"I pulled three books off the shelves earlier," Anna said, pushing her books across the table and towards Professor Vindictus. "This one," she said, pointing to an old, equally-dusty gray book, "is about Catoptromancy, which is the word for Divination using a mirror." Anna flipped open the book to a random page and read aloud.

It says here, that Pau...Pau...Pausanias, or however you pronounce that name, was a Greek travler who once said the following: "Before the Temple of Ceres at Patras, there was a fountain, separated from the temple by a wall, and there was an oracle, very truthful, not for all events, but for the sick only. The sick person let down a mirror, suspended by a thread till its base touched the surface of the water, having first prayed to the goddess and offered incense. Then looking in the mirror, he saw the presage of death or recovery, according as the face appeared fresh and healthy, or of a ghastly aspect."

Lyra listened to what Anna was reading and wrinkled her nose. "Glad my mirrors are all just a reflection of moi," she said as she continued to listen to what was going on.

She thought it was best to keep her mouth shut before she lost some house points. She ignored Professor Vindictus and his arrogance. She would find a way to take him down a peg or two. She listened to what Anna said and it triggered something in her memory but she couldn't think of what it was. Her forehead wrinkled in concentration.

"Then tell me why Alice wanted to know what was on the other side of the looking glass," Vindictus replied and abruptly stood up. "Continue with your research and for Merlin's sake, use the Latin and runes dictionaries to help you with your translations. I must make sure my brooms are suitable for tomorrow's lessons. Madame Kohan, ladies." He nodded politely at each of them and left the library.

Abby never went much in for Muggle literature, so she couldn't answer the professor's question. She couldn't get out of her mind what Professor Vindictus said about mirrors and Divination. Lady Ravenclaw mentions stones in the first HOM class. She also said one of the professors would be able to explain them to her. I was thinking about ancient runestones. They often had incantations for curses, charms, even religious prayers. I thought Professor Luga would be the one to translate the ancient runes for her. Could Lady Ravenclaw have been talking about the runestones that are used for Divination? She would need someone familar with that form of divination to interpret them for her, but why would a ghost be interested in her future? Ghost are not ruled by time like we are. Their lives are over. If anything ghosts are trapped in the past. They exist in our world, but they are not ruled by it. What happens in the present and the future does not affect them. It effects us."

"Why would she need to find a set of runestones? I'm sure Professor Lupa has her own set she likes to use that is if she practices rune divination. Mirrors that somehow tell the future. Runestones that are hidden here at Hogwarts. That have been hidden here so long that none of the current teachers would know where they are with the exception of Professor Kazimerz. All I've got is pieces to a puzzle that don't even remotely fit each other. Should I look for ther answer to why Alice wanted to know what was on the other side of the mirror. All I can think of is curiosity killed the cat. Abby leaves the other student to go and find the answer to Professor Vindictus's question: "Why Alice wanted to know what was on the other side of the mirror."

The page of the book Anna was reading distorted and suddenly became a screaming face.

"AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! STUDENTS IN THE RESTRICTED SECTION! NOSY STUDENTS BREAKING RULES!" Peeves started to shriek as he flew through the page of the book Anna held.

With a loud, rude noise he coated with all the books on their table with ectoplasm, leaving the pages goopy and ruined.

WOOOOOOOSH!

"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall...

PEEVESY MAKES THE BOOKS ALL FALL!"

Peeves flew through the restriction section, knocking books over onto the students and cackling. One of the books was on magic and weather, and when it fell, it unleashed a storm in the aisle blowing powerful gusts of wind through the aisle and issuing forth small bursts of lightning!

"HEE HEEEEEE!" Peeves laughed, delighted at his mess.

Abby comes back to find the Restricted section in ruins. She takes out her wand and yells "Finite Incantatum!" The storms disappear. Abby grabs the book and closes it. She looks up at Peeves. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, I know what your little secrets are..." Abby smiles and sticks her tongue out at the poltergeist.

After his encounter with Forrester...Ludo had decided to follow Vindictus to the Library. His group had already departed and reached the Restricted Section.

Ludo stepped up to the gate and found it ajar, which was odd because Madame Kohan did such a good job at guarding it. He stepped inside and called, "Madame Kohan? Professor Vindictus?"
A mad cackling sounded from an aisle and suddenly Ludo was hit by a gust of wind. "What the?"

He rounded a corner to find Vindictus and several students. But his attention was immediately drawn to the poltergeist. It was Peeves.
"No! Not here, why did he have to show up here??" he thought despereately.

Jake had followed the group to the restricted section, trying to stay closer to Paris than anyone else. This had been intriguing him, and he'd almost lost the group on the excursion to the library.

As he stood deep in thought about the whole deal, Jake was shaken out of his reverie by Peeves. He inwardly groaned. This was, what? Set to be his second disasterous encounter with the poltergeist. Not that you could have any other type of encounter, from what Jake had heard.

Madame Kohan sighed quietly and watched as Professor Vindictus leave the Restricted Section after leaving behind quite the cryptic message about Alice and a looking glass. "Well, then, I suppose that we should..."

Her eyes widened at the sudden chaos that burst forth within seconds. A storm within the Restricted Section? If that blasted poltergeist hadn't already passed on, she would have been the helping hand to help him do it!

"PEEVES!!" She yelled. "STOP IT THIS INSTANT!" Her eyes flashed dangerously towards the poltergeist before she turned towards the others whose appearance was...a tad windblown. "Everyone out, we'll have to continue the research later." She ordered sharply.

She turned on her heel and continued to berate the mischievous Peeves. "Just you wait..these students have permission...stay out of my library..."

Abby looks at the ruined books on the floor. A major setback, but I'll still find out what I need to know. Abby follows Madame Kohan out of the restricted section. "Do you think the books can be repaired?"

Paris jumped up in surprise when that darted poltergiest burst through a book Anna was reading. "What the dickens!" She said when he started tearing a book apart. She looked on in horror.

She nodded as she snatched all her things off the table before Peeves could wreck them. She would kill him if he did that.

Lyra screamed when she heard a shreiking sound coming from the book that Banana was looking at. Her eyes widened as the page began to move and then....PEEVES! Of all times for that...thing to show up. She quickly jumped up and moved over to the side as a small storm began to blow thru thanks to the crazy poltergeist.

But the more students started showing up and chaos began to go everywhere. "But..but we were onto something," she said to Madame Kohan that was kicking everyone out of the restricted section. Why did Professor Vindictus leave? He would have been a funny one to see around Peeves.

Ludo turned on his heal as Madame Kohan appeared, shouted, and instructed students to leave.

He would not be the one to get in her way, though he would've liked to see how she dealt with Peeves. The mirror questions would have to wait...plus there was always Professor Pierce to ask.

Jake glared furiously at Peeves. Way to pick the total wrong moment! he thought furiously, backing out of the restricted section at the words of the Librarian. Glancing at the books, he couldn't help but whimper slightly. Would Vindictus be mad that they hadn't got anything done before that stupid poltergeist turned up?

Merrrrr... Maybe he should hang around the general library area for a while... finish some homework so nothing cluttered his mind. His precious miiiiiiiiiind.

"We'll research later." She replied to Lyra, her expression one of repressed fury.

Once she had ushered all the students out of the restricted section, and firmly locked the gate, she turned back towards the mess of books. She had the sudden urge to stamp her foot and fly into a full temper tantrum, but she managed to suppress the urge, though it was not easy. Her precious books were ruined!

Her anger abruptly dissolved into sadness as her fingertips trailed along the broken spine of a book for advanced defensive magic. No attention was paid to her own bedraggled appearance for her only thoughts were on her books and if there were any possibility of repair.

A few flicks of her wand and the sticky material disappeared from the books though she could detect a faint residue that remained behind. Though she attempted the spell again, the residue remained.

She gritted her teeth in annoyance before setting about the task of picking up books and placing them on nearby tables. Sorting them into their proper place would have to wait until later.

~~

She wasn't certain how much time had passed, but finally she finished. Leaning heavily on a nearby table, she pressed one hand to her forehead as though she had a severe headache, and allowed herself a few moments to grieve for the non-repairable books, which, thankfully, were not many. But still, the loss of one was difficult enough.

With a heavy sigh, she stood and strolled towards the entrance to the Restricted Section. Exiting, she secured the gate once more and trudged towards her office.

Nick flew through the library, headed towards the Restricted Section. He wondered if any students were in here studying who knows what, it seemed like half of Hogwarts had disappeared and he was lonely right now, looking for someone to talk to. He didn't evenn know where the other ghosts were at this point.

Abby looks up and sees Nearly Headless Nick heading for the restricted section. "Sir Nicholas," she says.

Anna sighed and watched Professor Vindictus exit the Restricted Section. It'd sure been exciting to explore this section of the library and discuss the mirror a little more in-depth, but Anna just felt like they'd really reached another dead end. All they were left with were a string of clues that made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Anna finally turned back to the book she'd been reading, hoping to find something that would clear up that whole "Alice and the looking glass" comment. Anna flipped a page and then stared at her book with a confused expression. Why did the pages suddenly look so...odd? "Peeves!" Anna shrieked, sliding her book across the table and jumping out of her chair.

"We're not breaking the rules! We have permission to be in here!" Anna exclaimed, crossing her hands over her chest. "Ewwww!" Anna exclaimed, jumping back from the mess Peeves was spewing all over the books and nearby surroundings. "My book! There was a quote in there I really needed, Peeves!" Her words were no use, though. Peeves could honestly care less what sort of mess he made.

Anna's face fell into a look of defeat when the librarian ordered everyone out. Awww, darn....just when they were beginning to get somewhere. Stupid poltergeist... "Yes, ma'am," Anna said, pushing her chair back under the table and walking towards the door. Anna allowed the librarian to escort her and the others out the door, then she watched as Madame Kohan attempted to repair her books. "Madame, are you alright?" Anna asked, stepping to the woman's side and looking her in the eye. She wasn't sure her question was even heard, though, as Madame Kohan had already turned to leave.