The Wizard Returns

Chapter two

-dutchtulips-

Floodlights swept across a desert dig at Necropolis, illuminating the one-hundred or so native diggers who were tunneling in the sand. Among the dark robed wizards, there was their leader - Severus Snape, overseeing their work. In dark garments like the diggers, he did not look pleased.

Just beyond him, under a lean-to, stood Draco Malfoy, regal and fierce, and in the same dark robes. Slowly, hypnotically, he lowered an obsidian book on the table. An evil smirk washed over his face. "The Book of the Dead gives life."

A tall woman with long dark hair, Pansy Parkinson, appeared in the lean-to, hefting a golden book with her. Slamming it down next to The Book of the Dead, she said, "And The Book of the Living. . .takes life away."

Malfoy looked over at her with shady eyes. "I thought that was my job."

Pansy did not answer. She stared at the two books, a wicked gleam in her eye. "We're getting close."

Just then, a car approached, trudging through the sand. It stopped right in front of Snape, and Macnair, Pettigrew, and Karkaroff got out. "Did you acquire it?" Snape immediately asked.

A sudden rumbling noise shook the dig site, causing a silence to wash over everyone. Snape turned around and approached a nearby dig spot, which was filled with diggers, who were all staring at a rising mound in the sand. It grew higher and higher, until it burst, expelling hundreds of scarab beetles.

Pansy looked on as they swarmed over the diggers. After the beetles had been transfigured away, she turned back to Draco, grinned and said, "We're getting very close." She and Malfoy hefted The Book of the Dead and left the lean-to.

A loud cheering from across the dig site broke the silence, and the diggers raced over to where a large shroud of stone was being excavated from a deep hole in the sand. Snape turned to Pansy and Malfoy, who had just approached him. "We've found him! We've found him!"

The three of them raced towards the stone and Snape examined it for a moment, inside of it clearly the remains of a mummified corpse. He turned to Pansy and said, "It's him! It's Jaakko!"

Pansy stepped closer and waved her hand over the shroud, an enigmatic smile on her face.

The moment was broken by Macnair, Pettigrew, and Karkaroff, who pushed through the remainder of the diggers and approached Snape, who asked once more, "Did you acquire it?"

"Well, the opportunity passed us by," Macnair said.

"We need that bracelet," Snape said coldly.

"And we need it before it opens!" Malfoy spat, drawing his wand.

Abruptly, the three mercenaries and Snape's minions all raised their wands and scimitars, ready to strike. Pansy stared at them all for a moment, and then said disgustedly, "Enough!"

Everyone lowered their weapons. She turned to Snape and said, "My dear Severus, I told you I should have handled it!"

He turned to her. "I did not want your. . .past history. . .to cloud the issue."

Pansy stepped in. "Where is the bracelet?" She demanded of the three mercenaries.

"It's on it's way to merry old London," Macnair answered.

Snape pushed past the three men, Pansy and Malfoy following close by. "Then London is where we must go."

None of them saw, however, another man who had been standing nearby, who was watching them retreating now, with jet black hair and startling green eyes, wrapped up in deep robes. And this man's name was Harry Potter.

~*~

Dusk was washing over the exquisite Weasley manor as a sleek navy blue car pulled into the mansion's court, and came to a stop. Slowly, three people got out - Ron first in his common wizard robes, dark green this time, Hermione - sporting a simple dress of long white silk, lilac robe draped around her, and their young son Jordan - who had donned regular Muggle clothing of a khakis jacket and pants.

Jordan, hefting a heavy rucksack, retreated the opposite way as his parents after stepping inside the house, and towards the direction of the library. Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione were heading upstairs to put their luggage away.

"I'm thinking that perhaps the bracelet is a guide. . .to the Lost Oasis of Yané Seek," Hermione said as they breezed through the upstairs corridor and into the study.

Ron heavily sat their suitcases down at the staircase's landing and followed her inside, where she was picking through a bookshelf. " 'Mione. . .I know what you're thinking - and the answer is no. We just got home!"

"That's the beauty of it!" She exclaimed. "We're already packed!"

Ron put his hands on Hermione's shoulders and spun her around. "Just give me," he held up a finger, "one good reason."

She stared back at him. "It's just an oasis, dear. A beautiful, romantic oasis."

Ron tightened his grip around her. "You mean the kind with a white sandy beach, the palm trees swaying?" He grinned down at her.

"Sounds good," Hermione whispered, smiling back.

"Sounds too good." He grabbed her shoulders again. "What's the catch?"

She shrugged. "Presumably it's the resting place of Arana's army."

Ron rolled his eyes. "See, I knew it. There's always a bloody catch!"

Hermione left the study and started up towards the indoor balcony, Ron following her. "And supposedly it's lead by this Dragon King bloke?"

"Yes, according to my research. But he only he reawakens every five thousand years."

"And if he does wake up, he's going to wipe out the world! Same old story," Ron responded.

Meanwhile, Jordan had just placed the small golden chest on a table in the library, grunting, "Sucker weighs a bloody ton!"

"Jordan! Watch your language!" Hermione scolded up from the railing.

He glanced up at her sheepishly, "Rather weighty, this."

From the balcony, Ron and Hermione were still talking. " 'Mione, you had that strange dream of yours exactly six weeks ago, right?" He was flipping the pages of a book.

"Well, yes, I think so," she answered. "But what has that got to do with anything?"

Ron waved the book her face. "Just happens to coincide with the Year of the Dragon - wizard Egyptian new year."

"I'm impressed. You've become quite the scholar," Hermione beamed.

Back in the library, Jordan had just turned around when he heard, from behind him, a sharp click from within the chest. Puzzled, he turned around and stared at the ornate gold trunk, and, after making sure his parents were not watching, pulled the sundial shaped key from his pocket and turned it in the lock.

With a soft hiss, it opened smoothly. Jordan slowly lifted the lid and looked inside. The Bracelet of Arana was lying there, only this time, its jaws were opened wide. He shrugged and lifted it out, and then placed it on top of his wrist. Suddenly it snapped shut with a loud click.

While this was going on, Ron was whispering to Hermione, "If anything happened to you or Jordan, I could never forgive myself."

"Well. . .I have been asked to teach History of Magic at Hogwarts. . ." She murmured back.

He was holding her extra-close now. Staring into her deep brown eyes, he said, "Have I kissed you today?"

Hermione barely had time to nod her head before Ron had her wrapped up in a deep, passionate kiss, while down in the library, Jordan was experiencing something phenomenal. . .

. . .A floating three dimensional diorama of the Giza plateau - three pyramids, the Sphinx. . .all newly minted and completely fresh looking. Jordan then felt himself racing across the Nile River, and then the vision swept over the desert, landing on the Temple of Karnac. . .

. . .and then the vision seemed to slurp into the bracelet, disintegrating, disappearing, leaving Jordan with wide eyes, until, suddenly, he blinked, and looked down at the bracelet on his wrist. He started to struggle ferociously with it. "Cripes! How d'you get this stupid thing off?"

Thankfully for him, the large diorama was not seen by anyone besides himself, not his mom or dad, who were still up in the balcony. Ron had just broken off their kiss, grinning at her.

"I hate it when you do that. It makes me feel like agreeing to anything," Hermione told him.

"Really? Maybe I should do it more often," Ron replied, still grinning. He leaned in to kiss her again, but she had her head turned to the side, staring at an empty can on the table.

"Who's been using daisy roots?" She inquired.

Ron looked at the can, and rolled his eyes. "My doting brothers. . .at it again. . ." he grumbled, letting go of Hermione. He looked down at Jordan in the library, and called out, "Hey Jordo, behave yourself for a few minutes, okay?" He retreated from the balcony.

"You betcha!" He called back.

~*~

Outside the large manor, two cars were pulling up in the court. One of the doors on the first car jerked open, and out stepped Malfoy, the rest of the car filled by his sinister minions.

~*~

In another part of the mansion, Fred and George Weasley were walking out of a nearby room, juggling empty cans of potion ingredients back and forth between them.

"Oi, Fred!" George exclaimed. "You think the Exploding Candy potion's settled yet?"

"It's down in the refrigerator," Fred replied, missing a can of lacewings, it hitting him in the head. "Let's go take a look."

Before they could take another step further, four dark robed minions came hurtling towards them. Fred and George stared as the men pulled them into the next room and threw the twins into chairs.

Suddenly Snape appeared before them, staring them down.

"Hey," George said suddenly. "If you're here about that Filibuster we slipped in the Minister's soup. . . ."

"We are looking for the Bracelet of Arana," Snape said,, cutting him off.

"I see," Fred put in. "Good for you. Good thing to have, I'm sure."

"Then where is it?" Snape demanded.

"I assure you, we have no idea what you're talking about," Fred replied.

Two of the minions pulled out their scimitars and pressed them against the twins' necks. "Weasleys. . . .they sure do know how to WASTE MY TIME!" Snape yelled.

~*~

Meanwhile, Hermione was kneeling in front of her son, digging in his pockets. "I'm telling you, Jordan, if you've lost that key, I'm taking your wand away for a week."

"I just. . .can't find it, that's all! It's not exactly lost," he replied sheepishly.

"Well, you'd better get looking, then," she said.

"Good evening to you," a sinister voice behind them said.

Hermione turned around, automatically blocking Jordan from the intruder. Malfoy was standing in the doorway, wearing the same dark regal robes and a long cape, smiling maliciously.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" She said coldly.

"I've come for the chest. Give it to me now." Malfoy stepped forward, just as Jordan grabbed the small golden trunk.

Hermione grabbed a scimitar from a nearby umbrella rack. "Get out of my house."

Five of Malfoy's minions stepped up behind him, scimitars all raised. "Now I will kill you and take the chest anyhow."

Hermione felt her heart drop as she stared at the other men. She open her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by someone else.

"I think not!"

She turned around. "Harry! What are you doing here?"

He quickly glanced at her. "Perhaps explanations are best kept for later." Harry glared at the intruders, his eyes finally resting on Malfoy.

Malfoy had an evil glint in his eye. "Harry Potter," he said coolly.

Harry looked sideways at him, and with the same tone, "Draco Malfoy." From underneath his robes, he drew out a scimitar of his own.

The response was immediate - Malfoy and Harry began a ferocious duel, while two of the minions jumped on Hermione. Jordan retreated to the corner, clutching the chest and watching the bedlam.

She flung herself forward, parrying the blows of the two minions with her own scimitar, lunging and thrusting like an expert warrior!

"Mum! Where'd you learn to do that?" Jordan rang out.

"I haven't the faintest!" She called back, taking down the two minions.

~*~

"I'll ask you one more time," Snape said sharply. "WHERE IS THE BRACELET?"

Fred and George glanced nervously at each other. "Er. . .downstairs. . .there's a safe somewhere. . .combination's thirty-two. . .twelve. . .something!"

"Hello." At that moment, Pansy Parkinson came striding forward, carrying a wooden box. Reaching in, she pulled out a black snake. "Egyptian asps are very poisonous, you know."

"Really?" Fred asked, squirming underneath the blade at his neck. "Shame Charlie never went into that branch of -"

But he immediately stopped talking when Pansy thrust the snake forward, popping its jaws open with the squeeze of her wrist.

"We told you! We told you!" George exclaimed.

She turned, advancing the snake on him. "What's your point?"

"So that you wouldn't kill us!" Fred jumped in.

"I don't recall making that arrangement." Pansy lowered the snake to Fred's neck.

Just then, Ron burst in. "Hey guys - !" He stopped short upon seeing the Snape, Pansy, and the mercenaries. His eyes widened. ". . .Didn't I say no wild parties while we were gone?"

"You know how it is when you're popular, old chap!" George called.

Pansy suddenly flung the snake across the room, heading straight for Ron. Barely flinching, he plucked the snake out of the air and by its neck. Regarding it for a moment, he said, "Nice asp."

Snape's face twisted. "Kill him!"

The minions drew their wands and scimitars, but before they could advance, Ron threw the snake and dove, distracting them. Fred and George managed to wriggle from their grasp and dropped to the floor, crawling out of sight.

Ron yanked out his wand and yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

Wands and scimitars flew across the room, giving Ron time to crawl into the adjoining room, and slammed the door behind himself. "Fred! George!" He yelled out.

The next moment, Ron heard various spells being yelled out, and pieces of the wall started flying away. He got to his feet. "Guys! Where are you?"

Fred and George burst from the closet. Ron stepped forward and immediately grabbed them by the shirtfronts. "What have you two gotten into now?!"

"Nothing, old chap!" George insisted.

Suddenly there was a loud smash as another piece of wall flew away, and Fred added, "Lately!"

"Come on," Ron grumbled.

~*~

Harry blocked Malfoy's blow and shot a quick look behind him, seeing Hermione take down another minion. Jordan was in the corner, struggling as one of the warriors tried to yank the chest away.

"What's in the chest, Hermione?" Harry yelled out, blocking another of Malfoy's blows and adding one of his own.

"The Bracelet of Arana!" She called back.

"Let go!" Jordan shouted at the man who was yanking at the chest. But the minion won the battle, gaining the chest and sending the young boy sprawling across the floor.

"Jordan!" Hermione called out. Suddenly, another minion appeared from nowhere and scooped up the struggling Hermione and ran off with her.

Jordan sat up, and saw his mother being carried off. "Mum!"

"Hermione!" Harry yelled out.

Malfoy took advantage of his distraction and shoved him back against the wall, flinging his scimitar straight at him. Harry ducked out of its path, and then Malfoy threw on his cape and strode out of the house after the minion who carried Hermione.

~*~

Back upstairs, Ron motioned to Fred and George. "Let's go! We've got to jump!"

The three of the dived out the window, shattering it, and rolled off the awning and to the ground. Ron got to his feet and saw a car speeding away from the house. And in the back window, staring out at him, was. . .

"Ron!" Hermione screamed. But then Malfoy shoved a handkerchief over her mouth, and she disappeared from view.

"Hermione!" He yelled back, quickening his stride to chase the car, but then another one came from nowhere, cutting him off, and raced out of the court after the first one.

~*~

To Be Continued