Solving the Mystery

Accepting the suggestion offered by Ella, Kim and her went straight ahead to the library after taking their last bite of the Great Hall breakfast. There, both of them are hoping to find their answers concerning the news about the rise of the Dark Ones.

Taking a few steps more into the main entrance, Kim's footsteps suddenly became noisy than usual. Recognizing what just happened, she looked at its direction and saw water flowing from the place they were headed. Kim stopped for a while, thinking why there is water is a place where papers are kept. Taking a peep on the library, she walked slowly towards it, entering the huge room. To her surprise, the library is flooded with clear water up to her ankles. The bookshelves and book on the bottom part of it were affected but no one seems to be putting them into a proper place.

Kim looked around to look for anyone who might have known what was happening but no student seems to be going to the library often. The librarian was also nowhere to be found. Realizing that they were alone, Kim looked at Ella with her eyebrows elevated. "Is the library usually flooded like this?" she asked her fellow Slytherin, hoping that everything that she is seeing will make any sense.

"Uhm..." Ella thought for awhile while sloshing through the water. "I don't think so, unless we turned it into a swimming pool for some odd reason. Where is everyone anyways?" Ella was quite puzzled. What was going on all of a sudden. First, the news about her grandparents, then the news about the Dark Ones returning and now a swimming pool instead of a library? "Should we fix this?" Ella raised her eyebrow. She couldn't believe this, this was entirely too much for an 11 year old.

"Uhm..." Ella thought for awhile while sloshing through the water. "I don't think so, unless we turned it into a swimming pool for some odd reason. Where is everyone anyways?" Ella looked around to look for someone, the same look that Kim established when she first entered the vicinity. "Should we fix this?" she added.

Kim don't know what to say to her. She doesn't know what is happening exactly. She walked around a little bit, hoping to find any answer to their questions. As she was approaching the book shelves, the deeper the water gets. She reached the part of the library where students' tables are located but still, no one was there. Again, she looked around, trying to find anything that might be helpful. As she was turning her attention on her back, she saw a black square floating in one corner. She immediately went towards it and lift it up. She looked at the cover page but nothing was written on it. Convinced that it was just a normal book like the others, she opened it on its first page.

Reveal it to Me XVI: Secrets of Hogwarts

Restricted Section

'Restricted Section?' Kim muttered to herself. "Hey Ella, I found something here!" Kim exclaimed, knowing that Ella was still in the entrance section.

Ella heard Kim call and she splashed over to her noting the water becoming increasingly deeper. She looked at what Kim was holding and her face lit up. She hoped it wasn't noticeable but what if this really held the answers to all their questions? "Hey Kim, do you think this will give us some answers on what may be happening?" Ella whispered curiously. Ella scooted closer to Kim to get a better look but as she did she tripped over something. She fell backwards and her head went under. She came up sputtering and in her hand she held the Restricted Section sign. "How in the world did this get here?" she wondered aloud looking to Kim dripping wet. "That was a little cold." she grimaced.

Ashton went towards the restricted section. Today, he decided to stay inside the library to have some change in environment. Since students were still not allowed to enter inside, he realized that it will have less noise that before.

As he was browsing a book entitled 'Dark Magic 101', a voice of a girl disturbed his peace. Ashton stood up from his chair and went outside the restricted section. He listened once more and realized that this time, he wasn't alone. He followed the sound of the ripple of water. Finally, he saw two first-years standing in the middle of the tables. He frowned in confusion, seeing hat both of them are faced in the windows direction. "Ms. Frey and Ms. Fontayne, what are you two doing here? Students are not allowed in the library in the past three days," he informed them.

Kim was about to turn the books page when suddenly, a voice of a man startled her. "Ms. Frey and Ms. Fontayne, what are you two doing here? Students are not allowed in the library in the past three days," he informed them. Kim, in panic, hid the book inside her robe and fixed its position for it not to be noticeable. After turning around, she saw the last person she would like to have caught on. "Professor Clark!" she said with a surprise tone. "We're just wondering whether we can research about the lessons that we are currently having." After a few seconds, Kim realized the meaning of the professor's second statement. "Students are not allowed in here? We swear professor, we don't know anything about the new rule. Now we know why there are no people around here," she explained.

She hoped that her plead will not go to waste. Knowing on what kind of teacher he is, Kim swallowed while waiting for his reply.

Kim was the one who spoke up. Ella was still frozen in fear. She spoke under her breath. "Off limits to students? Why would it be? It's a library." Ella was so confused lately, so much had been going on with her life and Hogwarts. It was just all unbelievable. "We didn't know Professor." she finally spoke above a mumble.

"We're just wondering whether we can research about the lessons that we are currently having. Students are not allowed in here? We swear professor, we don't know anything about the new rule. Now we know why there are no people around here." "Off limits to students? Why would it be? It's a library.We didn't know Professor." Both of them started to reason out. "Yes, the library has been off limits. This is why all of the professors are not allowed to give assignments and research works for the mean time. The reason why this is close is just beneath your feet." Ashton made a look at the water flooding the room. "The staffs and the professors are investigating why the library is flood, and for the fact that it is winter, the water doesn't freeze. Since an investigation is done in here, students coming will disturb and ruin the possible evidences," he began to explain. He thought that maybe it was his house-elf but he didn't want to argue at that time. At least, the two girls know now what is happening around.

"I am going to let you two off for today, since you two are not the only one who didn't got the message. Please, I need you two to be out here as soon as you can," he ended the discussion. Ashton watched the two walk towards the door and left his sight.

"Thank you so much Professor. We're going to go now," Kim answered back.

As the two of them are approaching the door, Kim suddenly realized to be holding the book that they found. For the first time, she didn't want to return it since this book might be the one to give them answers that they were looking for. She looked back to check whether the Professor was still in their sight. Fortunately, their path is once again clear. "Hey, you want to check this book out?" Kim asked Ella with a smile.

Ella thought she'd never ask. Her face lit up with a devious grin. "Of course. What the Professor doesn't know won't hurt him." she held the door open and motioned for Kim to go ahead of her.