Masek

Imogen had been with the clan for three days. Sabina instructed Valda to clean out a small wagon for her. Valda, in fact, had been the one to get her fresh clothes, fix her hair (evening out her haphazardly choppy cut), and ensured Imogen had anything else she needed. Valda seemed to take her on as a sort of pet, coming in each morning to brush her hair and get her ready, even though Imogen told her she could take care of it herself.

"I alvays vanted a daughter," Valda said.

She seemed too young to say such a thing with so much regret. Besides, she was more the age to look at Imogen as a younger sister rather than a daughter, but Imogen appreciated the affection. "I'm sure you'll have one someday."

"No," Valda said sadly. "I vas married once, but he did not love me as he should have. And now I cannot have children."

Imogen looked at her through the mirror. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said. Valda craned her head around, giving Imogen a kiss on the cheek.

"Your hair is perfect," Valda declared, using a wand to create a crown of baby's breath and setting it atop Imogen's head.

Imogen's days seemed almost empty. Children littered the clan, pulling her in various directions. Usually Hal and Harper joined. "Come ride ze bike," a small girl named Gabe requested, pulling on Imogen's arm.

Harper brought along a bowl of porridge for Imogen as they went into the empty field the children played in. Imogen had never seen a bicycle until her first morning here. Harper showed her how to use the rusty contraption that everyone shared, riding in circles in the grass. She liked it better than riding a broom. It seemed more solid somehow, even if it did take more physical exertion to operate. Imogen got onto the bike, Gabe sitting on the handles, and started to ride as the young girl squealed. Other children chased after them.

Imogen had never been surrounded by so many children and she found out she loved it. Most of the Weasleys had children her own age, except for George and Angelina, whose oldest was seven. Here, they crowded her, vying for her attention and turns on the bike. Hal said they'd get over it. She was new and they liked new people, but it wouldn't last. Gabe got off and others took turns, one after another.

"Alright, alright, I'm worn out!" Imogen said when they started to argue who was first for a second round of rides. She stepped off the bike, collapsing into the grass, playing dead. Several of the kids gathered around, poking at her and chattering on in English and their own language, which Imogen didn't understand.

"Back off her, you little rodents," Hal shouted at them.

The kids scattered and Imogen propped herself up on her elbows, watching them run across the field to begin another game. "Why would you say that?" she asked, turning towards Hal.

"They'll hardly remember I said anything in an hour," Hal said.

Imogen rolled her eyes, stood, and walked towards them. Harper handed Imogen the porridge. It was cold now, but Imogen ate it anyway. Valda would probably have made something delicious for lunch.

Harper rubbed her hands together. It was a strange tick of hers. Imogen noticed on that first morning the angry red scars across the palms of Harper's hands—a long stripe cut in a diagonal on each side. When her hands weren't busy, she would sometimes rub at them or scratch her palms.

"What happened to your hands?" Imogen asked between bites.

Harper hesitated and had just opened her mouth when Hal jumped in. "Harper doesn't like talking about it." Harper shut her mouth and looked down. Hal put an arm around her and whispered something in her ear. Harper nodded.

Hal had the ability to irritate Imogen the way no one else had ever been able to. She swallowed back a comment about letting his sister speak for herself. Maybe it was a hard topic for Harper, like talking about losing her parents had always been a difficult topic for Imogen. "Sorry," she said instead. Harper gave her a small, grateful smile.

"Sabina is starting lessons with you today, right?" Hal asked.

"Not until the afternoon," Imogen said with a sigh.

"Look, it's back," Harper said, pointing towards the edge of the woods. There, along the line of trees, was the brightest white horse Imogen had ever seen. It peeked through the trees, eating the grass on the edge of the field. The children had noticed. Instead of running after it the way Imogen expected, they all quietly edged around until they were across the field. They all watched him eat, pointing and speaking to each other quietly. "It's mixed breed. Half unicorn."

"I didn't know that was possible," Imogen said.

"It's really really rare. And they always end up travelling alone. They have some magical properties of unicorns, but their usually rejected from the unicorn herds," Harper said.

Imogen had a feeling, like a tugging from the middle of her stomach. She set down the now empty bowl. In a steady stride, she walked towards the horse. It lifted its head, looking right at her.

"It won't stay!" Hal yelled. "It always runs off."

The horse maintained eye contact, its white coat glowing in the mid morning light. It threw its head as Imogen came closer and she stopped. Still the horse watched her. She was ten yards away or so. She lifted her right hand, holding it out palm down and looked at the creature. Its eyes were dark, black like the darkest night with just one speck of brightness. It whinnied, then trotted towards her. A foot apart now, Imogen tilted her head, trying to figure out exactly what the horse wanted. There was a strange feeling like the horse knew she would understand it. He threw back his head again and Imogen stepped forward, arm still in front of her. She touched his muzzle and immediately golden sparks emitted from her hand. The horse nuzzled into it and Imogen smiled. "You are lovely," she said, stepping in closer.

"How did you do that?" Harper asked, walking up behind. Hal was another several yards beyond her, keeping his distance. "I've tried to approach him dozens of times and he never let me get anywhere near him."

"I think he wanted me to," Imogen said, unable to make sense of how she knew that. "He's lonely."

The horse dropped to his front knees and Imogen looked back at Harper.

"He'll just throw you off," Hal warned. Imogen didn't listen as she climbed onto the horse's back. Rather than standing, he waited.

"I think he wants you to come too," Imogen told Harper.

"No way," Hal said, stepping forward. The horse gave a huff and he stopped. Harper was walking forward, though. "Harper, don't you dare."

"Come on, Hal, let her have a little fun," Imogen said. Harper seemed torn, but closed the distance, straddling the horse behind Imogen, wrapping her arms around Imogen's middle to hold on.

"Fine, then I'm coming, too," Hal said. But as soon as he started walking towards them, the horse got to his feet and trotted off in the opposite direction. "Get back here! Imogen, make him come back!"

"I'm not steering," she called behind were getting farther away as Hal cursed at the horse and Imogen. Harper seemed entirely unperturbed, leaning forward and laughing in delight. "He's going to think I did that on purpose."

"Oh, who cares," Harper said. "I have tried to get this horse to stay since we got here! How did you do it?"

"No idea," Imogen answered as the horse trotted along. "You don't think he's going to take us too far, do you?"

"Guess we'll find out." Harper was delighted by this adventure and the horse seemed to take that as a good sign, clomping along happily.

"When did you and Hal come here?"

"Nearly five years ago," Harper answered.

"From Scotland?"

"No," Harper said. "We were travelling on the trains for awhile before that."

"Do you miss Scotland?"

"Sometimes. Do you miss Australia?"

"I miss people from Australia," Imogen said. They were silent for the next several minutes. Imogen realized she never did respond to Dakota's letter. "Can you get or send owls here?" She hadn't seen any among the clan. She wondered if anyone had tried to send an owl with Peregrine.

"In some clans you can. Sabina doesn't allow it," Harper said. "She doesn't trust wizards, and that's how wizards get in touch with each other. She says that's what we have the calls for."

That made sense. Besides, Imogen didn't know what she'd say if she sent an owl. Maybe she shouldn't even go back directly to the Potter's house. Maybe she should just show up at King's Cross on the first and go back to Hogwarts on her own. She still had a little money that she could order books with once she was there. She would see the Potters on the platform, of course. Maybe that would be a better place to explain herself. Even thinking of her next conversation with them worried her. Ginny's expression when Imogen was found with Lorcan came to mind. If Ginny had been that angry then, Imogen could only imagine the ire she had conjured now.

"Speaking of calls," Imogen said, looking around. Just like when Hal brought her here in the first place, the woods looked the same in every direction. "You can make a call for us to get back after this right?"

Harper didn't reply right away. "I can't," she said. "Ever since… the cuts…"

Imogen didn't look back at her, but she understood. The scars. Whatever happened ended Harper's ability to use her gift. "That's alright, we'll figure it out," Imogen said.

"He's taking us to the graveyard!" Harper said, sitting up straighter. "This is where everyone from this clan has been buried for the last two hundred years."

"Our grandparents?"

The horse, as though to answer, picked up speed, weaving in and out of trees, between large stone and wooden markers. Ivy grew up on the slabs and symbols glowed even on the oldest graves. There were some plots that had wild berries growing on them, others covered with tangles of flowers. The horse stopped and Imogen looked on the left, then the right. The name Gramae was engraved into a stone. The horse pawed at the ground, throwing his head up and down.

Imogen reached behind her, giving Harper a hand to help her down before following. The two of them sat in front of the stone together. Two names were listed: Ilona and Steponas. It seemed odd compared to other graveyards she had seen. Rather than a full date, only the month and year were listed for both of their births and deaths. She looked at other headstones nearby. All of them were the same. Harper started to sing. Her voice was clear and pretty, though Imogen didn't know the song. She reached out, tracing the characters with the tip of her finger.

"They both died the same month," Imogen said.

Harper stopped singing. Imogen looked over to her and she nodded. "Sabina told us it was a fire. Our grandmama was casting, trying to stop it. But it was a magical fire. Grandpapa tried to get her out, but they both ended up stuck in flames."

Imogen looked at the year. Ten years before she was born. She tried to do some math and figuring, guessing at how old her father was when he died. Her mental image of him couldn't be trusted, but Godfrey didn't usually take anyone older than fifteen. If Frederick Dahl sold her father, he may have been eleven when he arrived in Australia. Did his parents know he was gone? Did they miss him? She thought inexplicably of Harry and Ginny at this. Of course, this was different. Harry and Ginny had three children of their own. And she left them a note. She would be back, if they would have her. Her father never returned.

Leaning against Harper's shoulder, Imogen shed quiet tears for the grandparents she never knew. Harper looped her elbow around Imogen's and started singing her song again.

The water is wide, I cannot get o'er
Neither have I wing to fly
Give me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row, my love I

Harper continued verse after verse. Imogen noticed a pair of cornflowers growing from the soil near the edge of the stone. She reached out her left hand, gently pressing her energy at blooms. Several more grew from the spot, creating a bed of blue. She worked on the ivy next, helping it to grow and stretch into a frame around the names. Ilona and Steponas.

"Wow," Harper breathed.

"The seeds were already there," Imogen said. "I just used a spell that made them grow."

They both stood, still arm in arm. Imogen took the baby's breath crown from her head, placing it on the corner of the headstone and they turned back to where the horse waited.

"Do you think you can get us back?" Imogen asked him, patting his neck. He lowered himself for them to mount again and started back towards the clan.

"He needs a name," Harper declared halfway there.

"I think you should do the honors," Imogen said. "You are the one who waited so long to meet him."

Harper hummed as she thought. "How about Masek?"

"Masek?"

"It means lucky," Harper said.

The horse snorted and Imogen laughed. "I guess that's it, then. Masek it is."

Harper told her all the names of the clan's horses as they made their way through the forest. When they were in range of others, Hal strode over. "Get off that thing," he demanded.

"He's not a thing," Harper said. "He's Masek!"

"Just get down," he said, coming closer. Masek turned around and nipped at him. Hal jumped back.

"Calm down, Masek," Imogen said, leaning forward and rubbing his neck. "We won't let the mean man hurt you." Hal scowled at her.

Harper slid off on her own this time and Imogen followed. Masek immediately ran off into the woods to be on his own. Imogen watched him disappear into the thicket of tree trunks.

"Sabina is waiting for you," Hal said.

Imogen turned around and made her way to the main wagon. As it turned out, no one actually slept in this wagon, though it was most often occupied by Sabina and the few people closest to her— the same people who had met with her that first night. None of the others were there as she entered this time, Sabina drumming her fingers on the table with a box in front of her.

Sabina stopped, looking at Imogen as she found a seat next to Sabina. "You found your grandparents' resting place," she said.

Imogen paused, looking at her. She's a seer, Imogen reminded herself. She nodded.

"You mus' be cautious vhen you leave ze safety of ze clan," Sabina warned.

"I didn't know that's what I was doing," Imogen said.

"Zair are many vizards who still vish us harm," she added. "Ve vill talk of dis later. You also found ze jumătate cal?"

"The what?"

"Ze half horse," Sabina said. "Perhaps you noticed he had a liking for you?"

"Yes," Imogen said, perking up. "But why?"

"Casters have alvays been aligned vith nature," she explained. "Ze earliest casters helped vith ze fields, creating growth and life vhich ze clan could prosper from."

"But that's not all?"

"No. Even ze least gifted casters can do great magic. And you, child, are greatly gifted." Sabina looked in her. Imogen felt naked under her stare. "You vill see, Imogen. But do not vorry over zat now. Zis is for you."

Sabina pushed the box over, folding her hands in front of her as Imogen reached over, lifting the lid. The box was full of pictures. Imogen paused, her heart pounding, before reaching in, pulling a few of them out. She immediately noticed the same four people, over and over again. She ran a finger over an individual portrait of a boy with dark hair and an easy smile. He looked like a younger, happier version of Hal. "My papa?" Imogen asked, looking up.

"Yes," Sabina said. "Zat is ze only box vhich survived ze fire."

"Have Hal and Harper seen them?"

Sabina leaned forward. "Zey are not sentimental like you, Imogen," she said. "Zey do not sink of ze past to guide zair future."

"But this is their mother," Imogen said. She looked closely at her aunt. Harper had clearly taken after her. "What were their names?"

"Her name vas Bianka and his, Andres."

Andres Gramae. But that wasn't what he went by. Imogen tried to think how she would have known the name Dahl, but it always came back around to her father using the name.

"Frederick Dahl targeted your papa after his parents died. He vas young and veak. Easy for Dahl to use."

Imogen looked up at Sabina. It couldn't have been coincidental that she was thinking of this and Sabina provided an answer. "How old was he when they died?"

"Ten. Jus' a year before Dahl took him."

"What about Bianka? Why did she leave?"

"Bianka vas never right after giving birth to Harper," she said. "She vent mad, took ze children from Tibor and hid zem in Scotland."

Tibor's interactions with Hal didn't speak much to a father trying to restore a relationship, but maybe there was no recovery after a certain amount of time. Hal wasn't the easiest person to get along with either. Maybe Tibor had tried, but found only contempt. Still, that didn't explain his lack of interaction with Harper.

"Did you know them?" Imogen looked up from a family picture, their four faces close together.

"Of course," Sabina said. "I know everyone who belongs in ze clan."

Imogen shuffled through several more images. Sabina just watched her. Imogen smiled at one where her father and aunt were swimming in the lake nearby. Even though he was younger, there was something familiar in his smile. His kind eyes were squinted in the sun as he waved up at her. "I don't remember anything about him."

"Your memories have been blocked."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I cannot see zem," Sabina answered. "As ve release ze gift inside you, you vill be able to remember on your own."

Imogen put the pictures in her hand back into the box, carefully closing the lid to the box. "Then let's start."

Lorcan waited as Lily found a place to talk. They hadn't seen each other since the day he'd hidden under Imogen's bed, waiting for James to leave. As soon as James disapparated, Lily rushed in. "Merlin! I thought we were completely buggered there!" she said, pulling him out from the bed. They quickly gathered the books he brought, along with the book from Imogen's room, and Lorcan headed home.

With their latest discovery, Lorcan was able to bring some piece of information daily now. Lily was excited each night as he reported back. He wished he could tell her in person. The little gasps and squeals would be so much more fun if he could see the expressions that accompanied them. He could also see what she was describing. Lily would describe visuals that matched the information he presented.

"Sorry that took longer," Lily said. "James has been on my case. I figured the park would be safer."

"It's fine," Lorcan said. He hardly got nervous when he talked to Lily anymore. Even when they talked about other things, which every night seemed to be more and more. Two nights before, Lily started talking into the can around midnight, saying she couldn't sleep, and they just talked about nothing for hours. Lorcan woke the next morning, the can resting in his hand on his chest. "I don't have a lot today, but I did find a folklore book at Grandpa Lovegood's."

"Folklore?"

Lorcan was flipping through it at his desk. "Yeah, folklore from different wizarding cultures around the world. There's this Gypsy story about two sisters who are given gifts by their mother. The mum is some kind of fortune teller or something, and the other two are given the gifts of extraordinary magic and gathering. Gathering refers to the vocan orbis I think. It's like… a portkey or something."

"Wow," Lily said. "So that's real?"

"It's mostly written as stories," Lorcan said. "But those kinds of stories usual speak to a cultural understanding of something real."

"I still can't believe we didn't figure this out when she was here," Lily said. "I mean, it makes sense that there would be a reason she could do wandless magic, right? I think we all just thought it was this really cool trick."

"I know what you mean," Lorcan said. When Imogen first did wandless magic around him, he tried to get her to teach him. When he couldn't manage, he had her show him little things she could do, like move the curtains, turn lights on and off, and summon objects. She couldn't do some of the most basic spells in class, but these things came so easily for her. She was doing them silently and didn't seem to know that this was supposed to be difficult. Lorcan told her they wouldn't be learning how to do non-verbal spells for ages. Imogen was always reluctant to do wandless magic around most people, but him and Lysander would ask her to do certain things when they were the only ones in the common room. "Anyway, reading between the lines, this a really big deal. Not all Gypsies have these talents, from what I can tell."

"Wow," Lily said again. She was quiet for a while. "She seems really happy there."

There was a sadness in how Lily said it. Lorcan felt it immediately, too. What would he do at Hogwarts without Imogen? It wasn't like he didn't get along with others in his class, and he always had his brother Lysander. But Lysander was more popular than him. He played beater for the Ravenclaw team and was so often surrounded by other students. Being surrounded by a crowd just made Lorcan anxious. He'd much rather be with Imogen in a corner, having a discussion. "She'll be back," he said, though he didn't know if he believed it.

"I really want to know what she found out about her parents," Lily said.

"Your mum and Albus found out her mum was from England, though, right?"

"Yeah, so maybe it's just her dad, but I still want to know."

"She'll be back," he said again. If he said it enough, maybe it would be true.

"I'm staying with Grandma and Grandpa on my own next week, by the way!" Lily's voice perked up. "You're not still grounded, right? So if I came next Saturday evening...?"

Lorcan smiled and felt his face get hot. The benefit to having the tin cans to communicate was that Lily didn't know how often he blushed when she sounded excited to hear from him. "Yeah, that will work. I'll ask Mum if I can invite you for dinner."

"Excellent! I think my mum is going to enlist me to help find information on Imogen's mother, so I might not be able to talk a lot until then. But I'm betting we can find lots of information by next week," Lily said.

Their conversation veered into lots of other topics. When Lorcan finally looked at a clock, it was past ten. "You better get home, before James starts to wonder what you're doing," Lorcan suggested.

Lily sighed. "You're right. Well… see you next week!"

"Yeah," Lorcan said. "See you then."

"No!" Sabina yelled at Imogen.

She was working with her again in an open field, filled with dandelions. There was a chair a hundred feet off that had been broken and Imogen was supposed to fix it. Her impulse was to use what she'd learned at Hogwarts. She spoke the word, reparo, and Sabina reacted immediately. She flicked her wand and the chair fell back into pieces.

"You do not need vords!" Sabina yelled at her. "And do not use vizard spells. Zey are inferior to vat you can do!"

Hal and Harper sat on the rickety wooden fencing nearby. Harper was encouraging. Whenever she was able, she'd shout out a few supportive words, telling Imogen she could do it. Hal just laughed. They joined to watch each of these session, which Sabina was now having with Imogen morning and afternoon. Hal's laugh was getting on her last nerve. Imogen stretched her hand towards him and he went flying backwards, into the empty horse's paddock.

Harper laughed now and Hal cursed as he stood up. "I landed in a pile of shit!" he shouted. Imogen pressed her lips together to keep from joining Harper.

"Concentrate!" Sabina yelled at her, grasping her shoulders and bringing her focus back around. "No vords!"

Imogen had just done a spell without words, but she didn't point this out. She composed herself, looking at the chair. It was in four or five pieces. Reaching out both hands she stood there, concentrating. Or trying to. When it didn't happen right away, a weight pressed against her chest and her mind wandered to other times and other people she had done magic with. She thought of snow fights with Albus and Lily. She thought of Ginny helping her with spells in Australia. She thought of studying with Lorcan. Her heart sank and she dropped her hands in frustration.

Sabina stood in front of her, grasping hard to her shoulders. "You let yourself be distracted," she said. "You miss zose you left behind, but zey do not vish you to excel. Vizards have alvays held jealousy toward Gypsies and our gifts," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Zey do not love you. Zey need you. You do not need zem.

Imogen looked down and didn't respond. Her heart pounded as a moment with James surged forward in her mind. It was November of her fourth year and she was missing Dakota and the others. A few of them had sent her owls since the start of the school year, but she didn't want to be a bother or pester them for more. So instead James pestered them, sending an owl to each of those they knew, dragging her into his room one morning before breakfast. On his bed was laid out each letter, pictures of them waving to her, some little figurines Dakota sent, and even a couple chocolates and treats that she loved from Australia. They sat together on his bed, James behind her with his chin resting on her shoulder as she carefully read each word.

"James used you," Sabina said.

The words jolted Imogen as she looked at Sabina, a lump in her throat. "No," she said, her hand moved to the locket beneath her shirt.

"All vizards use us, Imogen," Sabina said. She reached out a grabbed Imogen's other hand. She ran her thumb over the top. Her approach softened. "Did Valda tell you her story?"

Imogen swallowed. "She said she was married."

"She vas married to a vizard. A man who vanted ze Gypsy secrets. For years he pretended to love her, feeding her a poison zat left her barren, and had many relationships besides. Vhen she came back, Valda vas a broken voman."

"That's terrible."

Sabina nodded. "Go rest, child," she said. "Vhen ve start zis afternoon, you must forget zhem."

Sabina walked away first and Hal hopped the fence walking towards Imogen with Harper. "Mind cleaning me up, oh powerful one," he spat.

Imogen tried not to smile, though she found it took a lot of effort. "I was going to do laundry anyway, so hand it over." She held out her hand for his shirt. Hal scowled at her as he took off his vest, then his shirt, pushing them both into her hands, inside out. He stalked off.

"I'll help you," Harper said. "He's in a mood today."

That had been pretty apparent. Hal was generally sarcastic, but his level of surliness fluctuated in a way that Imogen found hard to follow. "I noticed," Imogen said as they made their way back to her wagon.

There was an area along the south side of the lake where dozens of ropes were tied in between the trees as clothes lines. Imogen and Harper went to a space on the bank where water was still. A little ways down there were several children swimming, some of their parents cleaning clothes along the edges, others just watching. Gabe popped up high in the water waving over to Imogen. She smiled and waved back.

Harper sang as Imogen worked. She'd place a piece of clothing in the water, using her magic to allow it to soak, then rub against a rough stone. She created suds, then would make them disappear, finally pull her clothes from the water. She wrung them out by hand, then sent them by magic to fling over pieces of the ropes. Her wardrobe was now a mix of the clothes she brought and those that had been given to her here.

"Who is James?" Harper asked when she'd finished one of her songs.

Imogen paused her work. "He's my… well, was my boyfriend."

Harper's brow knit. "What happened?"

Imogen bent down by the basket, pulling out a long skirt. "I, uh… he didn't want me anymore."

"But you defended him to Sabina," Harper said.

"It's one of the only things you defended to Sabina," Hal said. Imogen looked at him. He'd put on a new shirt, this one fitted, compared to the loose one now hanging on the line to dry. "You don't agree with what she says about wizards, do you?"

"I don't know what to think of what she says."

"That's a lie," Hal scoffed. "You cringe every time she starts on about the vices of wizards."

Imogen felt heat rise to her cheeks as she ground her teeth together. She wasn't going to give into his needling.

"Is that why things fell through with Prince Charming, Snow White? You never actually told him what you thought or wanted?"

"Hal, knock it off," Harper told him.

Instead he squatted beside Imogen who was focused on the jeans in her hands. "I'm guessing he finally realized you weren't on board all the time? Didn't like that much, did he?"

Imogen turned, ready to throw him back again, when a scream pierced the air. They all looked around.

"Gabe! Where did Gabe go?!"

Imogen stood the blood draining from her face as her eyes darted through the little faces in the water, looking for Gabe. Hal didn't hesitate. He pulled off his shirt and pants, leaving him in boxers as he dove into the lake. He swam towards where the children had been, as they were all making their way to shore. Hal disappeared beneath the waterline. The parents were each taking count of their children, moving away, but Gabe's mother waded into the water, shouting her name over and over again.

Imogen stumbled over the rocky ledge, trying to get closer to where Hal had disappeared, Harper right behind her. "Hal!" Harper yelled in desperation. Imogen held her breath until a moment later, Hal broke through the surface, his arms around a small, lifeless body. "Oh God!" her mother shouted. Hal struggled forward and Imogen had joined Gabe's mother in the water. Someone must have told Gabe's father, because he ran to the shore, grabbing to his wife as he joined her.

Hal was making progress when the water around him swirled strangely. He kicked, pushing Gabe over him as his head disappeared and emerged once or twice. Gabe's mother fell into hysterics, Harper screamed grasping Imogen's arm.

Imogen saw movement to the left. There was Juris, at the edge of the woods with his wand. But he was just standing there. Why isn't he helping? she thought, then turned back. Why am I not helping? she realized, throwing out her hands and concentrating on the eddy of water. She could feel the force of the whirlpool. Centered in the chaos she could sense Hal's body, desperately trying to hold on, struggling to stay surfaced.

Imogen pulled with all her energy on him and the form he clung to. They flew through the water, to the edge at Imogen's feet. She bent in the shallow water, pulling Gabe into her arms. Hal let go, gasping and choking for air himself. Harper focused her attention on him, helping him sit up and breathe.

Gabe was limp. Imogen pushed her hair out of Gabe's face. Imogen could hear Gabe's parents splashing towards them. "Oh, God, no! No, Gabe, not Gabe," she said.

Imogen's eyes darted as she raised her right hand over Gabe's chest. There was water in her lungs. She closed her eyes and pressed on the lungs. Water erupted from Gabe's mouth, followed by the same choking coughs Hal had just finished. Imogen turned her sideways so the water could all come out. She pressed again. Gabe's eyes flew open and confusion set on her face.

"Gabe!" her father shouted, leaning in and picking her up has the young girl began to cry. He muttered to her in their language, though Imogen could tell it was a mantra of comfort and reassurance.

Imogen was just standing when Gabe's mother threw herself around Imogen. "You saved our girl!" she said, sobbing into Imogen's neck, clinging to her. Several members of the clan were coming around, wrapping Gabe and Hal in blankets and helping Harper get her brother to his feet and on shore. "Zank you! Zank you!"

"Yeah," Imogen let out, not knowing what else to say. Her heart was still racing from the fear of what might have happened.

The small family was ushered away and Imogen took a deep breath. She looked out to the lake. The eddy was gone and stillness dominated the water again. Imogen looked to where she'd seen Juris, but he was gone.

"Imogen!" She looked back. Valda stood there, wide eyed and pale. "Come, come!"

Imogen made her way through the water and Valda wrapped her in yet another blanket. She hadn't noticed she was soaked up to her waist. Valda was checking her arms, neck and face. "I'm fine," Imogen told her.

"You are a brave girl. I vill make you all soup," she said. "You stay vith zem," Valda added, pushing Imogen onto a rock opposite Hal.

"I was the one to snap the grindylows' fingers off her," Hal said bitterly. "But let's all thank the pretty new arrival."

"Hal, she saved you too," Harper said.

"No, he's right," Imogen said. "She would have been gone if it weren't for you."

Hal, whose steely, mean look had been aimed at Imogen since that morning, softened. "Sorry 'bout what I said before."

Imogen shook her head. More than anything else because she didn't want to rehash it. She didn't want to think about where things had gone wrong with James. Partly because when Hal had said those things, she knew he was right.