Georgiana jogged through Cicognara's estate.
There was another version of the myth of Delphi. After the Titan goddess Leto became pregnant with Zeus's child, Hera sent Python to persecute Leto. None of the gods dared interfere; only Leto's sister took her in.
When Apollo grew up, he went to Delphi to seek revenge against Python. At that time, Delphi's oracle belonged to Gaia. Python fled into Gaia's shrine, but Apollo boldly broke in and shot Python dead with an arrow at the rock fissure where the priestess sat.
For trespassing into sacred ground, Apollo was punished. The gods established the Pythian Games, with Apollo presiding over them as atonement for his sacrilege.
Halfway there, she seemed to hear Parseltongue, a hissing sound that seemed to be telling her not to go any farther.
Then Georgiana seemed to hear footsteps. She quickly opened one of the doors and stepped inside. The room was pitch-black.
She pressed her ear to the door. Footsteps really were coming from outside, and she did not breathe easy until the sound had faded into the distance.
Then she turned to look behind her. It was too dark to see anything, so she drew her wand from Trembling Flower and used Lumos to light up the room.
The walls were covered in portraits, mostly of young women. Though their expressions varied... every one of them was nothing but a head.
The eerie paintings sent a chill through her, but she pressed onward. At the far end of the room stood a large cabinet with one transparent glass side, through which she could see many porcelain dolls on display.
They were exquisitely made, like miniature people.
"Don't touch them."
Someone spoke from the darkness.
Georgiana instinctively pointed her wand at him.
"Those dolls are not for you to