Characters, settings, and story relating to the Harry Potter series of novels are copyright J. K. Rowling, along with Bloomsbury Publishing, et al. “Spirit of Fear” is not an officially published work, nor is it in any cooperation with J. K. Rowling or Bloomsbury Publishing. “Spirit of Fear” is entirely (with the exclusion of the aforementioned characters, settings, and story) a work by Thomas Holman.

Chapter Eight

Resent

It was nearing the end of June, final exam time. Up to this point, no one in the group went anywhere alone. They had still not told Sergey about Andrey’s true target. At the same time, Andrey had not made a move. They had determined that for him to do so it would have to be in a deserted corridor, and merely by steering clear of those they would be out of his sights.

Viktor and Nikolay had hit it off rather well with Catherine and Alexandra, and every weekend they got together in town. On occasion, Sergey, Mariya, Viktor, Alexandra, Nikolay and Catherine would all go out together. There was a moment of embarrassment when they all realized that Chey would be the odd number, but Chey always managed to come up with some excuse not to go.

Minerva had been keeping touch. According to her, there had been two more attacks, the headmaster was suspended, and the groundskeeper had been arrested since Chey’s last visit. It seemed like quite a mess over there.

It was the morning of the last exam, and Chey awoke to Raithe landing on his shoulder with Minerva’s most recent letter. There was another attack, this time a first-year girl had disappeared, one of the Weasley children. Chey read this letter on his way down to breakfast where he met the others.

“Hey Sergey,” Chey called when he arrived at their table. “You know a lot about creatures, right?”

“Sure.”

“What kind of creature casts a killing curse that can be altered into a petrification curse and has a tendency too kidnap little girls?”

“Um, well a basilisk would fit the first part, but I don’t know anything that would fit the second, except for those silly Muggle legends about dragons. Also, I don’t think a basilisk has been reported for centuries.”

“So it must be a person,” Chey wondered aloud.

“Why do you ask?”

“Take a look at what my aunt wrote,” Chey handed Sergey the letter, who read it over and handed it back. “What do you think?”

“I think you should take those tests she’s talking about.”

“Shut up.”

“What’s the harm? At the worst you’ll know how smart you are by her standards.”

“Whatever. Now, about the creature?”

“It’s either a basilisk or someone pretending to be one. But take those tests she’s talking about.”

“I refuse on basic principle. I’m not taking any test that calls itself ‘The OWL.’ I just can’t take it seriously.”

“How about you tell her that you’ll take it only if you get expelled again?” Sergey’s intentions were pure, and Chey knew that. He just couldn’t help but think that Sergey believed in the possibility that Chey might get expelled once again, an idea that really hit close to home for Chey.

“Don’t bring that up,” he responded. “Just shut up and let’s take that last exam.”

Their last exam, Transfiguration, was Chey’s favorite. They were free to leave once completing the exam, but Chey stuck around to see who was second to him. He was waiting a good twenty minutes before Viktor turned in his exam. All the remaining students still had their faces screwed up in concentration.

Chey and Viktor exchanged glances, gestured towards the door, and headed out. On their way out, Chey noticed a desk with another completed exam sitting on top of it. As they exited the door, they heard another student rise to turn in an exam.

“So what took you so long on that one?” Chey asked as they headed down the corridors towards the student lounge. “Trouble with number twenty-three?”

“Yeah, that was tough. Wait, how did you know which one?”

“I noticed you took a long time before writing down your twenty-third answer.”

“What?”

“The time you spent between the twenty-second time you started writing and the twenty-third time had to be about six minutes, which can only mean you spent a long time on question twenty three. And I can only wonder why you had such trouble-”

“Okay, I get it.”

“But that was an easy one, Viktor! How can anyone have problems with vanishing spells at this point?”

“I know that one was easy. I guess my mind was elsewhere.”

“And your mind can only be in one of two places: the Quidditch field or with Alexandra. It was her, wasn’t it?”

“Drop it.”

“Hey, no shame in saying the girl of your dreams is more important than your studies. I just wonder what it says when you think of her when trying to answer a question about vanishing spells.”

“When did you finish?” Viktor asked, clearly trying to divert the subject.

“Twenty minutes before you did, when you were pretending to contemplate question twenty-three.”

“That fast? How do you manage that during every test?”

“Hey, I was fourth to finish for Herbology. That’s something less than stellar, isn’t it?”

“That’s still up there, Chey. Give someone else a chance to be on top of the world.”

“I did. I got expelled from my last four schools. I’ve left room for plenty of people to climb to the top rung of the ladder.”

“And you wonder why more people don’t tolerate you.”

“Hey, I don’t wonder. If they don’t like me, I don’t like them. Which brings up an interesting point. If someone really didn’t like me, and really wanted to enact some sort of revenge upon me, time would be running out for them, wouldn’t it?”

“I suppose it would,” Viktor answered, somewhat confused as to what prompted this conversation.

“Right. So if they had a problem with me, they only have a couple of weeks to take care of it. Wouldn’t they, Andrey?”

“Why do you think I’m here?” Andrey responded. He had been following them since they left the classroom. Chey figured that he must have rushed through the exam and waited on turning it in so he could follow them.

“I figure you got a problem that won’t go away. At least you’ve left Sergey and Mariya alone.”

“I despise your false feelings for your so-called friends.”

“Hey, if you got a problem with me, there’s no need to take it out on them. I’m right here, so deal with me. Hey Viktor, wouldn’t you call Andrey’s actions ‘harassment?’”

“I believe I would, Chey,” Viktor replied.

“Reducto!” Andrey cried out, leaving Chey only an instant to counter it with the Protego charm. The Reductor curse ricocheted off Chey’s defense and rendered an empty classroom’s door to mere splinters. With good reason, Chey was now furious.

“Using a Reductor curse on another person?! What are you-”

“Expeliarmus!”

Distracted, Chey could not stop this one. Chey had to make a split second decision, and determined that perhaps if he appeared unarmed, Andrey would stop. As Viktor’s wand flew out of his hand, Chey’s wand seemed to do likewise. Now Viktor was defenseless, and Chey could not risk casting an attack of his own for risk of exposure.

“You son of a-” Viktor began, but Chey interrupted. The best thing to do was talk sensibly right now.

“What the hell do you want from me?!”

“Shut up.”

“You want me to leave? Is that it?”

“I said shut your stupid face!”

“That’s it. That’s all you are. You’re just a stupid little kid who never heard of not getting what he wants.” Chey couldn’t stop agitating him. He knew keeping a civil tone was the smart thing to do, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Go to Hell!!”

“Grow up, you little brat.”

This little moron has no idea what he’s dealing with. Just give up, will you? You won’t get Mariya back, she left you. Why can’t you see that? Just go home and soak your empty head, maybe sneak some stiff vodka, and get over it.

Damn, looks like he’s just gung-ho to attack me no matter what. Put the wand down, asshole. It’s not worth you getting whipped around the room like a ragdoll. There is no spell you can cast that I can’t throw right back. I don’t blame you for thinking I’m defenseless. That’s my fault for misleading you. I don’t mean to, it’s just nobody ever believes the truth these days. So you won’t put the wand down? Ah, well. I guess you’ll just have to learn the hard way. Go ahead and attack. You won’t hurt me. At my skill level, no one can.

Wait, what did you just say? “Crucio?” No...What fool would use an Unforgivable-

Something is pressing me against the wall. Why is it crushing me? Son of a- ghah, that hurts like a bitch! Stop! If there is any mercy in this world the pain will stop!

My right arm feels numb. No, not numb. I still feel it. It feels...relaxed. Wait. The pain stopped. What a relief.

Something’s not right. Everything is so dark. I can’t see a thing. It’s like the hallway is completely gone. I can still see my own body. My right arm still feels odd...is something on it? It’s...it’s glowing...slightly...just ever so slightly.

There are small lights all around my arm. They’re like little glowing splinters, and they point in all different directions.

Damn! Where’d Viktor go? He was just– Okay, he’s on my left. He’s fine. There’s Andrey in front of me, the weasel.

Huh. The air just got a little chilly. Feels relaxing. Reminds me of snowboarding in the Rockies, that cool, crisp atmosphere.

Interesting. All the little shards of light just pointed in the same direction, like they’re in formation. Wow! What a surge of power! It’s like all those little shards are focusing it through my arm! With strength like this, I could do anything!

That Andrey is still in front of me, still has his wand out level. Oh my. He’s afraid. Well, who wouldn’t be when they’re up against this kind of power? Let’s have a look at what he’s really afraid of.

Naturally, he’s afraid of me. There’s really no need to pry into his mind for that information. Let’s see what else there is. Fascinating! Looks like his father treated him like dirt, then left. He’s so terrified of his father returning! Such a pathetic life this little wretch has led. What say we remind him of this dark secret of his?

Yes. Remember your terrible past! Relive it! Delve into the dark depths of your mind, and discover that which haunts you in the night! Remember every horrifying detail of it!

Now feel it chill your insides. Wallow in your despair. Commit every image in your head to memory and never stop seeing it! Serves you right for crossing me!

What a glorious feeling! I can’t even feel the ground, I’m so ecstatic, not that I even care. The air is truly arctic, just the way I like it.

Yes. This child, Andrey, will never cross Fear again, and all will learn by his example.

I’m sitting on the ground? Leaning against the wall? How did I get down here? Ow, my head feels like it’s splitting apart! Wait, my forehead is bleeding? How? Who’s calling my name?

Chey was sitting on the ground, propped up by the wall, where not five feet away that very wall was missing a section. The hallway was starting to fill up with spectators, just leaving classrooms and drawn to the commotion. A thin, white mist surrounded the area, and all the glass in the surrounding area was covered with frost. Andrey was on the ground, shivering. Viktor was kneeling next to Chey, trying to wake him back up.

Chey reached his hand up to his forehead, then pulled it away and examined the bleeding.

“I’m sorry, Chey,” Viktor said, though it took a moment for Chey to understand.

“Sorry for what?” he asked, still reeling from this experience and trying to make sense of it all.

“You wouldn’t–Headmaster!”

“What happened here?” Chey heard Karkaroff say. “Krum! McGonnagal! Go wait for me in my office!”

“Yes sir! Come on, Chey! Get up!”