AN ILLUSION

They sat there in silence, the weight of what they'd witnessed pressing down on them until Sophie finally broke the silence.

"Is it even possible that we all met with Professor Hartley tonight and Ms. Cadwell, and then a few minutes later someone pranked us with their lookalike dead bodies? I mean, how did they know we met with them?" she asked, her voice trembling as she tried to piece together the puzzle.

"That wasn't a prank. It was a clear message," said Toby, shaking his head vehemently. His voice was filled with conviction, his eyes wide with lingering fear.

"That was real, but I don't know how they managed to clean it up that quickly. What kind of magic can clean something like that and not leave a trace?" Ezra asked, his frustration boiling over. He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling at the strands in exasperation.

"You're right. That was real," Lila said, her voice shaking. She hugged herself, trying to ward off the chill of fear. "Maybe Professor Hartwood will believe us."

Just then, they heard footsteps approaching. The sound was both a relief and a source of new anxiety.

They looked up to see Professor Hartwood arriving with Professor Marlowe behind him.

They all stood up abruptly, their emotions spilling over as they started talking all at once.

"Professor Hartwood, you have to believe us!" Sophie cried, her voice high-pitched with desperation.

"There were dead bodies in our dorm!" Mia exclaimed, her eyes wide and frantic.

"Someone cleaned it all up in minutes," Ezra added, his voice rising in urgency.

"The person lost their family in a fire years ago and now she wants revenge or something," Toby said, then added, almost as an afterthought, "I'm hungry, I haven't eaten in days."

"Yes, they sent a note and dead animals. They killed Toby. They also killed Professor Hartley and Ms. Cadwell, and now they will kill us," Lila said, her voice breaking as she spoke.

Professor Hartwood tried to listen to each of them, but he couldn't make sense of their overlapping voices. He raised his hands to calm them. "One at a time," he said firmly yet kindly. "Let's start from the beginning."

Professor Marlowe stood beside him, her expression a mix of concern and skepticism.

"They claim to have seen the bodies of Professor Hartley and Ms. Cadwell, along with dead animals and a threatening note," she summarized. "But when we checked, the room was spotless."

Professor Hartwood frowned, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information. "Show me the note," he requested.

Mia handed over the blood-stained note, her hands shaking. Professor Hartwood examined it closely, his face growing more serious as he read aloud, "Back off if you don't want to end up like this."

"Do you believe us?" Lila asked, her voice small and filled with hope and fear.

Professor Hartwood looked at each of them in turn, his gaze steady and reassuring. "I believe that you saw something very real and very disturbing," he said slowly.

"But the fact that the evidence has disappeared so quickly suggests we're dealing with a powerful illusionist or someone skilled in advanced magic."

The group sighed in relief, the tension in their bodies easing slightly. Overwhelmed with emotion, they rushed forward, practically pushing each other out of the way to hug him tightly. Professor Hartwood stood firm, wrapping his arms around them in a protective embrace.

"We'll figure this out," he said softly, reassuring them. "You're not alone in this. We will get to the bottom of it, and we will keep you safe."

Professor Marlowe watched, her initial skepticism melting away as she saw the genuine fear and relief in the students' faces.

They slowly released Professor Hartwood and looked at him with hopeful eyes and relief.

"Now, let's get inside and you can tell me what led you to this situation," said Professor Hartwood as he gestured for them to enter their dorm.

They all sneaked into their dorm, glancing back at Professor Hartwood. They knew they needed to get inside, but who better to handle whatever might have crept out while they were sitting outside?

Professor Hartwood stepped inside first, and they quickly followed. Professor Marlowe entered last, closing the door behind her.

Through the lace curtains, the sun was starting to rise beautifully over the horizon, casting a soft glow in the room.

They all sat down on the couch, still visibly shaken. "Do you remember the time we met up with you in the restricted area late at night?" Lila asked, trying to jog Professor Hartwood's memory.

He paused for a moment, then nodded. "Right, five days ago."

Lila's eyes widened as she looked at Ezra, silently asking for confirmation. They had been so busy they hadn't noticed the days passing by. Ezra nodded, urging her to continue.

Lila recounted their encounter with the hooded figure wearing a robe—one that only faculty members had. She detailed how they started investigating the place where the figure emerged, leading them to a narrow passage and a hidden chamber. She explained everything they had seen and experienced.

Professor Hartwood took a moment to absorb the new information. "You should have come to me with this the moment you found the chamber," he said, then continued, "But that's in the past. Now, the most important thing is for you to show me everything you've gathered and show me this chamber."

The students nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

They began recounting every detail, from the eerie messages to the unsettling encounters with the hooded figure.

Professor Hartwood listened intently, his expression growing more serious with each revelation.

Once they finished, Professor Hartwood stood up. "Alright, let's go to this chamber. We need to see if there are any clues left behind that can help us understand what's happening."

The group stood up, ready to follow Professor Hartwood.

As they moved towards the door, the first rays of the morning sun spilled into the room, casting long shadows and reminding them that a new day had begun.

They all stopped at the entrance to the narrow passage. Professor Marlowe slipped in with ease, but when Professor Hartwood tried, he found it too tight for his broader frame.

Clearing his throat, he adjusted his clothing. "You check it out, Marlowe. Meanwhile, I'll go through the information they've gathered so far," he said, and they split up.

Professor Marlowe led a group into the passage toward the chamber, while Lila and Mia guided Professor Hartwood toward the old storage room in the south wing to retrieve the evidence they had hidden there.

As they walked through the dimly lit corridors, Lila silently prayed that everything was still where they had left it.

The old storage room was musty and filled with the scent of aged paper and dust.

They pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside, the room illuminated by the soft morning light filtering through high windows.

Lila led the way to a specific shelf in the back corner with a false wall. She reached up to a hidden compartment behind a stack of old records, her heart pounding.

Mia and Lila carefully pulled out a heavy reinforced bag and began taking out the items they had hidden: photographs, ancient textbooks about summoning a demon, documentation notes, scrolls, maps, artifacts, the newspapers Toby found, sketches of the symbols they had discovered, and pieces of parchment with cryptic messages.

"Here it is," Mia said, handing the evidence to Professor Hartwood. He took the items, his expression serious as he examined each piece.

"Good work," he said, nodding approvingly. "This is exactly what we need to get to the bottom of this."

Meanwhile, in the narrow passage, Professor Marlowe and the other students reached the hidden chamber.

The air was thick with a sense of foreboding, and the shadows seemed to dance along the walls. Marlowe moved cautiously, her eyes scanning the room for any clues.

"This is where we found everything that led us into this," Sophie whispered, her voice echoing slightly in the confined space.

They finally reached the chamber, and to their surprise, it looked like it hadn't been used in years.

Huge rats with long tails scurried around the room. Toby screamed, running back to the narrow passage with Sophie following closely behind.

Ezra gulped, watching every move of the rats, ready to bolt if they came any closer.

"Was it like this when you got here?" Professor Marlowe asked, looking around at the mess. The rats had trashed the place, and nothing seemed usable.

"No, it wasn't like this," Ezra replied, moving backwards cautiously.

"Let's just go back. I'm sure the proof we have in store will be much more helpful," Ezra said as he walked out, not even waiting for an answer.

They made their way out, the sun continued to rise, casting a hopeful glow over the academy.

When the two groups reunited at the greenhouse that seemed to be their new spot, Professor Hartwood spread the evidence out on a table, carefully examining each piece.