We were all waiting for Albus when he finally closed the door. Scorpius and I weren't quite sure exactly what we were going to say.

Albus just collapsed in to a seat clearly exhausted. "This is all too weird."

Delphi simpered. "You were impressive. Good blocking action."

Scorpius tried for a little humor mixed with repulsion. "I don't know whether to high-five you or frown at you for kissing your aunt about five hundred times!"

"Ron's an affectionate guy. I was trying to distract her, Scorpius. I did distract her." Albus defended.

Scorpius and I looked at each other. One of us would have to say something. Finally Scorpius nodded.

"And then there's what your dad said…" Scorpius was hesitating but what in Merlin's name do you say to something like that? I can't believe Uncle Harry said it at all.

I mean I believe it, but I don't believe it. It is like Aunt Hermione said, we all say things we don't mean. And Uncle Harry didn't exactly grow up with a shining example of how to express himself to children.

Delphi interrupted. "Boys… She will be back, we don't have long."

Not used to having our private chats interrupted I glared at her. "Sod off. This is important."

She looked at me like she was trying to set me on fire with her eyes.

"You heard that?" Albus looked miserable.

Delphi had opted for ignoring me. Good choice. One well timed shout and I would bring the might of the Ministry down on her. I was already rethinking this whole thing. "Where would Hermione hide a Time-Turner? The only thing in here is…. Search the bookcases?"

We started looking but I was still a lot more concerned about Albus and so was Scorpius.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Scorpius asked.

" My dad says he wishes I weren't his son." Albus looked away. "Hardly a conversation starter, is it?"

"Albus…" I looked at him sadly. "That isn't something Uncle Harry would say. Not normally. That is garbage he picked up from my grandparents. I am not making excuses for him." I hurriedly added. "Just maybe consider, he doesn't really know stuff like good parenting skills."

Scorpius tries to work out what to say. "I know the Voldemort thing isn't… true … and.. you know… but sometimes, I think I can see my dad thinking: How did I produce this?"

I couldn't believe Scorpius said that. I thought he had this great relationship with his Dad. But thinking it over it really seemed like mostly he was pretty close to Aunt Aly.

Albus looked ready to cry. "Still better than my Dad. I'm pretty sure he spends most of his time thinking: How can I give him back?"

Delphi reached out to try to pull Scorpius towards the bookshelves. I immediately pulled him back. I mean, seriously, hands off!

Delphi shook her head. "Maybe if we could concentrate on the matter at hand?"

Scorpius patted my arm. "My point is, there's a reason we're friends, Albus, a reason we found each other, you know? The three of us. And whatever this adventure is about…" Suddenly he stopped and started frowning at books on the shelves. "Have you seen the books on these shelves? There are some serious books here. Banned books. Cursed books."

Albus grinned at me. "How to distract Scorpius from difficult emotional issues. Take him to a library."

"All the books from the Restricted Section and then some." Scorpius picked up some "Magick Moste Evile. Fifteenth-Century Fiends. Sonnets of a Sorcerer. That's not even allowed in Hogwarts!"

"Well, you would be the expert on what books are allowed at Hogwarts Scorp." I had no idea where he was going with this.

Albus read the cover of one, "Shadows and Spirits. The Nightshade Guide to Necromancy."

The look on Delphi's face was creepy. I think I am the only one who noticed. Greedy and dark. "They are quite something, aren't they…"

"The True History of the Opal Fire." Albus picked one up and quickly put it back "The Imperius Curse and How to Abuse It."

"And lookee here." Scorpius laughed "Whoa. My Eyes and How to See Past Them by Sybill Trelawney."

"A book on Divination?" I frowned " Aunt Hermione hates Divination."

"This is fascinating. This is a find." Scorpius pulls the book from the shelf.

And it falls open. And speaks.

The first is the fourth, a disappointing mark.

You'll find it in parked but not in park.

"Okay." Scorpius seemed fascinated. "A book that talks. Bit weird."

The second is the less fair of those that walk on two legs.

Grubby, hairy, a disease of the egg.

And the third is both a mountain to climb and a route to take.

Albus was suddenly excited. "It's a riddle. It's giving us a riddle."

A turn in the city, a glide through a lake.

Delphi looked angry. "What have you done?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I, uh, I opened a book. Something which has, in all my years on this planet, never been a particularly dangerous activity."

The books in the shelf reach out and try to grab Albus. "What is that?"

Delphi sounded excited. Almost manic. "She's weaponized it. She's weaponized her library. This is where the Time-Turner will be. Solve the riddle and we'll find it."

Albus frowned. "The first is the fourth. You'll find it in parked, not in park. Ed… de…"

The books started swallowing up Delphi

I have to admit, not a small part of me thought "Good riddance."

Scorpius repeated the next words. "The second is a disease of the egg, the less fair of those who walk on two legs…"

Delphi waved her arms. "Men! De-men . . . tors. We need to find a book on dementors." As the bookcase pulled her in she shouted "Albus!"

"Delphi! What is going on?" Of course Albus would think her being sucked in was a loss.

Scorpius was in his element. "Concentrate, Albus. Do what she said. Find a book on dementors and be very careful."

When Scorpius said "do what she said" a chill passed through me.

Albus waved a book. "Here, Dominating Dementors: A True History of Azkaban."

The book flung out and swung itself at Albus who barely dodged out of the way. At the same time I was using an umbrella to beat back the bookshelves.

I was born in a cage

But smashed it with rage

The Gaunt inside me

Riddled me free

Of that which would stop me to be.

Albus shouted, "Voldemort!" and started pulling more books.

Delphi plunges through the books, back as herself. "Work faster!"

When she's pulled back in, screaming, Albus called after her, "Delphi! Delphi!"

Scorpius looked worried. "She'd become herself again, did you notice?"

"No! Because I was more worried about her being eaten by a bookcase! Find. Something. Anything on him." Albus looked ready to cry.

Scorpius pulled another book "The Heir of Slytherin? Do you think?"

Scorpius pulls the book from the shelf, it pulls back, ALBUS/RON is consumed by the bookcase. "Albus? Albus!"

"Okay. Not that. Voldemort. Voldemort. Voldemort." We scans the shelves.

"Marvolo: The Truth, this must be it." I tossed the book to Scorpius.

Scorpius opened it. Again it swings away, revealing a splintering light, and a deeper voice than previously heard.

I am the creature you have not seen.

I am you. I am me. The echo unforeseen.

Sometimes in front, sometimes behind,

A constant companion, for we are entwined.

ALBUS emerges from the books. As himself again. "Albus!" I tried to grab his hand.

"Albus.." Scorpius tried to help me pull him out.

Albus shouted at us. "No. Just, THIIIIIIINK!"

Albus is violently pulled back into the bookcase. "But I can't." Scorpius worried. "An invisible echo, what is that? The only thing I'm good at is thinking and when I need to think I can't."

"Yes you can!" I shouted at him. "You are amazing. I know you can do this. I know no one else can!"

Just as I say that the books pull him inside them; he's powerless. This is terrifying. "SCORPIUS!" I screamed.

There's silence.

Then BANG! A shower of books are released from the bookcase and Scorpius reemerges. Smashing the books aside.

"No! You don't! Sybill Trelawney. No!" Scorpius looks determined. I am ready to cry.

He looks around, sunk but full of energy. "This is all wrong. Albus? Can you hear me? All this for a frigging Time-Turner. Think, Scorpius. Think."

Books try and grab him. I keep hitting them back but by this time I am so terrified and crying I can barely see what I am doing.

"A constant companion. Sometimes behind. Sometimes in front." Scorpius murmured. "Hang on. I've missed it. Shadow. You're a shadow. Shadows and Spirits. It must be…"

He climbs up the bookcase, which is horrifying as it rises up at him. Grabbing at him with his every step.

"Please Scorp…" I pleaded with him through my tears. "Please be careful."

He pulls the book from the shelf. It comes out and the noise and chaos suddenly stop. "Is that.."

Suddenly there's a smashing and Albus and Delphi fall out of the shelves and down to the floor.

"We beat it. We beat the library." I threw myself into Scorpius. "YOU beat it!"

Albus only seemed concerned for that bint. "Delphi, are you…?"

Delphi shook herself off. "Wow. Quite a ride."

Albus finally notices us. Or, well Scorpius and the book he is holding to his chest. "Is that? Scorpius? What's inside that book?"

"I think we should find out, don't you?" Delphi was back to being creepy.

Scorpius carefully opened the book. In the center of it was a spinning Time-Turner. "We've found the Time-Turner. I never thought we'd get this far."

"Mates, now we've got this, the next stop is saving Cedric. Our journey has only just begun." Albus grinned at us.

Scorpius looked at me concerned. "Only just begun and it's almost half killed us. Good. This is going to be good."

I quickly wiped the tears away. "As long as I have you two."

"You will always have me." Scorpius took my hand.

"And me." Albus grabbed the other.

"They will be back soon." Delphi reminded us. "We need to GO!"