident during yesterday's Care For Magical Creatures class, he'd thrown up his hands and stomped out of his job on the basis of inhumane treatment. Now Shafiq was in charge, at least for the day, and nearing Professor Firethorn's office to do one final round of clean-up. Professor Firethorn's office wasn't exactly involved in the incident, but it was the nearest place to dispose of the debris Shafiq had gathered. Its... nature didn't exactly allow for an easy Scourgify, or easy disposal anywhere else, and Firethorn's job inevitably led to his office having the only real way to properly dispose of magical... byproducts.

On the way out, however, Chantelle noticed something in Firethorn's regular trash bin. It was only noticeable because, to her surprise, it was the only thing in there.

A piece of paper, uncrumpled, laying face-up at the bottom of the bin.

Even from this distance, Chantelle could read what it was about... how could she not give it a quick look over?

It'd been quite a while since I'd run this fast. My legs weren't used to it-- every few blocks I'd stumble or fall and the egg would go flyin'. If it weren't for some hasty Leviosas, it'd have cracked a few times over already. I nearly went trippin' again after hearin' some kind'a caw, but I caught myself just in time...

I kept runnin' towards the Forbidden Forest. I knew it was Forbidden for a reason, and that reason kept haunting me as I got closer, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to toss it. Tossin' the egg in a lake would just be cruel, anywhere else on school grounds would be too obvious, an' there was no way I was going to keep it in my room now that it was twitchin'. I could have given it to Professor Firethorn, but...

I slowed to a halt just before the forest's entrance. Even lookin' at the thing sent a shiver down my spine. Enormous black trees hung over the entrance, clearly markin' it as separate from the rest've the school. Some of the trees' branches looked like creepy fingers, practically hangin' over me and threatenin' to pluck the egg out've my hand. Would giving this egg to Firethorn be any worse than leavin' it here...?

No, surely, it couldn't be that much worse. But-- well, when I'd tried to do that before, he'd sounded so menacing about it...

The egg twitched in me arms again. I suppose it felt the need t' tease me, now that I was so close to the forest. I took one look back at the school, hoping against all hope that I wasn't bein' followed... and walked right in.

The forest practically swallowed me, making the night I'd left behind to enter it look like sunshine. The Forbidden Forest was draped in a neverending darkness. I could barely see anythin' in it, and my heart going a mile a minute wasn't helpin' me concentrate enough to try makin' out silhouettes. I pulled out my wand and willed a bit of light into existence, skippin' out on saying Lumos outright to keep from alerting anythin' that might be lurking about, and continued on.

As I wandered deeper an' deeper into the forest, my nerves only got worse. I found myself clutchin' the egg as if it was a plush toy, only being reminded to ease up as the egg shook from time to time, in some futile attempt to ignore the endless darkness around me. Splinterin' branches and dark-black rocks made sure I was still walking unsteadily, even as I was no longer runnin', and I was almost convinced I was going to die... until the woods finally opened up into a little clearing.

It wasn't a very safe clearing. Although it was full of plush grass, it was still littered with debris, ancient carcasses, and other spooky stuff. But it was still a clearing. I could still see where it began and ended. I could make out what was on the floor, what was in the sky-- sure, the moon was entirely choked out by a thick canopy of dark wood, but I could at least make out that a canopy was there.

I breathed a sigh of relief, allowing myself to rest against a particularly large rock for just a moment. I lowered my arms into the clearin', letting the egg start rollin' off them, eased enough by the silence to try t' finally leave it behind. I figured it was only fair, now that I was finally someplace a little safer. Someplace I could eas'ly ditch the egg and run back to Hogwarts.

"Oceanborough."

The chilling voice of Professor Firethorn crept into my hearin'.

Once more scared out of my mind, I took to huggin' the egg again. I sat up straight, tryin' to hide myself behind the rock in case he was somehow behind me, and... promptly failed, as Firethorn descended into the clearing from the very same path I'd taken. I was right in his view, looking even more pathetic than I had when trying to talk to him the first time.

"Were you followin' me?" I couldn't help but squeak, tryin' my best not to look him in the eyes.

Professor Firethorn shook his head. "You would have seen me if I had."
That only creeped me out further. How would he have known I was trippin' so often? If he wasn't followin' me normally, I wouldn't've made him out unless he knew I was looking back all the time!

The professor glided into the clearing, his dark robes makin' him look like a phantom in the forest, his pale skin only making him look creepier. If he'd been even a mite bit blue, I would've thought he was a ghost. He paced in a circle for a bit, talking t' me like I was part've the forest an' not his student. "I believe you have something of importance to me, Oceanborough. You attempted to hide it before, I am sure of it, but I must assure you that such efforts are rather futile. I seek only to preserve your safety, and you should be thankful that I am asking you about this in person instead of taking it by force."

The phantom completed his circle and fixed his eyes on me, approachin' silently enough to make my hair stand on end. Firethorn then knelt down in front've me, too close for comfort, and extended a thin hand. "Hand over the dragon egg. Immediately."

The words came straight out of my nightmares. He not only knew about the egg, somehow, but he'd decided to track me down to find it. It was like he was one've his own animals: able to sniff me out with nothin' but some magical process I was too thick to understand, not hesitating to chase me if I had somethin' he wanted.

My skin was so riddled with goosebumps that, for a moment, I thought he'd cursed me by lookin' at me somehow. I was almost as pale as he was. Still... I didn't give up the egg. All I could do was hold it tighter to my chest and press myself up against the rock until my spine hurt. "...n-no. I's a gift."

Firethorn didn't move. He barely even blinked. It was as if I'd said nothing to him at all. "I did not ask for your input, Oceanborough."

I repeated my stance. "...no! I's not yours to take. It's important t' me, a-an'--" I stopped speakin' for a moment, practically panickin' in my head over how deep I was diggin' this hole-- "--I-I don't want you t' have it, professor."

What was I sayin'? I wanted this thing gone! But... this couldn't be professor Firethorn, could it?
I'd been readin' enough about magical creatures to know that there were parasites out there. Possessors. Shapeshifters that took the places've people an' destroyed their families. Even if most of those shapeshifters were oriental 'n not British... this didn't feel right.

"It does not matter whether you would like me to have it or not." Firethorn rose from his feet, towerin' above me and wearing a horrible face that etched an eternal message deep into my bones: I'd messed up.

The professor slowly produced his wand from his robe's sleeve. It was long and beige, rather stiff-looking, and unfamiliar to me. "If you do not hand it over, I will simply take it. Please make this easier for me, Oceanborough."

Another caw rang out across the clearing. It felt like teasin'. The birds had seen me stumble my way here, all the way from Hogwarts, and now they were just goin' to watch as I pissed my trousers over some dumb egg in front of a teacher. I must've been top-class entertainment to them.

Here I sat, sat up against a rock, staring down the shadowy figure of my least-favorite teacher, desperately searchin' for what to say... "Y-you can't do this. You're threatenin' a student. Isn't that illegal?"

Firethorn scoffed. "You hold something far more dangerous in your hands as we speak. You have broken school rules to be here. I have already deducted points from your house for your complete disregard for the rules, and you are now angling for an even harsher punishment."

He had a point... but I wasn't going to let that stop me. "At least I'm not threatenin' to hurt people like you are!" I raised my voice, trying to sound bigger than I was.

That got under the professor's skin. His blank frown turned to genuine distaste, and the teacher's words started soundin' like acid to the ears. "Oh, please--"

He mumbled something under his breath, and next I knew the egg was flyin' right out of my hands and right into Firethorn's. "--I would never do such a thing."

"Hey!" I barked, caught completely helpless. I stumbled forward to try an' grab the egg, but Firethorn turned sharply to the side an' left me clutchin' his robe. I let go with haste, not wanting t' put any weight on it lest I rip the thing, and got to my feet. "That-- give it back, now!"

I whipped out my own wand, pointing it right at Firethorn's hands and yellin': "Accio egg!"

The egg flew into my arms and I gripped it tightly enough t' secure it for sure. Now I just had to worry about professor Firethorn... who was starin' daggers into my eyes.

Before I could open my mouth again, the egg was already flying in his direction. "Accio egg!" I yelled again, my voice crackin' halfway, and it came flyin' right back at me.

Firethorn raised his wand, about to do something--

--but got t' do diddly squat. A crow flew down from the branches, divebombing his face and squawkin' like mad, leavin' the egg to fall midair at the halfway point. I threw myself forward with open palms, hoping t' catch it before it hit the ground. The egg fell into my hands just's I hit the plush grass beneath me, my ribs achin' as they felt the force of the fall, and I could hear Firethorn cursin' in a thousand different languages that I didn't understand as I pulled myself up again.

While the crow was havin' a go at someone I was suspecting might not've been Firethorn, I got to my feet and made sure the egg was safe. Without any further thought, I sped off: back into the forest, back into the chokin' hallways of dead leaves and spiky branches, the horrible clutches of the black trees on both my sides, the distant howls of evil creatures and the endless darkness that kept them all hidden from sight.

I ran an' ran, goin' and going until I had no idea where I was anymore, never breaking my stride 'n runnin' until I heard someone shout behind me: "Confundo!"

It was Firethorn. He must've been followin' me!! I ran and ran until I was out of breath, forced to stop, stumbling onto my knees an' gasping for breath. I heard another noise behind me, but couldn't make out what it said. Soon after, the same crow from before came flying over my head in an arch, landin' with a thud against a nearby tree. It slid down the tree's side and onto the ground, its head hangin' over its belly, a trickle of blood running down its side.

To my great surprise, the worst injury it suffered was a deep cut in the cheek. A splinter of bark could be seen stickin' out of its head, and the bird shook it back and forth try and get it loose. It was bleeding, definitely, but it was well enough to stumble back onto its talons in no time. The bird looked at me, tilted its head, rubbed its scarred beak... an' went stiff.

A soft clopping sound could be heard behind the bird.

Professor Firethorn went silent. The bird just turned 'round t' try an' find the noise. I looked straight ahead, into the deep darkness of the forest before me... and saw nothing.

The cloppin' got closer. I saw the bird start looking around, seemin'ly just as confused as I was, and I heard some kind've sniffin'. Whatever was here, I could feel its moist breath ticklin' the hairs on my leg.

Slowly but surely, an overwhelmin' stench of corpses began t' invade my nostrils. A soft breathin', like a hungry dog's, started coming from beside the bird. Some kind of flappin' joined it, and the cloppin' I'd heard previously multiplied an' multipled 'til it was all I could hear.

"Oceanborough," Firethorn's voice called from behind, "come to me."

Somethin' shot through me that prompted an instant response. "No. I'm stayin' here." It was insanity to even think, let alone speak, but I wasn't convinced that this supposed Firethorn was any safer at this point. I was half-convinced that he was the cause of this.

The sniffin' grew louder an' more numerous. The crow seemed barely able t' move, completely frozen in place by something or other, an' I saw some kind've ectoplasm start drippin' onto the soil near it. A leathery kind of flappin' soon joined the chorus of sounds invadin' my eardrums, and the bird jumped up a few feet t' try and avoid some kind of movement that I still couldn't see-- and only figured out because a sharp blade of air flew past my knee.

"Oceanborough," Firethorn grew more demanding, "come to me. Now."

I opened my mouth to say no--

--only for a Flipendo to fly past my shoulder and hit the invisible mass before me.

A ghastly cry followed: the sound of death itself, the absolute least pleasant sound I'd ever heard. It was like nails on a chalkboard to the tune of dyin' babies, amplified times ten and echoin' in both my eardrums over, and over, and over--

The crow flew into my arms as the Flipendo flew, wedging itself between my arms an' the egg, shivering like mad. I struggled to keep the two of them safe, my hands slippin' as the bird tried to force my arms apart--

THUD. Something heavy flew into the back of me, throwin' me forward and forcing me into a fall. A loud crackling engulfed the forest--

--and, next thing I knew, I was stumblin' into an office.

The office was completely unfamiliar t' me. Not Firethorn's, for sure, and def'nitely not Travers'. Several tapestries hung upon its walls, each so faded that I could barely make out what was supposed t' be depicted on them. I could make out the shapes of many other foreign trinkets, but nothing of the details. There were only three windows, all behind me, and they only let in enough moonlight to just barely make the floor carpet obvious. A golden scarab statue hung above an open door, beckonin' me into a hallway pourin' with light...

CRRR-AACK

I turned around in a snap, still clutchin' the egg, trying t' see what'd made that crackling noise... only to find absolutely nothing. Not a soul.

It occurred to me, then, that Professor Firethorn was absent.

I thought the crow was, too, for a second. But once we were both facin' the windows, it took to cawing loudly, an' started flappin' its wings. It hopped onto the nearest desk-- an ornate thing, made out of some kind of dark spruce and intricately detailed with various ancient humans-- and past a sphinx statuette, using the edge of the desk as a jumpin' off point to hop onto the stone windowsill not far behind it.

The crow began knockin' on the window with its beak, bangin' against it like a woodpecker would, only stoppin' when I finally went over to open the windows for it.

Right before it left, the thing looked at me again. There was something in its eyes that bothered me-- an unearned familiarity that it seemed intent on remindin' me of. The crow bobbed its head, cawed a practiced "thank you," and flew off without lookin' back.

A moment later, I realized I was alone. It was jus' me and this egg, someplace completely alien, at well-past midnight. I stumbled backwards, my bum ending up caught by some kind of sofa, taking a moment to just stare into the night sky... and take a very deep breath.

In... out. In... out.

Whatever had just happened was straight out of a horror novel. I felt myself tracing my fingers across the biclinium I sat upon, trying to confirm its reality through the only method I considered reliable, my grip on the egg quietly loosening enough to let it slip onto my lap.

Maybe this had all been a dream, and this room wasn't even real. Just some dark omen of the forest that I saw after chickenin' out, some kind've omen meant to keep me away. Or I was just waking up, and Hogwarts had done some renovations to my dorm rooms while I wasn't looking. Considerin' the school I was attending, neither possibility seemed any less probable than the other.

Eventually, after a while of thinkin' and trying not t' cry, I got up. My legs were shakin', my heart still a little quick... but I had no choice. It was so late I was strugglin' to see straight.

I gripped my dragon egg tightly, trying to keep myself awake, and stumbled towards the open door. Once the blindin' light hit me and assured me that I was definitely awake... I made my way down the staircase, past what seemed to be the Ravenclaw commons, and all the way back down to Slytherin's dorms.

The thought of another tomorrow haunted me all the way there. I had Magical Creatures slotted in... what in the world would Firethorn have to say to me? What would I have to say to him?

If it was even him that I'd seen... I was in a world of trouble. And if it wasn't him... then who?