The Wizard Returns

Chapter Three

-dutchtulips-

Ron was still staring out at the road where the cars had been only moments before when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and Jordan flung himself into his father's arms.

"Dad!" He cried, giving Ron an impulsive hug.

"All you all right?" He immediately asked.

Jordan nodded. "I'm okay. But Mum -"

"I know, I know," Ron sighed, putting him down.

Someone laid a hand on his shoulder. "Ron."

He looked up to see Harry, his best friend gone Auror chieftain, standing before him. He was wearing long dark robes that resembled a starry night sky, on one side of his belt a scimitar, the other, his trusty holly and phoenix wand.

"Harry? Harry, where are those bloody idiots taking 'Mione? We've got to get her back!" Ron exclaimed, beginning to get hysterical.

"Calm down, mate. Just calm down." Harry gave his friend's shoulder a gentle shake. "I am not for certain where they are going, but wherever Snape is, Hermione will surely be."

Fred jumped in. "He was upstairs with us and all of those mercenaries, trying to get George and me to tell him where some bracelet was."

Ron ran a hand through his hair. "So that's why those creeps were here! They're after the bracelet!"

Jordan hopped into the conversation. "Uh, Dad? Harry? I think I know where they took Mum. I remember hearing her say that the Ministry appointed Mr. Snape as curator of the History of Magic wizard museum."

"Really?" Ron inquired.

"I'm positive that's where they took her."

The party of five circled around to the back of house, where the Weasley garage was, talking all the way. "Snape is with Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson on this. I learned all about it when I found them in Necropolis. What they are doing is planning to raise Jaakko from his grave."

"Not trying to be rude, Harry, old chap, but isn't it the Aurors who are to make sure that doesn't happen?" Fred put in, waving a large golden staff-like object at him.

Ron interrupted. "What's that, Fred?"

"Had it with me when Snape and the minions came in. I thought they were after it as well. It's that scepter you and Hermione dug up a few months ago at Thebes, remember?" He replied.

"Well, keep it close then," the former murmured.

Harry continued, turning to Fred. "Pansy. . .she's leading the expedition. She knows things a living witch couldn't possibly know. For instance, she knew exactly where to find Jaakko's grave." He paused as they reached Ron's car. "We were hoping she would lead us to the Bracelet of Arana. Obviously she did, and now they have it."

Jordan tugged on Harry's sleeve. "No. they may have Mum, but they don't have the bracelet!" He pushed up his jacket sleeve to reveal the heavy gold bracelet on his wrist.

Harry took Jordan's wrist and examined the bracelet, all while Jordan was explaining. "It just snapped shut on me - and it showed the pyramids at Giza, and then - whoa! Straight across the desert to Karnack."

Harry stared. "Cripes! Jordan, by putting this on you may bring about the next Apocalypse!"

Ron blinked. "Harry, don't. Jordan, big trouble. Fred and George, get in the car."

~*~

Moments later, they were speeding down the rainy streets of London, Ron at the wheel, Harry beside him, and Fred, George, and Jordan in the backseat.

"I did not mean to scare Jordan. But you don't understand. Now that the Bracelet of Arana is on his wrist, we only have seven days before the Dragon King awakens," Harry said to his friend.

"I take it that's not the best of all things," George said.

"Oh, he'll destroy mankind," Ron spat.

"Not that ploy again," Fred put in.

It was quiet for a moment, and then Harry spoke again. "Whoever can slay the Dragon King can take control of his army or send it back to the underworld."

"So that's why they dug up that Jaakko guy! He's the only one tough enough to knock his block off!" Ron exclaimed.

"We believe that is their plan," Harry replied.

~*~

Ron braked the car in front of the museum and shut off the engine. Turning in his seat, he said, "All right Jordan, I want you to stay here and guard the car."

"Guard the car?" The young boy repeated. "C'mon Dad, I'm not stupid!"

Ron ruffled his son's hair. "I know, I know."

"Perhaps Fred and me should, er. . .stay here with him. You know, just in case," George interjected.

"All right. You three, don't move. Harry and me'll take care of this," Ron replied, getting out of the car and opening the trunk, Harry behind him. "I keep some magic explosives in the boot. Best we load up on them, mate."

As they packed up on their weapons, Harry glanced at his friend, and noticed for the first time, the tattoo on Ron's wrist. He cleared his throat and tried for an offhanded tone, stating, "Say, Ron. . .if I were to say to you that I'm traveling across the desert from the East, searching for what has been lost. . ."

And Ron, without thinking, answered, "I would tell you that I am a traveler from the West and it is I whom you seek." Pause. Ron blinked. "Harry, how do you - ?"

He smiled enigmatically. "Then it's true." He grabbed Ron's wrist. "You bear the sacred mark."

Ron looked down at the tattoo, the same old phoenix's wings that formed the pyramid with the eye in the center, and said, "Oh, no. That's just something that the Ministry slapped on me when I was a kid. Besides, I could say the same to you."

He pushed up Harry's sleeve to reveal the tattoo of a phoenix and a falcon on Harry's upper arm, a mark Ron remembered he'd come back from Auror's training with.

"But I knew nothing about yours. You have had it longer than I have had mine."

"Well, I didn't understand what it meant. It scared me. So I kept it covered up," he replied.

"Your mark means that you are a protector of wizardkind. A warrior for God. An Auror Knight." Harry was staring intently at him.

Ron shook his head. "Sorry. You've got the wrong guy, old mate."

~*~

Inside the museum, in the History of Magic antiquities wing, more of the same dark robed minions of Snape's were kneeling in a large circle, all murmuring incoherent words, seeming to be paying homage to a large shroud of stone in the center of the circle.

Snape slowly approached, followed by Malfoy who had the small golden chest in tow. He sat it down and handed the large obsidian Book of the Dead to Snape, and then kneeled with the rest of the minions. Snape propped the book open in his hands, waved his wand at, and it hovered in midair. Turning its pages, he began to read in ancient Egyptian.

Nearby, on her own slab of stone, lay Hermione. Not of her own free will; she was bound at the wrists and ankles, her silk dress torn here and there. She stirred, and a moment later, sat up, blinking to focus in on her surroundings. She first noticed an aging black haired man reading from a large black book.

Hermione blinked again. "Snape?" She whispered.

The next thing she knew, the shroud of stone in the center of the room was wriggling madly, and as Hermione realized what Snape was reading from, her heart dropped. "Oh, my stars," she murmured.

~*~

Meanwhile, Ron and Harry, armed with their wands, scimitars, and magic explosives, were sneaking through the museum's dark, quiet corridors, listening and watching for any signs as to where Snape and his minions might be.

Chanting echoed up the long corridor, reaching Ron and Harry's ears. "They're here," the former said tightly. "That means 'Mione is, too."

"Yes, but we must move quietly," Harry replied.

At that moment, a loud shrieking emanated up the passageway, and as Ron and Harry turned around, they saw display mummies wriggling to life.

"Cripes!" Ron exclaimed softly, raising his wand. But they all plopped back in their coffins again. Reanimated, yes - coming after them, no. The redhead lowered his wand and he and Harry breezed down the corridor.

~*~

Hermione, who had studied many years of Ancient Runes, could fully understand ancient Egyptian, but at the moment wished she didn't, for Snape's enchantments and why he was saying them terrifying her.

"Rise up!" He was saying in the native tongue. "Rise up!"

Suddenly the slab burst and out stepped a horrifying figure - oozing gore, decaying muscle hanging off bones, and decomposing organs visible underneath its rotting ribcage, which shuddered as the creature breathed. Hermione knew who the mummy was.

"Jaakko," she whispered, her face contorted in fright.

"What is the year?" He rattled in his ancient tongue.

Snape suddenly appeared, replying in the same language, "It is the Year of the Dragon, my lord!"

"Truly?" He bellowed.

"Yes, my lord!"

With that, Jaakko threw back his decaying skull in roaring laughter, and Hermione cringed, seeing the decomposed organ throbbing with every cackle.

There was quiet again, but as Hermione turned around on her slab, she understood why. Pansy Parkinson was approaching the mummy, wearing clinging black dress robes and straight expression on her face as she stared at Jaakko. . .

. . .and suddenly, another vision overtook Hermione and the modern woman, Pansy, striding down the corridor, abruptly morphed into an ancient Egyptian witch, wearing golden jewelry and headress of ancient wizard Egyptian time. . .

Hermione blinked, and Pansy returned to her former state, stopping right in front of the living corpse of Jaakko, High Priest of Ibis.

Snape suddenly jumped in, saying, "Do not be frightened, Pansy."

"I am not afraid," she replied coolly, and then in ancient Egyptian, proclaimed, "I am Cat-a-la-lina reincarnated!"

Hermione recognized the name all too well - Cat-a-la-lina had been the chosen paramour of Minister Leopold, but Jaakko's forbidden love for her - and hers for him - and caused his banishment from the kingdom and, after betraying and murdering the minister, was executed.

"Only in body," Jaakko was saying. "But soon, I shall bring you back your soul, from the depths of the underworld, and our love will once again be whole."

On the other side of the room, Malfoy had drawn his wand and snarled a curse at the golden truck, it popping open almost immediately. Snape, whom was standing next to him, said, "Lord Jaakko will be greatly pleased."

But Malfoy's smirk dropped off his face when he looked inside, finding it to be completely empty. Snape exclaimed, "WHERE IS IT?"

"I think I know. . ." Malfoy grumbled.

Back to where Jaakko was standing, Pansy leaned forward, purring, "I have acquired a gift for you, my lord." She turned towards Hermione, who was now breathing rapidly.

"Her!" He bellowed.

"I knew it would please you to watch her die," She grinned malevolently. Pansy snapped her fingers, and a half dozen minions surrounded the slab and lifted it, grappling to keep Hermione still.

She struggled with her bonds, but it did no good. Looking straight ahead, she saw where she was being taken - a large stone sarcophagus filled with violent flames. "Oh, my God," Hermione said, and then with fury burst out to Jaakko, in his native tongue, "I'll put you in your grave again!"

"Not if we put you in yours first," Snape said nastily, and the minions began to tilt the slab.

Hermione felt herself slipping, but before she could scream, saw Ron jump through the flames and snatch her from the slab. A beat later, loud explosions filled the room.

~*~

"And on the very top of the pyramid there was a huge diamond," Jordan was telling his uncles, as they stood outside the car.

"How huge?" Fred inquired.

"It was so big that would wink at travelers who were still miles away!" The young boy replied.

Suddenly, they heard hundreds of loud explosions from within the museum, and Jordan, Fred, and George dashed into the car. "Start it up, start it up!" The auburn boy yelled at George, who had the key.

"I'm trying!" He shoved it a little to forcefully into the ignition, and it broke off right in the dash.

"You broke it!" Jordan exclaimed.

"If there's any hysterics, they'll come from me!" George cried out.

~*~

Ron bolted away and to safety, where he waved his wand at Hermione's bounds, and they fell away, all while hurling magic explosives at the mercenaries. While Hermione slipped out of the ropes, she glanced up to see Harry, on the catwalk above, hurling explosives and waving his wand, shouting various spells.

When she was on her feet again, Ron handed Hermione his wand to free up both hands for lobbing the magic explosives. She shouted spells at the minions as Harry was doing, all while the three of them were booking it out of the museum.

As Ron, Hermione, and Harry were escaping from the museum, Jaakko reached down and lifted a large urn, shouting in his tongue, "Gather your limbs! Collect your bones! " Suddenly four mummified soldiers appeared at Jaakko's side, and he yelled, pointing at the trio.

"Oh, no, not this again!" Ron shouted, and they bolted from the room.

Bursting out to the street, Ron, Hermione, and Harry quickly spotted the car and bolted for it, only to realize Fred, George, and Jordan were not inside, nor anywhere in sight.