A/N: Phew! Almost 10,000 words! My personal best! ;) Didn't plan on making it this long, but whatever. And in my opinion, the beginning is reeeally boring, but I think it gets better. Maybe. I dunno. Eh.

Disclaimer: Nerp.

/

Chapter Twenty

Collision

/

"Is your name really Fuzz?" asked Sami.

Fuzz glanced at her. "No. It's Ben."

"Ohhh…" she trailed off. "Is his name really Crow?"

"Nah, that's Hunter."

"And Blood?"

"Bryson. He's the youngest."

"How old are you?"

"Why all the questions?" he asked with a smile.

Sami blushed under his dark-eyed gaze. "Just curious."

"I'm twenty…I think. We don't really keep track of time out here."

'Out here' were the charred remains of their McGivered shack. Sami eyed the thin ninja sword at his side.

"Why do you guys use Muggle weapons?"

Fuzz grinned. "They're cool, and other wizards don't expect to have their heads hacked off with an axe or sword in the middle of a duel."

"Which isn't a bad idea, actually," Octavius said as he appeared at Fuzz's shoulder. "Blaise does the same. I might need you to teach me a few moves, Ben. Bad times are coming—sooner than we think—and it's best we are prepared."

As he stalked away to go talk to Scorpius, Fuzz turned back to Sami. "What about you? Is your name really Sami?"

"A sickle for your thoughts?" Octavius asked as he came to stand next to Scorpius.

Scorpius kept his gaze riveted to the horizon stained red with the setting sun. "I wish Rose could see this," he muttered.

Octavius rolled his eyes. "Don't go getting all lovesick on me, Scorpius. Get her out of your mind. She's only clouding your picture of what's most important."

"She is most important," Scorpius growled.

"No, saving the Wizarding race is."

"Don't you miss her?" Scorpius demanded.

"Rose? Not really, she isn't my girlfriend—"

"I mean your wife, Octavius! Don't you see her face when fighting an enemy? When you know you're dangerously close to death, don't you see? At all?"

Octavius furrowed his brow, a dark frown on his face. "No," he snarled, his answer surprising him. "I've pushed her out of my mind."

"But why?"

"Because sooner or later I had to let her go."

"Octavius," Blaise called, jogging over to them. "We're ready to move out. This shack was unplottable, but the spell is breaking. We must move before they find us again."

Octavius nodded, eyes still scrutinizing Scorpius's face. "Then what are we waiting for?"

"As you all know," Avanell declared, "Edgard has found the cure for Mrs. Weasley—"

"What is it?" a girl whose name Rose found out to be Thalia asked.

"It's the liquid from an ancient pool."

Another Healer, a tall young man named Miguel commented, "That's cliché."

Avanell smiled. "Isn't everything?"

"Here's the catch, though," said Edgard, "we know where the pool is. It's underground."

"Well that helps," said Albus with a roll of his eyes.

Edgard smirked. "It's underneath Hogwarts."

Rose laughed at her cousin. "That does help, doesn't it, Al?"

"Hardy har har," he snarled.

"Of course it's underneath Hogwarts," said Thalia. "Doesn't everything happen at Hogwarts?"

"We're going home."

Everyone looked up at Octavius, who was standing in the doorway of the hotel room they had rented after getting back to Sydney. Sami and Fuzz were seated in the small kitchen, half empty glasses in front of them, Blaise was examining Blood's sword and Scorpius and Crow had been watching the Muggle television.

When they continued staring at him, Octavius sighed, "I said… we're going home."

"Right now?" said Scorpius.

Octavius nodded. "Yes. Get your things."

Home turned out to be the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. Octavius seated all of them at a large table and they watched him curiously as he walked towards a booth occupied by a frighteningly muscular bearded man smoking a pipe.

"Who is that?" Sami asked as they watched Octavius sit across from him.

"No idea," said Fuzz uninterestedly, reaching casually for a butterbeer resting on a waiter's passing tray. The waiter turned to protest, but when he caught sight of the table full of dirty, travel-weary wizards armed with swords and battle axes, he hurried on his way, eyes downcast.

Sami nudged Fuzz. "You're so mean! The least you could do is pay for that drink!"

"I did," he said casually. "The waiter will eventually discover two sickles in his left pocket.

Sami grinned. "Wow."

Blood slapped a hand to his forehead. "Fuzz, you're so full of it."

"Who's that?" Sami asked when Octavius came back to their table a few minutes later.

"His name is Daegos."

They waited for more information but Octavius merely dropped a sack full of coins on the table. "Order some food. I'm sure you're all hungry."

They watched as he rejoined the muscle man at his booth.

"Daegos?" Sami repeated incredulous. "Who the heck is that?"

"By the looks of 'im, I'd say he's an undercover Russian spy!" said Crow.

Fuzz rolled his eyes. "Russian spy?"

"What?"

Fuzz shook his head.

Sami, however, nodded slowly. "Sure looks dangerous enough."

She caught them staring at her. "What? He could be!"

"Well," said Scorpius, "I don't know about you lot, but I'm ordering food."

He flagged down the waiter, who looked less than happy to make his way towards them.

"What can I get you?"

"Judging by the weight of this sack of coins," said Blood, jingling the sack, "we'll have a bit of everything."

"A bit of everything?" the waiter repeated, dazed.

"We're starving, boy," said Blaise in his deep voice.

"Right. Coming right up."

He hurried away, glancing over his shoulder several times.

"You want to do it when?" Daegos asked in disbelief, his dark green eyes wide. He brushed a hand wearily across his whiskery red chin. "Dunno if we can get everyone here in such a short amount of time."

"We have to try, Daegos," Octavius insisted. "I have a feeling it's going to happen soon."

Daegos rubbed his whiskery face again. "But tonight?"

Octavius's eyes were grim. "Yeah. Tonight."

"Where?"

"Where do you think?"

The two men stared at each other in silence.

Finally, Daegos chuckled ruefully. "Why does everything happen at Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts?" Rose repeated, surprised.

"Funny, isn't it?" Avanell mused.

"A bit."

Rose watched as Avanell grabbed an empty vial and inserted it into her belt.

"What's that for?" Rose asked curiously.

"This?" said Avanell, holding up another vial. "It's for the antidote."

"What does it look like? The potion?"

"To be honest with you, Rose, I don't rightfully know what to expect. But the book said it's hidden in Ravenclaw's secret chamber deep underneath Hogwarts. It's possible it's all set up for use anyway."

"I hope so."

Avanell laughed. "So do I."

Edgard poked his head into her study. "We're all set, Auntie."

"Then let's go," she said, slipping her wand up her sleeve.

"Octavius, what's the plan?" Scorpius asked as he rejoined them. Daegos had come with him, and casually reached around Sami to snatch up one of the steaming rolls on the table.

"We have reason to believe Xavier will act tonight."

"You mean attack someone else?" Sami asked.

Octavius eyed them all. "He's putting his plan into action. The big plan. The mother plan. You get the idea."

"The climax?" Fuzz offered.

"Sure, same thing."

"Where is this happening?" Blaise asked.

"Where else?"

They all nodded, saying at the same time, "Hogwarts."

Daegos grinned. "I'll have my team assembled. The Fallen Brother already knows."

"Him again," Scorpius muttered.

"What?" Sami asked.

"Nothing."

Octavius checked his watch. "We have a lot to do before we're ready."

"I'm ready now," Scorpius growled.

Octavius smirked. "Just a few more hours, Malfoy. Then you can have at it."

"Sounds good to me," Blood said, fingering his broadsword.

Sami looked at Fuzz, who had suddenly gone very still. "You okay?"

He started, and then relaxed as he smiled at her. "Yeah. I'm fine."

She nodded and looked away, his frown instantly returning as she did so. He watched his two brothers launch spit balls at each other and then he knew.

He stood up from the table, causing the others to fall silent and look at him.

"Where are you going?" Crow called as he headed for the door.

Sami's face was concerned, and she was halfway out of her own seat when Scorpius said, "I'll go talk to him."

Scorpius followed Fuzz out of the inn and out onto the crowded Muggle street.

Thunder clouds hung ominously above them and there was a distant flash of threatening lightning.

"Hey, you okay, mate?" Scorpius asked as he stood by the older boy's side.

Fuzz ran a hand over his mouth, eyes worried as he scanned the street. "I can't do this, Scor. I thought I could, but I can't."

"What? Fight?"

Fuzz hung his head, ashamed. "I know it's the right thing to do, but I can't ask my brothers to do this."

"But they want to do this, Fuzz," Scorpius said, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Why don't you?"

Fuzz looked at him. He rubbed his eyes, looking shaken. "Because I can't."

"Can't what?" Scorpius demanded impatiently. "Can't fight for what's right? Can't get revenge? Can't—"

"I can't kill!"

At his outburst, Muggles teeing past them stopped abruptly, staring wide eyed at the two men.

"And that's what it's going to take," he huffed, "and I can't do it."

"So what now?" Scorpius called as Fuzz began to back away. "You're abandoning your brothers? Our cause?"

Fuzz shook his head. "I'm not a coward, Scor. But I'm not a killer either."

Fuzz joined the throng of Muggles and disappeared.

"Where's Fuzz?" Sami asked once Scorpius rejoined them.

"He's gone," he said coolly, sitting down in his seat once more.

"Gone?" Sami repeated. "What do you mean gone?"

"Gone. Left. Went away. Not here."

"He left?" Blood said, unbelieving.

"Why?" said Crow.

Daegos leaned back in his chair. "I knew that boy didn't have it in him."

Crow glared at him. "What are you going on about?"

"The look in his eye," said Daegos. "He didn't have the spark of war."

"Spark of war?" Sami laughed, her face flushed. "You make is sound like we should all want war."

"You have it," Daegos said, nodding at her. "As does everyone else at this table." He shook his head. "Except that boy. He can't kill."

"It that what it's going to take?" Sami asked, horrified. "Killing?"

"It's either you or them, Collins," said Octavius.

"Is he coming back?" Sami whispered.

"Dunno," said Scorpius.

"I believe he will," Blaise spoke up. "He likes Sami too much not to."

Sami blushed, but a worried frown was on her face. Thunder roared in the distance, causing the windows to rattle and the lights to flicker.

"I hope he's okay," she said quietly.

"Me too," said Blood, Crow nodding. "I still can't believe this."

"How do you expect us to get in?" Rose asked Avanell as the small team of Healers stood before the locked gates of Hogwarts."

Albus came to stand next to the two of them, looking at the distant castle. Tugging on the gates that didn't move an inch, he said, "Well, it'd be too easy to use the front door."

"We could dig," someone in the back called.

"That would take too long," said Thalia.

"Come on," said Albus, "I know someone we can ask."

Avanell exchanged a look with Rose, who shrugged and followed Albus back down the deserted Hogsmeade street.

"Where are we going?" she asked him quietly.

"Don't you remember our parents telling us about the last battle? How Aberforth helped them get into Hogwarts?"

"Of course!" said Rose, eyes widening as she remembered. "The tunnel behind the portrait of Ariana!"

"I'm just hoping ole Aberforth is still breathing."

They reached the Hog's Head and Avanell rushed her way back to the front of the pack.

"A pub? Really?"

"It's who's inside the pub I'm worried about, Ms. Griffins," said Albus before pushing open the door and leading them all inside.

"It's absolutely filthy in here," said Thalia, wrinkling her nose.

Albus marched across the pub and to the counter where a middle aged wizard stood cleaning bottles.

"Is Abe Dumbledore still alive?" he asked bluntly.

The man rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately. The old geezer won't die already."

"Aberforth?" Avanell repeated. "Whaddaya wanna talk to him for? And he's still alive?"

"Can we go up and talk to him?" Albus asked the bartender.

"I don't care," he said with a bored voice.

"Thanks," he said, moving towards the staircase behind the bar.

Taking the steps two at time, Albus, followed by Rose and the others, reached a small landing and knocked on the door leading off of it.

It flew open just as his knuckles were leaving the hard wood, and a towering man with a snow white beard and vivid blue eyes stood there.

"Yes?" he said in a surprisingly firm voice for an obscenely old man like himself.

"Mr. Dumbledore? I'm Albus Potter."

Aberforth raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"We need to break into Hogwarts."

The old man's silver eyebrows shot up. "Come in."

"So I take it Harry Potter told you about my passageway," Aberforth commented as he looked around his newly crowded flat.

"Yes," said Albus.

Aberforth grunted, moving around him and facing the large portrait of his dead sister. She watched them all curiously, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Ari, go and make sure the coast is clear before I open the tunnel."

She nodded and disappeared from view.

"Why do you want in, anyway?" Aberforth asked.

Albus glanced at Avanell. "We have reason to believe there is an ancient potion hidden in Ravenclaw's secret chamber deep underneath Hogwarts."

Aberforth stared at him for a moment before howling with laughter. "Ravenclaw…a secret chamber? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"It's true," said Avanell, her seriousness causing him to quiet down into a soft chuckle.

"Whatever you say," he said with a smirk.

Ariana returned, nodding that it was safe.

Aberforth swung her portrait outwards, revealing a tunnel set right into the wall. "Well, go on, then! I'm an old man and all this excitement is wearing me out."

Rose climbed in, beckoning them to follow. Albus, the last one left, climbed into the tunnel, but before Aberforth closed the portrait he grasped Albus's arm tightly.

"You're walking right into it, boy," he said hurriedly. "Be careful."

"Walking right into what?" Albus asked, eyebrows raised.

"A war."

The portrait slammed shut.

Ron paced back and forth in front of his wife.

"I shouldn't of allowed Rose to go," he said fervently.

Hermione frowned at him. "She wanted to go, Ron. You wouldn't have been able to stop her anyway. Besides, Albus is with her. She'll be fine."

"I just have a bad feeling about this," he murmured, staring out at the lightning touched sky.

"You think you're the only one?" a voice he knew all too well inquired.

Ron turned to look at Draco. "My son's out there in the thick of it," he said. "I'm as worried as you."

"I don't want to sit here and not do anything!" Ron said, running a hand through his hair angrily.

"The feeling's mutual," said Draco.

"Now don't go getting any harebrained ideas," Hermione warned. "I'm sure they're both fine—"

"Draco!" Astoria yelled, running into the room, breathing heavily as if she had been running—and by the looks of her wild hair she probably was.

"What is it?" he asked anxiously. "What's wrong?"

"It's happening," she announced. "Xavier. He's launched an attack on Hogsmeade. Hogwarts is next."

"But why?" Hermione asked. "No one's there."

Astoria took a deep breath. "Hogwarts is armed with the best defensive spells Wizards can cast. Once he has control of Hogwarts he will be untouchable."

Ron and Draco looked at each other. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin', Malfoy?"

"If it's a reckless and harebrained scheme on how to save our children, then yes."

"No, absolutely not, Ron," Hermione said, glaring. "You are not going to run off and try to be a hero again—"

Ron kissed his wife quickly. "I'll be home in time for dinner. Promise."

"Ron! Come back!" Hermione yelled as he and Draco headed for the door of the study.

Before either of them could leave, Astoria placed herself in front of them, blocking the way out.

"Thank you, Astoria—" Hermione began.

"I'm coming too," Astoria said bluntly.

Hermione groaned. "Am I the only one with common sense?"

Ron looked back at Hermione. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but in your current condition—"

"Go then!" she yelled angrily. "Bring me back my daughter!"

"I'm so sorry…"

Ron followed Draco and Astoria out the door, slamming it shut behind them, leaving Hermione feeling useless and utterly alone.

After their footsteps receded into the distance, Hermione wheeled herself to one of the bookcases dotting the room. She yanked on a large purple volume, the book only coming out about halfway. With a large metallic thud, the entire bookshelf shuddered and slowly descended into the floor, revealing a stone staircase occupied by Hugo, who was sitting on the last step, chewing on a piece of gum with a bored expression.

"You get all that?" Hermione asked.

"Yup."

"Ready to go?"

"I was ready for this a long time ago, Mum."

"Excellent."

The burning buildings on the main street of Hogsmeade had been put out by the deluge only moments before Octavius and the rest apparated to the spot. The few fires that remained were quickly hounded by Blaise, Blood, and Crow, and Octavius had run down the street, shouting something about a pub. Scorpius grasped the bars of the gate and stared up at Hogwarts through the downpour. Lightning split the sky in intervals, and he could see dark shapes dotting the grounds, dropping from the sky like falling stars.

"Scorpius!" Octavius called from down the street. "Come on! We're out of time!"

"Come on, Scor," Sami said gently, taking his arm. He looked at her, with rain falling down her face, her eyes wide.

He followed her down the street, mimicking the others actions as they put hoods over their faces, their feet sloshing through the muddy street. Octavius lead them along a small trail leading to the decrepit looking Hog's Head.

"He's here?" Scorpius called through the storm. "He wasn't targeted?"

Octavius nodded once before banging open the door and leading them into the cold pub.

Nodding at the bartender, who was huddling terrified behind the counter, Octavius lead them up the stairs and knocked once on the door at the top before opening it and gesturing them inside.

"Daegos come through yet?" Octavius asked, moving past his team and casually prying open the portrait of the small blond girl above the mantelpiece.

Scorpius stared around him in shock. His eyes came to rest on the tall old man casually reading the Daily Prophet in his armchair. "No," Aberforth said to Octavius, "not yet. Have they stopped burning down buildings?"

Sami went to stand next to Blaise. "That tunnel is going to lead us into Hogwarts?"

"Appears that way," he said.

"It may interest you, Octavius," said Aberforth, "that another group of people passed through here earlier."

"What?" said Octavius, turning to stare at him.

Aberforth nodded, brow creased. "A group of…Healers, I think they were? Know anything about it?"

"No," said Octavius, glancing at Scorpius, who was watching them intently. "Did you tell them what's happening tonight?"

"I warned them."

"Who came through here?" Scorpius asked. "Did you recognize any of them?"

Aberforth looked at him for a moment, one eyebrow raised. He seemed about to say something before finally he shook his head. "No. Some Ministry official, with her interns by the looks of some of them."

Octavius rolled his eyes. "Great. Now we have to find them and get them out of here. Why tonight of all nights?"

Octavius climbed into the tunnel, and then turned to offer his hand to Sami. "Coming?" he said to the rest of them. Blood and Crow exchanged long glances until Blaise pushed his way past them impatiently and climbed in after Sami.

When Scorpius was the last one, Aberforth said while he lit a pipe, "You know, I did see a red headed girl come through here."

Scorpius froze, hand resting on the portrait, ready to swing it closed behind him. "What did you say?"

"Scorpius!" Octavius yelled. "Come on!"

"Better get going, boy," said the Fallen Brother. "You're almost out of time."

Once they were safely out of the tunnel, Avanell looked around the dark cavernous room it had opened up in. "Someone light their wand for me," she said, coughing in the muggy air.

Three of the Healers, one of them Rose, lit their wands and held them up, casting the room into a murky glow.

"Thank you," said Avanell, taking a tentative step forward. Ash was drifting all around the room. "What happened to this place?" she asked, dusting ash off of the top of her head. "Where is this place?"

"It's the Room of Requirement," said Albus, Rose nodding. "Dad told us it was destroyed by Fiendfyre in 1998."

Avanell nodded slowly, squinting through the ashy air. "Any idea as to where the door is?" she whispered in the still room.

"Just keep walking. We'll see it eventually."

The team walked on in silence through the charred rubble of years past, holding handkerchiefs over their noses and mouth to keep most of the ash from suffocating them.

"I see the door!" Miguel said, pointing.

"Miguel!" Avanell hissed as he ran forward.

"I see it, Ms. Griffins! Right up here—"

Rose threw a hand over her mouth to muffle a scream as the floor gave out from beneath him and he fell through. "MIGUEL!" Avanell screamed, attempting to run forward. Albus held her back.

"Wait! The floor is unstable!"

They all fell silent, listening to Miguel's screams echoing eerily around them until abruptly cutting off.

"Oh my God," Thalia whispered, face pale.

"I see the door," Rose whispered, hand shaking as she pointed across the gaping hole in the floor left by Miguel.

"How we get to it is the question," Edgard muttered.

Avanell dropped down next to the hole, eyes clouded as she peered cautiously over the edge. She pulled back quickly, looking sick, "We'll have to go around, one at a time to be safe."

"I'll go first," said Albus, moving slowly around the hole, testing the floor with each step before planting his foot firmly on the old floorboards.

"Be careful, Al," Rose called softly.

He waved her concerns away as he safely reached the door.

One by one they all copied Albus and safely joined him at the door.

"Hope it works," he breathed out as he grasped the door handle. "Dad said he wouldn't be surprised if it was broken—and I've never really been interested in it enough to try it before while at school."

"Just open it, Albus," Avanell said, still a little shaken by Miguel.

"OK, OK," he said, pulling on the door handle. At the tug, the whole door collapsed as a column of ash, covering them all head to toe. Coughing and spluttering, they stumbled out of the Room of Requirement and onto the seventh floor of Hogwarts.

"Didn't expect that to happen," Rose remarked, coughing and waving a hand in front of her face to clear some of the ash out of the way.

Avanell peered around the empty corridor. "Which way to the Charms classroom?"

"Is that how we get to the secret chamber?" asked Thalia.

"It's our best bet."

"Are you saying you don't know where it is?" Rose said incredulous. "I thought you said you knew where it was!"

Thunder suddenly ripped through the air, making the windows dotting the corridor rattle dangerously.

"We should split up, then," said Albus, "search through all the places remotely Ravenclaw like."

Avanell nodded. "Thalia, Destery, go with Albus. Edgard, Rose, Goodwin, you come with me. Albus, Thalia should know what we're roughly looking for, follow her lead."

As Albus, Thalia, and the other raven haired Healer started down the corridor, Avanell turned to the remainders. "Goodwin, where do you think we should start?"

The ancient looking white haired old man grinned with all his teeth and Rose felt the back of her neck prickle uncomfortably at the smile. "The library, Ms. Griffins. Where else?"

"Of course!" said Avanell, oblivious to his odd smile. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Enough standing around, Auntie," Edgard spoke up impatiently. "I have a really bad feeling about all of this—"

Suddenly, the torches lining the corridor sprang to life, casting them in a warm ominous glow.

"How did that—?"

"We are not alone," said Goodwin. "Come, quickly. We must hurry."

Avanell and Edgard began following him swiftly on the familiar path to the library. Taking a deep breath, Rose hurried to catch up.

"Octavius," said Scorpius, hurrying along the rough tunnel floor to catch up with him at the front of the line, "I think Rose is here."

Octavius stared at him. "Why in the world would she be here?"

"I think she came with the Healers Dumbledore was going on about back there. She's been trying to find a cure for her mum—"

"Don't worry about her," Octavius said gruffly. "Focus on stopping Xavier. Rose is the least of your concerns—"

"If she's right smack in the middle of all of this, I'm going to find her and get her out of here!"

Octavius stopped dead in his tracks, causing an unexpected Sami to walk right into him.

"Listen to me, Scorpius," Octavius snarled, "I have no problem whatsoever of you getting your little girlfriend to safety. But," he stressed when Scorpius opened his mouth to comment, "I'm not going to let you go out of your way to look for her. If we find them, awesome, but if not, you'll have to deal with it."

And with that said, he pushed on down the tunnel.

"What's going on?" Sami asked as she stepped into line with Scorpius. "What was he talking about?"

"I'm worried about the group of Healers in here," he said, half truthful.

"Oh, me too," said Sami, nodding fervently. "They have no idea what they're walking into."

"Aberforth did say he warned them."

"And they still went in any way! They must not know what they're walking into."

"We're here!" Octavius called back to them.

Sami exchanged a slight smile with him before hurrying forward to join Octavius at the end of the tunnel.

Lighting his wand, Octavius peered into the ashy room. A thin sliver of light was shining on side opposite of them.

"Looks like someone left the door open for us," said Sami, noticing the light as well.

"Come on," said Octavius, climbing out of the tunnel. As his feet hit the floor a cloud of ash sprang up and he began to cough.

"What happened in here?" Sami asked as she stepped more carefully down next to him.

"Fiendfyre," Scorpius merely said as he climbed down after them, quickly followed by Crow, Blood, and Blaise.

"And how do you know?" asked Octavius.

"My Dad witnessed it."

Scorpius lit his own wand and began towards the light.

Once they reached the gaping hole in the floor, Octavius looked down and said, "You reckon he was one of those Healers?"

Scorpius shrugged and took a step forward when all of a sudden he heard a big crack.

"What was that?" Sami asked, whirling around.

Scorpius looked down, lifting his foot up. "You have got to be kidding me," he moaned.

Blaise knelt down and picked up the broken piece of the blackened skull Scorpius had stepped on. "This man has been dead for over thirty years. The flesh appears to have been burnt straight off of him."

"That's really nice," Scorpius said sarcastically, "may we please get on with it?"

Octavius lead them all around the hole and towards the open space where the door had once stood.

"What's the plan?" Scorpius asked once they were in the corridor.

"We find Xavier."

"Is he here?"

Blaise looked out one of the stormy window, his dark face emotionless. "He is now."

The storm seemed to be put on mute as Goodwin led them into the Restricted Section of the library.

"He seems to know where he's going," Rose whispered to Edgard.

"Who? Goodwin?" Edgard looked at Avanell and Goodwin, walking side by side down the narrow corridor between the whispering bookshelves.

Goodwin stopped them at the very end of the aisle, a dead end, with nothing but a brick wall. He placed his hands on it, looking around.

"What are you doing?" Avanell asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously, her voice loud in the silence.

"I was in Ravenclaw many, many years ago," said Goodwin, running his hand across the bricks, eyes intent. "I came across—" he focused on a single brick, rubbing his thumb against it, "—a book. It talked about Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets. I figured, if Slytherin had one, why not Ravenclaw? Aha! I was right, this is it. You might want to step back."

He pulled out his wand, aimed it at the brick wall, and yelled in a loud, clear, voice, "MAXIMUM BOMBARDOM!" Rose, Edgard, and Avanell all cried out in shock as the brick wall blasted apart, showering them all in debris. When the dust settled, they saw the entrance to a secret stone pathway.

"How in the name of Merlin did you know this was here?" asked Avanell.

Goodwin grinned again, that same grin that made Rose's neck prick uncomfortably. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the archway.

Avanell began walking forward but Rose seized her arm. "Avanell—I don't think we should."

She paused and looked at Rose. "Why not?"

Goodwin smiled reassuringly at her. "Are you okay, Rose?"

"Come on, Rosie. We're almost there," said Avanell, putting a comforting arm around her. "We are this much closer to curing your mother."

"That's your brilliant plan?" Scorpius snarled as they ran down a flight of stairs. The staircase shuddered and began to move and Octavius grabbed the rail and jumped over the side, landing nimbly on a staircase below.

"Yes!" he called up to Scorpius as the young Malfoy leapt over the railing just as nimbly.

Blaise and the others were staked in various points around the school, watchful and aware.

As they neared the grand staircase, the Great Oak doors blasted open, letting in a rush of ferocious wind and rain. Octavius ran down the stairs. "XAVIER!"

"So this is it, huh?" a merciless voice answered.

Octavius came to a dead stop.

"Where are you, Xavier?"

"This is who was sent to stop me," he laughed. "Octavius Greyback!"

"Show yourself, Scipio," Octavius snarled.

"Save your breath, Greyback. I know who you all are, I know what you're doing here. Come to think of it, I know where each and every one of your teammates are positioned at this very moment."

Octavius's face must have been suspicious because he went on, "Blaise Skylark, Astronomy tower. Sami Collins, fourth floor balcony. Hunter, dungeons. Bryson, Room of Requirement. Now tell me, Octavius," said Xavier, stepping out of the shadows near the doors, lightning flashing across the sky behind him, "where is Scorpius?"

"He's right here—" Octavius looked around him, not seeing him. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw he was alone in the Entrance Hall.

"He's gone after her," said Xavier, a smirk on his face, "hasn't he?"

"You think this tunnel leads down to Ravenclaw's secret chamber?" Avanell asked, holding her lit wand high above them as they descended deeper and deeper beneath Hogwarts. Water was trickling somewhere in the distance, and Rose could feel the temperature dropping and the air becoming more moist.

"Where else would it lead?" Goodwin said with a little laugh. "According to Harry Potter, the entrance to Slytherin's chamber is the girls' bathroom. I'd like to think Rowena Ravenclaw was a bit more refined than Slytherin was."

"It could lead somewhere else," said Rose, watching the back of his neck through narrowed eyes.

Goodwin laughed again, wiping his moist forehead, "Yes, it could. Let's hope it doesn't, eh, Rose?"

"Well, I for one, am sick of tunnels," said Edgard. "This is all a big waste of sodding time."

They continued on in silence, and eventually the tunnel narrowed to such a point they had to walk single file.

"I'll scout ahead," said Goodwin, holding his wand higher as he jogged a little ways ahead of them.

"Avanell," Rose said urgently, "tell me more about Goodwin."

"Goodwin?" she repeated, surprised. "He's new to my team. I wasn't planning on asking him to come with us, but when he heard we were looking for Ravenclaw's chamber he thought he could help—"

"I don't trust him."

"Don't trust him? Rose, what are you talking about?"

"You don't find it a little strange he knew exactly where to look?"

Avanell opened her mouth to reply but Goodwin's voice calling back to them cut her off, "I see the end! Merlin's beard! Get a look at this!"

Avanell picked up the pace and Edgard and Rose hurried after her. The sound of roaring water reached their ears and Rose gasped as the end of the tunnel came into view.

"Doesn't this just blow your mind?" Goodwin laughed, holding his arms out in a gesture of amazement. Rose pushed past him, looking out at the underground spring where three waterfalls were pounding down into a bubbling crystal clear pool of water. A huge white marble statue stood tall and erect next to the tunnel, Rowena Ravenclaw's hand reaching towards the mouth of the cave, acting as a way to get down to the floor.

"This is it!" Avanell exclaimed. She threw her arms around Edgard's neck, hugging him in her excitement. "This is it! We've found it!"

Rose took an attentive step forward onto the statue's hand, holding a hand over her eyes against the odd blue glow emitting off the water.

"Is the water of the pool the elixir?" she asked Avanell.

"It must be! Come, come!" said Avanell, taking her hand and leading her quickly yet cautiously down the length of Ravenclaw's arm.

"What're you walking down for?" Goodwin laughed. Taking a running start, he dove off of the statue's hand, causing the three others to cry out in shock as his body arched gracefully towards the center of the pool.

"Is he nutters?" Edgard yelled over the roar of the falls. "We don't even know if too much exposure to the elixir can send your body into shock!"

Goodwin's head broke the surface and they watched him swim over to the bank and climb out.

"He seems okay to me," said Avanell. "Come on. Let's get the vial and go. This place may be beautiful, but it gives me the heebie jeebies."

They climbed down the rest of the statue and Goodwin came to meet them once they were at Ravenclaw's feet.

"That pool works wonders!" he said, stretching out his limbs. "I feel fifty years younger!"

Avanell peered at him. "You look fifty years younger."

He grinned his grin at them. "A man my age likes to be told that."

Rose watched him as he walked back over the pool. "Exactly how old are you?" she called to him.

Avanell, crouching next to the pool with the vial in her hand, looked up at him as well. Edgard, who was examining the strange vegetation growing around them, also looked up.

Goodwin turned around to look at her. "Why do you ask?"

"You said you were in Ravenclaw years ago," said Rose, crossing her arms over her chest and staring him in the eye. "How many years ago?"

Avanell put a stopper on the vial, slipping it back in her belt, still watching them wide-eyed. "Rose…what are you talking about?"

"I don't think Goodwin is who he says he is."

Goodwin grinned. "You're a smart girl, Rose." He laughed, shaking his head. "But you're wrong."

"I don't think I am."

"That's your problem then."

"How did you know where to find this place?"

"What is this, twenty questions?"

"If we're done playing cat and mouse," said Avanell coolly, straightening up and tossing the spare bottle to Edgard who tucked it safely into his pack, "perhaps we should go on?"

Rose shot Goodwin a dirty look as Avanell and Edgard began moving towards the statue again.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Ms. Griffins," Goodwin called to her retreating back.

Avanell turned back, her face shocked, "Excuse me?"

"I haven't answered Rosie's question yet."

Rose casually checked to make sure her wand was still in place as she turned to stare at Goodwin.

"I am over a thousand years old."

Avanell snorted. "Sure you are. Now stop goofing around and come on. We need to find the others—"

"I knew about this place because I assisted Rowena Ravenclaw in building it."

Avanell rolled her eyes. "Stop joking around, Goodwin—"

"Are you sodding mad?" said Edgard. "What the bloody he—"

"The reason I am alive is because of this pool," he explained, gesturing behind him. "It keeps me young. Each time I come to the end of my life I come back to swim in its life giving waters. It makes me young again."

"Why would you want to live forever?" Avanell asked, her expression horrified.

"I am the pool's guardian," he said quickly upon seeing their doubtful faces. "I must protect it from those who would use it for evil—like Scipio Xavier."

"Start talking," Rose snarled, whipping out her wand. "What do you know about Xavier?"

"A few weeks ago his remains were found, yes?" said Goodwin, watching her wand wearily. "They were brought here, and thrown into the pool, and he was made young again—"

"Poppycock!" said Avanell. "The book said the elixir can't bring back the dead!"

Goodwin looked at her in confusion. "What book have you been reading, Avanell? Ravenclaw's scrolls specifically state—"

"I don't believe any of this," said Avanell, shaking her head and moving back towards the statue.

"If that's true," said Rose, "how come you let this happen?"

"I wasn't here," he said sadly. "I am only allowed back at the pool towards the end of my life—"

"Some guardian you turned out to be," she hissed.

"Which is why I must stay this time!" he insisted. "To keep this from happening all over again! I made a mistake! Fifty years ago I left! And if I had—"

"How come no one's heard of you?" Rose asked.

"Because then they would've learned of Ravenclaw's pool," he whispered. "This is why you must not leave. No one can know."

"We won't tell anyone!" Rose snapped. "Who would believe us?"

"That is a chance I will not take."

"We could climb it," Ron suggested to Draco as they looked up at the big iron gates of Hogwarts.

"Why don't we just use that tunnel through the Hog's Head?" said Draco.

"Oh. That's a good idea."

"Did you contact Harry?" Hermione asked Hugo as he wheeled her down the hall.

"Yes, Mum."

"And Lucius Malfoy? Does Lucius know?"

"Yes."

"What about Teddy?"

"Yes, Mum. I told pretty much everyone! Well, I told Granny Weasley, and you know she'll tell everyone."

"Good."

"Why are you so worried?"

"Hugo," said Hermione gently, "you do know we may not survive tonight…don't you?"

"That's not going to happen," he said firmly as he wheeled her in the direction of the fireplace. "I won't let it."

Hermione smiled sadly as she watched him take the pot of floo powder down off the mantelpiece. Throwing it in, he then quickly wheeled her inside and shouted, "Hogwarts Headmaster's Office!"

"Goodwin, please don't do this," Avanell begged as he tied her and Edgard together back-to-back. "We're not going to tell anyone about your pool."

"And the cure?" he asked, snatching the vial from her belt. "When Hermione Weasley is cured of her paralysis, isn't everyone going to question you on where you got such a miraculous potion? Ha!" he uncorked the vial and dumped the contents back into the water. He then threw the glass vial on the smooth marble floor, shattering it to bits. He grabbed Rose by the hair, causing her to give a little whimper of pain as he forced her down in front of Avanell and Edgard and began binding her hands behind her. "I'm sorry," he added after they were bound tightly, "but I cannot jeopardize the lagoon."

"Goodwin," Rose said, tears springing to her eyes, "all I want to do is give my mother her legs back. I don't care about living forever, and neither do Edgard and Avanell. We just want to cure my mum."

Goodwin stared deep into her eyes, his face void of emotion, until finally he sighed. "Do you swear?" he asked quietly.

"I swear," said Rose firmly.

His eyes met hers again, green into brown. Slowly, he nodded.

"We don't have much time," Avanell said as they ran back through the tunnel and eventually reached the Restricted Section once more. Not much could be said as they ran through the corridors and towards the Room of Requirement once more.

"Rose, here," said Avanell once they stood before the ashy room, taking the vial from Edgard and pushing it to her, "take this to your Mum—"

"What about you?" Rose asked, worried.

"I'm going to go find Albus and the others—"

She fell silent as they heard the sound of a sword being drawn. Rose stared over her shoulder, wide eyed.

"Who are you?" Blood asked suspiciously, pointing his sword threateningly at them, blocking the way into the Room of Requirement.

"The same could be asked of you, young man!" Avanell said, drawing her wand. "Step aside before I have to hurt you."

His eyes narrowed into slits and he raised his sword threateningly. "Who are you?" he repeated.

"Edgard MacMillan!" said Edgard, sticking out his hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir! Please do not decapitate my aunt or she will get really upset. Trust me."

"Are you the Healers?" he asked.

Avanell blinked. "What's it to you if we are?"

"Go! You need to go before it's too late," he said urgently, grabbing her wrist and dragging her towards the arch. She yanked her wrist out of his grasp.

"Not without my team," she snarled.

"I will find them," said Blood. "You need to get out while you can."

"Who are you?" Rose asked. "What's going on?"

"Xavier is here—"

"Xavier?" Rose's eyes were wide. "Does that mean Scorpius is here?"

Blood stared at her. "Rose? Are you Rose? You definitely need to leave now. Scorpius wants to make absolute sure you're not here—"

Rose slapped his hands away as he attempted to drag her into the room. "Where is he? Where's Scorpius?"

"I don't know!" Blood said impatiently. "You have to go!"

"Not without Scorpius!" she said, grasping the vial firmly in her hand, holding it protectively to her chest.

"Then just…" an explosion ripped through the air, knocking them all off their feet. Blood, the first one to regain his footing, raised his sword and, blinking rapidly, saw two dark shapes advancing towards them, having blasted through the stone wall. "BLOODY HE—"

"Rose! Run!" Avanell ordered, aiming her wand at Xavier's followers, alongside Edgard and Blood, who sheathed his sword and unsheathed a dagger and his wand.

"I can help!" she said.

"No! Get that cure to Hermione!"

Rose cried out with frustration but did as Avanell asked. She ran down the length of the corridor, away from the sounds of the battle, and barreled headlong into another stranger, who grinned evilly and chuckled.

Rose, barely wasting a second, stomped down on his toes, brought her fist up sharply under his chin, and then kicked him in the shin, causing him to collapse onto the ground, stunned and in pain.

"I am not in the mood!" she told him. She hurried over to one of the windows and yanked it open, immediately being smacked in the face by the icy rain. She slipped the vial into the waistband of her jeans and climbed out onto the wide ledge. Holding on tightly to the side of the wall, the rain pounding down on her, Rose hurried along the ledge, her eyes fixed on the stone bridge leading to the other side of the castle from the outside.

"Worst. Day. Ever."

Taking a deep breath, Scorpius pushed open the doors leading out onto the stone bridge, the rain immediately pelting down on him. He ran through it, out onto the bridge and in the direction of the Room of Requirement, trying in vain to ignore the sounds of battling going on all around him.

All he could think about was finding Rose and getting her to safety.

He could barely see through the downpour, and the water churning angrily below him in the gorge seemed to be boiling threateningly. He stumbled blindly down the bridge, the only thing keeping him in the right direction was the huge castle hanging ominously over him.

And then he felt a small body collide into him, sending him sprawling on his back.

"Get off of me!" a voice screamed, kicking and thrashing at him. He felt a fist connect with his jaw.

"OUCH!" he roared, grabbing his attacker's wrist. He blinked through the rain. "Rose-?"

SMACK!

Her free hand left a stinging mark on his cheek.

He quickly grabbed her wet face in his hands. "Rose! It's me! It's Scorpius!"

"S-S-Scorpius?" her eyes were wide and unbelieving as she stared down at him through the rain.

Miraculously, he found the strength to smile, despite the battle going on all around them. "Hey, Rosie."

"Oh God," she whispered, taking his face in her hands. "It's you. You're alive."

It was silent for a moment, both of them gazing awestruck at the other. But then…

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" they both demanded at the exact same time.

"How worried you've been?" Rose snapped. "I'm not the one who decided to go skipping around the world with my grandmother's killer!"

"Well I'm not the one who decided to walk right into a sodding war!" Scorpius snarled.

"Oh, so all this is my fault!"

"I didn't say that!"

"Don't make me out as the bad guy, Scorpius Malf—"

He suddenly leaned forward and kissed her fiercely. Rose's eyes immediately fluttered closed as she returned the kiss deeply, her hands tangling themselves in his wet hair, the rain as merciless as ever but neither caring. Then Rose pulled back, pressing her forehead against his. She reached for the vial tucked into the waistband of her jeans and showed him. "I need to get this to my mother."

Long Chapter. And it was written at 12:19 am. Why is it I always find myself writing in the dead of night? That can't be healthy :/

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