More answers heading your way, people! Back to the castle in the North we go!
One Month Prior
Hog's Castle, Enchanted Forest
Rachel stared at the old man sitting in his chair in front of them, smiling in a very peculiar way at her surprise.
"What do you mean I've already found my family?" she asked.
"Well, you found Prince David, did you not?" Ollivander asked. "There's your family."
"You just said that only poor people left their children with you", Catriona protested, "and now you're claiming that Rachel's somehow related to a prince?"
"Oh, but he wasn't always a prince, now was he?" Ollivander said, his pale silvery eyes still stuck on Rachel. Her own eyes widened in realization and she turned back towards the table, slumping down on one of the chairs surrounding it.
"What is it?" Tessa asked, grabbing her arm. "What does he mean?"
"David's... not a prince by blood", Rachel eventually managed to answer. "His parents were poor and he was raised as a shepherd, and then when he was a man grown... he found out that he had a brother, a twin, who had been adopted by a barren king and queen, and this brother died... David replaced him to save his family."
Absentmindedly she put her wand down on the cowhide.
"No, don't!"
Ollivander had risen and, with a movement so fast it should have been impossible for an old man, grabbed his wand and shot a spell at her own, sending it flying back through the room.
"What the..." Chris begun.
"Do not place your wands on the hide", Ollivander ordered as he marched back down the stairs to the table.
"What happens if we do?" Ella asked with a frown. The old man turned to look at her.
"The hide is enchanted", he responded, "with an enchantment that can only be activated by your wands. Place your wands in the right spot within the star's lines and you will have access to pure light magic."
"Is that how we're going to defeat the Wicked Witch?" Filipi asked.
"It can aid you, yes, but it will not be enough. Your wands are built for both light and dark magic. The enchantment in this object will strengthen the light, but to defeat Zelena you need a person capable of only wielding light magic. Someone who was born out of True Love."
"Emma Swan", Clarissa said, causing the others to turn towards her. "She's the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming; a product of True Love. And they call her the Saviour."
"Well, trouble is she's back in another world", Rowan pointed out. "The Queen said that all portals closed after we got here."
Ollivander chuckled.
"Ah, it sounds like you have had quite some company during your stay here."
"These symbols", Rachel interrupted and traced the outlines of a rearing horse, "what do they mean? Why are they on the hide as well?"
"Why, they are the symbols of your connections", Ollivander answered, "the person in this world that you will feel bound to, who is a reason why you were brought back here to help in this time of need."
He paused.
"When activating the spell, all wands must be placed in their designated places; inside the star point pointing at your connection's symbol. Get it wrong and you might cause something worse to happen."
"So, in fact, Rachel was not in danger of causing anything to happen", Toby pointed out. "In fact we could all place our wands there and nothing would happen since there's one person missing. We cannot use the hide at all."
Ollivander looked up with a frown.
"One person missing?" he asked.
"Wolfgang", Filipi said, pursing her mouth in annoyance. "The traitor."
"No, no, none of you is a traitor", the old man said.
"Well, seems like you were wrong about that", Maryse said and crossed her arms over her chest. "He sided with a damn pirate, knocked Fili unconscious and fled out onto the sea onboard the Jolly Roger."
"Ah", Ollivander said, realization dawning in his eyes, "the Runner."
"The what?" Tessa asked with a frown. The old man waved his hand at her.
"Nothing that should be discussed now. In fact we should all be getting to sleep; night has long since fallen upon us and you have had a long journey here. There is a large bedroom on the seventh floor; Godric managed to finish it before he was forced to leave with his family."
"Godric?" Indira asked, voicing everyone's surprise. "As in Godric Gryffindor?"
Ollivander paused.
"That is a good name", he admitted, "though I must admit I never knew if it was his full one. He was a good lad, though; a bit stubborn and with a tendency of making some reckless decisions, but once he set his mind on something he made sure to finish whatever quest he was on. Now, that's enough stories for tonight; off you go!"
After such an eventful evening no one was able to get much sleep in the room on the seventh floor, which was decorated in red and gold; the traditional Gryffindor colours. This resulted in all of them stumbling down the stairs the next morning, rubbing their eyes and yawning. Jade had to be partially dragged down by Maryse.
However, when they neared the doors to the Great Hall their tiredness seemed to vanish.
"Who the bloody hell do you think you are?" a voice yelled. "You have no right to force me to come here, no..."
Before anyone could stop her, Filipi slammed the doors to the room open and marched inside. The Hall had changed since last night; fifteen chairs had now been placed out in a half-circle in front of the dais, where Ollivander was sitting in his chair with a long table in front of him. On this new table were fifteen wooden boxes, tilted slightly so that they could see the white velvet covering the inside of them. Each box also held a symbol, the same symbols that had been drawn on the cowhide, which was still on the circular table closer to the wall but now rolled up and bound with a sturdy rope.
In front of Ollivander stood a young man, his dark hair wild and the top buttons of his shirt open, revealing a chest tanned by a life in the sun. Two daggers were attached to his belt, scabbards adorned with onyxes. He spun around at the sound of the door bursting open and visibly paled.
"You!" Filipi growled and marched forward, producing her wand. "You... you traitor!"
She raised her arm, but Ollivander flicked his own weapon and caused her wand to soar up into the air, before landing in one of the boxes.
"No duelling in this hall", he sharply remarked.
"What is he even doing here?" Maryse spat out.
"Yeah, shouldn't he be off doing pirate-things?" Jade agreed.
"Sit down", Ollivander ordered, his silvery eyes glimmering dangerously. "Time is of the essence and there is still much you need to know."
"Not with him around", Chris muttered.
"Well, Toby did point out that in order for the hide to work we need all fifteen", Indira said. "As much as I hate to admit it, we need him."
"Indira's right", Toby sighed.
"We need his wand, not him", Clarissa growled.
"I don't think it's that simple", Miranda pointed out. The others glared at her and then at Wolfgang, who had sat down on a chair by the end of the line. Tessa was the first to march up to him.
"Do not think for a moment that you're forgiven", she hissed, before sitting down on the chair next to him.
One by one the others also sat down and Ollivander rose.
"Now, I'm going to need your wands."
Before they could respond he flicked his own, causing all of theirs to soar up and land in the boxes on the table.
"Each box contains a wand", the old man said, "each one unique, just like you all are, and providing a link between you and someone else in this land. In order to understand who they are, you must all also understand who you are."
He leaned against the table, allowing his gaze to wander from box to box.
"Each wand contains a core of a magical beast; feather from a phoenix, hair from a unicorn, or heartstring from a dragon. The cores all symbolize certain traits, traits that are either fought or confirmed by the wood the wand is made of."
He paused before continuing.
"I used twelve types of wood for your wands, each with its own magical properties. Some could be picked right outside my door, others I had to travel far to find. Seeing you all here today, though, makes me believe that it was all worth it."
He sat down with a deep sigh and closed his eyes momentarily. In that moment it became very apparent just how old this man was; ancient, he seemed, and his exile was slowly draining him of life.
"I will tell you all your stories", he eventually said, "your pasts and the meaning of your wands. I will tell you the prophetic names of yourselves and your connections, decided by me upon your arrival here or already decided by fate, and this should also lead you to understand who your connections are. But if I do this you must all promise me one thing."
He leaned forward, his silver eyes gleaming as he spoke.
"Magic like this is dangerous. Activating the enchantment in the hide will come at a high price, one that you must all be prepared to pay when that day comes. Only if you promise me that, I am able to tell you what you need to know."
Alright, that's it for today. Should warn you that next chapter is very long and is basically a monologue by Ollivander explaining some background things, but don't skip it!