A/N: All right folks. A brief word on Hurricane Predictions!
Dr. Gray, bless him, the father of Hurricane predicting has been hard at it for some 23 years. He has a whole team of scientists and a building full of the most sophisticated, state of the art machines in the world.
After doing some serious number crunching, here is what a local news station came up with for his prediction accuracy.
Naming the correct number of hurricanes per year: 53 percent.
Naming the correct number of those hurricanes that would become major storms: 57 percent.
Millions of dollars worth of state of the art machines VS me and a coin to flip.
Draw your own conclusions.
And as always,
Enjoy.
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 the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before this one.
CHAPTER FIFTY: ROLAND'S STORY (PART ONE)
Harry spent the next several hours thinking over what Katlin had told him. Thoughts that were still chasing around in his head by the time Orion called a halt to their walking for the day and suggested they settle down to get some sleep.
Harry willingly offered to take his fair turn at standing guard, but Orion suggested it had been a longer day for him and Voldemort than any one else and they were excluded from guard duty for the night.
The following day, once they were up and everyone had had breakfast from their rations, Orion had them moving again. But still the pace was much slower than before, as that rather than relying on Roland to tell them where the wards were, the group was following Orion's boggart. But at least they were moving and they weren't just retracing the same pathway over and over again, as Roland had said the wards were set up to do.
After several hours of moving in what seemed to be down one main corridor, Orion suddenly stopped the group as he turned his head. Listening intently, he suddenly ushered the group into a side corridor.
"There's a group behind us." He explained quickly, listening again at the opening to the main corridor they had just left. "It sounds like their conducting a sweep."
"A sweep?" Arabella ask.
Orion nodded. "They're coming this way, but their sending people off down each corridor they past. It sounds like they have a general idea where we are, but not exact. That'll buy us some time to try and find a place we can hide until they go past."
Orion turned quickly to the boggart next to him. "Can you find us a safe place to hold up, Bo?"
The boggart made several quick gestures, which Orion frowned at.
"All right then, 'reasonably safe'?"
The boggart gestured again.
Orion sighed, listening again at the entrance of the corridor. "Look," he finally replied to the mass of dark towering robes, "I don't care if it's a broom closet, as long as it's safe."
The boggart gestured again and Orion's frown deepened. "Look, this is a lovely corridor," he replied, gesturing down it, "why don't we try this one?"
The boggart immediately turned and headed down the corridor, moving at his same less than hurried pace as Orion led the others after him, muttering to himself as they went.
A tap on the shoulder caused him to turn about.
"What was that all about?" Arabella ask.
"He's nervous." Orion explained briefly. "When he's nervous, his decision making skills deteriorate drastically."
A short while later, the boggart pulled up to a sudden stop.
"Now what?" Orion inquired, looking past him at the supposedly open corridor.
The boggart gestured quickly as he pointed ahead of them.
"Wonderful." Orion sighed.
"What is it?" Arabella ask, looking around Orion's arm. "What's wrong?"
"Bo says there's a ward directly ahead. It's not a strong one, so it's likely not meant to take us very far. Bo speculates it's likely only going to take us back to the start of this corridor."
"Which is where the other people possibly are right now." Arabella replied. "So what do we do?"
"We'll have to go back." Orion answered, but from his tone apparently no more pleased with the solution than Arabella was. "We can make good time knowing there are no wards in the way. Hopefully, we can make it to the opening before they get there and make it to the next corridor."
"And then what? Hope there's no ward there either?" She ask.
"We'll worry about that when we get to it." He replied. "Right now, I'd suggest everyone gets their wands out and be ready for a fight. Because that's just what we may have."
Reaching for his wand, Harry was suddenly distracted by a different voice calling his name.
"Harry! Harry, can you hear me?!"
Harry looked up suddenly as did Voldemort and Orion.
Unfortunately, it was a voice Harry knew all too well.
"What do you want?" He ask with less than any enthusiasm.
"Too help." Came the quick answer.
"Like before?"
"And I can explain that." Roland's voice answered. "But right now you have other pressing matters. Now, do you want help, or you want to argue?"
"What sort of help?" Harry ask.
"There's a ward trap in the corridor you're in. Right behind you."
"A what?"
"A ward trap. Sort of like a magical trap door."
"How do we open it?" Orion ask.
Forgetting momentarily the spell Orion's boggart had placed on him, making the Unspeakable effectively a parseltongue, Harry turned back to the voice. "Orion ask how do we..."
"I'm not deaf." the little snake's voice replied. "Turn around to the wall behind you, count up nine stones from the cracked one on the floor. Tap the ninth stone and the trap will appear."
"How do we know it's not a trap of another sort?" Orion ask.
"What difference will that make in a few minutes?"
"If it's so safe, then why are you hiding?"
The voice gave a short laugh. "Guarantee me the nasty dark one won't try to kill me the minute I poke my head out."
"No deal." Voldemort scowled.
But Orion ignored him, pulling the man's wand down as he turned back to the ceiling where the voice was coming from. "Done. Now show yourself."
A small movement caught Harry's attention first from a precipice above them. Cautiously Roland stuck his head out and looked down at the group.
""Well, all still alive. Good for you."
"If this is a trap, you won't live long enough to regret it." Orion warned the little snake.
"What purpose do I have to lie?" Roland ask. "I could have just stayed gone. Instead I've been following you through the castle, making sure things were going all right for you."
"You've been following us?" Harry ask.
"Since you weren't smart enough to take good advise, someone had to watch over you."
"We've been doing well enough." Voldemort sneered at the little snake.
Roland leaned over the edge of his perch slightly. "Oh, right. Sorry. I missed the wonderful situation you've got yourself in right now."
A hand suddenly shot up from below the outcropping and snatched the little snake off his perch.
"Hands off! Hands off!" Roland screamed, trying to get a bite into the hand holding him.
"There's no point in any of that." Lupin advised the little snake. "Severus taught me how to handle snakes. Your chances of getting a good bite in are very slim, I assure you."
"So settle down." Orion advised as he leaned down and began counting up the stones from the floor. "We just wanted to make sure you didn't disappear again."
"Gratitude!" Roland snapped. "This is gratitude for you! I try to help and this is the thanks I get."
Orion reached the ninth stone and tapped it with his wand.
Nothing happened.
The Unspeakable turned to the little snake.
"Well?" He ask, this time redirecting the tip of his wand to the snake's snout.
Roland pulled back as far as he could. "Just a minute! Just a minute! Let me think!" He stated as he quickly fell to mumbling to himself. "First corridor, third stone, second corridor, sixth stone, third, ninth, fourth, twelfth...twelfth!" He stated suddenly. "It's not the ninth stone, it's the twelfth!"
Orion held the little snake's gaze for a moment longer before he turned back to the wall. Counting up three more stones, he tapped the twelfth stone this time.
Almost immediately a small doorway opened, allowing just enough room for one person to squeeze through.
Orion went through the hole, then reappeared a few seconds later.
"It appears safe enough." He told the others. "But it'll be cramped."
"It wasn't designed for a party." Roland stated, still held firmly in Lupin's grip. "It was made to hold only one person comfortably. Two if they know each other really well. And you only have about fifteen seconds before the hole closes."
Each person quickly went through the hole. When the last person was through, the doorway sealed itself behind them.
"The wall isn't sound proof." Roland warned. "So I advise you keep quiet."
Absolute silence filled the little room. Outside Orion could hear the footsteps come to their area and move on past. But they stopped only a few yards more down the corridor. He could hear the person speak a quick spell, pause, then turn and hurry back up the corridor.
"What was that?" Arabella whispered.
"He was checking the ward." Orion explained. "Seeing if it had been disturbed. But since it wasn't, he must have figured we didn't come down this corridor and went back to report to the others. Hopefully, they'll move on now."
Tapping the stone wall in the same spot as he had on the opposite side, Orion opened the trap again and checked the corridor before stepping outside.
"Well, that will buy us some time anyway." He stated as the others emerged from their hiding place.
"And you're very welcome." Came an irritated voice from behind him.
Turning around Orion noted Roland was still held in his head lock by Lupin, the little snake's tail wrapped several times around the man's wrist. "Could I possibly be released now? I'm getting a headache."
"In a minute." Orion stated, leaning down to the little snake. "We need somewhere safe to go. Do you know any such place? Somewhere Heudros and his followers never go?"
Orion could have sworn he saw the little snake pale. "Yes." He said finally in a very low tone. "I know of one place. But it isn't the least bit pleasant."
"Can you show us?"
Harry saw the momentary indecision in the snake's stare, but he finally nodded slightly and pointed down the corridor with his tail. "Down the corridor, turn to the left."
Harry and the others followed Roland's directions down several corridors. The little snake led them further and further away from the corridor they had been in until finally he stopped them, pointing to a large door.
"In there." Roland said. "No one ever goes in there."
Harry reached for the door handle, but a hand over his stopped him abruptly. Harry looked up to see his uncle staring down at Roland.
"Why doesn't anyone ever go in there?" He asked the little snake.
"You'll see soon enough." Roland answered in a small voice.
Orion carefully pushed Harry behind him, instructing the others to move back as well as he reached for the door handle.
Stepping into the room, Orion quickly lit his wand and looked about the small room. There was plenty of room for all six of them inside, but as soon as the first whiff of air from inside the room reached him, Orion pulled back.
"Merlin's Beard!" He exclaimed. "What is that!?"
Harry poked his head about his uncle's side, his own wand lit as he peered into the room. It didn't take him more than a few seconds to understand where the smell was coming from.
All about the room were the bodies of snakes. Most of these were quite large. Far bigger than the ones that had been in the cages of the room where they had found Roland. Most of them looked as though they had been there for months, even years and were little more than mummified remains, while others looked as though they had only been there a few weeks.
Harry quickly backed out of the room and turned back to where Lupin still stood holding the little snake.
"Roland," he ask, "what is that room?"
Roland glanced at the room for a minute, then turned back to Harry. "Not all of us fit into cages." He stated quietly. "Those that they caught that were...older..., the oldest of our kind...they brought down here...and threw into that room. No one ever comes down here because...there are no more snakes to put in there...and the ones that were there..." The little snake trailed off as his gaze again drifted towards the open door. "I don't suppose...?"
Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry, Roland." He said. "None of them are alive."
The little snake shook his head. "They won't come looking for you here." He said, his tone laced with sadness. "They never come looking for anything here."
"I'm really sorry, Roland." Harry offered. "But we need a place to hide while we figure out what to do next. And this seems the best place. But you can stay in my hood again if you'd rather."
The little snake didn't answer but willingly slid out of Lupin's hand when he released his hold and quickly dropped into the sweater's hood again, curling up in the very bottom of it without a sound.
Orion stepped back into the room and cast a quick spell that sealed the front area off from the rest of the room, effectively locking out the smell. Once the air in the sealed off area cleared, the others followed Orion into the room.
Finally, with all of them safely inside, Orion closed the door behind them and turned quickly back to Harry.
"Get Roland out here." He stated. "I have some questions for him."
Harry paused, then carefully slipped off his sweater and carefully laid it on a small stone table that sat near the door. Lifting the hood, he checked first to see what Roland was up to.
"Roland." He ask hesitantly. "We need to talk to you."
"I really hate this room." Came the answer. "Can we talk later?"
A hand grabbed the hood and lifted it up until the little snake tumbled out of it and landed in a heap on the top of the table.
"No. Now you wanted your time to explain," Orion advised the little snake, "and here it is. I highly suggest you start talking."
The little snake coiled half his body beneath him as he sat up on the stone and faced the group. Taking a breath, he started out. "Fine. What would you like to talk about? A room full of dead snakes?"
"Let's start out smaller. Why you didn't warn us about the ward at the top of the stairs."
Roland sighed quietly. "Look, I'm really sorry about that, and I can explain."
Voldemort gave an unimpressed sigh as he turned to the ceiling. "Just kill him." He suggested.
Roland turned sharply to the man. "You know, letting Heudros and his followers kill you wasn't exactly breaking my heart."
"How very mutual that feeling is." The dark lord drawled.
But Orion put a stop to the bickering quickly enough. "Just a minute!" He pointed out, leaning down to Roland as the little snake pulled back slightly. "You said Heudros and his followers?"
Roland nodded. "Well, the other thirteen in this case. But everyone here follows Heudros."
Orion gave the snake a puzzled look. "I thought they were all in this together? That Heudros was one of the other thirteen?"
Roland gave a short, sharp laugh. "Those idiots? Heudros is no rocket scientist himself, but the others are complete idiots." He shook his head. "No, Heudros is definitely the brains behind the operation. And believe me, that isn't saying much."
"So what's the purpose of the other thirteen?"
"They're sort of Heudros' lieutenants. They order the underlings about and tell them what to do. Sort of do the daily grind stuff Heudros feels he's too busy to bother with anymore. Past that, they're sort of...well, I guess his batteries."
"Batteries?" Lupin ask.
"It's they're pay off for serving Heudros." Roland explained. "Once a week, they all go through a sort of secret ceremony where their own magical abilities get a...boost, I guess you could say. I've only seen it performed once myself. But once the ritual is done, Heudros forbids them to use any of their additional power, saying it's only in case something happens and he needs it."
Orion frowned deeply at the information. "And where do they get this 'boost' from, Roland?"
The little snake turned to him. "From Becca."
Orion considered the information as he tapped his chin with the tip of his wand. "Tell me about Becca, Roland. What do you know about her? Is she one of Heudros' followers as well?"
The little snake cocked his head to the side. "Becca?" He ask. "Heavens no. I doubt she even knows half the things that group gets up to."
"How can that be? She seems a intricate part of this group."
"Intricate?" Roland laughed over the word. "Hardly. All that girl is to them is used, abused, and refuse."
"She doesn't seem to mind very much. She stays with them."
"Because Heudros isn't so stupid as to risk losing her."
"Why not?"
"Because, without Becca, the great Heudros wouldn't likely be good enough to even perform at kiddie parties. The fact of the matter is, Heudros wasn't even Heudros until Becca showed up. He was just a common old wizard. And not even a very good one at that. Then Becca showed up and suddenly there's almost nothing Heudros can't do. Suddenly he's building his followers, gaining power, and establishing himself as this great, all powerful wizard."
"And Becca?"
"I told you. Becca's the one with the real magical ability. But she's sort of...naive, you know? Half the time the girl acts like she was born yesterday. I don't know where Heudros found her, but he must have seen her coming a mile off. He latched onto her and drew her into his crazy plans, telling her all the right things until she believes only what Heudros tells her. If Heudros told that girl the sky was purple, she'd believe him."
"So Heudros and the other thirteen, they all enhance their magic through Becca?"
"That's right."
"And Heudros, if he needed to, could siphon magical energy off of the other thirteen?"
Roland nodded.
"No wonder he's so blasted powerful." Orion stated with a heavy sigh. "Not only is he filtering his own power, he's using theirs as well."
"Rotten pack of leeches is what they are, if you ask me. The whole lot of them. They're all just feeding off Becca for their own gain until that poor girl has almost nothing left of her own magic." Roland looked up at the group again. "If I'm in this for anyone, it's for her. To try and get someone to help her. To get her away from Heudros before he does anything more to her."
Katlin immediately leaned forward. "More? What else has Heudros done to Becca?"
Roland gave her a small, sad little laugh. "What hasn't he done to her? He uses and abuses her, then tells her its all for her own good. I doubt that poor girl has a clue what that man is really doing. And the really sad part of it all is that she just worships him. He's her whole world."
Orion stood listening thoughtfully to what Roland was telling them, linking it all together with the ideas he was already forming. "To her, he would be." He said softly.
"You seem awfully well informed." Voldemort interjected into Roland's explanation suddenly. "How do you fit into all of this?"
"I'm well informed because I've had a front row seat." Roland stated.
"A front row seat?"
"I've been privy to almost every move this group has made from the very beginning." Roland stated.
"Because you were their spy." Voldemort shot back. "Keeping your masters well informed of their enemies moves."
"I'm no spy." Roland protested. "I may have done a lot of things in my life, but I never knowingly betrayed anyone."
"Roland deserves a chance to defend himself." Harry quickly spoke up.
"And might I remind you that we've been here before." Voldemort pointed out.
"Here?"
"Voldemort warning everyone to beware of the scaly little traitor and everyone ignoring Voldemort. And might we remember where that got us last time?"
"Look, Voldemort, I already know your story, dull though it is." Orion stated, "Right now, I'd like to hear Roland's." Turning back to the little snake, Orion motioned for him to continue. "Go on, Roland. Where exactly do you fit into all this?"
The little snake shook his head again with a rueful laugh. "I'm 'in all this' because I was as stupid and trusting as Becca was in the beginning." Roland turned back to the group. "Things were a lot different when Heudros first came here. The snakes weren't completely trusting of the wizards and witches, but we all got along all right. Mostly we just tried to stay out of each others way. But Heudros was never one to pass up an opportunity to use others for his own ends. And he saw the snakes as an untapped asset. You've seen the tunnels around this place. Large conduits that run throughout the castle. Well, those are just the main paths. There are hundreds of smaller ones running all through the castle. Far too small for a human, but just the right size for a snake. It was easy for us to get through them. Heudros worked that out pretty quickly, being the brains of the operation that he is. And before long he had most of the snakes won over to his side and serving him.
Mostly we worked as guards. We kept the castle safe. Anyone we didn't recognize we could figure out easily enough. Whereas a wizard or witch may not be able to see through a disguise, snakes could taste if someone wasn't who they said."
Orion nodded slightly, turning to Voldemort. "That explains why he was able to stay so well hidden. It's bloody near impossible to get a spy past a snake whose tasting the air around him for an unfamiliar smell. And since no one knew that was how he was doing it, we never knew to compensate for it."
"Well," Roland went on, "as I said, most of the snakes served Heudros. But there were a few of us who weren't completely stupid. They realize early on that Heudros wasn't everything he claimed to be.
Well, one day I overheard a few of the others talking. They were saying that Heudros was becoming dangerous and that we should turn against him. Well, understand, Heudros had never dealt with the snakes with anything other than kindness and respect. At least not that I ever saw. Or maybe I just saw what I wanted." The little snake gave a rueful laugh. "But still, all I saw these others as were troublemakers for the rest of us. Malcontents who needed a good talking to. So I went to Heudros and I told him what I had heard.
Well, Heudros told me he was very grateful that I brought the concerns of the others to his attention. He told me if any of the snakes were unhappy he wanted to know so he could correct whatever was wrong. Which is pretty much what I expected to hear him say. But if the snakes were unhappy, he said he needed someone to act as an intermediary between him and those snakes that were displeased with the state of things at the castle. He said he felt I was the perfect choice."
"Why?" Voldemort sneered at the little snake. "Was no one else that stupid?"
Roland turned to him, meeting the man's gaze. "Apparently not."
"And you weren't the least bit suspicious of anything?"
"Heudros knew how to manipulate, Lord Voldemort. Believe me, you could take lessons from the man. He said and did all the right things to make me feel I was doing the best thing for my people. And I wasn't totally innocent, don't worry. My own vanity was my downfall. Heudros promised me a position of power and respect among the snakes, and among his own people as well. And he delivered. In short order all the other snakes listened to what I said. And there wasn't a witch or wizard among Heudros' followers who questioned my word."
"Good trick." Orion put in. "How did Heudros suddenly make you so popular?"
Harry suddenly looked up. "Wait a minute." He put in. "You told me down in the dungeons you were a wizard's familiar."
Roland nodded. "And I was."
Voldemort narrowed his gaze at the little snake. "You never mentioned that to anyone else."
"No one else ever ask." Roland stated in reply.
Voldemort leaned a little closer to him. "Whose familiar?!" He demanded.
Roland paused as he gauged the man's temper, then steeled himself up as he met Voldemort's stare. "Heudros'." He replied.
Q&A
Before I start on Q&A, I'd just like to say a little something about poor Roland. First off, did anyone note that last week's title had a question mark in it? (Everyone hits the BACK button.)
Next, can we all say 'Aaron Richards'?
The point is, folks, we've been here before. Don't assume people are what they first seem in my stories. Bad habit to get into.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled Q&A.
ilovesiruisblack:
Hmm, not a theory but a question. Orion said that they were using the same spell that Bo taught him and I have always assumed that it was a spell of Bo's invention as those precise circumstances have necer really presented themselves before, as I understand it the power just naturaly passed on. So how did this group get hold of it? I'm assuming Becca didn't teach them as she seams to have no idea what is going on. Once again though awesome chapter and I can't wait for the next one.
Oh dear. That's quite a question.
OK. Lets take this in small steps, as it will help keep the author from getting confused.
To start off with, was the spell Bo used with Orion of his own invention?
Yes and no. Keep in mind, (and I'm not going into another philosophical discussion with anyone here on this) that Bo is not a person. He is, without his current body, non-corporeal. Bo is pure magic...with a bit of a personality. But that's all he is.
Now, as a force of magic, Bo doesn't really need a spell to do anything. He just manipulates...himself...for lack of a better explanation. In other words, Bo doesn't need any spell to make something happen. He just makes it happen. That's one of the biggest reasons Orion is so darned careful with how he handles the boggart. Because you can't specify things with Bo by virtue of his using the correct spell, because Bo doesn't use spells. So, asking Bo to do something, and not making yourself VERY clear, can have serious ramifications.
Just ask Hershel.
So why did he need a spell at all with Orion? Because he needed something to fight Talon's magic. That required Orion. And Orion does need a spell to manipulate magic.
Does that make sense, Dear?
Now, next thing we have to establish here is, what exactly was that spell? The spell Bo taught Orion was a binding spell. It allowed Bo to join with Orion in such a way that the two were practically indistinguishable from one another. This was shown in two facts. One, when Orion tried to leave the cellar, he couldn't. The spell his father had used to trap Bo there was now trapping his son as well. Orion had, as far as the spell was concerned, become the boggart. Second, when Orion went to Hogwart's, the hat sorted him twice. Once into Slytherin and once into Gryffindor. The question posed there was who was the hat sorting each time. This is a large part of the puzzle regarding the boggart's true nature. And even more so, someone else's. But that's for a later discussion. (Think about this. There is really only one form of magic. Not two. Magic isn't dark or light, bad or good. It's just magic. It's what you do with it that makes it one way or the other.)
So, the spell Orion recognized the others were using on Becca was a binding spell. It allowed them to tap into her magical ability for their own use just as Orion can now tap into Bo's.
Was the situation unique? Probably, as that I don't know many families who have a family relation quite like Bo.
Now, for the next part, understand that the spell had nothing to do with Bo's legacy within the family.
In Bo's circumstances, he wasn't using the spell to make Orion his new host. He can't do that. He may be magic, but as such, can be bound by it as well. And that is what he is by the parameters of the spell that brought him into being to begin with. Great Grandpa Black, many generations back, was no fool. He knew how dangerous what he was creating could be, so he tried his best to control it. Problem was, he seriously underestimated the 'Power's'...ah...power, so to speak. For a normal witch or wizard, it was like for a muggle to grab hold of an electrical wire...hooked up to a power plant. You just can't channel that much energy without blowing a few fuses.
So yes, the 'Power' is naturally passed on from one male family member to the next. But the spell had nothing to do with Bo's host-status. It was simply a binding spell.
(PAR looks over her answer.) I've gotta start making these things shorter.
(Moves on.)
Next part.
How did the group get hold of it?
What? The binding spell? No big deal there. Uncle Frank's Big Book Of Spells would have that in it. Nothing special about it.
Did Becca teach it to them? Ha! Huedros wouldn't let Becca teach this group how to rub two sticks together to make fire. They're being used by him just as much as Becca is. Go back to the part about how powerful the 'Power' can be. I didn't just put that in because I like long answers. There was a purpose to that little bit of information. And it points out why there are thirteen people involved in this and not just Heudros.
Becca seems to have no idea of what's going on? Sort of. Can't really say more than that right now.
I'm very glad you are enjoying the story, Dear. And even more thrilled you take the time to review. Thank you.
Skahducky:
I still find it a little hard to believe Roland was a traitor, but he admitted it himself. I wonder what his side of the story is. After all, they did find him in a cage, and I doubt the other wizards put him there because they had no reason to think Harry would be curious enough about the cages to look into one and rescue the snake he found inside. Anyway, this is a great chapter. Please update soon!
Waitwaitwait! I do not recall (and I wrote this thing) Roland ever sitting up and stating 'I'm a traitor!'. He never said that. True, he never denied it either, nor did he defend against the accusation until now. But he never said it.
From this chapter, you got most of Roland's side of the story. True, he was in a cage. His reason for being there is in part two.
MasterLupin:
Well the snakes' betrayal was completely unexpected (to me at least, I was reading your reviews and it seems someone picked up a subtle line dropped last chapter that I forgot).
Hm, I think Orion is starting to get through to her, maybe enough to throw her masters off balance for just enough time to do something. Post again Soon.
Now, Lup, here's what I'd like to see from you. Go read ilovesiriusblack's answer and see what you can come up with from that for me. I gave a ton of information in there and you, if anyone, I would suspect could write this story from that answer alone.
I just love your theories.
OK, here's the question. Was what Roland did (at any point) betrayal? You can argue that for a long time. He never knowingly put anyone in danger. He had no idea what the wizards would do to Voldemort. If anything, he's guilty of no more than listening to and believing Heudros, who at this point has moved up from threats to malicious bodily harm with intent.
Subtle? I didn't think the title of the chapter was very subtle.
I'm not sure at this point you could say Orion is trying to get through to Becca. It may seem that way, but all he has really been doing up until now is trying to figure her out. He has an idea about her, and he's trying to gather as many facts as he can to support his theory. Trust me, if the Unspeakable tries to sway her away from Heudros' influence, it won't be a sneak attack.
Trying to throw her master off-balance? He wouldn't have far to go there.
CelticHeiressFiona:
Great chapter! And Roland is revealed. But I am curious as to his side of the story.
And now you have it.
All reviews are as of 04282007.
And remember;
One of my favorite answering machine messages:
Hello, You are talking to a machine. I am capable of receiving messages. My owners do not need siding, windows, or a hot tub, and their carpets are clean. They give charity through their office and do not need their pictures taken. If you're still with us, leave a message and we'll get back to you.