Chapter 20 : the interagration
Third person pov
Zamira barely remembered how she made it back to the dorms before dawn. Her heartbeat still hadn't slowed. Even as she sat cross-legged on the floor while the others crowded around the stolen image of the prophecy, she felt her pulse drumming in her throat. The orb's cold whisper still clung to her bones.
Remus, sitting beside her, watched the door like someone expecting assassins. Or worse, Master Valirus in a bad mood.
Rosalith sat right in the center of the group, the prophecy parchment spread across her knees, as if it belonged to her. "Okay," she announced, "we have roughly thirty minutes before Sirius tattles."
"I don't tattle," Sirius muttered from where he sat stiffly at the end of the bed. He'd clearly been yanked out of sleep, given the state of his hair, which looked like twelve separate storms had passed through it.
Nova didn't even look up from adjusting the brightness crystal she was using to illuminate the prophecy. "You absolutely tattle," she said. "With confidence. And footnotes."
Rami snorted so loudly that half the pile of books on the bedside table nearly toppled over.
Sirius crossed his arms. "Someone in this group needs to prevent us from getting expelled."
"Your caution is noted," Rosalith said without looking at him, waving her hand like she was swatting a fly.
Zamira dragged her focus back to the prophecy. The words still looked like they were written in a language older than anything they'd studied, even though they were technically written in her handwriting after she copied what she saw in the orb.
When fire meets water
When storm shall rise
When shadow meets lightning
Truth will disguise…
The room fell quiet again.
"We really shouldn't have this," Sirius whispered. "This is prophecy magic. There are laws. Entire libraries dedicated to what we're not allowed to touch."
"Then it's a good thing we didn't touch anything," Rami said brightly. "Except we did. Everything. We touched everything."
Nova kicked him lightly.
Rosalith traced a line along the parchment. "We need to figure out what this means. And if it really is talking about… us."
Remus let out a low breath. "It is."
Everyone turned toward him.
Zamira didn't. She already knew. The moment the orb whispered into their heads, she felt the connection, like something had stitched itself under her ribs.
Rosalith leaned forward. "How do you know?"
"Because things like this don't happen to people who aren't trapped in them," Remus said. "And because I recognized… something. A part of it."
Sirius frowned. "Which part?"
Remus hesitated, eyes dropping. His fingers tightened on his sleeves until the fabric wrinkled. "The part about the trials."
The group shifted, a ripple of tension.
Rosalith didn't push. Not yet.
Nova, gentler than usual, said, "You don't have to explain."
"I know," Remus said. "But the prophecy mentions one of the six being 'bound by secrecy.' And one 'marked by pain.' That's not subtle."
Zamira's hand twitched toward him, then stopped. She wasn't the comforting type. Not verbally. Not physically. But something in her chest stung anyway.
Rami, usually the loudest voice in any room, grew oddly serious. "We're in it together, you know."
Remus actually looked at him for a moment, like he wasn't used to hearing that from anyone.
Rosalith cleared her throat and tapped the parchment. "Let's break this down before Sirius combusts from anxiety."
"I do not combust," Sirius snapped.
"You ignited your sleeve lighting a candle last week," Nova said.
"That was an accident," he hissed.
"That was pathetic," Rami corrected. "But we love you. Mostly."
Sirius closed his eyes like he regretted every choice that had led him to these people.
Rosalith pointed to the first line.
"Fire meets water. That could be elements, could be people."
"Or both," Nova added, pushing her hair behind her ear. "We've seen elemental bonds before in the history texts. They're usually catastrophes waiting to happen."
"Comforting," Rami muttered.
Then another line drew their eyes.
'One bound by secrecy'
'One heart of stone'
'One spirit of rain'
'One spark of thunder'
'One frozen vein'…
Rami whistled softly. "So… elemental themes, emotional themes, physical? Could be literal powers or metaphorical roles."
Sirius shook his head. "This is dangerous. If anyone found out we even had access to this, we'd be in so much trouble."
Rosalith lifted the parchment. "Good thing no one's finding out."
Zamira finally spoke, her voice soft but sharp. "We need to understand it before someone else does."
She hated how everyone turned toward her at once. Speaking wasn't her favorite. Being perceived was even worse. But she was right, and they all knew it.
Rosalith nodded. "Exactly. And we're not telling Valirus. Or Kael. Or anyone."
Rami raised his hand. "I vote we tell absolutely nobody. Especially Kael. He'd try to sell the prophecy on the black market."
Nova sighed. "He'd definitely try."
Sirius buried his face in his hands.
Remus leaned back against the wall, his eyes dark with thought. "We should start with what we know about ourselves. What we can do. Or might be."
Rami pointed to himself. "Clearly I'm the spark of thunder. I mean, look at me."
Nova laughed. "Thunder is loud and chaotic. Yes, that fits."
Sirius frowned. "But thunder is usually associated with power, not stupidity."
"Wow," Remus whispered.
Rosalith choked on a laugh.
Zamira blinked. "I thought thunder was just noise."
Rami gasped. "I am deeply wounded."
"You'll survive," Remus said.
Then Rosalith spoke before arguments could start again. "Okay. We need assignments. The prophecy said six. There are six of us. Obviously we're connected."
Sirius shifted uneasily. "Not everything revolves around us."
"Here? It does," Nova said.
Zamira caught the flicker of fear in Sirius's face. He didn't like destiny. Or the idea of not being able to control something.
Rosalith softened her voice. "We don't have to accept it. We just have to study it."
Sirius nodded reluctantly.
Rami stretched his arms above his head. "So. What now? We hide this under your mattress? Cast an illusion? Eat it for breakfast? Actually, don't eat it. It looks dusty."
Rosalith rolled her eyes. "No. Now we talk about what we're going to do next."
Zamira folded her legs beneath her and leaned in. "We should research prophecies in the restricted library."
Sirius paled. "Restricted?"
Nova smirked. "She's right, you know."
Sirius rubbed his face. "Of course she is."
Remus spoke quietly. "If this really is tied to us, we need to understand the whole thing. Not half."
Rosalith nodded. "Everyone gets a role. Everyone contributes."
Rami puffed his chest. "I contribute jokes."
"You contribute distractions," Nova corrected.
"Same thing."
Zamira finally raised her voice again, steadier this time. "We also need to keep training. Whatever this prophecy wants is probably not going to wait for us to be ready."
That sobered the room fast.
Even Rami fell silent.
Rosalith stood, rolling up the parchment carefully. "Okay. Sirius, you go to breakfast first. Sit at our table. Act normal."
Sirius stared. "I always act normal."
"Yeah," Nova said, "and that's the problem. Try acting convincingly normal."
Sirius glared at her.
Rosalith handed the rolled parchment to Zamira. "You hide this."
Zamira nodded despite the sudden pressure in her chest. She would protect it. Whatever it took.
Rami bounced to his feet. "I'll go next. I'm great at casual entrances. Very dramatic."
"Casual entrances aren't supposed to be dramatic," Sirius muttered.
Rami shrugged. "Tell that to destiny."
Nova rolled her eyes but smiled. "I'll go after. Remus stays with the prophecy until I get back."
Remus looked mildly offended. "I can walk."
Rosalith placed a hand on his shoulder, gentle. "I know. But you also look like you haven't slept in a week."
"I haven't," he murmured.
Rami patted his back. "That explains the vibe."
Remus swatted his hand away.
Zamira tucked the parchment into her cloak. "Let's go before someone does something stupid."
"That's incredibly specific," Rami said. "Feels like a personal attack."
Zamira walked straight past him.
The door creaked open.
The hallway beyond was quiet, early light spilling across the stone floors.
The six of them exchanged one last look.
Something unspoken flickered among them.
A promise or a warning.
Maybe both.
Rosalith exhaled. "Alright. Let's move."
They slipped out one by one, shadows passing through the vast academy in quiet, unassuming lines.
But the prophecy echoed still.
The song binds the six
The song binds them all
But beware the night where shadows cry
For when power is whole
The Chosen one will die.
Zamira felt the words like frost on her skin.
And she wondered which one of them the prophecy meant.
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The dining hall looked normal at first glance. Sunlight streamed down through the high windows, warming the long wooden tables where students clustered in their usual groups. Bowls of porridge and plates of flatbread steamed in the center of each row. Soft chatter floated through the air, mixed with the metallic clink of spoons.
But the six of them felt it immediately.
A pressure.
A heaviness.
Like the room itself knew what they'd done.
Rosalith slipped into her seat next to Rami, smile perfectly casual. Rami, less subtle, waved dramatically at a random group of older students. "Good morning, future disappointments!"
Rosalith kicked him under the table.
Across from them, Zamira sat very still, hands folded, the prophecy's hiding place feeling like a weight against her ribs. Remus sat beside her, posture straight, expression unreadably calm in that frightening, controlled way only someone used to pain could manage.
Sirius and Nova slid into the bench last.
Nova was trying to look relaxed, but her fingers kept tapping the wood. Sirius leaned close enough to bump her shoulder, his voice low. "Breathe."
"I'm breathing," she said.
"Then breathe slower."
She gave him a look, but it cracked into the smallest, grateful smile.
They were halfway through pretending to eat when the air shifted.
The chatter died.
Master Valirus strode into the hall like a storm with a spine. His cloak trailed behind him in a shadowy sweep, and his eyes burned with a fury that made every student freeze mid-spoonful.
He stopped at the center of the hall and flicked his hand upward. A sound spell struck the ceiling with a crack, and silence fell so hard you could hear the candles flicker.
"Students." His voice echoed unnaturally, filling every corner. "Something of the highest importance was stolen from my office last night."
Zamira's heartbeat plummeted to her stomach.
Rami choked on air.
Nova's foot hit Sirius's under the table, hard.
Valirus's gaze swept the room like he was choosing prey.
"This item," he continued, "is dangerous. Ancient. And absolutely forbidden to handle. Anyone caught in possession of it, knowledge of it, or even suspicion of involvement…" His jaw tightened. "Will face consequences beyond expulsion."
Nova swallowed, hard enough for Zamira to hear it.
Valirus lifted a shimmering crystal tablet, its surface glowing with recorded magic. "Until it is found, every student will be questioned."
A murmur rippled through the room.
Rosalith kept her head down, eyes flickering sideways at Zamira.
Zamira didn't move. Couldn't.
Valirus nodded to the guards by the doors. "Begin."
One of the guards announced the first name.
"Nova Starcrest."
Nova stiffened.
Her spoon clattered against her bowl.
Sirius reacted first. He leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper. "Nova, listen to me."
She didn't look away from the guards approaching her.
"You've done nothing wrong. You're safe," Sirius said softly, his hand covering hers under the table. His grip was warm, steady, the anchor she couldn't give herself. "I'm right here. You walk in, you walk out, and you come straight back to me. Understand?"
Her breath hitched.
"Sirius—"
"You're Nova," he murmured, like that was the strongest thing in the world. "They're not ready for you."
For a second, her panic wavered.
She exhaled slowly, letting his hand steady her heartbeat.
Then she squared her shoulders, stood, and followed the guards.
Sirius watched her go without blinking.
Rosalith leaned closer. "She'll be okay."
Sirius didn't answer. His hands trembled slightly, just enough for Rami to notice. Rami nudged him under the table, surprisingly gentle for once.
"She's tough," Rami said. "Scarier than any prophecy orb."
Sirius shot him a look that almost resembled gratitude.
Zamira watched the dining hall around them. Students whispering, teachers pacing, Valirus's eyes like knives. Every second Nova was gone stretched into something sharp.
Remus slid his foot against hers under the table. Not a comfort, but a reminder:
Stay calm. Don't show anything.
After several minutes that felt like a lifetime, Nova returned.
Her steps were a touch too quick, her face too controlled. She looked fine from a distance.
But Sirius stood before she even reached the table.
He didn't hug her. That wasn't Sirius.
Instead, he stepped into her space, tilted his head to meet her eyes, and murmured, "You good?"
Nova released a breath. "They think I'm stupid."
Sirius smirked faintly. "Then they're stupider."
Nova finally relaxed. "They only asked where I was last night. And if I noticed anything strange."
"What did you say?" Rosalith asked.
Nova shrugged. "That Rami exists."
Rami gasped. "Defamation."
Nova sat beside Sirius again, and he shifted so his shoulder pressed against hers. She leaned into him without thinking.
Valirus called the next name.
"Sirius Nightfall."
Sirius stood immediately.
Nova grabbed his sleeve. "Hey."
He turned.
She didn't say anything else.
She didn't have to.
He nodded once, soft. "I'll be back."
And he walked forward, steady and composed, as if suspicion couldn't touch him.
Zamira watched him go, worry she didn't want to identify tightening her throat.
Remus leaned toward her, voice a quiet grumble. "He'll be fine."
Zamira didn't answer.
Because as she looked around the room, she saw it in the eyes of half the staff:
Someone knew.
Someone suspected.
And the six of them had less time than they thought.
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The doors shut behind Sirius with a thud that made Nova flinch. She tried to hide it, but everyone at the table felt the ripple.
Zamira's nails pressed crescents into her palms.
Rami looked ready to commit at least three crimes.
Rosalith kept her expression cool, but inside her stomach twisted. Sirius was calm until he wasn't. The boy carried storms the way some people carried hobbies.
Inside the interrogation room, Sirius stood straight while Master Valirus circled him like some ancient hawk.
Valirus's voice was low. "Sirius Nightfall. You have a reputation for discipline. Precision. And yet you were out walking alone last night."
Sirius didn't blink. "I couldn't sleep."
"That is not what the ward-runes say."
Sirius didn't move, but his heartbeat kicked once, a betraying stutter he hoped Valirus didn't catch.
Valirus stepped closer, shadows sharpening behind him. "A restricted corridor was breached. My office was violated. Something irreplaceable is missing. Do you understand why this concerns you?"
Sirius met his gaze, steady as stone. "Yes, Master Valirus."
Valirus's eyes narrowed. "Anything you wish to confess?"
"No."
A dangerous pause.
Sirius kept his breaths slow. A soldier's control. A boy who learned to silence every emotion before it could eat him alive.
Then Valirus shifted.
He leaned in, voice dropping to a razor's whisper. "You are protecting someone."
For the first time, Sirius's jaw tensed.
Valirus noticed.
And smiled.
"Next time," the master murmured, "do not lie so loudly."
---
Back in the Hall
The doors opened.
Nova sat up so fast she bumped the table, rattling the bowls.
Sirius stepped out, perfectly composed… except for the faint tremor in his fingers.
Nova was on her feet before she realized it. She moved in front of him, eyes scanning his face.
"Sirius?"
"I'm fine."
It was the least convincing thing he'd ever said.
"Did they—?"
"No." He shook his head. "Just questions."
Rosalith watched him closely. She was good at seeing the cracks no one else saw. Sirius hadn't broken, but he'd bent. Hard.
Nova brushed her hand against his, not quite holding it. "Come sit."
He didn't argue.
They slid onto the bench again, shoulders pressed together, breathing gradually syncing.
Rami leaned in, whispering not-so-quietly, "Blink twice if you traumatized the interrogators by accident."
Sirius exhaled through his nose. "Rami, please shut—"
"Ah, so he is fine," Rosalith muttered.
Zamira let out a breath she'd been holding for five entire minutes.
Across the hall, Valirus held up the crystal tablet again.
His voice boomed:
"Two students have been questioned. Do not attempt to flee, hide, or conspire. The one who stole from me will be found."
Rosalith felt cold crawl down her spine.
Because despite all their planning, all their sneaking, all their lies…
Valirus wasn't just suspicious.
He was hunting.
And the six of them were terrible at being prey.
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