Chapter Eleven,
In which Lily and Severus return home; but the Young Ones do not.
"Oh, man!" said Eric as soon as the opening made by the now useless Traveler's Talisman closed on a collapsing 1985 Earth that never should have been and now, never would be. "You guys have no idea just how badly that could have turned out!"
"Can any of you believe that Voldemort creep?" said Presto. "I mean, say what you will about Old Horn-Head, but he never blasted anyone when their back was turned!"
"Yeah?" said Eric. "Well, I for one am glad he did! It allowed us to get away! And Venger had it coming, if you ask me!"
"What I'd like to ask you, Eric," said Hank. "Is if you can you tell us now what Dungeon Master said to you back there?"
"No," said the Cavalier, firmly. "Not until Lily and Severus get back to their own time! Trust me, guys, anything that I say now could be bad for us all!"
"Quite so, Cavalier!" came the voice of Dungeon Master from behind them.
"Dungeon Master!" said the Young Ones simultaneously.
"Please accept my most sincere, and humble apologies, my pupils," said Dungeon Master. "But, as you can see, if I had not prevented you from making use of the Traveler's Talisman the day before, when I first sensed the arrival of Lily and Severus in The Realm . . . ."
"Then we would have returned to find that our own world was no different from the world that we were attempting to leave," said Hank, nodding slowly.
The small wizard nodded back, and then turned to Lily and Severus. "But now, the two of you must make haste, and use your portkey before Venger can find his way back!"
"So, Venger . . . escaped the collapse of the alternate timeline?" said Diana.
"I am afraid so, Acrobat. And now, Venger is even more determined than ever to seize your weapons! For now, he fears magical intervention from your own world's wizards and witches!"
"And well he should be afraid!" said Lily Evans, fiercely. "When Severus and I return, we are going straight to Headmaster Dumbledore to let him know that you six are trapped here – will be trapped here - in seven more years!"
"Rest assured," added Severus. "After we tell the proper authorities about Venger's magical skills, the rescue team they send for you will be more than ready to deal with him. What say you, Lily? A team of Aurors led by the legendary Alastor Moody? And the Yanks will probably send Jason Blood or even their top Auror, Doctor Strange . . . ."
"It would not surprise me if Professor Dumbledore came along as well!" replied Lily. "And speaking of the professor, we should also tell him about Presto as soon as we are back at Hogwarts." The young witch turned to the muggle-born Yank. "For you to not receive the very best wizarding education would be a monumental injustice!"
"Thanks," said Presto. "To both of you. I can't wait to study real magic! Now that I know that I am a real wizard, I am anxious to learn all that I can! Maybe I can even go to Hogwarts like you guys?"
Severus studied Presto for a moment, and then said, "Gryffindor, I'll wager . . . ."
"It would not surprise me one bit!" said Lily, smiling.
Severus Snape withdrew the locket concealing the portable portkey from his blazer pocket, and he and Lily Evans both took hold of the chain.
"Goodbye, friends," said Lily. "The next time you see us, Severus and I shall be in our mid-twenties."
"Perhaps we shall even be among your rescuers," said Severus, as much to see the look on Venger's face when he is overwhelmed by Earth's finest wizards and witches as to still be on speaking terms with Lily.
"Then if all goes well," said Diana, flashing a hopeful smile. "We'll be seeing you both again . . . in a few moments!" And after saying their final goodbyes, Lily opened the locket, and she and Severus were whisked away, back to 1976 Earth . . . .
After a few minutes Diana said, "They aren't coming."
"W-what do you mean?" said Eric, who was more disturbed by his friend's matter-of-fact tone then by her negative pronouncement. "They just left!"
"From their point of view, it has been almost nine years," said Diana, forcing herself not to cry. "The rescue team should have appeared just after Lily and Severus left . . . ."
"Maybe they are here, in The Realm" offered Hank. "Maybe they are trying to find us!"
"I'm afraid the Acrobat is right," said Dungeon Master apologetically.
Presto shook his head. "Lily and Severus said they would send help! They would not break their word and abandon us! Not without good reason!"
"Alas, Wizard," said Dungeon Master. "They had a number of very good reasons why they could not keep the promise they made to you."
"What kind of reasons?" said Sheila.
"To begin with," said Dungeon Master. "They were met upon their return to your world by the owners of the portkey, who set the trap for another, but unintentionally ensnared Lily and Severus. Your friends were taken by surprise, and made to forget. Fortunately, Severus was able to destroy the Portkey to The Realm during the scuffle, keeping it from those who would use it for evil."
"So, we're still trapped here," said Hank. A statement, not a question.
"Yes, Ranger," replied Dungeon Master. "And, unfortunately, may well be here for quite some time, since what you now know could have dire consequences for the future of your world." A chorus of protest arose from the Young Ones, and it took Dungeon Master several minutes to calm them down.
"You mean that The Realm will keep us here until the Second Wizarding War is over?" said Diana. "Until what we know won't matter?"
"That is but one possibility, Acrobat," said Dungeon Master. "But please do not blame Lily Evans and Severus Snape. Promises made by others, no matter how sincere and well-intentioned, are always vulnerable to outside forces beyond anyone's control . . . as I, myself, was reminded, a few days earlier.
"But, always remember, the most powerful promises are those that you make to yourselves. It is in such promises that the obstacle before you may be overcome."
"Now what is that supposed to mean?" said Eric. But Dungeon Master was gone.
"Great," said Bobby. "I'll be in my twenties by the time we get back home!"
"Maybe not," said Hank thoughtfully. "If we can make the right promises to ourselves now, The Realm might let us go sooner."
"What do you mean?" said Sheila. "What can we possibly promise ourselves that will prevent us from being trapped here another thirteen years, or so?"
Hank took a deep breath. "We have to promise to not reveal what we know about the Second Wizarding War and Voldemort to anyone for any reason, once we get home. We have to promise ourselves to wait for events to unfold naturally, then there will be no reason for The Realm to hold us here for another thirteen years, when what we know will no longer matter."
"But we can't stop it from happening, anyway!" protested Eric. "It has already started! Dungeon Master told me that Voldemort murdered Lily on October 31, 1981! And then, messed himself up when the curse he tried to use on Lily's son backfired on him! That all happened before we even went to The Realm!"
"There still may be stuff that we know that could make a difference, for better or worse," said Presto. "Especially me!"
Hank went over to his friend, formerly the Magician, now the Muggle-Born Wizard. "I can't even imagine how hard this will be for you, Presto."
"Yeah," added Diana. "I mean, you just found out that you are a real wizard. And you may have to wait until the Second Wizarding War ends around 1998 before you are able to safely contact other witches and wizards users on Earth."
"It's alright," said Presto. I mean, you guys are my friends! I wouldn't want to do anything to keep you from getting home! Besides, Lily told me that Hogwarts is over a thousand-years-old! I think that I can wait another thirteen years before I check it out!"
"Then, what are we waiting for?" said Bobby. "Let's swear our most excellent promise not to tell, and start looking for another way home!" The Barbarian held out his hand, and it was soon joined by five other hands as the Young Ones formed a circle.
"We all solemnly swear, on our friendship to each other," said Hank, and the others repeated his words sincerely, and in unison . . . .
The Young Ones had just finished their oaths to themselves, when they heard a loud, familiar bleat.
"UNI!!!" said Bobby, as the young unicorn ran into the Barbarian's arms, licking his face. "I thought I'd never see you again!"
"Hey, guys," said Diana. There is something tied to Uni's horn!"
As the Barbarian petted the animal, the Ranger carefully untied the small piece of parchment from her horn. "It's from Dungeon Master!" said Hank. He then read it aloud.
"The power of your promise has cleared the way for your return," read Hank. "May you never loose heart as you seek the bearer of the key that will unlock the way to your home. But as you seek, you must beware of loosing your hearts to those who have already lost their own."
"I wonder what that means?" said Sheila.
"Well, at least we know that we won't be held here until the Second Wizarding War is over," said Hank. The Ranger then motioned his friends to follow him as they set off down the road. "I just wish I knew what Dungeon Master meant by that last part."
"Well if you ask me," said Eric. "That was the goofiest thing His Shortness has ever told us! Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Dungeon Master is . . . ."
"GOOFY!!!" said Diana.
"See?" smirked the Cavalier. "Diana agrees with me! And for the second time in one day!"
"No, Eric," said Diana. "Look who's coming towards us down the road. It really is Goofy!"
"Yeah!" said Bobby, eyes wide. "A-and Donald Duck is with him!"
The Young Ones paused as Goofy, Donald Duck, and a third person, a boy about Presto's age, who was carrying a large key-like object, approached from the other direction.
"Uh, hi," said Hank to the approaching trio.
The large duck in the sailor suit quacked a nearly incomprehensible greeting.
"Gorshk!" said Goofy. "I hope these natives are friendly!"
"We're not natives to The Realm," said Hank. "We're from Earth, like you three, I, uh suppose . . . . Anyway, my name is Hank Grayson, and these are my friends. We are trying to find our way back home."
"My name is Sora," said the boy with the large key. "And we are also on a quest. Maybe we can help each other . . . ."