Chapter Ten

Christopher Draconian stood silently in the large, dark room that had just eight days before, held one of his organization's most sought after men. That room, was now empty. He suddenly let out a roar of rage, as a red glaze settled over his eyes, and he slammed his arms forcefully into the chair that John had been tied too.

The chair went tumbling off to his side and landed at Jerry Bealer's feet. The man made no sign of weakness as it crashed in front of him, in fact, he barely even acknowledged it was there. Skilled in several forms of combat as well as the magical arts, Jerry had searched for his calling in life for years before he came across S.M.B. After he joining the organization, Jerry had moved quickly up the ranks to his current position as Christopher Draconian's right hand man.

After Chris's former right hand man Alan Night had been "deported" from the S.M.B.'s fortress, Christopher had easily decided who would fill the now vacant spot.

"Sir," Jerry suggested. "If it's any constellation, it's been storming for days now, and I doubt Starlight or his elf could've survived long out there in the water." Jerry cringed slightly as he called Christopher "sir". The idea of working for a fourteen year old had always slightly bothered him, but the more time he had spent witnessing what Chris was capable of, the more confident he had become in taking orders from him.

Chris flung himself around so his face was merely inches from Jerry's, his face vivid with anger. "I don't want him dead!" he roared. "I need the know where the potion is, and how can I do that if nobody is left to tell me it's location!?"

Jerry kept his jaw set, but didn't respond.

Chris waved his hand, frustrated. "Send a few men out in one of the boats and tell them to search for his body, and you go to the mainland and see if you can track him down. If he did survive, and you all better hope he did, then I'm sure he's growing weak by now."

Jerry nodded, feeling his blood pulsing. There was nothing like a good chase.

"How far a walk do you think we are from Hogsmeade?" John groaned, forcing his legs onward.

Elizabeth peered around, squinting. "I say a good week or so, if we stay out of sight in the forest."

Frito sighed, and let himself drop into a pile of leaves, exhausted. It was almost afternoon now, and the three had been walking for a few hours, but on the plus side, they had lost Elizabeth's group.

Elizabeth sat down on her knees next to Frito, and John followed suit by leaning against a tree.

"I guess we'll take a little break then," John decided. He let himself slink down the trunk until he too was sitting. "How's the potion, Frito?"

Frito extracted a small cushion from his pocket in which a pouch lay. He pulled the potion from the pouch and handed it to John. John looked at it closely before passing it back to the elf.

"How did you get that?" Elizabeth asked, curiously.

John raised his eyebrows, considering the thought of telling her. She did save you, John decided, you owe her as much to tell her what she's gotten herself into.

"It's a good thing we have a lot of time on our hands," John smiled. "Because it's a long story…"