From the Ashes

December 24th

Spencer,

Please come to the library at your earlier convenience; your expertise is required. You might wish to announce yourself at the door as well, particularly if you are a traditionalist or if Mikey accompanies you or of a superstitious nature. There are wards on the door in case you forget, so please don't be alarmed by the chorus of handbells that may arise should you enter without declaring yourself beforehand.

Sincerely,
William

Who: William and Victoria
Where: The castle library
When: Afternoon of Tuesday, 22 December
What: Library inspection, er, orientation

It was Tuesday afternoon by the time that Victoria forced herself to visit the library. It wasn't that she was afraid of the library; there was no reason to be. It was more that she'd spent many (relatively) happy hours in the library as a student, especially in her final years at Hogwarts. Having heard about how things had gone at Hogwarts during the last war, and having seen the state of other parts of the school, Victoria was reluctant to see what the war had done to her old sanctuary.

Victoria made her way up to the fourth floor from the dungeons, slowly walking down the corridor and past the long landscape painting. In her hand was a list of tasks she had to complete: books she had to review and check out, journals to request, and a reminder to file her signature so her students could read books in the Restricted Section. She pushed the library door open with the other hand, and peered briefly inside before stepping all the way into the chamber.