Amalinevra realized she had been staring into the water on the floor for a long moment. It reminded her of the surging waves of the Sea when...
And then she snapped out of it, and looked around, noting that many people had already left the hall. Apparently there was no formal end to the Sorting; it simply took place. Amalinevra's lips tightened in exasperation.
I'm amazed anything ever gets done around here, she thought, as she stood up and exited the hall, calling her butterflies back to her with an airy wave of her hand. Then she had to send some of the butterflies back for the journal, because she'd forgotten it. They came up supporting it in a silvery cloud. These people must live in a disorganized mess. I should really find one of the professors and let her know my feelings.
But there weren't any professors in the hall, and Amalinevra didn't want to go looking for them right now. She had to brush her hair; it had been hours since she'd last seen herself in a mirror.
When she got back to the Aqumortum common room, she peered into the mirror, trying to straighten her hair before she actually reached for the brush. Her butterflies danced around her, waving their wings and legs and generally getting in the way, until she sent them over to a corner of the common room to float and behave themselves.
A few remained behind, though, and through their eyes she saw something strange happening to the mirror. She spun around.
The mirror bulged and rippled within, and Amalinevra saw her own face, though she was smiling in a way that she couldn't ever imagine smiling. Then her skin turned incredibly pale and shiny, and her eyes from luminous violet to deep darkness.
The Thing inside grinned at her.
Amalinevra took a step away, breathing fast, and tripped, wrenching her ankle. She fell to the ground, eyes heplessly fixed on the mirror, feeling the change in her own breathing.
The Thing began to reach through the mirror, and Amalinevra felt a tearing pain in her chest at the same time.
She screamed for help as loudly as she could.
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