The Phoenix Prophecy

Chapter Seventeen: The Return

Monday – Late Afternoon - July 21^st

Hermione

When I awoke this morning, I felt as if I had spent the past two weeks living through an incredibly bizarre and most unbelievable dream. The events that had dominated all of our lives for the past seventeen days had left me virtually breathless and slightly dazed. I remember thinking that it would be ever so nice to have a normal day for a change—normal for me that is. Preferably, one where I could spend the better part of the day exploring some of the utterly fascinating ancient books I had discovered in Gawain’s library. When I wasn’t reading, I would be cuddling with Harry, savoring the feelings that he aroused in me whenever he was near me, and especially when he touched me. A nice, tranquil, peaceful, romantic day was what I was hoping to have. I didn’t think that was too much to ask for.

Was I wrong! Instead of living the day I wished for, we were back at Gawain’s island home, listening to an incredibly fantastic story from three ‘larger than life’ dragons, in an attempt to figure out how to break a devastating spell that bound my oldest friend (Ron), and newest friend (Gretchen), to this island for all eternity. Obviously, my wishes were not being taken into account, not in the slightest.

Since returning to the island, two incredible things had happened to me, which I was sure would forever change the course of my life. The first was what I can only describe as ‘an awakening of my inner personality’ that came over me the instant my hand closed around the hilt of the ancient wand that Alec had found in Gawain’s bedroom. In that brief instant, in which time seemed to stand still, I sensed a flood of energy surging from the wand through my hand, flowing to every part of my body. The hesitancy and uncertainty that had plagued me every time I had to make an important decision was suddenly driven from me. I no longer felt burdened with the crippling indecisiveness of trying to analyze and reach the perfect decision for any situation. I was quite certain that no matter what the situation, I would be able to make decisions as needed and feel comfortable that I had made the best decision possible based on my abilities. I realized that not all of my decisions would be correct or painless. Nevertheless, I was as ready as I ever would be to handle what fate threw at me. I had the distinct impression that it would not be long before my newfound courage was put to the test.

The second incredible thing that had happened to me was that I was having a conversation with three enormous, living, breathing dragons. Two hours ago, no one would have been able to convince me that I would soon be engaging in direct conversation—even if it was telepathic, no especially because it was telepathic—with three, two-thousand year old dragons. If it had not been for the enormous boost in self-confidence that I had received from the ancient wand, I’m not sure I would have been able to stand before the dragons without fainting. It is one thing to read about dragons in some dusty old book, but it is entirely something else to actually be in the presence of a dragon.

At this moment, I felt incredibly alive, ready to take on whatever fate might have in store for me. All my life I had dreamed of being fearless, ready to charge into the ‘jaws of death’, and defeat any evil that confronted me. I had had these daydreams ever since I could remember. They had grown steadily more intense since attending Hogwarts. The many harrowing adventures I had shared with Harry and Ron probably had more than a little to do with that. Up until now, I had always felt like the weak link in the chain, never on equal footing with Harry, or Ron for that matter. Now I was no longer afraid of the unknown. I was no longer just a girl, I was a young woman, ready and willing to stand side-by-side with Harry until evil was defeated or we died trying.

The sudden evaporation of the unsettling fear of the unknown, which I always tried to push to the back of my mind, had a soothing, calming effect on me. It allowed me to listen to what the dragons were telling us, concentrating on the problem at hand, rather than dwelling on the dangers that might await us. Their story was utterly captivating. I hung on every word. Thousands and thousands of questions were bouncing around inside my head, just waiting for the chance to escape. The only time I felt even mildly anxious was when we learned of Athene’s incineration during the ‘Rite of Fusing’ and that the same thing might happen to one or more of us. Once I got past the initial shock of that possibility, I relaxed and concentrated on the story Cetus was telling us.

Harry and I were sitting beside each other, our shoulders touching while we held hands. Even though I was captivated by the dragon’s story, I was acutely aware of the warmth given off by Harry’s body. From time to time, I would glance at his handsome face as he stared thoughtfully at Cetus. On a couple of occasions, he glanced at me at the same time and we just smiled warmly at each other.

“Cetus, if you do not mind, I would like to go back to my earlier question about ‘knowing if you are still affected by the aging spell,’” I said after there was a pause in the conversation following the mention of Lemke’s name. “If you have been confined to this island for the past nine hundred years, a fact I am not disputing, then either the spell no longer affects you or there is some agent at work here on the island that keeps the spell active.”

“No, I do not mind, Hermione,” Cetus replied patiently. “I also agree that it is a logical conclusion that either the spell is no longer active or some force is keeping the spell active, as these two possibilities are the only two possibilities that exist. Due to the fact that we are confined to this chamber, Virgo, Gemini and I do not have any means to determine which of the two possibilities is in fact true. However, the fact that Ron and Gretchen, both of whom were suffering from rapid aging, were returned to their rightful age as soon as they landed on this island is, in my estimation, conclusive proof that whatever agent is maintaining the spell’s potency must still be very much in working order.”

“Unfortunately, I think you are correct in your deduction,” I replied gloomily, realizing that he was probably quite right. “Very well, proceeding from that assumption, what we need to do is determine where this agent is located, how it operates and how to shut it down.”

“How do you propose to go about this?” Cetus asked seriously.

“I think we can safely assume that the agent must be located on the island and most likely it is within the confines of this house. In addition, because it has been in active for many hundreds of years and can act at a distance without the need for physical contact, it would need a powerful and perpetual source of energy. Whether it uses light energy or dark energy, dark being the most likely, we do not have any way of knowing for certain at this time.”

“Yes, Hermione, I believe we can proceed from those assumptions,” Cetus replied thoughtfully.

“Did Mortius or any members of the cult ever mention anything about the power source for this house?” I asked, trying to remember the details about the power source that provided power for Hogwarts.

“Mortius never mentioned anything that I remember,” Cetus replied. “Did he ever mention anything to you?” he asked Gemini and Virgo.

“Mortius did not say anything to me about the power source,” Gemini replied.

“He did not say anything to me either,” Virgo answered. “However, I do remember two of the cult’s members that on several occasions complained about how hot and uncomfortable it was in the lowest levels.”

“Yes, now that you mention it, I remember them saying that as well,” Gemini added. “They were both fair skinned with light colored hair, if my memory serves me right.”

“Your memory is a good as ever, Gemini,” Cetus replied. “I remember them as well. They were the first two members of the cult that the Dracks killed. This we know for certain, as they were extremely upset over their premature deaths and their spirits lingered on for many years as the only ghosts that ever inhabited this island, at least since we have been here. I believe their names were Luther and Eliza”

“Yes, that is true,” Virgo added. “They were the most senior members of the cult and Mortius’ lieutenants. Several other members of the cult were older than Luther and Eliza, which was always a source of tension within the cult. Many of the members of the cult were not upset when Luther and Eliza were killed. Mortius was terribly vexed with Luther and Eliza for allowing themselves to be killed. He ranted and raved for months on end about how they should have been more cautious around the deadly animals that they bred. The kind side of Mortius’ personality treated Luther and Eliza as if they were his own children. Their death really was a blow to that side of his personality. The other side of him just felt angry at being inconvenienced.”

“Do you have any knowledge of what other kinds of animals the cult bred?” I asked, trying to gauge what we might have to face as we searched for the agent.

“Nothing specific,” Gemini replied. “I do remember several of the cult members discussing a creation that was a cross between a rat and a spider.”

“Oh, great,” Ron replied. “I can hardly wait to see what they look like.”

“The cult members that were responsible for those cross-breeds never mentioned anything of their physical characteristics, Ron,” Gemini answered sympathetically.

“The most logical place for the agent would be in the deepest chambers beneath the house,” I said, trying to get back to the most likely location for the agent and its power source. “Assuming we do find the location of the agent or its power source, the next question will be, is it powered by natural energy from the planet or is it some form of dark energy that Mortius learned to control.”

“It is quite possible, and quite likely in my judgment, that there is more than one power source on this island,” Cetus said. “It would be very unusual to power normal household functions with dark energy. Moreover, a spell with the characteristics and power of the aging spell would definitely require a dark energy source. I do not think it possible to adapt light energy for such a dark purpose.”

“Do you think it is possible that this island is the tip of an extinct volcano?” Gretchen asked. “If so, that would account for the heat at the lower levels and would be a perpetual source of energy to power the normal household functions.”

“If this island is the tip of a volcano, I sure hope it’s extinct,” Ron added glibly. “If not, eternity may be considerably shorter than we imagined.”

“Ron, I doubt very much if Mortius would have chosen this island if there was any chance that it was sitting on top of a volcano that might erupt in the foreseeable future,” I said, realizing that Gretchen was probably right about the island’s source. “I would be willing to bet just about anything that you care to name that this island is the tip of an extinct volcano, just as Gretchen suggested, and that is why Mortius selected it for the cult’s location.”

“You certainly are sure of yourself,” Ron replied, grinning slyly at me. “Assuming you are right about this island, and I think you probably are as it makes sense, where do we go from here?”

“Down, as far as possible, or at least until we find the power source that supplies the agent for the aging spell with energy to keep the spell active,” I replied.

“Hermione, it might be unwise to assume that the volcano, if there is indeed a volcano, is extinct,” Cetus said gravely. “Several times during the past five centuries, we have felt tremors from deep beneath the island. In addition, the temperature in this room has risen slightly over that same period of time. All of this could mean nothing. On the other hand, it could mean that pressure is steadily increasing beneath the island and will someday result in a volcanic eruption. Another possibility to keep in mind is that the dark energy not only powers the aging spell’s agent, but it might also be preventing the volcano from erupting.”

“In other words, if we deactivate the dark energy power source the island could be destroyed,” I replied, trying to fit this new information into my plan.

“That is a possibility,” answered Cetus.

“Do you have any idea of how soon the volcano might erupt once the dark energy power source is shut down?” I asked.

“No I do not,” Cetus replied. “It could be immediately, or many, many years later, or possibly never. No one can say with any degree of certainty. However, there is a bigger and more immediate problem associated with deactivating the dark energy source. Namely, how to do so without releasing all of its energy at once. Done incorrectly, the island could be annihilated as the dark energy consumes everything in existence for some unknown distance.”

“Could someone please explain to Nicole and me, just what the difference is between light energy and dark energy?” Alec asked, looking completely bewildered.

“Light energy is characterized by giving off heat and making it possible to see the objects that the energy is reflected off of,” Cetus began. “A planet’s sun is the largest source of light energy. Dark energy absorbs heat and hides objects on which its rays fall It does this by making the objects it ‘illuminates’ invisible to the eye. Both types of energy are a basic and necessary part of the real universe in which we live. Light energy is abundant and provides the sustenance for all living things. It creates feelings of happiness and wellbeing. Dark energy is scarce, but is considerably more powerful. It absorbs happy feelings and leaves behind only melancholy and despair. Living creatures are affected differently when the come into contact with dark energy. Some are affected very little by it, just occasional dark thoughts that pass through their minds. Others are possessed by it in varying degrees. In the worst cases, the creature completely submits to the will of the dark energy. That definition is an over simplification to be sure, but it does point out some of the basic characteristics of each type of energy.”

“Thanks, Cetus,” Alec replied. “At least we have some idea of what you are talking about.”

“Well, the first thing we have to do is find the dark power source, then we can worry about how to deactivate it,” I said, gazing at Harry. He seemed deep in thought, almost as if he hadn’t paid much attention to what Cetus had just said.

“Cetus, have you ever tried to transfigure yourselves into something small enough to climb the stairs so that you could escape from this chamber?” Harry asked.

“Yes, Harry, we did try, but this room, as well as most of the island, from what we have been led to believe, has a spell blocking transfiguration, apparating and just about any other spell you care to name. Mortius was very thorough in his planning for our captivity,” Cetus replied, his voice sounding tired. “I might add that he didn’t trust cult members, other than Luther and Eliza, much more than he did us.”

“Just thought I would bring it up before we start checking out the lower levels of this place,” Harry added.

“Harry, even if we could transfigure the dragons into something small enough to escape from this room, they would still be under the aging spell and we would still have to look for the power source,” I said, not following Harry’s train of thought.

“I know that. What I had in mind was the dragons accompanying us on our search for the power source. I don’t know about you, but I would certainly feel better if we had three dragons with us to scare off any unfriendly creatures that we might encounter along the way.”

“I agree, their presence would be very helpful, but it looks like the task of finding and disabling the dark power source is up to us,” I replied. “The sooner we get started, the sooner we may be able to deactivate the spell.”

“It’s too bad the ghosts of Luther and Eliza aren’t still hanging around the island, they just might know where the power source is located,” Alec said.

“Alec, that’s it. Why didn’t I think of that,” I exclaimed, feeling foolish for not having thought of talking to the ghosts as soon as Cetus mentioned them. “Cetus, how long has it been since you last saw Luther and Eliza’s ghosts?”

“We have not seen them in the past three hundred years. After the cult died off, they came around less and less frequently until finally they failed to come around at all.”

“Generally, ghosts do not travel too far from their place of death,” I said, trying to remember everything I had read about ghosts. “Unless the ghosts have ceased to exist—which is a distinct possibility since there were no longer any living humans on the island—they should still be somewhere on this island.”

“It is possible that the ghosts may notice your presence and return,” said Gemini, a not of optimism in her voice. “It might take them a few centuries, but eventually they will realize that someone besides us now inhabits this island.”

“We do not have a few centuries, we do not have even one year, at most we have just a few days,” I replied irritably, frustrated because I knew ghosts followed their own agenda as time meant nothing to them. “What we need is a way to attract their attention now, so that they will come and see why we are here.”

“There may be a way to do just that,” Virgo said hesitantly. “If you could get some salt, garlic, coffee, tea or any other food that has a strong aroma, we could conduct a séance. Seeing that you all have magical abilities, we should have a good chance of contacting them.”

“You are mistaken, I do not have magical abilities,” Nicole said softly, her distressed voice scarcely more than a whisper.

“Of course you do, Nicole. I can see your aura as plainly as I see the auras surrounding your companions. Only creatures that possess the ability to perform magic have such an aura as each of you have. Believe me young one; you definitely possess the ability to do magic. Trust me; I am never wrong in these matters.”

“But…but that’s not possible,” Nicole sputtered. “Mom and dad never did any magic. I can’t do magic either. You must be mistaken.”

“Nicole, my parents are both Muggles, that is what we call people who cannot do magic,” I interrupted before Virgo had a chance to answer. “It is not unheard of for Muggle parents to have children who can perform magic. You and I are alike in that way. I know what a shock it is to find out that you are a witch. Just relax and pretty soon it will seem quite natural. Trust me.”

“I’ll try,” Nicole replied weakly, the shocked look on her face slowly giving way to a broad smile.

“I did not mean to upset you, Nicole,” Virgo said kindly. “I thought that you knew of your magical abilities.”

“I know you didn’t mean to upset me, Virgo,” Nicole replied warmly, her voice gaining strength with each passing minute. “Actually, I am already starting to take a liking to the idea.” This she said looking at Alec and smiling. I wasn’t sure what Alec thought of this new development, as he had not said anything. He did return Nicole’s smile so I figured everything would work itself out.

“Virgo, I am sure we could find salt, plus some of the other things you mentioned, in the pantry,” I said. “Are we going to use the salt to enhance the flow of ethereal energy between us?”

“You are very well informed,” Virgo replied, cocking her head to one side and gazing at me intently. “Yes, that is exactly what the salt will be used for. After the salt is dissolved in water you will wet your hands with the solution before joining hands to conduct the séance.”

“I guess that the only thing to do is to get what we need and begin the séance,” I said emphatically, assuming that the others were just as eager to begin the search for the power source as I was.

“Hermione, are you feeling okay?” Harry asked with a puzzled expression on his face. I noticed that everyone else was staring at me and I suddenly felt a little self-conscious.

“I am feeling just fine. In fact, I have never felt better,” I replied a little more forcefully than I intended. “Why did you ask?”

“It’s just that you seem a lot more a…aggressive than usual,” Harry said hesitantly, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “Normally it’s Ron and I who are ready to go charging off on some wild adventure, while you are the voice of reason, trying to get us to stop and think about what we are about to do. This just feels a bit queer, that’s all.”

“Harry, I have thought this through as much as possible from the information we have,” I replied patiently. I was not feeling the least bit patient, but I thought I had better try and sooth everyone’s anxiety. “Now is the time to act on what we know. Maybe I am feeling a little more aggressive, but I don’t think I am being reckless or anything like that.”

“Well, if you say so,” Harry replied, obviously not convinced by words. “However, I think we should go and see if Sirius and Walt have returned. I’m not anxious to have Sirius mad at us again.”

“Too right you are, Harry. We do not want to upset Sirius again. Besides, I am still worried about Madelyn and I would like to know what has happened while we have been down here talking. I hope they have found her and she is all right. Why don’t you and I go back upstairs and see if Sirius and Walt have returned? Then we can checkout the kitchen and pantry for the items we need for the séance.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Harry answered, sounding more agreeable, getting to his feet and offering me his hand.

“Do you wish to stay here or would you rather come with us?” I asked the others after I let Harry pull me to my feet.

“Nicole and I will stay if Ron and Gretchen are staying,” Alec replied after quickly glancing at Nicole.

“We will show Alec and Nicole around the chamber while you are gone,” Gretchen replied, smiling at Nicole.

“If you can manage it, try to nick some food that we can eat. I’m starting to get hungry,” Ron added, patting his stomach. “No telling how long it will take us to find the power source.”

“Ron, for once I agree with you. I too am feeling quite hungry,” I replied good-naturedly. “We will find something, I promise. We should be back in about fifteen minutes, maybe less.”

After saying a quick goodbye to the dragons and removing the robes we had put on, Harry and I walked over to the stairs and began the long climb back up to the main floor. Ninety-nine steps later we reached the landing, quickly located the spot on the wall that opened the door to the hallway and stepped into the hallway. The door to the stairway closed silently behind us.

“Harry, if Sirius and Walt have not returned, maybe we shouldn’t mention anything about the dragons or searching for the power source to grandmother or Professor Dumbledore,” I said as we started down the hallway, heading for the atrium. “They will have enough on their minds already. Besides, I doubt if either of them are eager to begin exploring the lower chambers of this house. Those steps almost wore me out. I’m sure we will encounter many more just like them as we explore the lower chambers.”

“I’m positive they won’t be eager for us to start exploring, unless Sirius and Walt have returned and are willing to go with us,” Harry replied, looking at me inquisitively.

I grabbed Harry by the hand, stopped walking and pulled him to me. He quickly wrapped his arms around my waist, as I did the same to him and kissed him very passionately, our bodies melting together.

“I love you, Mr. Potter,” I said after our lips parted and I looked deeply into his eyes.

“I love you too, Hermione. Nevertheless, I am still seriously concerned over your sudden change in personality. I agree in principle with most everything you have said or suggested. I’m just worried that your contact with the ancient wand may have altered your personality by greatly accentuating your aggressiveness, while weakening your usual caution and healthy common sense.”

“Harry, please listen to me carefully and take what I have to say seriously, as you and I must figure out a way to save Ron and Gretchen from a fate worse than death. Coming in contact with the ancient wand did change my personality, quite significantly I might add—No, don’t interrupt…please let me finish saying what I have to say.—All of the changes that I have experienced since touching the wand have been good ones. Most noticeable to you, as well as the others, and to me as well, is that I no longer feel hesitant or timid. In short, my self-confidence now matches my abilities. I know you must be thinking that I have cracked or come unglued by everything that has happened to us, but that just isn’t the case. I really do feel confident to pit my, our, abilities against whatever awaits us. I have not deluded myself into thinking that I am invincible. I know very well that one or both of us could be killed before we return to Earth. Our chances of dying will be the greatest when we go into the Dark Forest. I am not looking forward to going there in the least. Please don’t forget, I am a Gryffindor too. I have one last thing to tell you before I shut up and let you respond and that is this. I know what I want from life, when I want it and what I am willing to risk in order to get what I want.”

“Hermione, first of all, I have never really questioned your abilities. The few times I have been upset with your have had more to do with my annoyance when you pointed out the folly of what I, or Ron and I, were about to do. I value your knowledge and judgment more than any other living soul, with the possible exception of Professor Dumbledore.”

“Thank you, Harry. Coming from you, that means a lot. I love you very much,” I said and kissed him again.

“Secondly, I have always thought of you as a Gryffindor, even though you many not realize it, you have always displayed the qualities that caused the Sorting Hat to place you in Gryffindor. In addition, I think you may be unduly pessimistic about our chances of surviving the Dark Forest.”

“I sure hope you’re right and I’m wrong about the Dark Forest,” I replied, shivering involuntarily.

“Let’s hope so,” Harry added, letting go of me and steering us in the direction of the atrium.

We hurried down the remainder of the hallway and entered the atrium. Martha was sitting by the pool with her girls and the twins. One look at Martha’s worried face told me that Walt and Sirius had not returned. I steered Harry in her direction, while avoiding great grandmother and Professor Dumbledore.

“Any word from Walt or Sirius?” I asked as soon as we reached the table where Martha was seated.

“No, they have not returned,” Martha replied, the anguish she was feeling, plainly discernable in her voice. “I know that Walt and Sirius will do everything in their power to find Madelyn. Try not to worry, Hermione.”

“You mean, like you are doing?” I replied, looking directly into Martha’s eyes.

For a moment, Martha just stared at me as if she had never seen me before. Finally, she replied, “Yeah, just like I am doing.”

“Did you find Ron and Gretchen?” Martha asked, quickly changing the subject.

“Yes, we did. They were exploring a chamber located directly beneath the main floor,” I replied, telling the truth, but damn little of it. I did not want to get into a long discussion about the dragons or my desires to search for the power source.

“Was Alec with you?”

“Yes, he and Nicole went with us. They are still with Ron and Gretchen,” I added. “Harry and I came back to see if Sirius and Walt had found Madelyn and to tell you that we are all fine, so don’t worry about us.”

“Oh, Nicole went along?” Martha asked, her eyebrows rising slightly.

“Yes, she did. I think Alec is a little taken by her, although I’m sure he would never admit it.”

“Alec has confided in me that he intends to live a bachelor’s life,” Harry added, grinning broadly.

“I seriously doubt that will ever come to pass,” Martha replied. “He has too much of his father in him. Some woman will be a central and necessary part of his life.”

“That’s what I keep telling Harry. I am as necessary to him as food and drink. I think it’s finally beginning to sink in.” I winked at Martha as I said this and she smiled knowingly back at me.

“Martha, is there anything in the kitchen we could snack on?” I asked. “Just something small to hold us until supper.”

“There are some apples and licorice sticks on the counter, help yourselves.”

“Thanks, Martha,” I replied and led Harry towards the kitchen before we had to answer any more questions.

In the kitchen, we quickly packed a small bag with apples, licorice, dried meat sticks, salt, freshly ground coffee beans and a small loaf of bread. I couldn’t find any garlic or anything else that had a strong odor. While I was packing the food, Harry grabbed three small bottles of fruit juice. Food and drink in hand, we exited the kitchen and quickly made our way back to the hallway. Great grandmother glanced at us as we ducked into the hallway and then went on talking with Professor Dumbledore and the two women Sirius and Walt had brought to the island. Five minutes later, we rejoined the others who were still speaking with the dragons.

Alec

From the moment I laid eyes on the dragons, I could scarcely believe what I was seeing. I suddenly remembered the smile that had crossed Gawain’s face when I had asked him if he had ever encountered any dragons. It wasn’t all that long ago, but so much had happened in the mean time that I wasn’t sure of his exact words to me. He had said that dragons were fascinating, fearful and regal creatures, all at the same time. I vaguely remembered Gawain mentioning that he had developed an advanced relationship with three dragons in particular. The look on his face when he mentioned this had quickly changed from fondness to immense sorrow. Now that I had met the dragons, I understood the reason for the sorrow on his face.

A dragon is a magnificent creature to behold. You could feel the power and wisdom of these ancient beings as easily as you can feel the rays of the sun shinning on your face. Under almost any other circumstance, I’m sure that I would have been terrified to encounter a single dragon, let alone three of them. Nevertheless, here in this chamber, after absorbing the knowledge and power from the ancient wand, I felt very much at ease in their presence. I was quite sure that any one of these dragons could be as ferocious as need be. I was equally sure that it would take severe provocation for them to exhibit such ferociousness. This was one more example of ‘do not judge a book by its cover’, as mom had said to me on many occasions.

Dragons were possibly the most intelligent species in the Realm. If nothing else, they were without question the longest-lived creatures in the Realm. I could not even begin to imagine what it would be like to live for ten thousand years. The knowledge and wisdom that one could gain from such a lifetime would be priceless. To tell the truth, I did feel that my life was more than just a little insignificant by their standards. If it had not been for the fact that they, Ron, and Gretchen were bound to this island by an evil spell, I could have spent the next week just talking with them.

While Cetus was telling us the story of how they became prisoners on this island, images of what must have been Mortius, Athene, Luther and Eliza kept flashing through my mind. The images were very vivid and I could recall every detail just by thinking about them. Remembering the images I had acquired from the ancient Slytherin’s wand, I began to wonder just how a wand decided on what images to save and pass on. Did the wizard or witch have any control over the images, or did the wand decide on its own? I was going to have to ask Harry if he had ever received any images from other wands that he had come in contact with. I had a suspicion that Hermione had not received any images from the wand because of the questions she did not ask.”

She had monopolized the conversation once Cetus had finished telling us their story. Since I didn’t think it would be wise to interrupt her to point out some obvious points that she had overlooked, I let her ramble on. I hoped that Harry would come to his senses before it was too late. Living with Hermione was not going to be easy, seeing just how bossy she could be. I was sure that Nicole and I would be just good friends, maybe we would help each other out on occasion.

Nicole! I was just as shocked as she was to learn that she had magical abilities. She seemed like a nice girl, but I was afraid that she would feel very awkward being with the rest of us, because of our ability to perform magic. I wondered if she had longed to be a witch, just as I had longed to be a wizard. I could still remember the indescribable joy I had felt when dad told us that he was a wizard and that I would be one too. From the look on Nicole’s face after Virgo told her of her magical abilities, I was pretty sure Nicole was very, very happy. She certainly did seem to relax once she found out.

Once Harry and Hermione left to see if Madelyn had been found, Nicole and I walked over to stand by Ron and Gretchen. Gretchen immediately gave Nicole an enormous hug, congratulating her on being a ‘witch in training’ as she called it. I was hoping that maybe Gretchen would take Nicole under her wing and give her some basic training. Unfortunately, Nicole did not have a wand and it looked as if it would be some time before she would get one. Suddenly another thought occurred to me, what was Nicole’s mother going to think about her magical abilities. If her mother and father truly did not have any magical abilities, then her mother might be terribly upset by Nicole’s abilities. Maybe mom could help break the news to Nicole’s mother, which might make things go a little easier for her.

“Ron, how are you and Gretchen holding up under all of this?” I asked while Gretchen was hugging Nicole.

“We are doing alright,” he replied cheerfully. “I know that I feel considerably more optimistic now that we have heard Cetus’ story. I think Gretchen feels that way too.”

“I sure do,” Gretchen added, after letting go of Nicole. “If we can find the dark power source and deactivate it without blowing up the island, then maybe we can leave this rock.”

“Gretchen, I am not trying to pour cold water on your enthusiasm, but getting you and Ron off this rock might not be as simple as deactivating the dark power source,” I said, trying hard not to make their situation sound hopeless. “There are a lot of possibilities we need to explore. For one, deactivating the agent that keeps the spell active may not allow you to leave the island until the spell has dissipated, which might be anywhere from shortly to fifty years from now.”

“I’d say it was more like ice-water,” Gretchen replied sarcastically. I could not really blame her for being upset with me. I probably would have felt the same way if I were in her shoes. I just didn’t want Ron and her building up their hopes based on false assumptions as to how easy the task of deactivating the agent might be.

“I’m sorry, but I think the more we know about all the possibilities that might result from deactivating the agent, the better your chances of freeing yourselves from the spell,” I replied, wondering if I should have just kept my mouth shut.

“What other possibilities should we be considering?” Ron asked, as he wrapped his arm around Gretchen’s shoulder.

“I’m not sure, Ron. I haven’t had much time to consider all the possibilities,” I lied, hoping that they would let it go at that.

“Alec Blyth, you are lying through your teeth,” Gretchen wailed as a single tear ran down her cheek. “You started this, now finish it. Please?”

“Gretchen, I’m very sorry that I upset you. I know you and Ron are suffering terribly. I did not mean to make things harder for you, really I didn’t,” I replied softly. Seeing the pain on Gretchen’s face I realized that I had no right to disrupt their happiness, even if was likely to be short lived.

“Alec, I know you didn’t mean to upset us,” Gretchen said, as she wiped the water from her eyes and tried to smile at me. “It was probably naive of us to think that we could just waltz up to the agent for the spell, switch it off, and leave the island as if nothing had ever happened. Since I am already depressed, you might as well tell us everything you have been thinking about. Ron and I do value your opinion, so let’s have it.”

“I might as well start with the worst possibility first,” I said looking directly at both of them. “There is a slim possibility that once the agent is deactivated you will revert back to the age you were when you arrived on the island. The rings cast the aging spell on both of you and you immediately started to age because you were not here on the island where the agent could keep you from aging. If the agent is turned off and the aging spell is still active, then you might start rapidly aging again.”

“I had not thought of that possibility,” Ron replied after he and Gretchen had looked at each other.

“What else should we be considering?” Gretchen asked firmly, seemingly drawing on some inner strength.

“I think the most likely possibility is that nothing will appear to have happened if we manage to deactivate the spell’s agent,” I replied. “Until either of you leave the island we will not know for sure if we have succeeded in freeing you from the spell.”

“Cetus, do you agree with Alec, or do you have anything to add?” Ron asked, turning to look at the dragons.

“I believe that everything Alec has mentioned should be considered,” Cetus replied. “If the agent for the aging spell also prevents transfiguration, then we will know immediately if you have succeeded in deactivating the agent as we will be able to transfigure into a creature small enough to escape from this chamber.”

“You are right. I hadn’t thought of that,” Ron replied, his spirits obviously lifted by Cetus’ words.

“Cetus, what is the likelihood that there is more than a single agent controlling all of the spells?” I asked.

“Alec, you really are a killjoy, you know that?” Gretchen said, sighing deeply.

“I am not trying to make you miserable…”

“Well you sure are doing a good job of it,” interrupted Nicole, a deep scowl on her face. “Why can’t you just let Ron and Gretchen be happy?”

“Nicole, I am not angry with Alec,” Gretchen replied before I could recover from Nicole’s sudden outburst. “Ron and I both know that he is just trying to do everything that he can to free us from the evil spell we are under.”

“Thanks, Gretchen,” I replied, returning her warm smile.

“So, Nicole, what do you think about being a witch?” Ron asked, smiling at her.

“I’m happy, I guess. Although, I am still having a hard time believing that it’s true.”

“Well, stick close to Alec. Next to Harry, he is one of the most gifted young wizards I have ever met,” Ron replied and I felt my face turn beat red. “He saved our lives because of his courage and abilities.”

“Nicole, don’t listen to Ron. I was scared out of my mind and besides, it was the ancient Slytherin wand that defeated Saccarus, not me.”

“Alec is just being modest,” Gretchen said to Nicole. “He had us worried for a bit when his personality changed after he learned that he was a wizard, just like his father. However, he came around nicely. Ron and I both think very highly of him.” To underscore her point, Gretchen kissed my cheek, which caused my face to turn as red as Ron’s hair.

Nicole whispered something in Gretchen’s ear and both of them giggled as they looked at me.

“Mom says it’s not polite to tell secrets or whisper about others, especially in front of them,” I said, starting to feel a little annoyed.

“I just told Gretchen that I thought you looked a lot like your father and seemed to have inherited some of his qualities, most notably those related to protecting others,” Nicole said, making me feel foolish for having been annoyed at the girls.

“Oh, okay,” was all I managed to reply.

“So, tell me, Alec, what do you think about Hermione’s plan to search for the dark power source?” Ron asked after my brilliant reply.

“I don’t think we have any other choice,” I replied, suddenly serious, as I was pretty sure that this was going to much easier said than done. “Finding it probably won’t be too hard. What we are going to do then will be another matter entirely. I do not believe Hermione realizes the awesome power we will be dealing with.”

Once Cetus described the properties of dark energy, several of the images that the ancient Slytherin wand imparted to me came to mind. What some of those images implied was enough to give me the shakes. The pain and suffering that could be inflicted by using dark energy was un-imaginable to most decent people. I found it impossible to understand what could drive a person to inflict such cruelty and brutality on others. One of the most haunting images showed how to remove all of the bones from a person’s body, thus reducing the person to a formless blob unable to move about. I was sure that one would give me nightmares for years to come.

Several of the images detailed the intricate workings of applying dark energy to achieve a specific purpose. In many cases, once a spell or curse was cast, there was no way to undo it. Usually the best that could be done was to create a stronger counter-spell or counter-curse. These counter-spells often created side effects that were as bad as the spell or curse they were trying to nullify. The whole process was a nasty business, at best. I hoped that we wouldn’t destroy ourselves in the process of trying to deactivate the agent that controlled the aging spell. Of course, we had to find it first and that might be damn near impossible.

While I was wallowing around in the gloomy corners of my mind, thinking very unpleasant thoughts, Harry and Hermione returned. They had managed to collect the items Virgo had requested, plus some food we could actually eat. We were all hungry and quickly polished off the small amount of food they had brought back with them. Once we finished eating, Hermione rinsed and filled the three bottles with water from the pool that ringed the pedestal the dragons were sitting on and poured in a generous amount of salt. After vigorously shaking the bottles to dissolve the salt, Hermione told Virgo that we were ready to begin the séance.

“Let us try contacting Luther and Eliza’s ghosts without using the aroma of food. If that fails then we can try a second séance with the aromas,” Virgo replied. “Please seat yourselves in a circle so that you may hold hands.”

We did what Virgo requested, forming a small circle in front of the dragons. Virgo had us pour a small amount of the salt water over our hands before we reached out to hold hands with the ones beside us. In my case, that was Nicole and Hermione. Ron was holding hands with Nicole and Gretchen, while Harry held hands with Hermione and Gretchen.

“My brothers and I will create images of Luther and Eliza for you to focus your thoughts on,” Virgo said once we were ready. “Focus all of your conscious thoughts on the images and attempt to will them to respond. This should send out a powerful call through the ethereal medium. If the ghosts still exist and are within range, then they may decide to come and see why we are calling out to them. This may take some time, so please be patient.”

I glanced at the others; they all seemed to be ready. Nicole smiled back at me when I looked at her and I returned her smile. Suddenly two images, about two feet tall started to materialize in the center of the circle. At first, they were barely distinguishable as human, but in less than a minute, the images resolved into distinct, lifelike figures of a man and a woman who were dressed in exactly the same robes we were wearing. I gasped aloud when I recognized them as two of the figures I had seen from the images the ancient cult wand had passed on to me. I felt Nicole’s grip tighten when I gasped, but when I glanced at her she relaxed and we both turned our attention to the images standing before us.

I was not sure what to say in my mind. Thinking ‘hey you, we would like to talk with you’ seemed pretty foolish. I decided to just stare at the images, trying to memorize every detail about them. I figured that would be the best way to focus all my thoughts on them alone.

…

I abruptly realized that I had completely lost track of how long I had been staring at the images when the muscles in my legs started to cramp and the pain broke my concentration. Ever since I could remember, the muscles in the calves of my legs had cramped if I sat in one position for too long. I desperately wanted to let go of Nicole and Hermione so that I could rub my cramped muscles, which were starting to scream with pain. I finally reached the point where I could not stand the pain any longer, let go of the girls’ hands, and began to massage the cramps in the calves of my legs. Hermione and Nicole both turned to look at me.

“I’m sorry, I could not stand the pain for another instant,” I said, looking back and forth between the two of them. Nicole did not look upset, but from the look on Hermione’s face she seemed about to say something less than sympathetic when two ghosts shot up through the floor and passed directly through the middle of our little circle. For a few seconds the ghosts flew around the room before hovering above us and started speaking with Cetus.

“Greetings, Cetus, Gemini, Virgo,” said Luther’s ghostly form. “Why have you called out to us after all these many long years?” His voice was soft and melodic, which was in contrast with his sharp facial features and cold, deep-set eyes.

“The cult has some new members that wish to speak with you,” replied Cetus, nodding in our direction.

“New members! How can that be? Is this a trick?” Luther asked, gazing at the six of us with unconcealed contempt.

“Ron and Gretchen have come in contact with the rings that were used to conduct ‘The Rite of Binding,’ Cetus replied. “Thanks to Mortius, they, like Eliza, you and us, are now bound to this island for all eternity. Some of their friends are trying to help Ron and Gretchen break free from the aging spell so that all of us can finally be free of this cursed island.”

“Cetus, you know that is utterly impossible,” Eliza answered, her high-pitched voice sending a cold chill through the room. “Mortius told all of us, on more than one occasion, that the aging curse and immortality spell would last as long as this island existed. I can still hear his voice gloating over how we would be prisoners on this island until the bonds in the Hercon Crystal shattered and the island was annihilated.”

“Excuse me, what is a ‘Hercon Crystal’ and where is it located?” Hermione asked forcefully.

Both Luther and Eliza turned to stare intently at the six of us for several long, uncomfortable seconds. I felt more than a little intimidated, but I noticed that Hermione and Harry just stared right back at the ghosts. Neither seemed particularly over-concerned by the ghosts penetrating gazes. Virgo finally broke the stare down when she spoke to Luther.

“Luther, none of us has anything to loose, and possibly everything to gain, by these youngsters attempting to deactivate the spell that binds us to the island,” Virgo said firmly, but with a note of compassion in her voice. “Any information or assistance you can give them would be greatly appreciated. My brothers and I would rather perish in a failed attempt to deactivate the aging spell, than to spend the rest of eternity in this chamber. I know you feel the same way we do, or at least you and Eliza used to feel that way too.”

“You are right, Virgo,” Luther replied with a sigh after gazing at Virgo for a few seconds. “Eliza and I do not wish to continue existing as we have these past nine hundred years. We have come to the conclusion that we would rather cease to exist, than to continue on as we are now. Not only did Mortius enslave our bodies, he also captured our very souls. Personally, I think the only thing these young people will manage to accomplish is to annihilate the existence of the island, but I guess that’s better that the existence we have now.”

“A Hercon Crystal is a vessel that contains a small but very powerful organism known as ‘The Septus,’” Luther continued. “The Septus is an entity that is created with the darkest of the dark arts. It has no consciousness or awareness of its surroundings. It is pure dark energy, whose only purpose is to power dark spells, curses and hexes. It is impossible to destroy. The best that one can hope to accomplish is to isolate the Septus so that its energy is blocked from agents that depend on its energy to carry out their spells or curses. Unfortunately, blocking the energy given off by a Septus usually results in the destruction of the vessel containing the Septus, resulting in the complete and total annihilation of everything within a considerable distance.”

“What does a Hercon Crystal look like and how big is it?” Hermione asked, seemingly unfazed by Luther’s .grim prediction

“The crystal is a six-sided object that looks like two, three-sided pyramids that have been joined at their bases. The height from tip to tip is about four inches,” Luther replied. “The most noticeable characteristic of the crystal is its blood-red color that continually changes in intensity. A word of caution, do not, under any circumstances, touch the crystal. Any object that comes in direct contact with the crystal is instantly drained of all its energy. For any living creature this means sudden death.”

“Do you know where the Hercon Crystal is located?” asked Hermione, the excitement and anticipation in her voice unmistakable.

From everything Luther had told us about the crystal, I did not see how we were going to survive if we attempted to deactivate the agent for the aging spell. I could tell that Hermione was not the least bit scared by what we were about to do. In fact, I have never seen her so pumped up in all the days that I have known her. I had a very bad feeling about what lay ahead. I quickly glanced at Nicole; she wasn’t as terrified as I expected her to be, but her face was quite pale.

“Are you alright?” I whispered in her ear, so that the others wouldn’t hear. I did not want to embarrass her.

“I’m okay, Alec,” she replied softly and squeezed my hand. The smile on her face as she looked at me made feel good inside. Kind of like when Annie or Katie would smile at me, but yet different somehow.

“The crystal is located in the lowest chamber at the base of the spiral staircase that forms the central core of the lower levels of this sanctuary,” Luther answered. “There you will find a large, clear globe balanced atop a thin metallic pedestal. The crystal is suspended in the exact center of the globe.”

“Luther, why did you refer to this house as a sanctuary?” Harry asked before Hermione could respond.

“Because that is what the people who occupied it before the cult took it over called it,” he replied.

“Then Mortius did not construct this place?” Hermione asked quickly.

“That is correct,” answered Luther. “This structure was built at least a thousand years before Mortius established his cult. After Eliza and I had been members of the cult for about ten years, Mortius allowed us access to the hundreds of scrolls that the former tenants left behind. From those scrolls, we learned that the previous occupants called this island ‘The Sanctuary.’ They were a group of Astrologers that occupied the island for a period of six hundred and sixty-six years. After they left or died out, we don’t know which, the island was uninhabited by humans for a period of more than four hundred years.”

“Do you know what happened to the scrolls, or the Astrologers?” Hermione asked.

“As to what became of the Astrologers, we have no knowledge,” Eliza replied. “I would assume that the scrolls are still in the vault on the second level.”

“Second level?” Harry asked.

“The level immediately above the bottom most level,” Eliza answered.

I barely heard Eliza answer Harry’s question because my head was still spinning from the realization that this building, or whatever it was called, was at least two thousand years old and looked like it was built just a few years ago. That is if you ignored the thick layer of dust on the floor of this chamber. From the condition of the main floor, I would not have guessed the place to be older than fifty years. When Gawain first brought me here, I thought that he might have built this place. Everything seemed new and in perfect working order. Whoever built this place sure new how to make things last. I was yanked out of my musing by Hermione’s next question.

“Luther, you said that the island was uninhabited by humans for four hundred years. Were there any other creatures living on this island during that period?”

“Yes there were. Buried deep at the base of the island’s core is an enormous cavern that contains many different creatures, most of whom are very deadly. I would strongly advise you not to venture into that cavern, as you would most likely be killed very quickly. In addition to the creatures that inhabited the island when Mortius started his cult, there are a dozen new ones that the cult created before we were killed.”

“Astrologers would not likely be involved in the breeding of animals,” Hermione said thoughtfully. “These animals must have been here when the Astrologers arrived.”

“That is what we surmised,” Eliza responded. “Which brings us to the question of who created this structure and why. Luther and I spent a great deal of time trying to answer those two questions, but were unable to answer either of them.”

“Why does it matter who built this place?” I asked, wondering what difference it made in light of our current problem.

“If we knew why this place was built, it might help us understand what hidden dangers await us in the lower levels,” Hermione replied patiently. “The more we know about the creatures that inhabit this island the better our chances for survival.”

“How did Mortius find this island?” Harry asked.

“We are not positive, but we think he found a reference to the Astrologers in some ancient book,” Eliza replied. “He never did say specifically how he came across this place.”

“Assuming we can reach the Hercon Crystal, how does it supply the agent for the aging spell with power?” Hermione asked. “Also, do you have any idea what the agent looks like?”

“I am sorry, but that is something we never discovered,” Luther replied. “We spent many years searching for the agent, but never found it.”

“Hermione, if Luther and Eliza could not find the agent in all the years they spent searching, what make you think we will find it now?” I asked, wondering if we should even try looking for it.

“I don’t know for sure that we will find the agent, Alec,” Hermione replied after staring at me for a couple of seconds. “I do know that if we don’t try to find it and deactivate the aging spell, then Ron and Gretchen, plus the dragons will never leave this island. I am willing to spend as much time as we have to free my friends. I’m sure they would do the same for me.”

“I’m sure they would too,” I answered. “I just feel that we should have some sort of idea of how we are going to go about finding the agent before we go running off.”

“You do not have to come along if you think it is too dangerous,” Hermione replied sharply.

It was obvious from the look on Hermione’s face that she was upset with my questioning her intentions. I had the distinct impression that she felt I was just being a nuisance by challenging the course of action she had chosen to follow. Somehow, I knew in my gut that if we did manage to find the agent for the aging spell, then she wouldn’t be satisfied until she attempted to deactivate it, no matter what the rest of us thought. This whole plan had disaster written all over it. I knew from what Harry had told me that Hermione was very smart and had read many, many books. However, the agent involved dark magic that I was quite sure she had no experience with, first-hand or otherwise.

The name ‘Hercon Crystal’ kept nagging at me. It was vaguely familiar, but I could not remember where I had heard the name before. The harder I tried to recall where I had run across the name, the more frustrated I became. Nicole must have sensed my irritation as she squeezed my hand to get my attention without speaking. When I glanced at her, my concentration was suddenly broken and all I saw was her sparkling eyes, alive with tenderness and concern. She just raised her eyebrows as if to ask, what was wrong.

Before I realized what was happening, I felt myself being drawn into her eyes. In a flash, I was inside her memories, as a stream of images rushed at me in ever-increasing speed. Instantly the stream of images stopped and I was staring at a single image of dead man. Slowly the image rearranged itself into an image of Nicole clutching her hands to her face, screaming out in terror and then collapsing to the ground, sobbing in total despair. I wanted desperately to bend down and hold her to me, but I could not move. All I could do was watch the image of Nicole suffer the shock and anguish of seeing her father killed before her eyes, helpless to do anything about it. Just when I felt as if my heart was going to burst, the images disappeared and I was staring at Nicole’s worried face.

“Alec, what’s the matter?” she asked, her voice low, but definitely panicked.

“Nothing,” I lied, trying to shake the images I had just witnessed from my mind. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Well you did frighten me, a lot,” she replied, her breathing quick and labored. “You were staring at me for several seconds and then your face twisted into the most agonizing look I have ever seen. Something must have happened for you to look that way.”

“Nicole, I am sorry for frightening you,” I replied, squeezing her hand and trying to smile. “I just had a flash-back, that’s all. Please try and forget about it.”

“A flash-back? You looked like you just witnessed something incredibly painful. Do you want to tell me about it?”

“Not now, but later, okay?” I replied, trying to keep my voice light and free from the distress I was feeling inside.

“Okay, Alec. I will be ready to listen, when you are ready to talk,” Nicole replied calmly.

“Ron, if you and Gretchen want to get off this rock, then I don’t think we have any other choice,” I heard Hermione say and abruptly realized that I had missed everything that was said while I was staring into Nicole’s eyes.

“Hermione, you know that we do,” Ron replied hastily. “Neither of us wants to spend another hour on this island. But what you are suggesting is very dangerous as we do not really know how the agent works or how to deactivate it. Messing around with that kind of power could be disastrous for all of us.”

“I can’t believe you two,” Hermione wailed, her impatience clearly growing. “I have no intention of, messing around as you put it, with something that I do not understand. To deactivate the agent we will most likely need the help of Professor Dumbledore. Finding the agent could require a lot of searching and legwork that Professor Dumbledore may not be up to doing. Once we find the agent, then we can let the others know what we have found and ask for their help. Right now, Sirius and Walt are still looking for Madelyn, so they can’t help us search. Since we are very short on time, unless you wish to wait one hundred years for the portal to open again, I suggest that we start looking right this minute.”

“Hermione, don’t be angry with Ron and Gretchen. They have had one hell of a day,” Harry said to her, obviously trying to calm her down. “You know they want to find and deactivate the agent. They are just nervous over the possible outcome of our search. If we can’t find the agent, they may be stuck here just like the dragons for as long as their sanity holds out.”

“I’m not angry with anyone,” Hermione replied more calmly, but she still looked very agitated. “I think we know enough to at least go and search for the agent.”

“Yes we do,” Harry replied. I wasn’t sure Harry truly believed that, but at least Hermione seemed to relax for the moment.

“We are ready to start searching,” Gretchen added, after glancing at Ron who nodded his head in agreement to her unspoken question.

“How about you two,” Hermione asked, looking at Nicole and me.

“Nicole, if you do not want to go, I will understand,” I said to her, giving her a graceful way out if she did not want to go along.

“I want to go with you, Alec. If I am going to be a witch someday, then I need to experience this type of thing first hand,” Nicole replied, her voice steady, but not overly confident.

“Okay, we are ready to begin the search,” I replied. I was both glad and anxious that Nicole was going with us. I was finding that I enjoyed sharing my thoughts with her, but I was worried something might happen to her that would be my fault for allowing her to accompany us.

“Luther, what is the quickest way to reach the lowest level of this building?” Hermione asked once everyone had agreed to go along with her.

“The only way to reach the lowest level is to go down any of the three stairways that led to the level beneath this one, exit the room and descend the spiral staircase to the lowest level,” Luther replied.

“Approximately how long should it take us to reach the bottom of the staircase?” Harry asked.

“Going down is easy, maybe fifteen minutes, unless you encounter any obstacles,” Eliza answered. “Coming back up is harder and will take you twice as long.”

“Alright, down and back will take approximately forty-five minutes, add to that an hour for searching and we will be back here in just under two hours,” Hermione began. “Whatever we learn we can tell to Professor Dumbledore, then he will be able to decide on what to do next.”

“Please exercise extreme caution,” Cetus said, as the six of us stood up in preparation to begin searching for the agent of the aging spell.

“We will, Cetus,” Harry replied, following Hermione as she headed for one of the stairways that led to the next lower level.

Nicole took hold of my hand as we turned to follow Harry and Hermione. Ron and Gretchen said something to the dragons that I did not quite catch, as I was too busy thinking about what we were about to do and the many things that could go wrong. Ron and Gretchen were holding hands just as we were doing when they caught up with us by the time we reached the top of the stairway. They both smiled at us, which made me feel a little better. I had always felt that Ron and Gretchen were level headed and wouldn’t attempt anything too risky, unlike Hermione who seemed bent on deactivating the agent no matter what the cost.

“Nicole, if you want to change your mind, now is you last chance,” I said to her. I was torn between wanting to go and wanting to stay. When Nicole replied that she wanted to go with me, I felt relieved but a little guilty. If anything happened to Nicole, mom and dad would be terribly upset with me. That much was for certain.

“Alec, there is one thing I need to tell you before we start,” Nicole said softly, looking very nervous.

“What is that, Nicole?”

“I am afraid of the dark,” she replied timidly. “I know it’s a bit childish, but I have always been afraid ever since I can remember.”

“Nicole, don’t worry about it,” Gretchen said before I could answer. “The five of us all have our wands that we can use for light if necessary. You will be fine.”

“Thanks, Gretchen,” Nicole replied, glancing apprehensively down the semi-dark stairway.

I took a deep breath and started down the stairs, following Harry and Hermione who were about ten steps ahead of us.