Chapter 560: The Only Idler in the Manor
Chapter 560: The Only Idler in the Manor
It was evident that Helena was more bewildered than Kyle about the fact that she could wear the coronet.
"What is going on here...?"
Helena turned to Kyle, about to say something, when her pearl-white body suddenly trembled, and her face was filled with shock and dismay, as if she couldn't believe what was happening.
Then, in a fluster, she tried to remove the coronet from her head, but her hand passed right through it.
"Don't worry, Helena," Kyle said with a smile. "You wanted me to deliver a message to your mother, right? Well, it turns out that Lady Ravenclaw has a message for you as well."
"And I'm not really familiar with how owls deliver messages. I'm afraid I might forget something important, so I took it upon myself to bring you here. I hope you understand."
Helena remained silent, but pearls of tears, the same color as her body, welled up in her eyes.
The tears fell to the ground and turned into a hazy mist before drifting back into Helena's body.
"After not seeing each other for over a thousand years, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about... So, I'll leave you two alone."
Kyle walked to the door and pushed it open, stepping out into the corridor.
"Oh, right," he said, as if suddenly remembering something. He turned his head and added, "If you need anything, just call for Tata... He's the house-elf here, and he can hear you anywhere in the manor if you call his name."
With that, Kyle gently closed the door.
As the oak door closed, the voices inside were completely muffled.
Though Kyle was curious about the Ravenclaw family gossip, now was obviously not the time to indulge his curiosity, and they probably wouldn't want an outsider standing by while they talked.
Kyle made his way down the corridor and soon returned to the manor's grand hall.
Tata was there, polishing a crystal ornament on a table. Upon seeing Kyle, he immediately stopped his work and bowed respectfully.
"Don't mind me, Tata," said Kyle, looking around and noticing that they were alone.
"Is Lady Perenelle also helping Nicolas with the Philosopher's Stone?"
"Yes, the mistress is assisting as well," Tata replied.
"Alright," Kyle said, taking a seat in a nearby chair. Tata resumed his task of polishing the crystal ornaments.
Several hours passed, and still, there was no sound from the room. It seemed that both Nicolas and Ravenclaw had forgotten about his presence.
Lunch was prepared by Tata, and it was sumptuous, but a lonely affair.
Kyle was the only one dining at the long table, as neither Nicolas nor Perenelle joined him. According to Tata, they had been taking their meals in the alchemy room lately.
As for the two in the room, one a ghost and the other a memory, they had no need for food.
The only remaining companion, Tata, disappeared after serving the last dessert, only to reappear in the corner of the room after Kyle had finished eating.
Several more hours dragged by, and Kyle was growing bored. He stood up and asked, "Tata, may I go to the opera room upstairs?"
After over a thousand years, the conversation between Helena and Lady Ravenclaw would likely take some time, and he needed to find something to occupy himself.
Listening to the opera seemed like a good distraction, even though he couldn't understand it. Besides, there didn't seem to be any better options.
However, upon hearing this request, the little elf became alert. He remembered Kyle's discussion with Dumbledore about taking the room apart and moving it.
"The master has said that you may go to any room in this manor," Tata replied, and then added, "But sir must not destroy the house. There are enchantments here, and if you attempt to damage the walls, you will be injured."
"I'm just going to listen to the opera. Why would I need to damage the walls?" Kyle asked, confused by Tata's warning.
"Oh, nothing, Tata is just babbling... This way, sir," the little elf said hastily, putting down the cloth and leading Kyle upstairs to a room.
The room was just as empty as before, and Kyle made his way confidently to the wall directly opposite the door and pressed a symbol on it.
"G-ghost?" Tata stuttered, visibly shaken.
"You must be joking, Tata. There are no ghosts here, I assure you..." His voice trailed off as his teeth chattered nervously.
"Are you...afraid of ghosts?" Kyle asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
"No, no! I'm not scared," the little elf piped up, his voice high-pitched. "I just...I don't particularly like them, that's all."
"Alright then," Kyle said, deciding not to press the issue further.
There was no shame in being afraid of ghosts, after all, most new students at Hogwarts were just as spooked by the resident ghosts as Tata seemed to be.
"Here's what we'll do," Kyle continued. "If you hear someone calling your name, just come find me directly. Don't be scared, this ghost is a guest of Nicolas, and it won't harm you."
At the mention of "guest," Tata's fear seemed to lessen, though he still appeared tense. At least his teeth had stopped chattering.
"When...when might this ghost...I mean, guest, be looking for me?" Tata asked, his voice still tinged with apprehension.
"I'm not entirely sure," Kyle admitted. "It could be today, or maybe tomorrow. I can't say for certain, but I don't think it will be too long now."
"If you're scared, you can stay by my side these next few days. That way, if anything unusual happens, you can let me know right away," Kyle suggested.
"I'm not scared!" Tata insisted, his neck stiff with determination, but he made no move to leave the room.
Kyle shook his head with a hint of amusement and refrained from pressing the issue further. He waved his wand, conjuring a chair for himself and another for Tata, before sitting down to enjoy the opera performance in the room.
...
And so, Kyle spent the entire day listening to the opera.
The next day passed, but the oak door remained firmly closed, giving no indication that those inside intended to emerge.
Mealtimes were a solitary affair, with Kyle dining alone at the long table. Neither Nicolas nor Perenelle joined him, and according to Tata, they had been taking their meals in the alchemy room lately.
As for the two in the room, one a ghost and the other a memory, they had no need for food.
After serving the last dessert, Tata disappeared, only to reappear in the corner of the room once Kyle had finished eating, his presence a silent reminder of the loneliness that permeated the grand manor.
Several more hours dragged by, and Kyle grew bored of the monotony. He stood up and addressed the anxious elf, "Tata, may I go to the opera room upstairs?"
After over a thousand years, the conversation between Helena and Lady Ravenclaw was likely to be a lengthy one, and he needed to find a way to occupy himself.
Listening to the opera, despite not understanding it, seemed like a good distraction, and there didn't appear to be any better options.
However, Tata's earlier nonchalance vanished at the request, his mind flashing back to Kyle's discussion with Dumbledore about dismantling and relocating the room.
"The master has given you permission to go to any room in this manor," Tata replied, his tone cautious. "But you must not destroy the house. There are enchantments in place, and any attempt to damage the walls will result in injury."
Confused by Tata's warning, Kyle asked, "I'm just going to listen to the opera. Why would I need to damage the walls?"
"Oh, nothing, sir. Tata is just babbling. This way, please," the little elf said hastily, setting down his cloth and leading Kyle upstairs to the room.
The room was just as empty as before, and Kyle made his way confidently to the wall directly opposite the door, pressing a symbol on it.
...
(End of Chapter)
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