10/6/06

So I've done it again—I've revised. I've gone back through all the chapters and fixed some errors or little things that were bugging me. Tweaked a conversation here, elaborated a tad more there…nothing very major, and if you could actually spot the changes, I'd be very happy because that would mean you paid attention the first time 'round.

Oh wait, I did change some stuff—namely chapters 9 and 10. Changed them a lot. I overhauled that part for many reasons—the main one being that I didn't like the direction it was going. And since I hit a wall and hadn't been able to write for the past year (really, very sorry about that) I went back and revised to try and work my way out of the corner. I hope you'll like the changes.

I know—I'm a bad author for going back and altering stuff in the middle of the story. A true author would have all of that worked out before he/she posted or just be willing to work with what they had created. I really am sorry.

Disclaimer—Nope. Don't own nuthin'. Except for the 'Dead End' sign I snatched when my school got blown over by a tornado. That is mine. And it's really freaking cool, too.

Chapter Three—"Return of the King"

It was a very large and extremely well hidden red and black train. How the magical Platform 9 ¾ remained unnoticed by people, Muggles, was something she wasn't quite sure of. It had seemed quite obvious that unusual things were happening when people kept walking into and through the wall, but the normal passersby never gave any indication they saw anything amiss. Sarah and her companions had sprinted nervously through the wall and nearly tripped over each other on the other side. The three of them were currently staring at the mighty Hogwarts Express, not paying much attention to their guide.

"Children! Children, please! Your compartment is this way, please stay together, I want to get you all settled with plenty of time before departure. This way." Their guide, Mr. Simons was a pleasant, if frazzled man. He was a representative of the Foreign Education Department of the Ministry of Magic and had met the three exchange students at the airport. They were all non-natives of the United Kingdom and none in fact had ever visited before. They were actually all from a Muggle family which meant they did not have the have the capabilities or connections to hop about the world through the Floo Network. Sarah was secretly glad of that; travel via fire just didn't seem kosher.

They had met up, introduced themselves, and taken a tour around Diagon Alley, spending the night at a tavern called the Leaky Cauldron. The group of three teens (Sarah, a seventh-year boy from New Zealand, and a sixth-year girl from Russia) had spent the evening introducing themselves and telling about their home countries. Sarah had thought she was too excited to sleep that night, but she did, and now she was rushing down a crowded platform full of witches and wizards on her way to a school of magic.

"Here we are. This compartment is where you can stow your luggage. Feel free to wander about and meet new people. The train will be leaving in about thirty minutes."

After her baggage was loaded, Sarah took the opportunity and stepped back from the mass of humanity. The tide of teenagers and their families moving around the station was intimidating. With a pang, she thought of her family, half a world a way. They had supported her decision and put on their happy faces for her, wanting to send her off without any worries. She had seen the concern though, and felt terrible. Her brother hadn't understood why he was waving to his sister as she got on the plane, and although they had tried to explain it, he was still too young to realize that he wouldn't be able to see her again for some time.

Her friends at school had been surprised at her sudden decision to become an exchange student. It was their junior year after all, she would be missing out on all the "oh so important and fun junior activities," or at least that's what her friend Alice had said. After much apologizing, she promised to take lots and lots of pictures, send regular e-mails (or letters) and visit during the breaks. They'd thrown Sarah a surprise seventeenth birthday bash at Kevin's house while his parents were obligingly gone for the night.

The whistle of the train broke her from her reverie and her mind sloshed back to the present. Students were climbing on board the locomotive and hugging their families goodbye. Another whistle and the stragglers ran to mount the train steps, Sarah included. She found her way back to the assigned compartment, but her companions were not in attendance. That was fine with her.

Happy to have the space to herself, and glad to be finally on the way to Hogwarts, Sarah threw herself into the seat next to the window and watched as the platform fell away and revealed the beauty of the English countryside. She couldn't wait to get to school; she wanted to put all the knowledge in her head to use. To prove to herself that she wasn't imaging this. But this world wouldn't disappear after ten hours. Or even thirteen. This world would last until she was old and wrinkled and apparently that would not be for many, many years. An elderly teacher, one of her first, had made mention that people with magic in their veins tended to live longer than non-magic folk, a good seventy to eighty years longer.

When the two other exchange students returned to the cabin Sarah was introduced to Wizarding games and the ride from King's Cross Station to the town of Hogsmeade went smoothly and quickly and it seemed that before she had time to really enjoy the trip, they had arrived.

"This year, Hogwarts has the pleasure of hosting three talented students from around the world. I hope you will help them all adjust to life here and make them feel welcome. And now, their Sorting."

"Kirov, Anastasia. Ravenclaw."

"Mathis, David. Ravenclaw."

"Williams, Sarah." Finally. Sitting upon the stool, the battered looking hat was placed on her head.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Williams," whispered a voice in her ear. "Let's see who you are, shall we? All the knowledge is here, the Nivano Es do great work. You are fiercely loyal to your friends and family and your courage has been proved beyond a doubt, oh yes. You have a tremendous amount of ambition though, a desire to succeed, and a willingness to press your advantage. Any thoughts upon the matter?" it asked.

I don't have a preference, if that's what you're asking, she thought back, amused at having a conversation with a hat.

"Well, I think, the best choice is Slytherin."

A round of cheering and whooping from the table to the far right made her flush with embarrassment and a small amount of pleasure as she stepped off the dais. A couple of girls around her own age scooted down the bench and made a space for her to sit. She smiled politely to her seatmates and answered a few curious questions about herself then gasped in wonderment as plate upon plate of delicious looking food appeared, stretched across the length of the giant table. Tucking into the meal with gusto, Sarah listened to the conversations of the students around her, reacquainting themselves after a summer spent apart.

"…my father got a promotion at the Ministry. We've been entertaining all sorts of important officials over the summer at our villa in Naples; we were invited to dine with the Minister himself, twice…"

"…Grandmother insists I be properly debuted to Society this autumn, but my mother disagrees and is determined for a spring debut like she had. Now the two aren't speaking. I'd much prefer an autumn debut; the colors are much more flattering to my nature…"

A very handsome looking boy with slick blonde hair was boasting about having attended the Quidditch World Cup over the summer in Australia. The group of students sitting around were badgering for details.

Quidditch. It was a game, sort of a like soccer, only played on flying brooms. She had heard of it, even had it described to her, but had never seen a game played. Sarah smiled. She couldn't wait.

Somehow, when she'd heard she be living in a castle, she hadn't imagined it would be in the dungeons. She was fine with it, however. She'd never been much on the tower thing and besides, she wanted to be able to rescue herself.

Her roommates were annoying. Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode, the two other Slytherin girls her own age. They had been polite enough at dinner, mainly ignoring her after the initial introductions, but once inside the dorm room they shared, the questions had started. They wanted to know where she had grown up, what schooling she had had, what her parents did, was she related to or acquainted with anyone of social or economic esteem. It was as if her acceptance into their little group was hinged upon whether she had the right credentials.

"Nivanos Es! Your family must be quite influential. Dream teachers are highly sought after, but they're very particular in their students," said Pansy in slightly admiring tone. "Will your brother use them as well?"

"I'm not sure. I think...maybe, it will depend on how much I like Hogwarts. My dad and step-mom weren't really happy with letting me come here for even one year, so I'm not sure how they would cope with my brother being gone for seven."

Millicent, a rather stocky girl with flat brown hair had a question of her own. "You said you lived with your father and step-mother, right? What about your real mother?"

"She's an actress in New York."

"New York? Isn't that a Muggle city?" Pansy's voice was sharp, almost offended. She'd discovered something that may or may not have smelt foul, she hadn't decided yet. "Your parents are witch and wizard, aren't they?"

Why would her parents being Muggle matter? A warning went off in her head though, and before she could reply with, "No, actually, they're not—is that a problem?" she decided to skirt the truth. "Well, who else do you think paid for my teachers? Some generous stranger?"

"Oh! Of course!" Pansy and Millicent laughed excessively as if Sarah had said something incredibly funny. "That was a silly question, my apologies. Of course you're from an all-magic family. I hope I haven't offended you, but we can't be too careful anymore. Dirty Mudbloods popping up all over. Quite disturbing, actually."

"Quite," she agreed, not understanding the word, but disliking it nonetheless. "It's been a long day, I'm tired and I still need to unpack," she said brusquely, hoping the two girls had something else to do.

"We'll leave you alone. But do come to House orientation in an hour. You'll meet my boyfriend, Draco. He's Head Boy," said Pansy as she stood and turned toward the door, Millicent falling into step behind her.

"I'll do that," Sarah said, her mouth turning down in dislike. Normally she tried to be friendly and accepting of people, but those two, Pansy in particular just rubbed her the wrong way. "Oh, please don't let everyone in Slytherin be like those two," she beseeched the empty room.

Sighing, she opened her trunk and pulled items out; school books to go on her desk, robes and school uniforms to go in the wardrobe, new magic-enhanced toiletries she was anxious to try out, and some moving pictures of her family she'd taken with the new camera she'd bought right before she left the country—but at the Muggle items she stopped. She'd brought her Muggle clothing, her radio alarm clock (along with a sack full of batteries), non-moving pictures of her family and friends, leisure reading material, as well as a couple of her most beloved stuffed animals. Important things, all of them, but she had a feeling, a clutch in her stomach that told her to leave them where they were. Haltingly, she pulled the lid down on the trunk and stared at it. From the desk next to her bed she picked up her wand and pointed it at the trunk.A quickly muttered word sealed the box shut with the most powerful locking spell she knew and she immediately felt better at the precaution.

Oh, wow! I..I did magic! The sudden thought caught her unaware and she sat heavily on her bed to keep her head from spinning. I can do magic! Sarah didn't know whether to laugh or cry, her emotions were leaping all over. With a shaky hand she pointed her wand at a book sitting innocently upon her desk, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Her new copy of Things That Can Eat You: Flora and Fauna to Beware by Ima Leggles (used in joint by the 7th Year Defense Against the Dark Arts and Herbology classes) rose into the air and effortlessly followed the guidance of her wand. Sarah decided that laughing would be the better choice and set about doing that for the next hour using any available objects within the room to test her previously unused magical abilities.

It wasn't until much later, when she was climbing into bed, pulling the green velvet curtains around her, and trying unsuccessfully to block out the annoying chatter of the other girls, that she wondered why she had been so careful before with the trunk. What was she trying to hide?

She stood at the edge of a forest with a meadow stretched out for miles before her. Flowers, each more delicate and brilliant looking than the last, sprouted haphazardly across the field, creating a patchwork quilt of color, a thousand different hues and shades and tints she had never known existed.

There were no buildings around; no structures or evidence of human kind anywhere. The forest behind her did not look particularly threatening, the sun filtering drowsily through the branches of the largest trees she had ever seen. She felt completely at peace here. Taking a deep breath and lifting her face to the sky, she did the only logical thing she could have done when in such a place—Sarah threw out her arms and twirled.

Enchanted laughter escaped her mouth as she felt the wind slide around her, flowing through long hair and teasing the breath from her. Deliciously dizzy, she sank to the grass, chest heaving, to look up at the most fantastically blue sky she had ever seen.

"I do hope you know this place is not real. This is a dream; it's all in your mind."

The voice startled Sarah into sitting up and twisting around. But she knew who it was already, had heard his voice in her head a thousand times since that night. And there he was—leaning on the trunk of a giant tree looking perfectly bored. His arms were folded across his chest, one booted foot up and braced against the rough bark. He wore simple black trousers and a white shirt with lace cuffs most men wouldn't be brave enough to wear, let alone look good in. Blond hair, still wild, danced a little in the wind. Odd-colored eyes studied her with no hint of emotion. The Goblin King.

Gathering her courage and ignoring the way her heart was pounding, Sarah stood and faced him. "If this is my dream then why are you here?"

"Not by choice, I assure you." He stepped away from the tree and strolled leisurely toward her, his hands dropping from their crossed position to fall behind his back and clasp there. "Surely you've guessed that something has occurred. The happenings from two years ago have started a reaction of events that have led the both of us here. Your foolhardy wish for me to take your brother was the catalyst to this whole mess in which we now find ourselves."

"W-what do you mean? What mess?"

"Perhaps I am overreacting." He shrugged, decidedly unconcerned. A few feet in front of her he stopped and looked her up and down, his eyes trailing over her body in an efficient, impersonal way that somehow disconcerted her more than if he'd been overtly appreciative. The indifference of his features gave her the idea that he hadn't been impressed with what he saw. His strange eyes caught hers. "You defeated my Labyrinth, Sarah."

"I had to save Toby."

The king observed her with an indiscernible look, his gaze sliding away from her to focus on something more welcome. "Your brother was never in any danger."

"You wanted to turn him into a goblin! I think that's plenty dangerous!" Sarah growled, her shock turned to anger.

A smirk touched thin lips. "I never said anything about turning the child into a goblin. You made that assumption. I have enough of the annoying creatures cluttering up my castle already, why would I want another one?"

Sarah stared at him, her mouth falling open slightly. "Then what was the 'your baby brother shall become one of us forever' speech? As the king of the goblins, what else would he become?"

The smirk widened to reveal slightly pointed teeth and an elegant eyebrow arched in mild amusement. His odd eyes found hers. "Honestly, Sarah. I thought you smarter than that. Do I look like a goblin?" Not waiting for a reply he strolled past, his sleeve brushing against her. "Your brother has become one of us; as have you."

"What?"

The king seemed disinclined to answer, his eyes roving over the picturesque terrain. "I do hope you're one for academics, Sarah," he called over his shoulder. "Those Dream teachers of yours may have taken care of you until now, but as of tonight, you are on your own. I hear seventh year at Hogwarts can be quite intimidating. I will be watching you of course; to make sure everything goes smoothly. You have chosen Slytherin House. I suggest you not reveal your Muggle heritage to your charming housemates—you might not wake up one morning."

"Wait, wait! This doesn't make sense. Are you a wizard? Is that what you meant?"

A sound of amusement and the king spared her a look over his shoulder at her. "Hardly," he responded, not bothering to stop walking.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"You do not need to, Sarah. Attend classes. Learn magic."

"What are you doing here, Goblin King?" she called to the now distant figure.

"I seek answers," came the reply, floating past her ears. The king was a lone figure ambling among the flowers, the black and white of his clothes seemingly swallowed by the color all around him. Then he was gone, no flashes of light or swirl of cloak to precede his leaving. He was simply no longer there.

"But what are the questions?" she wondered aloud.

She received no reply.