Stolen

A/N: Again, we repeat ourselves. This story is not slash. This is not a Jareth/ Harry or Severus/Sirius pairing in any sense of the word.

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Spoiler Warning: Some of the original dialogue from the Labyrinth is in this chapter.

Chapter 7: The Test

After the eventful scene at the center of the Labyrinth, Jareth wasted no time. With a flick of his wrist a protesting Harry was sent back to his rooms. His Majesty then disappeared with the two older wizards.

Both Sirius and Severus looked around in confusion. They were standing on a small, sandy knoll as an arid breeze whipped up eddies of sand around their feet. There was no sun or moon as it was neither day nor night.

Jareth stood behind them in his black leather and feather armour that he liked to wear when addressing potential runners. The two wizards now could see this was obviously no muggle. He was a Being out of Legend – and he wasn't happy.

"You two both swore to protect the child, Harry James Potter, on both your life and magic," The Goblin King told them sternly. "You both failed. You allowed an old fool to take over his care, and so neglected your vows. Now your lives, as well as your magic, hang in the balance. Fail this test and you will have failed Harry, for the last time."

Sirius and Severus looked out over the massive labyrinth before them. Both were certain that they could apparate to the castle just on the horizon. Jareth smirked as he stood behind them.

"Your wands and magic will be of little use here," the goblin king informed them with a sneer. "They, along with your young charge, will be waiting for you at my castle. That young mage wants what you two have denied him through your neglect – a parent. Prove your worth to Magic Herself, or lose her favor...and possibly your life."

"Now wait a second!" Sirius demanded. "I just woke up from being dumped into this. . . whatever this is . . . and now you are telling me that I have to run this huge maze or lose my magic? That I will lose my godson if I fail? What in Merlin's name are you on about!?"

"Shut up, Black!" Severus hissed. "Haven't you realized by now who we are dealing with?"

"You have no choice," Jareth informed them as he stepped back from the pair, fading into nothingness. "You have thirteen hours to prove to the Great Mother of Us All that you are worthy to be in Harry Potter's life. Fail and you will have Harry Potter and be become one of mine forever." The echoing words faded eerily into silence.

The two wizards heard a bong beside them. Turning they discovered an ancient clock with thirteen hours showing on it. The clock's hands were pointing straight up, at the number 13, as a slender second hand moved around the clock's face.

"Let's go Black."

"Don't tell me what to do, Snivelous. . ."

Sirius Black was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. He was just very confused. One minute he had been dueling his insane cousin, and now he was in some wacky maze fighting to see his godson, with Snivelous for Merlin's sake!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Harry wanted to throw a massive temper tantrum for being summarily dumped back in his room by the Goblin King. The trouble was he was also glad that he had a moment to process what just happened.

Looking down at his white outfit, he sighed. It did really happen. He'd called on the Goddess Danu. Hermione would have his head for doing something so reckless. That Goddess wasn't someone to mess with; so many things could've gone so very wrong.

He may have been raised muggle, but he hadn't wasted his time at Hogwarts, like many thought he had. He knew his history, and he knew about the different deities in the Celtic mythos. And Danu wasn't called the 'Mother Goddess' for no reason.

Add to that fact His Majesty had been cramming knowledge into him since he first woke up here. And much to Jareth's delight, the teen had absorbed everything thrown at him.

Harry went to stand in front of the mirror once more. He noted that he now appeared taller and stronger than when he'd first arrived underground. Harry had been blessed when she kissed him, even his scar was gone!

Tears started to flow down his cheeks. A loud sob erupted from his throat. Harry started to shake and tremble as realization set in. . .

He was free!

All because he saved what he thought was a small postal owl damaged in a storm, his life had changed once more.

She had taken and punished the two old wizards who had caused untold devastation on the world and made his life miserable. They could no longer use him as a pawn in their sick games.

His legs buckled as Harry started to fall to the floor.

Strong arms came around him, holding him.

"I have you Harry," came the voice of Jareth in his ear. "It's over child. You can let go, it's over."

Both of them sank to the floor. Jareth held and comforted the crying teen, rocking him gently like a babe his arms as he started to sing softly:

Dreams to sell, fine dreams to sell
Angus is here wi' dreams to sell
Hush ye my baby and sleep without fear
Dream Angus has brought you a dream my dear.

List' to the curlew cryin'
Faintly the echos dyin'
Even the birdies and the beasties are sleepin'
But my bonny bairn is weepin' weepin'

"Let it out, Harry-child. You've been holding the pain back for so long. The Great Mother has blessed you. She has freed you from a destiny foretold, and has set you on a new path."

The pair sat on the floor of Harry's bedroom as the teen let years of torment, pain and grief out. He had never allowed himself to grieve as there'd been no one there for him, to hold him, to keep him from shattering.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jareth had been dealing with children for time immemorial. He thought he had seen all the ways a child could be broken, however Harry's case was something new.

This boy may have an almost adult body, but he still was a child in spirit – a very lonely and damaged child. Jareth was also certain that Harry hadn't realized the full extent of the blessing the Great Mother had bestowed on him yet.

Jareth sang softly until Harry had cried himself to sleep before picking him up and gently placing him on his bed. A quick wave of his hand and Harry's clothing was changed into sleeping apparel.

Looking out onto Harry's balcony and to the Labyrinth, the Goblin King wondered who would pass his test. Those two wizards have a lot to prove. They had better be up to the challenge for his charge's sake.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The pair walked up and down outside the looming walls of the Labyrinth. They had tried to summon their wands, and to use wand-less magic. Nothing worked. Sirius couldn't even change into Padfoot. Their magic just wasn't working.

Of course the pair couldn't remain civil to each other despite the urgency of their task. They spent over an hour arguing on which way to go, and how they were going to get into the Labyrinth without their magic.

Suddenly they stumbled across a dwarf spraying roses. There were tiny fairies fluttering around the blooms. The dwarf was softly counting to himself as he sprayed.

"You, whatever you are!" Sirius shouted. "Tell us how to get into the maze."

"Way to enlist help, Mutt."

"I ain't you," groused the dwarf. "I'se Hoggle."

"That's no way to speak to people, Mutt," lambasted Severus.

"I'm not one of your students. You can't talk to me like that!"

Severus sneered at Black.

"Are you two finished?" asked the dwarf, as he walked away to spray another fairy. "I ain't got all day." He sprayed another fairy and kicked sand on it. "56."

Severus came behind the dwarf and picked up the stunned fairy, tucking it into one of his potion gathering bag.

"We need to get into the Labyrinth. Do you know where the entrance to it is?" asked Sirius, ignoring his partner.

Hoggle sprayed another fairy. "57. Maybe."

"Well, where is it?" asked Severus, impatiently.

"Where's what?"

"The door, you dunderhead."

"What door?" the dwarf asked walking away, looking for another fairy to spray.

"This is hopeless, Snivelous. He's not going to answer us if you keep insulting him," Sirius commented as he looked around the walls, judging their height.

"Not if you don't ask the right questions," the dwarf said, not looking at them.

Severus narrowed his eyes. 'So that's how this works.' "So where is the door to the Labyrinth?"

The dwarf stopped. "Ahhhh! That's more like it!" He turned and walked back to the wizards. "You get's in there." He pointed behind them to a pair of stone doors that hadn't been there a moment ago.

They walked through the doors to find another brick wall in front of them with a long endless corridor going left and right.

Hoggle walked up to them. "Do you go left or. . . . right?"

Sirius started to the left as Severus paused. "Black where do you think you are going? We should stay together."

"Have it your way, Snivelous," Black sneered as he turned back.

Hoggle shook his head and sighed. "Harry's my friend. He told me about you two. I hope youse do right by him. Problem is you's two can't agree on an'thing. Well, good Luck. Youse is goin' ta need it." The dwarf turned and walked away without giving any of the advice he normally would give runners.

He just hoped Harry didn't suffer for their stubbornness. He swung both arms behind him as he exited the Labyrinth with the doors closing unaided behind him, leaving the pair of wizards alone.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The two wizards went right and started to walk the long endless corridor.

"This is getting us nowhere," Sirius groused as he slumped against a wall.

Severus paused to study the fungus with roving eyes. "I'm not ready to give up, Mutt. Potter needs us."

"I didn't say I was giving up, I just said we aren't getting anywhere. How much time has passed, you think?"

" 'ello!" came a small voice from somewhere beside Black.

The pair turned to see a tiny blue worm with a red scarf tied around his neck.

"Merlin!" Sirius jumped away to gaze with wide eyes at the tiny being.

" 'ello," the worm said again and blinked up at them.

"Er hello," Sirius greeted. "You're a worm!"

"That's right!" the worm agreed with a nod.

Severus came over and bent closer to study the tiny creature. "Fascinating."

Stopping the intrigued potions master from collecting the creature, Sirius asked. "We need to get into the Labyrinth, but there seems to be no doors or anything."

"The Labyrinth is full of doors, you ain't lookin' right. Say, why don't you come in an' meet the missus, an' have a spot o' tea?" the worm invited.

"Maybe next time," Severus said declining the offer before Black could open his mouth. "About that door? Where can we find one?"

"Why there is one right in front of you. Are you sure you can't stay for a cup o' tea?"

Sirius stood and walked up to what he thought was a brick wall and slowly walked through it.

"Things aren't always what they seem around this place," the worm cautioned.

Sirius turned and waved to the worm and started to take the left corridor.

"Hold on! Don't go that way! Never go that way!" the worm shouted.

"Oh, alright, thanks! Comin' Snivelous?!" Sirius waved as he turned back to the right and started to walk away.

Severus frowned as he straightened. He walked cautiously through the opening and looked after Black, but Black had already disappeared from sight. Turning back to the worm, he asked. "Why shouldn't I go that way?" He pointed towards the left, the way Black almost took.

"It'll take you straight to that castle. So you never go that way," came the answer from a shivering worm.

"I see. I thank you for the advice, but I must decline the tea. I need to go to the castle. Someone I promised to protect is there," Severus said as he turned to walk away.

"Huh! Who would'a thought anyone would want to go there? The missus will be upset that they didn't stay for tea," the worm said, shaking his head.

0o0o0o0

A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. GF has been doing a five weekend Ren Faire without any breaks in sewing. She hasn't sewn for two years and she is scrambling like crazy to keep up with the orders.

As for those reviewers that hate Snape – we say sorry this is our story and we write what we want to read. We have never begged for readers or reviewers. We are just happy that people like us and our stories. If you don't like it, there are other stories out there.

This story has a couple of more chapters left before it is completed.

Until next time. – GF and The Frau