Chapter 371 - Uncertainty (1/2)
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 some 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 some kind of elements 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 became so excited that he agreed to everything Oziyat said and made all four of them wear clothes made out of the same material.
Chris adjusted her clothes for the last time 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 same 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 me 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 time 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.
”Sometimes 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 me about it when I asked,” Chris said remembering 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 some 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.
”Sometimes, I wish Dumbledore was here. He could have answered himself what his messages meant.”
”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 some 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 time you lost because you were too distracted,” Ginny said sitting down on her bed. ”So tell me 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.”