Chapter Two: The Beginning

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Ron flew down the ninth level corridor, leaping over chunks of stone that had broken off from the walls and ceiling. The door to the Entrance Chamber, which contained the Room of Doors, had been ripped off its hinges — it looked as if the whole space had fallen victim to a particularly strong Blasting Curse.

He slowed down as he neared the broken door and raised his wand before him. It wouldn't do to just throw himself into the midst of whatever it was that had happened. He had no backup or information. Still holding out his wand, he edged around the door and glanced into the circular Entrance Chamber. What he saw nearly made his heart stop.

The Room of Doors was gone.

It looked as if a Confringo had gone off within it. All the doors that had led to the various chambers of the Department of Mysteries, as well as the walls surrounding them, were absent. As he turned in a slow circle, he could see — past broken down pieces of rubble and the ever-floating dust that threatened to obscure his view — the broken remains of several of the chambers, lit in the glow of a cold, blue light. There were floating planets, drifting eerily through the dust directly ahead. He stared, momentarily shocked, as cold sweat broke out across his whole body.

Oh Merlin, what had happened here?

The door to the Love Room was gone. He couldn't stop to consider the implications.

Ron picked his way slowly into the broken remains of the Entrance Chamber. The place seemed quite deserted. Had something gone wrong? One of their mad experiments? He had been expecting an attack; some kind of invasion . But this? He only hoped no one had been inside. He didn't think—

"Is anyone there?" he called softly, stepping further into the space as he shoved his fears aside. He needed to keep a clear head. There was no answer.

He lit his wand silently as he made his way through the rubble. A planet drifted at him as he walked, and he used his wand to push it back before it could make contact. He wasn't sure it was wise to walk through the intermingled wreckage of the chambers. He was breaking every protocol; the scene was not secure… potentially dangerous. The situation entirely unprecedented. But there was a cold fear in his chest that he could not dispel, so he surged forward. Hoping.

He cast his wand across the floor as he walked, searching; but its light revealed no bodies within the rubble. He found himself at the edge of the stone benches that led down into the Death Chamber, and he paused, glancing down. The stone archway that had occupied the dais had collapsed, and as he cast his wandlight across its fallen shape he saw, protruding from beneath it... a hand . His breath caught in his throat.

He tore down the stone benches that led down to the center of the room — somehow mostly intact.

He cast a nonverbal Hover Charm as he ran, and the archway lifted back onto the dais, the veil fluttering with an eerily sinister grace. It blocked his view when it righted, and he slipped around it; dread building in his chest like bile. When he saw the flash of orange, he felt his heart stop.

Two wizards were laying on the floor in the spot where the archway had been. The first was… gone.

Ron took deep, shuddering breaths as his eyes trailed over his mutilated form. He had seen a lot at the Battle of Shadow Hogwarts. He had seen a lot since, as an Auror. But, what he saw now made his knees go so weak that he almost collapsed to the floor as bile rose unwittingly in his throat.

He had been given a succinct overview of the stone archway — the entrance to the other world — as part of his Auror training. Once someone passed through the veil, even if only for a moment, they were gone. Lost. The wizard before him, which he only barely recognized as Kevin Entwhistle; one of the Unspeakables, had not passed through the archway.

It had left its mark on him, though. The veil had clearly enfolded him as he lay beneath it; and in the sections where it had been draped across his body… there was only bone. It was as if large chunks of his flesh had been eaten away. His hand — which had escaped the archway — was intact, and his face was mostly untarnished, but large pieces of his torso, legs, and arms were simply… gone. And in their place, only the pale outline of his skeleton remained. The edges… Ron could not look at the edges. He felt his head spin as he stared at the ghastly scene, and his vision dimmed at the corners. He would have been happy to pass out right there, except he was sure that this vision would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life. And he pushed through it, forced himself into action, his heart thudding in his throat, because trapped beneath Kevin's gruesome form… was… was Robert.

With shaking hands, Ron raised his wand again, forced Kevin's broken body aside, and dropped down beside Robert; beside the man who was his twin and, now, nothing less than a brother.

He was sure he was too late… Trapped beneath the archway, he didn't see how Robert could still be alive. But Ron had to know, had to be sure. Robert's body was intact, after all, even if his robes were soaked through with blood. It was dripping softly onto the floor. Ron's shaking hands reached forward, searching for a pulse, trying to find breath, but his fingers were trembling too badly. He abandoned his efforts, raised his wand instead, and choked out, " Rennervate. "

When Robert opened his eyes, the relief was so profound that Ron sagged where he sat. Had he been standing, he would have collapsed to the floor.

Thank Merlin. Thank Merlin.

"Ron?" Robert croaked. His pupils moved weakly, sluggishly, within his eyes. His voice was barely a whisper. "Why are you…? Where's… Kevin?"

Ron opened his mouth. Closed it again. He drew in a shaky breath as he tried to banish the image of Kevin's mangled body from his mind. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"What happened, Rob?" he whispered instead.

It seemed to take Robert an age to speak again, to force his mouth to form words.

"There was… an intruder," he gasped. "Broke into the Time Chamber." He took a deep, shaky breath. "Caught us unaware. We dueled. We…" He trailed off, struggling to sit up. Ron pushed him back down hurriedly.

"Don't move, Rob. You're covered in blood. You shouldn't—"

"We ended up in here," Robert continued, allowing Ron to push him without resistance. He raised his hands weakly to his face. "Hit me with Diffindo , and then… it's foggy. Kevin… Kevin stayed behind, and Saul…"

"Saul?" Ron repeated dully into the ensuing silence. "Saul Croaker?"

"Yes," Robert mumbled. "He gave chase. And then… Oh my God. Oh my God , the Love Chamber. They broke it open. And then everything… " He lowered his hands and stared past Ron, at the archway on the dais. His eyes clouded in confusion. "But it fell…"

Ron drew in a sharp breath.

"Where's Kevin?" Robert repeated abruptly, his voice growing stronger.

There was the sudden sound of hurried footsteps from the direction of the Entrance Chamber, and Ron distinctly heard Robards's voice call out, "Clear!" and then, moments later, "This is Head Auror Robards. Is anyone in there? Weasley, are you in there?"

"We're in the Death Chamber!" Ron called back quickly, momentarily spared from answering Robert. "Hurry! I've got Unspeakable Murphie here. I need a Healer, stat!"

"Ron…"

He glanced back at Robert, who was still staring at him, struggling to lift his head from the stone floor. He had to say it. Before Robards arrived. Before Robert saw…

"It fell," Ron said quietly. "I lifted the archway… But, Robert…"

"No…"

"Robert, I'm so sorry, but—"

"No," Robert gasped again, and Ron was startled to see tears spring into his clear blue eyes. "He was here because of me! Because I couldn't bloody defend myself fast enough, and he... are you saying he went through?"

Ron glanced away from Robert, his eyes flicking inadvertently to Kevin's body, lying several feet away. He shifted, decisively blocking Robert's view as Aurors appeared at the top of the stone benches and descended into the room, spilling into it with the overwhelming intensity of a river bursting free of a dam.

"Yes," Ron said softly. "He went through."

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September 2019, Muggle London

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Ella remembered Harry's first meeting with her parents like it had been yesterday.

Once she had alighted in Hogsmeade in the middle of a snowy March in 1999 and fallen into Harry's arms, it had taken her a very short time to sort out how to channel her magic to create a path between the two worlds that had nearly torn her apart. Once she had established it, it had taken mere days before she'd bounced into her parents' suburban sitting room in Muggle London and announced that now that the Harry Potter films were complete, she would be leaving London for a time in order to rediscover herself and figure out what she wanted to do with her life.

Which meant, she explained, she would be backpacking around the world. Going dark. Oh, and she would be taking Daniyel and Robert with her.

"We just need to get away for a while," she explained, as her dumbfounded parents — Annabel and Mark — sat on the sitting room couch, staring at her so intently that the platter of brie and grapes before them went entirely untouched. "Go somewhere no one knows us."

"So you're going to run off to Thailand?" Mark had said finally, raising his eyebrows. "You're going to what — go hiking in the jungle? Ella, you've never even been camping."

"I thought you wanted to go to college," Annabel said, reaching for her wineglass and taking a large sip. "Or, wasn't there that movie in America? Haven't they just sent you that script to review?"

"I can't just jump into another movie, Mum," Ella said, looking at both of her parents pleadingly and hoping they'd understand. "I've been working on Harry Potter since I was eleven! It's all I've ever known. I just want a normal life for a change."

"But, honey," Annabel said reasonably, "just think about it. Wherever you go, you'll still be recognizable. Especially if the three of you travel together . I just don't know that this is safe.

"I understand if you need a break. Don't do the film in the States. But if you go to a reputable university, I'm sure—"

"Mum," Ella said, "I'm so sorry, but I've already decided. I promise , there's no reason to be concerned. We've planned it all out, and we'll be incredibly careful. I'll check in with you both as often as I can. But I'm an adult now, and I'm going… and I'd rather go with your support than without it."

"You always have our support," Mark said quickly, exchanging a glance with Annabel. "We're just concerned about you, Ella. We don't want to lose you."

"You could never lose me," Ella said, her face turning up into a smile. "I'm just going on a new adventure, that's all."

It hadn't taken much more convincing after that. Before she knew it, Ella had hugged both her parents and her sister, Eliza, goodbye; promised to send them the occasional postcard; and then she, Daniyel, and Robert had vanished in an absolute uproar of gossip and speculation.

Weeks After Finishing Principal Photography on the Final Harry Potter Film, Stars Daniyel Bluelake, Robert Murphie, and Ella Foster Vanish Without a Trace

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Harry Potter, One Year Later; Young Stars Still Off The Grid

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Spotted?! Ella Foster in Cambodia

Sources report the elusive young starlet, who rose to international prominence by playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, has been spotted on a beach in Koh Ta Kiev yesterday afternoon. Foster, who appeared in all seven films in the series, hasn't been seen in the public eye since late 2009. Speculation as to where Foster…

She had not, in fact, meant to Travel to the heart of Coral Beach in Koh Ta Kiev; she had consulted the map prior to planning her journey, and had been aiming for a more secluded destination from which she could easily postmark the letters to their parents. She was still working on her landings, however, and as it was, she was simply glad that no one had actually noticed her appearing out of thin air when she had alighted at the edge of the beach resort. She'd made the best of it, though, and signed several autographs before dropping off the letters and finding a more secluded spot from which to Travel home. A disguise would be essential next time; that was all.

It went on like that for three years: Ella popping back every so often to guiltily mail a postcard or a letter to their parents from various exotic destinations. Besides Koh Ta Keiv, she had postmarked letters from Madrid, Vancouver Island, Reykjavik… She often included pictures. It was shocking, how simple it was — with the help of Apparating and Traveling — to maintain the lie. Occasionally, they would pop back in for a visit, where they would spin tales of tiptoeing around the rims of volcanoes or trekking across icy glaciers — sometimes borrowing from adventures undertaken with Harry, or Ron, Hermione, and Ginny — while their parents listened in quiet fascination.

It filled Ella with more guilt than she could readily admit to keep spinning these lies, one after another, until she was buried in a web so layered, she didn't think she could ever climb out. But what could she say, really, when the only other alternative was the truth; and the truth was entirely too astounding to be believable.

"Well, actually, Mum, Dad, I haven't really been to Cambodia at all. I mean, does it really count as being there if it was only for fifteen minutes?

"See, the truth is: Harry Potter's real — only it's a bit different than we read about. None of the horcrux and Battle of Hogwarts stuff happened, for one… and that's where I've been all this time. I'm even going to Hogwarts, for real! I'm taking a slightly modified course though, since I'm much too old, and they didn't know where to put me… or Rob or Dan for that matter, but it's just as amazing as I imagined! Oh and, Harry and I are in love and all that. Yep. That's the story."

She had taken to wondering if she would spend the rest of her life lying to her family; a fear that had grown so cumbersome that she had started to develop constant stomach aches from the perpetual anxiety. She had never really wanted to lie to them, after all.

And when, three years later — after an unbelievable broom ride during golden hour across the Hogwarts grounds — Harry, now a Junior Auror, had dropped down on one knee and proposed to her at last (with a glorious sunset behind him), she knew she couldn't keep living this lie anymore. Her parents would believe her, or they wouldn't. They might attempt to have her institutionalized, and she might have to Obliviate them immediately, but she had to tell them the truth. She simply couldn't go on otherwise. How could she marry the man she loved when her family didn't even know he existed?

So she had said, "Yes! Obviously!" and then followed that up with, "We have to tell my parents everything," in a very resigned tone. Harry had simply hugged her and said, "Of course. I know," and lowered his head to rest it within the thick locks of her windswept hair, holding her close while she tried to sort out how she could combine the disparate threads of the lives she had woven. He had lost his parents. She knew he wouldn't stand back and watch her do the same. Not when she had a choice.

So they had planned it. Very carefully.

They had appeared on her parents' front stoop, before the familiar brown door, as dusk fell upon the neighborhood like a blanket. The darkness kept them easily hidden: her, Harry, and Daniyel, who was cloaked in Transfigurations and wore a cap pulled low over his face.

Mark had opened the door, and he grinned widely when he saw them.

"Ah, the nomadic daughter returns! Come in, come in!"

He stepped aside, allowing them entry, and Ella trooped into the house anxiously; so hyped up on pent-up nervous energy that she literally wanted to jump where she stood, and then maybe run out of the house and do several laps around the block.

"We're back!" she had said brightly, glancing at Harry, who nodded at her reassuringly. "We have lots to tell you!"

They had settled in the sitting room; her parents on the couch; Ella, Harry, and Daniyel in the armchairs opposite; and Eliza on the edge of the stairs, peering at them all with curious interest. And then — over another spread of bread, cheese, and wine as a buffer — Ella had told them. Everything.

They had not believed it. Their mouths had dropped open and their eyes had gotten so wide that their eyebrows were in danger of disappearing entirely. Their foreheads had grown wrinkled with worry lines — they really had been worried — as they stared at their oldest daughter and wondered if she had really and truly lost her mind.

Ella had just started thinking that she might have to Obliviate them after all, when Daniyel removed his disguise at last and said, "I know this sounds mad, but we swear, it's all true!"

At which point, her parents had been rendered entirely speechless, and Eliza had eloquently cried, "Holy shit! Are you really Harry Potter?!"

And Harry had turned to her, grinning slightly, and said, "Actually, I am . Hey, Eliza. Ella talks about you all the time."

It had gone a little better after that; though in the end, Ella had still worried dearly about her father's blood pressure when she finished off the whole fiasco by summoning another bottle of wine from the kitchen and then adding, as the wine bottle refilled their glasses of its own accord, "and now, Harry and I are engaged!"

Eliza had been beside herself.

It had taken her family, and eventually Daniyel's and Robert's families as well, a fair bit of time to come to terms with… well, everything. They rose to the challenge, though. Magnificently. Shocking conversations over bread and cheese had morphed into shocking family dinners, where too much wine was often consumed, and Eliza spent hours on end interrogating Harry, Ron, and Hermione about all things magic, requesting to see a Patronus, and then begging Ella to take her to Hogwarts.

"I can't," Ella told her, time and again. "You can't Travel if you don't have magic, I'm sorry! I don't want you to get hurt…"

"But I have to see Hogwarts! It can't actually exist and be somewhere I can't go… it's not fair!"

"I know," Ella had said, looking away with a stab of guilt. "I'm still working on the Traveling thing, Lizzie. If I figure out how to take you to Hogwarts, I promise I will…"

And she had set out to do it, from that moment on. In the meantime, however, they popped back to visit frequently — more so now that their families were in the loop. And on a beautiful Saturday in September, a week before Ella's twenty-fifth birthday, they returned to Muggle London once more to exchange vows in Ella's parents' sunny and secluded backyard; with Robert standing before them to officiate, and Daniyel, Ron, and Hermione looking on with Ella's parents alongside. They couldn't make the marriage official, of course, not in Muggle London — they would save that for the wizarding world; but sharing the moment with Ella's family had been enough.

Four years later, Harry couldn't help but smile as he glanced at Ella from across the kitchen, where she was happily chatting with her parents while he helped Eliza slice a loaf of bread.

"Ella looks pleased," Eliza commented, glancing at him as he moved several slices of bread to the serving platter. A piece slipped onto the counter, and he popped it in his mouth.

"She is," he agreed, around a mouthful of sourdough.

Eliza giggled. "Hungry? Or they don't have bread over there?"

"Starving," Harry confirmed, his stomach growling in agreement. "I had lunch at noon."

"But it's nearly eight!" Eliza handed him a thicker slice with a pat of butter. "Here, have another. I'm sure we'll eat soon. Mum's been roasting a giant slab of pork for like six hours. I swear, she pulls out all the stops when you lot come over."

"Happy to be of service." Harry grinned, taking another bite. "This is great bread, by the way."

"Mum baked it." Eliza rolled her eyes. "Just for you lot. Like I said."

"That's bloody impressive," Harry said, examining the crisp texture of the crust. Perhaps he'd ask Annabel for the recipe and give it a go. Ella had a particular fondness for breads, and with how awful she'd been feeling lately, he reckoned any food group that might tempt her was worth the effort. He glanced up to see Ella watching him across the kitchen. She caught his eye and raised her eyebrows, wiggling them suggestively. He knew what that look meant, all right. Struck by sudden inspiration, Harry turned to Eliza.

"Can I borrow your phone for a second?"

"My phone?" She slipped it out of her pocket and passed it to him. "Why?"

"Just want to see something," he said, flicking at the screen. "How do you get the camera — oh, is this it?"

"Yeah," she said, pointing. "Just press down and hold that. Why?"

"Oh, you'll see in a minute." Harry scrolled over to the video section of the camera and then pressed the big red button to record, aiming Eliza's phone at Ella and her parents.

"Are you making a home movie?" she pressed. "Can't you just play back your memories in a Pensieve?"

"Shhh!" Harry swallowed the remainder of his bread. "It's for your dad."

"For my dad?"

"So," Ella said from across the kitchen, and Eliza turned to face her and fell silent, her expression drawn in curiosity. "Dad, we have a birthday present for you."

"Oh?" Mark said, raising his eyebrows in much the same fashion as his daughter. Harry couldn't help but smile as he acknowledged the family resemblance.

"Yes," Ella said, glancing at Harry. She grinned when she saw him holding up the phone. "You see, in October — that is, October for us — there's going to be… er… a baby."

"What baby?" Mark said.

Ella grinned. " Ours."

"WHAT!" Eliza cried, nearly knocking over the bread platter. "No way!"

"Honey, that's wonderful!" Annabel said, reaching out to hug Ella. "Congratulations!"

Ella glanced between them, all smiles, and then turned to her father, who was staring at her with a completely bemused expression.

"You're serious?" Mark said finally, his voice a little choked. "You and Harry? Really?"

"Yes!" she said, smiling from ear to ear. "Are you pleased, Dad?"

"Pleased? I'm shocked!" He laughed. " About time." He leaned forward, embracing his daughter for a long moment. "I expect you'll be bringing the little tyke over so that Grandpa can teach him cricket?"

"Him?" Eliza said in mock outrage. "Really, Dad?"

"Errr — sure," Ella said, glancing at Harry once more over her father's head. Harry smiled again and turned off the recording.

"Here you are," he said, handing the phone back to Eliza. "I reckon they might enjoy that later."

"I'm sure they will," she said with a huge smile. She slipped the phone away and turned back to him. "Congrats, Harry. That's such great news. I'm so excited! Oh my God, I'm going to be an auntie! To a boy apparently."

"I've no idea," Harry confirmed.

She hugged him quickly and then ran off to join Ella and her parents. Harry smiled as he watched them from across the room, arranging the rest of the bread on the platter. It was fantastic that Ella's family was excited, but if they didn't get to eating soon, he was likely to starve before he had a chance to actually become a father. He busied himself with carrying the platter to the table and setting it down as Ella disentangled herself from the pile-up that had become her family. She grinned at him as he slipped back into the kitchen.

At that exact moment, the lights abruptly winked out, throwing them all into sudden darkness, and gasps flooded the kitchen.

"What the hell?" Eliza cried, surprised.

"It's the power, honey," Mark said, and there was a light thump from their corner of the room, followed by an "Ow!" which sounded like Eliza.

"Harry?" Ella called uncertainly.

"I'm here," Harry said, staring as shadows began to emerge from the dark. The sudden darkness was disorientating. He could barely make out the shapes of Ella's family by the kitchen island. He reached into his pocket, fingers closing around his wand, and a beam flared from its tip, filling the kitchen with light.

Annabel laughed. "Amazing. That's brighter than our torch. Thanks, Harry." She headed for the window as Eliza reached for her phone and started flicking at her screen.

"The internet's down too!"

"I'll go check the breaker," Mark said as Harry took hold of Ella's hand, squeezing it. There was something about the sudden darkness that made him uneasy. Something that strummed within him, making his skin tingle into gooseflesh. Memories, he supposed, of much darker times. When a Lumos hadn't been enough to really push the darkness away.

"Don't bother, it's the whole street." Annabel stepped back from the window, letting the curtain flutter back into place. She contemplated them before gasping suddenly. "Oh gosh, the pork! Harry, can you be a dear and shine that over here, please?"

"Course." Harry hurried to oblige, the action jarring him from his thoughts. From his memories of the dungeon room below Shadow Hogwarts where he'd once found Daniyel, trapped and broken. "Do blackouts happen often?"

"Not often at all." Mark leaned back against the counter, folding his arms across his chest. "The last big one was, I reckon, back in '03? Is that right?"

"Sounds right," Annabel said, poking at the oven. "Oh, it's turned off, of course it has. But never mind, it's ready. Should we set some candles for the table? Eliza, could you—"

"I got it, Mum," Ella said, lifting her own wand to cast several glowing spheres into the air. They floated into the dining room, bathing the space in a warm glow.

"Macy's lost power too," Eliza offered, still staring into her phone. "And Diana."

"I thought the internet was out." Mark sounded amused.

"Texts are working just fine."

Annabel straightened from the oven, clutching a tray in her gloved hands. It smelled absolutely tantalizing. "Never mind that. We can take this opportunity to appreciate each other." She smiled. "Let's eat."

.

It was late.

The evening hours had melted slowly into night, and, amid the continuing darkness of the blackout, Ella's parents had retired to bed at last. Mark was still grinning in a bemused sort of way as they both hugged their daughters and Harry goodnight. Now, Harry and Ella were sprawled comfortably on Eliza's bed while Eliza sat in the chair in front of her desk, one leg folded up beneath her.

"I still can't believe it," Eliza said, the grin ever-present on her face. "This is such great news, you guys. Mum and Dad are so pleased."

"I know," Ella said, yawning and leaning against Harry contentedly. "I was really looking forward to Dad's reaction. You know he's been requesting babies ever since we got married."

Eliza rolled her eyes. "He's been asking me for babies and I'm not even dating anyone. I reckon he just wants someone to teach cricket to."

"I have to say that I agree with this assessment," Harry said, grinning.

"Oh quiet, you," Ella said, rolling her eyes at him, but burrowing deeper into his side while Harry draped an arm around her shoulder. She felt so safe with him. Content. Here, it didn't matter that outside the city was bathed in darkness. Here, they had light, and warmth, and each other.

"So how have you been feeling?" Eliza asked. "Have you any symptoms yet?"

"Yeah." Ella scowled. "Since you mention it, the nausea's terrible." She could feel it just beneath the surface now — that frustrating, ever-present feeling that just wouldn't leave her.

"You should take some Ondansetron," Eliza said brightly.

"Ha," Ella said. "Your drug dealer training's showing. I'm seeing the Healer on Monday, I'm sure she'll have some potion that can help."

" Pharmacist training," Eliza corrected her, amused. "What, don't you believe in Muggle medicine anymore, Elle?"

" Alternative medicine , you mean?" Ella asked, smiling innocently.

"Oh my God." Eliza rolled her eyes, "I'll have you know that real medicine—"

"…Ella? Harry?"

Eliza broke off abruptly, her eyebrows drawing up in confusion as she stared in Ella's direction. Ella glanced down, startled at the sudden heat in her pocket as the muffled voice grew stronger.

"Are you there? Hullo?"

"Ron?" Harry said, staring around in bewilderment as Ron's voice echoed from somewhere in Ella's sweatshirt.

Ella blanked in confusion for several moments before saying, "Oh!" in realization and reaching down to withdraw the Travel Stone, which was hot and glowing orange in her hands. "It's the Stone. Ron's calling. But…" She trailed off, uncertain. Why could Ron be calling?

"You can talk through it, too?" Harry asked, as Ron repeated their names. "Does it have projector-like capabilities?"

"It has a talking option, yes," Ella said, wrapping her hands around the Stone and focusing on the connection with Ron. "I forgot to mention it. If you have another Stone, you can talk through it. We haven't actually tried it out yet. But Ron doesn't— Ron? Hello?"

"Ella!" Ron's voice sounded relieved as it grew louder, filling up the room. "Thank bloody Merlin. Listen, there's a situation. Is Harry there?"

"I'm here," Harry said hurriedly. "What's up, mate?"

There was a slight pause.

"Harry, there's been an attack. On the Ministry."

"What?!" Harry and Ella gasped together.

"What happened?" Harry said.

"Is anyone hurt?" Ella cried.

"It's a bit hard to explain. Er — Rob was there, but he's going to be fine, don't worry," Ron added quickly, as Harry and Ella made shocked noises. "We were able to contact you through his Stone. Harry, listen, we're scrambling over here. Can you come back? We're at St. Mungo's."

"St. Mungo's…?" Ella said slowly, her face paling.

"I'll be right there," Harry said, disentangling himself from Ella and jumping to his feet. "I'll meet you in a few, all right?"

"We'll be here," Ron said, and his voice cut out, the Stone losing its orange glow and settling, once again, into a pale blue.

"I have to go," Harry said, reaching for his wand.

Ella jumped up, biting back the nausea. "I'm coming too."

"No," Harry said, shaking his head, "stay here. We don't know what we're dealing with. And you're still feeling ill, aren't you?"

"But, Harry, it sounds like Rob's in hospital, I can't just sit around!" Ella said, her panic spilling out into her voice as she took two steps towards him. Her stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch and she dropped hastily back onto the bed, clapping a hand to her mouth and taking a shallow breath.

"Ella!" Eliza said, concerned.

"I'm fine," Ella moaned. "Just give me a second."

"El, come on," Harry said, gently tracing one hand against her cheek. "Just stay here, all right? Spend some time with your family. Please? I'll come back as soon as I know more. I promise."

She glared at him, but she could see it was a battle she wouldn't win. Harry was wearing that stubborn expression she had come to associate with him doing something stupidly heroic, like running off to battle with Voldemort when there was little to no chance of winning, or, apparently, forcing his pregnant wife to remain in the safety of Muggle London while all hell broke loose in the wizarding world. Again.

She sighed and held out the Travel Stone. "If you're not back by morning, I'm going over there. And if they're not all right, you better come back and tell me immediately. I mean it."

"I promise," Harry said, taking the Stone and gently kissing her on the cheek.

He hastily bid goodbye to Eliza and shot Ella a final reassuring glance. Then, he clasped both hands around the stone, closed his eyes in concentration, and, in a flash of blue light and a sudden tremor that briefly shook the floor of the entire room (and possibly the house), he winked out of existence.

Ella stared at the space where he had just stood, shaking her head.

"Is it always so dramatic?" Eliza said. "I hadn't noticed you causing any earthquakes before."

"Er — yeah, it can be a bit disruptive until you figure out how to, er, marry your magical energy to the Stone," Ella said, managing a humorless smile. She drew in a steadying breath. "That wasn't too bad, actually. It's his first solo trip, so he just needs a bit of practice..."