See, I'm updating this after all. The story is already finished in my head, complete with twists and turns and final showdown. I didn't know exactly where I was leading this to when I started, but it sort of developed itself. I'm still taking constructive criticism into account, though.

BTW, a BIG thank you to those who reviewed.

fanfilovr: I know, it was a great episode. Must have been hard to come up with something decent after "Once More, With Feeling". Glad you enjoy the story.

Redundant Goddess: Well, thanks, I'm flattered. As for the trio – well, you need good evil guys ;)

Elyse: A hundred points to you *handsover100pointstoelyse*.

Ezmeralda: I know Hermione (as well as about everybody else) is EVER SO SLIGHTLY out of character. I've sacrificed parts of their personalities for the noble purpose of entertainment. I apologize to JKR for toying so mindlessly (literally speaking, hehe) with her characters. I'm glad you're enjoying it nonetheless.

And without further ado:

Revelations

"And a good night to you as well, Sir Cadogan!" I bid the little knight in the portrait farewell, which earned me another disapproving glance of my generally disapproving colleague. The small canvas hero had finally provided some answers, and I thought it only polite to be … well, polite in return.

As we headed back to the great hall, where we were to meet the other participants in this spell-induced adventure, Minerva asked sharply, "You do not really believe what that picture has told us?"

I turned to her, smiling. "The fact that a picture is talking should be proof enough of what said picture has revealed. If we accept that this is a school of Wizardry and Witchcraft, everything that happened makes sense."

Minerva (Sir Cadogan had told us our names and positions as staff members, and I daresay my companion was less disturbed by the idea of being a witch than by the fact that I was headmaster of a school) shook her head.

"This is ludicrous. It explains nothing. Well, maybe the talking portraits and the moving staircases; but what happened to us?"

"I believe a spell gone wrong might be the cause of our situation. Be that as it may, I suggest we walk back to the great hall and wait for the others. They should be there soon, as the hour has almost passed. Maybe they have found some answers as well. It should be morning soon, and surely we can find help by then."

"I just hope none of them got lost in the castle. Most of them were probably students, which makes us responsible for their safety."

I hid a smile. "Accepting the facts now?"

"Well, even if I remain dubious about the magical aspects of this escapade, I cannot cast aside the fact that this could be a school. If it is, and if we are truly in charge, then we should take care of the situation, Albus."

I nodded and walked on in silence. We went back the way we had come, down the moving staircases. It was a long way to the hall. Sir Cadogan's frame was located in quite a distant corner of the castle. When I had enquired about the reason for what seemed like an exile, he had been very reluctant about volunteering any information. He had, however, mumbled something about passwords, and how he had only stepped in when nobody else had dared to. Apparently, he had acted as a guard and let someone in who was not supposed to have access, but from what I could tell this must have happened years ago. I decided to move the picture to a more public space once I had regained my memories and authority.

I do have to admit that this was a pleasant place, though. I was quite cheerful, now that I knew who I was, and where. When I put my hands in the pockets of my robes, I touched several small sticky objects. I took one out and held it in my palm.

"Aah, and this is further good news."

"What is it?" Minerva looked at me. I held the tiny sphere up for her to see.

"Lemon drops. Want one?"

She declined the offer and frowned at me. I sucked on my lemon drop happily, while we made our way back to the starting point of this adventure.

~*~

I do not know how it happened. I promise I don't have a clue.

But it had felt good.

When the gigantic boarhound had closed in on Ron and me, I had drawn a wooden stick from out of my pockets instinctively. Without thinking, I had shouted "Petrificus Totalus!" and watched in astonishment as the sparks from my let's-face-it-it's-a-wand send the beast into oblivion.

We had dashed out. Glancing back, I had seen the giant form of that man crouched over the hellhound, wailing.

And now we were running, not stopping until we reached the castle and got inside safely.

Struggling for breath, Ron turned to me. "What … was that?"

I looked down at the wand I was still holding. "I don't know," I panted. But there was only one explanation, right? This whole wand-business could only mean one thing, right?

"Maybe I'm some kind of superhero."

Ron stared at me, amazed. "Can you do other stuff?"

"How would I know?"

"Well, try something."

I looked around. We were back in the entrance hall, and there were plenty of objects, but I could think of nothing do to with them. I flicked my wand at a chair, but it seemed quite undisturbed by this attempt.

"I can't remember any … incantations or whatever you need to make things happen."

"Think," Ron urged me, but my mind was blank.

"I told you, I don't know. I don't even know how I did it. I wasn't thinking. It all happened so fast, almost like a reflex."

"That giant said something about summoning. He must know about your powers. Can you summon something?"

I pondered the idea. Turning towards the chair again, I tried, "Come here!" in an authoritative voice, but the offending piece of furniture ignored me completely. It also neither reacted to "I command thee!" nor to "Abracadabra!" and I began feeling foolish.

"Doesn't work," I admitted.

Ron looked at me with undisguised awe. "Still, you are, like, a magician, only you're genuine."

I shrugged. "Probably," I conceded modestly.

"Wicked," Ron concluded. Then suddenly, he looked up, "Maybe that's why you've been abducted and brought here. By some … oh, I don't know, some evil sect craving power. They took your mind from you so they can make you use your abilities for their sake."

"What about you?"

"Maybe I have powers as well." He began searching his pockets, but didn't produce a wand. "Maybe I don't need one," he shrugged.

I was doubtful, but didn't want to destroy his illusions. "Possible," was all I said. "Anyway, we should get back to the hall. The others will be there by now, and we should tell them what we found out."

Ron grinned at me. "I doubt what they found out is even half as spectacular as this."

Ah, he was to be so wrong.

~*~

This is one of the top ten scary moments of my life. I don't care that I don't remember the other nine occasions. This moment is of a very special, very scary quality and deserves to join my most fearful memories as soon as I get them back.

He is glaring at me as if I had just attempted to stab him with a spoon, when all I did was threaten his reputation and career. I mean, come on.

What had he expected anyway? Oh, yes that's probably it, guess I'm a slut?

"I suggest you don't threaten me until you are certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that you are the victim in this story," he growls. Wow, he has the most intriguing voice ….

But I won't let him be so condescending without getting back at him. So I turn around, cross my arms and pout.

Yeah, great, that'll show him, Granger.

I try another strategy. "So you admit it?"

He looks at me as if I've lost my mind (wait … as if?). "Admit what exactly, Miss Granger?"

"Well, you know … that we've got … something going …"

"I certainly don't admit anything, as long as I don't know anything. And I advise you not to jump to any conclusions either."

"So you deny it?"

He raises his hands in desperation. "Will you just drop the subject?"

I see he's losing the last tiny bit of his patience, but I can't stop myself. "But … but …"

Heavy sigh. "Miss Granger, feel free to overcome your speech problem now."

"I need to know," I blurt out. "I just … need to know."

Another sigh. "I suggest we head back to the hall. The hour has passed. We should be meeting the others."

"Tell them about our discoveries?"

He raises an eyebrow at me. Oh. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?

"Not … that discovery, of course," I mumble.

~*~

Her uneasiness in this situation was almost amusing. The thing that was not amusing was my own uneasiness in this situation.

All the time in that classroom, I had tried to acquaint myself with the fact that I had some kind of relationship with that girl.

It explained several things, her waking up on me being among the more prominent ones. But there was also the way she talked back to me. And the tension that I realized was building up between us.

As we walked back to the hall in silence, I noticed that she was keeping close. I wondered whether the sleepy comments of the portraits in the hallway had something to do with it. She did seem to be quite scared.

"Do you think we're keeping it a secret?" she suddenly asked.

I fought the urge to strangle her. Why couldn't she just drop the subject? "Why do you ask?" I snarled.

"Because we woke up in a room with all those people, who are probably staff members and students as well. And we didn't seem to mind them seeing us together before we lost our minds, because otherwise we wouldn't have woken up … erm … you know … the way we did."

She actually had the nerve to blush. Why did she keep perusing this topic, if it was as embarrassing for her as it was vexing to me?

"Now see here, I do not know whether we are hiding our unfortunate liaison or making a public display of it. I don't even know who the initiator is, as you have pointed out earlier. And I certainly don't know anything else. Therefore, it would be a euphemism to say that right now I am annoyed to the very core of my being. So if you wish me to remain civil about our circumstances, I strongly recommend you not to speculate about it anymore."

"Oh," she just said. For a while, we walked on without further interruptions. When we had almost reached the hall, she looked up at me. "Why do you consider our liaison unfortunate?"

Argh … Hermione and Sevvie are still no closer to … you know, whatever they're going to do (*blushesprofusely*). But: there is good reason for that. You'll find out soon enough … mwahahahaha!

Anyway, I got them where I want them now. Everybody's heading back to the Great Hall, and the only question is who's going to get there first? I'm taking bets.

End of stupid Author's Note. Bye.