As they head back inside, Ceirdwyn takes Arthur aside. "We may laugh and it may have been misguided, but don't forget that she said, through her actions, 'Nobody harms this family, not tonight, not on my watch' and she put herself on the line to enforce it."

Arthur nods "She barely knows us; don't you think it may also have been a continuation of what she was doing before?"

"She knows you better than you think. You are doing a generous thing for a friend of a friend. We don't take that lightly. So, it is more than a hatred of secret police."

Arthur astounds Ceirdwyn saying "During the Second Muggle World War, my people, some of them, took action." Ceirdwyn's jaw drops. Arthur nods and continues "There were these flying bombs that made a strange loud buzzing noise. If you flipped them over, they crashed rather than reach the coast. They could only do it at night when they would not be seen. Some also worked with bomb disposal units causing mechanisms to fail. I heard a few overtook enemy reconnaissance flights although they were forbidden. I wonder what those pilots reported when they got back, if they reported it at all."

"A broom can go that fast?"

"You need to wear goggles."

As they walk toward the house, Ceirdwyn says "It was pretty funny…"

Arthur nods. "I didn't expect her to hold on so hard. I was only trying to disarm her." After a long pause he continues "But, it was funny…"

Michelle tries to sleep in Ron's bed. Amanda is sound asleep nearby. Michelle startles at every sound and the Burrow creaks like an old ship. She thinks she hears footsteps from above. "Pssst… Pssssst… Amanda… Amanda wake up."

Amanda rouses slightly, but continues to sleep.

"Amanda."

Amanda stirs. "You should have before bed. I think they have a privy out in the garden."

"What? …No."

"Well, I'm not sleeping with the stink if you use the chamber pot."

"No… There is something in the attic."

"I'm sure they have lots of stuff stashed up there."

"No… Something is walking around."

"Probably a cat or a mouse. Go to sleep."

"There are footsteps. I can't sleep."

"Well, pretend to sleep until you do… or at least until I do." Something bangs on a pipe. Amanda's eyes open wide. Michelle sits bolt upright.

"Mouse huh?"

Amanda relaxes recalling what Molly told her. "It is probably just the ghoul."

Michelle shivers. "The what?"

"Ghoul. Molly said it doesn't leave the attic. Go to sleep."

"Amanda…?" Michelle is just eighteen, but right now she feels more like eight.

"I'm not holding you."

"I need a drink."

"Go get one. I think there is more butterbeer in the kitchen."

"Go with me…?"

"Nothing here is going to cause you permanent harm. You want to go…go, otherwise go to sleep. You're going to see plenty of strange things tomorrow. The people there won't be as friendly."

Michelle reluctantly curls up into the monster defense position she perfected as a child and pulls the covers over her head.

Adam watches the fire from the couch in the deserted Common Room. He hears a slight sound and sees Hermione sneaking down the stairs. "I'm scared…to go by that…place…alone. I'll ride with you."

"I'll be happy for the company."

Minerva asks Snape "Why did you volunteer to come?"

"I have my reasons."

"Care to express them."

"No."

Arthur and Molly talk quietly in bed. "I never thought I'd meet even one, but now there are four right here in the house." Molly observes.

"I'm sure the Ministry will want to know what is in that place they go. But I'm more interested in why they had an Auror here…and why Errol has not returned."

"I'll offer to go with them again. The other two want to take Ginny to Wistman's Woods."

"Really?"

"It has to do with an old religion…old by their standards."

"Old by their standards?"

"Before agriculture…"

"That would be from before they were born…by thousands of years."

"There are still some believers. But they go to remember their peoples. I think they are Christians."

"You didn't agree."

"No. I think that is why Alex asked to take Ginny for a ride…to gain our trust."

"Subtle and dangerous…"

"I don't think they would allow her to come to harm. I think they mean for her to learn about a time when women were in charge."

An owl arrives at the Hogwarts Owlery. When checked, the keeper is shocked to see the note is addressed to Sir Nicholas.

In the grey dawn Hermione rides with Adam as they drive slowly through Hogsmeade. Nothing is stirring. Adam has a large cup of coffee, light and sweet, in the cup holder. Hermione, dressed in her muggle clothes, carefully holds a large brown paper bag. They will be eating breakfast on the road. Adam takes a sip and savors the warmth. "There is a cup for you too."

Hermione gingerly reaches in and gets out a cup. She observes how Adam has opened a small section of the lid and she does the same. She peeks inside to see a murky tan liquid. She sniffs it. "This isn't tea."

"Nope. Coffee."

"I don't drink coffee."

Adam shakes his head and smiles. "You mean you don't drink coffee yet."

"I'm British. We drink tea."

"It is light and sweet. It is like a gateway drug for coffee." Adam grins.

Hermione sniffs it again. There is no denying it, smell is more enticing than tea.

"I don't drink coffee."

"Americans drink coffee."

"Who cares… Are you American?"

"I'm not anything…or maybe I'm everything. It is a big world Hermione, and it is always changing. Americans drank tea… until it was taxed."

Hermione takes a skeptical sip. It isn't tea, but it will do. Adam glances over and smiles. "What?" Hermione challenges.

"Your world got a little bit bigger."

Michelle has spent a sleepless night and goes downstairs as soon as it is light enough to navigate the labyrinth of halls and stairs to get away from whatever is in the attic.

When she gets to the kitchen, she looks outside into the dawn light. She is surprised to see legs sticking out from under Ceirdwyn's Land Rover. Michelle finds the butterbeer and pours herself a glass. Alex wriggles out from under the Land Rover with her quarry and brings it inside.

"Good morning Michelle. Your big day huh?"

Michelle nods sleepily.

"Is Amanda going to teach you how to use it?"

"I suppose."

Alex takes a deep breath. "Listen. You need to learn. There is no 'I suppose' about it." Alex become increasingly incensed. "Your… life… depends on it."

Michelle nods meekly.

"I'm serious."

"I get it."

"Do you?"

"An immortal offered to train me. But he planned to screw me and then kill me. I saw Duncan kill him."

Alex nods grimly. "Good."

"Good? It was horrible."

"It removed your illusions."

Alex holds up a small plastic box and shows Michelle. "Found it." Alex grins.

"What is it?"

"A tracking device. It was under her truck. Now, how devious is an eighteen-year-old girl from Seacouver?"

A grin creeps across Michelle's face. Alex hands the device to Michelle then follows Michelle out to the main road. Michelle neatly tosses it into the back of a passing produce truck. Michelle looks to Alex for approval and gets a big grin.

"If she doesn't train you…you call me, and I will."

Snape and McGonagall stare in horror at the footprints close to their magical shelter.

The boys rouse as Cassandra serves them bowls of porridge.

Dumbledore wanders into Hufflepuff and finds Professor Pomona Sprout. Pomona is startled. "They haven't returned?"

"Not yet." Dumbledore sits down, puts his hands together, and peeks over his glasses. "Tell me of the Witch of Donan Wood."