#undercroft

Gilda Elysian’s POV, December 1932

“I see that you agree that this winter ball is growing to be quite crowded.” Gilda heard a familiar voice remark as Thomas Hearst walked to where she stood, leaning against the cold stone walls of a corridor just outside of the Great Hall, where they could still hear the music being played.

Gilda could not deny that Thomas looked especially charming in his perfectly white suit with sparkly embroidery of snowflakes on the ends of the sleeves, coat, and pants, only disturbed by a pitch black tie. His brown hair was neatly combed yet still remained the charm of its usual state from where he studied for hours on a new book on the history of magic, or examined a new gift from his mother’s own researches with little care for if he looked prim and proper

“I have never been one for this sort of thing.” Gilda admitted, even though she did like the elegance of fancy dresses, such as the long periwinkle one she wore now with sleeves reminiscent of a butterfly or moths wing.

“Perhaps we should go on a stroll through the castle’s corridors, or visit a place less crowded.” Thomas advised, “If there is one thing I know, it’s that Hogwarts is practically empty when a social event is going on, a keen moment for leisurely discoveries. Although I’m not sure where, I’d usually go to the Courtyard but it is rather cold out tonight.”

Gilda’s silvery eyes lit up at the thought, “I know just the place, I can’t believe I have never taken you here before, but you’ll love it. Come on, it’s just this way, near the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom.”

Gilda did not pay attention to the length of the walk as she walked rather slowly, enjoying the company of her Slytherin classmate. After all, she had known Thomas and his brothers ever since they were children, with her father wanting her and her older sister to have good relations with them like he had with Thomas’ father, Phineas Hearst, a prominent wizard in the field of ancient runes and magic who made quite the interesting discoveries, even an ordinary person would be intrigued to hear about.

She and Thomas had always been close, being the same age and as such starting Hogwarts the same year. In fact they could have been in the same house as the sorting hat considered Gilda for Slytherin due to her ancestry and Ravenclaw for Thomas due to his naturally bookish nature. Yet Gilda was placed with the eagles while Thomas resided with the snakes. However they still saw each other often, due to their nearly identical schedules involving a numerous amount of shared classes, even as fifth years like they currently were, one of these classes was almost always Defense Against the Dark Arts, another reason why Gilda tried to figure out why she never showed him the secret door just down the stairs from the classroom.

“A dead end?” Thomas assumed as he walked with her towards the windows. “Although I must admit it is a charming place in its own right, could be a nice place to read, wish I brought us some books.”

“Not quite.” Gilda gave him a look with a clever glint in her grey eyes as she turned to the wardrobe with clocks covered along it and used her wand to shift the hands of the clock, just like her father instructed her just before she boarded the train to get to Hogwarts before her first year officially began. And thus, allowing the wardrobe to open the reveal the secret door and another winding staircase, “Follow me.” Gilda instructed, “It’s not too much further down this path.”

“This place is remarkable.” Thomas breathed as they entered the room that was dimly lit by torches and it being filled with dusty and boxes that Gilda hadn’t bothered tidying up. It was untouched since Gilda last used the space to study for her Transfiguration Exam and avoid her stressed out perfectionist dormmates. “How did you ever come across this place?”

“I didn’t exactly come across it.” Gilda admitted, fully trusting one of her longest companions, she knew full well Thomas would not go blabbering around about this place like so many others would if they knew. “It laid abandoned for centuries until my Great Aunt Noctua found it and she told my father about it. He used it as his own personal retreat to practice spells and studies, or when he simply needed an escape from the professors as not even they knew about this place. In fact, he told me and Leila many stories about how he would often hang out in her with your father and the Sallow twins to play games of all sorts or practicing spells. He once told me when he was learning how to cast Confringo, he singed Sebastian Sallow’s eyebrows right off, it took forever for them to grow back- for the both of them- as Sebastian accidentally singed Dad’s eyebrows right back.”

“I heard my father and his friends had a hideout somewhere in the castle but he never told me where.” Thomas smiled before turning to Gilda, “Do not worry, I will not say a word, I assume this place was special to your father, as it is to you.”

“I know you will.” Gilda gave him a knowing smile. “I cannot imagine my father’s reaction if I told him a place that was so dear to him was lost because of a foolish placement of trust. You’re the first person I have told about this place after all.”

“As I said, you can trust me.” Thomas stepped forward with his charming smile that made Gilda lightly blush before he turned his head, “What about this triptych over here?”

Gilda turned her head and followed him over to the wall where the magnificent piece of work stood with three painted panels depicting somewhere in the Scottish Highlands. It almost felt as someone should have been standing there, but there was a light amount of damage. The detail additionally felt like one could step into the triptych and take in the landscape in person.

“I don’t know much about it to be honest, my father never told me about this and I have not bothered to ask him.” Gilda informed him, “Perhaps the next time I see him I can ask if he knows anything since it does look to be some area in the Scottish Highlands, and they know the area better than anyone… or maybe Leila recognizes it. After all she spend time in this place years before I did. We actually hung out here a couple of times for the few years our studies overlapped.”

“My father did mention traveling through various hamlets with his friends on his weekends at Hogwarts.” Thomas noted. “Perhaps we could explore the area sometime, it looks breathtaking with that serene water and magnificent rolling of the hills in the background.”

“Well your parents did always say the world was meant to be traveled and explored.” Gilda chuckled. “They truly made their mark with those famous travels and the associated work and discoveries.”

“That they did.” Thomas confirmed. “Adventure is out there after all, perhaps we could go on our own world tour together someday?” Thomas extended his hand out to her.

“I would love that.” She placed his hand in his, pulling herself closer to him and kissing him on the cheek while standing on her tip toes to reach his face more easily due to her shorter height.

Thomas seemingly could not help but give her a contagious smile, “Would you care to dance?” He asked her with the wave of his wand which lit up the candles of the chandelier with glowing lights and made the already present torches seem just a bit brighter. His skill in charmwork was always so enchanting that Gilda could watch him perform it all day if she was allowed to.

“Gladly.” She beamed right at him, placing her hand on his shoulder as he placed his on her waist before they used this to remaining hands to hold together as they performed the stereotypical steps to the dance, not without a few pleasant surprises and twists along the way, as Thomas did always like to do something unexpected.

Gilda was not the best at dancing regardless of the lessons aunt Esther taught her, but she had to admit that she did feel as if she was getting less tense with her movements the more she practiced, and succeeded more in casual environments rather than formal ones. Thomas was always patient with her, simply laughing lightheartedly with no malice whenever she made an incorrect step. Unlike him, she was not a pure blood and as such, was not expected to attend the events they hosted like Thomas was, having even traveled to France a couple of times for events due to his mother’s family. Her father always wanted to keep her as far away from toxicity of pure blood society as he could, along with dubious dark magic. Even relocating her and her sister to an even more isolated area following the attack on their old home where her uncle murdered her mother and nearly gravely injured her father

“You know, my brother would always prefer to have dates with his girlfriend in the Restricted Section.” Thomas casually commented, “I am all for the library but I cannot see what sort of appeal they found in that dark and disturbing area, I suppose I can see the appeal more so than ever before of having a secret retreat to be alone and sneak into.”

Gilda rather instinctively gave him a look of surprise, “I never took Zacharias to be the romantic type. I know I did not cross paths with him many times, but he always seemed invested in those peculiar independent studies of his, and if not those he was working on some sort of sneaky potions trick with Pietro Mulpepper.”

“You aren’t wrong.” Thomas laughed, “I was surprised to, but I suppose the odd location fits him and Mariam, surely he means well. After all, our fathers’ friend Sebastian Sallow always enjoyed going into the restricted section himself to read books that were hidden away.”

Gilda supposed he had a bias towards his brother, although he did always seem to not approve of some of his brother’s actions now and then but could not figure out what exactly he was doing. “How is Nicolas doing these days?” She casually shifted the topic.

“Good.” Thomas seemed more than happy to go away from the increasingly awkward talks of his suspicious older brother, “I am counting down the days until Nicolas finally asks Aurelia Osborn out.”

“Aurelia Osborn?” Gilda repeated, “I don’t believe I recognize the name, is she in his year?”

“A year below him actually.” Thomas corrected, “I am not surprised you don’t know her, she is a Slytherin and she tends to keep to herself, and has had trouble with Thelma Fawley before.”

“The Minister’s Youngest Child?” Gilda clarified herself continuing with Thomas’ nod, “What has Aurelia done to set her off?”

“Not sure, I typically only hear rumors, apparently she is cursed but not sure how much truth there is to that, Nicolas is pretty protective of her secrets.” Thomas shrugged, “But I know my brother would be happy with her and she with him from the few times I have seen them in the common room.”

Despite her father’s protection, Gilda had heard many stories of pure blood supremacy, many just from learning about her Gaunt ancestors. Luckily she did not come across many of them in the Ravenclaw common room, and very few people even knew she was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin due to her father taking her mother’s last name, the one she was given at birth. She knew that anyone who was not a pure blood in Slytherin likely had trouble but she figured the Osborns were a pure blood family, having recalled someone mentioning a ball they hosted for wealthy pure bloods before once, so unless it was just the Sacred 28 acting entitled again, she was not sure what was going on between the two.

“Hope Peeves does not have a habit of stumbling across this room.” Thomas half-joked, “I can’t stand that poltergeist, always interrupting my studies in the library.”

Gilda shook her head, “Not that I am aware of, I would just suggest it is important to make sure you are not followed and cover your tracks.”

“I would never spoil such a magnificent place for us to sneak off to.” Thomas charmingly smiled. “This place will be our little secret.”

Ahh it's just you Nancy, come give me a kiss 😘

My prior exit from the fandom in the past months is a much-needed break for me to heal my well-being. I have returned for the sake of casual fun and relaxation and restored my content for those who found comfort and entertainment in my work.

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