Restricted Section
 

Considerably darker than any other area of the library, the Restricted Section is where the most dangerous books are kept; those that contain Dark Magic. This section can only be accessed with a permission slip from a teacher, which will be verified by the librarian. Upon verification, the librarian will retrieve the book. Only those studying on an advanced level of Defense Against the Dark Arts should have a reason for requesting such access.

To ensure that no one enters uninvited, a prominent sign floats above the entrance to this section:

In addition, a locked and barred gate, protects the books.

Once the group had reached the restricted section, Madame Kohan stepped forward while retrieving a set of keys from the depths of her robes. Fitting the proper key into the locking mechanism, she slowly swung the heavy door open. Just inside the door sat a small lantern, which she immediately lit with her wand.

"You may have to do a bit of searching for what you're looking for. I'm sure those history books are in the back somewhere." She remarked to Vindictus

She glanced back towards the group of eager students. "Try to stay on topic of the study group. Don't blow this chance by attempting to sneak a peek at books that have absolutely nothing to do with the history of Hogwarts or other subject matter that Professor Vindictus has mentioned."

Though she was allowing use of this section for research, she would certainly not allow any misuse of the materials kept here. And any student who did cross the line would not to be happy with the consequences.

Lyra followed Madame Kahon and Professor Vindictus over to the restricted section. The librarian explained what was going on and what NOT to do. At this point, she was just happy to be behind the bars and in...dun dun dun dunnnnn...the restricted section.

"Yes ma'am," she smiled as she took a deep breath and looked to the back of the section where the librarian was talking about. Hogwarts history. Awesomeeeee!

"You heard Madame Kohan," Vindictus said as he stepped into the section and headed over to the history section. "Here we go - History. Some of these books are hundreds of years old, so be careful." He noticed one that looked newer than the rest and pulled it out carefully. Cradling the old tome in his arms, he walked over to a table and sat it down. He opened it and saw that someone wrote in it. The writing was that of a past century and was very pointy, but the signature was that of a famous wizard. "This volume belonged to Albus Dumbledore," he gasped softly.

She walked down with everyone else. She was so happy to be going into this section she had to take some deep breaths to stay herself from hyperventilating. "Yes ma'am," She said when Madame Kohan told them to stay on topic. Well that was a mood killer, she thought. All these books and they couldn't read them.

She looked over at the hair gel model as he just totally pulled out a book that Albus Dumbledore had written in. "Really," She breathed as she looked at the book in his hands.

Lyra ran over to peek at the book that the professor spoke of. "Dumbledore," she whispered with wide eyes. This was just completely something she never expected to ever see in her lifetime and here she was, looking at the scribbled handwriting of the famous Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Anna impatiently waited while Madame Kohan unlocked the Restricted Section and allowed them all inside. Anna had only been in this section once before, but walking in this time was just as exciting as the first time had been. It felt...special...forbidden. Being inside something labeled as "restricted" was such an exciting experience! Anna fought the urge to rush inside and start combing through every book she could get her hands on. She refrained, though, of course. She didn't want to get kicked out of the place before she'd even had the chance to read one word.

Anna nodded at the librarian and then glanced towards the back of the Restricted Section, the place where Madame Kohan indicated the history books might be found. She continued to nod when Madama Kohan warned of digging into books that were off-topic and nowhere near related to the history of the school, the mirror, of the ghosts. Anna hadn't planned on sneaking off to do any extra reading anyway. She was too excited to learn more about the mysteries held within the school.

Anna's glanced from Madame Kohan to Professor Vinductus, and she nodded at what he said, as well. Anna headed over to the history section and pulled out a few books to look at. She followed Professor Vindictus to a nearby and flipped through the first book she'd come to. She looked up only when Professor Vindictus mentioned Albus Dumbledore. Oh, that book had to be exciting! "That's amazing," she whispered, looking at the book a few seconds longer and then turning back to her own.

Angela stood nearby, allowing the students to remove some of the history books on Hogwarts. When Vindictus brought his volume to the table, she moved slightly closer, glancing at the spidery writing as he opened the book.

When he revealed the author, she stepped even closer. "Albus Dumbledore?" She breathed, placing her hands on the table and leaning towards the book. "What does he have to say?"

She inched around the table to get a closer look at that book. She leaned over and smiled at the famous handwriting. Dumbledore even traveled through Africa and her great grandfather got to meet him. She would remember that handwriting for the rest of her life. It made her feel closer to her family. "What did he say?" She asked softly.

Vindictus looked up at them with a strange look on his face. "Can't you read? It says 'This Book Belongs To Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore'," he read aloud and pointed to the spidery writing.

Abby pulls out a history book that looks interesting. She looks in the index and finds a listing for Mirror of Erisid. Abby thumbs through the pages until she finds what she's looking for:

Abby hears Professor Vindictus mention Albus Dumbledore. "Albus Dumbledore? Professor, you have one of his personal books?" Abby walks over to see what book Professor Vindictus has.

Lyra snickered at Professor Vindictus. That would be something he would say at that very moment. Her eyes glanced back to a student she had yet to meet. "You know, professor, if you read the Quill that came out, I wrote an article on the Mirror of Erised," she said with pride then had to ask the question to the student.

"You there. Did you find anything?" She wasn't being rude, she just didn't know the girls name and it seemed as though she found something that was worthy to take her eyes away from the Dumbledore book that everyone was looking at. But it was at that moment that Lyra smiled.

"If that is a book from Dumbledore, then there has to be something in there about that mirror. If anything, he would have all the answers about that mirror. That or we could go up to the Headmasters office and talk to the portrait." She shrugged her shoulders together as there was a way around anything.

Lyra smiled when the girl acknowledged the fact that she was speaking to her. "Yes," she began then continued. "I'm Lyra by the way." If she was going to ask the student her name, then she needed to be fair in giving hers.

She tried to keep from rolling her eyes at the man. "Of course we know that sir. We were asking what else he said." She pointed out to him. She felt like she was talking to your little brothers or something.

She looked up as another girl chimed in. Where did she come from? "And who might you be?" She asked with a smirk on her face. You couldn't fart in Hogwarts without 10 people smelling it before it left your backside.

She looked the girl up and down. "Paris Greenwood. 3rd year Slytherin," She said. She had seen that girl in some of her classes but she had never spoken to her before. She guessed Hufflepuffs were alright.

She nodded at the girl. "Likewise," She said walking over to stand behind her and read over her shoulder. "So what have you found here?" she asked. Seemed like the hair gel model was too busy trying to be a smart alec then tell them anything worth while. She wondered he he felt lost walking about without his trusty broom in his hand.

The book was in Latin and Vindictus looked up at the small group. "This was Dumbledore's History of Magic school book. See the date of publication?" he said and pointed to the Roman numerals on the page. "This won't help us because the later editions of Hogwarts: A History would have his findings recorded in it. Remember, he was friends with Bathilda Bagshot." Another voice joined the group and he frowned at the Hufflepuff girl. "I don't recall seeing you in the room or at the Front Desk." He quickly dismissed her and went back to thumbing through the pages of the old school book where all he saw were schoolboyish scribblings. Nothing important at all - just an out-dated textbook that happened to belong to Albus Dumbledore.

He returned the book to the shelf and began examining the spines of the other books. "Veneficus pro Scelestus . . . no, I don't think so," Vindictus said as he moved to another shelf. "Veneficus Fabrica . . . maybe. Oh, now this one looks promising." The Flying Professor pulled out a massive volume bound in tattered tawny leather with faded silver embossing. "SpeSpeculum Orbis Terrarum." With a dull thud, he sat the book on the table and a small poof of dust rose into the air.

Anna looked up once again when Professor Vindictus mentioned that the book he was currently reading was in fact Albus Dumbledore's old History of Magic book. She leaned across the table a bit and read the date of publication, which was depicted in Roman Numerals. This book just had to be something interesting! Anything belonging to Dumbledore had to be of great importance. Anna looked up at her Flying instructor with expectant eyes, hoping he'd say they'd found something which would give them the answers they needed.

Anna's face fell when the professor declared the book wouldn't be able to help them after all. They needed a much later edition than the one they were currently looking through. Anna sat quietly and followed Professor Vindictus with her eyes, watching to see if he'd be able to discover anything else. Anna shut the book she was looking through and scooted over to a part of the table near where the professor had just sat a different book. She coughed a bit and waved her hands through the air, fighting the dust the book has brought with it. "Professor, what's that?" she asked, coughing a bit as she talked.

Lyra frowned as the first book, the one about Dumbledore and his handwriting, would not contain the information they wanted. She was not about to touch the books and knew that Professor Vindictus would find what he was looking for. When he grabbed a book and read the title, she sneezed from the dust that collected in the air.

And then another sneeze.

Absently, Angela removed a handkerchief from her robes and handed it to the sneezing Hufflepuff. The dust in here would certainly make ones allergies flare up.

Still leaning close to Vindtus, she glanced at the date of publication. There were so many books here; so many that she had not had the chance to peruse through herself, and some that she didn't want to look through.

She arched a surprised brow at the title of the book that he set down on the desk upon removing the other. She was not fluent in the Latin language, but she did know a few words. "My, my, my. We just may have found something useful indeed."

"Ah, an introduction to catoptromancy and a chapter on the Specularii," Vindictus said as he read through the table of contents. "Madame Kohan, you have a gem in this book!"