Chapter 7
The Effects of Time-Travel
Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry
The Forbidden Forest (Present)
The Timestones
12:00 P.M.
When I arrive, a group of people are surrounding Lauren and David. Several I know well. "Ben! Draco! What are you doing here?" I step off the stones and walk over to two figures that are wearing cloaks. "Well, he saw that the Timestones were glowing, so he freaked out and brought us up here." I begin to ask more questions, but then I feel as if someone punched me in the chest. Really hard. In response, I look down. A dagger hilt is sticking out of my chest. The others notice it and then it seems as if the ground is rushing up to greet me.
Various people stand over me, from far away, I can hear voices. "...After all what we've been through in the last few hours...this happens?" "...He's not going to die, is he?" "No, David, not if I can help it. Can someone go and fetch Madam Pomfrey?" "No need for that, I came as quickly as I could." An elderly woman appears. "...Hmm...You're lucky. This is one of the easiest dagger wounds to treat. Alright. Can someone hold him down? This will only take about five minutes." "...Hold him down? What are you going to do? Literally pull the dagger out of him?" "Yes. But the blade might be caught on muscle." Madam Pomfrey kneels beside me, and places her hands on the dagger's hilt. She then smiles at me. "If you wish, you can keep the blade as a last resort. Are you ready?" I somehow nod. The Matron nods back and suddenly pulls upwards.
The whole thing takes about five minutes. After Madam Pomfrey gets the dagger out of Link's chest, she stitches him up and then helps him stand. She then gives him the dagger. "Think of it as a gift of one warrior to another." After a few minutes, more teachers show up, including Dumbledore, Snape, and Hagrid. "You disappeared on us and look what happens! You bring back who only can be a relative of Forester's, and him getting a dagger out of all of this!" Eventually, everyone calms down and we head inside the castle.
The Great Hall
2:00 P.M.
"Yes, time-travel can be very complicated. Two hours may pass in the present, but many days may pass in the past. Like in your experience. Now, I hear that you have become guardian to an ancestor of yours, and a Dragon Lord, nonetheless. How did this happen?" Everyone who came to the Timestones are gathered in the Great Hall, sitting on benches or tabletops. Just two months prior, Fudge was killed where the now-restored podium and Teacher's Table sit. Now, you can't even tell a dead Dragon lay in that area. Dumbledore is pacing back in forth in those blue robes of his, stopping every now and then to look at David, who is sitting off by himself. Bit by bit, Lauren and I tell what has happened. David pitches in to give his experience in the dungeons.
Once we're finished, Dumbledore appears to be absorbing all of this. "...So...your father is presumably lost...Emily's husband seeks to kill all three of you...I fear I know the answer to his wrath...This will take a while...for this is a long tale...Long ago, when the Kingdom of Hyrule was in its infancy, Magic was abundant. Rivers flowed with it, trees grew from it, and the inhabitants took advantage of it. The Wizards rose from the races, and built the Darke Tower. Many years passed. In that time, the War of Light and Dark was fought, and many people died. Your main Goddess, Hylia, decided to act.
"One night, when both sides were at a stalemate, a young Guard escaped from his group and entered the Lost Woods. A voice seemed to be calling to him. He followed the voice, and soon, he came face to face with Hylia herself. She had called him, for he possessed the qualities of the Hero. She said to him 'You are the only one who can stop this war. Find the blade and show it to each leader. They will understand, and stop fighting.' Then she was gone, and the Guard was alone.
"He sent out deeper into the forest, the want to find the sword slowly growing. Then, he saw a ray of light. The Guard stopped. A sound like a bee humming was barely audible, and the very air pulsed with Light Magic.
"The Guard pushed aside the greenery that blocked his progress. Then, he saw it. A sword embedded within a stone, surrounded by the ray of light he had seen earlier. He knew that he had found the Blade of Truce.
"The Guard walked up to the sword and took it from the stone. Then, something happened. For the boy possessed something else...a hidden gene suddenly...'kicked on', as you might say. In an instant, he was transformed into a beast, King of the Reptiles, a Dragon. The sword was transformed, and he christened it Redscale. There was a shield, and he called it the Dragon Shield.
Now, in another part of the Kingdom, deep within the Castle, servants were circled around their King, for in the Queen's Chamber, she lay ill. She knew she was dying, for an evil curse had been placed upon her.
"The next night, she passed from the world, driving the King to sheer madness. The Queen's bodyguard secretly took the Princess away from her father, fearing he was unpredictable.
"Several years passed. Enough that the Guard and the Princess reached their coming of age. Then, one night, they met each other. Each were on their own business in the Woods that night, but that didn't stop them from speaking to each other.
"Unfortunately, the King found out about the chance meeting and set out with twoscore of guards to the Lost Woods. When he reached the location of the meeting, his men charged into the brush...And were incinerated. Flames darted through the trees, killing all who didn't flee before it. Then a roar rose up to the heavens, and the Dragon appeared. Redscale in one hand, the Princess in the other.
"The King went ballistic. His men had deserted him. Frantic, he took a javelin from one of his guards and threw it at the Dragon.
"But the Princess deeply loved the beast, and jumped in front of the weapon. She fell to the ground, never to rise again.
"The King then howled in loss, then drew his sword and ran at the Dragon. The beast killed him, without mercy, then took his remains and dropped them on the group of men that was left. The Dragon then flew back to the final resting place of the Princess, and buried her beneath the oldest tree. He then flew off to a secret location, which to this day is unknown. Some speculate that it is around here." Dumbledore finishes speaking and looks at me. "So? What do you make of it?" "...So...Henry wants me dead because my ancestor killed his ancestor? How does that make any since?" "One heir survived, and so on, and so forth. Each King told his son of the tale, and so, with each generation, their hatred grew, and grew, and has kept on growing until now. As for your actual question, Link, he wants all of you dead. Why, I wish I knew." Then, the twin doors burst open, and a frantic Lupin rushes in.
He runs up to Dumbledore, yelling something about 'He's here! He must have figured out the Timestones! The problem is, Connor is here as well, and we're caught up in them fighting! What are we supposed to do?!' Both Lauren and David have sat down on either side of me and we glance at each other, then up at the two men. They speak quietly to each other, then turn to us. "It is no-longer safe for you here. Lupin has agreed to let you leave Hogwarts, and go to another world altogether, one that you two know well. One that David would not be out-of-place in." Lauren and I stare at each other. "...Can it be...?" "We're going back to..." "Indeed. You three will travel to Chima, via a magic-portal. Lagravis and I have made the necessary arrangements, and while you can leave at any time, you should leave as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I have something to give to one of you."
Albus looks in my direction." Lauren, if you would come over to the podium, please." I stand and walk over to the aged Headmaster. He reaches inside his blue robes and takes out a rectangular device. "I'm very proud of this-it's a magical communication device, as well as a one-way ticket. This is how you will get back here. Take it." I take the device from Albus and slip it on around my neck. The chain falls to rest next to the Ring's chain and I feel a bit more secure. "You said it was a communication device..." "I did. Simply press the middle button, and anyone can speak with you. Multiple people, I might add. Now," Albus steps out from behind the Podium and gestures for me to follow him. "I must acquaint you with an old friend before you leave. Come." Dumbledore walks out of the Great Hall and I follow him, wondering what he means by 'old friend'.
The Stables
3:00 P.M.
"Why are we out here?" "You'll see." Albus raises his walking staff and bangs it on the entrance gates. "Open up, Richard! This is important!" An old man appears on the opposite side of the gates. "Oh, hello Albus! What can I do for you?" "I have a student that has something here. She's going away for some time and I think they need to be reunited." Richard's face widens. "Oh. Very well. Follow me." The old man opens the gates and I walk through them, leaving Albus by himself.
Richard stops in front of a building. He turns to me. "Beyond this house is a pasture. You'll find what you'll need there." He then steps back and allows me to pass.
The Pasture
3:30 P.M.
Numerous animals roam the fields, lifting their heads to gaze at me as I pass. 'I haven't been in here for...two years at least. I wonder why Albus brought me here.' Then a stallion brings its hoofs down right next to me and I freeze. 'What are you doing in my pasture? Speak!' I stare up at the black beast, its blazing red eyes boring into me. "...I..." I begin to back away, but the horse follows me.
My back is to the fence. The horse is slowly advancing in my direction. 'What do I do? If he kicks me, I'm as good as dead...' The stallion reaches me, and rears, then brings his hoofs down upon me.
I manage to dive and roll out of the way. Coming back up, I spin and unsheathe Dragon's Fire. The horse snorts. 'You dare use a sharp-stick on me? Were you even a horse-friend once?' "...Horse-friend?" The black stallion steps closer to me. 'Yes, where your kind rides on our backs and we take you places. I don't see your equine. So why are you here?' Even with Dragon's Fire pointed straight at him, the beast comes closer, and closer...then, I hear something.
