The Restricted Section (Tim & anyone else)

[Lena Polienko]

Lena slipped silently through the corridors. She did not want to be doing this! She was sneaking out because she had challenged Tim to meet her at the Restricted Section at midnight. In true Slytherin fashion, Lena had tried to set Tim up so that Professor Zanther would catch him in the library, but Zanther had said no. I should’ve told Professor Austin. Lena thought. Professor Austin would want to be on her side. In the end, with no teachers on her side and not wanting to look like a coward, Lena decided to just go the stupid library. How hard could it be?

Without a lamp, Lena made her way through the halls with her hand along the wall. It was very dark but Lena could remember from her great memory how to get to the library. Her wand was clutched tightly in her hand, but she didn’t want to use it in case someone heard her. Maybe I should’ve listened when we were learning about using spells without saying anything. Lena thought sulkily.

Lena held in a gasp as she heard something move. A prefect? A teacher? Tim? She pressed herself against the wall and stayed absolutely quiet for a few minutes until she was sure whatever it was had gone. Bitting her lip so hard it almost bled, she entered the library. It was so silent and still.

Lena looked down at her wand. It was very nice, made of redwood and it was a long “13. Although Lena had been able to navigate her way to the library, she hadn’t been to the library enough to remember how to get to the Restricted Section.
“Lumos.” Lena murmered. Using the light from her wand, she found her way to the back of the library. The Restricted Section. “O’Maley?” She whispered. Suddenly, a thought hit Lena. What if he’s not coming? What if he set me up? Her palms were sweaty.

“Tim?” She whispered louder.

[Tim O'Maley]

Tim skulked down the corridors, silently. He didn't want anyone hearing or seeing him, after all he was about to sneek into the Restricted Section of the library. He was covered by his invisiblity cloak as he ran through the corridors. He had his wand clucthed close to him just in case. The worst thoughts were running through his mind, what if she didn't show? What if they were caught? What if this was all just one be joke on him?

He made his way into the lbrary. His eyes had ajusted to the dark so he was having no trouble seeing where he was going, but the library was large and Tim had no idea where the Restricted Seciton was from where he was standing at the moment.

He went to go around a corner of the shelves but knocked a book off. He quickly dived for it and caught it just before it slammed to the ground. If the careftaker knew that they were in here they would most likey get in the deepest trouble a stundet could get in.

Tim finally found his way to the roped off section of the library. He heard a girl saying his name. It must have been Lena cause no-body else was stupid enough to even attempt to enter the library at night. He took off the cloak and stuffed it away in his robe pocket, he didn't want Lena knowing he had it.

"Shhh!" He whispered to her coming into plain sight. "Do you want to get caught?"

[Lena Polienko]

Lena turned around as Tim appeared out of what seemed like nowhere. Her eyes were gleaming so brightly you could see them even in the dark. This was rather thrilling!
“Nox.” Lena muttered and the light from her wand disappeared. She remembered back when she was a silly first year and had tried sneaking into here. She had tripped and stumbled, somehow making it to the door of the library, where she had discovered the door was locked and that the caretaker was there waiting for her.

Turning to the door, Lena stepped over the rope placed her hand on the handle, which was ice cold. I doubt even teachers come here often. She thought as she turned the knob. Lena wasn’t surprised that it was locked.
“Alohamora.” She whispered. Although she wasn’t a very good student at all, she was okay at wandwork. It was silly things like turning beatles into buttons she couldn’t care less about.

Lena stepped aside from the door and faced Tim, daring him to open the door.

[Tim O'Maley]

Taking Lena's lead Tim took the handle, it was freezing. He slowly opened the door he didn't want it to creak or set of some form of anti-enter spell. Slowly but surely the door was opened. He took out his wand from his left pocket and waved it in the open door way as if they was some form of barrier that would stop him. There wasn't. This seems a bit too easy. He thought to himself.

He took a step aside and whispered to Lena: "Ladies first".

[Lena Polienko]

Lena stepped through the door. It was very stuffy and musky smelling inside. This isn’t right. All I see is books!. She looked around at the shelves of books, frowning deeply.
“Wonder what’s in those books.” Lena said, turning around and moving aside so Tim could come in. “Well, you’re the ‘brave’ one. Go ahead and open up one of these things.” Lena remembered briefly about what her father had said about books containing dark magic. He had some and she was never allowed to touch them.

[Tim O'Maley]

Tim followed after Lena into the section.

“Well, you’re the ‘brave’ one. Go ahead and open up one of these things.”

"Ok then I will." Tim looked for the least harmful looking book, if he opened it and it made a noise they would surely be done for. Moste Potente Potions. That one doesn't look too bad, Tim thought as he grabbed the chained book. He opened it up and only a lot of dust came out of it. No noise. Tim breathed a sigh of relief.

"See, that wasn't too bad." He said smiling smuggly at Lena.

[Lena Polienko]

“Well of course nothing happened with that book.” Lena said quietly. She had recognized the potions book immedietly from her father’s many shelves of old books. It was one of the only ones she was allowed to even look at! Her cheeks flushing, Lena ran her hands over the many books on the shelves. As Lena touched the spine of a very large one, she felt a very unpleasent shock in her finger.

“Stupid book!” Lena said loudly, cradling her index finger in her palm. The tip of her finger had turned a flushed purple colour and was growing more and more painful by the second. Trying to ignore the fact that her finger was swelling, she continued to move along the shelf. Boring. She thought dully.

[Tim O'Maley]

"Are you ok?" Tim asked Lena as he saw her finger turn purple. Tim was thanking the book mentally. Serves her right for touching things that aren't meant to be touched. Tim put the potions book back on the shelf. He didn't really see what all the fuss was about with the restricted section. He madehis way down the aisle and turned a corner. He had found a section that seemed to be very hostile. As soon as he passed a rown of books they started hissing and shaking violently at him. He quickly passed them and turned another corner to a less posessive section.

[Lena Polienko]

Lena had spotted another book she’d seen on her father’s shelves before. Atleast none of his books had ever done whatever that stupid book had done to her finger. Lena pulled irritabley at the hem of her skirt, which kept riding up. She was still wearing her uniform skirt and her plain white blouse.

Surely someone will be coming to check up on the library and find us. We’ve been here far too long. Lena hadn’t noticed the time fly by and it was too dark to look at her watch.
“Hey, let’s...” Lena said, turning the corner to find Tim. She didn’t see him, but she did see a pedestal. Curious, Lena stepped forward and look at the book laying on it. It was very small and nothing happened when she touched it. Completely forgetting her common sense and the pain in her swollen finger, she opened it.

As she flipped through the pages, Lena heard the sound of footsteps. Was someone coming? Lena grabbed the book and hid it under her blouse in one quick motion that no one could see.

[Tim O'Maley]

Tim managed to find his way back to Lena, she was acting kind of shifty. "What are you doing?" He said looking at the book shaped object in her blouse. He raised an eyebrow. "That's not obvious or anything." He said sarcasically pointing at the book.

"This is super boring. I though there was going to be something interesting in here, but there isn't. This is lame. " He said dissapointedly

[Volgun Austin]

Volgun walked silently through the halls and corridors of the school. He was out looking for any rule breakers, he had had a tip off that a Gryffindor was going to break into the restricted section at midnight. Volgun heard the large clock chime 12.30 throughout the entire school. Most of the students and staff were used to it's chiming every half hour.

Volgun made his way to the library and went through the double doors. The smell of musty book hung about the room. As he made his way over to the restricted section, his black cloak following him gallantly. He turned a corner into a row of books, he wanted the elemant of suprise when he busted the student.

He could hear voices, not one, but two students out of bed. He smirked gleefully. Perfect the chance to punish two gryffindors. It was most likely Tim O'Maley and Brendan Makintyre up to no good. But as he got closer he heard one of the voices was a girl's. He stood in the shadows. "Tisk, tisk." He said in his normal smug tone. "Two students out of bed, how ever will I punish you?" He said still not knowing the exact identity of the students.

[Tim O'Maley]

Hearing his worst fear Tim mentally kicked himself. He was looking for a quick escape. If he ran he would surely be caught. He patted himself down ready to fight. But he found another option. The cloak! Tim reached into his pocket and took a few steps away from Volgun and Lena. He wasn't going to get caught in the restricted section with Lena, no way.

He flung the clock over him and moved away from hthem as silently as possible, still staying in ear shot to hear Lena get all the punishment that Volgun had planned for the two of them.

Tim made sure he was entirely covered before moving again.

[Lena Polienko]

Lena quickly ducked behind a book shelf, her heart pounding. The book she had stolen fell and skidded across the floor. Professor Austin? Lena thought, her eyes open wide as she heard the familliar voice. Lena didn’t know if she should hide or what. She felt her eyes tear up.

“Professor?” She said meakly, coming out from behind the shelf. “Professor Austin, he was just here... I tried to tell Professor Zanther but she wouldn’t believe me so I came here to get him myself and I...” She spoke very fast, making up everything off the top of her head. She dearly hoped she wouldn’t get in trouble.

[Tim O'Maley]

Tim stayed in the shadows. The cloak pulled tightly over him. He was safe from Volgun, well for now any way. He thought it would be best to leave the scene of the crime. But Lena getting in trouble was too much to miss out. Tim's head was in a battle wether to stay or to leave. Finally his mindhad made itself up. He turned and tip-toed as silently as he could out of the aisle he was currently in. He went through the open door of the restricted section.

He didn't dare touch anything. He weaved and curved trying to find his way out of the library. He came to the double doors. They were closed. If he opened them now he would surely be heard by Volgun. There was no way he could get out now. He sat on the floor a few feet from the door, waiting for the student and the professor to finish so he could leave.

[Ashley Marshall]

Ashley was in his warm cosy bed in his library office's bedroom, where he slept every night, dreaming about books and how much good times he had had with them over his lifetime and how they had been his friends when nobody else wanted to be.

He was in the middle of dreaming about reading one of his favourite books, The Monster Book of Monsters. He was sitting on a wooden stool, the background was filled with colours of red, orange, green and blue which swirled around him. The grey toned book growled softly with pleasure as Ashley stroked the spine of it. He was in the middle of reading about the thestral when the book yelped and quickly closed itself, shredding it's pages and scrambling off into the distance. The bright background turned into a black, grey one. Threr was a piercing scream and then the Ristricted Section sign popped infront off him.

Ashley woke breathing heavily and sweating slightly. He knew his books were in danger or somebody was where they shouldn't be. This wasn't good. Thoughts popped into Ashley's head. Not one of them were pleasent.

Somebody is endangering the books.He thought.

He repeated his thought in speach. Quickley jumping out of bed, Ashley, grabbed his dressing gown and headed out the door, making his way to the Ristricted Section in the library. Thankfully, the library was right next to the library office. He charged down the corridor tying up his dressing gown as he went.

Ashley came to the oak doors of the library soon after he had left his bed. Nobody was going to treat the books wrongly as long as Ashley was the librarian. He opened the doors of the library and entered. He didn't bother shutting them, he just wanted to know.

He came to the Restricted Section and he saw Professor Austin and a student. A little suprised he tuned to them and gave them a look of disappointment.

"Professor. I see this student was lurking in the Ristricted Section. Would she care to tell us why she was in there and what she was doing? I hope that she knows lurking in the Restricted Section out of hours desrves a punishment." He said sternly, looking down at the girl.

He crossed his arms and waited for an explanation. Ashley was sure there was no explaination for this. He was very good at picking out the liars. Even though she wasn't hurting the books Ashley was a little greatful that Volgun was there to stop her doing any further damage.