The next day:

Antonius told us not to report what happened. He said he'd deny everything if we did. I can't help but feel extremely frustrated. I don't understand him at all. Silas' behaviour is already enough to get him into serious trouble as it is! If we can get teachers to see what's going on, that should end all of this here and now! I have no idea what he expects to achieve by dragging this all out.

That being said, my opinion of him has improved significantly. Even though I don't agree with him on a lot of things; though I saw him shaking hands with Max Castellanos earlier at the end of today's DADA class, so maybe there's some hope there (Antonius knows Max is Muggleborn). It can't be denied that in defying Silas under torture like that, to the very end, he showed incredible courage and strength.

I've always considered his calm demeanor and cool collectedness to be an act, but I'm starting to see that that's how he is naturally. Realising that, I find him a lot less irritating. I'm the kind of person that is greatly influenced by personality, especially actions (words so often disguise the truth). Since that trial, I've been seeing him in a different light. What Antonius' parents did was terrible, but Silas wasn't forcing him to denounce their actions, he was forcing him to denounce his family. Forcing him to reject his core values, and the people he loves. I should know how strong our family bonds can be. I admire Antonius greatly for standing up for himself like that.

He seems to have recovered quite quickly, though I'm sure someone can't just bounce back from that kind of trauma overnight.

End of April:

Lotty, Anita and I were in the treehouse, waiting for Jared and Ed.

"Why are they always late?"Anita grumbled,"why don't we start practicing now?"

I was sipping tea,"I don't feel like practicing right now,"I said.

"We should arrange a tournament!"Lotty suggested,"the best dueller wins!"

"Best jeweler?"came a voice from below the trap door, then Jared's head popped through it,"you starting a jewellery-making competition or something?"

"Dueller!"Anita said.

"I know! I heard!"Jared replied,"so where's this jewellery then?"then he added,"can you help me with this?"passing something up to Lotty.

It was one of his swords - then the other one!

"Jared, we're supposed to be practicing duelling, not fighting with swords!"I said.

"Oh, I thought you was going to practise jewellery making?"Jared jested,"I was going to say - my favourite sword could do with some emeralds on the hilt..."

"We are planning a duelling tournament! Du-el-ling!"Anita said, taking him seriously.

I laughed, I knew he was joking.

"Seeing as Ed's not here yet, let's have some rounds in the arena with the swords,"Jared declared,"come on, Cathy, tea can wait!"

"Tea waits for no man, Jared,"I answered, continuing to sip my tea leisurely,"you, of all people, should know that."

That was when Ed arrived, he had a bag with him.

"What have you brought?"Lotty asked, staring at him suspiciously,"don't tell me you've brought shields or something?!"

"Shields? What?"Ed said, dumping the bag on the floor, and grabbing a mug of tea from the tray.

"Shields! That's a brilliant idea!"Jared remarked in the background.

"Wait until you see what I've found!"Ed said, taking a gulp of tea,"ah! That's hot! That's bloody hot!"

"Of course it's hot, Ed,"I said,"I've been keeping it hot for you."

"Anyway,"said Ed, getting the bag, and pulling out from it, an entire picture! Yes, a picture or a portrait, like one of the many decorating the walls of Hogwarts.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"I found this,"he went on,"in the Ravenclaw common room. It's been there on the wall right in front of me, in my favourite studying corner, all this time!"

"What about it?"I asked, completely puzzled.

"Have a look at it!"Ed implored,"have a good look at it!"

I looked at the picture. It was a picture of a girl throwing a golden ball up into the air and catching it again and again; then she dropped the ball, and it rolled into a pool of water. The scene replayed over and over in a loop. Suddenly I was reminded of the golden ball Anita found in September.

"Can you believe the first thing I noticed about it, wasn't even the ball,"Ed said,"it was the fact that the picture doesn't act like all the others. You can't interact with it, and it's just the same scene over and over again - repeated."

"You're right,"I said, usually if you stare at a portrait of anyone in Hogwarts long enough, they'll start reacting; accusing you of being rude or striking poses to show off.

I looked at the frame and noticed small writing

"The Princess and the Frog,"I read it out loud,"isn't that a Muggle fairy tale?"

"Indeed it is!"said Ed,"but look at the back!"

I turned the picture around. Written on it, were the words,'To whomsoever would retrieve, the golden ball within the pool, then that person would receive, a rare and useful tool.'

Then, below that were more words,'if you wish to discover the rest of this tale, then seek the other three of me.'

"You think that could be the golden ball Anita found?"I asked.

"What does it mean -'other three of me'?"Jared said, reading the words on the back of the picture,"does that mean there are three golden balls? Or three pictures?"

"I think it means three pictures,"I said.

"Oh!"said Lotty, suddenly.

"What?"more than one of us asked at once.

"I'm sure there's a picture like this in the Gryffindor common room!"she said.

"Really?"said Ed,"you should check! If it is, then we should know where to find the rest!"

"Where?"Anita asked.

"In each common room,"Ed said.

"We'll only be able to find two of the remaining three,"Jared said,"it's not like we can look in the Hufflepuff common room."

"Or - could we?"Anita said.

"Anita - don't go getting any ideas of sneaking into the Hufflepuff common room,"I said.

"Why not?"Anita said,"it can't be impossible? You said you snook Lotty into our common room once!"

"Yes, but that was different,"I said,"you don't have anyone to sneak you into the Hufflepuff common room, none of us do!"

Anita went quiet, but she looked like she was thinking.

"Bet you're regretting not getting sorted into Hufflepuff now,"Jared said,"well, you should be!"

Anita glared at him,"you're the only one regretting me not getting into Hufflepuff!"

"Well, we will all know for sure when Lotty has a look at that picture in the Gryffindor common room,"I said.

We did some duelling-practice, and a little bit of sword-fighting, before returning to the castle on a quest.

The next day:

We found two more pictures! Lotty was right about the one in her common room! Ed's theory about there being one in each common room must be true, because Jared also found a 'Princess and the Frog' picture in our common room! We brought them to the treehouse to examine them.

Lotty's picture also had a scene that played in a loop. It was a scene of the princess carrying the frog and placing it on her pillow, and it turning into a prince.

"I always remembered that picture, because I found it horrifying,"Lotty said,"imagine having a pet frog that suddenly turns into some creepy bloke that stands over you, watching you sleep!"

We checked what was written on the back: 'To they that deceive, so be honest and true, and ye shall receive, that which ye are due.'

It didn't seem to make much sense. The picture from our common room (Slytherin of course) had a scene of the frog following the princess around, and the princess trying to avoid it.

"That must be the part where it's reminding her she needs to keep her promise,"I said, remembering the story.

On the back was written: 'the power revealed, but take great caution, for within is sealed, a deadly portion.'

"Wait! Aren't they Roman numerals?"Jared pointed out three 'I's scratched below the other writing.

We checked the other pictures. Ravenclaw I, Gryffindor IV and Slytherin III.

"They must go in a particular order,"Ed said,"Hufflepuff's picture must be II."

In correct order, it went like this: 'To whomsoever would retrieve, the golden ball within this pool, then that person would receive, a rare and useful tool... the power revealed, but take great caution, for within is sealed, a deadly portion, to they that deceive, so be honest and true, and ye shall receive, that which ye are due.'

"I wish we had the missing part,"Ed echoed our thoughts.

"It says there is a hidden deadly portion to any that try to deceive,"I said,"listen to that, Anita! No sneaking into other people's common rooms!"

"Alright,"Anita said, rolling her eyes,"I promise I won't try sneaking into the Hufflepuff common room. Happy now?"

"You have to keep that promise now,"I warned,"otherwise remember - deadly portion!"

We discussed it for a while, before duelling and sword-fighting practice (which is becoming more fun, the more I'm getting used to it). We weren't sure what to do next, as the riddle didn't make much sense without the missing piece.

The reason I made Anita promise not to sneak into the Hufflepuff common room is because if she gets caught, Silas' gang would probably make a big thing out of it, and try to say she was up to something more sinister. I don't think they'd put a 1st year on trial, but I don't want to take any risks.

Later:

Antonius asked me if I would accompany him to the May Festival. On the spur of the moment, I agreed. I'm not sure if it was a wise move, but I don't exactly regret it. Though I can't seem to shake the feeling I am going to end up regretting it. Anyway, I'm pretty sure it's nothing I can't handle.