Je n'ai Pas Peur || Frannie
Hello?
[Her voice echoed down the dark stairwell, bouncing against the walls until the vibrations had no choice but to bounce back to her, repeatedly asking herself the same question. As she crept further through the darkness, Frannie realized for the first time she had no idea where she was. The basements of Hogwarts was still a section of the castle the young fille didn't yet know. She knew where Hufflepuff was, and had been there here and there for tea with Elise, but she didn't really know what else was in here. Rumor said the kitchens were, more students discovering the entryway and using that to their advantage, but the french girl didn't know it yet.
Taking a step forward, she swallowed when the only sounds she could hear was the click of her ruby heels on the stone floor and her own heart beat, the noise loud and between her ears as though it was consuming her mind. The silence always drove Frannie crazy... Insanely crazy, and it only added to the hot spark of fear igniting within her. She had to swallow back a cry as she thought about where she was right now, and exactly how she had gotten here. There was a Quidditch match earlier that afternoon, though she didn't really care to attend if neither or sister nor her house were playing. Instead, Frannie decided to find something more entertaining to do. Which wasn't an easy task in Hogwarts on days the entire castle was elsewhere. It kind of spooked her out to be alone, but she thought she'd try to do something she never really thought she could before—Being brave. It wasn't like there was real danger looming around the corner in Hogwarts Castle. This was an Era of Peace and Hogwarts was the safest place to be in the Wizarding World. As if anything could happen. The idea had made her scoff earlier, but she still felt that jolt of fear. It never quite made sense to Frannie, her sorting into Gryffindor. She wasn't... Courageous, or brave, nor chivalrous and she most definitely didn't have the nerve her fellow housemates had. All she knew was that she was a little girl and Gryffindor was the most fairy tale choice. It sounded like the place for Princes and Princesses, and the third year who walked into Hogwarts had wanted that. What else did the hat see in her that made her belong there? She would have been far better suited to Hufflepuff and Elise to Gryffindor really. Hell, Quinn was more courageous than Frannie and her eldest sister was more Ravenclaw than anything.
Walking deeper through the darkness, Frannie glanced around a long moment, trying to make out shapes in the darkness. She was looking for the barrels that concealed Hufflepuff. She had been so lost in her search through the castle, trying to take a page out of Sam Evans' book of Adventures, that she had been too deep, too far into unknown territory, to have heard the alarm, to have seen anyone clearing away, to have even known what was going on. At first it was weird to have been in the silence for so long. Surely by now she would have heard excited Hufflepuffs returning from the match. She would have heard Elise by now. But she didn't. Not a single sound aside from her footsteps.]
Must be a really good game.
[She shrugged to herself as she continued walking forward, seeking out some sort of sign that the others weren't far. Maybe they would start coming in soon. Maybe she would hear Finn's jovial laugh and Elise's soft voice. Then she could go to Elise and proudly exclaim to her that she had navigated the dark dusty basements herself. Quinn would probably have a cow if Frannie said anything, but Elise would praise her bravery. Creeping forward, Frannie paused a moment at a sound.
Drip. Drip. Drip. ]
How curious. [She had mumbled, craning her neck to listen more closely. The dripping was steady and Frannie felt something spark within her. Was this that adventurous knack Samuel boasted about? Licking her lips and biting on the bottom to conceal a smirk, Frannie began to creep forward, following the drips with excited vigor. Soon she could see a bluish glow illuminating the hall, a stair case clear in the distance and barrels she instantly recognized as Hufflepuff. Maybe their butterbeer tap was dripping? She began to run, her heels clicking louder through the darkness.]
Mon Cher! [it left her mouth in a loud and frightened gasp, a shriek following soon after. Stumbling backwards, large and glassy blue eyes widened even larger at the sight. Hanging, upside down, on a thin wire, was a bundle drenched in thick crimson blood. She felt the bile rise in her throat, her head spinning, as she tried to distinguish what it was.]
Un.. chat?
[The french phrase left her lips as she tried to find the head, another blood curdling scream escaping her red lips as she realized the cat was... headless. Stumbling backwards into the darkness, Frannie couldn't stop herself from emptying her stomach onto the stone floor, gasping at the strong putrid aroma of her own vomit stinging her eyes and nose. Before she could cough up more, she swerved backwards until her shoulder collided against the wall, blinking away at the dizzy feeling settling into her head as her eyes zoned in on a portrait on the opposite wall. Dripping slowly down the image of fruit was a red liquid, slanting and curved into a statement.
“A Child Will Be Next.”]
What...
[She couldn't think straight, the phrase turning blurry as she slowly felt her knees give in and her body fall forward. The last thing Frannie saw was the portrait swinging open and a small figure sprinting across the way to her. A pair of small and soft hands grasped her shoulders before everything turned black, the blonde missing the burst of blue light and the corporeal patronus explaining the situation. As her eyes closed, one single word left her lips, the last hope she was holding onto as a smiling face she recognized from back home flashed behind her eyes.]
Maman..
“Frannie, cherie, come here and maman will tell you a bed time story...”