Chapter 11 - It's Not Over Yet

It wasn't long before they were staring at the grumbling Wizard of Oz behind his cell. Regina had removed the ropes but put a protection spell around the cell, so the Wizard couldn't try any magic. The silencing charm was also wearing off, but if the Wizard got annoying, Hermione was ready to perform it again.

"So you won," he grunted. "Good for you."

"You should have never underestimated us," Robin Hood told him.

"I suppose you have strength in numbers."

"And werewolves," Ron said, turning to Red. "You were really great!"

Red smiled. "Thank you."

"But how can you control what you do as a werewolf?" Hermione asked her.

"It took me a while, and I did hurt some people in the process. But now I've got pretty much full control. The power of the wolf does run in my family, after all."

"So you weren't bitten?" asked Harry.

Red shook her head. "My mother was a werewolf, and she wanted me to join her pack, but I declined because she was too reckless. And then she… well, it's kind of a long story."

Harry accepted that. However, he did want this girl to meet his friend and former professor at Hogwarts, Remus Lupin, who had been bitten by a werewolf and had lived with the burden for years. They could probably relate.

"Anyway," said Ron, "we need to get home. Any ideas?"

"Yes," Hermione answered.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"You want to hear it or not?"

"Yes, I do!"

"We came here through that book," continued Hermione, "and Henry said that he had another copy of it, so that must be our way out."

Henry nodded. "It's worth a try. It's in Regina's house. I'll get it."

"I'll come with you, Henry," said Regina.

"Are you looking for this?" asked a voice, and Harry realized it was the Wizard of Oz who was talking.

Everyone turned to him, and he held something up.

Harry's eyes widened and Hermione gasped. It was the leather-bound book labeled Once Upon a Time in gold letters, and apparently their ticket out of Storybrooke.

"How did you get that?" Emma asked.

The Wizard chuckled. "It was what I was going for the entire time. I simply used the magical storm as a distraction, and when you found me, I had already gotten the book."

The room was silent while everyone thought this through.

"What?" asked the Wizard. "It wasn't hard breaking into the mayor's house and stealing it. A couple easy spells."

"How…" Regina sighed. "I suppose I should have guarded it better."

"Well, it's here now," said David. "We just have to get it out of the Wizard's hands." He approached the cell and raised his sword. "Hand it over or you're going to turn into a shish kebab."

Harry didn't know what a shish kebab was, but he agreed with David for handing the book over. They needed it. It was perhaps their only way home!

And, Harry realized, he had been right. Something had come up. It wasn't over yet.

He stepped forward and raised his wand. "Give it to David. Now."

"And if I don't, you'll be stuck here forever."

"What are you going to lose?" shot Ron.

"Yes, why do you need the book?" asked Hook.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" asked the Wizard of Oz. When everyone frowned at him, he said, "to change the story of the Wizard of Oz of course! Get rid of that old fake and replace him with me, the real Wizard, the real king of -"

"Oh, be quiet," Hermione snapped. "We've already established that you aren't going anywhere."

"Ah, but you're wrong, dear girl," hissed the Wizard. "Don't you see? This is what I was going for the entire time, this is what I really need."

"What are you -" started Regina, but in the next second, the Wizard of Oz had opened the book, and disappeared inside.

Everyone's mouth dropped.

"Where did he go?" Emma yelled.

Henry slowly approached the book and looked at the open page. "This shows Oz. I guess he's going there to reclaim his throne."

"Unless he's at Hogwarts," Hermione said worriedly.

Regina shook her head. "I'd guess he'd go to Oz first. That was probably why he wanted the book from the beginning. He didn't know that this book could take him to Hogwarts, after all."

"Well, we have to go after him," said Ron.

"Who's going?" asked Hermione.

"Well, we three should go," Harry spoke up, pointing to him and his two friends.

Emma nodded. "And me, Regina, and Henry."

"You can't forget us," said Snow White, pointing to herself and David.

"And me," said Hook.

"Well, look at that, the squad is back together," said Emma. "Red, Robin Hood, you wouldn't mind staying behind to take care of Storybrooke, would you?"

They shook their heads. "Good luck," said Red.

"Well, then, it's adventure time," Emma replied, stepping toward the book.

"Let's make this quick," muttered Regina.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at each other. "Looks like it isn't over yet," Harry told his friends.

Ron shrugged. "Nothing's ever over for us, is it?"

"Well, at least we'll have a good story to tell when we go back to Hogwarts, won't we?"

Harry smiled. "Come on."

Together, they went up to the book. Everyone each took a breath, before they leaned forward. The portal began to glow, indicating for them to step inside. And then, one by one, they were tumbling through a swirl of sparkles until they landed on hard-packed ground.

Harry looked down. It was a yellow brick road.

"Here we are," announced Emma. "Oz."

Plot twist, huh? Look's like this story's going on even longer than I expected. What do you think is going to happen next? Please review your predictions! - Key