Chapter 12
The Honeymoon Killer Gem

Murray's POV

Sly had asked Bentley to check up on the four people we see standing in a circle just a few feet away from us, but when he sees what I do, he had instantly told Bentley it was no longer needed. And the Murray can't blame him. The four have their wands raised in the sky, stand with their backs to each other and have their eyes closed in focus.
But as this is all happening do I see small rocks start to float out of the ground and they slowly float over to be positioned at certain points at the end of the circle, growing bigger and higher as they float. I can barely believe what the Murray is seeing as the four are still standing where they were, their wands still high, their eyes still closed.

Amazed at the fact that magic like this actually exists I ask: "Do you think Harry can do magic like that?" But my friend shrugs and says: "I – I have no idea. I mean, he was able to let a blood-adoption ritual be done by us just considering ourselves closer to each other than to any of our ancestors, but – but still."
I nod and Carmelita says: "Sly quick, take a picture with your Binocucom. It can serve as a motivation for Harry." Sly nods and quickly does as said, even though the Murray knows quite well how agitated the Raccoon is over the fact that his girlfriend actually still came along on this – possibly – dangerous new mission.
Hoping we can just keep it to taking pictures and leave this era as quickly as possible, the Murray knows Sly wants this as bad as he does – maybe even more. Sly takes the picture and says: "Let's see if we can park the Van somewhere inside the castle. Then we can have more of a chance to have a look at their artifacts."

We all nod and Bentley says: "I hate to say this, Sly, but to do that, you'll have to go out into the field. Think you're up for it." I know this instantly causes Carmelita worries, but Sly smirks and asks: "After a whole week on a diet of my bonded one's love? No problem." And while this must slightly comfort the fox, do I know it doesn't still all her concerns.
Sly then sneaks out of the car and I can barely believe how easily he moves over the grass, past the patches of bush and tall grass and how swiftly he reaches and passes through the Suspension bridge. Just then do the four wizards seem done and I suddenly recognize the Stone circle. But then they start moving and I whisper:

"Sly, they're heading your way. Get out of that bridge, quick!" I hear a soft gasp and wonder how long it will take for Carmelita to trust in Sly's abilities again, but then I see why she gasps as Sly uses his cane to swing under the bridge. Standing up to look further down, I don't see a body falling and the Murray takes that as a good sign.
The witches and wizards pass where Sly might not have fallen and when they have entered the Clock Tower, does the Murray see Sly use his cane yet again and Carmelita sits down on the bench behind me, clutching her heart and asking: "Why am I so worried? I know Sly, he can handle himself. Why do I not trust him?"
And Bentley answers: "Because you're feeling both your own worry for him, fueled by the fact you've only had Sly around you for a week, as well as his worry for you, which is fueled by the fact he just can't take it if you get hurt again, let alone by an enemy he might make in this area." Carmelita nods and whispers:

"Really Bentley, that bond is the best thing that ever happened to us, but I really wish it wouldn't influence our behavior to each other like this. I trust Sly with my heart – but – but my – our worries." Bentley nods and I can tell that Sly is mentally trying to comfort his bonded one as she slightly tilts her head with her hand on her temple.
Hoping he can pull it off while still keeping clear of being spotted, I take out my Binocucom and search the area. Suddenly, my eyes widen as the Murray spots Sly climbing Gryffindor tower and I whisper: "Sly, what are you doing?" And Sly answers: "I heard those four saying they stash their heirlooms in this tower.
I have to go see it so we can make a list of what to look for when we travel to Voldemort's graduation time." I nod, glad the man can solve this problem this quickly and he says: "Hey Murray, use your Binocucom to keep an eye on the windows, okay? I don't want to be spotted now that we're this close to finishing half the mission."

"You got it, pal. The Murray will be your eyes." I tell him with the same confidence I always use to make sure my friends know they can count on me. I then quickly aim my Binocucom at the window closest to Sly and instantly worry as I whisper: "Sly, three thirteen year olds at six thirty. I repeat, six thirty, Sly."
"Roger, Murray, and thanks." Sly whispers back as he slides down to hide under the window sill where a bunch of girls walk past, swirling their wands and apparently casting funny spells on each other. I sigh and say: "Whew, if those girls had seen you, that spell casting would no longer have been for fun, the Murray is sure of that."
"I know, keep an eye out, okay pal?" Sly asks me and I nod, muttering: "You got it." But then Bentley says: "Sly, I just did some recon and it seems that Gryffindor Common room was at the base of Gryffindor tower when the Founders first made it. It was moved to the top of the tower halfway through the fifteen hundreds."

"Then what were those girls doing going up?" Sly asks and I say: "I don't know, pal, but I'm starting to think that this is turning into a Sly Cooper master thief Mission." And I can almost see Sly smirk as he says: "You're probably right, Murray, and I'm on it. This just turned interesting." To this I look at Carmelita and say:
"Do make sure you keep it to interesting, Sly, I don't think Carmelita can currently take it if it turns into dangerous." And Carmelita sighs, before a small smile tells me that Sly retorted to this to her, obviously comforting her mentally. I then focus back on my own mission and help Sly stay out of sight as he climbs up.

Sly's POV

I hate how our bond is now endangering our mission and I whisper: "We have to take some test missions when we get back. Preferably some I can take together with Carmelita so we can learn to trust in each other's skills again. Maybe if we help Harry train as a team we can get this done." I smile and nod at my plan.
I then reach the top of the tower and whisper: "Murray, are the girls near my window?" And my friend answers: "No Sly, you evading them made you get there faster than they did." I smile and say: "Good, then it's time for some picture taking." And I quickly take out my own Binocucom and move my head around the window frame.

Seeing several amazing treasures, I whistle and say: "Man, no wonder they stack their loot up this high. Whatever that Voldemort dude is going to use for Horcruxes, it's looking quite amazing." To this Bentley says: "Good to know, Sly. Now take those pictures. Those girls are only three floors away from your position."
I nod, knowing the people of this time must be well-armed with dangerous spells to protect themselves against the wars and battles raging on during this time period. Focusing my Bicocucom on several items, I quickly take a picture of a golden cup with badgers on it, a locket with an emerald stone-made snake and a pretty diadem.

"Those are some nice pictures, Sly. You think that's what the girls are after?" Bentley asks me and I say: "I'm not sure, Bentley, but they had the House Symbols, so they'll probably be on Voldemort's list." I hear Bentley humming in agreement and Murray says: "Sly, you have another 15 minutes. Those girls are being held back."
I snicker and say: "Those Founders must have enchanted the pathway. Too bad they didn't enchant the walls." I look around some more and then suddenly scream, letting go and almost falling. Reaching out for the windowsill, I try with my might to regain my footing, but my fear seems to have immobilized my abilities.

"Sly! What's the matter! What happened? Are you alright?" The worried voice of my friend gets me back on my feet and I hold on with one hand, my feet sturdy against the wall as I say: "Yeah, I'm alright." Then Carmelita sounds and asks: "Sly, what happened? Your fear. It was the strongest I've felt since we bonded."
I take a deep breath and say: "It's nothing, Carmelita. I just thought I saw something. I was probably just seeing things. I'll stay here and see what those girls are trying to steal." And I climb up to lean sideways into the sill. Crossing my arms, I look around and hear Murray say: "Sly, the girls are retreating. They gave up."

"Good to know, Murray. I'll just take some more pictures and then I'll be heading down." I happily tell him, but then look up and my eyes widen as I almost feel myself paralyzed by fear. Four feet tall, three feet wide, shining like blood and shaped like a bow, a gigantic red ruby stands before me on a pedestal and I almost feel it staring back.
I feel my lip trembling and hear Carmelita in my mind asking me: "Sly? Sly? What's wrong?" But I don't feel the ability to answer as the information I have on this item rings through my mind like alarm bells and I think: "No, no. It can't be. He's gone. She destroyed his hate chip. She destroyed him. It can't be."
But looking at the Honeymoon Killer Gem, I can see my own face and the faces of all my ancestors that it killed and, feeling on my back for my Paraglider, I feel the backpack and the string required to pull it out of the backpack. I then shout: "You won't get me! NOT ME!" And I jump out of the window, pulling the string as I jump.

Wide, made of thick fabric and white and blue in color with the Cooper Symbol in the middle, my Paraglider saves my life and I safely land on the other side of the Suspension bridge. Instantly Carmelita runs at me and hugs me tightly, her arms returning a warmth to my form that I didn't realize I couldn't feel anymore.
"What happened, Sly? Your fear overwhelmed me. What were you seeing?" The girl asks and I sigh as I say: "That's a long story. Let's get into the van and I'll tell you. Bentley, I was able to get a few more pictures. Let's head for the other timeline." I then turn back to the window and say: "I want to get out of here as fast as possible."

Bentley's POV

I don't know what has my best friend worried enough he wants to actually flee, but the way Sly is currently looking at the top of Gryffindor tower it almost sounds like he saw Clockwerk back again. Realizing that the ancient bird could actually be alive here, I quickly turn my wheelchair and place the artifact in the time machine.
The others jump in and Murray spares one look at Sly, who is being held by Carmelita and has his head on her chest, seeking comfort, before he grumbles and hits the gas pedal, causing us to shoot through the time portal and onto the period of time where the Second World War had just reached its official end.

I slowly roll my wheelchair over to Sly and ask: "Sly, was it Clockwerk? Was he in there?" Sly shakes his head and whispers: "Worse." Causing me to look confused. The Raccoon sighs and says: "Check the Thievius Raccoonus. It's in Slythunkhamen's section. The Honeymoon Killer gem." I look shocked and grab the book.
Opening it and paging through, I reach the Ancient Egyptian section and look it through for the name Sly mentioned. Finding it, I read: "The Honeymoon Killer Gem. This gem is made of ruby and was given to Slythunkhamen on his wedding day. But, two weeks into his honeymoon, Slyhtunkhamen died of a terrible illness.
Were it not for the child already conceived by Slythunkhamen and his wife, the Cooper line would have ended. This terribly cursed gem has found its way into many a honeymoon of the Cooper line, each time given under the same name and still, only the many centuries in between the gift being given prove that it cannot be the same giver."
I look at my readings in shock and ask: "That gem killed your ancestors?" Sly nods and says: "I recognized it instantly. I read about it when I retrieved his section of the Thievius Raccoonus. It has ruined so many a relationship in my family, I – I feared what looking at it would do to my bond with Carmelita. It terrified me."

Nodding at the Raccoon in understanding, I see Carmelita turn Sly's head and she whispers: "No gem is strong enough to break a soul-bond, Sly." My friend smiles and hugs her close as he says: "I really hope you're right, Carmelita. Because the Thievius Raccoonus is wrong. It has been the same giver every time again."
"How can that be, Sly?" Murray asks as he keeps focusing on the traveling through the tunnel and Sly scares and shocks us all as he says: "Because it was Clockwerk that gave it the first time and it has his name engraved at the bottom of the gem. And seeing how he turned himself into a robot." The man stops and I go on:
"It was easy for him to relocate his gem and again give it to your ancestors during a wedding. He just had to do it through someone else under his own name so that your ancestors would believe he was dead." Sly nods and says: "I really wanted to take that gem away from there, but feared what looking, let alone touching it, could do to me."

We all nod and Murray says: "I see the end of the tunnel, Sly. We'll be 950 years away from that gem in just a few seconds." Sly smiles at his friend and then Carmelita softly kisses his lips and asks: "Better?" Sly nods and says: "I'll feel back to normal once we're back in Harry's time. Let's make sure we're extra careful this time."
Carmelita, Murray and I all nod and as we pass through the end of the tunnel I wonder what else Clockwerk made will be found by Sly and the team. Deciding to do some recon into that once we get back to Harry's timeline, I decide to let Sirius and Remus help us destroy all Clockwerk artifacts, just to bless Sly and Carmelita's bond.