Chapter 16

Ayala felt much better after having a talk. Even though it was a dream, she felt it was very real.

This made her very energetic throughout the day. Perhaps because she looked less negative, the professor actually asked her for help.

Professor McGonagall called her over after the Transfiguration class.

"Miss Turner, please wait a moment."

"What's wrong, Professor?"

"Well, the honey candy in Headmaster Dumbledore's office is gone, and he asked me to bring it to him, but I have to do other things now. Can you help me deliver it?"

“I’d love to teach.”

The packaging of the honey candy is very retro and a bit cute. It could be a candy for Muggles or wizards.

"You remember the way to the principal's office, don't you, Miss Turner?"

"Of course Professor."

She followed the path in her memory to the door of the principal's office. Thank God, the password had not changed. The stone statue slowly moved away and she walked up the stone stairs.

"It's you, Miss Turner."

"Professor McGonagall asked me to bring her some candy."

"Thank you, would you like a candy?"

She didn't refuse and grabbed a candy, which was so sweet that Ayala declined the offer of more.

"I wonder how you're thinking about your elective courses?"

The old man in front of her looked at her with a smile, which made people feel very reassured.

"I want to choose Divination, Arithmancy and Ancient Magic Runes."

"Oh, ancient magic is a bit boring. Are you sure you want to learn it?"

“You always have to give it a try.”

"Good luck."

"I should go sir."

The final exam is coming, and Ayala and Evans are reviewing frantically together. The boy in her dream disappears, and she thought the boy would appear again.

After a few days of exams, she finally didn't have to immerse herself in books anymore. She was looking forward to the results being announced and leaving school.

…

"It's you."

The boy appeared in her dream again. She spoke first and the boy smiled at her.

"That's strange, I forgot your name, but I remember seeing you."

"Ayala."

“…Ayala.”

He nodded, still not saying his name. Ayala walked over to sit next to him. This time the grass was a little different.

"You look happy."

Ayala looked up at him, making sure it was him who spoke before speaking.

"The final exams are over, you can go home now."

At this moment the boy suddenly disappeared, she opened her eyes and woke up from her dream.

Today was the day for the results to be announced, and the Dean would hand out the results during breakfast, but she had gotten up very late, and Narcissa had already brought the results.

Ayala silently said Merlin three times in his mind and then opened the envelope.

Dear Miss Ayala Turner:

Below is your examination transcript for the 1972-1973 academic year:

Spell O

Potion O

Deformation O

A History of Magic

Astronomy

Herbal O

Defense Against the Dark Arts

The corners of her mouth curled up, and she put the envelope on the bedside. Suddenly, she found that there was an extra thing on the bedside: a piece of paper with three numbers written on it: 327.

"Narcissa."

"You finally came out. I brought you breakfast."

"Did you leave the note on my nightstand?"

"What note?"

Ayala shook his head.

"No, thank you. I'm going in."

She picked up the breakfast on the table and closed the dormitory door. This note... Ayala looked at it carefully, but didn't find anything else. The words didn't sound like they were written by Narcissa.

It was strange, very strange, but she felt that the word looked familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere... the transcript. The signature below the transcript was Dumbledore's own, and the date he wrote was exactly the same.

327...is it a date? Or a serial number?

"Why don't you eat?"

Just then Narcissa suddenly came in and Ayala was startled.

"Sit and be in a daze for a while."

She tucked the note under her pillow and looked around as she ate, but Narcissa suddenly stopped and looked at her face strangely.

"What’s wrong with you?"

"What?"

"Your mouth."

Narcissa picked up the mirror on the table and pointed it at her face. Ayala was frightened. Her lips were whiter than ever and her eyes were bloodshot.

"...Maybe I'm a little tired lately. A good night's sleep will be enough."

"Then go to sleep. I won't be going into the dormitory."

She closed her eyes, not wanting to sleep at all. She looked at her hands and found that the bracelet Isabel gave her was gone.

Ayala struggled to stand up, only to find that her bracelet had fallen to the ground at some point. The moment she touched the bracelet, she felt her breathing finally returned to normal, as if she had been saved.

Why is this thing so important... It's like her life.

It was vacation time, and since she had to come back in a few months, she only brought some things with her. Although it was warm outside, Ayala felt that something was increasingly wrong with her body. She just wanted to go home as soon as possible. For the first time, she felt the feeling of her soul leaving her body, as if it had been pulled out and was slowly fading away.

Even when Narcissa called her, she was a little confused. In order not to let others think she was strange, she had to close her eyes to hide her wandering gaze.

Time seemed to stretch infinitely, and the journey home, which was originally a bit boring, became extremely torturous, as if one more second would corrode the body under the scorching sun.

Arrived at the station... She delayed time and followed at the end, shielding her face with her luggage. She ignored other people's farewells and desperately looked for Isabel. Finally, she saw her in a dark place where the sun couldn't reach.

She was startled when she looked into Isabel's eyes. Her reflection showed a pale face, purple lips and bulging eyes, but her aunt was not surprised at all.

"Close your eyes."

She just closed her eyes and passed out without feeling anything.

…When she woke up again, she was lying at home, with two white bracelets on her hands. The smell in the room calmed her heart. Just then, the door was pushed open, and it was Isabel.

"Come and eat when you wake up. We have guests today."

…Ayala cleaned up and went downstairs to see the guests, Narcissa, her mother and a black-haired boy.

"Ayala, I heard from your aunt that you were sick. Are you okay?"

"Much better."

She smiled, shook her head and replied.

"This is my cousin Regulus Black."

...Sirius Black's younger brother.

"Hello."

"Hello, Miss Turner."

My aunt and Mrs. Black were chatting, and Ayala walked over to sit next to Narcissa and started chatting with her too.

"I'm going to work at the Ministry of Magic."

"I remember Lucius was also at the Ministry."

"That's right, but I'm now hesitating which department to go to."