A/N: If you're that desperate for something to read that you actually read these things, go back and read the last one. It was fairly long and entertaining.

Disclaimer: Go back and read the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before this one.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO B: REUNIONS (With no reference whatsoever to Chapters Nine or Forty-One B.)

For the next hour or so, the group continued on in near silence. The only voices heard were those of Orion and Voldemort as they argued over which direction to take at ever juncture they came to.

"We're just going around in circles following your lead." Voldemort stated, bringing the group to a complete halt again. "We need to stay in a straight line."

"We need to try and keep our direction headed towards the outside walls." Orion replied, the strain at keeping his voice clam when talking to the dark wizard starting to show. "It's the only way we can hope to find another window so we can better judge where we are in this maze."

"Lost, are we?"

Voldemort turned about to see the little snake's head poking out of Harry's hood. "Well, now, the little twig isn't dead after all." He sneered at it.

The small snake stopped as he looked about the area over his head. "Wait. Wait." He announced dramatically, looking about as though intently searching for something. "I recognize that voice!" He finally turning slowly to Voldemort, as nasty a sneer on his face as a snake could manage as he faced down the dark lord. "Oh. It's you." He said, his voice positively dripping with loathing. "Mr. 'Let's leave him behind to die he's only a snake'." The little snake drew back for a second, then leaned forward abruptly, practically in Voldemort's face. "Phffffffffffffft!"

Voldemort quickly pulled back.

"Ummmm...," Harry began, looking for something to say as he turned his back, effectively putting the little snake out of the dark lord's reach, "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it really."

"I think he meant to leave me behind to die." The snake replied. But he stopped abruptly as he noticed the others gathered about, staring intently at him, then at Harry. "Why is everyone staring at me?" He asked.

Harry looked at the others, then gave a slight laugh as he lifted the little snake out of his sweater's hood. "Oh, I guess they're not use to someone talking to a snake." He said.

"Don't they?"

"No. Only parseltongues can talk to snakes." Harry told him.

"And you're a parseltongue?"

Harry nodded.

"And the foul one over there?" The snake asked, indicating Voldemort with the tip of his tail.

Voldemort gave the little snake a look of pure loathing. "Yes!" He snapped back sharply. "The 'foul one' over there as well."

The little snake seemed completely unflustered by Voldemort's display as he looked about the area they were in.

"Oh, you are in deep." He commented.

"In deep 'what'?" Voldemort inquired in the same tone.

The snake turned to him. "Not 'what'." He practically spit back at the dark lord. "Deep deep. You've managed to work your way into the lower levels of the castle."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. "Everything seemed level so far. And we haven't gone down any stairs."

"You can't be sure of anything in this place." The little snake replied, turning his full attention back to Harry. "But I can taste the dampness. And that was only in the lower levels of the castle. Didn't care for the area much myself. To wet and cold."

"So then, oh great guide," Voldemort ask in a falsely grateful tone as he crossed his arms over his chest, "exactly how do we get out?"

The snake at first ignored him. "My first suggestion," he replied, suddenly turning sharply to the man behind him, "would be to lose your contemptuous arse. Then I might be more inclined to help the rest."

Harry barely stifled a snort of laughter, but just as quickly drew the little snake closer to him as he watched Voldemort's expression darken even more.

"And I seriously doubt this little twelve inch rat knows anything at all." He stated. "He's just buying time."

"For what!?" The snake inquired, turning around to face down the dark wizard again.

A tap on Harry's shoulder distracted his attention away from the two's bickering.

"Is there anything useful coming out of this conversation?" Orion asked him.

"Well, the little snake..."

"Roland." The snake interrupted Harry quickly.

Harry turned back to him. "What?"

"The 'little snake'," he stated "has a name. Roland."

Harry smiled down at him. "Well, I'm pleased to meet you, Roland."

"Likewise, I'm sure." Roland answered. But turning back about caught Voldemort's stare. "Not you." He hissed at the man.

Voldemort gave a derisive sound as the snake turned back to the others.

"Well?" Orion prompted, getting back to the subject at hand.

"Roland says we're in the lower levels of the castle." Harry replied.

"Roland?"

Harry held the snake up to his uncle. "Roland."

Orion leaned down slightly until he was eye to eye with the little snake. "So which direction do we go in then, Roland?"

Before Roland could answer, a sudden flash of dark light erupted next to Orion. In the aftermath stood the familiar tower of dark robes, looking about as though amazed at where it was.

"Well! It's about time!" Orion stated, turning his attention immediately to the boggart. "Where in the name of magic have you been?"

The boggart began to enter into a flurry of gestures when a small voice caught Harry's attention in a scream of panic.

"Boggart!" Roland stated. "Boggart! Boggart! Quick! Someone dispel it!"

Harry quickly pulled Roland back against his chest as Bo came to a rousing halt and turning his attention to the small creature. A soft trill of excitement came from under the hood as Bo leaned closer to the small snake, a robed hand reaching up to it.

Instantly Roland pulled back and with every bit of strength he could muster, rose up and hissed at the outstretched hand. But almost immediately fell back in an exhausted heap in Harry's hand.

For his part, Bo quickly snatched his hand away, covering it with his other hand as he pulled back from the small snake and turned quickly back to Orion.

"Well, the whole world can't love you, buddy. Sorry."

"Roland thinks Bo is a boggart." Harry explained quickly.

Orion turned back to his nephew. "He is." He stated plainly.

Harry shook his head. "No. He thinks Bo is just a boggart." Harry tried again.

"And he is." Orion emphasized the last word slightly, glaring down at the teenager.

Harry paused, trying to sort out what the problem was. Suddenly he remembered Orion's warnings about ever saying too much about the enigmatic boggart around anyone.

"I just don't think Roland cares much for boggarts." Harry interjected quickly. "There's probably a lot of them around this place."

Orion turned back to the tower of dark robes next to him. "So, where have you been?" He ask.

Bo continued to stare at the little snake for a moment longer, then turned his attention back to Orion, immediately launching again into his wild series of gestures. All of which Orion watched with growing interest.

Finally the boggart stopped and fell into silent repose, staring down at Orion.

"All right." Was all the Unspeakable had to say.

"And where has he been?" Arabella ask when it became apparent Orion wasn't going to expand on the boggart's explanation.

"Outside." Was all Orion said on the subject. "Well, since your here," he added quickly, turning back to Bo, "can you help me out translating what this little snake is saying? It would help a lot if Harry didn't have to relay everything between us."

Bo nodded, but made no further gesture.

Orion leaned down again until he was eye level with the little snake. "So, what direction do we go in?" He ask.

Roland pulled himself back around and stared first at the man before him, then turn back to Harry. "Tell him..."

"I can hear you just fine." Orion stated.

Roland turned quickly back to the man. "Harry said he and the one with a burr up his...he said they were the only two parseltongues of your group."

"Well, now there's a third." Orion stated. "So, since you seem to know this castle so well, which direction do we go in?"

Roland studied the man before him for a moment, then indicated Voldemort with his tail. "Lose that one and I might be inclined to help you."

"We can't do that, Roland." Orion answered him. "We need him."

"For what?" The little snake ask with genuine confusion in his tone. "Is your group that much in need of entertainment you just brought him along for laughs. What?"

"We not leaving anyone behind just to get you to help us. So either do it because you'd really love to help us out, or enjoy our company for a long, long time. Because I'm willing to bet it'll take that long to get out of this place."

"Longer." Roland replied with a sigh. Glancing back at Voldemort's dark stare, the little snake turned back to Orion. "You're head in the whole wrong direction." He stated.

"Ha!" Voldemort interjected triumphantly.

"Oh, get stuffed." Roland spat at him. "You're directional abilities haven't been much better from what I've heard. You can't go 'in a straight line' in this place. There are no straight lines."

"What do you mean?" Orion ask.

Roland turned back to him. "This place is set up with more wards and charms than you can shake a stick at. You can be walking down a corridor and suddenly be transported into another and never know it happened. That's how you ended up where you are. You've been moved about the castle to exactly where he wants you to be and never even knew it."

"He?" Orion's interest peaked.

"The wizard who runs this little amusement park." Roland answered. "Surely you've met him?"

"Have you?" Orion ask.

The little snake eyed him carefully. "I might have. After all, I've lived down here for an awfully long time."

"Not very long from the size of you." Voldemort stated with a contemptuous sneer.

"Hey!" Roland snapped back at him, "I'll have you know that my species is naturaly small. I happen to be fully grown, thank you very much."

"No wonder you've survived so long then." Voldemort replied with a mirthless smile. "Nothing would likely want to go through all the bother to catch you...just for a mouthful."

Roland leaned forward in Harry's hand. "I'll give you a mouthful." He hissed back.

"Children..." Orion stated, drumming his fingers over one arm as he folded them in front of him. "Roland," he directed his attention back to the little snake, "can you direct us out of this place, yes or no?"

Roland considered the question for a moment as he looked over the group again, pausing at each person as he cast a glance over them. "Good heavens, but you are one sad looking group. I suppose out of pity alone I would be persuaded to help you. But there's a condition to my help."

Orion sighed quietly as he eyed the little snake. "And that would be?"

"You have to take me out of here with you. As soon as we're on the outside of the castle, and a good clip from it, you set me free."

"All..."

"Just a minute!" Voldemort abruptly stepped in. "Why is it so important to you to get out of this place?" He ask Roland.

The snake studied him as though he thought the man had just lost his mind. "Are you serious?" He replied. "Or did you just happen to miss the lovely accommodations they have for snakes in this place?"

"And maybe you just want out of here so you can go warn your comrades." Voldemort suggested.

"My 'comrades'," the little snake replied evenly, "are piles of bones. I don't think I'll get much help from them."

"There are other snakes on the outside surely."

"And I'll bet a three day travel on my belly I won't see one until then." Roland answered. "You think all the snakes laying dead in those cages are ones they caught in here? They went out into the fields, the forests, the rivers...everywhere, caught every snake they found, and brought it back here. Leaving them in those cages to die."

"From around here?" Orion ask. "So is this the wizard's lair?"

Roland shook his head. "No. This is his servant's home. He lives elsewhere."

"His servant?" Orion ask. "Who is that?"

"Oh, I'm sure you've met her." The snake answered. "Rotten little busybody she is."

"You mean Becca?" Orion ask.

Orion could have sworn he saw the little snake cringe at the name.

"That's the one." He acknowledged. "No one in their right mind goes up against her. Nasty little thing she is."

Orion tucked the information away for examination later. One thing was for sure though, he wasn't about to let the group lose hold of Roland. The little snake was proving already to be a fountain of information about the wizard and his enigmatic servant.

"All right, Roland." Orion agreed. "You help us get out of here, and we'll set you free once we're away from this place."

The little snake gave a quick nod of his head. "Deal."

Q&A

MasterLupin:

Well lets be honest here, if your willing to kidnap children then your probably willing to lock them up in a dungeon and leave them there until you get your way; regardless of their personalities. If I read your response right Thomas and Vincent are adopted?
Hmm… came close on that one eh? Well let's try this.
Since the wizard is probing the group for the weakness, I think that by the time he comes to Harry he will know exactly what buttons to push to get Harry to willingly abandon the group and meet with the wizard mono a mono.

Oh! Nasty PAR slip. (I do that every now and then.) Yes. Thomas and Vincent are adopted. That's all I'm saying on that matter.

You're still on the right track, Dear. But due to the nature of your guess and how close it comes to a vital part of the story, I really have to stop giving you hints. Well, maybe one last one. Try looking at your theory, but switching the personalities around.

Silverfox:

I'm sure there used to be much longer chapters than this on Are they trying to train the kids into writing one sentence chapters? ... Wait, wait, wait! Does Remus know Orion and Katlin are married? He didn't seem at all surprised at it here. ... Oh, I don't doubt Orion would put up a good fight, but would he find out in time? After all Talon knows how he feels about Bo, so why would he go tell him?

Remus is Sirius' last surviving friend. What do you think? One night at the bar...few pints to many...and "You'll never guess what my older brother went and did today...".

Actually, yes he does know. And it was suppose to be in the last chapter, but inadvertently got left out. And I just never could find a good place to get it back into the story. Actually, that little slip is showing a huge alteration done to the story. Namely, Remus was not part of the original group. That consisted of solely Orion, Voldemort, Harry, and Arabella. Remus was added later. So sometimes, when he doesn't seem to fit in exactly, that's why. Happy 'continuity error hunting' is all I have to say.

Why would he have to, Dear? Orion and his father share a great deal in common with their traits regarding the boggart. One being almost constant contact with him. If Bo were ever in danger, Orion would know. And Talon knowing how his son feels about the boggart doesn't really bother him that much. Remember that a large part of Talon giving the 'Power' a body of its own was so it could live life a little less vicariously through its hosts. Give it a chance to experience things on its own. Being so attached to Orion he's more like the family's pet dog than a boggart, Talon sees very little reason to interfere with the relationship unless necessary. Bo has a babysitter, and Orion has his friend. Everyone's happy. Unless someone...or something...else interferes.

CelticHeiressFiona:

Thank you, Dear.