Previously:
A sandstorm rages in front of them and fills the horizon. Taylor looks at it hard. "They found us."
---
Naomi nods. "So, what's the password?"
The gargoyle springs suddenly to life and hops aside as the wall behind him splits in two. Behind the wall is a spiral staircase that is moving upwards, like an escalator.
Episode Eighty-Three
"Riders on the Storm"
Pizoku grips onto the base of one of the Archive consoles to keep from tumbling back into the wall again. He looks up at Neah and Taylor with a slight sense of jealousy that they don't seem to be as effected by the buffeting of the ship as the rest of them.
"What is that?" Naoki calls out as the vessel shudders again. Sparks fall down from the ceiling.
"A Bringer," Jilan replies from where she still manages to stand. She braces Reese when he stumbles back a bit.
"Shields are down to 47," Ma'at calls out.
Ashlee winces as smoke shoots out of the wall behind her. "Don't you have weapons of any sort?"
"And what would you recommend we fire at?" Thoth calls back at her as he attempts to keep the ship ascending.
"The dude!" Ashlee yells back. She points out the window. "The Niner!"
Sparks fly from the front as an energy charge strikes the ship again. "Targeting systems are nonfunctional," Ma'at calls out.
Ashlee smacks the wall behind her. "Well shi-"
"You two better brace yourselves," Reese says to Pizoku and Naoki as they cling to the wall.
"Are we gonna crash?" Pizoku asks. He doesn't like the increase in the shaking. Reese doesn't answer.
"Shields are down!" Ma'at calls out louder than before.
"Taylor, do something!" Ashlee yells at the boy.
Taylor looks as if he's focusing hard on something and it's straining him. "This one's stronger."
"He's aware of us," Neah replies. "That's why."
The Ship lurches suddenly as another bolt of lightning makes contact with the unshielded ship. The front explodes.
"Thoth!" Ma'at cries out as his body hits the floor behind her.
Neah jumps to the controls as Ma'at moves to Thoth's fallen form. Jilan turns to the others behind her. "We're going down!"
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts
"Wow," Naomi gasps as they walk into the large and beautiful circular room.
"Wow." It holds a life of its own and is filled with magic and objects of mystery. Naomi can hear noises coming from a top some spindle-legged tables. Something is whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke that drift lazily into the air and then dissipate.
"Wow." The walls are covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom snooze gently in their frames. Some occasionally snore. There is also an enormous claw-footed desk.
Naomi turns when she hears a sniffle. Ally is looking around the room with wide shiny eyes. "I've never been so happy in my life."
Naomi looks up and realizes that a few of the portraits are only pretending to be asleep. "We've been noticed."
"Fawkes!" Naomi jumps as Ally bounds towards a golden perch that stands behind the door. On it sits a crimson bird the size of a swan. It has a glittering golden tail, gleaming golden talons, a long, sharp golden beak and beady black eyes. It is Fawkes the Phoenix. "Oh how glorious it is to meet you!" She then hides her face in her paws.
Naomi looks at the cat in shock. "Are you crying?"
"I'm just so happy," Ally sniffles into her paws.
Naomi rolls her eyes and walks closer to Fawkes. "My name is Naomi," She says to the Phoenix. "This is Ally and we need help in finding a way home. Do you know when Dumbledore will return?"
"Right about this moment in time it would seem." Naomi and Ally whirl around and gasp.
To Be Continued.
