Тейлор Поттер и философский виал / Taylor Potter and the Philosophical Vial: Глава 8. Хэллоуин

Chapter 8. Halloween
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Camrad_RIP 01.01.26 в 21:19

The mystery had to be abandoned without being solved, because barely had the trio ventured deeper into the Forbidden Forest when a very strange oval robot appeared. Two meters tall, it had an oval body, an oval head, and matching arms and legs, connected to its torso by long chains. They couldn't do anything with it; Taylor's insects couldn't bite through the armor, and Amy's touch had no effect for the same reason. Lisa simply didn't have time to figure out what it was.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 11:40

The robot caught them, tied them up, and threw them out of the Forest.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 11:41

The days flew by: lessons, training, reading, homework, skirmishes with Eidolorins and trying to avoid Filch, close-combat exercises, and super-power training — all of it ate up time and energy. In the evening, Taylor would collapse into bed and fall asleep immediately, sometimes forgetting to take off her suit. Lisa, for obvious reasons, had the easiest time studying, and besides, she didn't practice (except for pistol shooting at one of the shooting ranges on the ground floor of Wormwarts). After quickly dropping a few suggestive hints and considering her participation in the joint training concluded, she would disappear to her own business, a perpetual smile on her face.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 11:43

Taylor, remembering Quirrell's lessons, tried to develop her powers in every situation and used insects for homework. She tried to see through their eyes (no luck so far) and listen to other students talk. Gradually, she came to the conclusion that paper books for the blind, printed in Braille, would be best suited for her, but there were no paper books in Wormwarts.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 11:44

"Could you change a couple of flies so I could see through their eyes?" Taylor asked Amy one day in early October.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 13:48

The thought that she wasn't strong enough, that she wasn't a good Tactician, that she wouldn't help Herofindor win the battle weighed heavily on Taylor. She kept feeling like she wasn't practicing enough, working hard enough, training hard enough.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 13:53

“No,” she muttered.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 13:58

"Well... please?" Taylor made pleading eyes.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 14:04

"No," Amy replied, her temper flaring. "Lisa is enough for me. And now you too."

Camrad_RIP 03.01.26 в 08:11

"You won't influence my brain," Taylor immediately understood the reason, "only insects!"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 16:57

"To transmit a signal you can understand, they would have to be modified, made practically human, part of the brain, to be more precise," Amy sighed. "Or yours would have to be modified so you could adequately perceive insect vision."

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 14:05

"Oh!" Taylor blinked. "Okay, I'll think of something else! Don't be angry, Amy, it's just... you know, I use insects, and you can influence living things."

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 14:06

"Exactly," Amy traced a line in the air with her finger. "That's why I'm so careful. First insects, then animals, then humans, and capes? You'll want to change your figure, Lisa will want to get rid of headaches forever by doubling the size of her head, and so on. No, you're my friends, and I don't want to lose you because of my mistake!"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 16:58

Taylor silently approached the now practically screaming Amy and hugged her tightly, holding her close. Just as she entered the Herofindor living room, Lisa sighed sadly at the sight and muttered under her breath that she'd missed the opportunity again.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 17:00

Blowing on her cold fingers, Lisa disappeared into the bedroom, deciding not to ruin her friends' moment of comfort.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 17:01

*
On Halloween morning, Taylor woke up feeling broken and depressed. Yesterday, Lisa had explained to her why Halloween had become a holiday, told her about Taylor's parents, and the Dark Cape. The festive atmosphere in the castle? Taylor felt no joy or excitement. What kind of holiday was it when her parents had given their lives to protect her, Taylor? She tried to picture their faces, to imagine the scene, how they had fought, but she couldn't.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 18:09

“I’m sorry,” Lisa said at breakfast, and her face showed that she was truly sorry. “I figured you’d find out anyway, and that’s why..."

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 18:12

"No, you did everything right," Taylor said, hugging her friend and burying her face in her hair. "I... just need to get through this, come to terms with it, and figure out how to live and what to do."

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:00

“I,” Amy said, and stopped short.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:00

"What?"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 14:07

"We have a lesson with Flitwick, and we're almost late," Weasley said, looking away.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:00

Taylor and Lisa exchanged panicked glances, then simultaneously glanced toward the enormous clock face on the wall and jumped to their feet, snatching their tablets from the desk. Accord Flitwick was renowned not only for his mastery of strategy, tactics, and planning, but also for his meticulous attention to punctuality and neatness. Classes were expected to be on time, dressed in proper attire, and so on. Those who violated the rules faced a painful ordeal: Accord would devise a punishment plan on the fly and then carry it out for the entire lesson, strictly adhering to the rules, of course. It would seem that if you were already late, it would be easier to just not show up at all, but only those who didn't know the professor could think that way.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:01

Taylor pulled herself together, and that helped a little, at least until the evening.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:02

The festive dinner in the Great Hall was, of course, accompanied by stories, pictures, and holographic videos about Dark Cape, and Taylor, picking at her salad with her spoon, felt her spirits sinking somewhere below the dungeons of Wormwarts. She tried to force herself to talk and smile, to watch the videos, especially since Lisa had immediately pointed out that all the 3D videos were fake, created for the sake of beauty and encouragement of the capes.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:43

But the mood did not return; on the contrary, everything only got worse.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:43

There was no telling where this would have gone, as Taylor's mood was being transmitted by her insect, not to mention the radius of her control growing and growing, expanding with every second. But then the door to the Great Hall swung open, revealing a rumpled Professor Quirrell. His shirt was torn, blood was running down his cheek, and his left arm hung limply.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:44

"We have a small problem, he said loudly."

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:44

Taylor saw that blood was dripping from the knife Quirrell was holding in his right hand.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:44

"Someone hacked the lock's systems and teleported a troll inside," Jack said calmly and loudly, heading towards the teachers' table, "and perhaps not only him."

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:45

"You're hurt!" Doctor Pomfrey said joyfully, jumping up.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:45

“It's nothing, we warmed up a bit, but I couldn’t stop the troll,” Jack waved it off.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:46

"No, no, I insist, come to my infirmary immediately!" Pomfrey rubbed her hands together happily and pulled something out of her robe pocket. "I just happen to have a new, excellent potion!"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:47

And then the lights in the Great Hall went out.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:47

"Calm down!" Fortuna Dumbledore shouted, rising from the table.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:47

Taylor didn't see it, of course, but she felt it through the insects. There were screams, some of the students jumped up, and almost all of them turned to their superpowers.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:48

"Don't panic!" the Headmistress's voice boomed through the hall. "All students return to their Houses. Prefects accompany them, teachers proceed to the east wing, and prevent the threat!"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:49

"The system hack activated the security protocol, the House towers went into autonomous mode," Lisa muttered, clutching her head in her hands. "The lock system is resistant to external hacking; it was done by someone from within, with higher privileges than usual, someone with access to information."

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:49

"Snape!" Amy and Taylor exhaled simultaneously.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:49

"We need to keep an eye on him," Taylor said immediately.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:50

The pent-up despair and bitterness demanded an outlet, a fight. Taylor sensed Snape making his way toward the exit, deftly dodging the attacks of panicking students. She had to make a decision, and quickly.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:50

"Amy, take Lisa to the tower, I'll keep an eye on Snape!"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:50

"No! It's dangerous! Who knows what could happen?" Amy shrieked.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:51

"Then let's all go together, come on, pick up Lisa, and let's go. Snape is leaving!"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 19:58

They grabbed Lisa by the arms and dragged her toward the exit, along the wall, but slowly, too slowly. Despite the increased range of Taylor's power, Snape was already almost out of it, moving much faster than the students.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 20:11

"He's leaving," Taylor repeated.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 20:11

The corridors were dark, and only the insects allowed Taylor to sense her surroundings. The only benefit of the darkness and fleeing the Great Hall was that Lisa stopped clutching her head. The sensory overload and power overload were slowly receding, but Granger was still unable to run or fight effectively.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 20:11

"There are some miniature figures ahead... humans? No, metal...," Taylor muttered, "they're moving!"

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 20:12

“These are elfs,” Lisa said quietly, “electronic live forms, mini-robots controlled by the castle.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 20:13

"There are robots here?" Amy asked in surprise.

Camrad_RIP 02.01.26 в 20:13