Gaston dashed along the corridor, periodically looking up for signs of the beast form the portal creeping along the ceiling, but the monster was nowhere to be found. He hadn't seen any trace of it on the upper floors either, so it had to be around somewhere!

He stopped for a brief moment to catch his breath. His heart was hammering against his chest, and his hand trembled uncontrollably as panic set in... not for himself - he wasn't particularly concerned with what might happen to him - but for his students and for his Rose. What if she found the creature before he did? Or it found her? What if it...? He leaned against the wall, his eyes tightly closed against the tears that threatened as bad memories replayed in the back of his mind... a dragon's roar, shattering glass, a wall of fire, blank green eyes staring back at him...

Get a hold of yourself, Gaston! he told himself sternly, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He'd never find the monster if he let himself fall apart! He sighed, gripping his wand a little tighter as he continued down the hall, his eyes darting back and forth for any sign of the creature. He wasn't going to let history repeat itself! he couldn't bear to lose anybody else...