The occasional rain departed, leaving the icy cold winds behind and the cold dense fog engulfed the entire Titian forest like a white shroud as the third week of November approached.
Chris opened the window and instantly the damp thick fog flooded into her room. She took a deep breath and the cool wind washed over her. For a while, she just stood there and watched the setting sun over the mountains surrounding Titian. Leaving a faint orange glow behind, the sun went down.
It's been two weeks since the night when Chris decided she will go back to the Southeast fort with her friends and Oziyat. Tonight.
Chris turned away from the window and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was completely healed now, only so big scars on her body were the proof of the confrontation between her and the Snallygaster. But the scars couldn't be seen because of her outfit which Oziyat insisted she wears tonight. It was a side slit light purple button-down long top with brown pants. The reason Oziyat insisted so much was the outfit was special, it was made out of a stretching material that made moving very easy for Chris and it was so kind of elents resistance, so fire, water, air, and earth would not harm very heavily on the person wearing it. Oziyat explained, it was because they were made and enchanted for old traditional Vampire Guardians, which included both vampires and wizards. Hearing this Colin beca so excited that he agreed to everything Oziyat said and made all four of them wear clothes made out of the sa material.
Chris adjusted her clothes for the last ti as she pushed the Sword of Gryffindor inside the scabbard on her belt. But even with the sword and the clothes, her reflection didn't look very confident. And she knew the reason.
Behind her, the whiteboard stood, where she had added all of the things she had learned in all her journey till now. She was close to the end. Though there was so much to be done, to know, to understand. Chris stared at the red circled words on the board, "Southeast Fort", "Fergus", "Crimson Crystal" and above the board the biggest circle "Malgino".
"Hey, Chris," Ginny called knocking on the door, pulling Chris out of her trance.
Chris quickly opened the door, thinking all of her friends were ready to head out but when she opened the door she found only Ginny standing there in her new outfit, holding a book.
Without waiting Ginny stepped inside and closed the door. Chris noticed her clothes were made of the sa material but in a different style. Ginny wore a tight light blue top and black pants.
"Good, you are ready too. So you can listen to without a hurry. Chris, I was looking through my Quidditch book, and I found this side note of Dumbledore," said Ginny opening the book in her hands and pointing a specific line. "I know there are loads of side notes by Dumbledore here but look at this. It's half-written in runes."
"Yeah, I saw that," Chris said. She did saw it the last ti she was reading the book. It was beside the Chapter where different kind of feigned Quidditch tricks was explained. But she forgot to tell Ginny about it.
"What does it say?" Ginny asked impatiently.
"Sotis to win, you need to lose."
"That's it?" Ginny looked disappointed. "Just a rhetorical phrase? Then why did he wrote it in runes?"
"Hey! It's not just a rhetorical phrase. You know in feigned Quidditch maneuvers, you usually need to appear to be losing to win. And it appeals in life too," Chris explained with a smile. "As to why it's written on runes, the line is taken from a book written in runes. I think the book was written by an old famous war strategist. Dumbledore put it in without translating the line."
"How do you know that?"
"I saw the book in Dumbledore's office. He had a big collection of different types of books in different languages. He told about it when I asked," Chris said rembering a year ago when she was talking to Dumbledore about books.
"To win, you need to lose?" Ginny repeated the words as if they hold so big secret. "I don't think you interpreted that correctly. Either way, I don't like it."
"Why? It's good advice."
"I don't like losing," Ginny said closing the book.
"I know," Chris chuckled. Considering how competitive Ginny was, it was no surprise. "Maybe that is why Dumbledore wrote that."
Ginny rolled her eyes then suddenly she looked sad.
"Sotis, I wish Dumbledore was here. He could have answered himself what his ssages ant."
"I wish that too. He would know what to do," Chris said looking back at her whiteboard.
For the last couple of weeks, many questions had run through Chris's mind about this whole situation.
If Malgino stole the Crystal which made him immortal, then how will she defeat him? Is there a way to defeat him? If yes then why haven't no one find it yet? And most importantly, will all of her friends will be safe? Maybe if Dumbledore was here, he could at least give so insight, tell her what to do? Was she on the right path? Was she making the right decisions?
"Hey!" Ginny waved her hand in front of Chris to get her attention. "You look distracted."
"Yeah, sorry," Chris mumbled looking back at her. "I am just worried about tonight."
"For tonight, you need to be alert Chris, not distracted. Last ti you lost because you were too distracted," Ginny said sitting down on her bed. "So tell what's going on in your mind."
"Gin, it's nothing," Chris smiled but it faded when Ginny glared at her.
"Ok, fine. I am worried about what will happen next? We don't know what is going to happen tonight. There could all sorts of dangers. Even Oziyat doesn't know half of it. I know you guys think we are prepared but how can you prepare for the unknown?" Words tumbled out of Chris before she could stop herself. There was just too much inside her. "I don't know what is going to happen, Gin, and it's scary."
Ginny waited for a minute before answering,
"But that never stopped you before, did it?"
"What?" Chris looked at her, confused.
"Look, Chris, I know you are worried. We all know. It was written on your face since the day we started planning to go back. And honestly, I think it's offensive. I can take care of myself, and so does Luna and Colin. For god's sake, we literally ca here without you. We are capable, okay? Secondly, rember our first year, since we stepped into Hogwarts, things have gone wrong. One after another then another. Danger had always found its way to us. But we have made it out. Every ti." Ginny looked Chris in the eyes. "And it wasn't your fault. If anything it was . If you hadn't gone to save in the Chamber of Secrets, if you hadn't killed the basilisk and . . . that diary, then Malgino couldn't have known about you."
"Gin—"
"Let finish first. I am not blaming myself, Chris. Trust . I know if you had not done those things then I wouldn't be alive," Ginny didn't look vulnerable but she looked determined and powerful. "I didn't ask you to help . In fact, it was specifically you, whom I avoided the whole year. Yet, you ca. You decided to save despite the unknown danger."
Chris didn't say anything as she processed what Ginny was trying to say.
"You were not worried about the unknown at that ti, Chris, even when you were not trained enough, prepared enough, and were almost alone," Ginny continued. "Then why are you now? Are you worried about us? Chris, nobody dragged us here. We ca by choice. And we will stay with you as long as we want to."
Ginny was right. Chris knew she was right. They had gone through the plan multiple tis with Luna, Colin, Oziyat, and Rosaline. She knew she should be ready.
Chris opened her mouth to reply to Ginny, but another knock on the door stopped her. Chris hoped to see Colin and Luna as she opened the door.
"Good evening, Lady Christina," Rosaline stood outside the door.
"Princess Rosaline? Please co in," Surprised, Chris moved aside and Rosaline swept inside the room.
Rosaline looked at Ginny and she imdiately got up.
"I will see if Luna and Colin are ready," Ginny said walking towards the door, hurriedly.
"Gin," Chris called before Ginny was out. Ginny looked back at her and Chris smiled, "Thanks."
Ginny rolled her eyes and walk out of the room. Chris turned to Rosaline, who looked around the room and spotted the whiteboard.
"So you are all prepared?" Rosaline asked looking amused by the board.
"I guess so," Chris looked embarrassed, as she waved her wand and the writing on the board disappeared.
"Be confident, Lady Christina. There is no room for uncertainty today," Rosaline said and looked at Chris's wand. "So you have decided which wand you are going to use?"
Chris nodded. At their last eting, it was quite a debate about which wand Chris was going to use today. Whereas Ginny and Colin suggested Dumbledore's wand as it was more powerful, Luna and Oziyat thought Chris's wand would be perfect because she had a better connection with it. At last, Rosaline recomnded that they leave the decision to Chris.
"I would use mine," Chris answered Rosaline. "I have a feeling I should use this."
"Good, always follow your intuition," Rosaline said seriously then maybe for the first ti she looked hesitant. "Lady Christina, I hope you don't misunderstand for not accompanying you all. I know it is very important and maybe being there would help you and my brother but —"
"Princess Rosaline, please, you don't have to explain. First of all, it is your choice to co or not, I will definitely not take it personally. And I know why you are not coming with us. Oziyat told about the Queen and Volker suspecting you working against them. And if they are plotting sothing, you should not leave the palace under their order. I completely agree with you."
At Chris's words, Rosaline looked surprised but then her face softened and she smiled.
"I can see why my brother likes you. You possess many qualities of a Queen."
Chris's eyes widened and she started coughing, hearing Rosaline.
Did she just say that?
"I . . . don't know what you are. . ." Chris composed herself. "I don't think it's like what you're thinking."
"Of course," Rosaline nodded. "I am getting ahead of myself. This is not the ti to discuss this."
Chris still couldn't believe that Rosaline said that. Unlike in school, this ti, Chris had guessed that maybe Oziyat liked her but she didn't think about him like that with everything else going on.
"Anyway, the reason I ca to see you," Rosaline pulled out a dagger scabbard from her cloak. "I won't be there but I will not let you go without sothing special. Here, my personal dagger. It is fused with my magic. It will help you in a mont of need."
⟦To be continued⟧
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