Тейлор Поттер и философский виал / Taylor Potter and the Philosophical Vial: Глава 5. Секреты прошлого

Chapter 5. Secrets of the Past
* * *

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 16:23

Taylor involuntarily took a step back. As if waiting for this, Mrs. Norris's half flared up especially loudly, emitting a cloud of black smoke and a shower of sparks.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:27

"We didn't do it!" Taylor shouted and then realized the mistake.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:27

The schoolchildren, as if wrenched from their stupor, began to chatter and murmur, a chorus of accusations and gossip. Victoria emerged from somewhere, flushed, and screamed.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:28

"It couldn't have been Taylor!"

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:28

Before Potter could react, Victoria's aura struck the students with fear, causing the crowd to recoil. Taylor, with an effort, pushed aside her admiration for her younger sister Amy's radiant figure and realized that things were about to get a whole lot worse. The frightened students were turning to their superpowers, which meant a bacchanalia and a riot of energies was about to begin. Not to mention, the shock of fear clearly didn't help convince the students of Taylor's innocence; quite the opposite, in fact.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:31

"Nobody move!" Hannah McGonagall's voice thundered.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:32

"Anyone who uses superpowers will be expelled," Thomas Snape's voice echoed.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:32

Following behind them, Professor Niceguy Lockhart simply smiled and waved, indicating that everything was fine, that he was there, and that the danger had passed. It must be said, it worked; the students calmed down.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 17:33

"Very sloppy work," Flitwick shook his head, looking at Mrs. Norris.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:26

Then he pulled out a tape measure and began taking measurements of the robotic cat and the hole in the wall, taking photographs first. Thomas Snape, thin and tall, loomed over Lisa as if he were about to force the answers out of her. Granger, pressed against the wall, groped along it with her hand, unconsciously hoping to find the button for the secret passage and escape from Snape.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:26

"You'd better get busy checking the local systems, Thomas," Headmistress Fortuna Dumbledore stepped forward out of nothing.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:27

She glanced back, looking up, her head tilted so high that the headmistress's signature fedora hat, seemingly a constant presence, nearly fell off. Then she approached Accord, who was measuring the gap.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:27

"Listen, Headmistress, this is undoubtedly..."

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:28

"Silence!" the headmistress raised her voice, and Flitwick nodded, taking a step back.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:30

"Well, that's no problem," Lockhart said airily.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:30

Taylor sensed a tension, almost fear, creeping into the teachers' postures, signaling that they were facing a new mystery in Wormwarts.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 18:31

"The recordings have been erased or distorted by interference, Headmistress," Snape approached.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:35

“Then we need to question the witnesses,” Fortuna replied.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:36

"It's you!" came the hoarse cry of Filch, who had come to his senses. "You!"

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:39

He pointed his hands at Taylor, Amy, and Lisa, wheezing something unintelligible, his face turning purple. The students began to whisper and hum again, but the headmistress intervened and ordered everyone to their rooms.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:40

"My chambers are nearby; we can use them," Lockhart noted.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:41

Lockhart's quarters were bright and cozy; the very walls seemed to emanate an atmosphere of friendliness and trust, but Taylor was still shaking with dread and fear. She felt like she was about to be expelled, after all, Filch was pointing at them! Fortuna and Tagg had locked themselves in Lockhart's office, and Taylor vaguely recalled Lisa's explanation last year that professors' quarters were specially protected, and that's why Snape, supposedly, was invulnerable to Potter's insects at his base. But they were inside now, weren't they? Fear, terror, and necessity gave her strength, and Taylor mentally strained as if she wanted to lift the entire Wormwarts with her bare hands.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:44

"...ose!" Filch's voice reached her.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:29

Taylor nearly collapsed with relief and had to grab onto Lisa, who looked at her friend with alarm. Thomas Snape's gaze immediately pierced them, as if he wanted to burn them right through.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:44

Taylor nearly collapsed with relief and had to grab onto Lisa, who looked at her friend with alarm. Thomas Snape's gaze immediately pierced them, as if he wanted to burn them right through.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 10:45

The words were distorted, the voices crackled and rasped, as if Taylor were listening to a radio with static, but need truly is the best teacher, and her brain completed, guessed, and filled in the gaps. Taylor's head grew warm, a pain began around her ears, and she suddenly understood what Lisa felt during sessions of overuse of her power. From exhaustion and fear, and a sudden wave of understanding, Taylor turned and gently hugged her friend, silently expressing her sympathy.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:38

"Looking at your behavior, Miss Potter," McGonagall noted, carefully studying her friends standing against the wall, "I would have decided that you were still to blame."

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:39

At the same time, Taylor listened to the conversation in Lockhart's office, afraid to miss a word.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:39

"You can go, Tagg, thank you very much," the headmistress's voice sounded in Taylor's head.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:39

"But what about..."

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:41

"Go!"

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:39

"A remarkable silence," said Snape, "especially from Miss Granger."

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:50

The door swung open, and an angry Filch, no longer quite so crimson, stood there. Exaggeratedly puffing and stomping, he walked past Taylor and her friends and said out of the corner of his mouth.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:51

"I know you are guilty!"

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:51

His words and hissing drowned out Accord's retort in Taylor's head.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:57

"Yes," Fortuna replied, "that's all true, but that's still no proof that someone opened the Dimension of Secrets, and why would they? Surely not for Filch's robo-cat, even though he's convinced otherwise? And who could have done such a thing?"

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:57

"But what about... Potter? After all, she..."

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:58

“No,” the headmistress interrupted Accord.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:58

"But potentially..."

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 11:58

Something thudded loudly next to Taylor, and she lost contact. It turned out the thud was caused by Victoria, who had rushed in to help, only to be shot down by a well-aimed shot. Pinned to the wall next to Taylor by a swelling ball of containment foam, Victoria struggled to break free.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 12:03

"A remarkable frivolity, characteristic of the Weasley family," Snape remarked, without taking his eyes off the terminal.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:00

His fingers fluttered wildly, and Taylor regretted not being able to see insects with her eyes. The terminal, of course, had its back to the students, its screen facing Snape, and one could only envy the professors' security clearance. Of course, there was Lisa, who was skilled at hacking systems, but only peripheral ones and surreptitiously, whereas the House Heads had direct access.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:15

And no one called them violators.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:15

"While I appreciate your desire to help, Miss Weasley," McGonagall sighed into her scarf, "I will nevertheless deduct ten points from my own House and assign you detention."

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:16

"Mmmffff, mymymyffff," Victoria moaned from under the mountain of foam.

Camrad_RIP 14.01.26 в 07:32

"Free everyone," came the voice of Fortuna Dumbledore.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:16

She stood in the threshold of Lockhart's office, smiling from behind her, as if he'd saved and helped everyone, defended and protected them. Taylor felt grateful to the professor, but right now she was more preoccupied with something else: that brief exchange between Flitwick and Dumbledore, which she'd half-heard and only a quarter-understood.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:17

Therefore, it was urgent to talk to Granger.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:17

“Let’s talk in the shower,” Lisa’s barely audible, understanding whisper reached us.

Camrad_RIP 13.01.26 в 13:17