Chapter Four

The next morning, Gwen tried to smile, to make sure that the others didn't realize that she knew the truth about her parents. Her mother was a Muggle- hater and her father was a follower of the Dark Lord.

Alfred had told her all about, what the Dark Lord had done to the magic and non-magic world, the way he wanted to rid the world of Muggle-born wizards, that he only wanted pure bloods. She hated him, but now knowing what she knew about her family tree, could she end up like that?

She now wished that they'd left her at home with Carrie and Annabelle, the magic powers weren't enough to balance out the pain and shame.

* * *

"So, how is the Merlin getting on?" Voldemort asked, sitting in his chair, staring into the roaring flames of his fire.

"Good. She will be a good witch, although she doesn't have a wand," Wormtail said, trembling slightly.

Voldemort laughed, "a great Merlin doesn't have a wand."

Wormtail laughed nervously with his master.

"Soon, I will have to meet this girl," Voldemort sneered.

"Meet her?" Wormtail asked, "aren't you scared she might."

Voldemort cast an eye at the snivelling bag of flesh. "What? Scared that she might defeat me?" He laughed again, "I'm not scared of anyone."

"Not even Harry." the former rat began, but seeing his mistake, shut up and threw himself onto the floor, weeping his apologies.

"Get up," the Dark Lord ordered, Wormtail jumped to attention.

"No, I'm not scared and it's a little known fact that Merlins can be evil. Merlin himself wrestled with the idea, as did the other one. Why do you think he disappeared? He was scared of what he would do. But this one, this one will not escape, she will be mine. Her powers of divination will become very useful in the future. Then we will see what the great Harry Potter can do against me," he cackled, and fell back into his chair, grinning at his nightmarish vision for the world.

* * * "You know, it's nearly Halloween," Maggie said cheerily, shovelling some eggs onto Gwen's plate.

"Already?" Gwen said, trying to sound happy but really her insides were in knots.

"Yes. It's already been 2 months, since we. well, you know," Maggie said, she didn't like to say that they'd kidnapped Gwen.

"Hmm.," Gwen replied, she couldn't bear to talk.

"And we've got a treat for you," Maggie continued, " we're going to teach you how to ride a broomstick."

"Really?" Gwen said, forgetting for a moment about her family.

"Yes, let's get started," Nancy said, jumping up and walking out into the garden. Maggie took off her apron and followed her.

Gwen got up and turned to Alfred who was fiddling with his fishing rod.

"You coming?" she asked him.

"No, dear. You go, I can't stand flying. I'm going to do some fishing instead," he replied, grabbing his fishing hat.

"You fish?" Gwen said, a little surprised.

"Why wouldn't I?" Alfred replied.

"Well. it's just that fishing is a Muggle activity," Gwen answered sheepishly.

"Yes, well, it's always nice to do something that doesn't involve magic, every once in a while and I've always found it relaxing. Anyway, I'm a little afraid of heights."

Gwen laughed at the thought that this huge man could be scared of anything.

"Come on, Gwen," she heard Maggie and Nancy call from the garden.

Gwen rushed into the garden, excited about her first lesson.

"Ok. Here we are," Maggie said, pointing to a tatty broomstick on the floor.

"Now, place your hand over it and say "up"."

As Gwen said the words, the broom rolled onto it's side.

"Try again," Maggie beamed.

Gwen was about to when she suddenly noticed that Nancy had disappeared.

"Where's Nancy?"

Maggie looked up at the sky and Gwen followed and she could hardly believe what she saw.

Nancy was flying and not gracefully or slowly but like she was a little child riding her broomstick for the first time.

She was doing loop de loops and diving, giggling all the way. Gwen looked on in awe, then from out of nowhere; Nancy zoomed past them, ruffling Maggie's hair as she went by.

"Catch me, if you can," Nancy squealed, soaring through the clouds.

"You know, Nancy was a seeker," Maggie said.

Gwen knew all about Quidditch. Alfred had been an avid supporter in his day, though had never played and since the revelation about his fear, she knew why. But it now seemed that Nancy had also had an interest in the sport.

She was about to ask Maggie something when she grabbed the broom out of Gwen's hands and took off, chasing Nancy, the last thing she heard was Maggie yelling back, "so, was I."

Gwen wondered if they'd ever come back down, but their energy seemed endless. She lay down on the grass and watched them, while they tried to outrun each other. Gwen couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Alfred walked quickly towards the entrance of Diagon Alley.

He hadn't been here for so long, he walked in the Leaky Cauldron and nodded his head at the customers who recognised him instantly and smiled back.

As he stepped onto the pavement, memories flooded back to him and he knew he'd missed this.

For so many years, he had given up on magic, but now with Gwen, he'd finally come back to life, been given new hope.

Alfred thought it would probably be the same for Nancy and Maggie too, ever since that day 13 years ago. He remembered it so clearly, their faces were burned into his memory.

"Come on, dad," William Arthur called, holding the door.

"Ok, son,." Alfred said, walking quickly out of the house.

"Mum! Aunt Maggie! Uncle Simon!" William called again.

The figures of Nancy, Maggie and Simon appeared and they were shooed out of the door by William.

"What would you do, without me?" William said, putting an arm around his mother.

"I don't know, son. I don't know," Nancy said, smiling.

Then from out of nowhere, there was a beating of wings and a large dark brown owl appeared it perched on a nearby branch and screeched at the party. Alfred turned around and recognised it instantly.

It was Vicky Aldan's owl, Ebony.

"It's Vicky!"

He shouted and the others stopped and quickly ran indoors to the fireplace, "Floo Powder!" Alfred yelled.

They arrived at the small apartment of Vicky Aldan and found her huddled on the floor, babbling quietly to herself.

"Vicky!" Maggie shouted, rushing forward to the woman.

"I knew, we shouldn't have left her, in this state," Nancy said, joining Maggie and Vicky on the floor.

"It was safer this way. I thought being in the Muggle world, he wouldn't find them, that it was safer." Alfred started, but as his gaze fell onto Vicky, he knew he'd made a mistake.

"Where's Gwen?" Nancy said loudly, everyone scanned the room but found nothing.

"What have you done with Gwen, Vicky?" Alfred said, grabbing the woman's shoulders, so that her face was facing his.

"Muggle, she's a Muggle. Can't survive, Muggles can't survive. Had to go. He'll hurt her," Vicky Aldan muttered, rocking gently.

"What do you think she did with Gwen?" William said, hoping for the best.

"I think we should go look for her," Simon Lark offered, " I mean, she probably just left her somewhere. Maybe a Muggle orphanage?"

"Yes, maybe you're right," Alfred said, walking towards the door, " You and Maggie stay here and watch her.

"Come on," he said, gesturing Simon and William towards the door.

The three men walked onto the street.

"You two search up there and I'll search down here," Alfred said, pointing it out for both of them.

"Ok, meet back here at dusk," Simon said, before rushing off with William.

"Bye dad," Those words were the last that Alfred Arthur heard from his son.

* * *

"Calm down, Vicky. They're looking for her now," Nancy said, rubbing the young woman's back. Maggie was pacing the room.

"I hope the child's alright," She kept repeating.

"Please sit down," Nancy said quietly.

"Gwen is a Muggle, can't survive, had to go. Kill, he would kill her," Vicky kept saying.

"Who?" Nancy asked, looking into the woman's eyes.

"Can't say, safer for Gwen. Safe, safe. Otherwise." Vicky muttered.

"Otherwise what?" Nancy said, leaning in closer to the woman.

"No, no, no. Can't say," The woman said, shaking her head furiously, trying to reassure her

"No, you can say," Nancy said, lifting Vicky's head and staring deeply into her eyes.

Vicky stared back at the old woman and finally agreeing it was ok, said in a low whisper," his Master will come and.safer this way, safer."

Vicky threw her hands on the side of her head and started to hit her head, Nancy grabbed her hands and held them tightly.

"Who is his Master? Who?" She almost screamed the sentence. Vicky looked down and mumbled, the name, the name Voldemort.

Nancy threw the woman's hands down in shock.

"What's that man done to her?" Maggie said loudly, "He's ruined her life and now his child's as well."

"Ssshh.That isn't helping, Maggie," Nancy said, getting up to face her.

Then without any warning, Vicky Aldan got up and ran out of the door, screaming, "Must protect Gwen, must protect her from.."

But they never heard the end of the sentence.

The two women rushed after her, but it was too late, she'd disappeared.

Four hours later, the bodies of Simon Lark, William Arthur and Victoria Aldan were found. They'd been killed by the Avada Kedavra curse. That day, Alfred lost his faith in magic, the day he lost his son to it.

* * *

Maggie and Nancy gracefully landed next to Gwen lying on the grass.

"About time," Gwen said, putting a mock-angry voice on.

"Sorry, just got caught up," Nancy said, breathing deeply. Her hair was a complete mess but she'd never looked younger.

Maggie leaned on the broom, trying to catch her breath.

"Now.it's.your.turn," she said, taking a breath between each word.

"Now?" Gwen asked.

"No time like the present," Nancy said, handing her the broom. " Now, just sit on the broom, one leg on either side and then push off the ground. Ok?"

"Ok," Gwen said, grabbing the broom and doing what Nancy had said. She pushed off the ground and nothing; she tried again but still nothing.

"Umm.this broom's a little old; you'll need to try harder," Maggie said, giving her a reassuring smile.

This time, Gwen dug her heels in and pushed with all she had, and up she went. She was flying, the air rushing through her hair.

It was a nice distraction, flying, the air all around you, nothing being able to touch you. But as she looked down on the countryside below, she decided that she preferred her feet on the ground, where life was.

Gwen was totally caught up in her own thoughts when she realized that she was flying away from Scarlett Wood. She thought she should turn around, but she didn't know how.

At first, Gwen felt scared but then an instinct from within took over and she swung the broom around.

First, she swung too hard and she spun around for a few seconds, but she eventually got the hang of it and flew quickly back to Scarlett Wood.

She saw Nancy and Maggie on the ground, with their heads looking up at the sky, looking for her.

Maggie spotted her first and nudged Nancy, they both started to wave and call to her, to come down. Gwen pretended not to be able to hear at first, so she could have a few more minutes to herself.

But eventually she planted her feet firmly back on the ground, where they belong, Gwen thought.

* * *

Alfred walked quickly up the alley, looking for his destination and then there it was "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since. 382." He entered the shop and more memories rushed back.

"Now I have my wand. I'm going to be the best, aren't I, dad?" William called out.

"Yes, yes you are, William," he'd replied.

"Alfred Arthur? Is it you?" Mr. Ollivander called, walking towards the man.

"How are you?" Alfred said, snapping back to the present. He held his hand out.

"I'm fine," Ollivander gazed at his old friend and gripped his hand a little tighter. "I was sorry to hear about your son and.well."

Alfred pulled his hand away.

"That's in the past; I'm here for the future."

"Really?" Ollivander said, straightening some boxes on a side bench.

Alfred stepped closer to the other man and said in a hushed voice.

"We've found the new Merlin."

Ollivander took a step back.

"I'd heard. but I thought it was just idle gossip."

"Well, it's not. She's real and now."

"You want the wand," Ollivander said, walking to the back room.

"Wait here," he called out.

Minutes later, he'd returned, carrying a large bronze box.

"We had so much trouble, getting this back from the other one. But, they found it, never found him, but they found this," Ollivander placed the box on a table and opened it gently. Inside was the wand, Merlin's wand, soon to be Gwen's wand.

"It's.," Alfred began but he didn't have the words.

He could feel the magic coming off the wand, it was intoxicating.

"Eleven inches, hawthorn and of course dragon heartstring," Ollivander whispered. "You know, this isn't the original. That one got stolen by.Vivienne. They say, the wood used was from the actual hawthorn tree that trapped the great Wizard himself. Apparently, he made while he was trapped and then used it to escape."

Alfred was motionless, looking in at awe at the wand.

"So, I'll be taking this," Alfred said, reaching for the wand.

"You can't," Ollivander said abruptly, shutting the box quickly, " you know the rules. Only the Merlin can take it."

"But.," Alfred said, placing a hand on the box.

"No, my friend," Ollivander stated again.

Alfred without a moment's thought, grabbed the box and ran for the entrance, Ollivander stood and watched, waiting.

As Alfred reached the door, he was suddenly pushed back by a force, that caused him to throw the box into the air.

The box fell and landed gently into the arms of Ollivander.

"I told you, you couldn't. Only the Merlin can take it, out of the shop. Now, just bring the girl next time."

Alfred got up and brushed the dust off his cloak.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because she's not 16, yet."

"Oh, when is the child's birthday?"

"3rd February," Alfred replied glumly.

"Well, I shall see you then. Good day," Ollivander then turned and walked away, disappearing behind a mountain of boxes.

Alfred made his way out of the shop, a little disheartened, but then he passed "Eeylops Owl Emporium."

"Hmm." Alfred said, walking into the shop.

* Yes, Twilight Aurora you seem to be my only reviewer. But better one than none. Thanks.*