Chapter 15 – The Roman Coliseum:
Knowing that no matter how they travel, Lily and Eddie know that they are somehow being tracked by Puckles. So, they decide that the faster they get to the Roman Coliseum, the better it will be for Jane's safety. They decided to take a Muggle plane to Italy and then go to the Coliseum by Muggle taxi.
While on their travels, Eddie asked Lily as to whether the Roman Coliseum has magical properties like King Tut's tomb and the Taj Mahal, or all Muggle like the Statue of Liberty and the Blarney Stone.
"I admit, Ed, that there has been much debate over the Roman Coliseum. Most of the Emperors, including Caesar and Marcus Aurelius were all Muggles. It is also argued that the so-called 'gods' were just mischievous and power hungry witches and wizards who used their powers to take advantage of Muggles." Lily explained knowingly. "However, it has also been suggested that low key, humble witches and wizards, unlike the power hungry ones, quietly worked on the Coliseum, using their powers to do things that no Muggle could do. I suppose that is why it is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World."
After landing, Lily immediately purchased a Muggle camera and sunglasses for both her and Eddie. They presented themselves as tourists in order to get into the Coliseum, but hid under the Invisibility Cloak until dark, after everything closed. They wanted to hide out until nightfall so to make sure that there were no Muggle casualties. Also, Lily suspected that they needed to be alone in the Coliseum.
While waiting, Eddie fell asleep, leaning against Lily's shoulder, while hiding under the cloak in one of the Coliseum's many stone seats. Lily, using her Auror skills, stayed up and kept guard, so to speak. While waiting and staring up at the night sky, Lily nudged Eddie awake and he immediately saw that it is a clear, starry night sky. It was absolutely beautiful. He looked around to see Lily staring at the middle of the Coliseum. Though, he knew she was staring in vein, as there was nothing but sand.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing. I'm just waiting."
"For that bloody owl?
"Maybe…" said Lily, her voice trailing off. Her eyes were narrowed, as though she were deep in thought as she stared off into the middle of the giant stone stadium.
"You suspect something, don't you?" asked Eddie knowingly. Lily had that well-known suspicious, curious, yet somehow unreadable look on her face. "You know something is going to happen and it's not going to have anything to do with that bloody black owl, does it?"
"The kidnappers are getting sloppy," answered Lily, never taking her eyes off of the middle of the Coliseum. "The meetings at the Statue of Liberty and the tomb of King Tut were timed so perfectly and were carefully and thoughtfully planned. That incident at the Taj Mahal was nothing but a bloody mess. I think we're solving these so-called riddles way faster than they expected or planned."
"Do you think we're scaring them in anyway?" asked Eddie, nudging Lily playfully with his elbow and winking. Lily shot him a quick dirty look and turned back to the sand of the Coliseum.
"This is no time for jokes, Ed," said Lily, her voice cold and serious. There was a long pause that consisted of the two of them just sitting down and watching the silent sand on the floor. Finally, Lily broke the silence by sighing and leaning her elbows on her knees and putting her head between her knees. Immediately concerned, Eddie looked over at her and began gently rubbing her back.
"Lily, are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked urgently.
"This is serious, Ed," Lily whispered, though more to the floor than to him. "We could die…"
"Lily…"
"Ed, just shut-up and listen to me for a bloody second," she hissed, quickly lifting her head up and looking at him square in the eye. There was a fire in her eyes that he had not seen in a long time. "These people mean business. They want the Stone of Merlin and they've gone to unbelievable lengths to get it; hunting you down, stalking you, kidnapping Jane, and setting all of these traps for us. It wouldn't surprise me if they tried to kill me in order to get the Stone-"
Without another word, Eddie turned sharply towards Lily and grasped ahold oh her hand clasped on tightly and reassuringly. "That won't happen!"
"You can't prevent it…you can't stop it," whispered Lily, shaking her head and pulling her hand away from his grasp. "For all you know, these kidnappers have a complete army behind them. We're good, Ed, but we're not that good."
"Why don't you send for back-up?"
"I have," said Lily, nodding. "I did this morning before we left to come for Rome. But, who knows if they'll be here in time? I also suspect that the kidnappers planned for me to call for back-up and may or may have sent reinforcements to stop them."
"Lily, you don't have to worry," said Eddie, still sounding firm and still looking right at her, hardly blinking. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"Ed, you need to stop thinking about protecting me and start working worrying about protecting your fiancé," said Lily, harshly. Eddie cringed at the tone in her voice. He was now beginning to fully appreciate the severity of the situation. Judging by her tone and defensive attitude, he knew that she was beginning to inwardly panic. He did not know what to think anymore; all he wanted to do was relay his feelings towards Lily but knew it was not the appropriate time or place. But that did not stop him from whispering, in a gentle, soothing tone that said everything that he wanted to say, but could not at that moment.
"Lily…"
At that moment there was a loud, red firework that shot from the middle of the Coliseum. Lily and Eddie both jumped and stared off to where the red fireworks came from. Standing in the middle of the Coliseum was a lone, dark, figure, clearly a witch or wizard, as they had their wand pointed straight up in the sky. It was obvious that this witch or wizard had sent off the red sparks.
"It's time," whispered Lily, standing up and grabbing a hold of Eddie's hand, which completely shocked him. "Let's do this."
Without another word, Lily had Apparated them to the middle of the Coliseum.
When Lily and Eddie appeared in the middle of the Coliseum, it was rather dark and it took time for both of their eyes to adjust. It did not take long before they realized that a grinning Orpheum Puckles was standing before them.
"Well, Miss Potter, Mr. Weasley," he said in an oily voice. "How delightful to see you again!"
"The feeling is mutual," said Lily in a deadpan, sarcastic voice.
"Miss Potter, you're reputation precedes you!" said Puckles, now sounding just as sarcastic and cold as Lily. "You've proven your intelligence and your ability to be so delightful!"
"Intelligent to the point where you haven't been able to keep up?" asked Lily coolly as she crossed her arms across her chest. With a look of fury, Puckles raised his wand and pointed at the two. Eddie flinched, ready to pull out his own wand. But, at the corner of his eye, he noticed that Lily had not moved or lost her cool. In fact, she still stood there smiling, unflinching, and remained with her arms across her chest.
"You better watch yourself, Potter," he snarled. He was so infuriated that sparks began to shoot out of his wand. "You wouldn't want me to hurt your best buddy's pretty little fiancé now, would you?" With those words, Eddie gasped and grasped tightly on to Lily's forearm, as though warning for her to stop instigating Puckles. Puckles must have noticed the contact because he smirked and eyed Lily maliciously. "Or maybe you do?"
Those words must have struck a cord in Lily's spine because she was no longer relaxed; her jaw was twitching, but managed to keep her cool, though an icy, burning emerald fire was blazing in her eyes.
"We've followed all of your clues," started Lily, trying to sound intimidating, yet, somehow professional, but her voice was shaking with an intense emotional anger. No doubt from Puckles' previous comment, but she was trying to control her temper. Eddie was so frightened that he found that he could not breathe. "We've played your bloody game. We did everything you wanted…now give us what we want. We want Jane."
"Patience, Potter…patience…" said Puckles condescendingly. His tone frightened Eddie even more so. The scary thing was though, that he was not sure if he was more scared for Jane or for Lily. He was here, was he not? He was here to get Jane back. Surely, that had to mean something? But then why did he find himself moving closer and closer Lily, to make sure Puckles and his wand did not try anything funny.
"Before you can see the pretty little Miss Anderson, there's one more clue to figure out my dear," said Puckles, not beginning to advance on the pair of them. Eddie clenched Lily's forearm even tighter and took two steps backward, dragging him with her. His stomach started doing unpleasant knots at the way Puckles eyes hungrily stared at Lily, focusing heavily on her chest area. A tiger in Eddie's stomach woke up and immediately came to the defense.
"You keep your filthy eyes in check, Puckles," hissed Eddie venomously; his words dripping like a deadly poison. Lily never took her eyes off of Puckles; her training as an Auror would never allow it. But one could see that she was clearly startled by his angry outburst.
Puckles, however, looked at Eddie warily. "Don't you worry, Weasley," he snapped impatiently. "Potter isn't exactly my type!"
"The riddle?" Lily shouted out in frustration, gaining both men's attention. Puckles jumped, and turned and glared back at Lily.
"Ah yes…it's a simple one really…what do these riddles all have in common?" he asked, almost teasingly.
"They're all famous landmarks," said Lily, as though it were the most obvious answer in the world; as though Puckles was an idiot for even trying to suggest that that question even came close to a riddle.
"Oh, obviously, Potter," said Puckles, "but there's more to them than that." Without another word, he snapped his fingers and thick cords burst out of his wand, wrapping themselves around Lily and Eddie tightly so that they were back to back. Lily gasped and Eddie screamed. Too busy being distracted over the cords, Puckles manages to shout "Expelliarmus!" disarming both Lily and Eddie.
"Bloody hell!" Lily screamed in frustration, struggling and fighting against the binding cords.
"You should always be on your guard, Potter," said Puckles, laughing menacingly. "Didn't they teach you that in Auror school?"
"Bite me!"
"Now, that's not very ladylike," said Puckles, wagging his finger at her as though a child. "Isn't it in the nature of a veela to be ladylike?" Lily's face was going bright red with anger over being confined as she fought desperately against the binds. Eddie wanted to tell her to stop; to calm down, but it was no use.
Finally, in frustration, Lily shouted, "You want the Stone!"
With those words, Puckles stopped taunting Lily and Eddie and stared blankly at Lily before she continued her furious rant. "You want the bloody Stone of Merlin. It doesn't take a bloody genius to figure it out, Puckles! Your game was stupid and pathetic and a complete waste of time!"
"A complete waste of time?" asked Puckles in a deadly, cold voice, slowly circling around the pair of them before advancing on Lily. The look in his eyes were so cold, so hostile that he began struggling against the binds, frightened of what he might do to his best friend.
"A complete waste of time, Potter?" he repeated with venom dripping his voice. Eddie could not see him, but he could imagine green drips of venom coming down his chin, probably resembling a Basilisk. "You're here, aren't you? I have you under my complete control, don't I? I hardly consider it a complete waste of time…"
Lily, being Lily, would not allow herself to be intimidated and fought right back. "You may have me, Puckles, but you'll never have the Stone. Only the Heirs of Merlin have the power to control the Stone and other than me, the line is dead! Tom Riddle and Nymphadora Tonks died during the War!"
"You're right, Potter," said Puckles, narrowing his eyes. A creepy smile now formed on his lips as he took three steps back. He briskly looked at the watch on his wrist and his smirk widened, making it creepier; Lily tried not to show it, but it sent cold shivers down her spine.
"How long would you say we've been here, Potter?" asked Puckles, looking up from his watch at Lily's face, the venom and contempt returning to his features. "About an hour?"
"What the hell difference does that make?" snapped Lily. Eddie could not help but wonder the same exact thing.
"Oh, it makes all of the difference…." He said his voice trailing off. Still grinning, he took a step back before circling around the pair of them again and standing so they both could see him. Eddie wanted to ask Lily what was going on but he doubt she knew any better than he did. Puckles merely stood there for several minutes in complete silence and ignoring Lily's demands to know what was happening and what he was doing.
Finally out of nowhere, Lily was immediately silenced. Not because of Puckles putting a Silencing Charm on her or threatened her. It was because Puckle's long, greasy blonde hair was getting shorter and darker, his eyes were getting wider and lighter, his acne infested face was clearly at an alarming rate and the fine lines were becoming smoother and more youthful looking. His long pointed nose remained pointed, but grew smaller. Puckles was also suddenly growing taller and thinner; the hump on his back slowly getting going away. His hips got wider, his waist got smaller, and his neck got longer. Puckles' body was slowly but surely resembling the shape of a woman.
It did not take long before an actual woman was standing where Puckles had been standing only mere moments before. She was tall and thin; had short brown hair, big sparkling blue eyes, and a pointed nose. Lily had never seen this woman in her life but Eddie must have recognized her because he shouted out in shocked breathless voice, "JANE?!"
Another chapter! Please enjoy!