"O, it is monstrous! monstrous! Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it; the winds did sing to me; and the thunder, that deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounced the name of Prosper…"

---- Alonso, Act III, Scene III, The Tempest

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THE TEMPEST

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--- The Tempest ---

Grandfather was perplexed.

"I just don't understand…" he kept saying. "I checked the reports over a thousand times, there wasn't supposed to be so much as a drop of rain anywhere near the Channel! This thing came out of nowhere…completely out of the blue, almost as if…why, almost as if it were----"

"Magic," Pan whispered to himself. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the terrible sight behind them. The small island was just visible on the horizon. More so were the luminous black clouds encircling the broad sky above it.

They had sailed a half-hour out and those storm clouds still weren't breaking up. Meanwhile, out of the island's range, the air was blowing them about madly. Pan was just grateful John Granger had ordered him to pull the sails down and was running The Olivia on her motor…the canvas would have been ripped apart in this weather.

Although, what with David and Will both having a go at it, we might just be ripped apart anyway…

For the past twenty minutes, raised voices had been coming through the hatch. Pan figured they had gone down there so one noisy din wouldn't have to contend against another.

Neenie lay sleeping amid a thick, brown pile Pan assumed to be Iris, Ceres, and Juno. They were well protected from the wind and storm, huddled as they were in a corner of the cockpit. Pan glanced over at them again and smiled as Iris's tail curled tighter around the little girl's arm and Ceres nibbled on a long, wet curl. They acted the way he felt; as if they never wanted to let her out of their sight again.

Just then, the hatch door opened and David and Will came back up from the galley. David, it seemed, had forgiven Will for earlier, but there was still the question of….

Pan glanced over at Grandfather to see a scowl on the old man's face. He wasn't quite as lenient as his younger son was on these matters. "Blundering blockhead…" he muttered. "Why doesn't he just throw himself over a cliff and save us all the trouble…she could have been killed, and it would've been all his fault, not paying attention…effing clot…"

Pan winced and turned away. It was easy to see where Will got his temper. Looking at it, one would wonder whether David seriously was related to these two…the dentist had inherited the quiet temper and quick understanding of The Olivia's namesake. Pan started to pull in the lines, letting his mind off on its own musings. Wish I could've met her…the way Grandfather goes on about her, that woman could rival the Queen in virtue…

Will was looking around at the choppy waves, his face green. "I hate the sea!" he said fervently.

Pan cocked his head. "Odd, you were just fine on the way over…why wait till now to develop a conscience?"

"He used to love it as a kid," David explained for Will. "Spent more time than I did at the docks, truth be told. But when he was eight…well, let's just say that things took a turn for the worse…"

Pan looked over at Will, curious, but the black-haired man shook his head hard…apparently he didn't want to relive the experience, especially not in the middle of the sea. Instead, Will closed his eyes against roaring wind and began to declaim.

"Oohh, I have suffered with those I saw suffer! A brave vessel, who had, no doubt, some noble creatures in her, dashed all to pieces!" he mourned pitifully. "Oh, the cry knocked against my very heart! Poor souls…they perished!"

David snorted and was about to make a retort when they heard a deafening blast of sound behind them. The men were thrown against each other as the yacht lurched forward, waves slamming into her. The engine shuddered and died. The wind emitted a continuous wail, and a sharp bolt of lightning cracked through the darkness and across the sky.

As soon as he could stumble to his feet, Pan whipped his head around to Bowman's Isle. An eerie green light drifting up from one part of the island and into the sky…a sick, twisted feeling appeared in his stomach, and he had a horrible suspicion…

No…oh no, no, no, no…please, Merlin, no!

But the green light did not take the shape he was sure they were to see…in fact, the green mist didn't take shape at all…it surrounded the island, obscuring it from view; but the next moment, Pan forgot about it entirely.

The eerie storm clouds that had been hovering above the island had been broken apart by the green light and were now vacating the premises in a circular motion at an extremely fast rate…in fact, they were heading straight towards The Olivia….

"What in the devil's name----!" John Granger gasped, staring at the spectacle before them.

Will swore and took off down the hatch, emerging a minute later with David's pair of binoculars. He zoomed in on the island and paled. "Oh no…please, God, no!" he moaned, the binoculars clattering to the floor. His hands were shaking so badly he had to hold his head in order for them to stop.

David stared at his brother in alarm. "Will, what?"

Will took his head out of his hands and stared wide-eyed at them all. It actually scared Pan how the man was acting; he had sunken to the floor, shrunk inside himself. "The light, David!" he croaked. "That green light came from the west of Godric's Hollow! Right where the Shylocks live!"

His brother drew in his breath sharply and snatched the fallen binoculars. He hurriedly faced the direction of Bowman's Isle, but how he could see through the green mist, Pan had no clue.

Will, meanwhile, had turned to his father, suddenly urgent. "Dad! We have to turn back! We have to make sure they're alright --- I have to make sure Rebecca's alri----"

"Now hold on a second!" Grandfather roared. "You think that I'm actually going to listen to you when you nearly killed my granddaughter? In case you didn't know it, mate, there is a storm heading straight for us! You may only care about your own bloody life, but I am responsible for everyone else's and I will not sacrifice them for your convenience!"

Will drew back as if he'd been slapped and stared at his father in shock. "It…it's not…it's not like that," he said weakly. "Dad, please…you have to understand…"

"No, Will! I couldn't care less if the Queen's life depended on it! We are not turning back!" Grandfather hissed, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He hurried back to the wheel, barking over his shoulder, "Hector! Get below and check on the rudder! David, take a hold o' the wheel while I see to the engine----"

But David didn't move. Pan was torn between wanting to follow his captain's orders, and wanting to see how this played out --- until thunder roared overhead and the yacht was tossed violently to the side, making up his mind for him. He ducked his head and disappeared below.

Staring at his father in quiet determination, David was barely aware of the young boat hand seeing to the old captain's command. "Dad…do you remember the winter before Mum died? We had all gone up to Aviemore to go skiing and Rebecca had come with us," he said softly, and his father froze as he heard David's words. "News came one morning that something had happened…Sebastian had been in a car accident in Newquay…he was driving with Constance and their son when they were rammed into by a truck. They were all taken to the hospital, but Constance and Barry didn't survive. They died before night fell."

Grandfather was ashen-faced, the look of tortured remembrance in his eyes. David glanced over to Will and couldn't even see his brother's face, as Will stood beside the railing, looking off towards Bowman's Isle.

It pained David to bring this up, but he knew it had to be mentioned. He went on, his voice rising against the din, "We tried to get the first flight back, but they were all booked. We couldn't find passage until three days later, and when we went to look for Sebastian, the hospital had signed his release and he was nowhere to be found."

"So what's yer point?" Grandfather gruffly shouted over the oncoming storm.

"My point is that we couldn't be there for him when he needed us the most! Do you want that to happen again, Dad? What if that --- that thing did come from the Shylocks' house and something happened to them? They were there for us when Mum died. They're not just Will's friends…they're all of ours!" David shouted. His hair and clothes blew about him; the waves crashed onto The Olivia and showered them all with salt water.

Grandfather clutched the wheel and stared at his hands. The waves were swelling fiercely rocking them from side to side…he had to make up his mind soon…

Tipping his back up, he saw four pale, hopeful faces in the dark, their hair flying wildly about them as the wind screeched past. He looked beyond them to the faraway island they'd just left behind, and saw the miles of thunderous black clouds, forked lightning, tossing waves, and roaring thunder that stood between them…The Olivia couldn't stay adrift in the storm for too much longer…

He squeezed his eyes shut and had one last thought – Hell, what am I getting myself into? – before shouting his answer.

"LET'S BRING 'ER AROUND!"

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The yacht surged through the water, beating against the very forces that were contending against her. Though she was driven back again and again by the raging wind, the violent sea, the vehement storm, The Olivia kept her beaten prow fixed on the northwest. David, Will, and the sleeping Neenie had been bustled below once the rudder was seen to and the engine roared back to life, but they still felt the results as the yacht heeled to the side.

Will stumbled around as he tried to find a seat that wasn't taken (Iris, Juno, and Ceres had claimed theirs long ago). He was just about to head towards the bed and lay next to Neenie in the small stateroom when he pitched headlong and fell on her instead.

David hurried to his daughter's side when she began screaming, and she latched herself onto him, not daring to let go for the rest of their journey.

When they neared the Isle, the storm seemed to lessen and they entered the green mist they'd seen afar off covering the island. The Grangers would have considered this event as one of the oddest they'd ever encountered…had they not come across so many events the past few hours that held an even higher place on their Oddometer, that is.

When Will couldn't take any more of it, he headed back up on deck and straight to the railing, where he started hurling over the side. "Though the seas threaten, they are merciful; I have cursed them without cause….though the seas threaten, they are merciful; I have cursed them without cause…though the seas threaten, they are merciful; I have cursed them without cause…" he kept muttering, over and over again, as though hoping the Sea Gods would deliver him from this raging hell.

Grandfather laughed at him, but a half-hour later was left dumbfounded as the seas began to quiet and the storm became calmer. Hmph…maybe he's not stupid after all.

Grandfather was just about to head around towards the harbour when Will stopped him. "No! If we went to the harbour, we'd have to cross nearly half the island on foot; it would take an hour! It'll be quicker from the cove!"

"Are you barmy?"the old man shouted back. "There's no way I'll be able to maneuver her around those cliffs without being caught by the tide, unless I----"

"Dad!" Will said earnestly. "I know you can do this! Please?"

Grandfather looked over at him and was taken aback. For a second there, Will looked as if he was eight again, bright eyes pleading and voice filled with a child's innocent trust.

Now I know I'm getting old…imagining Will as an innocent little blighter. Ha! When was he ever innocent?

And so, for the third time that day, Grandfather navigated his precious yacht around the promiscuous shoals, the hidden reefs, the jutting out rocks --- he was becoming very well acquainted with this part of the island. Giving a wide berth to the deadly cliffs, they passed the lower rocks and approached the grassy beach. High tide was in and the cove where they had spent their afternoon was already half-filled with rock-dashed waves.

"Dad!" David yelled as soon as they pulled in. "Will and I'll go up and see what's going on and if the Shylocks are alright. You stay here with Neenie and Pan. Keep The Olivia running until we come back! We won't be gone long!"

At once, there was protestation at these words. When David tried to peel his daughter off him, she just screamed and held on tighter. Hector, his face tinged with green, stepped in front of David and folded his arms, his expression silently resolute.

David sighed wearily. "Alright then! Neenie and Pan will be coming with us, too!"

Will was the first to reach the ladder. He didn't bother with climbing down, but just slid. Splashing through the water and jumping over the rocks, he soon disappeared down the path.

Grandfather watched his younger son and boat-hand hurry off after Will. He shook his head and looked down at his feet. "Guess it's just down to you and me now, girls," he told the otters clamouring around his legs.

They disdained to answer.

Casting a glance up at the troubled, darkened sky, Captain John Granger couldn't help but feel fear tugging at his ancient heart. They were already in this storm pretty deep, but he had a gut feeling that something was still coming…and he didn't have those feelings very often.

But whenever he did, he was always right.

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Will tore along the path blindly. His mind was set only on finding Rebecca, making sure she wasn't hurt…

If anything's happened to her…if she's hurt at all…

He blanched and tripped over a rock, almost pitching over the side of the path. Before, he would have balked at the pounding waves below and refused to go the rest of the way…but he couldn't afford his fear right now. Rebecca was more important.

Up the rocky path he ran, stumbling a few more times. After what seemed like forever, he reached the top and hurried down the small path that led through the trees…the air was dark and dismal around him…this green mist wasn't helping to boost his spirits, that was for sure…and this fear that was clouding his mind didn't help matters any.

…If anything happened to her…it would be all his fault…he would never forgive himself…

I won't be gone when she needs me the most! I won't do this to her…I can't…not again.

On either side of him, the trees loomed in the dark. Once or twice, he could have sworn a passing branch was a real person…but no…must be a trick of the light. He was so focused on the task at hand, in fact, that he barely heard David and Hector calling his name.

He surged through the overgrown path until he reached the main road. He stopped in confusion and stared. He heard David and Hector crashing through the brush behind him, but didn't move.

The streets were pitch-black; the lanterns that had lit the way for them before were now extinguished, and even the stray front room lights in the neighbouring houses were gone. Will, David, and Hector moved through the empty streets, looking around uneasily.

"Where is everyone?" Will muttered. "And who turned out all the lights?"

The lingering mist hung in the air, thin as a bride's wedding veil. Up ahead, the three men heard a crowd of voices and followed the sound in the dark to the town square.

It seemed as if half the village was there, all talking loudly and voicing their confusion. Many held torches and kept clicking them on and off, but no light came out of them. Will looked up at the statue they were all gathered around and stiffened…but no glaringly green light shone out of Bowman Wright's eyes, and his mouth was mercifully closed.

There was talk all around them. Will, David, and Hector had only to slip into the back to hear a great number of mingled conversations and get the gist of what was going on.

"----And now our power's out, and now I can't find Spock, and I'm afraid he's got into Farmer Pickering's chicken coop again, and now my sinuses are acting up and I seem to have misplaced my little tablets --- haven't seen them, by the way, have you? --- and Mother's going to be a --- a --- ACHOO!"

"----I was putting my hair up in curls, like I do every night, Fran, when all of a sudden I heard an explosion! Sounded quite like dear Biggins when he's had one tart too many, if you know what I mean----" chortled a tiny woman in curlers who didn't seem at all disturbed in what was going on.

Will squeezed past an older woman and a small kid, searching the crowd for the Shylocks.

"I say! It do look rather eerie around 'ere, ain't it? Give me the goose pimplies, it does. Wouldn't mind lendin' me your nighty gown, woulda Gran? I'm dressed in naught but me undies!"

"Quiet, Stanley, I'm trying to listen!" the old woman snapped, "Ooh! Where has that good-for-nothing Ernest got to now?"

Finally --- "REBECCA!" Will shouted, ignoring the glares shooting his way from everyone else around him. He charged towards her, his legs nearly limp with relief, gasping from breath he hadn't realized he was holding. She was here…she was alright…

"Will? But --- I don't --- what are you doing here? You should be in Brownsville by now!" said Rebecca, looking worried.

"We heard the explosion out at sea and came to see what it was. And I thought it was --- I thought you were----"

"N…no, I…we're alright," Rebecca stammered, her face ashen. "I just…I don't know what happened…there was this explosion not far from us…it --- it --- it looked like it came from Alonso and Clare's house…and S-Sebastian's gone with some men to the Napolis' to see if they're…if they're…and wh-wh-what with that storm, and this mist, I…I just…I don't know what to do…"

She suddenly seemed so small and vulnerable in her dressing gown. Will put his arms around her shivering body as David and Hector joined them, Neenie still latched onto her father's arms.

"Everything's going to be fine now," Will whispered comfortingly. Now if only he could believe that as well…

There was a commotion and Rebecca broke away. "He's back!"

Sebastian Shylock reached the small group, whiter than The Olivia's hull. All they had to do was look into his dark eyes to know what had happened. "Th…their house is gone," he began. "We…we looked through the rubble, but…they're dead, Rebecca…Alonso and Clare are dead…"

Rebecca swayed a little. "And Ferdinand? What about him, did you find his body? Is he…dead…too?"

Sebastian slowly shook his head, "We couldn't find him…he was probably buried underneath the debris…he wasn't there."

His sister let out a dry sob and Will clutched her to him. David looked stunned, but Hector was shaking his head. "No," the boat-hand whispered. "No, that can't be right…no…"

Then, before anyone could stop him, Hector broke through the crowd and took off running. David called after him, to remind him that they needed to leave, but the young man didn't seem to hear him.

Hermione looked up, confused. "Where's Pan? Where's Pan? Wants Pan, Daddy! Wants him bery much…"

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I knew there was something odd about them… something in the way they acted together…

Hector tore through the streets, dark and foreboding houses flashing by.

And then when I shook his hand when we were leaving… I knew who he was…who they were, since he was never far from her side…

He thought he heard a motor roaring somewhere close by…he glanced at the skies, confused…the storm wasn't back now, was it? He shook his head.

It was James all along…he and Lily must have used a Glamour Charm…and on their son, too…what's his name? Harry.

He reached Gryffindor Lane, and paused before entering its blackened depths. Eyeing the darkness suspiciously, he pulled a thin stick from a concealed pocket in his trousers. "Lumos," he whispered, and the end of his stick suddenly glowed brightly. He cast it around him, treading cautiously down the uneven path through the dense thicket, his every sense alert for any trouble that might arise.

He passed the Shylocks' house and continued down the path that led past their front gate, wand held high. Many tense minutes passed as he cautiously edged forward, feeling as if there was a lurker behind every tree.

Just as he began to wonder whether this path was ever going to end, Hector heard voices up ahead. "Nox!" he whispered, and his wand's light went out. He stopped to listen.

"----There was nothin' yeh could've done," said a deep, husky voice. "Once You-Know-Who has it in his mind ter go after someone, he can' be stopped."

"No…y-you don't understand…it's my fault…it's all my fault…" croaked a second voice. "Th…they're gone…J-J-James and Lily are g-g-gone!"

Hector crept down the path as stealthily as he could, moving towards the voices. The dark foliage shielding his body from view, he rounded the corner and stared.

What was left of the two-story house that had stood there was scattered in ruins. There were heaps of rubble and piles of what used to be furniture, now reduced to cinders. On the ground around the area, he could see obvious scorch marks, and several of the trees had been ripped up out of the ground as though blasted by an unseen force.

And amid the mouldering wreck were the two people responsible for the voices he had heard. Hector shrank back slightly, not out of fear, but so they didn't see him…or worse, recognize him.

The far larger of the two Hector had no trouble in discerning. It didn't take a genius to be able to spot Rubeus Hagrid in a crowd. Beside Hagrid stood a sleek motorbike and a younger man who had thick black hair and a very white face.

It…it's Sirius Black! Hector realized, and immediately felt quite idiotic for not having known it before. Of course, how could I forget? Sirius Black was James Potter's best friend. Both men had been Gryffindors and natural pranksters, and were just a year older than Hector, in fact.

"They were heroes," said Hagrid, blowing his nose loudly. "They died fer their kid and now…now You-Know-Who's gone!"

All of Hector's musings about James and Sirius vanished in an instant. He drew in his breath sharply, feeling as though he'd just had the wind knocked out of him.

"H-h-he's got a cut on his face!" breathed Sirius. "Is…is that where…?"

"Yeah…You-Know-Who used the Killin' Curse on James and Lily, and then he used it on little Harry, here…but somethin' happened…don' know what, Dumbledore didn' tell me…but whatever it was, Harry survived from it, and now You-Know-Who's gone…" Hagrid trailed off, looking at the small bundle in his arms.

You-Know-Who's gone…Hector repeated, leaning against the tree. That can't be…it's impossible…

He wanted to believe it, hopelessly, deliriously, wanted it to be true. But it was impossible. How could the most feared wizard of their time be defeated by a mere baby?

The two men kept talking. Sirius kept shaking and had a vulnerable look about him that reminded Hector of a lost puppy. "Give H-Harry to me, Hagrid…I-I'm his godfather, I-I-I'll look after him. It's the least I could do for James…he…he would've wanted it."

Hagrid shook his head. "No. Dumbledore gave me strict orders ter bring him ter Surrey, ter his relatives."

"What? But he doesn't have any family now, besides…besides Lily's sister...but --- but you can't…she's a Muggle!"

"It's Dumbledore's orders," Hagrid repeated firmly.

"Can I…can I at least say goodbye?"

Hagrid reluctantly gave the bundle over to him, and a small hand stuck out and touched the other man's face. Sirius walked away, cooing at the baby, tears falling unashamedly as he looked down at the little replica of his best friend.

His dead best friend.

Hector could hear Sirius Black talking to Harry, telling him things about his father…things about his future…and knew it must have pained the man very much.

"I've got ter get 'im outta here, Sirius…those Muggles'll be back soon…they've already been here once, I'd just got Harry out of them ruins in time…" Hagrid said, uneasy.

Sirius looked up, a glint in his eyes that had nothing to do with mirth. "Here…take my bike, Hagrid…it'll get you there faster," Sirius's voice rose over Hagrid's feeble protests. "I won't be needing it anymore where I'm going, you do! Just take it and get out of here…if You-Know-Who really has gone, this place'll be swarming with Death Eaters real soon. Not to mention Aurors, DMLE, the rest of the Ministry…"

Hagrid threw his leg over the enormous bike, which seemed to have magically conformed to accommodate him. Sirius handed Harry up to him once he was settled. "Just tap it with your umbrella to get her started. You'll get the hang of it. Good luck, Hagrid," Sirius said, and stepped back as the engine roared to life. He waved Hagrid and Harry off, watching them rise up above his head, over the trees…and out of sight.

As soon as the bike vanished, Hector saw Sirius's whole body visibly sag. And he also saw something he hadn't noticed before…most likely because Hagrid's big bulk was now gone…

A few paces from where Sirius Black stood, two bodies lay on the ground, covered in a white cloth…no doubt due to Sebastian and the village men who had come earlier…but Hector gave an involuntary shiver, knowing who were under those cloths.

Lightning flashed silently around them, and a soft rain began to fall. Sirius walked over to the two bodies, kneeling down in between them, his shoulders sagging.

"I…I'm so sorry, Prongs," he whispered brokenly. "I'm…so…sorry…"

And with that, his back began to heave and shake as he wept, and a dreadful sound, like a dog's moaning, split the night.

Hector couldn't break his eyes away from the sight of the man's mourning, kneeling beside his two dead friends, ruin and destruction surrounding them as raindrops fell onto the scorched ground, sizzling.

A soft rumble of distant thunder jolted him back to his senses and Hector backed up, slowly turning away…leaving this man alone with his grief.

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David was pacing by the time Hector got back.

"There you are! We need to leave…in fact, we should have left twenty minutes ago…" he stormed, but Hector barely heard him.

Hermione at once began squirming in her father's arms. As soon as he set her down, she ran over to her new best friend. "Pan!" she cried, hugging him.

Hector picked her up absent-mindedly, his mind a mixture of confused emotions.

If You-Know-Who really was gone ('dead' just didn't seem like the right word for this man)…and a little boy really had thwarted him…and what Sirius Black said was true…than this island would be swarming with witches and wizards very soon. Hector had to wonder why they weren't all there already, but he wasn't complaining…

And Death Eaters…he mentioned Death Eaters specifically…Hector's eyes widened and he snapped his head up.

"We need to leave," he told David urgently.

David stared at him. "That's what I just said."

With Neenie in his arms, Hector strode over to Will and Rebecca and grabbed the other man's arm. "Come on, we haven't got much time!"

"W-w-why are we out of time?" Will asked, confused, as he was pulled along. David threw the Shylocks a quick farewell wave before following.

"I haven't time to explain!" said Hector, frustrated. "We just need to get out of here as quick as we can!"

Will and his brother exchanged looks over Hector's shoulder. "This from the guy who took off running in the opposite direction from safety and disappeared for fifteen minutes," Will remarked.

Hector ignored him but quickened his pace once they were out of the packed square. The light rain started to fall harder and the eerie mist at last began to dissipate.

Hermione snuggled in her Pan's arms and sighed. "Pan?"

"Yes, Neenie?"

"Whens are we gonna get home? I's bery tired…"

Hector smiled tightly. "I'm sorry, Neenie. There's just been one thing on top of another. But we're trying. Why don't you take a nap on me right now?"

Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and yawned, "Wead me a story? Pwease?"

Hector turned onto the forsaken path that lead to the cliffs. He was getting drowsy…but he had to stay awake…he had to stay alert in case something happened…

"All right," Hector whispered. "Once upon a time there was a little boy----"

He could hear David and Will conversing quietly behind him…and something else…

"----And he lived with his parents away from the world in a nice, little house on a nice, little island----"

A set of familiar swishing noises. He gripped the handle of his hidden wand with the hand not supporting Neenie.

"----He had all sorts of fun playing games with his parents…but one dark and lonely night, they were taken away from him by a mean man----"

David and Will abruptly stopped talking and looked around, brows furrowed and ears perked.

"----And then the mean man turned towards that little boy, and was just about to do something to him, when all of a sudden----"

"Well, well, well," drawled a cold voice from behind them. "If it isn't young Bones!"

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Author's Note: Well...here you are. The last chapter for a while because I'll be gone for two weeks and I'm leaving in less than a few hours. Please give me love while I'm gone and review! There's nothing better than a big stack of encouragement sitting in your inbox after a very trying time. And please, go ahead and speculate what's going to happen, who are the bad guys, who's going to die...I love it when you do...even though I can never give you a flat out answer.

Oh and kudos goes out to a certain Dumbledoresgirl1 who had a bit of a rather good guess in her review about what was going to happen. ;)

Review replies will be coming a little late, but I WILL write them when I get back, have no fear! Have a happy rest-of-the-month while I'm gone, won't you? I'll be writing the next chapter in my spare time (seven days in the car...seriously, what else would I do?) And chapter thirteen is going to be called (get ready for it)...

"O Captain, My Captain!"