Thirty-Seven

The Tomb Raiders

Jennifer felt a gentle tug on her elbow and found Severus had made her way over to her, pulling her away from several students who were debating whether to try dancing or not in the crowded basement.

"My watch doesn't appear to be in my cloak. I don't suppose you have any idea where it is?" Severus murmured in her ear.

"Perhaps it's in your desk," Jennifer suggested. "Worried about Aurelius and Alex already? Would you like to borrow my watch?"

"Actually, I was rather wondering where Ambrose went off to," Severus admitted. "He's been gone awhile."

"Considering we're in Hogsmeade, maybe he simply went off to do some shopping or run some errands or something," Jennifer said unconcernedly.

She was apparently more interested in watching Natalie making a futile but comical attempt at teaching Charles the Third how to dance. Just behind them, Lucky had went over to give the Duffy doll she had received from her aunt to little Amber, who seemed just as pleased about receiving the present as Lucky was to pass it on.

"That doesn't make sense to me, Jennifer," Severus persisted in a low voice, drawing Jennifer's attention back to him. "It's not like Ambrose to wander off when I'm certain he knows how important this is to Lucky. It's quite out of character for him not to be here, and I cannot think of any errand he might have wanted to take care of in town that would take him this long," Severus said.

"Why don't you ask Ashley if you're worried about it," Jennifer suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Severus admitted, spotting her across the room.

Despite the fact that Severus had sensed that Jennifer was not telling him everything, Jennifer had been quite calm. Ashley, however, looked quite distracted, holding onto Destiny's hands while the young girl made an effort at dancing to her own beat rather than the music. Ashley's eyes immediately focused in on Severus when he came near her, and she was wearing the expression of someone who had just been caught doing something they know they shouldn't have been doing.

"Ashley, have you seen Ambrose?" he asked quietly.

"Oh ah… yes, Severus, I saw him leave a while ago. He had an errand to run," Ashley explained.

"Really? What sort of errand?" he asked in a low but casual tone.

"It's a family matter, Severus," Ashley explained, picking Destiny up. "But you're right in that it has been awhile, so I think I'll go check up on him for you. Here, have your granddaughter. I'll just go have a word with Lucky, and then I'll go look for him," she said, pushing Destiny over at him before he could think of a way out of it.

His eyes followed her as she wandered over to where Lucky and Connie were standing, and he didn't miss the fact that Ashley paused long enough to say something to Jennifer as well, who nodded solemnly in response. Letting out a silent sigh, Severus turned and went back over to where Albus was sitting and sat down beside him. Destiny began to squirm, immediately wanting to get down to join the party once more.

"I see you have your hands full again," Albus teased, enticing the girl's attention with a biscuit.

"Apparently I'm not the only one," Severus said.

Ashley knew perfectly well that Ambrose was not going to be at home, but she couldn't help but be relieved to get out of the stuffy room and into her own house where she could worry without having the added pressure of trying to look less worried than she really was.

She went in the back door and through the kitchen without a second glance at the note Bart had tossed in the kitchen window (he had learned a long time ago that it seemed to be the most effective way of getting letters to her) and straight over to her sewing box, pulling out some work and threading several needles with a quick flick of the wand. Then took out some material already pinned to different patterns, tossing it at the dummy and watching as it arranged itself to make certain it was all lined up properly.

Every now and again she would pause and look out the window before forcing herself to concentrate on her project once more. Finally she saw a flash of light out of the corner of her eye and looked up, a bit confused when she saw nothing out the window.

Just then, the door started to rattle as the excited Ambrose momentarily forgot whether to pull or push, but at last he burst through the door.

"I did it! Mum, look, I did it!" Ambrose said excitedly, and Ashley looked up in amazement as Merlin stepped in, a bit ruffled but otherwise all right.

"Ambrose!" Ashley said in such a tone that her son knew very well it wasn't directed at him. It was made even clearer when she ran over and hugged Merlin out of sheer relief. "Thank goodness you are all right! I was so worried!"

"There, there, my dear, I'm quite all right," Merlin said awkwardly, feeling more than a little uncomfortable about having a woman he didn't remember showing him such open affection. But as awkward as it was, it became even more awkward when young Ambrose decided to join in, hugging them both at once and beaming at them happily. "Um… thank you! Excuse me for a moment if I beg for some air… you see, I haven't really gotten to breathe in awhile, being trapped under a tree, you know…"

"Oh, you poor man! Come have a seat. Ambrose, get him some water…" Ashley fussed.

"No no, thank you, really. I have been very well watered… snow pack, you know, and really, I just wanted to make sure the boy got back all right, and to find out if you know exactly what I was up to when I lost my memory…"

"Are you hungry?" Ashley quickly interrupted.

"Oh…well…perhaps a little," Merlin admitted.

"You lost your memory?" Ambrose asked in confusion. "But you seem all right to me. You act like you always do in your paintings…"

"Ambrose, you had better run to your sister's house and fetch Severus, but don't tell anyone else just yet," Ashley said.

"What! But when he finds out what I did, I'm going to get in trouble!" Ambrose complained.

"No one is going to get into trouble for this if I have anything to say about it, now go and fetch Severus so I can talk to Merlin alone for a few minutes," Ashley said.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Ambrose said with a grin, and then ran out the door. Ashley shook her head in exasperation.

"When you said no one, Mrs. Bailey, did that mean to include more than Ambrose?" Merlin asked. "What I mean to say is… Viviane thought he had some help, and I'm quite worried that she's on a rampage about it."

"Yes, he did have help, although I really hope you won't mention that to Severus…"

"Madam, considering I don't have any sort of idea at this moment what I should and should not be saying at all, I believe I would be better off not saying much to anyone just yet," Merlin admitted. "I do have another concern at the moment, and that is whether or not the sword is still being wielded. Is it?"

"Yes, it is," Ashley said with a sigh. "In fact, Aurelius left the party about the same time Ambrose did, something out about tracking down a possible descendent of Morgan le Fey's that might know something about it…"

"Which line?" Merlin asked suspiciously, furrowing his brows. "Not Mordred's, I hope."

"No, we already knew that they didn't know anything about this," Ashley said. "Aurelius and the girls were more interested in Owain's line."

"Oh dear, I hope they're careful," Merlin frowned. "I may not remember who Morgan's descendants might be in this time period, but one thing is certain; whoever tails one of them is likely to get more than they bargained for."

Joanie took the tea politely from where she sat across from an older woman, occasionally glancing at the somewhat grotesque cherubs ornately carved in the woodwork. The butler had called it 'the music room,' despite the fact that the only thing that might have given it such a label was a dusty lap harp sitting above the mantle that looks as if it hadn't been touched in years.

In many ways, Joanie couldn't help but feel that the limestone manor was more apart of their world than the Muggle world; in fact, the only thing that seemed remotely Mugglish was the small sign posted on the ornate ironwork gates announcing that garden tours were unavailable until May. There was a ghostly feel to the entire place, or as Alex had put it, it was positively creepy, including the dark and dismal marshlands that surrounded the carefully tended manor grounds. The Lady Moor herself seemed rigid and out of place and wore a very outdated gown that wasn't particularly fashionable in either society.

"So this manor was built on the site of Owain's castles?" Joanie asked.

"It was a monastery originally, but it often served as a defensive stronghold, yes," the lady nodded. "You can see the remnants of it in the gardens and in the walls surrounding the property, although the only part of the building itself that still exists is a part of the cathedral over near the family graveyard. The mausoleum there serves as a marker to where the original catacombs were, although there isn't much left of them. The damp air in this area has collapsed most of the underground areas, you see," the lady said.

"Do you suppose there are knights templar buried down there?" Joanie asked daringly, and the lady laughed.

"You have been reading too many books, Miss Weasley, for you seem to be looking for a mystery rather than a special interest story," she said.

"Well, it seems to me there already is plenty of mystery here, considering how many Arthurian legends have Morgan le Fey as Owain's mother. Although I have wondered whether she really was a Fae at all, or if many only assumed she was fae because of her magic ability," Joanie said. Moor's eyes flicked up at her searchingly.

"Come now, dear child, you speak almost as if magic truly existed," she tsked. "Perhaps she was simply very pale and fair, or perhaps it was a reference to the lands she came from. But magic? Next you'll be telling me you believe in ghosts and vampires, and although I myself enjoy a thrilling tale of intrigue now and again, we must be realistic, now mustn't we? Even so, I very much believe that Owain's mother could very well be the same woman referenced in such tales," she agreed smoothly. "However, I'm not about to prove it to you or anyone else, nor do I ever want it proven. You see, Miss Weasley, I believe some mysteries are better off left unsolved. The dead should have the right to protect the secrets of their lives, and besides, I rather think knowing the answer to a mystery tends to leave one feeling deflated. Unfortunately, most of the world around me seems to think that no stone should be left unturned," she said with a thin smile. "Do yourself a favor and preserve the mysteries in your life. You will enjoy life a lot more if you do, you know."

"I'm afraid natural curiosity and trying to solve mysteries is in my blood," Joanie chuckled. "I'm a reporter, after all."

"Oh yes, I understand, Miss Weasley, just as it's in my blood to try and preserve them," the Lady Moor said, getting up. "I do hope, however, that you have plenty of mystery for your article, but don't forget to mention the gardens. My son has a special affection for roses, and he's rather famous for them in this area. I'm only sorry that you came to call in the winter and couldn't enjoy the gardens properly."

"Perhaps I'll come back in the spring and take some photos," Joanie said.

"Yes, of course, and then my son can show you around, perhaps. He's about your age, and doesn't get much company," she explained.

"Very well, until then," Joanie said quickly. "And thanks for the tea."

Joanie slowly worked her down the groomed path to the gates, her eyes focused ahead until she turned a corner and then began to run, pushing through the marsh until she met up with Jamie.

"How did it go? Did you learn anything?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah, and I think… I think maybe there is more here than we first thought. Where are Aurelius and Alex?" Joanie asked.

"They went to check out that old graveyard, actually, to see how far the dates go back," Jamie explained.

"Uh oh, that's not good," Joanie said.

"What's wrong?" Jamie asked.

"Only that if those two get caught they're going to get more than they bargained for, because after the warning I just got from Lady Moor, I don't think this family is as Muggle as they like to pretend they are," Joanie said.

Alexandria crept carefully through the catacombs behind Aurelius, doing everything in her power not to touch anything to the point of pulling in her shoulders close in the narrower tunnels to keep from brushing up against the sides.

"I saw this movie once where someone went down in a catacomb like this, and it was completely filled with rats," Alex whispered ominously. "Only in that case, they were looking for the Grail."

Aurelius rolled his eyes.

"First off, Alex, you have a wand. If you see a rat, turn it into a doorknob. And second, there's no real Grail, it was simply a device used by storytellers of the time period to symbolize the attempt at attaining a higher level of spirituality through questing," Aurelius explained.

"You don't know that for sure…"

"Yes I do. I'm sure," Aurelius said firmly. "Now, come on. I want to see how far down we can go just in case one of Morgan's descendants was buried with it."

"But I thought all the tales said she chucked it in a lake?" Alex said.

"Yes, but something about that doesn't sit right with me. I mean, why would she have done that when she could have given it to one of her sons to use against Arthur?" Aurelius said.

"Maybe she simply didn't want anyone to know for sure it was her who did it?" Alex said. "Maybe she was forced into chucking it somehow?"

"Maybe," Aurelius admitted. "Or maybe she passed it down to someone and it got buried with them."

"Or maybe someone still has it," Alex pointed out.

"No, I don't think so, because it'd have surfaced by now," Aurelius said. "According to local history, the Moor family line is filled with hemophiliacs."

"Well, isn't that a cruel irony then?" Alex said, Aurelius nodding in response, but then paused when he heard a noise. He then looked down the corridor and let out an exasperated sigh. "Just how much louder can you be, traipsing around in unfamiliar territory sounding like a herd of elephants? I thought I taught you better, Jamie," he scolded her before she even stepped into the light.

"Sorry, but we need to get out of here and fast, there's been a hitch," Jamie said.

"A hitch?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. In the fact that the members of this family aren't Muggles," Jamie said.

"Oh, don't be silly! Of course they're Muggles! They're in a guide book!" Alex said with exasperation.

But just then they heard strange noises like grating stone from all around them.

"Alex," Aurelius said slowly, glancing at one of the crypts that had just opened up on its own. "They're not Muggles."

"Look out!" Joanie warned from the darkness in front of them, and almost immediately afterwards they found themselves surrounded by the animated remains of those around them. Some of them looked like decayed rags with bones attached, while others were barely more than invisible men with fragments of bone hanging in air of where they would have been had he been alive, their rusted swords and spear and axe heads also floating by their sides. The four of them soon found themselves running for their lives, using their wands to keep the undead from getting too close to them as they pushed further up the stairs.

The wisp light had gone out early as Aurelius had to concentrate his magic on defending himself, and then Alex had made the mistake of trying to parry with her torch and had it smashed to pieces. In a panic, she reached in her pocket and felt something cold and round in her hand. She pulled out a large gem that suddenly began glowing brightly, leaving the others blinking while their eyes tried to adjust.

"This way!" Alex said, leading them down one of the corridors.

"How did you get Mum's gem?" Aurelius said in disbelief.

"I'm sorry! I forgot all about her giving it to me before we left!" Alex said. Aurelius groaned softly. "She also had me borrow something of Corey's…"

"I don't care!" Aurelius snapped, banishing another of the animated corpses into oblivion with a quick blast from his wand. "Let's just get out of here before we get into even more trouble than we're already going to be in!"

"Uh oh," Joanie said immediately afterwards, and they all looked over to see the stone door up to the surface had been thrown back into place. "Now we're trapped down here."

"Just Disapparate," Aurelius said, still standing with his wand pointed the other way in case any more skeletons decided to come after them.

"Can't. Tried that," Joanie said.

"Keys?" Jamie asked, grabbing her Ministry key.

"Tried that too," Joanie admitted.

"She's right, this must be a bound area," Jamie said, but before she could say anything else, another wave of the animated dead began surging towards them in a wave and they all had to take the defensive again.

"Are you ready to hear what it was that I borrowed from Corey, now?" Alex asked, not even trying to help fend them off.

"All I want to hear right now is you have a way to get us out of here!" Aurelius shouted at her.

"That's what I got," Alex said, pulling out a Portable Hole out of her pocket and slapping it onto the trap door.

"Brilliant!" Joanie said appreciatively.

"After you!" Alex said, and the two girls scrambled up, leaving Jamie and Aurelius to cover for them until at last they followed them.

But as Aurelius pushed himself through, he realized that the entire mausoleum was filled with a horrible yellow gas, and before managed to grab a cloth out of his cloak, Aurelius blacked out.