A/N: I'm glad I've managed to get this in. School has sucked my energy so much I'm lucky I'm alive. Let's hope the chapter proves otherwise. Please remember to review! Enjoy!
Chapter Ten: Witch Winter
It didn't seem to Timothy that much longer that light returned to his eyes, the pain he had been feeling almost completely gone. He sighed and yawned, before jumping upright as he realized where he was.
"Oh, you're awake." Said a gentle voice.
Timothy blinked. He was covered in fur skins on a soft bed, his uniform was gone as well as his shirt. Blushing, he gathered up the firs to cover himself as a young woman, average in height with amber brown hair, stepped into the light pouring in through a nearby window.
"Your friends were very worried, but you're fine." She smiled, coming over and taking the firs in her hands. He clutched them away from her, blushing deeper.
"Modest, are we? Now, now, youngling, I won't bite. Nothing I haven't seen before. Just let me have a look and I'll let you dress."
Reluctantly, without a word, Timothy let go of the furs and the woman pulled them back. She merely hovered her hand above his chest for a moment before humming in satisfaction and turning away to grab his shirt.
"I've never seen clothes like yours before," she said quietly, studying him. "You're little girl friend is dressed much the same way, I was quite shocked."
"She's not my girlfriend." Timothy said quickly in a tone that he cursed himself for using. It wasn't too polite, but the woman didn't seem to notice. She laughed lightly instead.
"Really, now? The way she was acting while you were sleeping could tell otherwise."
Timothy had never felt his face grow more red. He pulled his shirt on and clambered off the bed, blinking in the low light of the hut he was in. It wasn't small, but not large either, with a low ceiling and curved architecture.
"Careful," the woman came over and held him up the upper arm as he began to stumble. "You're still weak from the impact of the spell you blocked."
"I did?" he asked incredulously, not really remembering ever saying a spell. "I mean, I blocked a spell?"
"Well of course!" she laughed. "Otherwise you'd be as dead as a doornail right about now."
"Oh." Timothy's mind swam.
"Poor thing," she cooed as she walked him to an opening that was shrouded with a blanket. "Patrick told me all about you. In between making ridiculous moans of pain even though he only had a scratch."
"He did?!" Timothy cried.
She had walked him out through the blanket and outside, where Luna was sitting with her back turned on a log.
"Here he is, Luna. Told you he'd be fine!"
Luna jumped to her feet and whirled around to face them. She ran to Timothy but stopped and hesitated as she nearly tackled him in an embrace. Both of them blushed, with Timothy shuffling his feet.
"Er… thank God you're alright, Timothy!" Luna averted her eyes, still blushing.
"Where's Patrick?" Timothy asked after an awkward moment of silence that followed.
"Right here."
There was a thump behind them and Timothy turned to see Patrick grinning at them all.
"I thought your shoulder was so bad that you could hardly move." The woman accused suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.
Patrick cocked his head and tried to look innocent, hands behind his back.
"With you nursing me, I quickly got as good as new." He winked at Timothy, who couldn't help but to grin back.
"Honestly, Mr. Potter, you're a handful." She crossed her arms.
"And there's no one else I'd rather be a handful to than you, Miss Ocarina." Patrick quickly pranced away before Ocarina could hit him. It was useless, though, for a sharp word slipped from her lips and Patrick instantly became as still as a statue.
"Now that's not fair!" he cried, unable to move.
Ocarina laughed, leaving Timothy's side to slowly stride up to Patrick, grinning slyly to herself.
"Careful, Patrick, or you'll end up as another addition to Whisper's lawn ornament collection."
"Does that mean I get to stare at you all day?" he countered smartly. Ocarina scowled and popped him on the head. "Ow!"
Timothy and Luna began to giggle and Ocarina smiled broadly.
"Can you un-hex me now?" Patrick asked wryly.
"Are you going to behave like a good boy, now?" Ocarina put her hands on her hips.
"Yes, ma'am." He answered humbly, although he began to laugh himself.
Another sharp word snapped into the air and Patrick went limp as if someone cut taut strings attached to him. He rubbed the kinks out and stared at Ocarina, blushing.
Timothy looked around as Patrick began to flirt with Ocarina again. The small hut that he had woken up in was behind him, surrounded by a run-down little garden and further around the perimeter was the dense forest. He searched the area and looked back at the hut to see where Crouch was, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Where's Crouch?" he wondered out loud.
"He went somewhere. I wasn't really paying attention as to where." Luna colored slightly and averted her eyes. He didn't ask where her attention was, for he knew the answer.
"Patrick? Where's Crouch?" he cleared his throat and inverted himself between Patrick and Ocarina, who were now staring at each other.
"Emm… what? Oh! Oh, yeah, he went to go look for Witch Winter." Patrick shook himself out of his stupor.
"Witch Winter?"
"My mistress," Ocarina said. "She's very stubborn and such a solitary creature. Days like these she likes to go out and disappear, doing whatever it is that suits her fancy. She hates other people, and barely tolerates me half the time. I'm surprised she has taught me anything at all. To think I've been with her ever since I was twelve. Even after all these years she still treats me like a child; no different from the first day I set foot in her crummy little hut."
"Why is he looking for her, then?" Timothy asked.
"For advice, I reckon." Patrick shrugged. "She's the only witch in the area."
Silence followed, the only sounds being what animals were stirring in the forest. Luna began to pant and started taking off her school uniform robes. As Timothy watched, completely comfortable with his own uniform off, he realized that the temperature was warmer than it had been back in their time. It was late fall when they were banished back in time, but here it felt like early spring.
She walked back in the hut to put her robes with Timothy's and Ocarina instructed Patrick to go fetch wood for a fire.
"Winter could be anywhere, so we'll go ahead and have an early dinner. You children must be starved! And Timothy, be sure and eat well so that you can recover fully." She said, shepherding them over to a campsite to the side of the hut.
Ocarina was a wonderful cook, Timothy concluded, when the smell of her thick stew filled his nose. She didn't use nearly as many spices as his mother would have used, however. The momentary memory made pangs of homesickness jar his stomach. It must have shown on his face, for he felt a hand land gently on his shoulder.
"What troubles you, Timothy?" Patrick asked quietly, his eyes glowing with youthful kindness.
"Oh," Timothy blushed slightly and looked at his feet. "Just… just thinking of home, that's all."
"Ah, we'll get yeh there, don't worry. Just stick with us and you'll be fine."
Ocarina served everyone and they sat down on the ground in a circle. They were quiet while they ate, until the wandering thoughts in Timothy's mind provoked him to inquire more about Patrick's knowledge of the crest.
"Patrick, are you sure you don't know where the Potter family crest is?"
He slowly chewed his stew, looking thoughtfully at Timothy.
"Honestly, I don't know where it is. My mother never told me, if she knew, which she probably would have. But she died two years ago next month."
Timothy blanched and stared at his stew sitting in his bowl.
"Why are you so curious about it?" Patrick asked.
"The Potter family crest is what I have been instructed to find and acquire, so that I can save the world." Timothy said quietly. Everyone went still and looked at him silently.
"If I can't even find it here," he continued disdainfully to himself. "Then I have truly failed."
"You'll find it." Luna said suddenly with absolute certainty. Timothy wasn't in the mood to start another argument with her.
Ocarina and Patrick exchanged looks and glanced quietly at the two children.
"Ohh…" Ocarina abruptly shuddered. "Here they come."
Timothy and Luna looked up with mild confusion until they saw both Ocarina and Patrick clamber to their feet and walk to the edge of the forest. Out of no where, lumbered out William Crouch and, apparently, Witch Winter. She was a small, hunched over witch of the ordinary stereotyped kind with long white hair and long crooked nose. Her small beady eyes pierced through Timothy like ice, and he realized without doubt how she had received her name.
Both young adults stood and bowed, or in Ocarina's case, curtseyed, in front of their master and mistress.
"Get something for your mistress of charms, girl!" Crouch ordered a little too loudly, making Ocarina jump slightly and hurry to prepare a bowl of stew. Winter paid no mind, but continued to stare at Timothy, making him fidget uneasily.
"Have you no manners, children?" he suddenly called out to Timothy and Luna.
Dropping their bowls, both of them stumbled to their feet and approached both adults much the same way as Patrick and Ocarina had.
"These are the children I mentioned." Crouch said to Winter.
"Of course they are! No need to tell me, I can see them just fine. Who else would they be?"
Crouch let a breath out through his nose slowly in exasperation. He obviously had to deal with Winter for a while. Patrick simply stood the side and looked at them all carefully.
Ocarina came back quickly with a bowl of stew for the witch, who had brushed past Timothy and Luna to sit down on a log facing the fire. She persisted to eat, even under the expectant and weary stares of everyone else. Timothy felt his heart jumping; could this witch be able to send him and Luna back home? But then, just as he felt a faint smile show unnoticed on his face, it fell once he thought of the crest again. How could he go back if it's certain he had failed his quest? How could he face his parents? His family? Everyone else?
"Potter!" Winter suddenly snapped between mouthfuls of stew.
Both Timothy and Patrick jumped with a quick, "Yes?"
"Well, what are you waiting for? Come here!" her beady eyes flashed dangerously.
They quickly rushed forward together and stood before the witch, standing precariously above her. She sat her bowl down, now empty of stew, drew up her hands and pulled them both down by their ears.
"Ow!" Timothy yelped. Patrick simply grunted.
She grabbed their chins and pulled their faces close to her. Timothy grimaced as she peered at them both closely, seemingly studying their features. Her breath was fowl, steaming from her nose and mouth.
"Aye," she nearly whispered, still staring at them both. "Yes, it's clearly true now."
Whisper let them go, and Timothy rubbed his chin as Patrick tried to look dignified in front of Ocarina and the other adults.
"You, young one," she looked directly at Timothy. "Who is your father?"
Timothy blinked at such an odd question. What did his father have to do with anything?
"Er… Harry Potter, ma'am." He replied.
"And your grandfather?"
He looked around at the others as if they knew the reason for such an unusual interrogation. For a moment, he tried to remember his grandfather's name. Then he remembered.
"James Potter."
Winter nodded as if she already knew.
"And you are Timothy Potter."
"Yes, ma'am." He said in awe. Had Crouch already told her his name? Surely, he must have. How else would she have known?
"Well, then," Winter suddenly took up her bowl again with disinterest. "Why do you come to me?"
"Er…" Timothy was even more confused. Everyone else exchanged similar looks while Crouch simply ground his teeth as he stared down at Winter with contempt.
"I come to you, Witch Winter, because it's about time you took some action into the situation we are having." He said hotly.
"We've been having this situation for nearly a hundred years," she shrugged apathetically. "It's the cross of change."
Crouch stepped forward, his bulky stature making him seem ten times more intimidating.
"Because of Welles and his army of bewitched knights, the Muggles have even more fear of us than ever before! It's impossible now for us to co-exist. We must destroy Welles before he can destroy the Muggles, and return peace." Crouch steamed.
"Why do you care so much for the Muggles? Have they not run our kind out of house and home? Do wizards and witches not live in hiding, scattered across the country, in fear?" Winter countered.
"If it weren't for Welles, the Muggles wouldn't be Muggles, but peaceful friends and believers of magic as they once were! But I'm afraid now it's too late. There is no way we can co-exist. The wizarding world must go undercover from Muggles… but it cannot go undercover of dark magic. Welles won't stop at Muggles- the magical community will eventually fall as well, and he'll be the supreme ruler of the world for dark purposes." Crouch said urgently.
"Oh, but it's not just Welles alone that has been moving faster against the land these days." Winter said darkly.
"What do you mean, witch?" Crouch asked accusingly.
"I mean the dark lord has had help in his movements lately. His forces have doubled in power, not by any modern means. Magic no one has ever seen before. But they are not working directly toward the Muggles… no… Welles and his army have been searching." She looked at Crouch.
"Searching for what?" He stared back.
"Searching for the key to an eternity of dark rule. Only, he wouldn't have known about it if it weren't for the woman. The black hearted witch."
"Black hearted witch?"
"She is not from here. Not in place or time. She comes as a servant, but has her own means of obtaining power. It is her that Welles is acting under now… and it is now that times are at its most dangerous point." Winter paused a moment. "And I will have nothing to do with it."
"What?!" Crouch bellowed. "You can't continue to stand aside and watch the world fall to shambles!"
"I will have nothing to do with it, because there is nothing that I can do myself!" Winter shouted back.
"You are nothing but a coward." Crouch shook his head vehemently and looked away.
"There is nothing I can do," Winter repeated again, slowly. "The ones that can already know what it is they must do."
Everyone was staring at her, fixated, and Crouch looked over his shoulder to see her with a mildly confused expression.
"I can only say one thing- use the key from tomorrow to open the door to yesterday."
She hadn't said her last sentence to anyone in particular, but Timothy could feel the words aiming straight at him. Everyone else looked at each other bemusedly, but Timothy kept his gaze on the witch, now helping herself to another bowl of Ocarina's stew.
"And what about us?" Luna asked suddenly, looking back at the witch with expectant eyes. "Do you know how to send Timothy and I back home?"
"The only one who can send you back, my dear, is the same person who sent you here to begin with." Winter's attention was now fully on the steaming bowl of stew in her hands.
Luna stomped a foot and bit her lip.
"But… but… how?"
"Rest now," The old witch stood up and stretched, having finished her second helping. "You'll have to keep moving, Crouch, otherwise his army will be upon us soon.
Crouch simply huffed and stormed off into the forest without a spoken word. Winter paid him no mind, but went about her business into her hut.
"Girl! The little one stays with you, tonight. The boys can fend for themselves."
Ocarina bowed her head and smiled slightly at Luna, who was looking at them all with deep concern. She didn't look the least bit tired, but didn't resist Ocarina's hand leading her into the hut after Witch Winter.
"What about us?!" Timothy called after them, not wanting to sleep outside with an evil wizard loose and magical knights.
"Eh, you don't want to sleep with girls, do yeh?" Patrick crossed his arms and winked down at him.
"Er… 'spose not." Timothy muttered, sweeping his gaze down to his feet.
Patrick laughed and slapped him across the back in a brotherly fashion. He then turned to a nearby tree, and with a pop, was suddenly sitting nestled in the crook of the lower branches. Timothy stared up at him with awe.
"Well?" he called down to him. "C'mon up!"
"Er… I don't know how." Timothy said.
Patrick rolled his eyes and grinned.
"'Course you do! Just think real hard about being up in the tree, and you'll be here. Feel for the ley line near by."
More ley lines, Timothy thought, Patrick must use them like Summerray does in Florida.
He closed his eyes and thought real hard about being up in the tree with Patrick. Suddenly, it felt as if the world closed in around him. Not a second later, the world opened back up and Timothy found himself sitting on Patrick's lap.
"Hey! There yeh are! Not quite the most opportune spot, though. Yeh might look small but yeh don't feel like it! Scoot over, will yeh?" Patrick laughed as Timothy scrambled to an empty space beside him in the crook of the branches. As it was, there was still not that much space, and he was nestled between the side of his ancestor and the rough bark of a large branch. Despite the closeness, Patrick didn't seem to mind. It made Timothy feel a lot better, staying close to someone he could trust… someone like family, who was family, actually.
"What are we going to do, Patrick?" Timothy asked after a few moments of silence.
Patrick let out a long, sleepy sigh. His arm fell around Timothy's shoulders and he patted his arm reassuringly.
"Right now, we sleep. We'll worry about that tomorrow. But, you know what? I think that something important is going to happen… and both you and I have something to do about it."
Yes, Timothy worried silently to himself as he felt Patrick's breathing slow into the rhythm of sleep beside him. At least I have something to do about it… and I don't know what to do.
Timothy woke the next morning alone in the tree. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and branches, making him stir and sense the smell of cooking bacon below him. Painfully stretching out the kinks in his muscles from sleeping cramped on the hard, rough wood, Timothy leaned out to see Patrick flipping the bacon on a pan over a fire. Blooming pollen from the forest suddenly became strong, overtaking the delicious smell of bacon and making him sneeze. Patrick looked up and smiled at him.
"Think Ocarina will be impressed?" he called up to him softly. Apparently the girls, and the old witch, were still asleep.
Timothy smiled back at him and nodded. His smile faded, however, when he looked down to the ground and realized just how far up he was. How was he going to get down.
"Patrick Potter, you left the poor youngling up in your nest! Some responsible guardian you are."
Ocarina had suddenly appeared from the hut, looking up at Timothy and scowling at Patrick, who was grinning sheepishly over his bacon.
"'Morning, Miss! Just wanted to give the poor kid a little lie in, that's all." Patrick said cheerfully.
She folded her arms, still scowling at him, but her expression softened kindly as she reached the base of Timothy's tree.
"All you have to do, Timothy, is think real hard about being down here on the ground. Understand?"
He nodded and closed his eyes, thinking hard about his feet touching the grass. The feeling of the world closing in on him returned, but left just as suddenly and Timothy was then standing beside Ocarina, safe on the ground.
"Fast learner," she smiled. "More proof you're related to that big oaf over there."
"I heard that." Patrick mumbled with his mouth full of bacon.
"Timothy?! Timothy!" Luna suddenly stumbled out of the hut.
"What? What?!" he jumped at the panic in her voice.
Everyone turned to look at her, all disheveled and wet with sweat. She blushed a deep crimson and averted her eyes, her voice small and feeble.
"Er… just… just, nothing."
Timothy continued to look at her as they went to sit around the fire with Patrick, eating bacon and listening to the sounds of animals making their morning rounds. Luna refused to look at him, though, and instead stared at her feet.
"I take it the ol' witch left already." Patrick muttered to Ocarina, who nodded.
"Nothing unusual. I really don't know why I'm still here. I'm old enough to be on my own, now." She said.
"Yeah, that'd be the day Crouch decides to let me go." Patrick looked ruefully at the fire.
"Though I hate to see myself as a lonely old witch like Winter." Ocarina nearly whispered to herself.
"Or myself as crabby and self-righteous as Crouch." Patrick groaned.
"That would be bad." Ocarina looked at him.
"Yes." Patrick looked at her.
Both Timothy and Luna stared at the two young adults, eyes locked in blissful silence. Timothy knew that look and rolled his eyes.
Oh, bother.
Luna pretended not to notice, while Timothy quietly slipped away. Neither Patrick, Ocarina, or even Luna noticed as he wandered into the forest. The leaves under his feet were soft and quiet, which he was grateful for. He wanted to be alone to brood on his thoughts.
What did Winter mean by "use the key from tomorrow to open the door to yesterday"? Could she possibly mean the key he had found in the long forgotten corridor under Gryffindor Tower? And what would he find if he did discover the door the key opened? The crest? If so, where was it? Patrick didn't know… and the witch wouldn't tell him. Surely Patrick would help, but Crouch was too preoccupied with this Welles person to direct his attention to Timothy's quest.
Lord Welles. Witch Winter said that he was under the influence of a black hearted witch. The magical knights that he encountered earlier were his army, made more powerful from the black hearted witch's power. Winter said Welles was now searching for something… had been since he allied with the black hearted witch.
Oh, no! He thought suddenly. Welles was the friend Murtov mentioned. She had come into the past as well and somehow got the already evil Welles to go after him… and maybe even Patrick as well. If Patrick were to be killed, then every Potter after him would be erased from history… including Timothy.
He started to run back to the hut, panting as he bolted at top speed. They needed to do something, quickly, before they met up with Welles' army again- or even Welles himself.
"Timothy? Ooof!"
Timothy ran smack into Luna, knocking them both to the ground. He shook his head furiously and glared at her, upset that she had delayed him. However, when her face went flush and cringed, much like how she would have reacted before the dark turns in her life the previous school year, he couldn't bring himself to be cross with her. All Timothy could manage was an impatient grunt as he scrambled to his feet.
"They sent me to find you," Luna said quickly. "Crouch wants us to move out right now."
"I was going to suggest that, anyway." Timothy said distractedly, already brushing past her to move on.
Luna narrowed her eyes at his coldness, but followed steadily behind him and they reached the clearing of Witch Winter's hut. Crouch was standing impatiently with his arms crossed, looking exasperatedly at them all. Witch Winter looked indifferent, standing in her doorway with a distant gaze. Both Patrick and Ocarina were busy preparing sacks filled with rations and supplies. There was one for Crouch, Patrick, Luna, and Timothy… with Timothy and Luna's Hogwarts uniforms tucked inside their own. Timothy quickly checked to make sure that the key… and even his uncle's diary (which he had forgotten to remove before going down to the library) were safe inside.
"You're condemning yourself, Winter." Crouch said coolly as they prepared to leave.
"I flow with the current of life, Crouch. The future will not be the past, and I accept that. You're just too narrow-minded to realize it." Winter replied.
"It's not our fault that things are this way."
"No… but not even magic can reverse what has been destined to be. Muggles and our kind can not co-exist in mutual harmony. Not anymore, not ever." Winter's eyes were solemn.
"They'll find you." Crouch said simply.
"Only if I want them to. Magic changes as well, Crouch. It adapts."
"To each their own. Peace be with you, Witch Winter." Crouch turned and swiftly left.
"And you, William Crouch." Winter turned back into her hut.
Timothy and Luna were instructed to stay between Crouch and Patrick as they traveled, and the children hesitated to follow Crouch out of the clearing, watching Ocarina say goodbye to Patrick.
"Until we meet again, m'lady." Patrick took her hand and kissed it gently.
"Be careful, Patrick Potter." She whispered.
In one quick, hesitant moment, Patrick stood up, leaned forward, and kissed Ocarina tenderly before backing away and jogging towards Timothy and Luna without looking back. He pushed them both forwards firmly as they looked up at him. Ocarina was quickly out of sight.
"Where are we going?" Timothy wondered out loud about an hour later, ending an uncomfortable silence.
"Hush." Crouch snapped.
"Best not to ask now," Patrick whispered in his ear. "I don't even know."
Crouch suddenly stopped, holding up his hand back to them. Everyone went tense, expecting another batch of ruthless magical knights. However, after several minutes of staring, keeping them glued to their spots with apprehension, Crouch let his hands fall to his sides.
"We'll rest here for a moment."
"Master Crouch?" Patrick asked, trying obviously to hide impatience. "Why don't we just apparate?"
Crouch didn't even look at him, but his lips pierced to a thin line.
"Think, boy."
Patrick cocked his head at him, then looked at Timothy and Luna, who were both settled on the grass and looking up at him questionably.
"Oh." He said simply, sitting down himself.
Luna looked bored after a while, keeping off to herself. Timothy, however, couldn't help but stare at Crouch and wonder where he was taking them. Was he going to find a way to send Luna and him home? Or was he simply just going to continue fighting Welles, and leave their fates to chance?
"Staring is not polite, boy." Crouch said suddenly, snapping Timothy out of his stare.
"S-sorry." Timothy immediately averted his eyes.
"Think that you need me to get you and the girl home, eh?" he continued surprisingly.
Timothy blinked, looking to Luna and Patrick who were glancing back cautiously with their own degree of surprise.
"Er…"
"Of course. I am the adult wizard here, with the most experience. Besides Potter, there, I am the only wizard around remotely willing. But no… I cannot, boy, I cannot." Crouch folded his arms.
"Then how…?" Timothy began, but Crouch stopped him.
"Can't you think, boy? Things don't happen for no reason. That witch may have sent you back in time to put you out of the way, but she inadvertently did exactly what was supposed to happen. You're here for a purpose, and you know what it is. Use your head… that's how you'll get home."
Timothy brushed wisps of his bangs away from his eyes, looking at the broad shouldered wizard that emanated superior power. Patrick was glaring at his master, and Luna simply looked fearfully out in the distance. Only a minute passed by before Crouch stood up, grunting to get moving. They followed him in silence like before… only Timothy was busy trying to figure out how to get home.
"We'll stop here for the night."
Crouch had led them through the forest for the entire day. They stopped at a stream, leading down from some nearby mountains as the sun disappeared from the horizon. Darkness had settled, and both Crouch and Patrick conjured mage-lights to start a camp. Before long, bedrolls were passed out and set up, along with a roaring fire.
"Where are we going, Master?" Patrick asked wearily.
"Exactly where we need to be." Crouch answered cryptically.
"And where's that?"
"Mind your cheek, boy." Crouch grunted.
"I'm nineteen years old! I wish you would stop calling me 'boy'." Patrick huffed.
"You aren't an adult until you prove yourself as one." Crouch said simply, drinking from a sack of water.
Patrick opened his mouth to say something, but seeing Timothy's reproving face, he decided against it and focused his eyes on the fire. The lack of conversation was unnerving for the next few hours, until Crouch announced them all to bed.
"Potter, you take the first watch. No-" he said to Timothy as he began to stand up. "The older one."
Patrick didn't look at Crouch, but went to stand by the stream as ordered. Both Luna and Timothy looked at each other before lying down on their bedrolls and turning over on opposite sides. Timothy couldn't see where Crouch was, but he was a ways off in the tall grass near the stream. There was a sudden gasp and splash from Patrick's direction, and everyone sat up to see what was wrong.
"S'alright!" He called back. "Was only a snake or something."
Crouch grumbled and went back down. Luna looked white and worried, but slowly curled up on her bedroll too. Only Timothy stayed upright, mouth hanging open in terrified realization.
"Go to sleep, Timothy." Patrick whispered back to him kindly. "It's alright, I'll keep my eye out."
"What color was it?" he whispered hoarsely.
"What?"
"The color… of the snake… what was it?"
"Couldn't tell… it's too dark. Black, perhaps? What? 'Fraid of snakes?" Patrick smiled, but it slowly dissipated as Timothy began to shiver.
"Yes."
It was impossible, but somehow Timothy fell asleep before dawn rose. He woke up cramped from the strange position he was in, obviously tense with the knowledge that the black snake that was part of John's vision kept appearing… and even worse, that it was appearing even in the past. Someone was pacing near him, and Timothy sat up to see Luna going back and forth biting her nails.
"Luna?"
"They said to stay here… oh, why did they leave us alone?" she wailed.
"They're gone?" Timothy scrambled to get up.
"They said to stay here." She repeated.
"Why? Where did they go?" Timothy looked around to see, sure enough, that both Crouch and Patrick were gone.
"Patrick was upset, but he had to go. I don't know where, but they left in a hurry." Luna stopped pacing, but continued to bite her nails.
"How long ago?"
"About an hour." She said.
Timothy walked over to the stream and washed his face before taking a quick drink. Back home, his parents would never allow such a thing. But in the past, the water was untainted by pollution, thus safe to drink.
"Timothy, what did Crouch mean by you being the only one that can get us back home?" Luna came up behind him.
He turned and looked at her, before walking past to fiddle with his bedroll to avoid the question.
"Timothy?"
"What?"
"Well? What did he mean? Do you really know how to get us back home?" Luna crossed her arms, her tone returning to the new personality she had undertaken since after being under the control of Malfoy and her cousin, Taku Smith.
"I don't know how." Timothy answered truthfully, but his body language betrayed him that he was keeping information he didn't want her to know. Maybe it was OK for Darian and John to know his quest, as Professor Peacecraft, but Luna was only a little more than an acquaintance. A Hufflepuff he hardly ever saw.
Luna, however, was smart and looked straight through him.
"You're a whimp, you know that?" she said suddenly.
Timothy looked at her with wide eyes, abashed by her statement.
"Excuse me?!"
"Here I am, thinking you're all big and brave because of you being Timothy Potter. But you're really just a coward, wanting someone else to save your sorry butt… to do all your dirty work." Luna scowled.
Timothy was beside himself.
"Since when did you have any idea-"
"I know that you know! I know that you know how to get us home! But you're afraid! You want someone to come hold your hand and do it all for you! Well, your ancestor might take you under his wing, but it doesn't look like he's all too capable of conjuring up a trip home in his hands. And Crouch! Just looking at him makes me want to burst out into tears! Do you think he'll actually bust his butt to send us home?" Luna growled.
She has a split personality! Timothy thought, shaking his head and glaring at her. What the heck happened to Luna?
"You have no right-"
"This is all your fault!" Luna shrieked.
"My fault?! My fault! Hey, it was pure accident that you got sent with me on this freaked out history lesson! I never intended to be sent back in time! I never intended to be destined to save the world! So don't you dare start telling me that this is my fault!" he hissed dangerously.
"Then why not get your sorry self out from behind Patrick's back and do something?" Luna countered.
"Why not? I'll tell you why not! Alright, if you really have to know- I'm on a quest. A stupid, freaking quest that has been brought upon me to carry out my destiny. And do you know what that is? To destroy Malfoy! Problem is, this quest is a complete mystery. I don't know point A to point B. The most I have is this big insignificant key that opens something that will hopefully lead me to my family crest, the only thing that can enable me to destroy Malfoy and get rid of evil for good. Now, if that isn't enough to make anyone hesitate and avoid fate, I don't know what is." Timothy turned away.
Luna didn't say anything, and he couldn't see her face to see her reaction.
"You're not the only one that has suffered." She whispered abruptly, and before he could turn to say anything, she was running off in the opposite direction… back into the forest.
"You idiot! They said to stay here, didn't they?!" He cried out after her.
She didn't answer, and quickly was lost from view. Timothy stomped his foot, unsure whether or not to go after her or to stay where he was. He stood rooted to his spot for nearly five minutes, straining his eyesight to see if she was coming back. But she didn't. An hour past… then two… when the third became too much to bear, his conscious overtook him. Mumbling angrily to himself, Timothy jogged into the forest.
****
"It really wasn't wise to leave the kids alone, Master."
"They can take care of themselves long enough until we return."
"But… Timothy. You know as well as I do that Welles and those knights are looking for him."
"Exactly, but Welles doesn't know we're with him. It'll take him by surprise, and we'll have him!"
"But we're not with him, Master. We left him and Luna behind, alone!"
"He's very much capable of defending himself and the girl. You saw what he did the other day with the knight."
"Yes… but, he's still only a child."
"A child with a burden on his shoulders that only his bloodline can carry."
"How much do you know about him that I don't already suspect?"
"Enough to know why Welles is so desperate now to find him… and destroy him. And you."
"Me? Why me?"
"Don't be daft. You're as very much a part of the boy as anything. You must help him find what is missing."
"Do you mean the Potter family crest? He was asking about it, but like I told him, I don't know where it is."
"That is why you must help him."
"I'm not much help to him if I don't even know myself."
"Oh, but you do know."
"Why, exactly, did my mother send me to you and not to Hogwarts like my father and grandfather?"
"Because I was to train the one who would be among the first to start a long line of generations with a great destiny."
"And what is this destiny?"
"To destroy all evil."
****
There was a horrible scream.
Timothy's heart stopped in terror. The petrified sound was not that far off, and he raced toward it with the blood pounding in his ears. Crashing through brush and bramble, he didn't think about trying to remain unnoticed.
"Luna?!" He cried.
No answer.
"Luna!"
There was a sudden humming sound coming from his right, and he looked in that direction just in time to see a long sword being leveled right at him, building a strange, blue color along the blade. Timothy didn't even blink as he instinctively raised up his hand to block the blow of magic just as the knight wielding the sword shouted out his incantation, releasing his spell. This time, when the intense blue light hit the palm of his hand, Timothy was not knocked down. However, he felt his body jolt as if he had been blindsided by a two-by-four, absorbing the magical shock. Despite the pain, he kept running… hoping to find Luna.
"Impossible!" raged the knight. The iron clad magical being jumped onto the path behind Timothy, raising his sword for another attack. This time, Timothy fumbled in his pocket for his wand, which he had kept there for safety. It proved to be a good idea, for before the knight could lower his sword to direct another spell, Timothy turned and shouted out his own.
"Expelliarmus!"
The sword may not have been a wand, but it flew out of the knight's hands regardless, and landed somewhere back in the forest, out of sight.
The knight, for lack of a better word, was shocked. He stood there motionlessly as Timothy bolted back on through the trees… Luna had not screamed again. However, he did begin to hear something. It sounded a lot like hooves.
Timothy stumbled into a meadow, only to look up and see, sure enough, a horse galloping away with a knight atop it… and Luna, draped across it's hide like prized game.
"Luna!" he raised his wand again, racking his brain for a spell that could stop them. But the knight heard him, and looked back with his sword already glowing with the blue magic aimed in his direction. Timothy braced himself, determined to get him first. Yet when the knight released his power, just before it him without a spell to block it… he was hit from the side and thrown to the ground. The blue light of the knight's magic shot over his head and hit a tree, creating a loud snap and crash as it crumbled under the powerful spell.
"You alright?"
It was Patrick, once again coming to save him just in time.
"Do you like to jump on me?" Timothy shouted impatiently. "They have Luna! I could have stopped them!"
Patrick got to his feet and helped Timothy stand up. Timothy began to run in the direction where the knight disappeared with Luna, but Patrick caught his shoulder and held him back.
"There's nothing you can do right now."
"But this is all my fault! I have to get her! She wouldn't have been kidnapped if I hadn't of let her go out in the forest alone." Timothy wailed, feeling immense guilt wash over him once more toward Luna.
That girl causes nothing but guilt… oh, why me? Why me? He thought to himself bitterly.
Crouch appeared calmly behind them, stepping from the trees and looking out where the knight had disappeared.
"This changes things," he muttered, his voice nonplussed. "Once again I underestimate Welles."
"It was one of his knights, Master. Apparently they were sent to kidnap Luna, or something along those lines." Patrick said back to him.
"Yes, well, the girl is not the priority." Crouch shook his head.
Timothy's jaw dropped, mortified.
"We can't just leave her to this Welles person!" he cried, looking desperately from Patrick to Crouch in turn. "We have to save her!"
"Eventually." Crouch wasn't at all perturbed by Timothy's enraged cry. He simply looked to Patrick, who wasn't looking at his master with contentment.
"Now is the time to prove yourself, Potter. You want to go out on your own? Here's your chance. Take the boy and head east. I'll go after where I last knew Welles to be, and hopefully find the girl there as well. Welles obviously is trying to lure you both to him with the capture of the girl. Well, we'll prove him otherwise. There are more important matters to take care of that I'm sure Welles is trying desperately hard to prevent. You both must make sure he doesn't succeed."
Patrick's face was set, standing next to Timothy and staring intently at Crouch. Timothy was simply baffled, not sure what to think. How could he possibly go off on a nature hike somewhere when Luna was being held captive? Sure, the girl was constantly on his nerves, annoying, whiney, and provocative… but… she had saved his life the year before. And, he wasn't sure why, but he knew he could trust her. It was that trust that made his will to make things right by finding her that made him so upset at the situation.
"Patrick, we can't let Luna go!" he looked up desperately at him.
He slowly looked down, his eyes suddenly looking very much older, but understanding.
"There is nothing we can do for her right now, only to keep going where we were headed. Crouch will do what he can… but you must let him do it himself- leave it to a grown-up. You and me, we have something that needs to be done, and done quickly. You'll have to help me, as I will help you. Understand?"
His soft tone of voice calmed Timothy, as he stared into his brown eyes. Slowly, although not altogether understanding what he said, he nodded. Patrick smiled wearily and looked back to his master.
"Peace be with you, Master." He nudged Timothy's shoulder to turn him back into the forest.
"And with both of you, Patrick and Timothy Potter."
Crouch suddenly disappeared, apparently disapparating.
Patrick walked closely behind Timothy as they approached their camp. They quickly gathered their supplies and left the site, continuing on up the path they had been following before stopping for the night the previous day. Patrick led in front of him, and Timothy couldn't help but to keep looking back… still feeling like he was abandoning Luna. He had no clue where they were going, and while Patrick said he didn't really know either, he at least knew which direction to go in.
"Do your parents know you're on this quest?" Patrick asked suddenly over his shoulder.
Timothy jolted slightly at the break in the silence.
"Er… no. I was told not to tell anyone, that they wouldn't believe me." He answered quietly.
Patrick slowed down to walk beside him.
"Why? Who told you that?"
Timothy took a moment to deliberate on whether or not to explain everything in its entirety. So far, everyone he's told has believed him… why wouldn't Patrick? He shrugged and explained the previous year's events: how he had met Luna, the strange behavior of Taku Smith, his encounter with Malfoy in the Offender's Oubliette, and how he had escaped. Timothy hesitated as he began to tell him about meeting the shadows of his grandfather, and both himself and his father from the future.
"I don't see why you can't tell your parents, though." Patrick said as they struggled up a hill. "They have a right to know, as far as I'm concerned."
"Well, think about it. My parents had to defeat a terrible wizard as well, and they were the only ones who could do it. They nearly died a number of times before they finally destroyed him. Now, after years of peace, the danger has returned. Malfoy has proven himself to be more cunning and cocky. While my parents know that I'm the one who can destroy him, they aren't aware, as far as I know, how. I don't think they expect me to have to face him so soon. But then, my father had to confront that evil wizard as a baby… and he survived. He's 'the boy who lived'. However, I'm not my father… or my mother. I don't think I'll be able to do it."
Patrick squeezed his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Ah, don't worry. From what I've seen, you're a mighty powerful wizard. I can only imagine how proud your parents must be. I'm sure, if you just try your best, you'll overcome this. You'll find the crest, and get back home. This Malfoy will have his work cut out for him."
Timothy smiled slightly, but he had a hard time believing Malfoy ever being afraid of him. They didn't speak again for a long time, not until the sun was beginning to set and they had finally reached the edge of the forest. By that time, they were both aching and panting from the long hike, stumbling onto a dirt road.
"Do you know where we are now?" Timothy asked, holding the ache in his side.
"Yeah, someplace completely different from where we were when we started." Patrick stretched his arms.
"That's funny." Timothy muttered without laughing.
"Thought so," Patrick grinned wearily. "Hey, do you see that house up there?"
He pointed down the path where a large mansion sat on the horizon. Timothy squinted in the retreating light, rubbing his glasses to see better. It sure wasn't a house, but almost a castle. While it was fairly far away down the path, it was so large, that it wasn't hard to spot at all.
"House?" Timothy's jaw dropped. "That place is big enough to have it's own zip code!"
"Zip code?" Patrick looked at him quizzically.
"Something my mum says a lot."
"Where's your mum from? I've never heard of it before."
"She's from Florida. An American." Timothy then realized that Patrick might have never heard of America before. For all he knew, the world was flat. "It's this place real far away."
"Oh." Patrick said simply, bewildered. Timothy was too tired to go into a geography lesson, and Patrick didn't inquire more.
"Well, let's go see if we can kip there for the night. I don't fancy sleeping in the grass again, and it's not safe for that anyhow." Patrick started walking.
"But what if Muggles live there?" Timothy asked, catching up with him.
"Then we're Muggles too. Don't bring out your wand or do any magic, alright? What was that name you used before? Springs? Well then, if they are Muggles, which is most likely, then you're Timothy Springs and I'm Patrick Springs. You're my little brother, alright? Just stick to the story of just passing through and we'll be fine."
"OK." Timothy said, with little doubt.
They trudged up the path, the aches and pains of traveling on foot for so long increasing every moment, so by the time they reached two huge iron gates surrounded the perimeter of the large mansion, Timothy had to sit down.
"Is anyone home?" he asked Patrick breathlessly.
Patrick shrugged, peering through the gates and the ivy vines covering it. There was a sign, however, on the stone wall attached to the gates. It was weatherworn and dull with age, but Timothy could just make out the words: DEVONSHIRE MANOR.
"Devonshire Manor? Does that mean a lord lives here?" Timothy wondered out loud.
"Probably." Patrick said.
"Well? What're we going to do? Knock?"
"No one would hear us."
"Can't we use magic to open the gates?" But that suggestion was killed just as it left Timothy's mouth, realizing that using magic was not wise.
"Well, it looks like this idea won't work. We better get moving again and find some place to break camp where it's safe." Patrick sighed.
Timothy got to his feet and studied the gates, dreading having to sleep another night on the hard ground. But standing there and waiting for someone to show up was futile, if not stupid, so he nodded and turned with Patrick to move on.
"Where do we go n-ahhh!" Timothy began to ask, but as he stepped on a patch of leaves, he suddenly fell right through into a hidden hole!
"Timothy! Tim-ahhhh!" Patrick rushed to catch him, but only fell through as well.
"AHHH!"
"HOLY FRUITS!"
"Holy WHAT?!"
"AHHH!"
"AHHH!"
"Ooof!"
"Ow!"
They landed on top of each other in a heap, hitting hard compacted dirt in absolute darkness. What little light that could be made out came from the distant pinpoint of the light above them. Painfully, they untangled themselves and sat panting in the dark.
"What IS this thing?!" Timothy cried.
"A hole." Patrick said.
"No, duh. Why is there a hole here?"
"No idea… I don't know that much about Muggles."
"Did a Muggle even make this hole? Wait… what's that noise?" Timothy struggled to look in the dark.
"I'm not sure…" Patrick grabbed his arm.
A low growling sound reverberated against the dirt walls of the hole, making them both move closer instinctively. Timothy began to make out a flash of red in the dark- and the growling got louder.
"Er… Patrick?" he hissed in his ear. "There's something in here with us."
"Whoever made this hole made it to catch whatever it is." He whispered back.
"Do you think we can manage a light? I'd rather chance being seen by a Muggle than getting attacked in the dark." Timothy suggested.
"Right, OK." Patrick held out his hand, palm upward, and instantly a globe of light appeared. Appeared- just as the flash of red became a flash of teeth!
"OH SH-… AHH!"
"AHHH!"
A/N: Well, how was it? Going good? Good cliffhanger? I know readers like raew, merf, Trinity, 007, and aragog have been enjoying the chapters... how 'bout you? Leave a review and let me know, 'k? Let's see.... there are a few chapters after this one, maybe four or more.
HTTP://WWW.THEWORLDOFRENEEPOTTER.DISNEYFANSITES.COM
New fanart and recommended books! Updated often!
Oh, and Merf, I'll let you beta read my next fic (whatever that may be). It's best for me just to get this story wrapped up asap. Expect chapter 11 by 4/6/01!
~OrcaPotter
"I am who I make myself to be. I'll take the road less traveled."
Chapter Ten: Witch Winter
It didn't seem to Timothy that much longer that light returned to his eyes, the pain he had been feeling almost completely gone. He sighed and yawned, before jumping upright as he realized where he was.
"Oh, you're awake." Said a gentle voice.
Timothy blinked. He was covered in fur skins on a soft bed, his uniform was gone as well as his shirt. Blushing, he gathered up the firs to cover himself as a young woman, average in height with amber brown hair, stepped into the light pouring in through a nearby window.
"Your friends were very worried, but you're fine." She smiled, coming over and taking the firs in her hands. He clutched them away from her, blushing deeper.
"Modest, are we? Now, now, youngling, I won't bite. Nothing I haven't seen before. Just let me have a look and I'll let you dress."
Reluctantly, without a word, Timothy let go of the furs and the woman pulled them back. She merely hovered her hand above his chest for a moment before humming in satisfaction and turning away to grab his shirt.
"I've never seen clothes like yours before," she said quietly, studying him. "You're little girl friend is dressed much the same way, I was quite shocked."
"She's not my girlfriend." Timothy said quickly in a tone that he cursed himself for using. It wasn't too polite, but the woman didn't seem to notice. She laughed lightly instead.
"Really, now? The way she was acting while you were sleeping could tell otherwise."
Timothy had never felt his face grow more red. He pulled his shirt on and clambered off the bed, blinking in the low light of the hut he was in. It wasn't small, but not large either, with a low ceiling and curved architecture.
"Careful," the woman came over and held him up the upper arm as he began to stumble. "You're still weak from the impact of the spell you blocked."
"I did?" he asked incredulously, not really remembering ever saying a spell. "I mean, I blocked a spell?"
"Well of course!" she laughed. "Otherwise you'd be as dead as a doornail right about now."
"Oh." Timothy's mind swam.
"Poor thing," she cooed as she walked him to an opening that was shrouded with a blanket. "Patrick told me all about you. In between making ridiculous moans of pain even though he only had a scratch."
"He did?!" Timothy cried.
She had walked him out through the blanket and outside, where Luna was sitting with her back turned on a log.
"Here he is, Luna. Told you he'd be fine!"
Luna jumped to her feet and whirled around to face them. She ran to Timothy but stopped and hesitated as she nearly tackled him in an embrace. Both of them blushed, with Timothy shuffling his feet.
"Er… thank God you're alright, Timothy!" Luna averted her eyes, still blushing.
"Where's Patrick?" Timothy asked after an awkward moment of silence that followed.
"Right here."
There was a thump behind them and Timothy turned to see Patrick grinning at them all.
"I thought your shoulder was so bad that you could hardly move." The woman accused suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.
Patrick cocked his head and tried to look innocent, hands behind his back.
"With you nursing me, I quickly got as good as new." He winked at Timothy, who couldn't help but to grin back.
"Honestly, Mr. Potter, you're a handful." She crossed her arms.
"And there's no one else I'd rather be a handful to than you, Miss Ocarina." Patrick quickly pranced away before Ocarina could hit him. It was useless, though, for a sharp word slipped from her lips and Patrick instantly became as still as a statue.
"Now that's not fair!" he cried, unable to move.
Ocarina laughed, leaving Timothy's side to slowly stride up to Patrick, grinning slyly to herself.
"Careful, Patrick, or you'll end up as another addition to Whisper's lawn ornament collection."
"Does that mean I get to stare at you all day?" he countered smartly. Ocarina scowled and popped him on the head. "Ow!"
Timothy and Luna began to giggle and Ocarina smiled broadly.
"Can you un-hex me now?" Patrick asked wryly.
"Are you going to behave like a good boy, now?" Ocarina put her hands on her hips.
"Yes, ma'am." He answered humbly, although he began to laugh himself.
Another sharp word snapped into the air and Patrick went limp as if someone cut taut strings attached to him. He rubbed the kinks out and stared at Ocarina, blushing.
Timothy looked around as Patrick began to flirt with Ocarina again. The small hut that he had woken up in was behind him, surrounded by a run-down little garden and further around the perimeter was the dense forest. He searched the area and looked back at the hut to see where Crouch was, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Where's Crouch?" he wondered out loud.
"He went somewhere. I wasn't really paying attention as to where." Luna colored slightly and averted her eyes. He didn't ask where her attention was, for he knew the answer.
"Patrick? Where's Crouch?" he cleared his throat and inverted himself between Patrick and Ocarina, who were now staring at each other.
"Emm… what? Oh! Oh, yeah, he went to go look for Witch Winter." Patrick shook himself out of his stupor.
"Witch Winter?"
"My mistress," Ocarina said. "She's very stubborn and such a solitary creature. Days like these she likes to go out and disappear, doing whatever it is that suits her fancy. She hates other people, and barely tolerates me half the time. I'm surprised she has taught me anything at all. To think I've been with her ever since I was twelve. Even after all these years she still treats me like a child; no different from the first day I set foot in her crummy little hut."
"Why is he looking for her, then?" Timothy asked.
"For advice, I reckon." Patrick shrugged. "She's the only witch in the area."
Silence followed, the only sounds being what animals were stirring in the forest. Luna began to pant and started taking off her school uniform robes. As Timothy watched, completely comfortable with his own uniform off, he realized that the temperature was warmer than it had been back in their time. It was late fall when they were banished back in time, but here it felt like early spring.
She walked back in the hut to put her robes with Timothy's and Ocarina instructed Patrick to go fetch wood for a fire.
"Winter could be anywhere, so we'll go ahead and have an early dinner. You children must be starved! And Timothy, be sure and eat well so that you can recover fully." She said, shepherding them over to a campsite to the side of the hut.
Ocarina was a wonderful cook, Timothy concluded, when the smell of her thick stew filled his nose. She didn't use nearly as many spices as his mother would have used, however. The momentary memory made pangs of homesickness jar his stomach. It must have shown on his face, for he felt a hand land gently on his shoulder.
"What troubles you, Timothy?" Patrick asked quietly, his eyes glowing with youthful kindness.
"Oh," Timothy blushed slightly and looked at his feet. "Just… just thinking of home, that's all."
"Ah, we'll get yeh there, don't worry. Just stick with us and you'll be fine."
Ocarina served everyone and they sat down on the ground in a circle. They were quiet while they ate, until the wandering thoughts in Timothy's mind provoked him to inquire more about Patrick's knowledge of the crest.
"Patrick, are you sure you don't know where the Potter family crest is?"
He slowly chewed his stew, looking thoughtfully at Timothy.
"Honestly, I don't know where it is. My mother never told me, if she knew, which she probably would have. But she died two years ago next month."
Timothy blanched and stared at his stew sitting in his bowl.
"Why are you so curious about it?" Patrick asked.
"The Potter family crest is what I have been instructed to find and acquire, so that I can save the world." Timothy said quietly. Everyone went still and looked at him silently.
"If I can't even find it here," he continued disdainfully to himself. "Then I have truly failed."
"You'll find it." Luna said suddenly with absolute certainty. Timothy wasn't in the mood to start another argument with her.
Ocarina and Patrick exchanged looks and glanced quietly at the two children.
"Ohh…" Ocarina abruptly shuddered. "Here they come."
Timothy and Luna looked up with mild confusion until they saw both Ocarina and Patrick clamber to their feet and walk to the edge of the forest. Out of no where, lumbered out William Crouch and, apparently, Witch Winter. She was a small, hunched over witch of the ordinary stereotyped kind with long white hair and long crooked nose. Her small beady eyes pierced through Timothy like ice, and he realized without doubt how she had received her name.
Both young adults stood and bowed, or in Ocarina's case, curtseyed, in front of their master and mistress.
"Get something for your mistress of charms, girl!" Crouch ordered a little too loudly, making Ocarina jump slightly and hurry to prepare a bowl of stew. Winter paid no mind, but continued to stare at Timothy, making him fidget uneasily.
"Have you no manners, children?" he suddenly called out to Timothy and Luna.
Dropping their bowls, both of them stumbled to their feet and approached both adults much the same way as Patrick and Ocarina had.
"These are the children I mentioned." Crouch said to Winter.
"Of course they are! No need to tell me, I can see them just fine. Who else would they be?"
Crouch let a breath out through his nose slowly in exasperation. He obviously had to deal with Winter for a while. Patrick simply stood the side and looked at them all carefully.
Ocarina came back quickly with a bowl of stew for the witch, who had brushed past Timothy and Luna to sit down on a log facing the fire. She persisted to eat, even under the expectant and weary stares of everyone else. Timothy felt his heart jumping; could this witch be able to send him and Luna back home? But then, just as he felt a faint smile show unnoticed on his face, it fell once he thought of the crest again. How could he go back if it's certain he had failed his quest? How could he face his parents? His family? Everyone else?
"Potter!" Winter suddenly snapped between mouthfuls of stew.
Both Timothy and Patrick jumped with a quick, "Yes?"
"Well, what are you waiting for? Come here!" her beady eyes flashed dangerously.
They quickly rushed forward together and stood before the witch, standing precariously above her. She sat her bowl down, now empty of stew, drew up her hands and pulled them both down by their ears.
"Ow!" Timothy yelped. Patrick simply grunted.
She grabbed their chins and pulled their faces close to her. Timothy grimaced as she peered at them both closely, seemingly studying their features. Her breath was fowl, steaming from her nose and mouth.
"Aye," she nearly whispered, still staring at them both. "Yes, it's clearly true now."
Whisper let them go, and Timothy rubbed his chin as Patrick tried to look dignified in front of Ocarina and the other adults.
"You, young one," she looked directly at Timothy. "Who is your father?"
Timothy blinked at such an odd question. What did his father have to do with anything?
"Er… Harry Potter, ma'am." He replied.
"And your grandfather?"
He looked around at the others as if they knew the reason for such an unusual interrogation. For a moment, he tried to remember his grandfather's name. Then he remembered.
"James Potter."
Winter nodded as if she already knew.
"And you are Timothy Potter."
"Yes, ma'am." He said in awe. Had Crouch already told her his name? Surely, he must have. How else would she have known?
"Well, then," Winter suddenly took up her bowl again with disinterest. "Why do you come to me?"
"Er…" Timothy was even more confused. Everyone else exchanged similar looks while Crouch simply ground his teeth as he stared down at Winter with contempt.
"I come to you, Witch Winter, because it's about time you took some action into the situation we are having." He said hotly.
"We've been having this situation for nearly a hundred years," she shrugged apathetically. "It's the cross of change."
Crouch stepped forward, his bulky stature making him seem ten times more intimidating.
"Because of Welles and his army of bewitched knights, the Muggles have even more fear of us than ever before! It's impossible now for us to co-exist. We must destroy Welles before he can destroy the Muggles, and return peace." Crouch steamed.
"Why do you care so much for the Muggles? Have they not run our kind out of house and home? Do wizards and witches not live in hiding, scattered across the country, in fear?" Winter countered.
"If it weren't for Welles, the Muggles wouldn't be Muggles, but peaceful friends and believers of magic as they once were! But I'm afraid now it's too late. There is no way we can co-exist. The wizarding world must go undercover from Muggles… but it cannot go undercover of dark magic. Welles won't stop at Muggles- the magical community will eventually fall as well, and he'll be the supreme ruler of the world for dark purposes." Crouch said urgently.
"Oh, but it's not just Welles alone that has been moving faster against the land these days." Winter said darkly.
"What do you mean, witch?" Crouch asked accusingly.
"I mean the dark lord has had help in his movements lately. His forces have doubled in power, not by any modern means. Magic no one has ever seen before. But they are not working directly toward the Muggles… no… Welles and his army have been searching." She looked at Crouch.
"Searching for what?" He stared back.
"Searching for the key to an eternity of dark rule. Only, he wouldn't have known about it if it weren't for the woman. The black hearted witch."
"Black hearted witch?"
"She is not from here. Not in place or time. She comes as a servant, but has her own means of obtaining power. It is her that Welles is acting under now… and it is now that times are at its most dangerous point." Winter paused a moment. "And I will have nothing to do with it."
"What?!" Crouch bellowed. "You can't continue to stand aside and watch the world fall to shambles!"
"I will have nothing to do with it, because there is nothing that I can do myself!" Winter shouted back.
"You are nothing but a coward." Crouch shook his head vehemently and looked away.
"There is nothing I can do," Winter repeated again, slowly. "The ones that can already know what it is they must do."
Everyone was staring at her, fixated, and Crouch looked over his shoulder to see her with a mildly confused expression.
"I can only say one thing- use the key from tomorrow to open the door to yesterday."
She hadn't said her last sentence to anyone in particular, but Timothy could feel the words aiming straight at him. Everyone else looked at each other bemusedly, but Timothy kept his gaze on the witch, now helping herself to another bowl of Ocarina's stew.
"And what about us?" Luna asked suddenly, looking back at the witch with expectant eyes. "Do you know how to send Timothy and I back home?"
"The only one who can send you back, my dear, is the same person who sent you here to begin with." Winter's attention was now fully on the steaming bowl of stew in her hands.
Luna stomped a foot and bit her lip.
"But… but… how?"
"Rest now," The old witch stood up and stretched, having finished her second helping. "You'll have to keep moving, Crouch, otherwise his army will be upon us soon.
Crouch simply huffed and stormed off into the forest without a spoken word. Winter paid him no mind, but went about her business into her hut.
"Girl! The little one stays with you, tonight. The boys can fend for themselves."
Ocarina bowed her head and smiled slightly at Luna, who was looking at them all with deep concern. She didn't look the least bit tired, but didn't resist Ocarina's hand leading her into the hut after Witch Winter.
"What about us?!" Timothy called after them, not wanting to sleep outside with an evil wizard loose and magical knights.
"Eh, you don't want to sleep with girls, do yeh?" Patrick crossed his arms and winked down at him.
"Er… 'spose not." Timothy muttered, sweeping his gaze down to his feet.
Patrick laughed and slapped him across the back in a brotherly fashion. He then turned to a nearby tree, and with a pop, was suddenly sitting nestled in the crook of the lower branches. Timothy stared up at him with awe.
"Well?" he called down to him. "C'mon up!"
"Er… I don't know how." Timothy said.
Patrick rolled his eyes and grinned.
"'Course you do! Just think real hard about being up in the tree, and you'll be here. Feel for the ley line near by."
More ley lines, Timothy thought, Patrick must use them like Summerray does in Florida.
He closed his eyes and thought real hard about being up in the tree with Patrick. Suddenly, it felt as if the world closed in around him. Not a second later, the world opened back up and Timothy found himself sitting on Patrick's lap.
"Hey! There yeh are! Not quite the most opportune spot, though. Yeh might look small but yeh don't feel like it! Scoot over, will yeh?" Patrick laughed as Timothy scrambled to an empty space beside him in the crook of the branches. As it was, there was still not that much space, and he was nestled between the side of his ancestor and the rough bark of a large branch. Despite the closeness, Patrick didn't seem to mind. It made Timothy feel a lot better, staying close to someone he could trust… someone like family, who was family, actually.
"What are we going to do, Patrick?" Timothy asked after a few moments of silence.
Patrick let out a long, sleepy sigh. His arm fell around Timothy's shoulders and he patted his arm reassuringly.
"Right now, we sleep. We'll worry about that tomorrow. But, you know what? I think that something important is going to happen… and both you and I have something to do about it."
Yes, Timothy worried silently to himself as he felt Patrick's breathing slow into the rhythm of sleep beside him. At least I have something to do about it… and I don't know what to do.
Timothy woke the next morning alone in the tree. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and branches, making him stir and sense the smell of cooking bacon below him. Painfully stretching out the kinks in his muscles from sleeping cramped on the hard, rough wood, Timothy leaned out to see Patrick flipping the bacon on a pan over a fire. Blooming pollen from the forest suddenly became strong, overtaking the delicious smell of bacon and making him sneeze. Patrick looked up and smiled at him.
"Think Ocarina will be impressed?" he called up to him softly. Apparently the girls, and the old witch, were still asleep.
Timothy smiled back at him and nodded. His smile faded, however, when he looked down to the ground and realized just how far up he was. How was he going to get down.
"Patrick Potter, you left the poor youngling up in your nest! Some responsible guardian you are."
Ocarina had suddenly appeared from the hut, looking up at Timothy and scowling at Patrick, who was grinning sheepishly over his bacon.
"'Morning, Miss! Just wanted to give the poor kid a little lie in, that's all." Patrick said cheerfully.
She folded her arms, still scowling at him, but her expression softened kindly as she reached the base of Timothy's tree.
"All you have to do, Timothy, is think real hard about being down here on the ground. Understand?"
He nodded and closed his eyes, thinking hard about his feet touching the grass. The feeling of the world closing in on him returned, but left just as suddenly and Timothy was then standing beside Ocarina, safe on the ground.
"Fast learner," she smiled. "More proof you're related to that big oaf over there."
"I heard that." Patrick mumbled with his mouth full of bacon.
"Timothy?! Timothy!" Luna suddenly stumbled out of the hut.
"What? What?!" he jumped at the panic in her voice.
Everyone turned to look at her, all disheveled and wet with sweat. She blushed a deep crimson and averted her eyes, her voice small and feeble.
"Er… just… just, nothing."
Timothy continued to look at her as they went to sit around the fire with Patrick, eating bacon and listening to the sounds of animals making their morning rounds. Luna refused to look at him, though, and instead stared at her feet.
"I take it the ol' witch left already." Patrick muttered to Ocarina, who nodded.
"Nothing unusual. I really don't know why I'm still here. I'm old enough to be on my own, now." She said.
"Yeah, that'd be the day Crouch decides to let me go." Patrick looked ruefully at the fire.
"Though I hate to see myself as a lonely old witch like Winter." Ocarina nearly whispered to herself.
"Or myself as crabby and self-righteous as Crouch." Patrick groaned.
"That would be bad." Ocarina looked at him.
"Yes." Patrick looked at her.
Both Timothy and Luna stared at the two young adults, eyes locked in blissful silence. Timothy knew that look and rolled his eyes.
Oh, bother.
Luna pretended not to notice, while Timothy quietly slipped away. Neither Patrick, Ocarina, or even Luna noticed as he wandered into the forest. The leaves under his feet were soft and quiet, which he was grateful for. He wanted to be alone to brood on his thoughts.
What did Winter mean by "use the key from tomorrow to open the door to yesterday"? Could she possibly mean the key he had found in the long forgotten corridor under Gryffindor Tower? And what would he find if he did discover the door the key opened? The crest? If so, where was it? Patrick didn't know… and the witch wouldn't tell him. Surely Patrick would help, but Crouch was too preoccupied with this Welles person to direct his attention to Timothy's quest.
Lord Welles. Witch Winter said that he was under the influence of a black hearted witch. The magical knights that he encountered earlier were his army, made more powerful from the black hearted witch's power. Winter said Welles was now searching for something… had been since he allied with the black hearted witch.
Oh, no! He thought suddenly. Welles was the friend Murtov mentioned. She had come into the past as well and somehow got the already evil Welles to go after him… and maybe even Patrick as well. If Patrick were to be killed, then every Potter after him would be erased from history… including Timothy.
He started to run back to the hut, panting as he bolted at top speed. They needed to do something, quickly, before they met up with Welles' army again- or even Welles himself.
"Timothy? Ooof!"
Timothy ran smack into Luna, knocking them both to the ground. He shook his head furiously and glared at her, upset that she had delayed him. However, when her face went flush and cringed, much like how she would have reacted before the dark turns in her life the previous school year, he couldn't bring himself to be cross with her. All Timothy could manage was an impatient grunt as he scrambled to his feet.
"They sent me to find you," Luna said quickly. "Crouch wants us to move out right now."
"I was going to suggest that, anyway." Timothy said distractedly, already brushing past her to move on.
Luna narrowed her eyes at his coldness, but followed steadily behind him and they reached the clearing of Witch Winter's hut. Crouch was standing impatiently with his arms crossed, looking exasperatedly at them all. Witch Winter looked indifferent, standing in her doorway with a distant gaze. Both Patrick and Ocarina were busy preparing sacks filled with rations and supplies. There was one for Crouch, Patrick, Luna, and Timothy… with Timothy and Luna's Hogwarts uniforms tucked inside their own. Timothy quickly checked to make sure that the key… and even his uncle's diary (which he had forgotten to remove before going down to the library) were safe inside.
"You're condemning yourself, Winter." Crouch said coolly as they prepared to leave.
"I flow with the current of life, Crouch. The future will not be the past, and I accept that. You're just too narrow-minded to realize it." Winter replied.
"It's not our fault that things are this way."
"No… but not even magic can reverse what has been destined to be. Muggles and our kind can not co-exist in mutual harmony. Not anymore, not ever." Winter's eyes were solemn.
"They'll find you." Crouch said simply.
"Only if I want them to. Magic changes as well, Crouch. It adapts."
"To each their own. Peace be with you, Witch Winter." Crouch turned and swiftly left.
"And you, William Crouch." Winter turned back into her hut.
Timothy and Luna were instructed to stay between Crouch and Patrick as they traveled, and the children hesitated to follow Crouch out of the clearing, watching Ocarina say goodbye to Patrick.
"Until we meet again, m'lady." Patrick took her hand and kissed it gently.
"Be careful, Patrick Potter." She whispered.
In one quick, hesitant moment, Patrick stood up, leaned forward, and kissed Ocarina tenderly before backing away and jogging towards Timothy and Luna without looking back. He pushed them both forwards firmly as they looked up at him. Ocarina was quickly out of sight.
"Where are we going?" Timothy wondered out loud about an hour later, ending an uncomfortable silence.
"Hush." Crouch snapped.
"Best not to ask now," Patrick whispered in his ear. "I don't even know."
Crouch suddenly stopped, holding up his hand back to them. Everyone went tense, expecting another batch of ruthless magical knights. However, after several minutes of staring, keeping them glued to their spots with apprehension, Crouch let his hands fall to his sides.
"We'll rest here for a moment."
"Master Crouch?" Patrick asked, trying obviously to hide impatience. "Why don't we just apparate?"
Crouch didn't even look at him, but his lips pierced to a thin line.
"Think, boy."
Patrick cocked his head at him, then looked at Timothy and Luna, who were both settled on the grass and looking up at him questionably.
"Oh." He said simply, sitting down himself.
Luna looked bored after a while, keeping off to herself. Timothy, however, couldn't help but stare at Crouch and wonder where he was taking them. Was he going to find a way to send Luna and him home? Or was he simply just going to continue fighting Welles, and leave their fates to chance?
"Staring is not polite, boy." Crouch said suddenly, snapping Timothy out of his stare.
"S-sorry." Timothy immediately averted his eyes.
"Think that you need me to get you and the girl home, eh?" he continued surprisingly.
Timothy blinked, looking to Luna and Patrick who were glancing back cautiously with their own degree of surprise.
"Er…"
"Of course. I am the adult wizard here, with the most experience. Besides Potter, there, I am the only wizard around remotely willing. But no… I cannot, boy, I cannot." Crouch folded his arms.
"Then how…?" Timothy began, but Crouch stopped him.
"Can't you think, boy? Things don't happen for no reason. That witch may have sent you back in time to put you out of the way, but she inadvertently did exactly what was supposed to happen. You're here for a purpose, and you know what it is. Use your head… that's how you'll get home."
Timothy brushed wisps of his bangs away from his eyes, looking at the broad shouldered wizard that emanated superior power. Patrick was glaring at his master, and Luna simply looked fearfully out in the distance. Only a minute passed by before Crouch stood up, grunting to get moving. They followed him in silence like before… only Timothy was busy trying to figure out how to get home.
"We'll stop here for the night."
Crouch had led them through the forest for the entire day. They stopped at a stream, leading down from some nearby mountains as the sun disappeared from the horizon. Darkness had settled, and both Crouch and Patrick conjured mage-lights to start a camp. Before long, bedrolls were passed out and set up, along with a roaring fire.
"Where are we going, Master?" Patrick asked wearily.
"Exactly where we need to be." Crouch answered cryptically.
"And where's that?"
"Mind your cheek, boy." Crouch grunted.
"I'm nineteen years old! I wish you would stop calling me 'boy'." Patrick huffed.
"You aren't an adult until you prove yourself as one." Crouch said simply, drinking from a sack of water.
Patrick opened his mouth to say something, but seeing Timothy's reproving face, he decided against it and focused his eyes on the fire. The lack of conversation was unnerving for the next few hours, until Crouch announced them all to bed.
"Potter, you take the first watch. No-" he said to Timothy as he began to stand up. "The older one."
Patrick didn't look at Crouch, but went to stand by the stream as ordered. Both Luna and Timothy looked at each other before lying down on their bedrolls and turning over on opposite sides. Timothy couldn't see where Crouch was, but he was a ways off in the tall grass near the stream. There was a sudden gasp and splash from Patrick's direction, and everyone sat up to see what was wrong.
"S'alright!" He called back. "Was only a snake or something."
Crouch grumbled and went back down. Luna looked white and worried, but slowly curled up on her bedroll too. Only Timothy stayed upright, mouth hanging open in terrified realization.
"Go to sleep, Timothy." Patrick whispered back to him kindly. "It's alright, I'll keep my eye out."
"What color was it?" he whispered hoarsely.
"What?"
"The color… of the snake… what was it?"
"Couldn't tell… it's too dark. Black, perhaps? What? 'Fraid of snakes?" Patrick smiled, but it slowly dissipated as Timothy began to shiver.
"Yes."
It was impossible, but somehow Timothy fell asleep before dawn rose. He woke up cramped from the strange position he was in, obviously tense with the knowledge that the black snake that was part of John's vision kept appearing… and even worse, that it was appearing even in the past. Someone was pacing near him, and Timothy sat up to see Luna going back and forth biting her nails.
"Luna?"
"They said to stay here… oh, why did they leave us alone?" she wailed.
"They're gone?" Timothy scrambled to get up.
"They said to stay here." She repeated.
"Why? Where did they go?" Timothy looked around to see, sure enough, that both Crouch and Patrick were gone.
"Patrick was upset, but he had to go. I don't know where, but they left in a hurry." Luna stopped pacing, but continued to bite her nails.
"How long ago?"
"About an hour." She said.
Timothy walked over to the stream and washed his face before taking a quick drink. Back home, his parents would never allow such a thing. But in the past, the water was untainted by pollution, thus safe to drink.
"Timothy, what did Crouch mean by you being the only one that can get us back home?" Luna came up behind him.
He turned and looked at her, before walking past to fiddle with his bedroll to avoid the question.
"Timothy?"
"What?"
"Well? What did he mean? Do you really know how to get us back home?" Luna crossed her arms, her tone returning to the new personality she had undertaken since after being under the control of Malfoy and her cousin, Taku Smith.
"I don't know how." Timothy answered truthfully, but his body language betrayed him that he was keeping information he didn't want her to know. Maybe it was OK for Darian and John to know his quest, as Professor Peacecraft, but Luna was only a little more than an acquaintance. A Hufflepuff he hardly ever saw.
Luna, however, was smart and looked straight through him.
"You're a whimp, you know that?" she said suddenly.
Timothy looked at her with wide eyes, abashed by her statement.
"Excuse me?!"
"Here I am, thinking you're all big and brave because of you being Timothy Potter. But you're really just a coward, wanting someone else to save your sorry butt… to do all your dirty work." Luna scowled.
Timothy was beside himself.
"Since when did you have any idea-"
"I know that you know! I know that you know how to get us home! But you're afraid! You want someone to come hold your hand and do it all for you! Well, your ancestor might take you under his wing, but it doesn't look like he's all too capable of conjuring up a trip home in his hands. And Crouch! Just looking at him makes me want to burst out into tears! Do you think he'll actually bust his butt to send us home?" Luna growled.
She has a split personality! Timothy thought, shaking his head and glaring at her. What the heck happened to Luna?
"You have no right-"
"This is all your fault!" Luna shrieked.
"My fault?! My fault! Hey, it was pure accident that you got sent with me on this freaked out history lesson! I never intended to be sent back in time! I never intended to be destined to save the world! So don't you dare start telling me that this is my fault!" he hissed dangerously.
"Then why not get your sorry self out from behind Patrick's back and do something?" Luna countered.
"Why not? I'll tell you why not! Alright, if you really have to know- I'm on a quest. A stupid, freaking quest that has been brought upon me to carry out my destiny. And do you know what that is? To destroy Malfoy! Problem is, this quest is a complete mystery. I don't know point A to point B. The most I have is this big insignificant key that opens something that will hopefully lead me to my family crest, the only thing that can enable me to destroy Malfoy and get rid of evil for good. Now, if that isn't enough to make anyone hesitate and avoid fate, I don't know what is." Timothy turned away.
Luna didn't say anything, and he couldn't see her face to see her reaction.
"You're not the only one that has suffered." She whispered abruptly, and before he could turn to say anything, she was running off in the opposite direction… back into the forest.
"You idiot! They said to stay here, didn't they?!" He cried out after her.
She didn't answer, and quickly was lost from view. Timothy stomped his foot, unsure whether or not to go after her or to stay where he was. He stood rooted to his spot for nearly five minutes, straining his eyesight to see if she was coming back. But she didn't. An hour past… then two… when the third became too much to bear, his conscious overtook him. Mumbling angrily to himself, Timothy jogged into the forest.
****
"It really wasn't wise to leave the kids alone, Master."
"They can take care of themselves long enough until we return."
"But… Timothy. You know as well as I do that Welles and those knights are looking for him."
"Exactly, but Welles doesn't know we're with him. It'll take him by surprise, and we'll have him!"
"But we're not with him, Master. We left him and Luna behind, alone!"
"He's very much capable of defending himself and the girl. You saw what he did the other day with the knight."
"Yes… but, he's still only a child."
"A child with a burden on his shoulders that only his bloodline can carry."
"How much do you know about him that I don't already suspect?"
"Enough to know why Welles is so desperate now to find him… and destroy him. And you."
"Me? Why me?"
"Don't be daft. You're as very much a part of the boy as anything. You must help him find what is missing."
"Do you mean the Potter family crest? He was asking about it, but like I told him, I don't know where it is."
"That is why you must help him."
"I'm not much help to him if I don't even know myself."
"Oh, but you do know."
"Why, exactly, did my mother send me to you and not to Hogwarts like my father and grandfather?"
"Because I was to train the one who would be among the first to start a long line of generations with a great destiny."
"And what is this destiny?"
"To destroy all evil."
****
There was a horrible scream.
Timothy's heart stopped in terror. The petrified sound was not that far off, and he raced toward it with the blood pounding in his ears. Crashing through brush and bramble, he didn't think about trying to remain unnoticed.
"Luna?!" He cried.
No answer.
"Luna!"
There was a sudden humming sound coming from his right, and he looked in that direction just in time to see a long sword being leveled right at him, building a strange, blue color along the blade. Timothy didn't even blink as he instinctively raised up his hand to block the blow of magic just as the knight wielding the sword shouted out his incantation, releasing his spell. This time, when the intense blue light hit the palm of his hand, Timothy was not knocked down. However, he felt his body jolt as if he had been blindsided by a two-by-four, absorbing the magical shock. Despite the pain, he kept running… hoping to find Luna.
"Impossible!" raged the knight. The iron clad magical being jumped onto the path behind Timothy, raising his sword for another attack. This time, Timothy fumbled in his pocket for his wand, which he had kept there for safety. It proved to be a good idea, for before the knight could lower his sword to direct another spell, Timothy turned and shouted out his own.
"Expelliarmus!"
The sword may not have been a wand, but it flew out of the knight's hands regardless, and landed somewhere back in the forest, out of sight.
The knight, for lack of a better word, was shocked. He stood there motionlessly as Timothy bolted back on through the trees… Luna had not screamed again. However, he did begin to hear something. It sounded a lot like hooves.
Timothy stumbled into a meadow, only to look up and see, sure enough, a horse galloping away with a knight atop it… and Luna, draped across it's hide like prized game.
"Luna!" he raised his wand again, racking his brain for a spell that could stop them. But the knight heard him, and looked back with his sword already glowing with the blue magic aimed in his direction. Timothy braced himself, determined to get him first. Yet when the knight released his power, just before it him without a spell to block it… he was hit from the side and thrown to the ground. The blue light of the knight's magic shot over his head and hit a tree, creating a loud snap and crash as it crumbled under the powerful spell.
"You alright?"
It was Patrick, once again coming to save him just in time.
"Do you like to jump on me?" Timothy shouted impatiently. "They have Luna! I could have stopped them!"
Patrick got to his feet and helped Timothy stand up. Timothy began to run in the direction where the knight disappeared with Luna, but Patrick caught his shoulder and held him back.
"There's nothing you can do right now."
"But this is all my fault! I have to get her! She wouldn't have been kidnapped if I hadn't of let her go out in the forest alone." Timothy wailed, feeling immense guilt wash over him once more toward Luna.
That girl causes nothing but guilt… oh, why me? Why me? He thought to himself bitterly.
Crouch appeared calmly behind them, stepping from the trees and looking out where the knight had disappeared.
"This changes things," he muttered, his voice nonplussed. "Once again I underestimate Welles."
"It was one of his knights, Master. Apparently they were sent to kidnap Luna, or something along those lines." Patrick said back to him.
"Yes, well, the girl is not the priority." Crouch shook his head.
Timothy's jaw dropped, mortified.
"We can't just leave her to this Welles person!" he cried, looking desperately from Patrick to Crouch in turn. "We have to save her!"
"Eventually." Crouch wasn't at all perturbed by Timothy's enraged cry. He simply looked to Patrick, who wasn't looking at his master with contentment.
"Now is the time to prove yourself, Potter. You want to go out on your own? Here's your chance. Take the boy and head east. I'll go after where I last knew Welles to be, and hopefully find the girl there as well. Welles obviously is trying to lure you both to him with the capture of the girl. Well, we'll prove him otherwise. There are more important matters to take care of that I'm sure Welles is trying desperately hard to prevent. You both must make sure he doesn't succeed."
Patrick's face was set, standing next to Timothy and staring intently at Crouch. Timothy was simply baffled, not sure what to think. How could he possibly go off on a nature hike somewhere when Luna was being held captive? Sure, the girl was constantly on his nerves, annoying, whiney, and provocative… but… she had saved his life the year before. And, he wasn't sure why, but he knew he could trust her. It was that trust that made his will to make things right by finding her that made him so upset at the situation.
"Patrick, we can't let Luna go!" he looked up desperately at him.
He slowly looked down, his eyes suddenly looking very much older, but understanding.
"There is nothing we can do for her right now, only to keep going where we were headed. Crouch will do what he can… but you must let him do it himself- leave it to a grown-up. You and me, we have something that needs to be done, and done quickly. You'll have to help me, as I will help you. Understand?"
His soft tone of voice calmed Timothy, as he stared into his brown eyes. Slowly, although not altogether understanding what he said, he nodded. Patrick smiled wearily and looked back to his master.
"Peace be with you, Master." He nudged Timothy's shoulder to turn him back into the forest.
"And with both of you, Patrick and Timothy Potter."
Crouch suddenly disappeared, apparently disapparating.
Patrick walked closely behind Timothy as they approached their camp. They quickly gathered their supplies and left the site, continuing on up the path they had been following before stopping for the night the previous day. Patrick led in front of him, and Timothy couldn't help but to keep looking back… still feeling like he was abandoning Luna. He had no clue where they were going, and while Patrick said he didn't really know either, he at least knew which direction to go in.
"Do your parents know you're on this quest?" Patrick asked suddenly over his shoulder.
Timothy jolted slightly at the break in the silence.
"Er… no. I was told not to tell anyone, that they wouldn't believe me." He answered quietly.
Patrick slowed down to walk beside him.
"Why? Who told you that?"
Timothy took a moment to deliberate on whether or not to explain everything in its entirety. So far, everyone he's told has believed him… why wouldn't Patrick? He shrugged and explained the previous year's events: how he had met Luna, the strange behavior of Taku Smith, his encounter with Malfoy in the Offender's Oubliette, and how he had escaped. Timothy hesitated as he began to tell him about meeting the shadows of his grandfather, and both himself and his father from the future.
"I don't see why you can't tell your parents, though." Patrick said as they struggled up a hill. "They have a right to know, as far as I'm concerned."
"Well, think about it. My parents had to defeat a terrible wizard as well, and they were the only ones who could do it. They nearly died a number of times before they finally destroyed him. Now, after years of peace, the danger has returned. Malfoy has proven himself to be more cunning and cocky. While my parents know that I'm the one who can destroy him, they aren't aware, as far as I know, how. I don't think they expect me to have to face him so soon. But then, my father had to confront that evil wizard as a baby… and he survived. He's 'the boy who lived'. However, I'm not my father… or my mother. I don't think I'll be able to do it."
Patrick squeezed his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Ah, don't worry. From what I've seen, you're a mighty powerful wizard. I can only imagine how proud your parents must be. I'm sure, if you just try your best, you'll overcome this. You'll find the crest, and get back home. This Malfoy will have his work cut out for him."
Timothy smiled slightly, but he had a hard time believing Malfoy ever being afraid of him. They didn't speak again for a long time, not until the sun was beginning to set and they had finally reached the edge of the forest. By that time, they were both aching and panting from the long hike, stumbling onto a dirt road.
"Do you know where we are now?" Timothy asked, holding the ache in his side.
"Yeah, someplace completely different from where we were when we started." Patrick stretched his arms.
"That's funny." Timothy muttered without laughing.
"Thought so," Patrick grinned wearily. "Hey, do you see that house up there?"
He pointed down the path where a large mansion sat on the horizon. Timothy squinted in the retreating light, rubbing his glasses to see better. It sure wasn't a house, but almost a castle. While it was fairly far away down the path, it was so large, that it wasn't hard to spot at all.
"House?" Timothy's jaw dropped. "That place is big enough to have it's own zip code!"
"Zip code?" Patrick looked at him quizzically.
"Something my mum says a lot."
"Where's your mum from? I've never heard of it before."
"She's from Florida. An American." Timothy then realized that Patrick might have never heard of America before. For all he knew, the world was flat. "It's this place real far away."
"Oh." Patrick said simply, bewildered. Timothy was too tired to go into a geography lesson, and Patrick didn't inquire more.
"Well, let's go see if we can kip there for the night. I don't fancy sleeping in the grass again, and it's not safe for that anyhow." Patrick started walking.
"But what if Muggles live there?" Timothy asked, catching up with him.
"Then we're Muggles too. Don't bring out your wand or do any magic, alright? What was that name you used before? Springs? Well then, if they are Muggles, which is most likely, then you're Timothy Springs and I'm Patrick Springs. You're my little brother, alright? Just stick to the story of just passing through and we'll be fine."
"OK." Timothy said, with little doubt.
They trudged up the path, the aches and pains of traveling on foot for so long increasing every moment, so by the time they reached two huge iron gates surrounded the perimeter of the large mansion, Timothy had to sit down.
"Is anyone home?" he asked Patrick breathlessly.
Patrick shrugged, peering through the gates and the ivy vines covering it. There was a sign, however, on the stone wall attached to the gates. It was weatherworn and dull with age, but Timothy could just make out the words: DEVONSHIRE MANOR.
"Devonshire Manor? Does that mean a lord lives here?" Timothy wondered out loud.
"Probably." Patrick said.
"Well? What're we going to do? Knock?"
"No one would hear us."
"Can't we use magic to open the gates?" But that suggestion was killed just as it left Timothy's mouth, realizing that using magic was not wise.
"Well, it looks like this idea won't work. We better get moving again and find some place to break camp where it's safe." Patrick sighed.
Timothy got to his feet and studied the gates, dreading having to sleep another night on the hard ground. But standing there and waiting for someone to show up was futile, if not stupid, so he nodded and turned with Patrick to move on.
"Where do we go n-ahhh!" Timothy began to ask, but as he stepped on a patch of leaves, he suddenly fell right through into a hidden hole!
"Timothy! Tim-ahhhh!" Patrick rushed to catch him, but only fell through as well.
"AHHH!"
"HOLY FRUITS!"
"Holy WHAT?!"
"AHHH!"
"AHHH!"
"Ooof!"
"Ow!"
They landed on top of each other in a heap, hitting hard compacted dirt in absolute darkness. What little light that could be made out came from the distant pinpoint of the light above them. Painfully, they untangled themselves and sat panting in the dark.
"What IS this thing?!" Timothy cried.
"A hole." Patrick said.
"No, duh. Why is there a hole here?"
"No idea… I don't know that much about Muggles."
"Did a Muggle even make this hole? Wait… what's that noise?" Timothy struggled to look in the dark.
"I'm not sure…" Patrick grabbed his arm.
A low growling sound reverberated against the dirt walls of the hole, making them both move closer instinctively. Timothy began to make out a flash of red in the dark- and the growling got louder.
"Er… Patrick?" he hissed in his ear. "There's something in here with us."
"Whoever made this hole made it to catch whatever it is." He whispered back.
"Do you think we can manage a light? I'd rather chance being seen by a Muggle than getting attacked in the dark." Timothy suggested.
"Right, OK." Patrick held out his hand, palm upward, and instantly a globe of light appeared. Appeared- just as the flash of red became a flash of teeth!
"OH SH-… AHH!"
"AHHH!"
A/N: Well, how was it? Going good? Good cliffhanger? I know readers like raew, merf, Trinity, 007, and aragog have been enjoying the chapters... how 'bout you? Leave a review and let me know, 'k? Let's see.... there are a few chapters after this one, maybe four or more.
HTTP://WWW.THEWORLDOFRENEEPOTTER.DISNEYFANSITES.COM
New fanart and recommended books! Updated often!
Oh, and Merf, I'll let you beta read my next fic (whatever that may be). It's best for me just to get this story wrapped up asap. Expect chapter 11 by 4/6/01!
~OrcaPotter
"I am who I make myself to be. I'll take the road less traveled."