It was well past dark and I was the last person in the library. It was eerily quiet, except for a faint tapping sound coming from the next aisle over. I cautiously moved toward the end of the row and peeked my head around the corner expecting to see another student out of bed, but I saw nothing, absolutely nothing. 

I shrugged, assuming it was probably a leaking pipe and walked back to the bookshelf where I had left my jacket and a stack of books. I silently wished that I had brought one of my friends with me this late at night but, there was no other choice. It was my sister who had disappeared last week, not theirs. 

I had to find answers and if that meant going into the Restricted Section after hours, so be it. I picked up my lantern to look closer at the spines of the books and noticed a layer of dust that had grown on one particularly thick book. I set my lantern down as silently as I could but it still made a noticeable clatter. I tied my jacket around my waist and placed my other books on the desk behind me. 

Then as silently as I could, I placed my hand on the book’s spine and tried to pull it from the shelf, it wouldn’t budge. I tried again and the top gave way a tiny bit so I tugged a little harder. 

Suddenly, it clicked. A doorway now stood in front of me and the silent clunking noise carried itself up the stairs from down below. I gasped and became aware of the slight chill that the open door had given to the room. I untied my jacket and put it on and after peaking down the stairwell I decided to head down. 

I tentatively placed my foot on the first step waiting for something to happen like a silent alarm or the cranky librarian to show up and get me into trouble. But nothing happened. 

I descended down 6 more steps and noticed the stairway curved into itself. I looked back up at the faint moonlight creeping through the dusty windows and wondered when I would see it again. I turned back down the stairwell, raised my lantern and descended down the rest of the stairs. The stairwell continued for a long while and I occasionally stumbled across a couple of rats or some puffs of dust or cobwebs. The occasional pebble would find its way into my shoe and cause me some discomfort until I grew tired of its nagging and sat down to take it out. 

The walls had a slant to them creating an arch with multiple stalactites hanging from the ceiling. The ground appeared to be a never-ending staircase, with many pebbles scattered around with some rats cowering in the walls afraid of my presence. 

I found myself enjoying my late-night adventure, my only regret was that I didn’t grab my wand from my nightstand. To be unarmed in unfamiliar parts of the castle was one of many students mistakes, I just hoped that I wasn’t going to become one of them. 

I was nearing the bottom now, the clanking sound had gotten much louder since I turned the last corner. It didn’t sound mysterious and welcoming anymore- it was more like a cry of warning or for help. I felt my arm hairs rise as I felt another gust of wind. I could hear the noise clearly now. The pacing of the drum, the still moments between its next note. It wasn’t blending together anymore. It started to match my steps and I felt my palms begin to sweat, whatever was making this noise knew where I was, but I couldn’t locate its presence anywhere, this uncertainty made me think about turning back. From what I knew it was safer back in the library than whatever was up ahead. But as everyone knows, curiosity killed the cat.