A/N: Sorry about last weekend, folks. My computer had a bit of a nervous breakdown. Ended up having to replace the hard drive. No simple task in a 12+ year old computer running Windows 98SE. But the guys at the computer shop still love her. They get all nostalgic whenever I bring her in and start reminiscing about the good old days.

But my computer is better now with a semi-brand new hard drive. So hopefully there will be no more delays and I will beat Rowling's release date.

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 the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before this one.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE: AND THEN THERE WERE SEVEN

"No!"

The tone in Heudros' cry was pure desperation.

Orion held up a hand, staying any action on Bo's part. Though the boggart's response to the signal was much as it was to the command. He simply hovered near his channeler, not moving.

But Heudros seemed to be displaying enough reaction for the entire group. Red-faced and barely holding himself in check, he turned his anger on the Unspeakable.

"Do you have any idea what you nearly did?"

"'Nearly' is still on optional word here." Orion replied calmly.

Heudros seemed to all but ignore him. "You haven't the vaguest idea what this castle even is! Much less what could happen if you'd destroyed it."

"Actually, I have a very good idea what it is." Orion replied in the same benign tone. "In fact, Heudros, I've got quite a few ideas about what's going on here." His attention shifted ever so slightly to the woman standing beside Heudros, then back to him. "Maybe you'd like to hear a few of them?" The Unspeakable offered with a smile that didn't convey one ounce of warmth. If anything, it served itself up as an unabashed threat.

The man looked as close to losing it as he ever had. Whatever struggle he was having with himself, it was a formidable one. And Orion was pretty sure it was bent between two very powerful desires that Heudros had. One to kill him, and the other self-preservation.

And as always, self-preservation won out.

"Becca!" The man stated through clenched teeth, never taking a stare that promised the contest was far from over off the man before him. "Remove these fleas from my presence. They have become an annoyance."

The woman looked utterly stunned at the order. "But, master..."

Apparently the last thing Heudros wanted right at that moment was to have any of his orders further questioned. "I did not ask an opinion from you, girl!" He all but shouted at her. "Just do as you are told, you worthless creature!"

The woman positively cringed under the verbal assault.

But true to form, she recovered herself completely before she turned to face the group.

"You are truly fortunate to be alive." She informed them in her usual calm tone, that this time held a slight hint of anger just the same. "You have pushed my master's patience and generosity to the limits. Count yourselves fortunate that all he has done is banished you from his presence."

With her final words, the group suddenly found themselves standing once again in the forest.

Voldemort looked about as he took a few steps away from the others. "Well done, Mr. Black." He stated, turning back to them. "You do seem to have a rather unique style, but it does appear to get things accomplished."

"It accomplishes getting someone reallllly pissed off who you don't want to ever do that to." Came a familiar voice from Harry's hood.

Orion turned to the little snake, who was just poking his head out of his cocoon. "Meaning?"

"What do you think?" Roland ask, turning his attention to the Unspeakable. "Heudros is just going to wave bye-bye and let you walk off into the sunset? Are you honestly that gullible?"

"You mean he'll send people after us." Orion stated.

Roland stared at the man for a few seconds. "No." He finally stated flatly "I mean why don't you stick around and see what sort of wonderful send-off party Heudros is planning for you even as we speak?"

Orion turned to the others. "Time to move." He instructed. "Roland, what's the best direction?"

The little snake looked uncertain. "Anywhere away from here."

"That's not much help."

"I didn't go outside." He reminded the Unspeakable. "'Not popular'. Remember? Going outside had a huge potential for getting me killed if the other snakes caught me."

Orion quickly turned to Harry. "OK. It's up to you, Harry. What direction is the strongest pull?"

Harry stood for a moment, centering on the same feeling that had guided them to the castle. Finally he pointed behind them. "There."

Orion quickly led the way off in the opposite direction.

"Wait a minute!" Katlin questioned. "If Harry said Heudros is behind us, why head off this way?"

"Because I don't want to find him right now." Orion replied. "I think its better to put some distance between us right now, until we have a better plan of how to deal with him. Plus, we're in no shape to deal with the Unwelcoming Committee that Roland seems to think Heudros will send after us."

"It's not a supposition." Came the little snake's voice from back inside the sweater's hood. "It's a statement of fact. Heudros hates to lose. And he really hates being humiliated at the same time he's losing. You, Mr. Black," Roland added, sticking his head out once again, "managed to do both. Congratulations."

"It's a talent." Orion stated.

"How wonderful for you." Roland drawled. "Your mother must be very proud. But do the rest of us a favor and exercise it a little less."

Orion ignored the comment and instead headed off in the direction that hopefully would take them away from Heudros for the time being.

It didn't take long for Roland's prediction to prove itself, however.

After only a few minutes of moving quickly through the trees, Orion brought the group to an abrupt halt as he waved for them to be quiet.

Listening intently, he suddenly had them on the move again, increasing the pace as much as he could.

"Company behind us." He informed them as they ran on. "And not that far back either." Orion turned to Lupin. "Keep a watch out for any movement behind us. They may have sent advanced scouts. Not more than two or three, operating independently."

Lupin quickly dropped back, understanding the part of rear guard now assigned to him.

Falling to his animagus form, the wolf quickly darted into the trees next to them and disappeared.

As they ran, Voldemort led the way through the trees. Just behind him Orion held tightly onto Katlin's hand, guiding her after him. After them Arabella helped Harry keep pace with them and, further back, still in his animagus form, Lupin brought up the rear, constantly keeping watch behind them.

Ahead of him, Harry watched as a black cloaked figure seemed to practically hover around Orion, never moving very far from him. That seemed to him to be the way it was with the boggart. He was always close to Orion. Never wanting, it seemed, to lose sight of him. Occasionally the figure would dart back towards the others, slipping in between them, apparently making a spot check of the group, then quickly returning to Orion's side. To Harry the boggart was more of a ghost. Even though he moved freely around them, Harry found that if he didn't actually look for the boggart, he had no idea he was there.

As Orion ran on, he suddenly felt a tug on the hand he held tightly onto. He slowed for a moment as he turned to Katlin.

"Love?"

Katlin stumbled after him a few steps, her hand wrapped about the back of her left shoulder.

"It's nothing." She said, starting after him again. "I thought...I felt somethin..." But she suddenly stopped, pulling Orion to a halt as her hand pulled loose from his grip.

"Katlin?"

Katlin turned to him from staring at her hand.

Orion grabbed her hand and held it up. A small spot of blood wet the finger tips.

"Katlin!" He could already see her vision clouding over as she stared up at him.

"Orion, I..." But she never finished as she suddenly collapsed into his arms.

"Katlin!" Orion quickly lowered her to the ground as the others came back to them. Orion hurriedly caught his ever present shadow by the arm. "Bo!" He stated firmly, directing the boggart's attention solely on him. "Protect."

The boggart seemed to hesitate for a few seconds as it stared down at Orion, but then obediently disappeared.

"What is it!?" Voldemort demanded, leaning over Orion's shoulder as he watched his Elite slip into convulsions.

Arabella joined Orion on the woman's other side.

"What happened to her, Orion?"

Orion was already running his fingers across her back. That was where Katlin had had her hand. Where she had gotten the blood.

"She said she felt something..." Orion suddenly pulled her up and pushed the long auburn hair away from her back. He hastily tore the fabric of her robes back, as well as the material of the shirt underneath. Tracing his fingertips over her bare skin, he quickly found the small object, like the point of a dart, still lodged in her shoulder.

Orion carefully worked the object free and passed it to Voldemort.

"Tell me what you can about that."

Just as Voldemort took the object from Orion, a human scream echoed through the woods behind them.

"That should keep them busy for a while." Orion muttered.

Voldemort quickly cast a spell on the small object, then another, and another.

Orion turned to him in irritation.

"What's taking you so long? It's a simple matter of identifying..."

"It's not magic." Voldemort replied quickly as he cast another spell on the small object in his palm. "This is a simple potion. A poison." He quickly corrected.

Orion turned to him. "A poison? What poison?"

But his attention quickly shifted back to Katlin as another seizure suddenly gripped her and she froze in his arms, her whole body going ridged. But even as it eased, she started to convulse again.

Orion turned sharply to Voldemort.
"She's dieing! Now what poison?! What is it?!"

Voldemort stood for a second starting down at Katlin.

"I don't know." He whispered.

Arabella jumped to her feet and seized him by the shoulders. "Sirius!" She yelled at him. "Sirius may know. He knows poisons better than any of us. He studied them as an Auror. He may be able to help her!"

Voldemort hesitated as he stared down at Katlin. Her breathing was becoming more and more labored, as though she were gasping for air, and her grip on Orion's hand had it turning white.

"Don't you let her die!" Orion stated at the man through clenched teeth. "Let Sirius help her if he can."

Arabella turned the man's attention back to her when he still hesitated.

"Please." She whispered to him. "Sirius may be able to save her. But her time is running out. Let him try."

Voldemort paused for a second more, then suddenly closed his eyes. Arabella could feel the body under her hands shift slightly, as though it were momentarily loosing its balance. But when the eyes opened again, a slightly confused stared met her's.

"Sirius?"

Sirius took a brief look around him. But his eyes quickly settled on Katlin. Immediately he slipped to her other side, kneeling by her as he felt for her pulse.

"Do you know what's happened?" Orion asked his brother.

Sirius nodded. "Most...most of it. She was...hit by a dart. Poisoned." His voice came out stilted. As though he were having trouble remembering the right words. He quickly opened his right hand were the dart was still held. He quickly cast a spell over the small object without any results. He tried another, then several more.

All the while Katlin lay now quietly in Orion's arms. Her breathing was no longer labored, but was slower than normal. And the seizures had stopped.

Orion cast a worried glance at his brother.

"Sirius?"

Sirius looked like he was trying very hard to remember something as he stared at the dart in his hand.

"It's...more difficult...to remember things this time. Spells...charms...something that could identify this poison."

"Well try harder!" Orion nearly yelled at him.

Arabella stepped behind Orion and laid her hands on his shoulders as she crouched down next to him.

"He's trying, Orion." She said softly. "Give him time."

Orion turned his attention back to Katlin, holding her closely to him as he whispered for her to please hold on.

Sirius sat studying the small object lying in his palm. But abruptly his expression brightened and he quickly spoke a spell. The small object suddenly glowed under the influence of the spell.

Orion looked up. "What?"

"Pelic."

"Pelic?"

"It's fairly common. And fortunately not very sophisticated." Sirius got to his feet. "Stay with her. Harry. Arabella."

Harry and his godmother quickly joined Sirius as he headed off into the trees, talking quickly to them as they went.

A few minutes later they returned with a few leaves, which Sirius laid over a small flat rock.

"Fortunately, the poison is very slow in infecting its victim. We can likely still draw a considerable amount out of the wound site itself, and then use some Balsom weed to try and neutralize what's in her blood already. Hold her up. I'll to get to the site where the poison went in." Sirius quickly looked around him. "And I need a knife. Or anything sharp."

No one answered, but Orion was quickly digging in Katlin's robes. Quite suddenly he smiled briefly as he pulled out a fairly large, thin bladed knife. "Woman never goes anywhere without this thing...thank God."

"Dare one asked 'why'?" Sirius asked as he took the knife from his brother.

Orion shrugged. "Keepsake."

Sirius tested the blade. "It's sharp. That's good." He turned back to Orion. "Get in front of her and hold her still. And put something in her mouth."

"Like what?"

But Arabella had already pulled a small piece of cloth out of her robes and, rolling it up, handed it to Orion.

"Put it between her teeth." She advised.

For her part, Katlin seemed to barely acknowledge what was going on, but she obediently held the cloth Orion put between her teeth in place.

"Now hold her tight." Sirius told his brother. "The cut has to be deep."

Orion watched Sirius put the tip of the blade against Katlin's shoulder. Immediately he tightened his grip on her.

The next thing Orion heard was a muffled, but none the less ear-splitting shriek delivered nearly right into his ear as Katlin howled in pain behind the cloth. But nonetheless she kept it gripped tightly between her teeth.

Orion closed his eyes. He didn't need to see what Sirius was doing to know what was happening. He could imagine the feel the blade cutting against his own skin as Katlin screamed again, this time lowering her face into his shoulder as she howled for all she was worth.

Orion wrapped a hand about the back of her head and held her in a tight but gentle embrace as Sirius continued.

One last cut and Sirius stopped. Handing the blood covered knife to Arabella, he told her to clean it, then use it to cut up the leaves as best she could.

In the meantime, he placed his mouth over the wound and began sucking blood from it, drawing as deeply as he could from it to try and get as much of the poison out as possible.

Orion felt Katlin press her face deeper into his shoulder, but she only whimpered slightly this time. Turning his lips against her ear, he whispered a few words to her softly, all the while stroking her hair and back. The auburn covered head nodded slightly under his ministrations, then went still again.

After spitting out several mouthfuls of blood, Sirius took the leaves as Arabella handed them to him. He rubbed them into his palm with his fingers, then pushed the leaves into the open wound.

Katlin pulled up slightly for each time Sirius pressed a new clump of the leaves into the wound. But finally he stopped and she relaxed in Orion's arms as he gently whispered something to her again. Slowly he reached around and carefully pulled the cloth out of her mouth. Reaching into his robes, he pulled a small flask out and, unscrewing the lid, placed it to her lips.

Katlin took a small draw off the flask, then abruptly sputtered over it and began to cough. She managed a slight laugh as she said something to Orion, who smiled at her as he agreed.

Sirius eyed the flask.

"Tell me that's alcohol." He said.

"Scotch, actually." Orion replied. "Apparently someone foolishly thought I was carrying water in a whiskey flask."

Katlin gave a soft, dulled laugh as she buried her face back in Orion's shoulder and shook her head once more.

Sirius reached over and took it from his brother's grasp.

"We can use that to sterilize the wound. Keep any infection from setting in."

Orion pressed his lips back to Katlin's ear. "And you said my drinking was a bad thing."

Katlin gave another soft, half-hearted laugh. But it quickly changed to a hiss as she drew a sharp breath in between clenched teeth as Sirius dampened the cloth down with the alcohol and pressed it to the wound.

"She'll need to rest until at least morning. Longer if we can." He advised. "If there was any poison left in the wound and she keeps moving, it'll only help it spread. And she's lost a good pint of blood. She's bound to feel that."

Orion got to his feet with Katlin in his arms and started off once again through the trees. "We can't stay out here in the open. We need to try and find somewhere safe where we can rest for a short while."

But a sudden scream that tore through the woods behind them stopped Orion cold in his tracks.

There had been echoes of screams all through the time Sirius was working to help Katlin, evidence of the boggart doing his part to try and slow down their pursuers.

But this scream was unlike any of the others. It was higher pitched than an adult human's, and wasn't as clearly defined.

Orion was the one who reacted to it first, fear and disbelief in his expression as he breathed one word into the cold night air.

"Bo?"

Orion quickly turned towards the sound with Katlin still in his arms. "Bo?" He called again, a good deal louder this time. "Bo!"

But as he started back, a hand seized his shoulder. Turning about, Orion met his brother's eyes.

"We can't." He said softly. "We have to get to safety. Some place to hide."

Orion met his brother's eyes with a hard stare. "But that was Bo." He stated firmly. "Something's happened to him."

"And they'll come for us next." Sirius repeated just as firmly.

Orion stared back at his younger brother, then slowly turned to the woman in his arms. Cold and pale, Katlin hadn't made a sound or a move in the past few moments. Instead she had simply laid in his arms, her breathing the only sign of life coming from her still.

Turning once more to where the scream had come from, Orion finally turned in the opposite direction and started off, forcing each step that took him further and further away from his friend.

After a half hour of careful evasion of their pursuers, the group finally managed to find a small cave in the side of a hill. Going in first, Sirius scouted it for any danger, then ushered the others in.

Once inside, Sirius and Lupin quickly set up a blind of branches, sticks, and cloaks over the entrance that effectively shut out any light from being seen from the outside. Orion had banned them from using any long term magic since it would likely only serve as little more than a beacon for Becca if she were with the others looking for them.

Inside the cave, Orion quickly set about gathering a small pile of stones together, which he heated with a quick spell until them gave off a soft glow and a reasonable amount of heat. Once that was done he directed his attention to a second, smaller pile he had assembled near where Katlin was laying on her side further back in the cave, wrapped snuggly in his cloak.

Going over, he carefully readjusted her so she was leaned back against him. Directing his wand tip at the stones, he heated the smaller pile in a similar manner, then pulled her closer into his embrace as he lightly kissed her temple.

"Do you need anything?" He ask quietly.

Katlin slowly shook her head.

Orion let any further conversation drop for the moment as he stared into the red glow the stones gave off. His usual mask expression was now a perfect study of worry and concern. Unconsciously he tightened his embrace slightly around Katlin, as though seeking comfort in his fear from the one person who would understand.

A soft touch to his arm directed his attention back to his wife.

"Orion, he'll be OK." She offered quietly, her own expression mirroring his. "We'll get him back."

But the Unspeakable shook his head. "I don't feel him." He said in a whispered voice. "Ever since I was eleven years old, I could always 'feel' Bo. I knew what was going on with him. If he was happy or sad or excited. Now...now I feel nothing." He added in a small, dismal voice.

Katlin gently squeezed his arm. "We'll find him. We'll get him back."

Orion only answer was to bury his face in her hair as he pulled her closer.

Nearer the entrance to the cave, Harry sat next to his godfather, knowing that for the first time in what seemed like forever to him, it was really Sirius.

"Was hasn't Voldemort come back?" Harry asked. "Usually he hardly lets you stay more than a few minutes."

"Chalk it up to exhaustion." Sirius replied. "It takes a fair amount of will power for him to maintain a hold on my body. Even the dark lord needs to take a breather now and then. Aside from that," Sirius glanced over to where his brother sat next to Katlin, holding tightly onto her hand as he spoke in soft whispers to her, "you can blame it on 'paternal love'."

Harry followed Sirius' stare, then turned back to him. "But Katlin isn't related to Voldemort."

"She is as much as she needs to be, Harry." Sirius replied. "She's probably as close to him as he'll ever allow anyone to be. And he loves her a great deal. And in that love, he doesn't want to see her die. The reason I'm still here is right now he knows I'm currently the only one who can properly take care of her."

"She's better now?" Harry ask, a bit worried.

"She's better, Harry." Sirius agreed. "But she's a long way from 'out of the woods'. She needs tending to still, or the poison could still spread further."

"She could still die?" Harry asked in a low whisper.

Sirius stared back at his godson, then gave him a slight nod.

"You've been very quiet." Arabella observed from his other side.

Sirius turned to her.

"Meaning?"

"I would have thought once Katlin was taken care of you'd be a veritable fountain of information about what's really going on here. Since you know what Voldemort knows."

"That's not entirely true, Arabella." Sirius corrected her. "Just as I can keep some secrets from him," he said, glancing over where Katlin sat leaning against Orion's arm in front of the small light being given off by the stones, "so can he keep some of his from me. So I'm afraid right now there isn't much more I can tell you that you don't already know."

Harry turned to the floor. "I should have listened to you from the beginning." He said softly. "I should never have agreed to go with Voldemort." He looked up and glanced around at those in the cave. "It's turning out just the way it always does. Everyone around me is getting hurt."

"You weren't given much choice." Sirius reminded him. "If you hadn't agreed to Voldemort's terms, Orion would have died. What you did, Harry," Sirius added, "was the right choice. Never doubt that. Never blame yourself for it. No matter what happens. You made the right choice to save Orion's life."

"He didn't think so."

"Because Orion sees things sometimes as a little too black and white. Things are either right or wrong with him. But even though saving Katlin's life endangered us all, slowed our progress, and has us still in a rather precarious position, do you think for one minute he'll say what I did for her was 'wrong'?"

Harry glanced over to where Orion and Katlin were sitting locked in what seemed a very serious conversation despite her condition. They had been at it for some time, talking in whispers as the apparent debate went on.

"No." Harry finally answered.

"Well, I'm sure his feelings on the matter extend to most of the immediate family."

Just as Harry was about to respond, Lupin came over and joined the group. "Well, Ms. Griss seems to have weathered things fairly well." He speculated, glancing over at the two still locked in their conversation.

"She's far from well, Remus." Sirius reiterated. "And the faster we can get back to Hogwart's, the better."

"Still, she seems to show a remarkable ability to..."

But as Lupin watched the two, Orion suddenly leaned forward and captured Katlin's lips in a kiss that left very little doubt to the depth of the feeling behind it.

Sirius reached over and very slowly pushed his friend's mouth back closed.

"It's rude to stare, Remus." Sirius stated quietly.

Lupin turned back to him. "But...but your brother is a married man, Sirius!"

Sirius nodded slightly at the information. "Yes."

"And from what you always said, a 'happily' married man."

"Does he look unhappy at the moment to you?" Sirius as with a small grin.

Lupin stared at his friend for a full minute as the implication slowly sunk in.

"But...but she's...she's a Deatheater." He stammered, seemingly at a lost for words for the first time in his life.

"She's also his wife." Sirius delivered with a stoic expression.

Despite the added shock, Lupin managed to keep his mouth closed this time.

"And that," Sirius added, holding up a finger, "is not common knowledge, Remus."

Lupin stared over at the couple, still totally oblivious to anyone else's attention on them. "Then he should try to hide it better." He added with a small frown. "But I can see why all these years you've never said 'who' your brother was married too, and always changed the subject as fast as possible whenever it came up. I always thought you just didn't like the woman."

Sirius frowned slightly. "Never said I did either. But she's Orion's wife now. And she seems to do a good job of making my brother a very happy man. Politics aside, that's all I really care about."

Q&A

CelticHeiressFiona:

Another great chapter. Becca's a feisty little one. She should watch her tongue. That'll get annoying to Katlin real fast, and then "PA-CHING!" No more Becca. Yes, I did just write "PA-CHING!". Did you like my "sound effects?"

Well, I've heard Becca referred to as a lot of things. This is the first 'feisty'. And I suppose one could describe her as such. But I always felt 'naive' better suited her. But never let it be said she doesn't have a temper, as poor Heudros is likely to find out.

As for what Katlin could actually do to Becca, that is very much in doubt. Naive she may be, but she is certainly not lacking in power.

I did like the sound effects, Dear. Very nice.

ilovesiriusblack:

Oh Fight! Just a bit concerned though is Bo going to wait for everyone to get out of the castle like he did in Enemies because he's acctually just a really nice guy? This may not work out so well for the group. Also why has Katlin hated Heudros for nearly half her life? Was he the man that came to her village? I can't remember who told Orion it was Voldemort.
I also have to agree with snow baby that Katlin is an awesome character and I don't think I could decide who I liked more, her or Bo.
As ever great chapter and I can't wait for the next one.

OK. Slight misconception here, Dear.

In Enemies, when Orion had Bo destroy the Deatheaters' lair, the Deatheaters owe their survival to two things.

1) Bad wording. Orion only 'told' Bo to destroy the lair, not the people in it. So Bo did as he was told. He moved everybody out, then destroyed 'the lair'. No kindness really on his part. Well, not entirely 'no kindness on his part'. (See number 2.) Also, misconception inside a misconception, Dear. Bo did not destroy the lair, Orion did, using Bo's power. But still, Orion directed the power, and Bo knew what he was going to do with it.

2) Bo does not kill. Even Talon would be really hard pressed to get him to do this. Keep in mind, Bo has been around for centuries at this point. He's formed a few ideas of his own in that time. One being that no living thing should have its life ended by him. It just doesn't sit well with him.

Also, as shown in this chapter, what or who he would destroy is a moot point. There was no way Heudros was going to let the castle be destroyed. It is simply far too important to him. And Orion knew that, or at least suspected it. Which is exactly why he used it as the bargaining chip to gain their freedom.

Why does Katlin hate Heudros and is he the man who destroyed her village? I'm not going to answer that. And you know what I've always said about questions I won't answer.

Who told Orion it was Voldemort? That depends on how specific you want to be in the answer. Orion was told that story by a man who told Orion the story that was told to him. Where did the story originate? Charly. Was it true? That remains to be seen.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! Thank you ever so much. Always like having my OC's liked by readers. And here I have two vying for first place. No higher praise for an author.

Skahducky:

Well, that's certainly one way to find a way out of the castle. How's Bo going to do that without hurting anybody inside? I recall in one of your earlier fics, Orion acquired Bo's abilities and used it to destroy one of Voldemort's lairs, but that was at the expense of everybody inside. Can Bo manage to avoid that this time?
Anyway, this is a great chapter. Please update soon!

No, no, Dear. You're remembering that wrong, I'm afraid. No one died when Bo destroyed the lair. Katlin told Orion that near the end of Enemies. Bo removed all the living things from the lair, then allowed Orion to destroy it. Bo simply does not like to kill things.

Did Bo avoid it this time? Thankfully, he never had to. Now, would Orion really have let Bo destroy the castle? Based on what he thinks the castle is, at this point in time, probably not. It would simply be too risky and he's not ready to deal with the fallout from such an action yet.

MasterLupin:

Well I almost hit the preverbal nail on head with my last post. Hmm I think that Orion has determined the nature of Becca, or has a good theory nonetheless. I think that Becca will attempt to save the castle expending all of the group's energy on it. However that is a finite amount of energy which doesn't compare to Bo's which is several powers greater. When Bo overpowers Becca there will be a massive release of energy as the castle comes down, and possibly injure to an unknown extent members of the group.
There is my short term next chapter or two predictions.
As for health care works not having a bed side manner, don't let the few with none damage the reputation of rest of us that do. Most doctors or overstressed with to many patients and half of them suing for a free lunch, it understandable why there so stressed, just work around that and they are nice people. Some even like to joke.

Well, Dear, what can I say but..., ummmmmmmm..., no.

Nice theories though.

However, I have to correct a few misconceptions in them.

Does Orion know what Becca is? Not 100. However, he is highly suspicious. The reason he hasn't said anything or acted on his suspicions is that he feels Heudros has mixed a few extra ingredients in that make the situation very volatile. And he has no idea just how right he is.

Also, it's a bit of a fib for me to say he hasn't acted on his suspicions. The whole castle threat was a very large bluff on Orion's part where he was betting on what he believes the castle to be and Heudros reacting just as he did because of it.

Where you say that if Becca had tried to save the castle she could have expended all of the groups power to do that, which is a finite amount of power.

Now, that is true. But as I've mentioned before, to reach the point of exhausting Becca's resources would take a considerable effort. Placing her up against Bo just might do it, but it would take a while.

Also, is Bo more powerful than Becca? No, he's not. Ounce for ounce, they are exactly the same in their magical ability. But Bo does have two extremely powerful factors in his favor should he ever have to go up against Becca in a fight. One, his age. Bo is several centuries old. He's been using magic for a very long time and yielding it is just second nature to him. (But then again, why wouldn't it be? That's basically what he is. Just magic with a personality attached.)

The second factor I can't state yet because it is the hinge point of the whole story. But if you want to theorize on it, I'll throw this your way. Consider just how naive Becca really is, and how she might have gotten that way.

As for the two going up against each other, based on what he thinks he knows, Orion would avoid that at all costs. The fallout could be very nasty indeed.

Well, Dear, I wish you were practicing in Florida. We could sure use a few good ones down here.

All reviews are as of 6/10/2007.

And remember;

If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.