Well hello restricted section. Natalia stopped at the front of the shelves. Where to start was the biggest question. There were so many books. Hopefully, someone would join her to help, though even if she stayed here alone she could handle getting to be in this section for a few hours.

She scanned the shelves looking for anything that could possibly help them out. What could have been the source? If it wasn't peeves and miffy, then the possibility of a wizard or witch opening it could be the case. Her conspiracy theory of professors, students, and now even Flamsteed putting it there were running through her head. Flamsteed was out, the man was smart, but his pure puffish ways made him too nice to have ever placed it there.

So that could have left a professor or a student. Nat was starting to wonder if it could have been a former professor. She really couldn't think of any professors on staff that would do that. They were all too nice and too trusting.

Maybe that was the issue. Too trusting, suspiciously trusting.

hmm


Anyway, she looked at a mysterious book. Maybe this one had something.

If the ominous book cover was enough to catch your eye, then perhaps the title of the thick book will make you do a double-take. Examining the spine, silver letters resembling clawed slashes reveal The Demon-Haunted World. Crack it open and you'll soon understand why this book is not a required text for Defence Against the Dark Arts and why belongs in the Restricted Section -- it's enough to give anyone nightmares for the rest of their lives.

Within the book is an expansive encyclopedia of the world's darkest creatures, many of which you haven't even heard of before. Accompanied by lengthy descriptions of each creature are gruesome images that reveal monsters with insanely sharp teeth, drooling beasts with tentacles, small children being eaten alive, and more.

The monster from the alternate universe, however, is nowhere to be seen within this book. Was it worth filling your mind with those haunting images?

Looking at the book Nat couldn't help her curiosity so she picked it up and opened it. The very first image made her shiver a bit. "Wow" was about all she could really say. Her eyes on the images of the beasts. Where were these located? How did people deal wit them? Part of her wanted to see if she could take the book to Professor Hirsch to have a conversation about them. It could be an interesting lesson, but for now she was still looking for anything that the portal could be.

Her eyes went to another image of children being eaten. Could this be the monster? She didn't see it with her own eyes, so she wasn't exactly sure if any of these were the monster within. Giving the pages one last turn she set the book down on the floor as a possible check with the professor.

Now which book to pick next. She let her fingers run over another book that caught her interest.

Cynthia followed the Head Girl into the Restricted Section, STILL completely displeased that the muggle studies professor thought she could give permission for this child to enter.

There were rules in place for a reason.

If she, as in the Head Girl, wanted access to the restricted Defense books, she should have gotten permission from the Defense professor.

The librarian frowned in clear disdain when the book was placed on the floor. She placed it back on the shelf.

"Nothing is leaving here." she said plainly. "If we find something, the professors can come in here. There's students out there" and in here "that shouldn't see this stuff."

She then ran her fingers over the spines of the books before picking one out herself to flip through.

zzzzzzZZZZZZ--.........??????

Voices? There are voices??

Tenacius sat up with a start. Oh yeah THAT is definitely the Librarian. He scurried up from the easily overlooked corner off by the side of the Restricted Section, straightening his robes and uniform whilst trying to shake the sleep off his brain. Hurry up and think of an excuse--- hey is that Nat?

Wait Head Girl is here and she gets to be in the Restricted section and READ them BOOKS? Now these are the books he really wants to get at. Of course he's gonna grab the opportunity that the door is finally open.

"Whatcha readin'?" the Curly Top whispered loudly at Nat and the Librarian as he leaned in by the threshold of the caged area.

Nat looked at the woman for a few minutes and then her lips frowned as she put the book back, "Okay, but we should put these out even on a table in here so that we know and remember what we want to show them. That book is filled with dark magical creatures. None of us have seen that monster but the three boys so it could be anything in that book really." She made sure to put the book to memory before turning back to the other books.

Before she could open the next book that seemed to be about dark magical forces she heard a whispered voice and looked up. "Oh hey Ace, we are searching the books to see if we can find anything about the portal. Want to help?" The more eyes that could possibly be searching the better.


Truning back to the book she finally opened it.

Title after title whizzes by the librarian and the Head Girl. The Grand Grimoire, On the Writing of the Insane, and The Necromancer's Manual are just some of the books that may have caught your attention for a split second. While they are sure to contain some ... interesting details, they might not be the best choice for the research being done at the moment.

However, the book that the Head Girl was holding in her hands the moment the Gryffindor prefect arrived might be worth investigating. How unfortunate that unexpected screaming in an ancient tongue erupted from A Darker Shade of Magic the moment it was opened. Maybe it wouldn't be very useful after all...

Cynthia narrowed her eyes at the Head Girl. It was clear the title was going to her head. "Maybe one of them ought to be in here doing the research then." she replied cooly. If she had it her way, nobody but those given permission by the correct Professor and shown to be adequately proficient would be in here.

As the rules clearly state.

"Everything is easier to find if it's in its place. I'd be a terrible librarian if I didn't know where everything was." She, for the record, was not. Especially when it came to the Restricted Section. None of these books could go missing.

Then, as if she weren't bothered enough, the Head Girl had the audacity to invite someone back here. "Unless he's seen something, he has no sense being back here." The Prefect was clearly underage.

The librarian, albeit, momentarily distracted, did get a hand up to cover one of her ears before the screaming started. She aimed her wand at the book to get it closed before it caused more of disturbance.

This was why people shouldn't be aimlessly poking about back here. If she were cruel, she'd have half a mind to let it continue yelling at the girl.

WHAT THE BLOODY HELL????


She put her hand to her ear and was about to shut the book when it was shut for her. She looked up at the librarian. Who but a billywig up her butt. This was a good idea and really why wouldn't anyone else have thought about it. She just stared at the librarian for a moment before putting it back. She hadn't heard her words about Ace since there was a screaming book.

"I'm going to check some over there." She placed the book back on the shelf and made her way towards another shelf.

It is clear that the books here have a reason for being on the shelves out of reach of the general student body. As you continue your way down the shelves, more titles flash before your eyes. Famous Fire-Eaters and Fifteenth-Century Fiends are titles that stick out to you, but they don't seem very promising.

Continuing down the shelves, Godelot's Magick Moste Evile catches your attention. It appears to be promising at first. However, once you open the book and flip through it's pages, you'll find that there's nothing to do with portals or the gruesome creature within in this medieval book of dark spells.

Best not keep your nose in that book for very long and continue looking before the librarian decides your time in the Restricted Section is up.

Ohhhhh Portal research? "Imma help Imma help!"

Oh hobbling hinkypunks that book just screamed.

That really was the only thing that slowed the Curly Top down, maybe by about .2 seconds slower. He was already inside the enclosure and peering at the shelves by the time the Librarian was saying something about him having no business being there "Oh yeah I saw something-- saw LOTSA things, I stumbled over there." he thumbed the air all casual like on his encounter with the strange Hogwarts and its even stranger, snarly resident.

Not that he considers that experience to be trivial, on the contrary, its the BIGGEST thing thats happened in his life thus far. But chalk this up to GryffinClaw tenacity, he wants to figure out what that place is all about and no bewitched cage or irascible librarian is slowing him down.

Then he saw the Fire-Eaters book. He let out a low whistle, clearly he was interested in leafing through that. He grabs it but continues to read through the shelves "Is there anything in here about parallel universes or wormholes or somethin? "

If Famous Fire-Eaters is a title that easily catches your attention, perhaps certain titles much further down the shelves, down in the more suspicious part of the Restricted Section, will too. Just don't be surprised if the librarian is closely trailing behind you. There is a reason, after all, why these books are locked away and aren't meant for casual viewing.

Soon enough, the black and purple tome Secrets of the Darkest Art in addition to the thick, silver lexicon Shadows and Spirits call out to you. These books are chained to the shelves and even have a lock keeping them shut.

Do you carry on like you never saw those titles or do you dare unlock them, take a peek, and potentially face the wrath of the librarian who already isn't happy that students are meandering about back here?

She heard Ace and couldn't help but smile a bit at his excitement. "He was in the portal, he probably is a good resource for us." He might not have seen the monster but he had been in there and saw other things. Her fingers touched the books as she walked around looking for books that might work. "Flamsteed was saying something like that, I think?" She really couldn't remember everything the man went on about.

Stopping she stared at a few books. Why on earth would they be chained? She glanced around. The librarian would never let them unchain these. Even if they had the information they needed. Was it worth hearing her scolding?

Yeah... it was.


Pulling her wand she unlocked the Secret of the Darkest Arts. This one did look promising. She pulled it from it's shelf and opened it determined to find out what was in it before she was yelled. What if something in here could help and the librarian was so uptight that they never found it. Nat wasn't taking that chance.

And that was the last straw. Cynthia summoned the book out of the Head Girl's hands and closed it shut with a thud.

She was considering just asking the Gryffindor Prefect for additional information, but that was also out of the question now. "That's it, both of you out." she said sternly. "And I will be talking to your Head of House." she added giving the Head Girl a narrowed eye.

"You both are now expected to check in directly with me when you come into the library for the rest of the year." The librarian will be keeping her eye on you two. She snatched the book out of the Prefect's hands as well. "You may return to the rest of the group. I'll be providing materials from here as needed to the Professors or Ministry employees."

There were some Professors she wouldn't trust anywhere near these materials either.

She then began herd the two out of the Restricted Section. The librarian had had it.

Who hired this ridiculous excuse of a person? Natalia just stared at her. "Well let's hope your life doesn't depend on any of these books then because it will be your own fault if you are in the portal." Nat was over being nice. She was trying and she was over it. She was giving up study time to try to help and this was the thanks she got. She was eighteen, her grades were good, and she was head girl so if this woman couldn't treat her with some respect she wasn't treating her with any either.

"I'm done"

She turned and headed out, she'd say her goodbyes to the rest of the professor who actually gave a damn about students and then see herself out.

'See you 'round Ace" She gave him a little wink before leaving the restricted section.

"Yeah yeah Professor Flamsteed, he knows a thing or two about wormholes." Any self respecting Trekkie would.

But oh hey he's spotted them books with CHAINS. "Now whats the point of chaining up a book if its not meant to be read?" he snickered as he watched the Head Girl grab one and release it from its bounds. Which is the paradox of the entire situation of the Restricted Section.

Whoops testy Librarian got testy. Blue-green eyes grew large as the book was snatched out of Nat's hands AND his own. Awww he really wanted to read that book.

And he has to what with her for the rest of the year? What even for napping? Dont answer that "Yes'm...." he mumbled as he shuffled after the Head Girl. And yes she gets a sly smile on her wink.