Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
An: just a disclaimer issue, no reason to panic about the re-do. I'm really paranoid thanks to my Criminology Prof. (A man in a grey suit and silver metallic tie takes a bow while Rae glares)
CHAPTER SEVEN
o-0-O-0-o
Over the next few weeks, and no less than two more almost-fights between the curse-Breaker and the Warder, an uneasy truce seemed to settle within the encampment. Sure, the two would exchange the occasional (Ravyn's occasional meant every day) slur but overall they had developed an uneasy truce.
So far Bill had woken up to green and silver hair (Riley laughed his head off), bad eye sight, in a tub of ice, and completely starkers (think banishment charm). The previous hadn't been very funny as when he'd been outside it hadn't even been close to sunrise and it was freezing.
"Uncle." Bill said firmly as he sat down at the table across from Ravyn who was reading one of his school books.
"What?" Ravyn asked innocently as though he had next to no idea what the weary Curse Breaker was talking about.
"I give up. I'm waving the white flag. I surrender."
Ravyn looked at him, "Say it again."
"Truce?"
"No, that you surrender!" he said blissfully as he seemed to bask in his own intelligence and prowess. "Uncle!" he called out as he saw his uncle from across the camp.
Riley walked over, his curiosity getting the better of him as he saw the embarrassed look on Bill's face. "Yes?"
"He's surrendering!"
"I am not! I'm merely asking for a mutual agreement in between two parties to desist hostilities between them for the mutual benefit of those within the camp."
Riley lifted an eyebrow, "Sounds like a surrender to me. Good job, Rave."
"Thanks," he said before he turned back to Bill. "So, would you like to explain to me how exactly it is that you're able to completely ignore an unknown set of runes before you go and attack something that you think is the main sequence when all you're doing is reinforcing the keystone against attacks?"
Bill blinked, "Wait, are you asking me about the tomb that we've yet to crack?" he asked as he leaned forward over the table to look at the map that Rave had in front of him. It was slightly crude, but it displayed all of the tombs and crypts within a five kilometer radius of the campsite. Next to it was a detailed map the same size within a half kilometer radius.
"You mean that true piece of dragon dung that you've been doing to it?" Riley interjected. "Knowing, Rave. Yeah. Now, I'm off to get me a drink." he said as he walked out of the tent "street" where the warders had set up camp and to the mess hall.
Ravyn nodded as he swiped a strand of his slightly long hair out of his face. He ignored it as he looked over the map and pointed at the site that they had found less than two weeks before. He got out a piece of parchment from his bag and quickly sketched the outline of the tomb and then added in enough complex Arithmacy equations that Bill knew he was going to be Vector's favorite student come third year.
"Look at it this way," he said as he began to write out the sequences in the matter of control. "You've been attacking this one, " he said as he pointed to a sequence near the bottom of the list. "When you should have been attacking this one." he said as he pointed to one near the top.
"Why not just directly attack the keystone?" Bill asked as he looked over the diagram.
"Because, the Ancient Egyptians weren't that stupid. If you go after the keystone now, especially after charging its magic for the last two weeks then you run the possibility of completely ruining the entire entrance. In which case you'll have to either find or create a back door which is almost impossible due to the way the crypt was built."
Xi Wu walked out of her tent, today she had on her usual white shirt, tight tan pants tucked into her brown knee-height boots and her dragon leather vest, her long black hair was in a ponytail. "Are you talking about that bloody crypt?"
Bill nodded, "Yeah, why?"
"Your team leader had to be rushed by emergency portkey to the hospital in Karnak after he attacked the keystone directly. He figured that he was mostly alright but then he found that all of the magic that the Ancient Egyptians poured into it, coupled with the modern magic gave him three tails, whiskers and bat ears. " she said slightly smiling. "And it even drained whatever juice he was going to put into that spell of his."
"Wait, that would make sure that they'd have to go the long way!" Ravyn realized as he quickly re-filled his quill and wrote out an equation and some notes. He added his observation to the diagram before he showed it to Bill.
"What is this?"
"This is the trap. It will take the three people who were attacking the middle sequence over a period of six months at a continuous pace, attacking the seventh sequence in order to break it." Ravyn said. "And that's without disrupting the wards we're going to have to put up."
Bill looked at Xi Wu who nodded her confirmation. "Are you serious?"
Ravyn raised an eyebrow, "Do I look like I'm joking?"
"Damn, I was actually hoping you were." Bill admitted as he pat him on the back.
Ravyn's eyes clouded over, and he saw Bill and about eight other red-heads surrounding a Christmas tree. He shook his head as soon as the vision cleared itself, "Don't worry, you'll be home for Christmas."
"What?"
"He's a seer. Literally. That's what, your second vision this summer?" she asked, slightly concerned as she had long ago been there when he had a vision that lasted almost an hour. Afterwards, it had been a week before he was strong enough to get back on his feet and help out.
"Fourth. But two in two days. This hasn't happened since they first manifested." he groaned. "Although, did I see cousin too or do you really have …" he said as he brought up the vision and mentally counted. "Five brothers and one sister?"
Bill smiled, "I'm the oldest. Charlie's a year younger than me and he's in Romania. Percy's a fifth year. I'm awaiting the letter to tell me that he's a Prefect. Fred and George are third years and Beaters. Ron's the youngest boy, he's your age and Ginny's going to be in Hogwarts next year."
"Six siblings. I have six cousins, and I can't stand them. You've got more cajones than me, mate."
"Cajones?"
"Guts, bravery, stick-to-itiveness. Besides, now I understand why you moved to Egypt." Ravyn said. "We definitely have a truce. Especially since I now know you're going to need to save your patience for Christmas."
Bill nodded, "Thanks."
"It was a compliment." Xi Wu assured him as Rave picked up his book and notes as he went off in search of Gabe who was usually good for a quick Quidditch game during the hottest hours.
They didn't work during the peak hours as Riley was worried about losing another of his team to anything, even heat stroke.
"He might not like to admit it, but you've gained his respect. Don't loose it Bill. He's a Parker for a reason. You loose his trust once and he might let you have it again. Twice and it's done."
"I gained his respect by giving in?"
"No, you gained his respect by doing something he couldn't do on his best day. I've seen him around his cousin Raphael and they get along well enough. Ask him to spend the week with any of his other cousins and he'd rather be in a tournament without his potion."
Bill whistled, "Alright, I think I understand now."
AN: It's been a while and the muse was kicking and screaming when I wrote this so it sounds awkward. But it's up. I'm going to go over the next one after I finish the next chapter of Elite : Spies, alternate dimensions, lily and James alive, Sirius the unspeakable, Remus the … haven't decieded yet. Plus metamorphagi. It's got every plot bunny I've ever had all rolled into one. I recommend it even if I do say so myself.
PS. REVIEW PLEASE! I STILL HAVE TIME TO REVISE OR ADD IN!
Reposted: April 2009