"Eric! Where are you?" Dierna beat on the mirror with clenched fists. A lot of things were starting to make sense now. How he knew everything that was going on and how he could travel almost anywhere. Now if she could only get him to realize that she needed him...
"Please Eric, I need your help!" Dierna cried in frustration. She needed help and she needed it now. "Please Eric..." she leaned her head against the mirror as she wept. It wasn't fair. Without Eric's help she had no way of getting to Stefan. She slowly raised her head as an idea began to take form.
She may not be able to get a hold of Eric this way, but she was sure she could find him if she got to Paris... all she had to do was get to the international floo station in Hogsmeade, from there she could get to Paris and the Opera House.
It was too dangerous to use her father's fireplace to get to Hogsmeade, he might be down there. She took off at a run again, heading out the doors of the school as she went out into the black night. She clutched her wand in her hand, hoping she might not have reason to use it.
As Dierna ran off into the night Nimue crept out of the alcove she had been standing in. It hadn't taken her long to realize that her sister had every intention of going into Voldemort's lair herself to find Stefan. Nimue was still trying to figure out what to do, and staring curiously at the gilded mirror when a face other than her own appeared in it.
"Why does it matter that Voldemort wants to destroy the Brotherhood?"
"Do you not understand the danger that it puts you in?"
Kamen sighed as he seated himself across from his father, "Dad, I'm of age, I'm an adult and I'm graduating in only a couple more weeks. When are you going to stop trying to protect me and let me lead my own life? For Merlin's sake, Viviane is married and you still try to tell her what to do. You have to stop sometime."
"I only want you to make good decisions. I am still paying the price for bad decisions I made in my youth and I d not want you to do the same."
"I know you only want what's best for me, but I need to start figuring out what that is on my own. How do you expect me to function on my own once I graduate if you still insist on running my life?"
Severus frowned, "what are your plans for after graduation?"
Kamen smiled, "me and William are going to get a flat together. Figured that since we didn't kill each other after living together for seven years here we might as well keep on that way."
"And how do you propose on paying rent? You need a job, not just this Brotherhood nonsense."
Kamen's grin widened, "we've got tryout dates, figured I might be able to make it onto one of the pro quidditch teams."
"Sweet Circe..."
"Now come on Dad, I know you don't like the idea, but I'm good. And it will give me something to do until I find what you consider to be a real job."
"Hmmmm... we'll have to wait and see how you do on your NEWTs to see if you can get a real job."
Kamen rolled his eyes, "I know I haven't exactly applied myself scholastically, but I'm sure I'll get a job. Even one that lives up to your standards."
"All I ask is that you be careful. Play quidditch if you want, get the flat with William. But watch yourself where the Grigorian Brotherhood is concerned. I know they seem an attractive group, and as long as they have Dumbledore's backing they can't be too bad, but they do have a reputation for resorting to rather unsavory means when necessary."
Dierna cursed herself when she realized she had made it to the floo station without bringing any money. Luckily for her the wizard on duty was only a couple of years older than herself, and by batting her eyelashes and assuring him it was an emergency she convinced him to send the charge to Professor Snape at Hogwarts and it would cause no problems. She only hoped she got back to the school before the bill did or she would be in a world of trouble.
She was also disappointed to learn that the Paris Opera House was not connected to the floo network, but she could get to within a few blocks of it. She figured that as long as she had come this far she'd take what she could get. Another couple of blocks was not going to deter her. She had to get to Stefan.
Giving the attendant one last false smile she threw the floo powder into the fire and giving the address the wizard had given her was swept away. She nearly tripped on the grate at the other end, but managed to right herself quickly before hurrying out the door of the café she had been transported to. Once outside it took her a moment to get her bearings, but she was soon on her way. Before too long the impressive expanse of the Opera building was looming above her.
Dierna fought back her feelings of fear as she slowly pushed open the large main doors, letting herself into the main foyer. Now that she was here where did she go?
She looked around her, but nothing gave her any idea as to where the entrance to Eric's lair might be. She was just about ready to give up when she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. But when she turned there was no one there. However she felt compelled to investigate and moved to examine the portrait hanging on the wall.
"It's a magical painting, however she is very good at pretending to be muggle produced," a voice said from behind her.
"What in the world are you two doing?" Morgan asked from the doorway. She looked concernedly between her husband and son, thinking that the two of them must have been hexed.
"Just talking and having a drink, care to join us?" Severus asked smoothly.
Morgan shook her head in bewilderment, "no blood, no screaming, no pleas for mercy... this was not the scene I expected to find."
"Aw, come on Mum, we're not usually that bad."
"Yes you are," Morgan frowned, "I can't remember the last time the two of you weren't at each other's throats. Are you both feeling ok?"
Severus measured his words carefully, he and Kamen had found a common ground, they had both decided not to mention the Brotherhood to Morgan, "as I said, we're merely talking. We were actually discussing Kamen's plans for after graduation."
Morgan eyebrows shot up as she looked at her son, "you told him about your plans to play quidditch and he didn't hit the roof?"
Kamen flashed her a brilliant smile, "we've come to a truce. I agree to look for a 'real' job while I'm playing quidditch and Dad tries to refrain from saying anything about the other decisions I make. We should have done this sooner; you might have actually had some peace and quiet once in awhile."
Morgan narrowed her eyes, "what are you both keeping from me?"
"Nothing," Kamen said a bit too quickly.
Dierna spun around, her hand instantly going for her wand. But she breathed a sigh of relief and dropped her hand back down to her side when she saw it was only Zach, "what are you doing here?"
Zach frowned slightly, "I think a better question would be what are you doing here?" It's not safe and you most certainly do not have permission to be out of the school. I think we need to contact your parents."
"Please don't! Please... Stefan may be alive, but I have to know for certain. I know your grandfather can tell me if it is really true or not. Please don't send me back yet."
Zach sighed, Dierna's pleading tone cut through his better judgment, "fine, you may ask him what he knows but then you are going straight back to the school. You are safe enough here for now but who knows what could have happened to you..." he cut himself off quickly, "come on then" he took her arm and turned her back towards the portrait, "you can stop pretending now Venus, this one knows my grandfather."
The portrait of the goddess swept her long hair over her shoulder with a graceful movement, "well you could have told me that a bit sooner instead of just standing there while I have to pretend to be just another of those horrid lifeless paintings..."
"Never get a guardian with attitude," Zach whispered to Dierna as the goddess continued to carry on. Finally Zach had enough and cut it, "we are in a bit of a hurry..."
The goddess pouted and turned away from them, "fine, no one ever stops to talk to me, I'm used to it by now. The password?"
"Psyche," Zach couldn't help smiling.
"Hmpf... that little tramp..." but the portrait obligingly swung open revealing a narrow and rather unsteady looking staircase.
"We could have taken another way it," Zach admitted, "but she does get lonely and her favorite pastime is giving me a hard time."
The staircase appeared to plunge down into infinite darkness as Dierna followed Zach down. Torches along the wall flared up as the passed them and died away just as quickly, providing just enough light for them to see only a few feet in front of them.
"Don't touch the walls," Zach cautioned, "only the railing. He's rigged up some sort of traps into the walls, you touch them and they suck you in, trapping you in some sort of chamber... just be careful."
When they reached the bottom of the stairs they stepped into a pool of pale simulated moonlight. In awe Dierna glanced around her, first at the ceiling which reproduced the sky, and then at the wide expanse of magical forest in front of them, "how do we get through?"
"You are of age and allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts, correct?"
"Yes."
"Good," Zach grabbed a lantern which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, "keep your wand out at all times and be ready for anything. Once we find the starting point of the path we should be safe, but occasionally things do happen..."
"I think the two of you better start talking," Morgan crossed her arms over her chest.
"Come off it Mum, there's nothing you need to know about."
"I think I'll decide that for myself."
Severus spoke up calmly, Morgan rarely got angry, but when she did it was not a pretty sight, and he hoped she would be fairly easy to calm down this time, "Morgan, Kamen has asked to join the Order of the Phoenix. I have told him that once he graduates it will be his decision to make."
"There's more to it than that," Morgan observed.
"Yes there is," Severus agreed, "in the mean time our son has found another way to contribute to the war."
"What have you done?" Morgan asked as she turned on her son.
"Mum, I'm going to ask you not to make me answer that. There are still some things I need to figure out on my own, and there are some things I've done I'm not particularly proud of that I need to come to terms with. But I will tell you when I'm ready."
Morgan sighed, "fine, but if you ever feel the need to talk know that I'm here for you."
Kamen nodded in acknowledgement, "in that case I'm going to head up to bed."
Morgan sank down into the chair her son had occupied after he left, "when did he grow up?" she muttered to herself.
Severus didn't answer her, but he could have. Kamen had confided to him some of the actions he had undertaken as part of the Brotherhood. There were some things that did not leave a person unchanged.
Dierna was relieved to be out of the forest. Although nothing had attacked them she knew it had only been to luck. Even Zach had been nervous, and he worked with dragons everyday.
Zach discarded the lantern as they passed through several rooms, which were set up as laboratories. Dierna was amazed, not even her father's lab was this complete. She prided herself on being able to recognize everything in her father's cabinets without looking at the label. But Eric had things she had never seen before.
She left Zach's side for a moment to look at a jar that seemed to be glimmering with its own silvery light. Unicorn blood! Her eyes widened slightly, she had a feeling this had not been obtained legally. At Zach's beckoning she reluctantly turned away from her explorations and joined him in front of another portrait. However this portrait, of a ballerina, was truly of non-magical production.
"Another guardian?" she asked, examining the painting with interest.
Zach nodded, "she is my grandmother," he said softly as he pressed his hand to a family crest in the corner of the painting, "charmed to respond to handprints, not passwords. This is my grandfather's most guarded room."
"Yes it is," a cheerful voice said as they crossed the threshold, "I knew you would come to see me eventually girl. Welcome to my sanctum sanctorum, my sanctuary of sanctuaries."
Rheia bent over the scrying bowl in intent concentration. "I can no longer See as I once did..." she muttered more to herself than to her attendants. Sighing she waved her hand over the water, dispelling what remained of the murky vision. "Bring Cadmus to me," she directed on of the young priestesses standing against the wall.
As she waited for the leader of the men's tribe to join her she looked around at the priestesses surrounding her. None of them were novices, they had all been initiated, but they still seemed so young. She sighed again, had they always joined the ranks of the priestesses at this early of an age? Perhaps she was just getting too old...
She glanced up sharply as Cadmus appeared at the entrance to the sanctuary, laying aside his weapons as a show of respect. He came forward and bowed low to the high priestess. Sometimes he questioned the methods this woman used, but he also had a great deal of respect for her.
"I have a mission for you Cadmus," Rheia had made her decision. She would do whatever was necessary to insure that the old ways did not die out, no matter the cost, "you must go into the wizarding world and bring Kalliope back with you. Do not return without her."
"Nimue, what are you doing here?!" Dierna cried as she stepped into Eric's sanctuary. She gasped as she looked around, her little sister temporarily forgotten. The room was circular and lined floor to ceiling with panels of mirrors. In the middle of the room was a silver tree with a length of rope hanging from it.
"Well my dear, if you hadn't been in such a rush you would have been here earlier as well." Eric gave her a distorted smile, "I was out in my lab when you called me so I didn't hear you at first. Bu the time I got here you were gone, but your sister was still hanging about."
Zach buried his face in his hands, "they both have to go back now, they should not be here, they should not have left the school."
"Seems to me that you should not have left the school either my boy," Eric countered.
Zach glared at him, "I am here because I am going after Eva, I'm not going to sit idly by when anything could have happened to her by now."
"It has only been a few hours since she went back to them, she may not be in too much danger yet. I know Malfoy, he likes to drag things out, the girl will still be alive."
"I don't care, I love her too much to lose her now!"
Eric smiled sadly, "that, my boy, is something I understand all too well... I will help you. But first, I want to know how I can help these two young ladies."
"I need to know if Stefan is alive," Dierna stepped forward, "I have to know. I don't care what it takes, I have to know."
Eric nodded slowly, "very well then, I will show you what you want to know, but I can offer you no more help than that."
"I understand, I just have to know..."
"Come here then child," Eric turned to Zach, "you know how this works, go ahead and do what you must."
Dierna followed Eric to one of the long mirrors and stood before it. She was about to ask him how it worked when there was the sound of shattering glass from behind them.
She quickly spun around, but was surprised to see that except for the fact that Zach was now gone the room looked exactly the same as before. None of the mirrors were broken.
"Don't be alarmed child," Eric patted her arm as he turned her back to the mirror in front of them, "they make that sound when you use them to travel. Now, give me your hand, that's right, and press it right up against the glass. Alright then, tell them what you want to see."
Dierna stared at her reflection in the mirror, straight into her own large green eyes, "please," she whispered, "show me where Stefan is."
She heard Nimue gasp from behind her, but was too surprised by what was happening in front of her to make any noise of her own. The mirror, which had been acting as any normal, respectable, mirror would by reflecting what was in front of it seemed to have become a window.
Dierna's breath became shaky and irregular as she stared at the scene before her. She didn't even notice the supporting arm Eric slid around her waist to keep her from falling.
Zach stepped carefully into the dim room. The mirrors didn't show all so there was a chance that some death eater might be hiding in a dark corner that he hadn't noticed from the room of mirrors. But a quick survey of the room showed him that it was empty, except for the one thing he had come for.
"Eva, please be alright..." he whispered as he knelt down next to the crumpled form huddled against the wall. He knew a moment of fear when she didn't respond to his touch. Starting to panic he gently rolled her over and nearly cried when he saw the mass of bruises covering her face. They were all new, some of them were still darkening. Bruises covered her arms too, some of them obvious handprints.
"Please Eva, wake up," he pleaded as he carefully moved her limp form, wanting to hold her close to him.
As he was trying to settle her against him Eva's grey eyes snapped open and she stifled a scream as she tried to push away from him.
"Eva, its me, I won't hurt you, I promise. The last thing I want is to see you hurt," Zach quickly tried to sooth the agitated woman in his arms.
"Zach? Mein Gott... I thought you were one of them," Eva rasped out, "Is it really you?" she asked as she threw herself into his arms.
"You're safe now. I won't let them hurt you again," Zach gently cupped Eva's face between his hands as he surveyed her injuries, "what did they do to you?"
"Nothing that won't heal with time," Eva said, forcing a smile.
"Come on, I'm going to get you out of here."
"Nein."
"No?" Zach's look was one of utter confusion, "it's not safe here we have to leave, and I am most certainly taking you with me."
Eva smiled but shook her head, "you have to leave, but I must stay."
"But why..."
"Shhh... let me explain." Eva shifted painfully on the hard stone floor, "the last time Malfoy took a swing at me he thought I had passed out, they left me on the floor while plans were being made. They are going to attack the school tonight, Voldemort wants Nimue. He plans to use her as a way to get to Professor Snape, and he wants his own seer. You must warn them."
"But Nimue isn't even at the school, she's with my grandfather right now..."
"But they do not know that. You must go Zach and warn the school."
"Come with me."
"No, if I am gone they know that they have been warned. I must stay."
Zach was not happy with the arrangement. But he knew it had to be carried out as Eva had said. "Here," he reached into his pockets, "I wasn't sure of the condition you were going to be in so I swiped these from my grandfather's stores." He handed her two small blue vials, "those will help with the pain, I have one here for the bruising but if you're staying here you can't risk taking it. It wouldn't do you any good if they left you a bruised mess and came back to see you all but healed."
Eva gave him a small smile, "no it wouldn't, but I will gladly take the one for pain." She quickly drained one vial and handed the other back to Zach, "I can only take one now and I don't want them to find this one on me."
"You're sure you'll be alright?"
Eva nodded, "ja, du musst gehen."
Zach sighed reluctantly, but bent to kiss Eva softly before standing up. "I'm coming back for you, as soon as I inform the school of the plans for attack."
"Please, go before they come back," Eva wiped away the tears that had started to fall. For all she knew the room could have been monitored this entire time, but perhaps not... she wasn't even sure if she'd still be alive by the time Zach returned to her, but the school had to be warned.
Zach paused as he reached the mirror on the opposite wall which would take him back, "I will come back, and I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to explain earlier tonight. I love you."
Eva curled up in a miserable ball on the floor as Zach left, not sure if she would see him again, but maintaining a small glimmer of hope because she knew that he loved her.
"Please Eric, I need your help!" Dierna cried in frustration. She needed help and she needed it now. "Please Eric..." she leaned her head against the mirror as she wept. It wasn't fair. Without Eric's help she had no way of getting to Stefan. She slowly raised her head as an idea began to take form.
She may not be able to get a hold of Eric this way, but she was sure she could find him if she got to Paris... all she had to do was get to the international floo station in Hogsmeade, from there she could get to Paris and the Opera House.
It was too dangerous to use her father's fireplace to get to Hogsmeade, he might be down there. She took off at a run again, heading out the doors of the school as she went out into the black night. She clutched her wand in her hand, hoping she might not have reason to use it.
As Dierna ran off into the night Nimue crept out of the alcove she had been standing in. It hadn't taken her long to realize that her sister had every intention of going into Voldemort's lair herself to find Stefan. Nimue was still trying to figure out what to do, and staring curiously at the gilded mirror when a face other than her own appeared in it.
"Why does it matter that Voldemort wants to destroy the Brotherhood?"
"Do you not understand the danger that it puts you in?"
Kamen sighed as he seated himself across from his father, "Dad, I'm of age, I'm an adult and I'm graduating in only a couple more weeks. When are you going to stop trying to protect me and let me lead my own life? For Merlin's sake, Viviane is married and you still try to tell her what to do. You have to stop sometime."
"I only want you to make good decisions. I am still paying the price for bad decisions I made in my youth and I d not want you to do the same."
"I know you only want what's best for me, but I need to start figuring out what that is on my own. How do you expect me to function on my own once I graduate if you still insist on running my life?"
Severus frowned, "what are your plans for after graduation?"
Kamen smiled, "me and William are going to get a flat together. Figured that since we didn't kill each other after living together for seven years here we might as well keep on that way."
"And how do you propose on paying rent? You need a job, not just this Brotherhood nonsense."
Kamen's grin widened, "we've got tryout dates, figured I might be able to make it onto one of the pro quidditch teams."
"Sweet Circe..."
"Now come on Dad, I know you don't like the idea, but I'm good. And it will give me something to do until I find what you consider to be a real job."
"Hmmmm... we'll have to wait and see how you do on your NEWTs to see if you can get a real job."
Kamen rolled his eyes, "I know I haven't exactly applied myself scholastically, but I'm sure I'll get a job. Even one that lives up to your standards."
"All I ask is that you be careful. Play quidditch if you want, get the flat with William. But watch yourself where the Grigorian Brotherhood is concerned. I know they seem an attractive group, and as long as they have Dumbledore's backing they can't be too bad, but they do have a reputation for resorting to rather unsavory means when necessary."
Dierna cursed herself when she realized she had made it to the floo station without bringing any money. Luckily for her the wizard on duty was only a couple of years older than herself, and by batting her eyelashes and assuring him it was an emergency she convinced him to send the charge to Professor Snape at Hogwarts and it would cause no problems. She only hoped she got back to the school before the bill did or she would be in a world of trouble.
She was also disappointed to learn that the Paris Opera House was not connected to the floo network, but she could get to within a few blocks of it. She figured that as long as she had come this far she'd take what she could get. Another couple of blocks was not going to deter her. She had to get to Stefan.
Giving the attendant one last false smile she threw the floo powder into the fire and giving the address the wizard had given her was swept away. She nearly tripped on the grate at the other end, but managed to right herself quickly before hurrying out the door of the café she had been transported to. Once outside it took her a moment to get her bearings, but she was soon on her way. Before too long the impressive expanse of the Opera building was looming above her.
Dierna fought back her feelings of fear as she slowly pushed open the large main doors, letting herself into the main foyer. Now that she was here where did she go?
She looked around her, but nothing gave her any idea as to where the entrance to Eric's lair might be. She was just about ready to give up when she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. But when she turned there was no one there. However she felt compelled to investigate and moved to examine the portrait hanging on the wall.
"It's a magical painting, however she is very good at pretending to be muggle produced," a voice said from behind her.
"What in the world are you two doing?" Morgan asked from the doorway. She looked concernedly between her husband and son, thinking that the two of them must have been hexed.
"Just talking and having a drink, care to join us?" Severus asked smoothly.
Morgan shook her head in bewilderment, "no blood, no screaming, no pleas for mercy... this was not the scene I expected to find."
"Aw, come on Mum, we're not usually that bad."
"Yes you are," Morgan frowned, "I can't remember the last time the two of you weren't at each other's throats. Are you both feeling ok?"
Severus measured his words carefully, he and Kamen had found a common ground, they had both decided not to mention the Brotherhood to Morgan, "as I said, we're merely talking. We were actually discussing Kamen's plans for after graduation."
Morgan eyebrows shot up as she looked at her son, "you told him about your plans to play quidditch and he didn't hit the roof?"
Kamen flashed her a brilliant smile, "we've come to a truce. I agree to look for a 'real' job while I'm playing quidditch and Dad tries to refrain from saying anything about the other decisions I make. We should have done this sooner; you might have actually had some peace and quiet once in awhile."
Morgan narrowed her eyes, "what are you both keeping from me?"
"Nothing," Kamen said a bit too quickly.
Dierna spun around, her hand instantly going for her wand. But she breathed a sigh of relief and dropped her hand back down to her side when she saw it was only Zach, "what are you doing here?"
Zach frowned slightly, "I think a better question would be what are you doing here?" It's not safe and you most certainly do not have permission to be out of the school. I think we need to contact your parents."
"Please don't! Please... Stefan may be alive, but I have to know for certain. I know your grandfather can tell me if it is really true or not. Please don't send me back yet."
Zach sighed, Dierna's pleading tone cut through his better judgment, "fine, you may ask him what he knows but then you are going straight back to the school. You are safe enough here for now but who knows what could have happened to you..." he cut himself off quickly, "come on then" he took her arm and turned her back towards the portrait, "you can stop pretending now Venus, this one knows my grandfather."
The portrait of the goddess swept her long hair over her shoulder with a graceful movement, "well you could have told me that a bit sooner instead of just standing there while I have to pretend to be just another of those horrid lifeless paintings..."
"Never get a guardian with attitude," Zach whispered to Dierna as the goddess continued to carry on. Finally Zach had enough and cut it, "we are in a bit of a hurry..."
The goddess pouted and turned away from them, "fine, no one ever stops to talk to me, I'm used to it by now. The password?"
"Psyche," Zach couldn't help smiling.
"Hmpf... that little tramp..." but the portrait obligingly swung open revealing a narrow and rather unsteady looking staircase.
"We could have taken another way it," Zach admitted, "but she does get lonely and her favorite pastime is giving me a hard time."
The staircase appeared to plunge down into infinite darkness as Dierna followed Zach down. Torches along the wall flared up as the passed them and died away just as quickly, providing just enough light for them to see only a few feet in front of them.
"Don't touch the walls," Zach cautioned, "only the railing. He's rigged up some sort of traps into the walls, you touch them and they suck you in, trapping you in some sort of chamber... just be careful."
When they reached the bottom of the stairs they stepped into a pool of pale simulated moonlight. In awe Dierna glanced around her, first at the ceiling which reproduced the sky, and then at the wide expanse of magical forest in front of them, "how do we get through?"
"You are of age and allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts, correct?"
"Yes."
"Good," Zach grabbed a lantern which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, "keep your wand out at all times and be ready for anything. Once we find the starting point of the path we should be safe, but occasionally things do happen..."
"I think the two of you better start talking," Morgan crossed her arms over her chest.
"Come off it Mum, there's nothing you need to know about."
"I think I'll decide that for myself."
Severus spoke up calmly, Morgan rarely got angry, but when she did it was not a pretty sight, and he hoped she would be fairly easy to calm down this time, "Morgan, Kamen has asked to join the Order of the Phoenix. I have told him that once he graduates it will be his decision to make."
"There's more to it than that," Morgan observed.
"Yes there is," Severus agreed, "in the mean time our son has found another way to contribute to the war."
"What have you done?" Morgan asked as she turned on her son.
"Mum, I'm going to ask you not to make me answer that. There are still some things I need to figure out on my own, and there are some things I've done I'm not particularly proud of that I need to come to terms with. But I will tell you when I'm ready."
Morgan sighed, "fine, but if you ever feel the need to talk know that I'm here for you."
Kamen nodded in acknowledgement, "in that case I'm going to head up to bed."
Morgan sank down into the chair her son had occupied after he left, "when did he grow up?" she muttered to herself.
Severus didn't answer her, but he could have. Kamen had confided to him some of the actions he had undertaken as part of the Brotherhood. There were some things that did not leave a person unchanged.
Dierna was relieved to be out of the forest. Although nothing had attacked them she knew it had only been to luck. Even Zach had been nervous, and he worked with dragons everyday.
Zach discarded the lantern as they passed through several rooms, which were set up as laboratories. Dierna was amazed, not even her father's lab was this complete. She prided herself on being able to recognize everything in her father's cabinets without looking at the label. But Eric had things she had never seen before.
She left Zach's side for a moment to look at a jar that seemed to be glimmering with its own silvery light. Unicorn blood! Her eyes widened slightly, she had a feeling this had not been obtained legally. At Zach's beckoning she reluctantly turned away from her explorations and joined him in front of another portrait. However this portrait, of a ballerina, was truly of non-magical production.
"Another guardian?" she asked, examining the painting with interest.
Zach nodded, "she is my grandmother," he said softly as he pressed his hand to a family crest in the corner of the painting, "charmed to respond to handprints, not passwords. This is my grandfather's most guarded room."
"Yes it is," a cheerful voice said as they crossed the threshold, "I knew you would come to see me eventually girl. Welcome to my sanctum sanctorum, my sanctuary of sanctuaries."
Rheia bent over the scrying bowl in intent concentration. "I can no longer See as I once did..." she muttered more to herself than to her attendants. Sighing she waved her hand over the water, dispelling what remained of the murky vision. "Bring Cadmus to me," she directed on of the young priestesses standing against the wall.
As she waited for the leader of the men's tribe to join her she looked around at the priestesses surrounding her. None of them were novices, they had all been initiated, but they still seemed so young. She sighed again, had they always joined the ranks of the priestesses at this early of an age? Perhaps she was just getting too old...
She glanced up sharply as Cadmus appeared at the entrance to the sanctuary, laying aside his weapons as a show of respect. He came forward and bowed low to the high priestess. Sometimes he questioned the methods this woman used, but he also had a great deal of respect for her.
"I have a mission for you Cadmus," Rheia had made her decision. She would do whatever was necessary to insure that the old ways did not die out, no matter the cost, "you must go into the wizarding world and bring Kalliope back with you. Do not return without her."
"Nimue, what are you doing here?!" Dierna cried as she stepped into Eric's sanctuary. She gasped as she looked around, her little sister temporarily forgotten. The room was circular and lined floor to ceiling with panels of mirrors. In the middle of the room was a silver tree with a length of rope hanging from it.
"Well my dear, if you hadn't been in such a rush you would have been here earlier as well." Eric gave her a distorted smile, "I was out in my lab when you called me so I didn't hear you at first. Bu the time I got here you were gone, but your sister was still hanging about."
Zach buried his face in his hands, "they both have to go back now, they should not be here, they should not have left the school."
"Seems to me that you should not have left the school either my boy," Eric countered.
Zach glared at him, "I am here because I am going after Eva, I'm not going to sit idly by when anything could have happened to her by now."
"It has only been a few hours since she went back to them, she may not be in too much danger yet. I know Malfoy, he likes to drag things out, the girl will still be alive."
"I don't care, I love her too much to lose her now!"
Eric smiled sadly, "that, my boy, is something I understand all too well... I will help you. But first, I want to know how I can help these two young ladies."
"I need to know if Stefan is alive," Dierna stepped forward, "I have to know. I don't care what it takes, I have to know."
Eric nodded slowly, "very well then, I will show you what you want to know, but I can offer you no more help than that."
"I understand, I just have to know..."
"Come here then child," Eric turned to Zach, "you know how this works, go ahead and do what you must."
Dierna followed Eric to one of the long mirrors and stood before it. She was about to ask him how it worked when there was the sound of shattering glass from behind them.
She quickly spun around, but was surprised to see that except for the fact that Zach was now gone the room looked exactly the same as before. None of the mirrors were broken.
"Don't be alarmed child," Eric patted her arm as he turned her back to the mirror in front of them, "they make that sound when you use them to travel. Now, give me your hand, that's right, and press it right up against the glass. Alright then, tell them what you want to see."
Dierna stared at her reflection in the mirror, straight into her own large green eyes, "please," she whispered, "show me where Stefan is."
She heard Nimue gasp from behind her, but was too surprised by what was happening in front of her to make any noise of her own. The mirror, which had been acting as any normal, respectable, mirror would by reflecting what was in front of it seemed to have become a window.
Dierna's breath became shaky and irregular as she stared at the scene before her. She didn't even notice the supporting arm Eric slid around her waist to keep her from falling.
Zach stepped carefully into the dim room. The mirrors didn't show all so there was a chance that some death eater might be hiding in a dark corner that he hadn't noticed from the room of mirrors. But a quick survey of the room showed him that it was empty, except for the one thing he had come for.
"Eva, please be alright..." he whispered as he knelt down next to the crumpled form huddled against the wall. He knew a moment of fear when she didn't respond to his touch. Starting to panic he gently rolled her over and nearly cried when he saw the mass of bruises covering her face. They were all new, some of them were still darkening. Bruises covered her arms too, some of them obvious handprints.
"Please Eva, wake up," he pleaded as he carefully moved her limp form, wanting to hold her close to him.
As he was trying to settle her against him Eva's grey eyes snapped open and she stifled a scream as she tried to push away from him.
"Eva, its me, I won't hurt you, I promise. The last thing I want is to see you hurt," Zach quickly tried to sooth the agitated woman in his arms.
"Zach? Mein Gott... I thought you were one of them," Eva rasped out, "Is it really you?" she asked as she threw herself into his arms.
"You're safe now. I won't let them hurt you again," Zach gently cupped Eva's face between his hands as he surveyed her injuries, "what did they do to you?"
"Nothing that won't heal with time," Eva said, forcing a smile.
"Come on, I'm going to get you out of here."
"Nein."
"No?" Zach's look was one of utter confusion, "it's not safe here we have to leave, and I am most certainly taking you with me."
Eva smiled but shook her head, "you have to leave, but I must stay."
"But why..."
"Shhh... let me explain." Eva shifted painfully on the hard stone floor, "the last time Malfoy took a swing at me he thought I had passed out, they left me on the floor while plans were being made. They are going to attack the school tonight, Voldemort wants Nimue. He plans to use her as a way to get to Professor Snape, and he wants his own seer. You must warn them."
"But Nimue isn't even at the school, she's with my grandfather right now..."
"But they do not know that. You must go Zach and warn the school."
"Come with me."
"No, if I am gone they know that they have been warned. I must stay."
Zach was not happy with the arrangement. But he knew it had to be carried out as Eva had said. "Here," he reached into his pockets, "I wasn't sure of the condition you were going to be in so I swiped these from my grandfather's stores." He handed her two small blue vials, "those will help with the pain, I have one here for the bruising but if you're staying here you can't risk taking it. It wouldn't do you any good if they left you a bruised mess and came back to see you all but healed."
Eva gave him a small smile, "no it wouldn't, but I will gladly take the one for pain." She quickly drained one vial and handed the other back to Zach, "I can only take one now and I don't want them to find this one on me."
"You're sure you'll be alright?"
Eva nodded, "ja, du musst gehen."
Zach sighed reluctantly, but bent to kiss Eva softly before standing up. "I'm coming back for you, as soon as I inform the school of the plans for attack."
"Please, go before they come back," Eva wiped away the tears that had started to fall. For all she knew the room could have been monitored this entire time, but perhaps not... she wasn't even sure if she'd still be alive by the time Zach returned to her, but the school had to be warned.
Zach paused as he reached the mirror on the opposite wall which would take him back, "I will come back, and I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to explain earlier tonight. I love you."
Eva curled up in a miserable ball on the floor as Zach left, not sure if she would see him again, but maintaining a small glimmer of hope because she knew that he loved her.