"Expulsion? Hmph, I'm still here, aren't I? Who're they trying to scare?"
Not long after leaving the headmaster's office, Audrina's emotions spiraled into near-hysteria. Her parents had been called in and had given her a thorough scolding.
No matter the world, "calling the parents" was always the most devastating move against a kid—never failed.
She'd taken a serious hit this time.
But Audrina wasn't the type to swallow her pride easily.
Expecting a bully to suddenly turn over a new leaf? You'd have better luck betting on a pig flying—and in the wizarding world, that was actually possible.
Her usual tag-alongs, who always trailed behind her, hadn't even waited for her. She was alone now.
"You lot think you're something special? I'm just fine without you!"
"And that… Disciplinary Committee? Pfft! And don't get me started on Granger! Alex, you're pathetic—can't even handle a second-year!"
Audrina muttered curses under her breath the whole way, not sparing even her own brother.
"Just you wait. One day, I'll make you all pay."
Her face was a mask of defiance, the pockmarks from her acne standing out harshly under the corridor's dim light.
The hexes had been lifted, but their effects lingered. Hermione's curses weren't so easily undone.
Whoosh.
A sudden chill breeze swept through the quiet corridor, making Audrina shiver. The castle was always colder at night. For a moment, she thought she heard something behind her—a faint rustling sound.
She stopped and glanced around. The staircase was empty, silent. She checked both sides; the moon outside was large and round, but staring at it too long felt eerie, like it wasn't a moon at all but a giant eye watching her.
Audrina tugged at her collar, suddenly uneasy, and decided to hurry away.
But after just a few steps, that rustling sound started again.
She gripped the wand hidden in her sleeve.
Whipping around—
Nothing. Still quiet.
'Am I imagining things? What am I even scared of?'
Audrina let out a slow breath, starting to turn back, when a tiny giggle reached her ears, like a child's voice.
'Hee hee hee.'
Her scalp prickled, her heart racing.
Something was there.
Then, darkness flashed before her eyes. Inches from her nose appeared a face—a pale, ghastly face, tongue lolling, eyes rolled back!
"AAAAH!" Audrina screamed at the sudden horror.
"Hahaha!"
A mocking laugh followed. The ghostly face morphed into a clownish, doll-like one, with a wide mouth and bright, round eyes, its cracked grin clearly laughing at her.
Recognizing the face, Audrina's terror turned to realization.
Peeves, Hogwarts' most ancient and peculiar spirit. Calling him a ghost wasn't quite right—he wasn't a true ghost. Unlike regular ghosts who passed through objects, Peeves could interact with the physical world, picking up items, even throwing them. He was solid, in a way.
"Damn it!"
Audrina fired a spell, but it passed right through him.
"Hey, little witch, you can't hurt me! Out wandering late at night instead of sleeping?"
Peeves, with his small stature and garish blue-gray-white body, floated upside-down in front of her, grinning wickedly.
Audrina instantly knew what he was and snapped, "You filthy ghost, what's it to you?"
She had no love for ghosts—those strange beings caught between life and death.
But Peeves wasn't exactly a ghost. More like a poltergeist, or perhaps Hogwarts' own unique spirit.
"How dare you insult the great Peeves!"
His mischievous grin vanished, replaced by fury. His face flipped faster than a page in a book. He pulled out a massive glob of dough from behind him.
"Punishment! Punishment! Naughty little witches need to be taught a lesson!" Peeves squealed with glee.
A sticky, soggy lump of dough splattered onto Audrina, instantly ruining her school robes.
"Stop it! I said STOP! Are you insane?"
Whatever that dough was made of, it wouldn't come off, and it reeked with a strange odor that made Audrina furious.
But Peeves wasn't one to listen. This time, he aimed for her hair.
Her hair was her life!
"Get lost!"
Audrina waved her wand again, trying to fend him off, but the spell passed through him uselessly. Most charms had no effect on Peeves.
"The great Peeves loves punishing little witches!"
Another glob of dough came flying, but Audrina dodged it this time.
Then she turned and ran.
What else could she do when spells didn't work?
Stand there and let him cover her in sticky, smelly gunk?
Wait… something felt off about that thought.
"Run, run, keep running! Peeves is coming for you!"
Peeves, clearly delighted, chased after her with another lump of dough.
'I'm being chased by a ghost? This is insane!'
Audrina's face burned with anger, but she didn't slow down.
Thankfully, Peeves wasn't invincible. While regular ghosts could pass through walls, Peeves couldn't—he had to open doors like anyone else.
So, shaking him off was simple: confuse him.
Audrina ducked into a random storage room and lost him.
"I see you!" Peeves' cheerful cackle faded into the distance until it was gone.
Audrina let out a breath, opening the door. She froze, dumbfounded. Unfamiliar corridors, unfamiliar surroundings.
Where had she ended up?
She hadn't paid attention while running, and now she was lost.
Audrina started searching for the way back to her dorm.
No way was she spending the night in a place like this.
'This is just the worst luck!'
She couldn't have been more frustrated.
As she tried retracing her steps, something glinted in her peripheral vision. She turned, and in the dim castle light, a sparkling object in the corner caught her eye.
"Huh? What's that?"
Stepping closer, she saw it—a diadem, forgotten on the floor, its center adorned with a dazzling gem.
"Lucky me! Finder's keepers."
Without a second thought, Audrina picked it up.
Holding it, she studied the diadem, its beauty radiating an almost irresistible allure.
"It's gorgeous," she murmured, entranced by the central gem.
What young witch could resist a sparkling diadem?
Especially one that was clearly no ordinary crown.