#21 Becoming Jack

Saoirse had expected the beanstalk potion to grow rapidly, but not to destroy its own container. The force of the exploding pot and rumbling beanstalk made her stumble backwards. Saoirse watched in amazement as it grew to the heavens until she could no longer see the top. Dropping the now-empty vial to the ground with a clatter, Saoirse reached up to the beanstalk.

Her hands were callused and her arms strong, so she didn't doubt she had the strength for it. But Saoirse was not fond of heights. Still, at least the beanstalk was rooted to the ground and not a finicky broom in the air. She grabbed the sturdiest-looking vine and began to climb.

She felt the effort of it in her back as she went. She faced the beanstalk directly, not daring to look down. Saoirse climbed until the source of the silvery glow was clear to her: a special ledge. It was a small distance from the beanstalk. Not daring to risk a fall, Saoirse leapt with all her strength. She significantly overshot the ledge, sliding until her back hit a door.

Saoirse stood and brushed herself off. She risked a peek down to where the beanstalk had been planted. To her relief, the plant itself blocked most of the view. But she was still quite high up. Shuddering, Saoirse tried the door and found it unlocked. Pushing her way through, she found a small room. All it had was a table, with an X on the top.

Stepping further into the room, Saoirse looked out the window at the Black Lake. She wished she was there instead. She walked over to the table. X marked the spot. Did it mean a particular spot in the Lake? Saoirse started looking around the table at its legs and undersides, searching for another silver crest or else another sign of what she had to do.

Saoirse could not find any hidden hints here, so she stood back up and observed the X on the table redrawing itself again and again. She studied the motion and looked back out at the Black Lake. Her drug-induced hallucination courtesy of Godric Gryffindor had included a vision of the Black Lake. Saoirse reached out and placed her hand on the table, over the X. Hopefully this would not cause another impromptu trip to see Madam Pomfrey.

Saoirse waited for something to happen, but nothing did. She moved her hand away and watched as the X redrew itself again and again. She started following the movements with her fingers, tracing right over it. Perhaps she had to memorize it in order to draw it again somewhere later. When nothing happened, she remembered her wand again. Removing it from her robes, Saoirse traced the X in the exact motion it was being drawn.