Chapter 21

Roslyn was standing in front of the mirror, braiding her hair. She looked over at her reflection and applauded herself. She had really outdone it this time. She looked more lovely than ever. Now that the Rose girl was out of her way, she could get Scorpius's full attention once again.

Scorpius was standing outside and watching the birds fly over the lands. He was taking in the serenity of his surroundings. Roslyn looked over at him with affection. She came close to him and quietly slipped her hands into his.

Scorpius suddenly flinched. He quickly let go of her hands with an almost guilty impulse.

"Hi Roslyn. How. How are you?"

"Why did thou let go of my hands?" said Roslyn solemnly.

Scorpius didn't answer but kept looking at his feet. After what seemed like an eternity he mustered the courage to spit out the following words

"Roslyn. There is something I must tell you."

Roslyn's face tightened. She knew what was going to follow but kept believing it wasn't going to come.

"I. I am in love with someone else."

Roslyn heard the words swoosh past her like the afternoon breeze. She didn't reply nor make any bodily gestures. She merely stood motionless. She knew who it was. She could hear her name as Scorpius rambled on about how bad he felt at having to do this.

"I am terribly sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on. But I cannot keep lying to you anymore."

Roslyn quickly turned around and ran back into the woods. She ran for quite some time until the tears in her eyes had dried. Once she was exhausted she fell down to the ground. But before she could get back up, she heard a bunch of hurried voices.

"Ah. This ought to be quiet enough." mumbled a hoarse voice.

"So. We have finally entered the final months of our plan. We shall need a few more things and we shall be good to go"

Roslyn moved closer to get a better view of the people conversing. She could make out the grim outline of Bernaby quite clearly and the silhouette of a taller but younger individual.

"And this is where I need your help boy. On the eve of Halloween I will be conjuring a spell to open the portal, the same one that bought our visitors from the future"

"For the spell to work effectively I shall need a strand of hair of the pair of them"

Roslyn saw the younger gentleman squirm a little. She then heard a voice, a voice mired in curiosity and fear.

"Why? Why do you need their hairs?" said Rupert

"Oh lets just say I need some sheep skin."

With this Bernaby broke into a laughing tirade that made Roslyn's hair stand up. He laughed into the night making the nearby birds fly away and run for cover for even they had sensed the evil in his voice.

"And you my boy, shall get them for me. I do not care how or from where. You shall get it for me before tomorrow night"

With those words Bernaby left the woods leaving the younger boy looking shaken and distraught.

Roslyn tried her best to keep calm. Once she saw the boy leave she left no time in apparating back to her home. This proved very difficult as her mind was fully focused on what she had just heard. As a result she splinched her finger nails.

However she didn't take much heed for it and quickly took out her wand to heal the injury. She wrapped her hand in the handkerchief after she performed the healing spell. Under normal circumstances she would have felt a mighty lot of pain, however right now she had a million thoughts running through her head and she didn't know which ones she had to tackle first.

Roslyn was gently massaging the blood ridden handkerchief in her hands. It seemed her thoughts had taken her all the way to Bernaby's house. As she sat on the dusty couch, and took in the stink of the dilapidated house, she couldn't help but wonder how she had landed herself in this situation.

She wanted her out of his life. She wanted to be with him forever. It was as simple as that. Surely there was nothing wrong with it? There was nothing wrong in trading his life for someone elses. She readily gave away Rose's hair, without a care in the world for what Bernaby intended to do with it, as long as he assured her Scorpius would be left alone and left behind in her time.

Bernaby came out of his kitchen holding something that looked like water, but it had too many gruesome looking particles in it to be anything remotely drinkable. He poured a glass of it for himself and sipped it without offering any for Roslyn.

He sat down in his armchair and looked at the trembling girl in front of him.

"My my. Look how you have grown."

Roslyn squirmed under his lusty gaze. She felt sick and uncomfortable and wished nothing more than to leave. Then she remembered why she came here for.

"I brought what you asked for" She said in a quivering voice, while sticking out the goblet which held Rose's death sentence.

Bernaby's eyes twinkled under the candlelight. He looked greedy and hungry like a starved thief. He forcefully grabbed the goblet and hid it under his desk.

Roslyn looked over at her uncle in fear and whispered "Does this mean you will leave Scorpius alone?"

"Of course my dear. I will keep my word. You shall have no need to worry. Once the portal opens I shall not be here to bother you"

"But then who will you kill instead of Scorpius? Whose soul will replace his?" asked Roslyn in trepidation

"Never you mind my child. I shall find a willing sacrifice. You and your boy shall be unharmed" said Bernaby with an evil grin.

Roslyn didn't know whether to trust her uncle. But at the moment, she had no other choice. She stood up and hurriedly left the house.

It was the eve of Halloween and the village was bustling with festivities. Rose and William were putting up decorations in the Manor while Irwin was preparing culinary delights.

Scorpio was in a conflicting mood. He had finally discovered his love but at the same time was distraught that the object of his affection was currently fixated on another person. He observed the lot of them from behind the window of his room , running around Irwin's garden, performing spells. His insides boiled every time William tried to hold her hands. But even more when she let him.

Scorpius couldn't take it anymore and turned away from the window. As he turned behind him, he jolted as he saw Roslyn standing at the door staring at him intently.

"Whoa! Roslyn. You scared me. What. What were you doing there?"

Roslyn didn't reply but shrugged and came closer. He took his hand in hers and looked deeply into his eyes. Scorpius let go immediately and replied

"Roslyn. I am sorry. I told you. I don't think I can be with you anymore. I thought you understood"

Roslyn held back the tears and replied

"Yes. Of course. I understand"

She retreated back into her room. Just a few more hours and he shall be all mine. She told herself that he would begin to love her once more after Rose left the picture. Bearing that in mind, she began braiding her hair once more, her eyes looking tired and worn out.

It was ten past seven and everyone was enjoying the wonderful feast that Irwin and Roslyn had put together for the eve of Halloween. Everyone except Roslyn who kept looking outside the window waiting for the main event to begin. She was swallowing her food without chewing it, anticipating how and when her uncle would crash the event.

Just as she contemplated this, there was a loud bang outside their house. As Irwin, Roslyn and Scorpio stepped outside to see what was happening, they saw Rose and William being tackled with a wand each to their throats by none other than Bernaby and Rupert.

"Bernaby!" shouted Irwin

"Yes brother. Finally my moment has arrived" he shouted as a cauldron was brewing on the side with red and pink fumes swirling from it.

"Whatever do you mean?" replied Irwin fearing his worst nightmare had come true.

"I finally get to transport myself into the future, where I belong with magical powers so strong that even future wizards would be unable to stop me!"

Roslyn stepped back from the commotion and moved closer to Scorpius, just to ensure that he would be safe and Bernaby would keep his word.

Rupert meanwhile disarmed Irwin and Roslyn who were both watching helplessly. Scorpius who didn't have a wand to begin with felt completely powerless and could do nothing but watch in agony as Bernaby mumbled spell after the other.

In a few minutes, everyone gasped as a blue light opened up in the middle of the sky. The portal was opening up.

"Now. Two souls I shall give to this world, while two souls leave this time" shouted Bernaby.

"Father!" shouted William as he tackled Rupert.

"Shut up boy! You are no son of mine. A true son of mine wouldn't liaise with the enemies and band against his own father " he yelled and spat on the floor.

Bernaby leaned in close to Rose's ear and whispered "Say good bye to your short but sweet life my child"

As Bernaby lifted his wand to enunciate the fatal spell. Scorpius lunged at him forgetting the fact that he had no way of stopping the aging wizard. As Rupert took his hand to cast a deadly spell at Scorpius, Roslyn lunged in front of him and blocked it with her own body. The fatal spell hit her fully in her face.

Irwin's screams reverberated the night sky, while Scorpius tackled the distracted Bernaby. Rose quickly broke free and took hold of Irwins wand lying next to Rupert.

As Roslyn's spiritual sacrifice opened the portal even more, William saw Bernaby trying to jump into it . He was being pulled back from the waist by Rose and William. Scorpius took this opportunity to take a knife and plunge it deep into Bernaby's heart.

Scorpius saw the portal accept the second soul and glow even brighter. He understood that this was the moment. He looked back at the scene behind him. Irwin bawling while holding Roslyn's limp and lifeless body, William staring down expressionless at his father's dead body and Rupert running for his life away from the scene of madness. Scorpius turned around and knew what he had to do.

He grasped Rose's hand and pulled them both through the portal. He felt the same gigantic pull through his navel that he had felt as he passed through the portal the first time. He closed his eyes in hopes that Roslyn's death had not gone to waste.

Author's Note: Last chapter coming up! Reviews more than welcome!