Chapter Sixteen
Over Bog and Under Branch
"You two there, don't move!" Bancroft shouted, his wand raised.
As he reached them, he exclaimed in disbelief, "Van der Meulen? Lloyd? Coyote's tail! What is going on?"
Ethan said nothing. He didn't want to look at Bancroft, let alone answer him. In spite of himself he looked up. Bancroft's face was nearly purple with anger, his eyes steely. To the teacher's left, Ethan saw Peter Powles, face beet-red, looking at the floor. But to Ethan's astonishment, he saw that with his right hand Bancroft had gripped another first-year by the shoulder--Simon Brocklebank.
"First I find Mr. Brocklebank wandering about alone, telling a cockamamie story about protecting his house from some sort of raid. And now I find you three in a corridor that's out of bounds to students at any time of day, let alone at this hour of the morning!"
"But, sir," Brocklebank said with a mixture of triumph and pleading in his voice. "That shows I didn't make it up. They are here, after all."
"Nonsense!" Bancroft said. "All it proves is that we have a discipline problem with the first-years in both Bradbury and Tenskwatawa! And in any case, nothing gives you the right to wander the corridors at night, Mr. Brocklebank!"
"Umm, Professor Bancroft," Ethan started, only to have Bancroft hold up his hand to silence him.
"No, Mr. Lloyd, I don't want explanations or excuses! I can see that you and Mr. Van der Meulen feel you have a license to break school rules, but I am deeply disappointed that you would drag young Powles into your mischief!"
Ethan looked down at his shoes. He was truly sorry that he'd asked Peter along that night. But Bancroft had not finished.
"I will, of course, be docking house points--25 each," he said. "And since it seems likely that may not be sufficient to deter future misconduct, you will each receive detention!"
As if this was not enough, the amulet lay on the floor of the corridor, out of Ethan's reach, as Bancroft marched the four of them away.
Ethan felt terrible and his housemates, for the most part, were inclined to make him feel worse. Most of the older Bradburys pretended that he, Tim and Peter didn't exist. Whatever sympathy Tim had garnered after his attack evaporated; most of the other quidditch players referred to him simply as the "sub" and regularly expressed the hope that East would soon be back in form at chaser.
Only Marcus and Anne remained truly friendly with them. Peter was shunned by nearly everyone too, but he also avoided Ethan and Tim. Ethan blamed himself for Peter's retreat inward.
But nothing compared to the guilt he felt about losing his father's amulet. Bancroft never mentioned it and Ethan guessed it had been picked up and disposed of by Beadle. He actually hoped that this had happened; it was preferable to the possibility that Tiverton had found the amulet.
Ethan worried that Tiverton would now have an easier time getting past the Sphinx and after the talisman. But when Anne suggested they continue to try to track the transfiguration teacher's movements, Ethan flatly refused to consider it.
"I've gotten into enough trouble for one year," he asserted. Then he went back to work on his Herbology notebook. And so for nearly two months, Ethan tried to keep his mind off the talisman and focus on school work.
At breakfast one morning in late May, Kenny walked along the Bradbury table and handed small envelopes to Ethan, Tim and Peter. Inside were identical notes that read:
Your detention has been scheduled
this evening at 10:00 PM.
Please meet Mr. Beadle in the Entry Hall.
Professor Herodotus Bancroft
Ethan had been so busy and so determined not to cause any more trouble that he had completely forgotten the detention. He wondered what Beadle had for them to do at that late hour.
A few minutes before ten, the three boys said good night to the other first-years and headed down to meet Beadle. Kenny Sturtevant escorted them, as they would be out past curfew.
Beadle was waiting for them, looking more disheveled than usual, Manfred the crow perched on his left shoulder.
"There you go, then," Kenny told his charges. "Do as you're told now and no trouble, eh?"
As Kenny turned to go, a Tenskwatawa proctor came up with Simon Brocklebank in tow. Ethan had completely forgotten that Brocklebank had also earned a detention.
Simon glowered at the others. The proctor whispered something in Simon's ear and departed.
Beadle surveyed the four boys suspiciously, although Ethan could have sworn he winked briefly at him.
"A sorry bunch you are," the Keeper of Buildings said, shaking his head. "You've broken the rules, you have, and we have some serious work for you to do tonight. Let's be off, then."
Beadle grabbed a lantern from the Entry Hall desk and handed it to Simon. He then gave each of the others a lamp. Picking one up for himself, he headed over to the door, opened it and beckoned them out onto the darkened grounds.
"Wh-why are w-we going out h-here?" Peter squeaked as Beadle led them away from the school building.
"We've got a bit of work to do in Spook Woods tonight with Mr. Standish," Beadle answered, smiling unpleasantly. "I suppose you expected you'd be polishing trophies or some such nonsense, eh?"
Peter said nothing more, but Brocklebank spoke up, an unfamiliar note of panic in his voice.
"You're not really taking us in there at night? Students aren't allowed in the Woods...or the Swamp. There are tricksters and vampires!"
Beadle just grunted and continued to lead his detail across the grounds towards Standish's odd little cottage, which stood at the edge of the woods.
When they reached the door, Beadle rapped on the door. A moment later, it swung open and the gnome-like face of Mr. Standish appeared.
"It's about time, Beadle," he said gruffly. "We'd better get started, this could take all night." He shook his head in the students' direction and added, "I daresay these will be more hindrance than help."
"They'll be help enough," Beadle retorted. "Or they'll get another detention to go along with this one. Better tell them what we're after tonight."
Standish stepped out of his cottage and Ethan saw that he carried a crossbow in one hand and an ax in the other. He handed the ax to Beadle.
"There's a herd of re'em in these woods," Standish told them. "You do know what a re'em is, don't you?"
Ethan looked blankly at the grounds keeper.
Tim piped up from his left, "The re'em is a highly magical creature, a sort of huge wild ox with a golden hide, endowed with great strength."
Ethan and Peter looked impressed. Simon harrumphed.
"It's right in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," Tim said with a shrug.
"Good enough," Standish said. "Now these ones were brought here by Bradbury himself, they say. And they've flourished for many years. But something's been attacking them the past few weeks. Killed two of them already. Another may have been wounded last night. Headmaster wants us to find it."
"But if they're so strong," Brocklebank asked nervously. "Then whatever's killing them must be even stronger. It'd be crazy to send students in there to find it."
"You'll all be just fine," Beadle said. "As long as you do as you're told. Mr. Standish here knows these woods as well as anyone."
"Now come along, follow me," Standish ordered. Beadle gestured at the students to move forward. Tim went first, Ethan and Peter next. Brocklebank went last and he hung back from the three Bradburys. Beadle walked behind them, the ax swinging gently at his side.
They passed single-file through a corner of the Haunted Swamp that lay between Standish's cottage and the Woods proper. The grounds keeper deftly picked out a dry path through the marshy patches and reeds. Ethan looked to his left and saw what seemed to be flickering blue torches in the distance.
"What are those lights?" he asked, pointing.
"Feux Follets, most like," Beadle answered. "Like to lure folks into the swamp to drown."
"Don't look at 'em," Standish barked from the front. Ethan shivered and turned his head forward, but he couldn't shake the image of the blue flames from his mind.
Ahead, the wizened forms of dead trees rose up before them at weird angles, roots drowned in the waterlogged earth. Some leaned at odd angles, some remained upright, and others had fallen to the ground, where they made tricky obstacles for the party.
After ten minutes of clambering over tree trunks, the path cleared again and began to climb, now surrounded by living trees, tall pines interspersed with broad maples and slender birches. The leaves and pine needles of countless years crunched lightly under their feet.
The lanterns now illuminated a forest floor mostly free of shrubs and brush. Walking here was much easier than it had been in the swamp. But soon after they'd reached the woods, Standish stopped and stooped over the path. He then looked from side to side, holding his lantern out into the darkness.
"There's some blood here, Epaphras," he said. "Looks like the critter crossed the path right here. But which way was he going?"
Ethan saw a series of shimmering gold-colored drips across the path. On the left side of the path was a much larger golden pool of the stuff.
Beadle crouched down so that his lantern lit up the ground around the golden pool.
"I'd say it was going this way," he said, pointing ahead of them down the path.
"Maybe, maybe not. Time for us to split up. " Standish replied. Pointing at Peter and Simon, he continued, "You two come with me. Beadle, you take the others along the path."
"Right. Remember, cast red sparks if you run into any trouble."
"And green sparks if we find the re'em," Standish added. "Come on, now."
He headed away from the path, most reluctantly followed by Simon and Peter.
This left Ethan and Tim trailing Beadle down the path.
"Mr. Beadle?" Tim asked.
"Yeah?" Beadle said as he moved slowly forward, examining the path in the lantern light.
"I was wondering...what will we do if we do find the re'em?"
"Well, that depends on what state we find it in," Beadle replied. "They're intelligent beasts; it'll tolerate our helping it if it's not hurt too bad. Worse comes to worst, we may have to put it out of its misery."
Ethan and Tim shared a look of apprehension. Beadle simply continued down the trail, and they followed.
About ten minutes later, Beadle suddenly sprang up.
"Off the path! Now!" he shouted. Grabbing Tim with one arm and Ethan with the other, he quickly dragged them behind the trunk of a huge sugar maple.
Ethan heard something moving in the darkness across the path. At first he heard leaves crunching under feet, but there was another sound of something gliding over the ground.
After a minute or two, the sounds faded away into the woods.
"What was that, Mr. Beadle?" Ethan asked.
"I don't know and I doubt old Standish would, either," Beadle answered. "I've never heard anything like it in here before."
"Could it have been a trickster?" Tim asked.
"Doubtful," Beadle said. "Woulda sensed our presence and stayed around for some fun. Can't resist it. No, I'd guess that's what's been killing the re'em."
Just then red sparks rose high above the trees behind them.
"Standish and the others are in trouble!" Ethan exclaimed.
"Stay here and keep still!" Beadle admonished them as he crashed off through the pathless woods. His step faded into the distance, leaving Ethan and Tim in silence.
"You don't suppose they're hurt?" Tim asked as he looked around nervously.
"They'd better not be," Ethan said earnestly. "I mean, I don't care about Brocklebank, but if that thing got Peter...I mean he's only out here because of me."
Five minutes passed, although Ethan thought it seemed much longer. Beadle reappeared, dragging Brocklebank behind him.
"Change of plans," Beadle said gruffly. "Seems this imbecile wanted to have some fun, grabbed the Powles kid from behind. He set off the sparks before Standish could stop him. So, Van der Meulen, come back with me."
"And you two, don't move and don't talk 'til I get back!" he ordered Ethan and Simon.
Ethan was quite happy not to speak to Brocklebank, who stood sullenly a few feet away. For several minutes they alternately stared at the ground and glowered at each other in silence.
When Beadle returned, he grumpily resumed the search along the trail.
"After that racket, it'll be a wonder if we find anything!" he muttered. "But we've got to get this done tonight!"
As they continued into the woods, the splotches of re'em blood appeared more frequently. Some of the nearby tree trunks were splattered with gold as if the creature had been stumbling along aimlessly.
Presently the trail skirted a small hollow and as they reached it, Ethan looked down and gasped.
Sprawled at the bottom of the slope was the re'em and it was dead. It had apparently collapsed and rolled down into the hollow. Ethan was amazed to see such a powerful beast brought down, its massive legs splayed oddly, unseeing eyes turned to the sky. Ethan thought it strangely beautiful and terribly sad.
Standish cleared his throat and spoke.
"Well, nothing for it but to get Standish over here," he said, turning away from the hollow and taking out his wand.
As he did so, the woods suddenly darkened. Or more precisely, it seemed as though a curtain of blackness fell around the hollow, hiding Beadle from view.
Ethan couldn't hear Beadle either. He glanced at Brocklebank, who looked surprised and frightened.
"What happened? Where'd he go?" Simon asked.
"How should I know?" Ethan said. "Let's try to find him."
They lit their wands and walked in the direction that Beadle had gone a moment earlier. But after two steps they were enveloped in darkness so complete that Ethan could not see Brocklebank's wand a foot to his right.
"Where in Circe's name did you go, Lloyd?" Simon asked loudly.
"I'm right here," Ethan answered. "This is no good. We'll never find anyone in this. Let's go back. Move your wand towards my voice."
Ethan moved his wand towards Simon and eventually the two lit wand tips met. Together they cast just enough light so that the two boys could see each other. They turned around and emerged from the darkness back onto the rim of the hollow.
"What's this all about?" Brocklebank snapped. "What a joke! When my father finds out about this..."
Ethan said nothing, for as he looked down into the hollow he saw a dark, hooded figure kneeling over the fallen re'em.
Ethan grabbed Simon's shoulder and pointed into the hollow. The two boys watched, petrified, as the figure sank its teeth into the dead creature's neck. Brocklebank let out a terrible scream and fled back into the darkness.
Ethan remained rooted to the spot, feeling queasy and faint. The figure raised its head and looked up at him, golden drops of re'em blood dripping from its chin. The face was hidden, but for two red, slit-like eyes. Wordlessly it stood and began moving up the hill toward Ethan.
Ethan snapped out of his horrified stupor, turned and ran, not back to the darkness in which Beadle and Brocklebank had disappeared, but deeper into the woods.
Ethan ran, though he had no idea where he was going. The forest seemed even darker and denser now and the trail grew narrow, hemmed in by trees, laurel bushes and brambles. Suddenly, the path came to an end at a steep bank overlooking a small stream.
Ethan didn't know how he'd managed to avoid tumbling down the bank. He leaned against a tall maple at the top of the bank and tried to catch his breath. He wondered what it was that he and Brocklebank had seen. As he stood, panting, he began to hear noises coming up the path towards him. Soon he was certain he could hear footsteps and another noise--the sound of something gliding along the ground, rustling the old leaves. Ethan moved around so that the tree was between him and the path, but he could see no means of escape. The drop off the sheer bank to the rock-strewn stream looked to be about twenty feet. Ethan had never jumped so far in his life, and if he fell in the darkness, he feared he'd never get up. On both sides, thick bushes and brambles blocked the way. It seemed he'd reached a dead end.
The sound of pursuit grew louder. Ethan thought he could make out two red eyes glowing up the path. He steeled himself to jump. Suddenly he heard a voice from somewhere below him.
"Follow us, lad! Quickly, no time to waste!"
Ethan looked around and saw no one, but then he heard the voice once more.
"Down here! Quick, now!"
Ethan looked down and to his amazement, he saw two tiny men, or so they appeared, in the garb of Indian hunters. They beckoned him to follow them through the brambles up along the stream.
With no time to wonder, Ethan did as the small men had urged him. The bushes seemed to move aside as they passed, for Ethan felt no branches or brambles against his arms as he passed.
As he followed the small hunters, the steep bank gave way to a gentle slope. When they reached the water, the two little men jumped into a tiny canoe tethered to a cattail.
"Come on, you too!" one of the men called to Ethan. He hesitated. The canoe was no larger than one of Ethan's shoes.
"But," Ethan began, and then he heard the tramping of feet and a hissing sound back at the end of the path.
"Step inside!" the other tiny man called up to him, and he did. As soon as he stepped towards the canoe, Ethan found that he was just as small as the hunters and could sit in their canoe.
The two small men lifted their paddles and began rowing. But instead of moving down the stream, the canoe rose high into the air. Ethan looked down and saw the dark figure of a man, muffled in a black robe, standing at the end of the path, looking from side to side. Beside the man, Ethan saw what appeared to be the largest snake he had ever seen. The snake was also moving its head back and forth, as if it was trying to catch a scent.
"Do not fear, young one!" one of the rescuers told him. "They cannot find you now."
The canoe moved smoothly through the night sky, now above the highest tree tops. Ethan could see the lights of Kaaterskill in the distance, but his companions were paddling in the opposite direction. So they continued until finally they came to the end of the woods, where the trees gave way to the steep slope of the mountains to the west.
They flew straight towards the mountainside and Ethan saw a cave opening in the rocks.
"Tonight you must stay with us," one of the little men told him as they paddled into the cave. "Woods and swamp will not be safe until the sun rises once again, if then ...especially not for you, Ethan Lloyd."
Ethan started at the sound of his name, but he said nothing, for everything about the men and the cave seemed new and strange to him. Torches lit the cave walls, on which there were drawings of many beasts, some familiar, others fantastic. A fire rose at the far end of the cave, smoke trailing upwards through a hole in the ceiling. Perhaps two dozen other men and women sat or stood around the cave, in dress and stature similar to Ethan's rescuers. Some had been cooking, others drawing or writing on parchment, still others playing a game. In one corner of the cave, an older man and woman, both white-haired, sat together smoking long pipes.
As the canoe set down, all eyes turned to Ethan and his rescuers. The two pipe-smoking elders stood up and walked toward the canoe.
"Greetings, Hunts-After-Dark and Swift-Sky-Paddler," said the white-haired man. "It is well you have returned. But who is this you have brought within our sanctuary, brothers? He is not one of The People. You know it is not our custom to meddle in the affairs of the Big Folk in these latter days."
"We well know our customs, wise father," answered the one who had beckoned Ethan into the canoe. "But is it not also our custom to succor those in dire danger? Swift-Sky-Paddler saw that this lad was pursued by a great evil, one with strong otgon. Had we not taken him in, he would certainly have been killed."
"Surely our wise father perceives that this is the Lloyd boy," said the other rescuer. "We could not leave him to the evil that pursued him."
"Swift-Sky-Paddler, you may be right," said the woman elder. "But it is not our place to meddle in business of humans, especially not wizards."
"Nevertheless, we will not turn him out now that he is among us," the old man said as he turned to Ethan. "Come young one, sit with us, eat and rest, you are safe among the Jo-Ge-Oh."
Ethan stepped forward timidly and followed the old man towards the far end of the cave. Near the fire, all of the Jo-Ge-Oh formed a circle and sat. Ethan found a place with Hunts-After-Dark and Swift-Sky-Paddler to his right. The old man who had spoken to Ethan stood to his left.
"I am Raven Man and this is Badger Woman," he said. "Welcome to the circle of the Jo-Ge-Oh, Ethan Lloyd."
"Thank you, sir," Ethan answered tentatively. Turning to his right, he addressed his rescuers, "And thank you from saving me back there. But who are you? Who was hunting me? And how do you know who I am?"
Raven Man looked keenly at Ethan, his eyes twinkling in his wizened face.
"So many questions, young one," he chuckled at last. "Patience! I see that the orenda grows strong within you. Many answers will come to you and we will give you those we can."
"But first, take your ease and eat with us," Badger Woman said kindly. Then Raven Man gestured with his right hand and a fine feast appeared before the company. Ethan hesitated at first, for the fare was far different from what he'd become used to at Kaaterskill. But he suddenly felt famished from his ordeal. There were all kinds of roasted meats--venison, bear, goose and pheasant-- and poached fish, succotash, squash, fresh berries and frybread. Ethan ate his fill, talked little but listened to the conversations around him with great interest.
Some talked of family matters, the courtship of young people or the success of hunting expeditions.
Others discussed the alignment of stars and planets and the portents for the peoples of the Earth, big and small. And Ethan could tell that his arrival figured in some of these conversations. Every now, one of his hosts would cast a glance in his direction or gesture towards him as they talked.
"If he is the one foretold, then dark times are coming," said an elderly man to Ethan's right.
"Dark times, perhaps," answered Swift-Sky-Paddler. "But is that the lad's fault? And is it not also foretold that the dark may pass again?"
"So it is," the older man conceded. "Yet not even the wise can say how many moons will pass before that day arrives. And it is not our place to interfere in the quarrels of wizards."
"I do not claim to see why this lad was sent into our path," Swift-Sky-Paddler said. "But once we saw him, we had to choose. We took him in and you say we interfered. Had we seen him and not acted, would you say we had taken the side of his pursuer?"
"You may be right, Swift-Sky-Paddler," the other said. "But if the stars decree that the Jo-Ge-Oh become entangled in this dispute, then I tremble for our world."
"If the stars foretell that our people must take sides, then I know who I will stand with and which side I must oppose," Swift-Sky-Paddler. "All wizards are not cut from the same cloth. We could sense the otgon of him who sought the young one in the Woods."
Ethan pondered these words in his heart, wondering what they might mean, but still he said nothing. Some time later--it may have been one hour or many, Ethan could not say--members of the circle began to arise, one or two at a time, and retire to smaller chambers arranged around the edges of the cave.
Ethan didn't feel sleepy, but Raven Man stood and beckoned to him.
"Come, young master, now you must rest 'til morning. Then we will return you to your school."
Raven Man led Ethan towards the back of the cave and into a chamber lit by two candles. On the ceiling, a painting of a starlit sky glittered in flickering light. Along the wall a shelf seemingly carved out of the stone held a pallet and pillow.
"I know you find this a strange place to sleep, Ethan Lloyd," Raven Man said. "But be easy, empty your mind of all thought and you will awaken refreshed."
"I don't want to be impolite," Ethan said. "But I don't think I could sleep; there are so many questions in my mind."
"Ah, I see, young one," Raven Man replied. "And I am not surprised. Ask, then. I will answer as I am able."
"Who are the Jo-Ge-Oh, father?"
"We are an ancient people, beings sent here as guardians, to watch over humans and to share with some of them knowledge of certain things," said Raven Man.
"What things?"
"Ah, that depends on the person and the time," Raven Man answered. "Mostly we teach of the land and of the gifts to be found in plants that nourish and heal."
"But how do you know who should be taught?"
"Much is written in the stars above our heads," Raven Man said, gesturing toward the sparkling ceiling of the cave. "The Jo-Ge-Oh read the heavens for a guide. In truth it has been many years since we have had dealings with humans."
"Some of your people seem to think the stars say you should not have taken me in," Ethan observed. "You seem to know a lot about me. Can you read anything in the heavens about me?"
"You must understand that the tale told in the stars is not written plainly," Raven Man said with a sigh. "Even the wise may not discern its meaning easily. That is why we are reluctant to take sides in your human wars. I can see that you have a part to play in a great struggle among the wizards. But how your part plays out is not yet revealed to me."
"But Swift-Sky-Paddler said he knew that I was being chased by a very evil person," Ethan said. "He said he had to interfere, either by saving me or leaving me there in the Woods for...for who ever it was to find me. And he said he knows which side he would fight on in this quarrel."
"Swift-Sky-Paddler is a brave hunter with strong orenda," Raven Man explained. "It appears to me that the heavens decreed that he should be given the choice you describe, which means that the Jo-Ge-Oh are meant to be involved in this matter."
"And is that a bad thing?" Ethan asked.
"Is it bad, young one? It is never a bad thing to be given a choice," Raven Man answered with a smile. "And to make the right choice is a good and noble act. But taking the right path does not mean one can know all of the consequences that may lie at the path's end."
"Is that why some of your people are worried that I'm here?"
"They know that the Jo-Ge-Oh were created to be guardians of the earth for humans--magical or not," said Raven Man more gravely. "But we have been in the Fading Time for many generations now, for few humans are able to see us and accept our teaching. And we know that it is foretold that our time here will end when we become entangled in human conflicts."
"But who was following me in the Woods?" Ethan asked. "And who is attacking the re'em?"
"Do you know the qualities of re'em blood, young one?" Raven Man asked.
Ethan shook his head.
"To the one who drinks the blood of a re'em is given unnatural strength," Raven Man answered sadly. "But one who gains physical power in this way sacrifices part of his soul, his inner self, in the bargain."
"Who would wish to make such a bargain?" Ethan asked.
"Do you not know of one? One who has spent many years seeking power beyond that of the greatest wizard?"
Ethan remembered what Professor Bancroft had told the class earlier in the year: There are many evil powers in this world and some sleep for centuries unknown to humans. About fifteen years ago, Hafgan learned of such a power hidden in a magical place. And then Bancroft had said, Hafgan simply vanished, as completely as Voldemort himself, so it would seem.
"You mean that...that was Hafgan?" Ethan gasped.
"And do you know what is being guarded in your school at this moment, young one?"
"The talisman..."
"With which he could unleash a power so great that it can destroy men by its very presence," Raven Man said. "A power that he believes he can now control, as he could not 14 years ago."
"But even if Hafgan gained the strength of the re'em," Ethan thought out loud, "how could that help him to..."
But just then Badger Woman entered the alcove. Raven Man looked up at her.
"The council awaits you, Raven Man," she said. "We cannot start without you."
"I will be right along," Raven Man told her and then he turned to Ethan. "Dah-neh hoh! I am sorry, young one, no more answers tonight. Lie down and take your rest."
"I still don't know how I can sleep," Ethan said. "Can't I come along with you?"
"No, no, the council is for Jo-Ge-Oh only," Raven Man said. "And as for sleep, those whose heart is true always rest well in our cave. Good night; when Brother Sun returns, I will greet you again."
"Good night, Raven Man," Ethan said, still reluctant, as the old man headed back to the fire circle.
Ethan crawled up onto the pallet, laid down and looked over toward the fire, where a few of the Jo-Ge-Oh were gathered around Raven Man and Badger Woman. Ethan felt his eyelids grow heavy in spite of himself. Soon his eyes closed and he slept.
When he awoke, the sun was streaming into the cave from the east. He sat up and stretched. He felt rested and refreshed and he couldn't remember a single dream.
As he stood up, Raven Man strode up.
"And did you sleep well, young one?" he asked, eyes twinkling.
"Yes, thank you, I did," Ethan replied.
"Come, wash and then break your fast with us," Raven Man said. "We must return you to Professor Flyte's school this morning. There are many there who are greatly concerned about you."
Breakfast with the Jo-Ge-Oh was again different. Ethan ate dried fruits and pemmican and drank a sort of tea made from herbs.
When all had finished eating, Badger Woman spoke.
"Now, Ethan Lloyd, we must send you back whence you came," she told him. "You must go once again with Swift-Sky-Paddler and Hunts-After-Dark. I know you are refreshed, but I fear that they are not used to rising so early."
Ethan looked over and saw that the two Jo-Ge-Oh who had rescued him did look rather groggy.
"Come then, lad," Swift-Sky-Paddler said with a yawn. "We must take you in the canoe as we brought you. And we must take care not to be seen."
Ethan stepped back into the canoe between his two guides. As they made ready to paddle out of the cave, Raven Man spoke once again.
"Go well, Ethan Lloyd. Remember that you were fated to meet us here. My heart tells me that the stars are not wrong; you have great tasks before you, if you choose to take them on. Be stout of heart."
Ethan bowed, but said nothing. As the canoe gained speed, he waved at the Jo-Ge-Oh. They faded into the distance as the paddlers propelled the canoe over the woods and the swamp. They brought the canoe down near the ground and skimmed past the quidditch pitch. Even the blades of grass looked big to Ethan now. Finally, the canoe came to a halt near the far corner of the Kaaterskill greenhouses.
"This is where we leave you, lad," Swift-Sky-Paddler told him, clapping Ethan on the shoulder. "You are safe now. And do not fear for us. It has been many years since we have done our part in your world. But we will not shrink from what should be done."
Ethan thanked them and stepped out of the canoe. Suddenly he towered over the tiny craft, which was already heading back toward the Woods.
Ethan leaned against the greenhouse for a moment, unused to being his normal size again. He checked his watch; it was just after 8 o'clock. He headed along the path from the greenhouses back to the school building.
As he went, he passed knots of students heading out to Herbology class. Some pointed at Ethan; others seemed to be staring at him. He didn't think much about this. After all, he was used to such attention by now.
But when he got into the school building and headed towards Bradbury Tower, he heard a sudden shriek across the corridor and saw a flash of red approaching from his left.
"Ethan, where have you been?" Anne Findlay exclaimed, and she threw her arms around him. "Everyone's worried sick about you!"
Ethan flushed, for he was quite unused to being spontaneously hugged by a girl. He struggled to see, his vision obscured by Anne's long red hair. She let go as quickly as she'd embraced him, standing back and looking somewhat embarrassed.
Now Ethan could see that Tim, Maddie and Marcus were also standing, staring at him.
"Well, what happened?" Marcus asked. "You can't just disappear in the Woods in the middle of the night and then show up a week later acting as if nothing happened."
"What do you mean a week?" Ethan asked, thoroughly confused. "The detention was last night. I got separated from the others and someone...or something...was hunting me and then I saw these little people and they took me away with them to a cave last night and brought me back here this morning."
"Well, I hate to have to correct you, man," Tim said, looking quite as dumbfounded as any of them. "But it's been a week since Beadle managed to lose you. The teachers have been taking turns searching the Woods and the Swamp for you. We'd all just about given up hope."
Ethan wondered how the night he'd spent with the Jo-Ge-Oh had turned into a week. But he didn't have much time to think about it, for at that moment Kenny Sturtevant spied the group around him and hurried over.
"Lloyd, I don't believe it, where've you been?" he said, his expression combining relief and exasperation. "You'd better come with me to see the Head. The rest of you, go on, you'll be late for class."
Ethan had never been to the Headmaster's office; he didn't even know where it was.
He followed Kenny as he led him up to the second floor, then down a corridor opposite the library. They stopped at a statue of a somewhat rakish looking wizard.
"They don't usually give all of the proctors the password," Kenny remarked. "But Flyte wanted anyone with news of you to come straight to him. "Spring Surprise."
A door materialized in the blank wall next to the statue. It opened and Kenny entered. Ethan followed. They seemed to be in a rather small closet. The door shut behind them, and then another door opened to the left. As they stepped through the second door, Ethan felt the floor below him move, rather like an escalator only without stairs. The floor stopped in front of a large desk. Cyrus Flyte was sitting at the desk. He looked at Kenny and Ethan, then sprang up and came over to them.
"Ah, Mr. Sturtevant...and Mr. Lloyd. Excellent! The wanderer has returned," Flyte said, eyeing Ethan gravely.
Flyte betrayed no sign of surprise at the boys' arrival. Ethan wondered whether the headmaster had been expecting him.
"He'd just wandered into the main hallway when I spotted him, sir," Kenny said. "I knew you'd want to see him right away."
"Yes, quite right, Mr. Sturtevant," Flyte said. "Good work! 25 points to Bradbury! Now, if you'll excuse us, I need to have a few words with Mr. Lloyd here in private."
"Yes, sir," Kenny replied. "Thank you, sir."
Ethan thought Kenny looked a bit disappointed as the moving floor took him out of the room. The door shut behind him and Ethan turned back to the headmaster's desk. As he did, he took a good look around Flyte's office, which was the most curious and wondrous room Ethan had ever seen. It was circular with a high ceiling, above which a skylight admitted the bright morning sunshine. About a dozen portraits hung on the walls, most of elderly wizards with just a few distinguished-looking witches mixed in. Right behind Flyte's desk was a large fireplace. The desk itself was covered with papers on one side and several odd-looking instruments, all cogs and gears, on the other. Opposite the desk was a large window in front of which was a table with more curious machines.
"Please sit down, Ethan," Flyte said. Ethan settled into the armchair in front of the desk.
"You have managed to give your friends quite a scare these last few days," the headmaster observed. Yet you don't really look much the worse for wear. Can you tell me what you've been up to?"
"I'll try, sir," Ethan answered. "But I'm afraid I'll raise more questions than I can answer."
"Go ahead, then," Flyte said. "There's nothing like a good mystery, eh?"
So Ethan launched into his tale: the search for the re'em; how Beadle had been separated from Ethan and Simon; the dark figure feeding on re'em blood; Simon's flight and Ethan's desperate attempt to escape from whoever had killed the re'em; the sudden appearance of the Jo-Ge-Oh and Ethan's inexplicable shrinking to fit into the canoe ("Ah, of course!" Flyte murmured at this point); and the strange but wonderful night and morning he had spent in the cave with the little people.
"And as soon as they'd left me out by the greenhouses, I came into school and Anne found me and then Kenny came along and here I am," Ethan finished. "It seems to me that it was just one night, but everyone I've seen says it's been a week!"
"On that point, at least, I think you've given enough information to explain the discrepancy," Flyte told him. "You have been with the Jo-Ge-Oh and their time doesn't flow at the same rate as ours does. Why, I had a friend many years ago who spent a week in their company. When he returned to our world, nearly ten years had passed. He always insisted he'd learned more in a week with the Jo-Ge-Oh than he would have in the ten years he'd missed."
"Well, sir," Ethan said hesitantly. "It seemed they knew an awful lot about me, but they didn't share very much of it."
"Do not take that too personally," Flyte told him. "The Jo-Ge-Oh know much of our world and the people in it, but in a limited way. They read the heavens with a skill that has eluded the best of our Seers. But the heavens only sketch the outlines of story. So the Jo-Ge-Oh, for all of their subtlety, can not know how we may fill in the details with our choices."
Ethan remembered Raven Man's words about his choices and suddenly thought of Hafgan.
"But Professor," Ethan began urgently. "Raven Man seemed to think..."
But he didn't finish the sentence. For some reason he wanted to keep the fact that Hafgan had been hunting him, Ethan, to himself for the moment.
"Yes?" Flyte asked.
Flustered for just a moment, Ethan quickly added, "Well, he said that there was a great struggle coming among wizards."
"Indeed?" Flyte answered with a bemused expression. "Although I hardly think it necessary to consult the heavens to learn that bit of news."
"And he said I have a part to play," Ethan added hastily.
"Did he?" Flyte said, looking up at Ethan. "Well, that is more interesting, isn't it? Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"
"No, sir. That was all," Ethan said
Flyte gave him a searching look. But he said, "Well, you look to be sound as well as safe. So I would ask that you return to your dormitory, gather up your books and go to your next class. Under the circumstances, you will not be held responsible for your absences this past week, but I should expect you'll have a good deal of catching up to do."
"Yes, sir," Ethan said. "Thank you."
"Well, off you go, then," Flyte said.
"Yes, sir," Ethan said again. He rose to leave and the floor began to convey him back to the door.
As he departed, Flyte called after him, "And Ethan, do be careful."
The door shut behind him and he was again in the small entry. He opened the door and found himself back in the hall next to the statue of the rakish wizard.
The corridor was quiet. Ethan glanced at his watch. Everyone was in their first period class. He dashed back to Bradbury Tower. On the way, he realized that he still wasn't sure whether it was Thursday or Friday--it depended on when everyone started counted him as missing. When he reached the Dutchman's portrait, he decided to check.
"Pahssvord?" the old soldier asked.
"What day of the week is it?" Ethan asked.
"Hmm? What day..?" the Dutchman muttered. "Vhy...can't you even keep track of time anymore? It's Friday, of course."
"Thanks," Ethan said, adding the password. "Hermes Trismegistus."
Having cleaned up and put on fresh clothes, Ethan still had a half hour to spare before Potions. He wanted to give his classmates as little opportunity to comment on his absence as possible, so he hurried down to the dungeons early. He lurked down the hall from Renfro's classroom, behind a statuary group of the Van Wagenens, the first European wizards to settle west of the Mississippi.
When Ethan had seen 19 students enter the classroom, he dashed out from behind the statues and through the door.
Renfro was standing next to the door, about to shut it. He gave Ethan a look of mild surprise, raised and eyebrow and said, "Mr. Lloyd, how nice of you to visit with us this morning. Please check with your classmates on the assignments you've missed. I will expect them completed by Monday morning, including one flask of the Calming Potion, which the rest of the class will complete today."
Nineteen heads turned to the door. A few students gasped, others muttered and the room dissolved into excited discussion.
Ethan felt his face flush. Tim waved and motioned to an empty seat on his bench. As Ethan sank onto the bench, he noticed Simon Brocklebank smirking at him from across the room.
Tim must have noticed it as well. He whispered to Ethan," "It didn't take long for him to get his swagger back. You should have seen what a whimpering mess he was when we found him in the Woods."
Renfro silenced the room quickly and the students busied themselves with their Calming Potions. Ethan discovered that making the potion was a three-day process, which meant that he would have to come in over the weekend to finish his work by Monday.
Ethan managed to finish the first phase of the potion by the end of class. Renfro spent the last few minutes of the session inspecting the other students' finished products. His comments weren't encouraging.
"Miss Findlay, the finished potion should be a golden hue; as yours is tan, I deduce that you must have added the juniper berries before the powdered unicorn horn."
Marcus's potion passed muster, as did Tim's, though not without comment.
"You want to stir your dried ingredients in more completely, Van der Meulen. This will be useless in a few hours when it comes out of solution again."
Renfro took one look at the thickish black liquid in Peter's flask and laughed unpleasantly.
"Powles, what is this? Not only have you had it over the fire too long, you seem to have left out the pleurisy root entirely."
When Ethan, Anne and Tim left the room, they found that Katrina Powles gloating over her twin's failure.
"Peter, why not face the fact that you're going to be a failure as a wizard? Can't even do a simple Calming Potion right!"
"Leave him alone!" Ethan shouted. "Just because you're his sister, you've got no right to treat him the way you do. Now clear out!"
"So Mr. Do-gooder Lloyd thinks he knows what little Peter deserves, does he?" Katrina said mockingly. "But brave Ethan doesn't really know you as well as me, does he, Peter? Thinks you haven't done anyone any harm, he does. Feels bad you got caught out after hours on his account."
"Shut up, Katrina!" Peter said with a tone of desperation in his voice. "Don't..."
Katrina ignored him. "We know better, don't we, brother? We know you set the trap by telling him that story about Simon helping Professor Tiverton on a secret mission, don't we?"
"What are you talking about?" Ethan asked, suddenly confused.
"Oh yes, Peter convinced you that he really overheard Simon and me discussing it, as if we'd ever let him hear anything important! And everything would have gone just fine for dear Peter if you hadn't decided to take him along. No, little Peter hasn't been nice at all to his housemates, has he? Doesn't really deserve their sympathy, does he?"
At this Peter burst into tears and dashed up the stairs out of the dungeon.
Katrina turned to Ethan and continued.
"You and your friends are way too gullible, Lloyd! You and my dear brother deserve each other!"
With that she sauntered up the stairs with Brocklebank and the others, all laughing derisively.
Ethan stood there, too stunned to move.
Anne whistled and said, "My, we have been careless, haven't we?"
Tim looked at Marcus, who had come out of class just behind them. Neither said a word, but Ethan could tell both were angrier than he'd ever seen them. Ethan couldn't remember Tim being really angry before. Marcus had a bit of a quick temper, it was true. But the look of cold fury in their eyes frightened Ethan. He didn't really know whether he was angry himself. He mainly felt as though all the air had been let out of him.
"Well?" Tim asked Marcus.
"Let's go get him!" Marcus answered.
The two of them sprinted up the stairs and out of sight.
"We'd better go after them, Ethan," Anne said, sounding worried. "They may do something they'll regret."
"What? Oh, yeah, you're probably right."
"Well, come on then!" Anne said, heading up the stairs at a brisk run. Ethan followed her, dodging knots of students in the main hall, then taking the familiar but roundabout route up to Bradbury Tower. They reached the Dutchman and shouted "Hermes Trismegistus!" loudly.
"Nobody has any manners today!" the Dutchman grumbled as the portrait hole opened. Ethan and Anne dashed through and looked about hurriedly.
"They went that way!" a fifth-year boy Ethan didn't even know told them pointing at the stairs to the boys' dorms.
"Well, good luck, Ethan!" Anne said. "I'm afraid I can't join you."
So Ethan ran up the stairs to the first-year boys' dorm alone. As he reached the door, he saw that Tim and Marcus had pinned Peter against the wall. He was struggling a bit, but seemed to realize there was no escape.
"You! You rat!" Tim sputtered. "How could you betray us like that?"
"But you don't understand," Peter whimpered. "She's my sister. I couldn't say no to her; she knows me too well. She can make my life miserable and not just at school!"
"I bet we can give her a run for her money on that," said Marcus coldly, his face inches away from Peter's. He held the smaller boy in his left hand. His right hand was drawn back in a fist. Tim had his wand out and pointed at Peter.
Peter turned slightly to face Ethan, teary eyes full of fear.
"Believe me, Ethan, I never wanted to do it," he said. "I felt awful about the whole business, honest! And not just because Bancroft caught me too."
"But you did do it, Peter," Ethan said, still feeling hollow inside rather than angry.
"She's been lying about me to Mom and Dad all year," Peter said. "And they believe her...they always have. She promised she'd stop if I did what she wanted."
"She won't stop though, you know," Ethan said.
"Have you come up with a good jinx yet, Tim?" Marcus interrupted. "'cause if you haven't I'll just break his nose!"
"I don't know any that'll hurt him that much," Tim admitted. "I think I can do a Bat Bogey Hex, though."
"After I'm done with him, he's yours!" Marcus exclaimed.
"Please! Don't hurt me!" Peter pleaded.
As Marcus aimed his fist at Peter's nose, Ethan shouted, "No! Leave him be!"
Marcus and Tim looked at him in surprise.
"Ethan, he could have gotten us both expelled!" Tim said.
"I know," Ethan said quietly. "But we didn't get expelled, did we? And if you beat him up, you'll just be doing Katrina's work for her--and Brocklebank's. Don't you think she expected us to react this way?"
"Well, that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it," Marcus protested.
"He may well. But I know I've deserved a lot of punishments and I've been given a lot of second chances," Ethan insisted. "Haven't you? I don't want Brocklebank's gang thinking they can divide us that easily."
He turned to Peter.
"Listen, Peter, I know what it's like to be bullied. You can stand up to her, no matter what she tells your parents. You're a better person than she is and you're going to be a better wizard than anyone gives you credit for. Promise me you'll let us help you!"
Looking amazed, Peter said, "I promise, Ethan! I won't ever let her turn me against you guys again."
Marcus and Tim finally let Peter go and he stood on his own, rubbing his wrists.
"You two," Ethan said to Tim and Marcus. "Agree not to hold grudges against him, OK? We have to be on the same side or we won't get anywhere!"
"OK, Ethan, if that's what you want," Tim said.
"Agreed," Marcus said. "Sorry, man, emotions got the best of me."
When Kyle entered the room, he looked a bit crestfallen to find the other four boys lounging on their beds as if nothing had happened.
"Someone said there was a fight going on up here," he said. "I didn't believe them."
"Good for you," Ethan said, looking up from his Charms textbook. "We'll always be together in whatever fights we find!"
All of them laughed and allowed that that was the truth.
When Ethan climbed into his bed later that night, he glimpsed something under the pillow. There in a large envelope was the amulet of invisibility, along with a note: Perhaps you'll find this useful after all.