Chapter Twenty

Return of the Four Musketeers

It had not been the second time, nor even the third. But it had been nearly three years since the musket's flare had burst across the sky and none of them were expecting it.

Taylor Brittle had just found his way to the break room of the cauldron factory, intent on working through the weekend to get caught up before the Christmas rush. He had just gotten his cup of coffee and reached for the sugar when it suddenly toppled over, forming the words, "all for one." Forgetting all about his coffee, he quickly scattered the sugar, grabbed his cloak and punched out.

Corey Willowby had been intently working on a salve for old Mrs. Nicklemore, who was chatting away about her aches and pains as he put the finishing touches on the gooey mixture, stirring it. It was then that he noticed something quite odd in the swirls. After tilting his head to the side to read it, he dropped the bowl on the table, hurrying out from behind the counter.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Nicklemore, my sister will be here in two shakes of a Slumber Lamb's tail to finish this for you," Corey said, running for the door.

"But my corns hurt now!" Mrs. Nicklemore protested, but there was no stopping Corey, nearly crashing into Essie and Doug as they came to the door on the other side.

"It wasn't you, I take it?" Corey asked Doug, grabbing his coat.

"I got the message tattooed on the skin of the sheep I was shearing," Doug said as Essie rushed by to take over at the counter.

"The salve is done, Essie, just bottle it for Mrs. Nicklemore, will you please?" Corey said, waving thanks to his sister as they headed out the door.

"Now where on earth were those two going?" The old witch clucked at Essie, who shrugged. "Young people are always in such a hurry these days!"

They thought they had lost her in the clouds. Danny Brittle was quite sure of that fact now as she grabbed her broom out from beneath her and went into a dangerous freefall, quickly regaining her seat again just before she reached the ground, slowing to a stop as her body began to change form. Within seconds she was a grey fox, bursting out of the brush and over to a small cottage which stood by a small, murky lake surrounded by grassy knolls. It was there that the figures had taken Rose, so without wasting time, the fox leapt onto the low roof and over to the chimney, scurrying down faster than St. Nick.

"Feisty little thing, wasn't she?"

"She bit me when I took her wand. I should have bit her back," someone growled.

"Well, she's here and in one piece, though I didn't see a scrap of jewelry on her," a third said.

"She has them," the first said. "I could smell them. They're diamonds all right, and I'm sure the ones the boss is looking for."

"Well, your nose had better be right, or you owe us our share of the gold we'll lose if she's not to order," the second threatened. Danny carefully crept down the open flu, looking around. The three figures were still wearing their cloaks, but Danny noticed something she hadn't before. The biggest one of them didn't stand more than four feet tall. "When do we get the gold, anyhow?"

"Not until the boss lays his trap."

"So long as he doesn't expect us to hang around for the finish," grunted the second again. "Cold, isn't it? Didn't anyone have enough sense to light a fire when we came in?" he asked.

"Well, you didn't either."

"I was carrying the girl. You light it." Quickly the fox climbed up, changing back into her normal form so she could Apparate out and on the other side of one of the sloping hills.

Taking out a potion wallet, Danny took out the one marked, d'A, drinking it with a grimace. As the potion to change her gender began to slowly take effect, making her body ache in uncomfortable places, Danny tried to concentrate on the disguise spell to change her clothing and hair and eyes, adding a mustache to the now handsome, masculine face.

Danny seemed to have all but disappeared in favor of the man from a not so forgotten past, brushing off his cape and pulling at his gloves, squinting at his wand to make sure it, too, had been disguised in the shape of a sword. Shadows appeared in the snow in front of him alerted the approach of three other figures, but he was not surprised as he turned around to find his three best friends landing on brooms behind him… faithful Taylor as Aramis, Doug as Porthos, and Corey as Athos, just as they were when they were kids. So complete was the disguise that no one could have guessed who they were, protecting their identities, especially Danny, from the likes of Nelson and Malfoy who would have found a way to stop to their deeds long ago if they had known the truth.

"D'Artagnan!" Aramis said, looking worried. "Are you all right?"

"What's going on, d'Artagnan?" Athos asked.

"Three figures accosted a student while we were at Hogsmeade… Rose Bailey. I followed them here. I think she's all right at the moment," d'Artagnan explained. "The goblins are waiting for word from their employer."

"Goblins? Goblins stole a Hogwarts' student?" Porthos said, incredulous.

"Not all goblins are honorable, in fact I have met quite a few that dealt with my father that would do anything for money," d'Artagnan said.

"Do you think your uncle is behind this?" Athos asked in a low voice. D'Artagnan sighed.

"It's possible," he admitted. "Especially considering that Rose apparently has some of the diamonds. From what the goblins said, I believe he was going to use her as bait."

"To get Ciardoth," Aramis said, nodding. "Does he really think he can defeat her?"

"Well, it's neither here nor there, what matters is we get her away from here and back where she's safe," d'Artagnan said.

"We shouldn't have much trouble taking on three goblins," Porthos snorted.

"Goblins may not have magic like ours, but I'll remind you they do know how to defend themselves against it, as they did during the revolts," d'Artagnan said, turning to Athos. "We're going to go for the direct approach. While we distract them in the front, Athos, I want you to go get the girl and bring her to the castle."

"Me?" Athos said in surprise. "But I'm the best sparrer in this group!"

"Next to me," said d'Artagnan.

"Do we have to go into this again right now?" Porthos sighed.

"Send Aramis to get her," Athos said.

"Do I really need to remind you what happened the last time I put you up front?" d'Artagnan said as the other two threw up their hands in exasperation. "With one wave of your hand, you nearly exposed us all. How many Focus Casters are there, Athos? Do you think they couldn't narrow it down?"

"I don't forget anything, as you well know," Athos said. "You certainly don't let things go, do you?"

"Not when it comes to this," d'Artagnan said. "You all voted me as the leader. Did you want to take it back?"

"This is what I get for naming you d'Artagnan," Athos grumbled. "Fine, I'll get the girl."

"Let's just go already," said Porthos. "I'm late for lunch."

"All right, let's go," d'Artagnan said, nodding to Athos as he, Aramis, and Porthos slowly hovered down to the ground.

Rose was really beginning to hate spending time in storage closets. In the darkness she had managed to find a glass jar of nails, so she dumped out its contents to make a crude and magicless snooping device to listen in on her captors. She sighed as their conversation turned into an argument over who was going to build a fire. How could she have been so stupid? Her hand went to her ankle, making sure for the tenth time that the diamond anklet her grandfather had given her was still there. She had been so sure it had nothing to do with what was going on; she felt no need to mention it to anyone. And now it was obvious that it had some of the missing diamonds after all. Had Ciardoth known that night? She shivered, thinking about the goblin that said he smelled them. Perhaps Ciardoth had a way to do that as well. If only she had mentioned it to Alex… Alex. What would she have done in a situation like this?

As she was contemplating that, she heard a rhythmic pounding of someone knocking on the door and she grabbed the jar again, pushing it to the door with her ear against it.

"Who is it?"

"Human men in strange clothes."

"Muggle clothes?"

"No Muggle clothes I've ever seen. Not wizard clothes either, and they carry swords."

"Swords? What sort of idiots are these? Did they escape from the dark ages? Get out of my way and let me see out that window."

Just then, she heard the breaking of glass and a loud scuffle. In fact, it was so loud that she hadn't even heard the familiar * pop * when someone Apparated behind her. The hand on her shoulder caused her to drop the jar, quickly caught by the stranger's other hand.

"Who are you?" she whispered, trying to get a glimpse of his face under the rather large and boisterous hat.

"A friend, Mademoiselle, Athos by name," Athos said, holding his hand out towards the door. There was a clanging sound from the other side as the bar swung out of the way and he gently pulled it open far enough to see outside. Each of the cloaked figures had been engaged by the other musketeers, their swords being used for little more than shields against the quick knives of the goblins. "Come! Hurry!"

Putting a protective arm around her, Athos quickly ran her through the furniture tossed room and had just reached the door when the goblin leader noticed what was happening. Ducking Aramis' blow, the goblin's knife suddenly shot out of his hand.

D'Artagnan, seeing the movement, ducked below the goblin he was fighting and pointed his sword at the door in attempt to close it, but it was too late; the knife that had been thrown sank deep into Athos' right shoulder as he turned to call his broom. Athos cried out in pain and the others shouted his name, but there was little time to do anything else. The goblins had broken away from the fight and began rushing towards the door, and Athos had little choice but to toss the girl in front of him on the broom and take off.

"Hurry, before they bolt again!" d'Artagnan hissed, hurrying towards the door with Porthos right behind.

"Don't worry about the goblins, they can't get away. I took care of it," Aramis said, following up the rear. And indeed, as the goblins went to grab their brooms, their cloaks long abandoned, their brooms came apart in pieces. As the three remaining Musketeers ran towards them, one of the goblins pulled out a key, which they all grabbed and vanished in thin air.

Porthos and d'Artagnan glared over at Aramis.

"Well, no one told me they might have a Portkey," Aramis said sheepishly. Lightning flashed overhead, and the three of them looked up in the direction that Athos had taken with Rose.

"Oh God, I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means," d'Artagnan said.

"We need to get to Athos in any case. I'm not sure he can make it all the way to the castle in his condition," Porthos said worriedly. Aramis let out a shot of his musket and the flare burst forth with only one clear line of smoke showing Athos' path. Immediately the three charged forward on their brooms, hoping to catch up with their injured friend.

Rose sobbed softly, hardly in a position to do anything but help guide the broom as they zoomed quickly into the clouds to reduce the risk of being seen. He had been so brave to keep on as he had! Athos was gritting his teeth, trying to focus completely on their destination instead of anything that might be behind them.

"Milady, can you reach my potion wallet in my right hand pocket?" he asked, his voice sounding strained. It was difficult for Rose to accomplish; his cape and robes flapping in the wind and it was incredibly cold, but somehow she was able to reach it at last, pulling out the healing potion and giving it to him to drink.

"That potion won't work properly with that blade still in," Rose said worriedly. "Perhaps we should set down somewhere."

It was then that there was flash of lightning behind them.

"We can't take that chance," Athos said at last. "Lean forward, milady! I have a feeling we're in for a bit of a rough ride."

Within seconds, the two of them discovered just how right that statement was, for seemingly out of nowhere came what appeared to be a dark cloud. They soon found out it wasn't a cloud at all… it was a swarm of large black beetles, flying around them by the thousands, smacking into them and over them and in front of them so dense that neither of them could see where they were going. Rose screamed, trying to swat them away with one hand as they pelted them, and Athos shouted at her to hold on, barely able to keep them out of his mouth. There could be no doubt who was causing it and why… Ciardoth was somewhere below, attempting to force them down, and Athos, determined but in pain, had to admit to himself that he couldn't keep it up much longer.

Then, like a dawn after the darkest night, bright rays flashed around them from behind, shooting a spray of ice at the beetles and freezing their wings in large groups at a time. More came in to take their place, but the beams of ice to struck again and again until at last they began to disperse. It was just as Athos began to see clearly through the thinning swarm that three figures appeared, coming up along both sides and one directly above him. He was never so glad to see his friends in all his life.

"Athos! Apparate out! She's a Seeker, she can handle it. You need to get out of here!" d'Artagnan ordered.

"And leave you guys to face Ciardoth alone?" Athos shouted back.

"Don't be a fool, Athos, you're only a hindrance in your condition," Porthos snapped harshly. "Get out while you can, we'll take care of the girl."

A loud roar drew the conversation to a close, and suddenly Athos and the others were forced to pull up as the largest dragon any of them had ever seen flew before them. Instinctively Athos dove just as a blast of fire burst out towards them, the others veering away in every direction.

Pulling his bad arm around Rose, Athos did a tight 360 to dodge the dragon's tail as they flew below it. The others tried desperately to distract the immense creature with the same spell they had used on the beetles, but the dragon would not be dissuaded, letting out another blast of its fiery breath towards the others.

Aramis pulled up a second too late and found his cape and broom on fire. He cried out in alarm as he tried desperately to shed the flaming cloth, but thankfully the high winds were pushing the flames behind him instead of upon him as they flared higher. D'Artagnan broke off his attack and shot a blast of ice at the flames, putting it out. But the damage had been done… Aramis' back was burnt and his broom was quickly losing altitude. D'Artagnan came up beside Aramis and helped him leap across onto his own broom in midair, the damaged broom spiraling towards the ground.

It was up to him now, Porthos knew, but he also knew there was little hope of him trying to knock it out of the air himself. Pointing his sword at it, he cast an entanglement spell around the beast's wings, tying them together. For a split second, it looked as if it was going to work, but then with a great heave of power the wings broke free of the spell, pushing its great body higher once more and towards its main target.

Glancing behind to see the dragon gaining altitude once more, Athos knew they were out of chances. There was only one other solution left now.

"The diamonds, milady! Drop them!" he shouted hoarsely, doing his best to edge the broom a little faster.

"But-"

"No buts, just do it! It's not worth our lives!" he ordered. "Drop them!"

Leaning even closer to the broom to steady herself, Rose kicked off her shoe, pulling forcefully at the anklet's catch. Suddenly it broke and she let it fall, grabbing a hold of the broom as Athos tried to keep her from losing her balance. The dragon hesitated only momentarily, breaking off its attack and drawing in its wings for a sharp dive to catch its prize. Praying that the delay would be enough or that she would simply lose interest, Athos brought his concentration full force upon the tiny shadow of a castle on the horizon, watching as it grew larger and larger as he pushed the broom to its limits.

Just a little more, just a little more, Athos promised himself as everything grew hazy, almost surreal. And the faster things happened, the slower they seemed to him as he finally landed on the parapet near the Owlery, gently setting Rose down before collapsing face first to the ground.

"Athos, Athos!" Rose said, bursting into tears and kneeling by his side, taking off her coat to put around the wound. "Please, someone help!"

The other two brooms landed behind them, Porthos immediately rushing over to his side.

"I'm all right, I'm all right," Aramis protested as d'Artagnan tried to look at his burns, "We need to get Athos to the hospital wing."

Suddenly the door flew open and Severus rushed in, his face white as a sheet. Dumbledore ran in right behind him.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way," Severus said sharply, pushing his way to Athos with a look of fear on his face that Rose had never seen before. "Who was the idiot who tried to use a healing potion on this before the blade was out?" he snapped, calling up a stretcher.

"I am, Professor," Athos said weakly. "I had no choice."

"I always knew this silly masquerade of yours would end up this way!" Severus went on as they lowered him onto the stretcher.

"As if you and Craw aren't always taking chances," Athos murmured.

"Not in costume!" Severus retorted, heading out the door guiding the stretcher out.

Aramis and d'Artagnan followed with Porthos close behind, leaving Dumbledore to escort Rose out. She became disoriented when she discovered they were not in the tower at all, but in the medical wing, staring in shock as people ran around her. Sagittari had hurried with Severus into the back room where the other four had gone, while Madame Pomfrey ran over to Rose.

"Here, sit down so I can have a look at you! Are you quite all right? Goodness, you are cold!" she fussed at her, the fire suddenly blazing in the fireplace. "Are you hurt?" Rose shook her head numbly. "She's in shock, we should lie her down. Some Espritis root tea may be in order."

"I'll handle that," Dumbledore said calmly, glancing at Minerva who stood anxiously by the door. "Minerva, can you ask Pomona to bring Mrs. Bailey here, please? Let her know that Rose is safe and sound but she will need to stay here for a bit," he said, heading to the medicine cabinet for the tea. Just then Severus walked swiftly out, heading for the cabinet himself.

"How is he?"

"It was a goblin dagger. We'll have to disintegrate it, it's too risky attempting to pull it out over the healed tissue," Severus said grimly, grabbing the bottle and turning to head back into the room. Dumbledore put his hand on him for a moment then brought out a tiny bottle, which Severus accepted with a soft but sincere thanks before sweeping into the back once more.

"Will Athos be all right?" Rose asked when Dumbledore came back over with the tea.

"No reason to worry, Rose, try to relax," Dumbledore reassured her, handing the tea to Pomfrey who encouraged her to take a few sips.

"He saved my life, they all did," Rose said insistently. "I just want to know he's going to be all right."

"He will survive," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I have known that man for a long time, and I have seen him in much worse shape than he is right now and yet make a full recovery. Besides, I gave Professor Snape some Phoenix Tears to help the healing once they get the blade out. Now, I don't suppose you wouldn't mind if I asked you something?"

"Professor!" Pomfrey said with exasperation. "I must insist you wait until the patients are well before we get into all that!"

"I agree that most of this can wait for a little while, Poppy. I only wanted to ask her why she hadn't mentioned to anyone that she had any diamonds, when I'm quite sure she knew we were worried about them."

"Professor… I didn't think… I mean, my grandfather gave the anklet to me for a gift over a year ago. I never even dreamed that it could possibly any of the missing diamonds, or I would have," Rose said distressed. Poppy gave Dumbledore an accusing look and held the tea back to the girl's lips. "She has them now. Athos made me drop them," she added quietly. Dumbledore nodded gently to her, patting her leg before standing up.

"You did the right thing," he assured her. "We'll talk of this later."

Rose's mother was accompanied by Professors Sprout, McGonagall, and Craw, all of them entering the room with worried expressions. Rose's mother quickly rushed to her daughter's side, hugging her tight, while Jennifer hurried towards the back room as Dumbledore courteously opened the door for her.

"I am so glad you are all right," Ashley Bailey said, looking gratefully towards Dumbledore. "Professor, thank you. If I'd known for an instant about the diamonds…"

"I know, it seems that everyone had assumed they were harmless, and we had to learn the hard way it was otherwise," Dumbledore said. "But you do not have me to thank for your daughter's safe return. I merely saw that her rescuers were able to carry out their job."

"Well whoever they are, I'd like to thank them," Ashley said, hugging her daughter again.

"Just friends," Dumbledore smiled. "Very good friends."