Unexpected Corners of the Castle PV Sylvia Nightingale Closed

It was another normal day after school at Hogwarts, and somehow Sylvia just doesn’t feel like returning back to the Slytherin Common Room and immersing herself again in the endless piles of homework assignments. After a moment of consideration about what she should do instead, she remembered a book about some advanced spells that she has just borrowed from the library yesterday. Perhaps I could try to cast some of those? She wondered.

However, due to the fact that she has no idea how well she spell-casting abilities are, she decided to find a rather secluded part of this ancient castle to practice, instead of doing so inside her dormitory or any unused classrooms, since there is a high chance to be seen by others at those places.

As she looked around for an unnoticed place, she suddenly spotted a worn down door, presumably belonging to a long abandoned toilet. I suppose this should be a great choice. She thought, as most people wouldn’t bothered to visit such an unattractive place. However, as she approached the entrance, she made out the sound of a person possibly sobbing inside.

Although she believes that a person in such a terrible mood shouldn’t be of much danger, she still drew out her wand in case of trouble. Quietly, she pushed the door open a little, just enough for her to see who’s inside. From behind, she saw that it was a Hufflepuff, and most likely at least one year above her, which means that she won’t have any idea about who that person actually is. “Hello? What are you doing here? I mean, I expected it to be abandoned…” Sylvia took another look at the girl, and decided that it might be better to leave her alone for a while, so she added, “Hope I’m not disturbing you... Um, I suppose I’ll leave.”

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown

september 4th 2023; interacting with @Sylvia Nightingale

The door opened and Alyssea scrambled as she wiped the tears off her face. Who the hell was coming into the abandoned toilets at this time of day? She hoped it wasn't some troublemakers or whoever would bother her about what she was doing here.

When her vision focused and the tears were mostly gone, she found a Slytherin girl, probably her age? God, not a Slytherin. Alyssea's not the kind of person to stereotype, but in her emotional haze of a head, stereotypes automatically came to the front of her thought.

"What are you doing here? I mean, I expected it to be abandoned..." The girl trailed off.

Alyssea shrugged. "I don't know, trying to get away from everyone?" She laughed painfully. "It hasn't even been a full week yet and I already hate this year."

She coughed and came back to her senses. Shoot, she should've been more polite.

The girl took a look at her. "Um, I suppose I'll leave."

Alyssea waved her hands and got up from the floor, squirming inside now that the wet floor had reached her hands. It was disgusting. "No, I'm sorry. I can leave. I just hope you're not planning some sort of disaster here," she laughed.

"I'm Alyssea Brown. Second Year. You are...?"

As soon as she spoke, Sylvia noticed that the other girl immediately tensed, most likely shocked that there were someone else who’s also interested in coming to such a place. A few seconds later, the girl turned around, and despite having heard her cry previously, Sylvia hasn’t expected her to seem so miserable.

“I don't know, trying to get away from everyone? It hasn't even been a full week yet and I already hate this year.” She girl said, with a strong sense of bitterness in her voice. She must have been through a lot to say that. Sylvia thought to herself. So far, her life at Hogwarts has pretty much been comfortable, with little to worry about yet. But that was probably because this is her first year here, and everything still seemed new to her.

Before Sylvia could think of a reply, the girl spoke again. “No, I'm sorry. I can leave. I just hope you're not planning some sort of disaster here.” Sylvia managed to stifle a laugh. So here comes Slytherin’s wonderful reputation again. Indeed, she might cause a disaster here, but at least she wasn’t planning on doing so. Even if I did, at least no one would find out… She silently praised herself for choosing such a marvelous spot for practicing.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary. If anyone should leave, that’s me, since you obviously got here first.” She hesitated a while about whether asking why the girl was crying would be too offensive, but eventually still decided to take a chance. After all, how terrible could something that happened inside Hogwarts castle possibly be? “If you don’t mind me asking, what were you crying about just now?” Sylvia felt that she might have sounded a bit too blunt, but that was truly the best she could manage at the moment.

Later, the girl introduced herself as Alyssea Brown, a second year. Guess I wasn’t wrong about her not being a first year, even though she does seem to be about the same age as me. “My name’s Sylvia Nightingale, a first year. Nice to meet you, Alyssea.” She has always disliked being younger than the person she is talking to, because it made her feel as if the other person would think she was more naive. At least I can’t always be a first year. Same time next year, I’d no longer be among one of the youngest at Hogwarts. She thought with a slight comfort.

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown

september 4th 2023; interacting with @Sylvia Nightingale

Alyssea shook her head when the girl continued to decline her offer. "It's alright. It's an awful place to hide in, anyway. The floors are wet and there's a ghost here, apparently. But, if you are planning something, I should probably stay to make sure you don't accidentally hurt yourself."

"If you don't mind me asking-" -Alyssea pretended not to mind already. She knew what the girl was going to ask- "-what were you crying about just now?"

Alyssea shrugged with a deep sigh. "It's nothing, just a bad performance in class. Probably just holiday mode still on."

Don't laugh. Alyssea knows she's not good at jokes. She likes to think she's good at them!

The girl, now not just 'the girl' and rather, Sylvia Nightingale, was a First Year. Alyssea nodded. A First Year being in the abandoned toilets was already not a good sign.

"Right, I'll stay." She paused. What should she say next to defend herself? Alyssea wasn't in a rush to be anywhere. Was it because of the want to take care of younger years? She wasn't entirely sure why she stayed.

Eventually, she reasoned, "Just to make sure you don't do something crazy. If you're going to attempt spells, or potions, it might backfire. I don't know any healing spells or potions, but I do know the direction of the Hospital Wing in case."

Sylvia wasn’t planning for anyone to watch over her while she’s testing out a new spell, as it only enhances the likelihood of her getting hurt by it. However, it was herself who kept on persuading the Hufflepuff girl to stay instead of leaving. Maybe I can think of something else to do inside here? Something as interesting but less likely to embarrass myself…

“It's nothing, just a bad performance in class. Probably just holiday mode still on.” Sylvia forced herself to stifle a laugh, as seeing someone else make a joke so seriously always seems rather hilarious to her. She knew that it definitely wasn’t just a terrible class performance that left the girl crying here, but she also knew better than to keep on asking about it.

After she introduced herself, Alyssea immediately seemed much more certain about staying behind, which made Sylvia a bit uncomfortable. She stayed because she doesn’t believe that I can look after myself, didn’t she? However, after hearing Alyssea’s explanation of why she could easily get hurt inside here, it was her time to change her mind. Taking another look at the surroundings sent a shiver through her, because if a spell really backfired on her, she actually might get severely injured, leading to several weeks spend in the Hospital Wing.

“Guess you’re right about this place being dangerous. I never knew it was so terrible in here before I came in, or else I probably won’t even have entered at all.” Sylvia believes that it would be best to thank this girl for helping her avoid potential trouble, but somehow, she just can’t get the words of her tongue. In the end, she asked instead: “You mentioned that there is a ghost inside here? I’ve never met a one outside the four house ghosts before.”

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown

september 4th 2023; interacting with @Sylvia Nightingale

"I never knew it was so terrible in here before I came in," Sylvia said.

Alyssea shrugged. "It's a wonder why they haven't already gotten rid of it or at least renovated it," she said as she looked around, "But I guess it's historic. After all, this place is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."

Alyssea was no Parselmouth and her father wasn't either. She liked to think of herself as more Muggle than half-blood, which distanced her from her pureblood roots. It was a somewhat true statement, with her father being a half-blood and her mother being a Muggle-born witch. So, the sink that responds to Parselmouth and opens to the historic chamber was of no interest to Alyssea, even if she was a big history nerd.

"You mentioned that there is a ghost inside here?" Sylvia asked.

Alyssea nodded. "Well, apparently Moaning Myrtle hasn't been seen for a while, but this is the bathroom her ghost haunts. Personally, this is my first time here, so I wouldn't know if she's been here recently. I don't even remember which toilet cubicle she haunts specifically."

"I haven't been to the Dungeons yet, but it's near the Potions classroom which is in the basement," Alyssea added. She imagined the Dungeons to look a bit like the abandoned toilets, though she didn't want to test the theory.

She looked at the book in Sylvia's hand. Sylvia didn't seem to have anything else with her, so it was unlikely to be a book of potions. A book of spells seemed likely. Was it one of the school textbooks?

"What book does that happen to be? I don't recognise it."

“It's a wonder why they haven't already gotten rid of it or at least renovated it, but I guess it's historic. After all, this place is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.” So this place actually leads to the famous Chamber of Secrets? Too bad I’m not a Parselmouth… She thought with a slight disappointment. “I suppose that you’re not a Parseltongue either? I wonder if there’s still anything inside.”

She has heard of the Chamber of Secrets since she was still a child, and despite its dangers, part of Sylvia still wants to check it out for at least once eventually. But if she is indeed planning to go inside for exploration, at least she would need a better understanding of the wizarding world and quite a few advanced spells to help her along the way.

“Well, apparently Moaning Myrtle hasn't been seen for a while, but this is the bathroom her ghost haunts.” Right, Moaning Myrtle. How could I have forgotten about that? Alyssea added after a while: “I haven't been to the Dungeons yet, but it's near the Potions classroom which is in the basement.” Sylvia feels that Alyssea is suggesting that the Dungeons would be similar to where they are now. Despite the fact the her common room is extremely near the Dungeons, she hasn’t spent any time checking it out yet. “I haven’t been there yet either. Hope it’s at least better than this place…”

Looking down at the book in her hand, the other girl asked: “What book does that happen to be? I don't recognise it.” In fact, even Sylvia herself hasn’t looked through the entire book yet. “Just a random advanced spells book I found in the Library. I suppose it’s actually supposed to be for third or fourth years, instead of a beginner like me.”

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown

september 4th 2023; interacting with @Sylvia Nightingale

Alyssea shook her head at the question of being a Parselmouth. Maybe it got lost in the bloodline after numerous Muggle ancestors. As for what was left in the Chamber of Secrets, Alyssea shrugged. "I doubt the Basilisk is still alive."

After Alyssea mentioned the Dungeons, Sylvia said, "I haven't been there yet either."

"It's near the Slytherin commons, too, isn't it?" Alyssea asked. She realized the other girl never mentioned her house. She wasn't assuming she was a Slytherin, although sneaking into an abandoned corner of the castle with a book seemed like a Slytherin thing to do. Gryffindor would also suit considering their adventurous spirit. Ravenclaw wouldn't have fit the bill in Alyssea's mind as they were usually smart enough to avoid it (or smart enough to use it to do Potions homework).

"Maybe sometime, I'll have a look down there. I don't think it's a restricted area to go into," Alyssea said, "You can join me, if you'd like."

She offered Sylvia a smile. Alyssea spent much of her First Year exploring 'safe' places, like the library, the various halls, and the Duelling Club. It was her first time being in the Abandoned Toilets, let alone be anywhere near the Dungeons. She only went down to the basement for Potions.

As for the book, Sylvia shrugged. "Just a random advanced spells book I found in the Library."

Alyssea raised an eyebrow. "Advanced spells? You're First Year, right? Definitely not a good idea to try those out," she chuckled, "You're better off studying your DADA textbook."

She took her wand from her pocket and traced the carvings on the aspen wood. What spell should she use to show off? Not the sparks charms, for sure, since it could potentially blind Sylvia. She considered a transfiguration spell, but there was nothing to transfigure in the room. Maybe a harmless charm from the end of the year?

Alyssea looked at Sylvia and smiled. "Wanna see something cool?"

Sylvia knew that all hope of checking out the secret chamber is gone when Alyssea shook her head at being a Parselmouth. It probably would have been too dangerous for me to go there right now anyway. She comforted herself. “I doubt the Basilisk is still alive.” Alyssea added afterwards, regarding the remnants of the Chamber of Secrets. “I believe it was already killed years ago, or at least others often say so.” Sylvia replied, while going through all the different tales about what had previously happened in the Chamber of Secrets.

“It's near the Slytherin commons, too, isn't it?” Only until now did Sylvia realize that she hasn’t even mentioned her house yet. Was it a lucky guess, or was it just a coincidence? She wondered. Whatever the reason was for Alyssea to say so, at least she would know my house now. “Yeah, it is quite near my common room, so it should be convenient for me to go there.”

Unexpectedly, Alyssea then mentioned having a look in the dungeons. “You can join me, if you'd like.” The idea of joining a Hufflepuff on an adventure seems rather absurd at first to Sylvia, since they have a reputation of disliking taking risks. Guess not all Hufflepuffs are the same after all. She thought, with a stronger interest in the girl standing before her. “Sure, do tell me when you would like to go down there.”

Sylvia has already knew what Alyssea’s response would be at her trying to test out such a book immediately after she spoke. “You're better off studying your DADA textbook.” Alyssea said with a chuckle. Right, textbooks. Sylvia can’t help but let out a slight groan. If there’s anything that she dislikes, it’s been told that she should stick to the school’s curriculum and nothing else.

She noticed Alyssea taking out her wand, likely planning to perform a spell. “Wanna see something cool?” Sylvia hesitated about what the other girl is intending to do. Is she trying to show off? It would be interesting to see what we would learn in our first year though… “Go ahead, I’d like to see what you can show me.” She said with an interested tone.

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown