"Your only task was to prevent those interfering fools from crossing back. And again, you have failed me," a voice from a hooded figure said.
"Master, Snape did try to stop them, but there was another Snape that stopped him, had I not found them in the cavern under Spinner's End, they would have had more help," Lucius Malfoy replied, still in a low bow, unable to see the face under the hood.
"Ah, yes, but you did fail in that too, those meddling children escaped, I have tracked the boy to where your own grand-son has aided him. You're failure now has proven to be yet another in a succession of failures. I should end your miserable life… but there is a use for even a worthless fool like you," the mysterious wizard said.
"Master, please have…" Malfoy began.
"Crucio…" the wizard said casually, pointing a wand at Lucius. The dark wizard's skin began to undulate, his muscles convulsed in pain, a pain greater than he ever received from Lord Voldemort. Lucius Malfoy's screams fell on uncaring ears as the stream of magic coursed into his body.
"Master," he pleaded, between screams of pain.
"Silence. You have not yet learned the true value of failure, Crucio…"
Malfoy's screams continued if only for his master's enjoyment. Time passed slowly for him, the pain continued long after the magic ceased. Blood streaks from his eyes which had him momentarily blind, but his head began to clear enough to know there was someone else for his master to find entertainment with.
"So, Pettigrew, would you like to enjoy the same reward as your friend, or do you have some news of interest for me?"
"Lord Wyllt, I have watched the others as you instructed, and the girl is still unaware she carries Lord Voldemort within her," Pettigrew said, while he nervously bowed to the hooded man.
"And the key? Or have you foolishly left it behind again?" he queried, bringing his wand to bare at Pettigrew's chest.
"No, sire, I have it here as you commanded, I only used it to spy on the girl on the other side of the Veil," he hurriedly blurted and placed a talisman before Lord Wyllt's feet.
"Good, use it to find the Aurors, and tell me of their plans. Now leave me to finish my business with Lucius," he hissed. "Wait, find Bella and inform her of the Potter's whereabouts, I trust you can manage that?"
"Y-Yes sire, but what of the Horcruxes? They are still scattered," Wormtail asked.
"That is none of your concern, as long as they have not been discovered until we can bring the host to retrieve them. Then you can have your old master back, if you wish," the voice commanded.
"But wouldn't it be easier to bring them here?" Wormtail asked.
That question broke his concentration on Malfoy, leaving him to recover from his suffering. "Easier? Have you not learned that a soul that is intact may enter the portal unharmed? The Council formed it thus to prevent what we have accomplished. And only if that soul is contained in flesh, which is why we need the girl."
He stood and planted his boot into Malfoy's ribs, "And this fool used one of the more potent potions on the girl, forcing us to either kill or use the bitch," he said, his tone turned hostile, causing Wormtail to scurry off, bowing as he exited.
The dusk light reflected in Annie's eyes, but only Jerry was there to witness the radiance. The beginning twilight of the summer night filled the air with a magical feeling meant for young lovers. The distant sounds of the forest were drowned from conscious thought; the only thing the young boy was aware of was her. And he filled her mind as easily as he filled her arms.
They sat on a fallen tree, intent on watching the sun retire for the night, but that plan faded soon after they touched. She put an arm loosely over his shoulder, his arm held her waist. He kissed her, a light gentle kiss on her cheek; one meant to be a comforting kiss from a loving mate.
It was that one loving kiss that ignited the warmth he saw in her eyes. It was that kiss that turned a touch into an embrace.
She moaned softly when he kissed her again on the neck, then, softly on her lips. She responded by parting hers ever so slightly, just enough for him to feel her warm breath.
He pulled back to take a breath and look in her eyes, hoping to see that spark.
"Annie," he whispered, but her lips stopped him.
She pressed the tip of her tongue to his lips, begging for entry. He complied without hesitating. The setting sun was forgotten as they began to explore each other, tongue tasting tongue.
These few moments seemed to last forever for the young couple. She pulled back first, and drew a breath. He never noticed her hand massage her stomach.
The intermission, although brief, allowed him to catch a breath too, his free hand cradling the back of her head, tilting her slightly as they resumed the innocent exploration of young love.
His other arm remained chaste on the small off her back, satisfied with this oral delight. She ran her fingers through his thick crimson hair, stopping occasionally to twirl small tufts between her fingers.
She kissed him deeply, a soul-searing kiss. She probed his lips, and touched the roof of his mouth with the tip of her tongue, urging his tongue into a teasing dance.
"Annie, I love you," he whispered as he again stopped for breath.
She relaxed her embrace and continued to twist her fingers in his hair. Her free hand abandoned its past task and slipped the thin strap from her shoulder. She then slipped her other arm free of the garment with barely a noticeable movement.
Jerry's mind raced from his first real sensuous experience, failing to notice her young breasts rubbing against his shirt. She pressed her lips to his again, more forcefully this time. He eagerly parted his and probed past her lips with his tongue, flicking the tip on hers, eliciting a moan.
Her hand slid down his back and slipped inside his pants, feeling the firmness of his bottom. "I want you," she whispered throatily.
Her action opened his eyes, the suddenness quickly forgotten when he realized she'd shed most of her clothes unnoticed.
"Annie?" he started, but she resumed her attack. She slipped his hand from her neck down to her breast.
"Touch me," she whispered hoarsely, holding his hand where she placed it to prevent his retreat.
His hand trembled as he hesitantly gently began to knead her firm breast. His hand remained cupping her breast; his own arousal began to grow. Her hand pressed on his, moving his fingers to the tip of her stiff nipple.
She moaned again each time his fingers gently squeezed her breast. Each moan growing louder. She shifted her weight slightly, from sitting on the log to her feet, crouching and maintaining her kiss. The dress slipped free from her hips revealing only a thin lace barrier to her virtue. Still crouching, she slipped that free.
She straddled his lap with nothing hidden, still locked to his lips, and began to work on the buttons of his shirt. Freeing the first couple but then abandoning the others, ripping his shirt open.
He broke away, and shook his head, "No, this is too fast," he began to protest, his voice again muffled by her ravenous kisses. He tried to fight the lust-induced fog in his mind, but his own youthful body began to betray rational thought. His arms now embraced the nude girl on his lap, her breasts pressing against his chest. She began to rock on him; the bulge in his trousers betrayed his reasoning.
"I want you. I want you inside me. I want you to make love to me," she said. Her voice grew hoarser as her actions grew bolder.
"No, we shouldn't," he said and vainly tried to push her off. He succeeded in her sliding back slightly.
She slid her hand inside his pants, and felt his stiffness. She unbuckled him with her other hand, but Jerry grabbed both her arms, forcing her to stop.
"Annie, listen to me, I love you, but we shouldn't…"
"If you love me, then fuck me," she insisted. She moved her arms inside his, breaking his grip. She pulled him forward from the log to the ground. Her dress lay beneath them as she straddled his chest, using her knees to pin his arms down with an unnatural strength.
Her arms held his shoulders as he stared into her eyes. That warm spark of love he witnessed only a few moments before was now gone, now replaced with eyes that were black as coal, and dead as a corpse.
"Give the bitch your seed and you'll die quick when I've finished. If I get what I need, she'll not suffer… for very long," she said in a hoarse masculine voice.
"Annie, stop," he protested.
She was moist from youthful arousal, her musky sent filtered to into his senses. She was inches from his face, her knees pressing his shoulders. She reached behind her and continued her past efforts to free him from his trousers with one hand, and took his wand in the other.
"Stop," he pleaded, the pain and shock he was enduring blocked this experience from his thoughts. In his fantasy, this was supposed to be a loving tender moment.
Slightly frustrated with a final barrier, she ripped his trousers open and gouged his thighs with her nails. She began to bleed from her mouth.
"Don't you dare cum until I'm ready," she hissed in Parseltongue and bit his neck just above his shoulder drawing his thick red blood. He felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his shoulder where she bit him. Deep, probing pressure tore through his fresh wound. In a moment, the burn of the wound faded, he could feel the object withdraw.
"Good, good, it is enough," a masculine voice complimented the act.
Images and visions danced around him, the pain he suffered forced his mind to wander. The moon light cast an eerie view; her face and chest splattered with perspiration and blood. She appeared to be a wild creature feasting on the carcass of a fresh kill. He looked through the haze of confusion to see her lean forward, letting her breasts press onto his chest. She winced in pain, and wiped a warm moist hand across his lips. She leaned forward and licked his upper lip, her hands on either side of his head. He felt her slid her legs down his waist.
Familiar, yet foreign sounds raced through his mind. He imagined a flash of light engulfed them; the crimson body on him writhed and glowed in the moonlight before she fell limp. Her moist body briefly laid on him before she slipped to his side, cradled in his arm. In the moments before he lapsed from consciousness, a woman's voice called to him.
His fogged mind bore witness to a fluff of long chestnut hair and the scent of strawberries lingered in the air. A second brilliant glow covered him, alleviating his pain and allowing his mind to grow dim. He turned his head at the instant he succumbed to the darkness to face her, but her closed eyes showed no sign of life.
"Mr. M, who were those two?" David asked Arthur at the campfire. The other boys had moved on to their next evolution in the weekend training, leaving Dave alone at the camp.
"As it turns out, distant cousins that had become separated from their parents," Arthur replied.
"Are… are they like you? You know, 'special'?" Dave asked.
Arthur nodded, "Yes, but too young to have come into their special abilities. I had to bring them home. If anyone should ask, I brought them to the Ranger, and he is delivering them to the authorities."
Arthur pulled his hat over his head; covering his brow. He settled into his chair and accepted a bowl of food that his subordinate had saved for him.
"Bugger this, it's cold," Arthur complained, and carefully looked about before producing his wand. A simple wave over the bowl turned the contents to a steaming meal.
"I can never get tired of watching that- it's brilliant," Dave said in awe.
"It's a simple spell, but no more amazing than watching a young lad learn to be self reliant, watching you grow into your own right as a young man is true magic," Arthur said, and began to eat his warmed lunch.
"So they're cousins? The girl seemed quite distressed," Dave said, hoping to continue the conversation.
"I left them in good hands, so there's little for you to be concerned about," Arthur replied.
Dave sat quietly, watching his mentor eat his stew. He finally found the courage to ask, "Sir, can anyone learn magic?"
Arthur put his spoon in the bowl and carefully placed the bowl on a stone near the fire. "No, it is something you're born with, a natural ability. Take Francis, he has an uncanny ability for mathematics. And Stephen has a natural ability for languages. You have neither of these talents, but you have natural leadership qualities. It's true you can teach someone to be a leader, but there are few that others naturally look to for leadership. I knew one man like that once before; he helped me see what I must do with my life. That and a number of items I found in my grandfather's collections led me to this calling."
"So, what you can do can't be taught," Dave repeated.
"Not totally, while you can be taught the theories and procedures, true ability is inherited. I know for a fact that boy's abilities would surpass mine one day. His parents are quite powerful. As for the girl, she and I have similar abilities," Arthur added.
Without warning, a whoosh from behind Dave startled him, and caught Arthur unprepared. A black cloaked witch stood with her wand pointed at Arthur's chest.
"Don't move if you wish to live," she hissed. "Tell the Muggle not to move, or my companion will deal with him."
A second form suddenly appeared next to her, his hood pulled tight over his face. His wand pointed at the lad's chest.
"What is your business here?" Arthur demanded.
"You are in no position to test my patience! What happened to the girl?" she hissed.
Arthur stood, and defiantly shook his head. "No, she is safe, go back to whatever hole you came from."
"Lucy," the hooded man addressed his companion, "Just stun them both, and let's see if she made her way home."
"No, Rudy, I won't let this soldier keep her captive, he'll talk. We followed them to the woods where we found the boy's rucksack," she said confidently, a small pack hung from her companion's arm.
The witch pointed her wand at his face and pushed the hat from Arthur's face, to fully reveal his features.
"No," she said, startled, "It can't be?"
"What, sister?" he asked, and turned to stare at Arthur. The instant he stared into Arthur's eyes, the hooded wizard lowered his wand.
"Rudy, this is a trick," she said maintaining her guard. "Where is our sister?" she demanded threatening Arthur at wand point.
"Sister?" Arthur asked.
The man lowered his hood, and Arthur looked into his own face.
"Who are you?" Arthur demanded.
"Radulphus Arthur Malfoy, and this is Lucia Molly Malfoy, my sister," he replied.
"Mr. Malfoy? He looks like you, sounds like you," Dave said slightly confused.
"Malfoy?" Lucia asked puzzled.
"Arthur Malfoy, I have to assume you came from the same place young Ben Potter and Artemisia came from," he replied and held out his hand.
"Why the military uniforms?" she demanded, ignoring his hand and refusing to let down her guard.
"Not military, but historical in nature. A resurrection of a nearly dead organization to teach boys to be better men," Arthur said. "Please put your wand down. If you are who you claim to be, then they are at your maternal grandparents' home."
"The Burrow?" Radulphus asked.
"Right, but please be careful. She's been through a lot recently and was put to bed the moment… she arrived. She was shaken when she came. I think your mum's been hurt quite badly; she witnessed it, which caused her shock," Arthur said.
"Yes, we know. We were there when it happened. The bitch that hurt mum won't bother anyone again," Lucia replied with a blood chilling grin.
"Our mother was hurt quite badly; I managed to get her to Aunt Luna before I had to return to the Ministry, but her wounds were severe. Lucia stayed and had discovered this," Radulphus said as he held an unusual pocket watch, there were no numbers. Simply hash marks around the face and two arms that pointed to a number of marks.
"Aunt Luna?" Arthur asked, but the question was ignored.
"What is that thing?" Dave asked.
"Quiet, Muggle," Lucia hissed at the boy, shifting her wand at his throat.
"Sister, he means no harm, let him be," Radulphus said placing his hand on her arm.
She flinched at her brother's touch, to return her threat to Arthur.
"Lucy found it and this letter on that bloke. He wasn't as lucky. His chest was sliced clean through; he must have died instantly," Radulphus continued, handing Arthur a letter.
"We came here to get our sister, she will be safer with us," Lucia said, still maintaining a defensive posture.
Arthur ignored her tone and turned to his charge, "Dave, you are to tell no one of this, I know I can trust you to keep this secret." He then turned to the twins, "I think it would be in everyone's best interest if we leave here together."
"That won't be necessary, we know the way," Lucia snapped back.
"No sister, he has to go with us, the Muggle too. We can't risk anyone discovering we were here," Radulphus said.
"Leave him, he's not going to tell a soul, there's nothing he can do," Arthur insisted.
"Then remove his memory of this meeting, or I will," Lucia insisted, again pointing her wand at the boy. Arthur stepped in front of her wand to prevent any hasty acts.
"Dave, I'm sorry, but I won't trust her to be careful. You know what I have to do," Arthur explained to the boy behind him.
Dave nodded and braced himself, keeping his eyes closed. Arthur turned and pulled his wand from his pocket. He tapped the boy's temple with his wand and released a silvery thread. With a flick of his wand, the memory floated free.
"Evanesco," Lucia commanded and twitched her wand at the thought floating away. It vanished in a flash.
Arthur turned to face Lucia, leaving Dave unprotected. "Stupefy!" Radulphus shouted, pointing his wand at Dave.
"That was unnecessary," Arthur yelled, "the boy's no threat to you."
"Threat or not, he's safer this way, not unless you would wish to join him?" Lucia queried with a feral grin, as she pulled Arthur's wand from his hand.
The three Apparated to the edge of the woods and remained out of sight of the Burrow; Arthur knew this second appearance in a short time could trigger his mother to take action. The twins also seemed to understand this tactic.
"I suggest you cover yourself, Radulphus, until I explain to my mum," Arthur suggested. His double nodded and pulled his hood over his face. The twins followed Arthur into the house, to find Ben and Ginny still in the lounge, their extended conversation took its toll on the boy, his head was snuggled into Ginny's lap.
"Shhh, he just fell asleep," she warned Arthur. "I thought you were spending the rest of the day…" she began, but stopped once she saw the others enter behind Arthur.
"Mum, wait," Arthur tried to quell the situation early.
"Where's the girl," Lucia demanded.
Ginny looked at the thin, pale witch, her long blond hair flowed around her shoulders; her snarl left little doubt to her motive. Ginny scrunched her face trying to identify the woman, "Excuse me, do I know you?" she asked.
"Where's the girl?" she demanded, brandishing her wand as if it were a sword, pointing it at the elder woman's chest.
"Mum, she's looking for her sister, Artemisia," Arthur interjected.
"Sister?" she queried, the situation became all too clear when the man behind the young woman dropped her hood. "Merlin's beard," she gasped in disbelief.
"Mum, this is Radulphus and Lucia Malfoy, Artemisia's siblings," Arthur quipped, trying to introduce them.
Radulphus also recognized the woman on the sofa, "Lucy, its mum?" he asked.
Lucia's guard began to relax, still uncertain; she maintained her posture, until the ghost passed between them.
"Lucia, all we want is Arty. None of this is real," Radulphus said, and put his hand on Lucia's wand arm. She did lower her arm in compliance, shaking her head.
"She's sleeping peacefully upstairs, wake her if you must, but she's very agitated," Ginny stated.
Ben had awakened from his shallow sleep, and looked up, "Rudy? Lucy? You're both here?" he asked excitedly.
"Ben, come here boy, we're taking you and Arty home," Lucia ordered.
"What about Aunt Ginny?" he asked.
Radulphus shook his head, "We don't know, I left her in the best hands available, but she was badly hurt." The pain in his voice conveyed to Ben the seriousness of her condition.
"I'll go wake Arty," Ben said quietly.
"No, let me," Lucia said, replacing her wand in her cloak. "I have to tell her about I have to do this." She handed Arthur his wand, her features softened slightly, knowing her little sister was near. She then left quietly and climbed the stairs.
"First room on the right, on the second floor," Ginny called and stood to face her son and his twin. "Now, I think we need to sort this out while the girls are upstairs."
Lucia's expression changed with each step she took, the confident and menacing appearance slowly faded, leaving the look of a young woman who was about to face a terrible truth. At the top of the landing, she stopped at the door and quietly turned the knob. Inside, Arty was sleeping, but her restlessness- even with a dreamless potion, was disturbed. She quietly walked to the bed where her sister slept, and knelt beside the young girl.
"Arty?" she said softly and rubbed her sister's arm.
Arty replied with a light moan.
"Arty? It's Lucy, we found you," she cooed.
Arty rolled over and her arm instinctively found Lucia's neck. Her moan turned to a light sob, her arm pulling her older sister closer.
"We're taking you home. We found mum," Lucia said, unsure if Arty understood.
"M-Mum, was hurt," Arty said in a hushed tone.
"Yes, we found her and brought her to Aunt Luna, I've been praying she'll be alright," Lucia said. Arty finally opened her eyes, streams of tears escaping down her cheek. The sisters embraced as tightly as they could, both refusing to let go.
"Darling, can you tell me what happened?" Lucia whispered in her ear.
Arty loosened her grip, swallowing hard, and began to rehash what she'd seen. "We were only going to see Uncle Ron and the others off. That man appeared and said he only tried to help. Then the rest happened so fast, Ben pulled me away. Mum fell. I don't remember much else until we were in the forest," Arty said, the pent up words poured from her lips as quickly as she could let them go.
"We found the rucksack; your wand was still in it, that's how we found you. I never thought I would use the Ministry's training on tracking on my own sister," Lucia said and smiled warmly.
"I saw Rudy, he brought me here, but he seemed strange, different. He had on a strange tunic. I didn't think you had to wear a uniform? Do you?" Arty asked.
"That wasn't Ruby, it was someone else. You know we only have to wear a uniform at formal functions. We do need to leave, I have a bad feeling we're not safe here. Can you stand?" Lucia asked.
Arty nodded and sat up in the bed. "If it wasn't Rudy, who was it?"
"I have an idea, but it's quite absurd," Lucia replied and stood.
"Ben. Where's Ben?" Arty asked, looking around in a near panic, "He was with me…"
"He's fine- he's downstairs," Lucia said soothingly, holding her sister.
Arty stood and continued to hug her sister, "I'm scared," she finally said.
"I know. Rudy and I are scared too, but we have to be strong, for mum," Lucia said and gave her sister a loving kiss on the top of her head. "Now, we'd best be leaving."
"Can we look for Annie and Jerry?" Arty asked and wiped her cheeks dry.
"I'm afraid we don't know where they are, we got lucky finding you here. We found a device and a letter of instruction. That man from the chamber seemed to know this was inevitable," Lucia said as she escorted her sister to the door.
"Snape. He said his name was Snape," Arty said, remembering details.
"We can figure out who this Snape fellow is later, but for now, we can only trust each other, okay?" Lucia asked as they walked down the stairs.
"Is she okay?" Radulphus called from the first floor landing.
"She'll be fine now. Collect Benjamin so we can return," Lucia commanded; her cold demeanor rapidly returned as the sisters rejoined the group. Arty was used to this side of her, and accepted Lucia's guise of strength.
"Come, Ben, we need to leave," Radulphus said to the boy.
Ben turned to Radulphus, but continued to stare at the apparition of his mother's younger self, and shook his head. "Will mum die if we return?" he finally asked.
"I can assure you, she's fine," Hermione's ghost replied. "I'm certain by now they are looking for you."
He shook his head, "I can feel them here, as if they are in this room. I can feel mum," Ben murmured.
The ghost came closer and faced him, but he backed away.
"S-Stay away," he stuttered, his face suddenly paled in fear.
"Hermione, I think it would be best if you backed away. The boy seems to have some concern for his mum that's linked to you," Arthur said, blocking Ben from the spirit.
"Wait," Lucia commanded, "Ben what do you feel?" she said leaving Arty with Radulphus. She rushed to Ben's side where she held his face in her hands and stared into his eyes.
"I dunno- cold, really bad, as if there's a really bad presence here. An evil," Ben said, focusing on Lucia.
She tuned into the ghost, "He has much of his father's ability. Pity he has yet to develop this talent," Lucia said, and then turned back to Ben. "Your father is a seer, as was your Grand-mum."
"S-S-seer?" he asked.
She nodded, "Yes, you will have the chance to learn Divination in your fourth year." She turned back to the spirit, "He sensed something bad; do you know what it could be?"
"Yes, when his parents were here sixteen years ago, his mum- my counterpart was cursed. I took that curse upon myself to free her, and this boy and his sister are the result," she replied to Lucia, before facing Ben. "Benjamin, your mother was cursed to never be able to bear a child, that curse is what you sense. Dear boy, seeing you tells me my gift was more than worth bearing the curse. I only wish I could meet your sister."
Ben stared at the ghost; "Curse?" was all he could say.
"They never told you? I can't blame them, it was a dark period for them both," Hermione's ghost replied.
Arthur knelt in front of Ben and looked up to him, "Ben, there have been many things they felt you shouldn't know. That is their right as your parents, and it is their right to tell you these things when they feel the time is right. However, this is far from a perfect world. With people seeking to return all of us into the darkness you avoided and the same darkness we are trying to emerge from, you have to be strong and carry on for all of us. You have to return and make certain your father knows what happened here."
Arthur stood and crossed the room to his double, "I have all the faith you and your sister will care for these two, the feelings these two have for each other proves to me all hope is not lost."
Radulphus reached for his double's hand and exchanged a hearty handshake. "Arty is our baby sister, and Ben has been family since he was born. You can be assured they are in the best hands. Good luck to you, too."
"If we are going to leave some time this year, I suggest we go as soon as possible. I'll take Arty; Rudy, you stay with Ben. We can Apparate directly to the Ministry," Lucia commanded.
Ben looked from Radulphus to the ghost, "Can you come too?" he asked the ghost.
A puzzled but hopeful expression faded from her face and she shook her head, "I can't. I belong here."
"I suggest we gather any personal objects we brought, and only those items we brought and leave immediately," Lucia ordered to a group of accepting nods.
"Good-bye, mum's ghost, I'll tell her about you," Ben said to the spirit.
Arty walked to her sister, and held her hand as tightly as she could, Ben and Radulphus also held hands and in a shared wink, the four vanished with a light pop!.
They reappeared just outside the Ministry, unconcerned for secrecy. They quickly descended to the ninth level to the circular room and to the door marked the Chamber of Death.
Arty hesitated outside the door, "Lucy, how are we going to get back?" Arty asked.
"We have a key of sorts; the directions we found with it seem sketchy but so far accurate. That Snape bloke had it and a letter describing how to use it," Radulphus replied, and led the group through the doors.
He showed it to Ben, and the moment he held the strange object, one hand moved halfway around the dial, and stopped. The other two remained in their original locations.
"We haven't really understood that arm's movements, but it had aligned to this mark earlier, which led us here. It was the same spot that bloke had the large arm set to. We think the large arm means where you want to go, and the middle arm indicates where you came from, as a marker home. See, its set the same for both of us, so we know we all came from the same point of origin," Radulphus said, instructing Ben.
"And that green hand moved when I held it. Arty, have a go," he handed the device to Arty. The two hands remained where they were when Radulphus held it, but the other moved back to point at the mark where the middle arm pointed.
"Seems that hand is pointing you home," Radulphus commented.
"-to mum. I want to see mum," she said softly.
"It must be what you are seeking, it pointed to this mark, and brought us here," Lucia rationalized. "We only had a few moments to analyze the document before we came. There was no explanation where it originated."
"So it's like a portkey?" Ben asked.
"Not completely, it only controls the Arch," Radulphus replied. They all stood before the Arch, the veil hanging motionless. Arty stared at the spot she last saw he mother fall.
"Lucy, do you think mum's okay?"
"We'll know soon. Now, everyone hold onto Rudy, don't let go or you could be lost forever," Lucia ordered. "Now on three, two, one…"
The four held on to each other and stepped through the veil.