Arc II: Part VI

January 15th, 1984.

On that Sunday morning, Alexa was enjoying her last moments with her father before he would drive back to Hamburg. She sat comfortably in the passenger seat of her father's Trabant, her feet stretched on the dashboard. She grinned widely as she swayed her head and fists in time with her father's singing to David Bowie on the radio.

They had planned to drive to the city, specifically to the clinic where her mother worked. The Christmas holidays had flown by, and Alexa knew that she would miss her father dearly. As they drove down the road, she watched the scenery change from the cityscape to a residential suburb. Beige brick, one-story houses with dark gable roofs were all around them. It was the kind of neighborhood that seemed to go on forever.

Alexa wiped the mist from her window with her sleeve, hoping to get a better view of the Christmas decorations that should have adorned the houses. However, to her disappointment, there were none. As she looked more closely, she realized that no lights were on inside the houses, and there were no signs of people. It was eerily quiet.

Suddenly, Alexa heard a voice next to her that did not belong to her father or David Bowie. She jumped in her seat, startled, and turned to look at the driver's seat. To her surprise, she saw the same man she had briefly seen in a previous dream, involving the strange archway. But this time, he was wearing her father's clothes.

Don't bother searching, Alexa. This neighborhood has been deserted for ages," the man said, his eyes fixed on the road as he drove.

Alexa leaned back in her seat and peered out of the window. "Am I dreaming again?" she asked, her voice laced with exasperation.

"Again?" the man chuckled. "What makes you say that?"

"Never mind," Alexa sighed. "Do you know anything about this place?"

The man shrugged. "I have a rough idea of what happened to those who used to live here."

"What happened to them?" Alexa asked impatiently.

"Some managed to escape, but most were captured and met a fate worse than death," the man replied calmly.

"Captured by who?" Alexa frowned.

"Would you mind if I answered your question with another question?" the man quipped.

"I do mind, but I know you're going to do it anyway," Alexa retorted.

The man grinned. "What makes you think I have all the answers?"

"Because you're in my dream. It must be for a reason," Alexa snapped.

The man chuckled and pulled the car over to the side of the road. "Here we are," he said, gesturing towards the window.

Alexa cautiously pulled down her car window and peered outside, her heart pounding in her chest. They had stopped in front of a house that looked like it had been abandoned for years. As she turned to the driver's seat, she found it empty. The man had vanished into thin air. Suddenly, a creaky noise caught her ear, and the door of the house opened, revealing a pitch-black void inside. A foul stench wafted out of the darkness, making her gag.

Despite her better judgment, Alexa stepped out of the car, her hand trembling as she closed the door. She wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck, trying to ward off the cold breeze that seemed to carry whispers from the house. The lamp above flickered, casting eerie shadows on the overgrown lawn.

As she approached the entrance, Alexa felt a chill run down her spine. She could sense a malevolent presence inside the house, something that was waiting for her. She pushed open the door and stepped inside, her wand at the ready. The hallway was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the stench of decay. She cautiously made her way deeper into the house, her heart pounding in her chest with every step.

As she explored the house, she could hear strange whispers and moans that seemed to come from the walls themselves. The furniture was covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs, and the wallpaper was peeling off in places, revealing the rotting plaster underneath. Every step she took made the floorboards creak ominously.

Suddenly, a faint golden glow caught her eye, emanating from a small cupboard under the stairs. With her wand at the ready, she approached it slowly, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. She opened the door carefully, and her eyes fell on a small golden cup lying on the floor. She reached out to touch it, and it began to transform into a writhing snake, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light.

The house started shaking violently, and cracks appeared on the walls, emitting a deafening roar. Alexa dropped the goblet and ran towards the door, but the walls began to close in on her, crushing her body and suffocating her. She fell into the void, screaming as she plummeted into the darkness until she landed softly on her feet under a starless sky.

As she stumbled forward, her eyes fixated on a colossal castle consumed by fire. The towering flames licked the sky, while the acrid stench of smoke filled the air around her. Alexa stood transfixed until a hooded figure emerged from the castle's main entrance and crossed the wall of fire as though it were a mere silk veil. As she tried to reach for her wand, her limbs felt as heavy as lead and an overwhelming sense of unease washed over her. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she spun around to face a figure donning an intimidating helmet shaped like a sinister, black face that seemed to absorb all the light and hopes from the world, leaving only a red visor at eye level betraying the helmet wearer's bloodlust.

Alexa trembled in fear, caught between two evils until she suddenly awakened to the soft voice of her mother. Lea gently patted her cheek and spoke, "Alexa...Wake up, sweetie, it's time.". Alexa slowly opened her eyes, feeling exhausted but relieved to find herself safe in her bed. She leaned against her pillow, glanced at her watch, and then promptly hid under her blankets.

"Mom!" Alexa groaned. "It's only half past eleven at night!"

"I know, sweetie," her mother replied with a sympathetic smile. "But your dad has to hit the road right now to make it to Hamburg on time. And he wants to say goodbye and give you a kiss before he leaves."

Alexa tossed aside her blankets, leapt out of bed, and stormed out of her room, racing to the entrance. She spotted her father outside, charging his suitcase in the trunk of his car. Without a second thought, she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and burying her face in his belly. Though she dreaded the moment of his departure, Alexa refused to cry. Her father gently ran his fingers through her hair before scooping her up and seating her on the trunk of his car, facing him.

"Going to miss you both," he said, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"Do you really have to leave now? Before even breakfast?" Alexa's voice was tinged with disappointment.

"I'm afraid so. I have eight hours of work tomorrow, and I'd like to arrive early so I can rest," he explained.

"I wish you could stay another week!" Alexa's words were wistful, a longing in her tone.

"I'll be back for Easter, I promise!" he reassured her with a smile. "Until then, take care of your mom and keep training! I'm sure one day you'll become a great witch, famous all over the world!"

"Dad!" Alexa hugged him tightly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Are you going to sneak her in your trunk?" Lea Acker approached them, a picnic basket in her hands.

"I wish I could sneak you both!" he replied, with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I made enough food for the day! And added a little surprise," Lea said, handing him the basket.

"Thank you!" he gratefully accepted the basket, placing it on the passenger's seat before giving his wife a loving kiss.

"Please be careful on the road! Drive slowly; they said on the news it's going to snow near Frankfurt," Lea reminded him, concern etched on her face.

"I know, I was with you," he hugged her tightly.

"And call me every two hours so I'll be sure you stopped to rest. I'll be up and home all night," Lea ordered him, a hint of worry still present in her voice.

"I promise, I'll drive carefully!" Benjamin Acker replied, determination in his voice.

Mrs. Acker nodded before reaching out to Alexa and pulling her into a warm embrace with the rest of the family. They held each other tightly, reluctant to let go, and Alexa wished the moment could last forever. Eventually, her father released them and wiped a tear from his eye before planting a gentle kiss on Alexa's cheek and his wife's. He then climbed into his car, started the engine, and drove off into the night. Alexa and her mother were left standing on the pavement outside their home, watching the taillights of the car fade into the darkness.

"Come on, Sweetie," her mother said softly, wrapping an arm around Alexa's shoulders. "Let's head inside before we catch a cold."

She guided Alexa towards the front door, urging her to get some more rest. "Go back to bed," she suggested gently, "you can still get five hours of sleep before school starts."


Alexa said goodnight to her mother, and went back to her room. After settling back into her cozy bed and tucking herself in with the warm blankets, she realized that her worries had not subsided enough for her to fall back asleep. Her mind was consumed with thoughts of her father, driving alone on the dark and winding roads of Baden-Wurttemberg at night. Frustrated and unable to find a comfortable position, Alexa kept tossing and turning until she was abruptly interrupted by a grumpy, half-asleep voice.

"Hey, can you keep it down a bit? Someone's trying to sleep down here," Sirius said.

"If I'm bothering you, feel free to leave MY room and go sleep in the hallway instead, or outside" Alexa replied, sounding a little annoyed.

Sirius sat on the edge of the bed and asked, "What's going on? Is it because of your father?"

"Yes, he just left in the middle of the night, in the dead of winter, driving over 800 km away," Alexa said, leaning her back on the headboard.

"You know well it wasn't an easy decision for him to make, leaving you and your family behind," Sirius said, stifling a yawn.

"I know that, but what if something happens to him on the road? What if he gets stranded in the snow or gets into an accident?" Alexa said, her voice filled with worry.

Sirius sighed, looking at the cozy corner near the radiator where he had made his nest. "Your father will be fine, Alexa," he said, trying to sound reassuring.

"How can you be so sure?" Alexa asked, her anger rising.

"Because I'm going to follow him to Hamburg and won't come back until he arrives home safely," Sirius said firmly.

"What? How are you going to do that? Fly without a broomstick or turn into Padfoot and run after his car for 800 km?" Alexa asked incredulously.

"No, I'm going to apparate," Sirius said, standing up.

"What's that?" Alexa asked, looking confused.

"It's a magical form of transportation where you can disappear from one place and reappear in another," Sirius said, stretching his limbs.

"Is that even possible?" Alexa asked, frowning.

"Of course, it is. But I'll need a map to follow him and know where to apparate. Do you have one?" Sirius asked, looking around the room.

"Of course!" Alexa exclaimed, jumping up from her bed to open a drawer beneath her desk. "Here," she said, retrieving a folded map and handing it to Sirius. "And this one is for Hamburg," she added, giving him another.

"Thanks," Sirius said, before stretching out the map on Alexa's bed to study it. He ran his finger over the road linking the village to Hamburg.

"How exactly are you planning to follow him?" Alexa asked, her curiosity piqued.

"It's not him I'll be following, but the road he has to take," Sirius explained. "I'll apparate every twenty kilometers and wait for him to pass, then repeat until I arrive in Hamburg."

"Thank you, but you don't have to do this," Alexa said, a hint of concern in her voice.

"It might knock me out, but I promise to watch over him," Sirius assured her, folding the maps and tucking them into his jacket pocket.

"Thank you, Sirius!" Alexa said, her face breaking into a smile.

"He hasn't been driving, so I don't think he's reached the highway yet," Sirius said, opening the window and climbing onto the ledge. "Alright, I'm going now. Tomorrow after school, come straight back home. I don't think I'll be fit to train you."

"You got it," Alexa said, nodding.

"And I love you," Sirius said, his eyes softening.

"Oh...Um...I love you too," Alexa said, blushing slightly.

"I was talking to the radiator, not to you," Sirius replied with a chuckle. "Now go back to bed!" he added before disappearing into the night.