March 1991.

"I imagine the both of you are wondering why I called you here."

Snape and I stood before Dumbledore's desk, as far apart as we could be without testing the limits of Dumbledore's peripheral vision too much.

"A very dear friend of mine, Nicolas Flamel, has decided to return to Great Britain after a prolonged stay at the Kaius' estate in Poland. I would like the two of you to oversee his travels back over the Easter holidays."

Snape raised his eyebrow and I knew what he was wondering: Why was Dumbledore asking us to escort his personal friend over the holidays? Not that it wasn't an honor or that we wouldn't do it, but it seemed an odd request for Dumbledore to make of us, until-

"Nicolas is carrying his life's work with him- the Sorceror's Stone. You've heard of this Stone, I presume. As much life and gold as one could want! Nicolas has always had to stay on his toes while keeping it in his possession. Now, it is being threatened once more." Dumbledore said. "The government of Poland would, of course, like for the Stone to stay in Poland. The worth and reputation of the Stone alone bestows a strange glory for the country in which it is in. Thus, the government has rejected any requests for an authorized Portkey and they are also keeping tabs on Apparition in and out of that area. Floo Networks are also being watched. A fight for ownership against the Polish government is not in our interest. Any separation between Nicolas and the Stone is a chance for the attacking thief, you understand. Nonetheless, it is clear that the Stone and more importantly, Nicolas, is no longer safe there. There are attacks every week on the Kaius' estate. Alethea Kaius, still a majestic woman, is, however, no longer in her prime, and the attacks have begun to cause her to spend her strength. She writes to me for aid, and I ask the two of you to complete this mission. Keep Nicolas safe, and keep the Stone safe. You will escort Nicolas to the Friar's Inn on the outskirts of Diagon Alley, and you will bring the Stone here, to Hogwarts."

"And will it be safe in Hogwarts?" I asked.

"It will be safer for Nicolas," Dumbledore replied. "The rest, I do not yet know. The best outcome is that the attacks stop once the thieves realize the Stone is in a castle full of protective enchantments and defenders, and yet…"

He paused, and his eyes darkened for a moment. "We shall see, Ms. Kingsley."

"Now, do I have your agreement to carry out this task?" Dumbledore asked.

"Together?" I inquired. "Sna- Severus and I both?"

Dumbledore nodded. "We do not yet know the nature of the attacker. I cannot send you in alone."

"I will do as you order, Headmaster," Severus said.

"Thank you, Severus. And you, Ms. Kingsley?"

I nodded.

"Excellent. Prepare to leave at dawn tomorrow."


Snape and I met in the boathouse at dawn.

When I entered, the first dawn light was rising and the light reflected off of the shivering waters and the dusty glass, as though everything was in glimmering fire. It played strangely off of Snape's sallow skin.

I walked silently up to where he was waiting, at the center of the docks.

I turned, standing parallel to him.

Wordlessly, we Apparated at the same time.

A moment later, we both popped into existence in the countryside of Poland.

Snape produced from his cloak something that resembled a small lighter.

"This is not the time for a leisurely stroll with smoking pipes, Snape," I muttered.

Snape ignored me and flicked the lighter once. A ball of soft blue light flicked up and then wafted before us.

Snape began to follow it and it moved forward, guiding us.

I followed after Snape.

"What is that?" I asked him. "It's from Dumbledore, isn't it?"

"It's the Headmaster's Deluminator, yes."

"When did he give it to you?" I said. "I don't remember seeing such a thing."

Snape said nothing.

"Ah, I see. The two of you met separately, did you?"

Snape again remained silent.

"Tell me, Snape," I said, unable to keep the bitterness from flooding my voice. "What did you tell Dumbledore that he trusts you so much? What could you possibly have told him that would persuade him despite all of your actions?"

Snape's jaw was taunt. "Don't place your bitterness on me," he retorted. "That Dumbledore does not trust you does not surprise me. Your delusions about Black and the Potter child are endless. With your naivety, I would not trust you had you saved the galaxy."

I stopped in my tracks. "What do you mean, my delusions about the Potter child? He's a child. What is there to mistake about an innocent kid?"

Snape's voice was clearly frustrated as he said, "Has it never occurred to you that very reason the Potter boy lives in because he himself has darkness in his veins? That he himself is a match to none other than the Dark Lord himself?"

"The Dark Lord?" I said in a clipped voice. "He's no Lord. Be careful, Snape. Your past is showing."

I started walking again, taking the lead this time.

Snape glared at me and I could literally feel his eyes burning into the back of my head. But he followed after me.

A minute or so later, a thought struck me. "Is that what you thought the prophecy meant?" I asked Snape. "Is that why you ran off to tell you precious Dark Lord what you heard?"

"Because let me tell you something." I stopped abruptly and turned. Snape nearly walked straight into me.

"That's why James and Lily are dead," I said, and though my voice was angry, as I intended, I was unable to completely hide the grief.

Snape looked down at me unfeelingly. I could never read those depthless black eyes of his- so cold, except to show contempt and sarcasm. How could Lily have ever, ever trusted this man? And how could I have encouraged Lily to remain friends with him, back when we were at Hogwarts?

A man's singing voice suddenly broke through the mist that had steadily been surrounding us as the day waned towards dusk.

"Twas the eve of St. Patrick's Day by the dawn of the day!

The hills of Tirconnel looked sombre and grey…"

"What's that?" Snape said, suddenly alert.

Appearing suddenly out of the fog was a man on a cart and horse.

"Quick! It's a Muggle," he hissed. He fumbled with his cloak for the Deluminator.

The man was approaching closer.

"When the first dawn of morning illumined the sky

Four brave Irish soldiers were led forth to die!"

I hurriedly snatched the light out of the air and muttered, "Lumina conjuris." A small golden lantern appeared out of thin air. I stowed my wand back in my cloak, grabbed the lantern, and stuffed the light into the lantern. It was not a moment too soon.

"Hello! Hello there!" The man waved from atop his horse. "Fancy seeing you in this bog!"

He had a slight accent- Irish, I thought, moreso than Polish.

"Are you two lost?"

"Hello!" I called back. "We're all right."

He jumped down from his cart and I heard Snape curse slightly. If the man came too close, he might realize our light was a strange color and that it wasn't the mist tricking his eyes.

How can I set an illusion for the color of the flame? I wondered, all the while praying this man would leave us alone.

But he came closer. He must have thought us rude not to go and greet him, forcing him to come off the well-traveled path.

Snape hesitated and I saw him reach under his cloak to flick off the Deluminator.

"Wait," I whispered. "There's no wind!"

"We'll say it's the dampness," he said.

"No, just wait, I tell you," I hissed.

Holding the lantern tightly, I concentrated hard on performing a nonverbal spell.

Mutata in aurantiaco vitrum.

I looked with one eye. Nothing.

"Kingsley," Snape whispered urgently.

I took a deep breath and concentrating with all my mind again, I thought, Mutata in aurantiaco vitrum.

It was just in time. The light glowed a yellow-white, still slightly strange but at least no longer blue.

"Well! Didn't you hear me?" the man said, coming up to us. He held out his hand. Snape made no move to take it. Theman seemed a cheerful fellow and I could tell from his clothes that he was a well-to-do businessman.

That explained the cart, then. Likely, he was transporting luggage.

"Sorry, I couldn't quite make out what you said," I replied, shoving Snape aside and grabbing the man's hand to shake it.

"I'm Greggs, a business man from Ireland, though I do most of my work here."

"Pleasure," Snape said sardonically.

"Strange thing- I thought your light was blue, but coming closer, it's normal, eh?"

"Yes, the fog plays strange tricks on your eyes," I agreed. "That's why we decided to get off the road, because we couldn't gauge the depth of the lights before us and we nearly got run over my cars several times over."

"Ah, I see. Must've been a bad day, then. There's usually no cars using this road. It's a path made for horse and cart, see?"

Dammit, I thought to myself. Think before you speak, Raylynx. Think!

"Say, who are you going to visit?" Greggs asked. "Not that I mind, but I'm worried you'll be lost come darkness."

"An old friend of ours," I said. "There's no need to worry about us. We're nearly there."

"Are ye? There's strange folk about, mind. These days it's no longer safe to wander around at night on the countryside. Can't be too careful. Shall I give you a lift?"

"No, thank you," Snape said in a clipped voice. "Now, if you don't mind, there are people waiting." He grabbed my arm and started to drag me away.

Snape pulled me through the grass and I nearly tripped over my own robes. The man, Greggs, seeing we were determined to plow on without him, gave a half-hearted shrug and clambered back onto his cart and away.

"All right, all right, let me go," I said, yanking my arm out from Snape's grasp. "Goodness, you're rude. Ten points from Slytherin for your rudeness!"

"You would have talked to that man 'til death," Snape muttered.

"Well, someone had to cover for your obvious tension," I snapped back. "And your fumbling with the damn Deluminator. I'd take another ten points from Slytherin for that display of clumsiness."

Snape paused. "How did you change the color of the fire?"

"I didn't," I said. "I changed the color of the glass of the lantern, a shade of orange to try to cancel out the blueness. It didn't work exactly. I didn't get the golden sheen I was hoping for, but…"

I opened the lantern and the blue orb of light rushed out and then hung before us again, guiding us once more.

I held the lantern out and muttered, "Evanesco." It vanished.

"Come on then," I said. "We really are nearly there."

"How do you know?" Snape asked me sarcastically, taking my optimism as false.

"Look," I said, pointing at the faint outline of an enormous estate. The Muggles couldn't see it as anything except countryside, but it was visible to all magical folk.

"Come on," I said. "The faster we finish this mission and separate, the better for both our blood pressures."


"Welcome. We were expecting you." The butler I had met so many years ago stood before Snape and myself.

"Hello, Abe." I smiled and said the password, "Sun like phoenix fire."

"Indeed. This way, then."

Snape and I were led to the drawing room, where Mrs. Kaius was waiting. She rose when we appeared.

She acknowledged Snape, who had bowed slightly and then she came to me and took my hand. "Ms. Kingsley. It's been many years since I saw you last."

I was a little surprised by how tired Mrs. Kaius looked, but then, I had to remind myself that she was quite an elderly lady after all. But for all of her years, not one bit of majesty had left her.

"How are you?" I asked. "How has it been? Professor Dumbledore said you and Sir Flamel are being attacked every week."

"Yes, strangers in black garb and one in a reddish cloak," Mrs. Kaius said. "But it's not me I'm worried about. It's Nicolas. We must get him away from here. We sent his wife, Perenelle ahead of him last week. Jared and Alexia took her."

"And she's safe?" I asked.

"Yes. They escorted her and then sent a message to Dumbledore. It's been difficult to send messages that go unread, you see."

"Well, we're here to help," I said, indicating myself and Snape.

Mrs. Kaius nodded. "Well, Nicolas is asleep just now. But he knows the plan. When is the earliest you're fit to travel? The earlier, the better. Once the Polish government knows you're here, it may become complicated."

"Consider us prepared," Snape replied.

"Very well, at first light then," Mrs. Kaius said. She looked at me and said, "I wish we had more time together. I could show you the developments we've made on the Wolfsbane Potion since you've been away. I've been wanting to show you how the garden's grown…"

"I'd love to see the garden-" I began, but Snape broke in.

"Wolfsbane Potion?" Snape queried.

Mrs. Kaius looked over at Snape.

"Snape- er, Severus is the Potions Master at Hogwarts," I explained.

"I know of your legacy, madam," Snape said. "The Kaius name is known to all potioneers and alchemists."

"Thank you," Mrs. Kaius. "But in the case of the Wolfsbane Potion, it would not have been possible without Ms. Kingsley."

So great was his disbelief that Snape's face looked rather disgusted.

But Mrs. Kaius was, of course, exaggerating. The Kaiuses and Flamel and Dorcas had done all of the scientific work. Jasper had done all of the testing. And that strange lady in the strange shop that had now turned into an animal menagerie, who was possibly the Lady of the Lake, had given me the stone. I had merely served as the bridge, as was my role in this life. I had once hated this about myself. I wished to be a hero, not a transition. But now I was counting on myself to be a bridge- a bridge between my generation and Harry's- to pass over all of the memories and protections I could.

"You will need some sleep, if you are to be on full alert tomorrow," Mrs. Kaius said, ending my musings. "I must warn you- this will not be an easy task. The attackers are strangely strong, almost… inhuman."

She shuddered and I noticed a long scar running down the back of her jaw onto her neck. For a moment, I trembled too, although I had no conscious thought of fear. It was as though my body had reacted to something before my thought or memory could catch up.

"Come, I shall show you the garden you brought to us before you rest," Mrs. Kaius said. "It will be a sight for you as well, I'm sure, Professor Snape."

Mrs. Kaius led us to the indoor greenhouse, which was connected to the main house. The greenhouse was an attachment to the house that was made of glass, though protected by disguising and protective charms that rivalled those of Hogwarts'. When I entered, I gasped. Besides me, I heard Snape take a sharp intake of breath as well.

It was currently pitch dark, given that it was now deep night. But the lumeare plants took up the entire greenhouse. It was an ocean of white plants, each glowing with its own soft light. Small dots of gold flashed in the air. I knew what they were- common fireflies. We had been concerned about them when we first started planting lumeare, but we subsequently learned that they did not harm the plant. Instead, the fireflies gained life from the plants, absorbing its own glow to refuel its own light. However, because the plants were still growing, the fireflies' use did not dilute the plants' own potency in any way.

"The air… It's so sharp," Snape remarked. "So this is what makes the Wolfsbane Potion possible." Snape was right. The air in the greenhouse was so fresh. I began to feel awake and healed just from breathing it.

I walked down the middle path and gazed out over the plants. I thought back to how I first found in the plant, in the Forest of Dean with Maudrick and Zayne and the others

"Come," Mrs. Kaius said gently. "You must rest for tomorrow." She led us out, and Abe showed us to our rooms.

I fell asleep quickly, but slept fitfully, dreaming of a dead black tree and though I had never seen it or learned before- a Runic marking I knew to mean "death". But then death turned out to be an ocean of glowing white lotuses and butterflies that changed from blue to orange, sparkling brilliantly as they transformed over and over and over again.


"Ms. Kingsley. Ms. Kingsley."

I woke to see Mrs. Kauis sitting on the bed beside me, her hand shaking my shoulder to wake me.

I quickly sat up.

"You must wake now. Abe has gone to wake Nicolas and Severus. But there is something I wish to speak with you about."

I looked at her questioningly.

"The very first time you arrived here, you asked me for none other than our family's most important relic. You have since paid that debt many times over, but I must ask- Did that relic help you to defeat Lord Voldemort?"

"Yes, I believe so," I answered.

"Was it… Was it directly involved? Broken in some way, perhaps?"

I frowned. "No. It was-" The magic stopped me from speaking any further. I grasped my throat with one hand, holding back a cough.

Mrs. Kaius watched me for a moment and then nodded. "Very well."

"Know this, then," she said. "It's never returned to the forest where it rebirths itself. The Kaius family did not inherit merely the Sword; we also stand guard over the Forest where it appears. It has not reappeared since we gifted it to you. You must know by now, magical relics have a mind and energy of their own, appearing and reappearing as they find themselves needed."

"Then what…?" I shook my head. "What does that mean? Have I used it wrongly? It cannot be-" I began to panic, but Mrs. Kaius placed her hand on my shoulder to calm me.

"No child, I believe it means that you still hold whatever power it gave you before. However you used it, it has remained in that sphere of existence, anticipating that you will need it again," Mrs. Kaius said thoughtfully. "This is simply my conjecture, of course."

"That's not possible," I said.

"We can't know that," Mrs. Kaius seriously. "I fear dark times are coming once more."

"Why do you say that?" I asked, fear rising within me.

"I sense it," she said simply. Then, she saw my face and smiled lightly. "Child, do not be so afraid of darkness. I speak as one who has lived many years, and I must tell you- Voldemort was not the first. Ask Nicolas, if you please, and you'll find that even the Dark Wizards I think of are only one part of the story. Darkness invites tragedy and the grief of loss from war will never leave you- but it cannot leave you afraid."

Slowly, I nodded- wanting, but struggling to accept her words.

"How is your werewolf friend?" Mrs. Kaius asked. "The one you wished to help?"

"He's better, thanks to you and everyone who worked on the Wolfsbane Potion," I said. "Speaking of, Mrs. Kaius, have you seen Jasper since?"

"Jasper Riley? No, I don't believe so," Mrs. Kaius said. "He is more often in touch with Jared than with me, of course. I trust he is well. As much as he has a knack for getting into trouble, that gentlemanly charm of him always gets him out."

At that moment, Snape knocked briefly on my door.

Mrs. Kaius and I arose from the bed.

"I'll never stop being grateful to you, or Jared," I told her.

She clasped my hand and then said, "Take good care of Nicolas for me."


What Greggs had told us last evening was true- the path here was not made for cars. I knew why it was undeveloped. It was because many of the residents here were magical folk and therefore did not own cars, so the land remained unindustrialized. Thus, we also took a horse-drawn carriage. Nicolas and I rode in the carriage and Snape drove. I found this hilarious because Snape clearly did not have an aptitude with animals. I would have been more than happy to drive cart myself, but Nicolas wished to speak with me.

"I remember you, young lady," he said. "We met just a little while ago."

Actually, it had many several years ago, but of course that was just a second to Nicolas, who was now at the ripe old age of 662 years old.

"Have a conversation with her later, Nicolas," Mrs. Kaius said peevishly. "You focus on living first."

"Well, what do you think I've been doing these past centuries?" Nicolas replied humorously. "Let me have a bit of fun!"

Mrs. Kaius sighed. "Have you got it, you old coot?"

Nicolas patted the left side of his chest and said, "Right here."

I could see the anxiety and sorrow in Mrs. Kaius' eyes. But she mustered up a smile as she said, "Safe travels, and my best to Perenelle," before gently shutting the door.