Ron's tone became hard. "Stay here," he ordered to Ginny and Hermione,
before nodding to Harry.

"I don't think so," responded Hermione sharply. "I doubt it's a good idea to separate at this point."

Ron looked like he wanted to argue, but instead shook his head resignedly and moved towards the footprints, followed immediately by the other three.

They followed the path of the markings in the mud for at least an hour, moving deeper into the

ever-darkening forest with each step.

Ron and Harry were in the lead, walking forward purposefully.

Hermione and Ginny trailed slightly behind, looking warily at their surroundings.

They entered a clearing where the one path split into two.

"Now what?" queried Ron, frustrated. Neither of the two new paths showed any footprints.

"Now," said a deep voice from behind them, "A decision is to be made."

Ron and Harry whirled around, both reaching for their ineffective wands.

A tall, lean man was peering down at them with something like amusement in his eyes.

"Unnecessary. Besides the fact that your sticks are useless here, I wish you no harm."

"I've heard that one before." Ginny stepped around Harry's restraining arm.

"Who the hell are you and why were you spying on us?"

"I was not spying, as you call it, little one. I was simply waiting to be noticed. You seemed to like me a great deal more in our previous meeting. Perhaps a neigh or a whinny might endear you more to me."

Ginny and Harry both widened their eyes in realization, while Ron and Hermione merely looked confused.

"You were…the horse?"

"Aye."

"Transfiguration, then?" Hermione stepped forward. It was obvious that her curiosity had overcome her initial apprehension.

The man's brow furrowed. "Tis' an unfamiliar term, Miss. I can change my form at will, if that is what you're meaning."

Ron was the only one still holding a wand out, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Liam. I should not be here, to be honest, but I'm afraid our time has grown short."

"What do you mean?" Liam smiled at Hermione in response to her question.

"You'd be the one who found the book."

"I…well, yes. Ancient Protection Spells of Power?"

At Liam's nod, Hermione continued, "What does the portkey have to do with anything?"

Liam's brow furrowed. "Port-what?"

"Portkey. It's a magically embued object that transports you from one location to another. It's how we…."

Hermione paused, then started pacing about, muttering to herself.

"But of course it couldn't have been a portkey. It would have arrived with us then, wouldn't it?

Harry and Ginny certainly wouldn't have been able to get here. Why didn't I think of that before?"

Hermione stopped suddenly in front of Liam. "We're inside the book, aren't we?"

Liam smiled, and shook his head in agreement.

"Aye, Miss. You are."

Liam turned his palms upward, and the air around them started to crackle.

What had just been a dark forest, grew increasingly lighter as the energy from his hands began to take color and shape.

The four teenagers watched in fascination as the energy formed itself into a ball that became still larger. It suddenly split in two energy spheres, hovering above them like tethered balloons swaying gently in the wind.

Liam nodded towards the globe on the left. "Your world."

The globe suddenly shimmered, then turned black for a moment before revealing the astonishing sight of Mrs. Weasley, puttering about the kitchen in Grimmauld place, with Tonks and Remus Lupin sitting behind her at the table.

The group's eyes widened, and Ginny let out a choked, "Mum!"

"I tell you," Mrs. Weasley was saying to Lupin and Tonks, "I don't know how George can say those kinds of things. As if any of them would behave improperly. Grandchildren, honestly! They're all much too young for any of that!"

Tonks was trying very hard to keep a straight face.

"Well, Molly, we know at least that they're safe and out of Voldemort's clutches for the time being. Would a Granger-Weasley or a Weasley-Potter be such a large price to pay?"

While Ron and Harry began to sputter, the globe showed Mrs. Weasley turning her spatula in Tonks' direction, and pointing it threateningly.

"You're just as bad as the twins, Nymphadora. I don't want to hear it. They're too young and that's that!"

The use of her full name was enough to sober Tonks momentarily, and Remus took the opportunity to speak.

"They'll be fine, Molly. You're absolutely right. Hermione will keep them on task, Ron and Ginny will keep their humor up, and Harry will lead them to success.

I daresay it will simply be one more adventure for them, and they'll return with soon enough with grand tales for us all."

Molly nodded, looking as if she was trying to convince herself. The sphere froze then, the image of Mrs. Weasley in her worn apron and spatula, with a determined expression on her face.

Liam watched them as they stared, love and longing obvious on each child's face.

He hesitated for a moment, and for the first time worried over the choice they would make. They were children, to be sure. Younger than he had expected. If they were indeed who he believed them to be, his world could be saved. But then, if they were who he believed them to be, they could also be killed.

Liam cleared his throat to get their attention. "This is what once was my world."

The second globe shimmered now, and the vision that appeared inside was of a spectacular jewelled throne. The man sitting on it with a equally spectactular crown looked familiar to Ginny for some reason, as did the lovely woman standing next to him.

The vision expanded, and they could see the backs of two heads.

Two people were kneeling at the King's feet, a man and a woman.

"On this day, two Kingdom's become one. Two families become one. Two worlds unite, for the good of all our people.

The King stood, and removed his crown, placing it upon the kneeling man's head.

"To King Derren, may he rule well and may his land and line grow and prosper for all time."

They heard many many voices echo suddenly, "To King Derren!"

The regal woman, who was also wearing a crown, stepped forward.

"On this day, my heart rejoices in the knowledge that my daughter has not only wed a man of strength and character, but that she is ready and well able to stand at his side to rule our lands."

The woman moved her crown from her own head and placed it gently on the young woman.

"To Queen Aina, may she rule well and may her land and line grow and prosper for all time.

"To Queen Aina!" The unseen crowd repeated once more.

The newly coronated couple rose and turned around.

Ginny was surprised by the faces she saw. For some strange reason, she had expected them to resemble Ron and Hermione.

The globe suddenly shimmered and changed.

It was darker now, and the voice heard was far from the strong, vibrant words of the previous speakers. This voice was harsh and….sinister.

"My crown, to that fool Derren? No Paronan is worthy to rule Valen. My brother disgraces the legacy of our family line. But, no matter."

The man speaking could now be seen in the globe. Thin, and pale, with prominent cheekbones, and long, thick black hair that framed his face.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but before they could hear his words, the globe shattered viciously, sending bolts of energy careening through the forest.

Liam froze, then looked around slowly before lowering his hands.

"Well now, he didn't like that, did he?" Liam murmured this, almost to himself, a slight smile gracing his previously impassive face.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"Mornen. He is the brother of Erneir, my King. He was to take the crown, as Erneir's line had produced no sons. Instead, Prince Derren from the neighboring land, Parona, married his eldest, Aina, and united the two kingdoms, succeeding despite Mornen's numerous attempts at sabotage.

After the marriage, Mornen disappeared, and did not return until one hundred years later, at the height of our kingdom's prosperity. He was…changed, somehow, and brought with him a foreign army, which destroyed everything in its path."

Liam reached into his cloak, pulling out a necklace of some kind with a large sapphire in the center.

"This is the amulet of the King's guard. It is one of many kinds my countrymen wore.

These amulets provided us with the magic necessary for our various positions in society, and were but small, insignificant portions of the magic in our realm.

"Mornen sought the King's amulet, which held the magic of the land, to be distributed slowly and equitably to all citizens. He wished to increase his power still more, and seek out other worlds to conquer.

King Derren was begged by his citizens to use to amulet to save them, but he refused, for he understood that it's power was not his nor anyone else's to command.The King, you see, knew that Mornen could not take the amulet by force.

As thousands and thousands died from Mornen's sadistic retribution, the royal family remained protected from the magical onslaught in their home, but they were powerless to stop Mornen's reign of terror.

Mornen decided, that, if he was not to have the power, he would ensure no one else would. He began to sink the land into the sea. Desperate, the King conferred with his family and advisors and decided on one final, drastic action. Mornen would not stop with the destruction of Valen and Parona. The whole world was in danger.

Eventually the decision was made, and the King, with the aid of the amulet, froze the kingdom under his command, and channelled the essence of it and his family into the book found by you, young lady. It reveals itself only to those in need."

Ron and Harry both wore glazed expressions on their faces, while Hermione was hanging on Liam's every syllable.Ginny, curiously enough, had her eyes clothes, brow furrowed as if she was trying to remember something.

Liam continued, "Mornen, arrogant and confident of his invincibility, felt the shift in magic and assumed the King had surrendered. He burst into the royal home, to find all inside frozen cold. All was still except the book, which was glowing from the magic now held within.

His greed caused him to grasp it without consideration, and he was instantly bound as well.

The book then sealed itself, waiting for those who possessed the motives and abilities to defeat Mornen with finality."

"And that's supposed to be us?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Liam gave her a long, considering stare before replying, "Apparently so."

Harry cut in. "And just how are we supposed to accomplish all this?"

"Scratch that," interjected Ginny. "Why should we?"

Liam smiled down at her. "Ah, from you, I expected such a question."

Liam's eyes lost a bit of their twinkle. "The time of my Kingdom is over. Even if Mornen is defeated, it has been too long. The earth is different now, and we could not, I think, exist peacefully as we once did. The amulet, now encased in this timeless book, should have, like those of other civilizations, lost its power bit by bit as the magic it contained was released to the world. The power contained in this single object would be too much temptation for any one individual. If Mornen is destroyed, it shall be as well."

"So?" prompted Ginny.

"So, alternative arrangements would be made, with a portion of its magic granted to whomever defeats Mornen and releases the lands protected by the amulet. A boon, if you will."

"Right, then." Ron scratched his head.

"And how exactly are we supposed to defeat this Mornen bloke? Our wands don't even work!"

Ron gave his another shake to emphasize the words.

Hermione huffed. "Honestly Ron, don't you pay attention at all? We don't need them here."

Hermione turned back to Liam. "That's it, isn't it? The magic, it's all around. Your amulets were your …wands, so to speak. The King's amulet is all the magic we need."

Liam smiled, a bit taken aback at Hermione's cleverness. "Perhaps my initial impressions were mistaken."

"What the bloody hell is she on about, Harry?" Ron whispered. Harry shrugged his shoulders in response.

Liam crossed over to stand before the boys. Quick as lightening, their wands flew from their hands to Liam's waiting palm.

Ron and Harry gaped again, this time at each other. Liam hadn't spoken a word to summon them.

Liam examined the wands curiously, pointing them this way and that.

With a sigh, he handed them back.

"Magic is all," he said simply.

"It is everywhere, inside everything. You feel it's power inside you, yet you hesitate to use it.

What need have you of channelling tools when the magic waits in your fingertips, yeaning to be released?"

Liam grasped Harry's shoulder tightly.

"You must feel it build inside of you. Feel the heat and the cold, coiled together. Push it up and out of your center, while focusing on the deed you wish to accomplish. Think of the breaths you take. Simple, natural, automatic, yes, but the processes that work together to bring you life are incredibly complex. When you are able to release your magic by rote, you will be ready."

"Ready for what, exactly?" Harry was still unsure of what they were supposed to be doing.

Liam ignored this question.

"Practice what I have said, until my return. You will be protected."

With that, Liam bowed low, then shimmered way. The globe remained, Mrs. Weasley's face still upon it, but at Liam's departure, it began to fade until it too, disappeared.

"Protected from what?" Ron asked, still confused.

Harry rubbed his eyes wearily. "I have a feeling the answer to both our questions is the same, Ron."