Chapter 17

Jason led Kayla out of the castle and down to the grounds where there was an empty garden. It was surrounded by trees and was awfully secluded. Kayla thought that it seemed really romantic. They sat down on some flat rocks in the center of the clearing and looked up at the stars. "They are really beautiful," Kayla commented.

"Yeah," Jason agreed as he stroked the side of her face with his fingers. "But not as beautiful as you." Kayla turned and looked at him, slightly startled. Although they were boyfriend and girlfriend, they rarely said things like that to each other. It was unnecessary in their eyes to say things like that since they knew that was what the other thought. They were good friends and usually just talked normally as friends do except they tended to hold hands and kiss occasionally.

Jason leaned in and kissed her on the lips. It felt like Jason so she disregarded all the warnings her body was giving her and fell into the kiss. When he broke away, she whispered, "Watch the teeth. They could hurt." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer as he once again pressed his mouth to hers. With one hand, he reached up and untied her cloak and let it fall to the ground. He ran his hands up and down her arms as he began to kiss her with a little bit more passion. Kayla began to think that something was wrong when she could feel his tongue trying to pry her mouth open. Jason, she said telepathically to the man in front of her. Jason, are you feeling okay? When she didn't get a reply she got really worried. She tried to push away to no avail. He just pulled her closer. Jason, stop! she cried.

She knew something was wrong. He was acting as if he didn't even hear her. Wait a minutewhat if he didn't? Jason, help me! she sent on a broadcast that he would be sure to hear. Meanwhile, she called in her sword and tried to put some distance between herself and this imposter.

* * * * * *

Back in the Great Hall, Jason had just dropped the glasses when he heard Kayla's anguished cry. From the stifled gasps of the other musketeers, they had heard it also. C'mon guys! She needs us! he practically shouted mentally before taking off to where the thought projection had originated leaving the others to make excuses to their dates. He felt them catch up with him just as he began to get close and slow down. He motioned them all to be silent as they crept into the clearing where Kayla and the imposter were.

Kayla was pressed up against a tree while "Jason" was kissing her. Her dress robes were torn slightly and she was struggling furiously trying to get free. Jason began to wonder why she hadn't just called in her sword when he saw the moonlight glint off of something out of the corner of his eye. He looked over and saw Kayla's sword lying on the ground near the edge of the trees where it had fallen. Kayla noticed them but didn't do anything to alert the person in front of her to their presence. If anything, she grew louder so that any noise they made would be drowned out by her muffled yells.

Jason called in his sword and crept up to them. In one swift motion, he brought his sword up so that it was in between them, resting on his neck. He applied a little pressure, forcing the imposter to step back, as he said in the calmest tone possible, "What exactly do you think you are doing?"

The fake-Jason looked around the clearing before replying, "I was kissing my girlfriend. So if you will just mind your own business" He tried to side step Jason's sword, but he wasn't quick enough.

"Now what?" he asked looking very exasperated. For some reason, the fact that he was faced with the person he was pretending to be didn't phase him one bit.

During this time, Kayla had retrieved her sword using her telekinetic ability. She walked in front of the imposter, careful to keep Jason's sword in front of her. Holding her sword in her left hand at her side she faced her aggressor. "Now, I am only going to ask this once. Who are you? I suggest you answer."

He looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "Kayla, sweetheart, are you feeling all right? I'm Jason, remember?"

"No, you are not. You are pretending to be. And doing a really bad job of it. Now, you have one last chance to tell me who you really are."

"Honey, let's go see the nurse. If you don't recognize me we have a problem" he never got the chance to continue. Kayla pulled her right arm up and punched him as hard as she could in the jaw. She put her anger behind it and the force caused him to fall over. He laid on his back for a few moments, breathing deeply, his eyes closed.

"Drop the illusion. You may look like Jason, but you sure as hell don't act like him. You could use a few acting lessons." Suddenly, the fake Jason's face began to shimmer and warp. When it solidified, it was into the all-too-familiar sneer of Draco Malfoy.

"I am so sorry that I didn't fool you. Too bad. It was fun while it lasted," he said.

Kayla placed the tip of her sword at his neck and whispered at her deadliest, "You had better drop that illusion by the time I count to ten. I want to see your real face." "Malfoy" stared up at her as if shocked that she knew that he wasn't who he looked like he was. She began to count, slowly, and he lost his surprised look. As she neared ten, her sword began to cut into his neck. He panicked and lost he illusion he was holding in place. When his face solidified for the second time, it was into the menacing grin of Peter Romanov, the Russian seeker.

Kayla drew back, startled. She really hadn't expected him to be the imposter. In fact, she hadn't really remembered this boy who was so rude to her that day last year.

"Surprised to see me?" he asked her. "You never suspected that there was more than one spy in Russia, did you? You thought that Mikhail was the only one? You should be more careful." He sneered at her, but from his position on the ground, it wasn't very frightening. Just annoying.

Jason walked up and put his arm around Kayla's waist, and suddenly she was glad for the support. "Just why are you here?" he snarled down at the form lying in the moss covered ground.

He smiled slightly. "I was sent to find out what I could about Kayla, and if I could to bring her back to My Lord. I figured I might as well have some fun while I was here. If all went well I was to take her with me tonight."

"Why are you telling us this?" Kayla demanded to know. She was suspicious of his reasons. She had a sneaking suspicion that his motives weren't good.

"Because you have been drugged. You will be feeling the effects soon. The only way to get what you need will be to go with me. By withholding the dosages, you're cooperation is ensured. There is no other solution. That is what I meant by if everything went as planned. Things still might."

"No, they won't," said a new voice from the edge of the clearing. Hope followed her voice as she stepped into the light of the moon. "See, I am going to take you into custody. Then, we are going to go to the Hospital Wing, where the headmaster will join us. You will tell us everything and then Kayla will be cured. I don't know what will happen to youbut we will find out." She walked over and stood on the other side of Kayla. "Are you all right?" Kayla nodded, never one removing her gaze from the captive at their feet. "All right, you," Hope told the boy. "On your feet. Let's go, march."

When he stood up, Hope put both mental and physical bonds around his wrists so that he couldn't escape and created a dome-shield over him so he couldn't teleport out. She didn't think that all of these measures were necessary, but she felt that it was better to be safe than sorry.

Jason and Kayla led the way, moving as fast as she could go. As predicted, she started to feel the weakness that came with the withdrawal symptoms. After them, Hope pulled Romanov along, never letting her gaze wander from him so that he would have no chance of escape. Behind them all came the rest of the musketeers, weapons out, on the ready for an attack at any moment.

They moved silently through the deserted halls towards the hospital wing. Everyone was still in the Great Hall enjoying the ball. None of them knew what had happened. They made it to the Hospital Wing without anyone finding them. Jason helped Kayla lay down on one of the beds while Hope secured Romanov better.

10 minutes later, Madame Pomfrey came bustling into the ward and stopped in her tracks when she saw the people in the room. Her eyes looked at everyone. Hope standing over a restrained Peter Romanov who was lying on a bed. Kayla, lying in a bed, practically passed out. Jason, the twins, Jake, and James standing over her, wondering what they could do. Her eyes rested on the prone Kayla. She made her way over to the bed and shooed everyone else away. "I need the light to examine my patient."

"Oh, but Poppy, we know what the problem is," Hope said from her station. Madame Pomfrey directed a curious glance at Hope. "She was drugged by this-" she cursed under her breath for a minute. "We were hoping that if you knew what she was given you might be able to help."

"Yes, well, I think we need Professor Dumbledore here while we do this, Hope."

"Oh, yes, of course. UmJason, would you go get Dumbledore? I think he is still in the Great Hall enjoying the ball. Tell him that it is imperative that he come down here."

Jason looked mutinous. "But I would much prefer if I stayed down here with Kayla!"

"I know you would but Madame Pomfrey doesn't need you hovering around. GO! While there is still time." He still looked angry, but he took off out of the room and ran to the Great Hall. Once inside, he slowed down so that his breath wasn't coming as rapidly.

When he was breathing normally, he looked around the room to see if he could find Dumbledore. "How hard can it be?" he muttered silently to himself. "How many old men with long beards are there?"

Finally, he spotted him talking with Professor McGonogall against one of the walls. He made his way towards them, weaving in and out around the students who were dancing on the makeshift dance-floor in the middle of the room. He neared them and waited where they could see him but he couldn't really hear their conversation. He tried to appear patient but he shifted his wait from foot to foot while waiting for them to finish and turn to him.

After what seemed like forever, Dumbledore turned and motioned him over to them. Jason all but ran over to where they were standing. "Professor," he began before either of the two adults could ask him what he wanted. "Professor Forest would like to see you in the Hospital Wing. She says it is urgent." Jason had decided that he probably shouldn't say what the real reason for the Hospital Wing was until they got out of earshot of anyone who might be listening to them. However Dumbledore looked at him as if he understood exactly what was the problem and just nodded. He gestured Jason to precede him and they both left the hall.

During the long walk to the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore didn't ask any questions, for which Jason was grateful. All Jason wanted to do was get back to where Kayla was. He couldn't imagine what she was going through, but he wanted to be there for her. He knew why he was asked to get Dumbledore. Madame Pomfrey and Hope wanted him to be out of their hair while they examined Kayla and interrogated the imposter. Unknowingly, he quickened his pace so that Dumbledore had to stretch his legs to keep up.

Soon, they reached the door to the Hospital Wing and Jason all but ran inside. "I've got him," he panted as he made his way to the empty chair placed near Kayla's bed. He sat down and picked up her hand. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes were closed. Although she didn't show any physical response, Jason felt a wave of love pulse over the bond they shared. He could only smile slightly.

"Poppy, what is the meaning of this?" Dumbledore addressed the nurse.

"I don't have the full story myself, professor," she replied as she continued her examination of Kayla.

"I believe I do," Hope said dryly.

The prisoner stirred at this. "You know NOTHING about My Lord!" he exclaimed.

Hope just blinked coolly at him. "I think I may know more than you think. And if you don't BE QUIET I will be sending you back to Charles in pieces!" The imposter quieted from a mixture of shock and fear. After glaring at him for a few moments she continued, "I fear that I never told you the entire truth about why I accepted this position. I needed to come to protect Kayla, my daughter. Her father is the long, lost Potter twin, who unfortunately went rogue. You probably didn't know that above our world, in the clouds, there is a palace. In this palace lives a group of very talented people whom monitor the use of gifts, talents, and magic in the world. In a simplified form, they protect the world. Well, Charles intended to take over this operation. I don't know if he succeeded. I left before I could find out. I was pregnant with Kayla at the time. He didn't know. All I do know is that he wants to kill her. At first, when he still didn't know about her, he wanted to kill her cousin, Harry, so he asked his friend Tom to kill him. Now, Tom is still trying to kill Harry, and Charles is trying to kidnap Kayla to find out who she is. Since she was dead set on coming here, I figured it would be best if I came, too. This evening, this PERSON assumed the persona of Jason so he could get close to Kayla and poison her so she would be forced to go with him to Charles. Unfortunately, that plot was disrupted. But, she is still suffering under the effects of withdrawal from the drug she was given."

Suddenly, Kayla let out a blood-curdling scream as her body tensed up all over. The screech seemed to draw out forever, but just as soon as it started, the scream stopped and Kayla's muscles collapsed and she passed from semi-consciousness to the realm of full unconsciousness. The imposter started to laugh as if he found the entire situation very funny. Faster than light, Hope twirled around. She grabbed a fistful of his robes and pulled him into the air. Pressing him against a stone pillar, she called her sword into her free hand. She pulled the blade across his throat.

"You will tell me what you gave her," she ordered in a too calm voice. He just kept laughing. Turning to the boys she continued, "Search his rooms."

Still laughing, he told them, "You don't know where my rooms are." But, unfortunately he couldn't help but thinking of his rooms after Hope mentioned them.

"Now I do," she said after listening in on his thoughts. That shut him up. "I would advise looking closely at the dorms in the Slytherin house. He has been staying there. Under the bed, you will find a small white packet with dried leaves in it. Would you bring it to me please?"

They nodded and ran out of the room, not before asking permission from Dumbledore first though. He granted it and the three boys ran off towards the dungeons to get the packet of herbs that could save their friend. The infirmary was deathly quiet until the racing footsteps were heard echoing back towards the Hospital Wing. In the time they were gone, Hope did not release her hostage and seemed angry enough to fulfill her threat of sending him back to Charles in pieces.

Jason burst into the room, Jake and James hard on his heals. He reached Madame Pomfrey and pressed the packet into her hands. She rushed off and started to fuss around in her makeshift laboratory. Another excruciating 15 minutes of silence, she came back into the room. Madame Pomfrey stormed up in front of the imposter. She was angrier than anyone had ever seen her. Even Dumbledore was taken aback. No one had ever seen her lose her temper this much. Her black eyes snapped as she glared at the imposter. She held up the bag as she demanded to know, "You gave her THIS! Are you completely out of your mind?! Exactly how much did you give her?"

Hope could tell that he wasn't going to tell the near-spitting nurse, so she closed her eyes briefly as she sneaked a peak into his foremost thoughts. "He gave her enough to coat the bottom of her glass," she told the irate nurse.

"WHAT!? You gave her that much!?" she screamed just before she reached up and slapped the imposter across the face, leaving a red handprint behind. "Don't you know what that will do to her!? Did you plan on keeping her alive long enough to talk to your LORD?" She completely lost it there and backhanded him across the other side of his face. "You deserve whatever is coming your way for what you have done! Now, get out of my infirmary and don't you ever, EVER come back!"

She waited patiently while the others all stared at each other dumbfounded. Finally, Dumbledore spoke up, "I will take him to my office. He will not be able harm me, and he will be out of here. I will secure and leave Fawkes to watch him. I will return shortly."

"One moment, Professor," Hope began. "I need to adjust his memories slightly so he doesn't remember that Kayla is neither my daughter nor Charles'." She didn't wait for his permission before closing her eyes and entering the imposter's mind. She carefully erased all knowledge of Kayla's true parentage from his mind. She needed to make sure that when he escaped from Dumbledore's office, which she knew he would, that he would carry no knowledge about who Kayla's parents were. Soon enough, she finished and lowered him to the ground. She gave him into the custody of the Hogwart's Headmaster. Once they left, she disappeared her blade and took up a position of defense at Kayla's bedside.