The Scamander ✧ Harry Potter Year 1

Chapter 10

Hermione and I walked in front of Ron and Harry, discussing our respective classes, to which I was very enthused at Hermione's offer to help me with my transfiguration homework. Hermione seemed just as excited when I agreed.

"Well I recently checked out this book at the library, and I think it will help you with Professor McGonagall's class."

"You think?" Hope rose in my chest.

"Definitely."

I jumped as the ground beneath our feet vibrated at our next step on the grand staircase, rumbling and creaking as it slowly moved. My hand gripped the cold stone railing tightly, letting out a light yelp of surprise.

"What's happening?" Harry worried.

"The staircases change, remember?" Hermione answered.

"Whose idea was that by the way." I squeaked, glad when the staircase stopped, leading into a darker corridor

"Let's go this way," Harry says, gesturing to the fateful corridor that the stairs had pulled us into alignment with.

"Before the staircase moves again," Ron says quickly as we quickly escape the frightful contraption beneath our feet. Harry was the one to open the anonymous door, revealing a dingy, and gloomy corridor that immediately emitted a strong musk.

"Does anyone feel like...we shouldn't be here?" Harry asks, meeting my eyes as we all consider our safety. Grandpa Newt warned me of the castle's intricacies and cautioned me against getting lost. Perhaps being with my friends lightened some of my spooked intuition since this corridor still felt better than the moving stairs that could plunge you to your death.

"We're not supposed to be here. This is the 3rd floor. It's forbidden." Dumbledore's warning words of death rang in my ears, and suddenly the stairs didn't seem such a bad alternative. Then, the room came alive as a local flame struck alight. And our fate is sealed as Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, skirts into the room. I jumped out of my skin, not because of the cat, whom I had already petted and fed the times I saw her lonesomely wandering the castle halls, but her common company who makes no qualms about exerting fully the small amount of authority he has obtained - Mr Filch. 

"Let's go." Harry directs, taking the lead.

"It's Filch's cat!" Ron whispers, scared out of his wits of being caught by Filch. "Run!" Ron grabs my hand roughly and pulls me along the corridor to match his quick steps, I make no mind of the rushing echoes of footsteps we make as we rush through the maze of statues and ornaments. I see vaguely through the darkness, the end of the corridor we were making a rush towards, and the door that stood in our way from Filch's wrath.

"Quick! Let's hide through that door!" Harry panics, grabbing the handle, tugging and pulling at it to no avail. " It's locked!"

"That's it, we're done for!" Ron cries. I turn at the approaching footsteps, considering my dwindling options. Before I have to make a decision I hope won't get me in even more trouble. I rush past my frantic friends, towards the door.

"Mathilda, what are you doing?" Ron cries out.

"Banjo, Banjo" I desperately cry into my jumper.

"That's it, she's gone bonkers",

"Mathilda we don't have time for this." Hermione cautions, her voice getting higher pitched. I tugged violently at the end of my jumper, relieved to see my thin-bodied green friend join us from his nap, valiantly rushing out of his slumber, and climbing down my arm.