Authors Note: Hey everyone! I keep taking this story off the site and putting it back on, but I am definitely keeping it up for good! Hope you guys enjoy it. I have a lot of hopes and really look forward to your feedback. Please review. For those who just like to read, imput is most important tool for a writer. And for those who do write, shame on you, you guys should know better. Enjoy! I really enjoy writing this series. :D
Chapter 1: Corridor Three and a Half
"God, I hate doing rounds with you."
Hermione Granger closed her eyes, praying for patience. As much as the Slytherin prefect hated doing rounds with her, Hermione was sure she hated it even more. Being the daughter of the Potions Master made the young Slytherin spiteful, wittily sarcastic, and very hard to control. And Hermione, on her best behavior to assure her place as Head Girl next year, had to put up with her.
"You're no picnic either, Snape," Hermione snapped.
"At least I can follow directions," Eve shot back. "We were only supposed to patrol the West Wing and that was all. Why we're on the seventh floor East Wing is beyond my comprehension."
"That's no surprise to me. With your puny brain you obviously can't comprehend much, huh?" Hermione replied smugly, although the comment wasn't really justified; after all, Eve was the only sixth year whose grade point average matched hers.
But Eve wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Well, then think about how stupid you must be. Oh wait, you can't think," She retorted without missing a beat.
Fuming, Hermione picked up her pace. She couldn't stand this girl. Her father shown through her in every way possible. Eve had long back hair that cascaded in light waves. Long lashes framed light brown eyes. Her skin was lightly tanned and unblemished like a doll's though little about her was soft. Her nose was slightly crooked and she apparently wasn't a fan of the 'holier than thou' pureblood theories because she wore her ripped jeans and cropped tanks with apparent ease and more than a little rebellion. But what she lacked in similar characteristics in comparison to her father's, she made up in attitude. Her personality reflected her father's famously. She was very much feared in Hogwarts.
Eve's low voice cut through Hermione's thoughts.
"Do you think we could stop for the night? Oh excuse me—the morning," Eve bit out, stifling a yawn. "It's two a.m."
Hermione suddenly felt bad for keeping her up so late. Checking her own watch she saw with a pang of guilt that it was already past two. She sighed, the anger simmering out of her. "Look, let's finish the third floor corridor and we'll head back. OK?"
Eve nodded slowly considering. "All right."
They traveled up the stairs to the third floor in a tense silence. Hermione wanted to break the silence with something—anything—but could think of nothing. When patrolling the halls with other prefects, Hermione liked to talk and be friendly to them, just for the sake of school harmony. She was to be Head Girl after all. But Hermione found that she felt stupid even thinking about asking Eve the same questions she did to them. She could practically see the Slytherin smirk and sneer already.
So they traveled up the stairs in a morbid silence not even looking at each other.
Next to her, Hermione heard Eve inhale as if to say something. But before she could get anything out, the staircase suddenly jerked, sending Eve and Hermione sprawling into the banister.
"Fantastic," Eve muttered rubbing her head. "Would it honestly have killed the Founders to put a staircase for each stairwell? I hardly think there was a shortage of stairs in their time."
"I know. I hate these stairs," Hermione agreed, examining her shoulder that had slammed into the rail. It was going to leave a bruise by morning.
The staircase had finally stopped. Ahead of them was a door. Just a plain black door with a golden doorknob just waiting for someone—anyone—to enter.
Hermione and Eve glanced at each other then stared at the door.
"I've never seen this door before," Hermione said slowly. "In fact, I don't even know what floor this is—Eve, come back here!"
Eve ignored her as she defiantly moved towards the door. Eve's eyes roamed over the door, eyebrows knitted together.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, cautiously approaching the eerie door.
"There's some kind of inscription on the doorknob," Eve replied, running her long jagged black nail over the gold lettering on the knob. A wicked lopsided grin flashed across Eve's face. "Wanna see what's inside, Granger?"
"No!" Hermione practically yelled. She was getting a bit freaked out now. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she replied calmly, "Snape, this is ridiculous. For all you know there could be a boggart or something in there. You're tired, I'm tired—it'll be three a.m. soon. Let's go back down and head to our dormitories. We can tell Professor Dumbledore what we've found in the morning, okay?"
"I think that's going to be a problem, Granger," Eve said, suddenly serious. Goosebumps crawled up her arms.
"Why do you say that?" Hermione asked nervously, biting her lower lip.
"Because the stairs are gone."
Hermione whirled around and her stomach dropped as she teetered over the edge where the stairs should have been. Eve grabbed her by her robes and pulled her back roughly, both falling to the floor.
"Thanks," Hermione mumbled, both embarrassed and grateful.
"Don't mention it," Eve dismissed. Once they had both picked themselves up, they peered over the edge. Eve whistled at the distance and muttered, "That would have been one hell of a fall Granger."
"Yeah." Hermione rubbed the back of her neck, surveying the situation. They were on a tiny platform high in the air with only one way to go. Hermione shuddered as she glanced at the door. She wasn't sure why, but the door gave her the creeps.
"I guess we're going through then, huh?" Eve asked bluntly.
With the way Eve glanced at the door, Hermione was sure that Eve didn't like it any more than she did. "Brace yourself," Hermione said, hand on the knob. But when she pulled, it didn't open. Not even a little. After about two minutes of pulling, she gave up. "It won't budge," she added breathlessly, finally admitting defeat. She wiped her arm over her sweaty brow.
"I kinda figured that after the first time couple times you tried," Eve deadpanned a humorous glint in her odd eyes.
"Well then you try," Hermione snapped. She was tired, aching and frightened all at the same time. She just wanted to go to her dorm and sleep until Monday. If only they could get off that stupid platform.
"Fine," Eve snapped, equally annoyed. She grabbed the knob and roughly yanked it open. Eve stumbled back, surprised at how easy it had been to open it. "Do you have any muscle in your arm at all?" an astounded Eve asked.
"Not at the moment." Hermione replied in a hushed voice. Both stared at the black void that had been hiding behind the door. A room of nothingness; a black hole. It was more frightening than the height of the fall would have been.
"Well then," Hermione squeaked. "After you."
"That's right, sacrifice the Slytherin."
Hermione smiled weakly, but her heart jumped in her throat as Eve threw herself in the blackness, Hermione following close behind.