Epilogue
Richard got the children back to the Common Room just as the parents were arriving. Leia and Wilf were still in their goblin clothes. Richard was a bit surprised that the other adults were so accepting of them going on an "unofficial field trip," as he described it, but no one was upset or asked him any questions, other than the general ones about how well the children behaved.
Once everyone had left, he sank back down into his chair, and looked around the now empty room. His wand was lying on the table next to the crumb-covered biscuit plate and the battered chess knight and scarred Gobstone. A small box, a bit larger than his hand was also on the table. He opened it, and a small disco mirror ball rose up, and a familiar song played: "We'll have this night for romance, so dance, dance…." Richard slammed it shut.
Got to get to work, he thought grimly, remembering the vomit-filled anti-gravity room. He put his hand on the panel, lighting the inside, and saw that it was spotless. Even the toys were clean and neatly stacked, with the Major Tom action figure standing on top of the pile.
He went to Healer Smyth's office. She wasn't there, but the landscape painting of the Labyrinth was. The view was from the sea side, with the hedges blooming in their glorious eye-sore colors.
Alice and Frank were asleep, so he decided to wait until they were awake to hang the painting, and left it and the music box with the night nurse. He picked one of the hospital's familiar owls to send a message to Bill Weasley, requesting an appointment for the next day, and went to bed.
After a late breakfast, he went to the Ministry of Magic. Bill was waiting for him and after a few pleasantries, took the receipt and approved the reimbursement. "So how was your visit to The Underground?" he asked.
"It was unexpected to say the least," Richard replied. "I'm not sure what to make of it." He paused for a moment, and then asked, "What would have happened if I'd failed?"
The other wizard chuckled. "All of you would have returned. Jareth isn't about to start a war by turning wizard children into his version of goblins."
"He turns children into goblins?" Richard asked, incredulous.
"Don't worry about it," Bill replied. "Professor Kirke will probably be contacting you today or tomorrow to interview you for the next edition of his book. You can turn him down if you want." He leaned back in his chair and grinned. "So what type of ball did you have?"
Richard had to think to remember. "It was a masque ball. Just like the New Year's one." He studied Bill for a moment. "And what type of ball did you have?" he hesitantly asked back.
"A snow ball," Bill said with a laugh. "It ended with an avalanche sliding into the lake. Broken ice was everywhere, and people were falling into the water." He chuckled. "Running the Labyrinth was fun, and Fred and George—they were babies, had just started walking—they had a great time with the goblins, but Mum never allowed me to baby-sit them again."
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