Chapter Twenty Two
They set off once more - both feeling lighter and warmer than either had in a very long time. Draco was enjoying a renewed sense of optimism - until they came across the next obstacle in their path.
Actually, in point of fact, the obstacle was the lack of a path.
The passage which they had been travelling on came to an abrupt stop, vanishing into an enormous cavern. The air around then shimmered with a soft glow which was just bright enough to illuminate a chasm of unknown depth. Across from them, on the far side of the abyss, they could make out what appeared to be a small grotto which seemed to be the source of the light.
"My guess is that's where the scroll is," said Luna.
"Then please tell me that is not our only option to reach it," said Draco.
He was looking at what might have been called a bridge, but only if one was overly generous with the term for an item that spanned a void and was constructed of wood and rope.
The similarity ended there, however, as the few boards which remained atop the two bottom ropes looked worm eaten and rotten. Draco wouldn't have trusted any of them to hold a pygmy puff, much less the weight of a person. The vertical side ropes that connected the bottom span to the upper ropes (which constituted what could laughingly be considered railings) were frayed and, in Draco's opinion, appeared to possess the structural integrity of candy floss.
"I believe that it is," said Luna.
"No. No. It can't be. The only thing keeping this contraption from disintegrating to dust is if all of the termites infesting it are holding hands."
"Maybe," said Luna, cocking her head to one side. "Unless...I wonder..."
She dropped to the ground and eyed the bridge from a couple of different angles then leapt to her feet and grinned. "Oh...you are good...really good."
Before Draco could stop her, Luna dashed past him onto what was left of the bridge, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there were no treads in place for the first three meters.
"Luna! No!" Draco screamed, flailing wildly after her.
"It's okay, Draco! Look!"
Draco gaped in amazement as Luna appeared to be standing on thin air.
"It's another glamour!" she cried excitedly. "The bridge is fine. It's just been enchanted to look old and decrepit."
Draco hesitated then tentatively placed one foot onto the blank space where the first board ought to have been. Holding tightly to the upper rope he cautiously shifted his weight forward and was surprised to feel resistance. He slowly allowed his other foot to follow and breathed a sigh of relief when it held.
"See? Safe as houses!" Luna skipped forward and hopped up and down to illustrate her point, which caused the entire span to bounce and sway wildly.
"Luna! Could you...um...please, not do that?" squeaked Draco.
"I'm sorry. Are you afraid of heights?" asked Luna.
"When utilizing my levitation skills? No. On a broom? Absolutely not. Trusting an invisible bridge over a seemingly bottomless pit without my magic?" Draco swallowed hard. "I confess that I do find that territory a touch more...questionable."
Luna nodded kindly, "That makes perfect sense, Draco. I promise that for the remainder of the crossing I'll do my best to keep the vibrations at a minimum."
Draco trained his eyes on Luna and was able to make it the rest if the way across without looking down. When he reached the other side he leaned against the wall, wiped a thin sheet of sweat from his forehead and muttered, "Show off."
"You okay?" asked Luna.
"Sure. Fine," wheezed Draco. "Piece of cake, remember?"
Luna kissed him on the cheek then glanced around small recess carved within the rock face. Set into the far wall was an alcove, inside of which sat a marble pedestal. Bolted to the pedestal was a cylindrical shaped mechanism, constructed of intricately woven strands of fine silver that left barely enough open spacing to reveal an ancient scroll locked inside. The light which had illuminated the cavern seemed to radiate from the device itself casting a warm glow around them.
They both moved towards it. "The scroll," said Luna in a reverential hush.
Draco inspected it closely while being careful not to touch it. "I don't see a lock or any obvious way of opening it and we don't have the sort of tools that would be necessary to unbolt it from the base."
"My guess is this inscription gives instructions on how to proceed but unfortunately they aren't like any runes I'm familiar with," said Luna, pointing at the markings engraved on the pedestal.
Draco peered at them closely. "You know, it almost looks like..."
"What? What is it?" asked Luna.
"Mother made me take piano lessons for a few years when I was a child. One of my instructors insisted all his students learn music theory and history as well. I don't think these are runes at all. I think this is an ancient form of musical notation."
"You mean like notes to a song?"
"I believe so," said Draco.
"What does it sound like?"
Draco made a face. "It's been a long time and I never claimed to have perfect pitch but I think it's something like..." He closed his eyes and began to hum softly.
He heard a slight gasp and opened his eyes to find Luna trying to hold back tears. Draco shifted uncomfortably. "Blimey. Is my voice that bad?"
"Your voice is lovely, Draco. It's just...I know that song." Luna reached into her bag and produced one of the Flamel journals.
"I don't recall any songs among Flamel's field notes," said Draco.
"That's because it isn't part of his field notes," said Luna. "It's part of the inscription in his personal diary."
She flipped to the front and pulled back the leather flap to reveal a handwritten notation on the inside cover. "I recognized the tune because Newt used to sing it to the bow truckles every night before he went to bed. Rolf used to tease that it needed new lyrics since it all sounded like nonsense to us but Newt said Nicolas had taught him the song and he had no intentions of changing it."
She quickly scanned the words then began to sing in a delicate soprano voice. As she did so the fastenings gave way one by one until the scroll was finally revealed. Draco gingerly lifted it from its place in the alcove. He paused and after assuring himself that the walls weren't going disintegrate on top of them, he slowly unrolled the top part of the aged parchment.
"Well... what does it say?" asked Luna.
"It...it's amazing," whispered Draco as he skimmed the scroll's contents. "I mean it will take time to work out the translation but it seems this is not only authentic but it looks to contain more information than we ever imagined. Why, there must be dozens of feet of writing here. This...this could revolutionize the way we think of alchemy - and who knows what else - forever."
He rolled the scroll back up and kissed Luna firmly. "You were right all along, love. You did it."
"No. We did it." Luna beamed as she kissed him back.
"Well, we can start sifting through all of it as soon as we get outside. For now let's just get the hell out of here," Draco said. He went to start across the bridge but before he could take the first step Luna grabbed his arm and yanked him back.
"Stop! We can't go that way."
"What do you mean we can't go that way? Like you said before, this is the only option," said Draco.
"I know but look. Here on the ground." Luna pointed towards some runes carved into the floor at the edge of the opening that they had missed earlier. "It's a warning about not using the bridge a second time."
"What does it say will happen if we try it?"
"Something bad."
"And that would be...?" asked Draco.
"It doesn't specify. It just says, 'something bad.'"
"Something bad? Seriously?" Draco groaned in frustration. "Would it have killed them to have been slightly more precise with their warnings? I swear, Luna, if I ever acquire a time turner I will be sorely tempted to go back in history and smack these people senseless."
Luna ran her finger lightly back and forth along the carving then said, "I have an idea."
"What is it?"
"Do you trust me?" Luna asked.
Draco answered without hesitation. "Absolutely."
"Then why do you look so pale?"
"And here I thought you'd been paying attention all this time. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm always pale," Draco teased as he kissed the tip of her nose. "I won't lie and say that I'm not nervous about whatever you've got in mind, but you haven't steered me wrong yet, Luna Scamander Previously Lovegood. So tell me. What do you think we should do?"
"Sever the bridge ropes."
Draco did a double take. "Excuse me?"
"The best I can tell these runes talk about letting go and trusting in faith," said Luna. "I believe if we eliminate the obvious means of escape then the real exit will reveal itself."
"And you're sure about this?"
"Sure? No. But does it feel right in my heart? Yes."
"And if this doesn't work?" asked Draco.
"Then we're stuck here."
"Forever?"
"Most likely," admitted Luna.
Draco placed his hand lightly on her cheek. "Together?"
"Yes," said Luna.
"Good enough for me." Without another question, Draco pulled out his pocket knife, dropped to his knees and began cutting through the ropes.
He made quick work of the supports and the pair watched as their only visible means of returning home fell away into the darkness. Seeing the look of concern on her face, Draco wrapped her in his arms. "It'll be fine. Together, remember?"
Luna nodded, "Together."
As they stood at the brink of the precipice they gradually noticed the light around them growing brighter then watched as the alcove which had housed the scroll slowly dissolved into dust, collapsing in on itself to reveal a hidden staircase leading upwards.
Draco lifted Luna off her feet and swung her around. "Luna Scamander Previously Lovegood - you are the most brilliant witch of all time!"
Luna giggled as she kissed him then proclaimed, "Come on, Malfoy Draco Malfoy. Let's go home."
It took the better part of an hour but they eventually spotted sunlight and made the final stretch up the steps in record time. They climbed out through a small opening in the ground at the edge of clearing ringed by ancient fir trees. They lay there, gasping with exhaustion until Luna hesitantly stood and pulled her back-up wand from her pocket.
She looked anxiously at Draco and said, "Moment of truth, I suppose?"
Before she could try anything Draco stopped her. He kissed her gently and said, "Whatever happens, it's going to be fine. If this works or doesn't work, we'll be okay. You're all the magic I need, understand?"
"Me too." Luna took a deep breath then cast the summoning spell for her belongings. After the longest twenty seconds of her life she was thrilled to spot her rucksack flying towards her.
She retrieved her original wand from the bag and gave it a hug. "Hello, dear friend. I shall make it a point to express my appreciation to you much more frequently from now on."
She smiled at Draco and said, "Your turn."
Draco turned his new wand over apprehensively in his hand, closed his eyes tightly and concentrated.
"Accio, backpack."
He felt the familiar warmth and tingle of magic begin to stir within him but he kept his eyes shut, afraid of what he might (or might not) see if he opened them until he heard Luna cry, "There it is!"
Draco almost wept to see his belongings appearing just as Luna's had. He exhaled sharply then the pair fell into each other's arms, relief and fatigue sweeping over them like a wave.
"Luna?" Draco sighed. "If it's all the same to you, could we stay here tonight? I'm too tired to walk another step."
"I think that's a splendid idea," agreed Luna. "As a matter of fact, I vote that we take a nap before even messing with the tents at all."
"Sounds perfect," said Draco sleepily, as they sank together onto the soft ground and leaned against the trunk of the nearest tree. "Rest for a while and then we'll figure out the way home."
They curled up next each other and the last thing Luna said before falling into a deep sleep was, "Home..."
They slept straight through the night under the watchful eye of the bow truckles and the following morning, Luna awoke first. She remained still for a moment, soaking in the fresh air, the soft grass and the warm sun. She then stretched lazily, rolled over and stifled a scream.
Draco lay motionless beside her, his face flushed and glistening with sweat, his hair matted to his forehead. His breathing was shallow and labored but most frightening of all was the fact that his skin was now covered with the same distinctive pattern of green and purple lesions that haunted Luna's nightmares.
He was infected with the pox.