A/N: Yay! Finally, a new chapter! It took a lot longer to type this than I expected.

For anyone who's interested, I've updated my profile with a few challenges. If you write a story for them, I'll post a link on my profile and in my author's notes.

I bet you're as excited about reading this one as I am about posting it :)! Have fun, enjoy, and please review.

Present Time: Atlantis

Madeline Marshall descended the stairs with the rest of her team. They were her team now – Ronon had proved that much. She watched nervously as the 'gate powered up. In seconds, she'd be walking through the 'gate to another planet, one full of witches and wizards unhampered by a Muggle society blossoming around them. It was mind boggling to think of an entire world of nothing but Magic-folk. She'd brought her wand, just in case all those wizards and witches decided they were a threat. Though she'd barely used her magic over the last ten years, she felt the old wand was a safety net all the same.

The fifth chevron was now locking into place. Her nervousness grew even more. Not surprisingly, John picked up on those emotions. "You nervous?" He asked, "Should be. Ask Rodney what this thing does to your body."

John grinned as she shot a furtive glance back to the scientist in question. He looked bored, as usual. Ronon, noticing her worry, gave her a supportive nod.

Upon hearing John's comment, Teyla slid up next to the new diplomat. "Do not listen to John. He is teasing," the Athosian explained in a stage whisper. Madeline smiled as John sputtered in protest.

Ka-WHOOSH!! Madeline jumped as the wormhole locked into place. John waved her forward. "Ladies first." Madeline rolled her eyes playfully and stepped through the Stargate.

Five seconds later, Madeline appeared on the other side of the wormhole with frost covering her face. Madeline was shivering. The diplomat was thoroughly confused – everyone else walked right past her when they arrived.

John noticed her after a while and chuckled. "That's normal. Your body will get used to 'gate travel once you've been through it a few times." Teyla nodded in agreement.

A young woman approached from further up the path before them. She had bright blond hair, which lay in curls around her shoulders. She, much like the witches and wizards back home, wore a long black cloak, billowing about her as she walked forward. "I am Maggie Ventrius." She looked at Lorne. "I am glad you have returned. Much has transpired since you left." Her sapphire blue eyes watched him carefully.

"We need to see the Prelium. Our diplomat is here." He gestured to Madeline.

"Of course," Maggie said. "Right this way." She led them through the lush green forest surrounding the 'gate.

Ronon snuck up beside Madeline. "That's new." She glanced quizzically at him. "First pretty girl he hasn't tried to flirt with," he explained, gesturing to John. Madeline grinned. That sounded like John; after all, he'd flirted with her when she arrived on Atlantis.

Madeline shrugged. "He hasn't really gotten the chance, though, has he?" They'd just gotten there. She couldn't imagine even him moving that quickly.

Ronon shook his head. "John flirts on sight, even before introducing us." He watched John's back with a worried frown. "He's probably sick."

John tilted his head to the side. "Yeah, sick of you spreading lies about me. I'm a perfect gentleman," he scoffed.

Madeline laughed outright. "A perfect gentleman who flirted with me the moment I stepped onto the base," she teased.

"You know, Sheppard, there is a reason I call you Kirk." Rodney put in. "And it's not because you're a captain of a starship." John glared at them, but fell silent.

Madeline grinned and turned her attention back to Maggie and Lorne's conversation.

"So have your Berniens returned yet?" Lorne asked. "They were still on their mission when I left."

Maggie's brow deepened into a dark frown. "I will let Marcus discuss that. No doubt he will have a better handle on the situation by now." Her voice shook as she spoke.

John looked at Lorne, who seemed worried. "What's a Bernien?"

Lorne shrugged. "They're kind of a cross between an FBI team and an Army platoon." He looked at Madeline, who would need to understand this as a diplomat. She stared blankly at him. "They investigate crimes, but they're often sent on reconnaissance and combat missions."

The dense forest thinned until they passed the tree line. "Woah!" Rodney commented.

Madeline agreed. The ground beneath them sloped downwards to meet with a river at the valley floor. Along the riverbanks stood a large town, filled with quaint English-style cottages. A large, ancient castle overlooked the village. It sat atop a hill, and seemed remarkably similar to the one in Heidelberg, Germany. "What a gorgeous castle."

The others nodded, and Maggie smiled. "It seems your world is rich with untapped magic. Most visitors cannot see Brooklan Castle until we have cast a special viewing spell on them. Merlin shrouded it in magic long ago to protect it from outsiders."

"Merlin?" Rodney asked. "Merlin was here?"

Maggie nodded. "Yes. He was the one who founded Brooklan School of Magic and built Brooklan Castle. He saw the Lorenian potential for magic and taught us to use it well. He left us a whole floor's worth of library records on magic and its uses, and on where the Ancestors went."

"Where did they go?" John asked.

"A planet in another galaxy, called Earth." Maggie answered.

Rodney snapped his fingers. "I think I know why we can see the castle. We all have the Ancient gene."

Madeline nodded. She'd gotten the Gene Therapy on the Deadalus, as had every other expedition member currently on the base. "We added the blood of Merlin's people to our own, so we could live in their city." Madeline explained to Maggie. "Nothing in the city works well without it. John here is one of the few born with it naturally."

Maggie frowned. "So you are not from the Ancestral City?"

John looked at Lorne, then shook his head. "No, we aren't. We're from Earth." Though he didn't normally tell people the truth, he figured that since these people already knew about Earth it'd be safe.

Maggie's eyes grew wide. These travelers might fulfill Merlin's prophecy, made long before the Ancestors left her galaxy. One of them might be the Protector, the One who would complete the task set out before him in the prophecy. "We have long awaited the coming of those from the Brotherworld. You will be most welcome here."

The sun was now starting to droop behind the hills behind Brooklan castle. The team had walked mostly in silence, except for Madeline's constant stream of questions for Maggie. She'd learned much about the ways of the Lorenians during that walk.

Lorena had ten main cities: Tara, Tralla, Darben, Coreil, Ethila, Frigia, Opherxies, Zard, Yukaru, and Biundi. Every four years, each city elected a Prelium, basically their version of the Prime Minister. No Prelium could serve more than three terms. Within the first year of the new term, the Preliums chose a Prolium from their numbers to represent Lorena as a whole. Lorena's capitol city changed with the Prolium.

Voting was open to anyone over the age of 20 by Lorenian reckoning, which (according to Rodney) translated to about 18 in Earth years. There were no voting restrictions on women, or on half breeds with intelligence. Madeline decided to ask later what Maggie meant by "half breeds with intelligence".

No Lorenian owned a slave, according to Maggie. They saw no need for it, since they could get the work done themselves faster with magic. On the rare occasion that a child was born without magical ability, he or she was educated in potions, scribework, astronomy, music, or another field that required little wand skill. These children, though often ridiculed, were accepted by most members of the society, especially in Tara. A small school was erected in Tara for children without magic, and has stood much the same for the last 200 years. The Taran Prelium was responsible for housing the Tofauti (their word for non magic folk) from other cities during the course of their education at the Tofauti School.

It didn't seem like a long time before the team was entering the city of Tara. The streets were wide and paved with stone bricks. The buildings were two stories high, made out of wood. Tarans roamed the paved walkways freely, bartering for fruits and vegetables or cauldrons and cloaks. Madeline was forcibly reminded of Diagon Alley, the Wizarding market place in London.

A new building towered far beyond the rest as they rounded another corner. The building was easily five stories high, made of white stone that resembled marble. The door was made of wood painted an emerald green, with a brass knob at the center. It stood nearly ten feet high and was nearly five feet wide. Up and down the door a singe sentence was etched, repeatedly.

That sentence read:

Merlin protect those who enter and Merlin protect those who leave.

John looked quizzically at Maggie. "Why do you ask Merlin for protection?"

Maggie smiled. "Merlin, as I explained before, founded Brooklan castle and brought magic to the Lorenian people. It has become common to ask Merlin for guidance, protection, and wisdom in our society." She opened the door and led them inside.

The hallways were decorated in emerald green and goldenrod yellow. They were far wider and far longer than one might expect, even from the building's vast expanses visible from the outside. A simple yellow carpet lined the floor beneath them, a green trim lined every doorway they past.

"Is there a reason why everything is painted green and gold?" Rodney asked, once he gained control over his jaw again.

Maggie nodded. "All pupils at Brooklan are sorted into two houses at the start of their first year. Harien house colors are green and gold, while Socien house colors are lavender and orange. Your house becomes like your family at Brooklan, and it becomes your political party after your graduation."

"So the Prolium is of Harien house?" Madeline asked, following the logical conclusion to the statement.

"Yes, our Prolium is currently of Harien house." Maggie told her. "Marcus is very much a Harien."

"Huh?" Ronon asked. "There's a difference?"

Maggie nodded. "We are sorted based on our personalities, determined by a cauldron at the Start of Term Feast. Students peer into the cauldron, which cycles through their memories and, once it sees enough, it spews the colors of the house the student is to join." Maggie smiled. "I am of Sorcien house. Sorciens are known for their intellect, cunning, and curiosity. Hariens, on the other hand, are known for their loyalty, honesty, courage, and generosity. Sorcien house is represented by the fox, Harien house by the wolf." This sent the team debating what house they would have been sorted into, if they had gone to Brooklan School of Magic.

"I'm obviously a Harien." John said proudly. "Courage, loyalty…" his voice trailed off.

Rodney shook his head. "No, no, you're a Sorcien. You're always touching things when you're not supposed to, you're always complaining about how the football coaches made some sort of tactical error, and your counterpart from that other reality was the leader of the MENSA club on Atlantis."

The team laughed at Rodney's assessment. John sputtered. "Well, you're a Sorcien, that's for sure. You're all brains, but you'd run screaming if a Wraith came your way," he grumbled when he'd gained composure again. "What about you three?" He turned to the others.

"Harien," Madeline said easily. "Honesty, loyalty, generosity, and bravery – that describes me to the letter." She looked at Ronon, who stood beside her. "What do you think, Ronon?"

"Harien," he declared, without explanation. The others silently agreed.

Teyla, realizing she was the last one to speak, frowned for a second. "I am not sure. I have qualities from both houses, but I believe I would fit best in Harien. Honesty, loyalty, courage, and generosity outplay the other qualities."

"Here we are." Maggie said as they reached the end of the hall. A small door stood before them. "This is the Prolium's office. It is small for security. Most Lorenians would believe that the Prolium's office would be the biggest door in the hall. This is not." And indeed it wasn't. The door was the same size as all the others, painted in the same gold and green that the team had seen throughout the hall. She opened the door, leaving the team awestruck as they entered the room.

The room was oval shaped with a ceiling that arched from the door to the far wall. Madeline guessed that the room was around half the size of Hogwart's Great Hall. The floor was carpeted green with gold floral print. Rows and rows of bookshelves lined the walls and the first floor of the room.

Halfway through the room was a grand staircase sloping up to the second floor. Maggie led the group up the staircase.

"How is it that everything is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside?" Rodney asked John in a whisper.

Maggie smiled at the comment. "We use a complex engorgement charm to expand the space we have."

The second floor was even more magnificent than the first. In the center of the floor sat a large desk covered in scrolls and scrolls of parchment. The desk was flanked on either side by rows upon rows of large tanks and cages, the homes of what Madeline suspected were Lorenian wildlife. On the wall behind the desk hung three banners: On for Tara, one for Brooklan, and one for Harien.

A tall man with blond, curly hair sat at the chair behind the desk. He smiled and stood as Maggie approached. He came around the desk, embracing her and kissing her passionately as she rushed to his arms. "This is my husband, Marcus Ventrius. He is the Prelium of Tara and the Prolium of Lorena," Maggie introduced proudly when they separated.

Madeline grinned. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Madeline Marshall, diplomat for the people of Lantea. Accompanying me are John Sheppard, our military commander; Rodney McKay, our lead scientist; Teyla Emmagen, leader of the Athosians; Ronon Dex, a member of our team; and Evan Lorne, Colonel Sheppard's second in command." She motioned to each of them in turn. Marcus shook hands with all of them.

"It is an honor to meet you all." Marcus looked at the group, smiling broadly. "We are always willing to ally ourselves with those who fight against the Wraith."

As he spoke Maggie started to rearrange the room. Brandishing her wand, she moved the cages and tanks next to one another to make more room. Then, she conjured a large round table and enough chairs for the group, placing these in the space she created before. "Please, sit." Maggie offered the stunned expedition team members.

Marcus opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of the door opening below stopped him. Seconds later, two men came dashing up the stairs, short in breath.

"Levin, Certus, what is the meaning of this?" Marcus asked worriedly.

Certus answered first. "We were betrayed to the Achnids. And the Wraith." He clenched his fists tightly. "Kleit and I were the only two able to escape."

Marcus's eyes flashed angrily. "What?"

"Darien." Certus said bitterly. "We split up to search for, well, what we were there to search for. Kleit and I went one way, Machien, Cally, and Darien went the other. They got word to us through their Patronuses just in time." He sighed. "And I thought Machien was the most likely traitor. Now he's a prisoner," he said desparingly, in a hushed voice.

"Machien and Cally are STILL THERE?!" Marcus was livid.

"Do you really think we could have mounted a rescue mission with a hive of Wraith and a platoon of Achnids on our tails?" Certus demanded. "You know me, Marcus. You have for the last thirteen years. Have I ever left anyone behind when I thought I could save them?" Marcus remained slient, seething quietly but understanding his friend's dilema.

With that argument, Madeline was forcibly reminded of one Sirius Black she'd known in her youth. This Certus had the same long, black hair, the same swaggered stance, and (apparently) the same bravery and loyalty as Black once possessed. Half of her wanted to believe that Certus and Sirius were one in the same, but she knew that was impossible. Sirius had died, thirteen years ago, way back on Earth.

"There's no way to know where they would be, either." John put in. "Did these Achnids take them? Or the Wraith? For that matter, are they even on the same planet anymore, or were they taken to a ship in orbit?"

"Hopefully the Wraith. It would be a kinder fate." A new voice spoke, appearing beside Certus. He was tall and had short, brown hair.

"Kinder fate?" Ronon asked the newcomer.

"You've obviously never been under the Cruciatus Curse." The man said gravely. "When the Achnids capture Lorenians, the prisoners are tortured to death or madness, whichever comes first."

Madeline immediately thought of the Longbottoms, tortured to madness under Bellatrix Lestrange's Cruciatus Curse. She remembered the searing pain that possessed her body when she was subject to the curse. She shuddered, her face ashen. Ronon placed a protective hand on her shoulder.

"So these Achnids are Wizards, too?" Rodney asked after a long silence.

Marcus nodded. "They believe that they are superior to the Tofauti. They conquer any planet they can and destroy those who resist them."

"Kleit here described their most devastating method." Certus added.

"They sound like a gang I fought in England, back home." Madeline commented, hoping beyond hope that Certus might recognize the word. He looked up at her sharply, but didn't say anything.

John, Rodney, and Teyla stared at her. "You fought a gang?" John asked incredulously.

"It is a long, complicated story. It is also highly classified." Madeline explained. "Let's just say I've seen my fair share of war."

No wonder she won't talk about her past, John thought. He looked at Ronon, who was watching Madeline closely. He wondered if the Satedan knew more about her past than she was telling them.

"Did Ronald die in the war?" Rodney asked insensitively. John kicked him hard. The scientist cursed in protest, casting daggers at his CO.

"You can answer that when you're ready to tell us, Madeline." John said.

Madeline smiled softly. "Ronald was… my fiancé. He died after the war against the gang, at the hands of a rogue gang member." She looked down. "I cannot tell you any more than that. I would suffer a fate worse than death if I did."

Ronon decided it was time to turn the subject of discussion back to the prisoners. "How can we help?" Ronon asked Certus.

"Help?" Certus repeated dumbly. He knew – just knew – that somehow these people were connected to his past. Madeline's home was in England, where he was from. Madeline had a fiancé named Ronald… something about that name struck a chord in the distant, well-guarded sections of his memory. He was in a daze.

"We're going after your people, aren't we?" John asked, eyebrows raised.

Certus looked at Marcus, the daze shoved under his normal mask of leadership. "I want nothing more."

"We came back to get help," Kleit added.

Marcus was about to speak, but he was interrupted by a silvery mist flying into the room. It took the form of a snake.

"COWARD!!" Certus bellowed at the snake. "He doesn't come here and speak with us himself!"

"We have your people." A voice spoke from the silver snake. "Turn over Marcus Ventrius and Certus Calhoun in five day's time, and the prisoner's lives will be spared. Do this, and Lorena will have a place in the Grand Empire. If you refuse, the prisoners will die, slowly and painfully. Lorena itself will follow them to the Ancestral Realm soon after. We will come for your answer in five days." The snake disappeared, leaving the room in a stunned and seething silence.

A/N: The next chapter is written, along with the one after that, so I'll be posting it probably sometime in the next couple of weeks. As soon as it's typed, it'll be posted.

Be sure to watch for my new Harry Potter story coming out in the next month or so.