Anna Grayson and The Order of Merlin
The Welcoming Party

That afternoon, the entireschool gathered for the Castlewood graduation ceremony, which took placeoutside and in front of the Server and Artisan tower. A large stage and podiumsat beneath the tower connecting the two halls, and something that looked likean altar was placed to the side under a purple drape. A magnificent choirholding deep-throated bullfrogs sang each of the school’s Union songs to theassembled parents and townspeople.

There were many speeches, but nonebetter than Eric Grayson who, as the class valedictorian, spoke of their futureas something yet to be discovered. He told his fellow graduates the mostdifficult challenges awaited all leaving Castlewood that day, and althoughVoldemort’s name was never mentioned, Eric’s speech was filled with severaluneasy warnings of the trials yet to come for the Wizarding world.

In the days that would follow,those who only whispered You-Know-Whoin trusted circles would read of the things written about him in the wizardingnewspapers from Europe, and the claims from the Headmaster of Hogwarts that themost evil wizard in a century had somehow conquered death and was back to preyamong them once again. Albus Dumbledore’s warnings would be mocked in Americajust as they were in most of the magical world, and soon flocks of owls werecalling for the Headmaster’s removal from Hogwarts for wantonly causing apublic panic with his unsubstantiated claims of You-Know-Who’s return.Yes, all of this would come in the days following the students’ departure fromCastlewood, but on this graduation day it seemed the cloudless, blue afternoonrefused to allow anything to spoil the celebration at hand.

The Crimson Guards and theirLieutenants had gathered to the right of the speaker’s podium. Dressed in theircrimson robes, white gloves, and carrying gleaming swords, they formedthemselves into wide rows several ranks deep. Captain Dunning was front andcenter, barking orders loudly as he moved his men through their practiced drills.They finally halted and the crowd applauded at the manner in which the guardsmoved with military precision.

Anna noticed one particularlyoversized guard standing to the back of all the rest. Although he was at leasttwice the size of the men around him, he moved with ease within the formation,turning and snapping to attention at the Captain’s command. He was covered fromhead to toe in crimson silk and Anna smiled at seeing her very large andmysterious friend once again.

Finally, Mayor Ulric stepped upto the podium. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I speak toyou on this beautiful day about something Chancellor Thordarson and I have beentalking about since the beginning of the school year.

“A majority of us have alreadyseen or met most of the wonderful students now calling themselves TheGuardians, and for those of us who carry a strong appreciation for wizardhistory, it must be said today will be remembered for something monumental inits importance and significance. The establishment of a new Unionat Castlewood hasn’t happened in more than two hundred and fifty years, sincethe very foundation and merger of the original five magical institutions we nowcall the Dynasties of Castlewood. It is then with enormous pride that Iannounce to the residents of Spellsburg this happy news. Early this morning,the Guardian Union was sustained within the Academy.”

There was a gasp of shockedsurprise by some of the townspeople, and then a round of spontaneous applausebegan to roll forth from the crowd. After a long moment, the Mayor raised hishands to quiet them.

“Yes, my dear friends, this isa memorable day indeed, and we hope the Guardians will remain a vital andintegral part of our wonderful city for many, many years to come. But, as manyof you have undoubtedly already asked yourselves, where will our futureGuardians live? We cannot ask the students of Castlewood’s newest Union to continue to share space within the Server Hall.What kind of hosts would we be?” The crowd laughed and cheered again. “It wouldseem the only proper thing to do is to build a new Guardian Hall, and to dothat, our wonderful city will need to expand to allow for its construction.

“Therefore, I am also happy toannounce the Spellsburg City Council, in special session just a few hours ago,has approved the building of a new Guardian Hall, and has ordered itsconstruction to begin immediately and be completed within the next two monthsfor our returning and, what we hope will be, growing Guardian population.” Thecrowd cheered again.

“We are all standing in theexact spot where three future streets will connect the old parts of the city tothe new. These streets will be called Guardian Drive, Guardian Way, and Avenue of the Guardians.” Some of theshop owners in the crowd jumped to their feet and began clapping excitedly.

The Major smiled and thenmotioned to his right. “And now, I would like to ask Chancellor Thordarson of Castlewood Academy to join me here to help with thehonors. If you please, Professor.”

Thordarson walked over to thepodium, his orb-topped staff tapping the wooden floor beneath his feet. He wasdressed in black robes, different from those he wore at the morning breakfast,with gold embroidery on his front and sleeves. His white hair shimmered in thebright sunlight under a matching wizard’s cap. He looked up to smile at theaudience.

“Let us… make some space,” hesaid simply, and then turned to face the Server and Artisan Towerbehind him. He raised the orb over his head and bellowed, “Expositus…Moenia… Guardian Novus!”

He thrust his staff toward thewall, and the orb upon it began to glow a bright-shimmering blue. Suddenly, ajet of blue light shot from the orb’s surface, hitting the center of the towerwall with a staggering BOOM. The structure began to shake on its veryfoundations, swaying unbelievably as if in some immense earthquake. The crowdbegan to rise from their seats, awed by the remarkable sight as the towerfinally split itself away from the Server Hall.

“Look at that!” yelled a manfrom the crowd of astonished onlookers.

Thordarson thrust his staffforward once again and the beam of light coming from the orb began to glowwhite-hot, and then the great tower unbelievably started to move. It began toslide away, pushing the entire Artisan Hall back and to the right. As thebuilding crept backward, it opened a huge gap in the wall surroundingSpellsburg. And now the crowd could see the Server Hall was moving back aswell, falling away like its disconnected brother to the left.

The enormous gap between thethick, stone walls continued to open wider and wider, revealing a clear view ofthe plateau outside that hadn’t existed in more than two centuries. As the twobuildings moved away, the audience could now see Thordarson was making room forthe future Guardian Hall between the old structures. They began to cheer andapplaud as the breach within their city’s walls continued to grow with everypassing second. Finally, the rumble under their feet stopped, leaving a greatopening, an enormous rift in the wall surrounding the city. Thordarson loweredhis staff, cutting off the beam hitting the tower. He slowly turned to face thecrowd, who looked positively awestruck by the Chancellor’s immense power, stillradiating like a glowing blaze around him.

“Here, on this very spot, thenew Guardian Hall and Tower will rise,” he said. “Where once our rampartsconsisted of five walls, they will now become six.” The audience cheered,whistled, and continued to clap excitedly.

“And now,” Thordarsoncontinued, “I would like to ask... Miss Anna Grayson to join me here at thepodium.” Anna looked around in surprise and then slowly stood. ProfessorThordarson finally saw her in the back of the sea of students watching him.“Ah… there you are. If you please, Anna,” the Chancellor said, beckoning herforward.

Anna advanced uncertainly andthen joined Professor Thordarson on the stage. When she was standing next tohim, the Chancellor turned to address the crowd once more. “Every new buildingshould have its own dedication, and I cannot think of a better individual tohelp us do this than the very first Guardian of Castlewood.” He pulled away thepurple-drape covering the altar-like structure to reveal an enormous block ofgranite cut into a perfect square. It was a foundation stone with the followingwords carved upon its front:

HERE WE DEDICATE THE GUARDIAN UNION

SET THIS DAY – JUNE 27TH 1995

MAYGOD KEEP OUR DYNASTY STRONG

Professor Thordarson turned toAnna. “I would be most honored if you would help me set this first of what willsoon be many foundation stones.” Anna looked at Eric and then to her fatherseated in the front row. Mister Grayson was grinning with enormous pride asAnna whipped out her purple heart. She smiled, and together with ProfessorThordarson, took careful aim at the heavy stone.

“Wait!” Anna barked, suddenlymoving her wand away.

She turned to gaze into theCrimson ranks behind her and then leaned over to whisper something intoThordarson’s ear. The Chancellor pulled back to look at her for a moment andthen smiled, nodding his furtive approval. Anna turned and marched passed a confusedlooking Mayor Ulric standing at the podium, passed Eric who was rising out ofhis seat to watch her moving toward the Crimson Guards.

“Anna…? Where are you going?”

She walked straight up toCaptain Dunning who was still standing in front of his men; she finally stoppedbefore him. “Excuse me, Captain,” she instructed, stoically.

Dunning looked down at her, hislips curling in a wave of unreserved contempt and loathing that reminded Annaof the great ape of the hoard. He reluctantly swung to the side to lether pass, and Anna walked straight into the ranks of Crimson Guards, throughthe first, second, and third rows, down an aisle to the very back. She finallystopped in front of the enormous, crimson-wrapped guard, whose face was hiddenbeneath his silken mask.

“Hello, Trog,” Anna saidbrightly. The giant guard did not move, but Anna could sense his twin heartsbeginning to increase their pace. “I see Professor Thordarson was able to talkthe captain into letting you join us today; I’m very happy to see you again.”She could feel his hearts quicken once more, but still the guard never moved,continuing instead to stare straight ahead. The crowd and watching studentswere amazed at the sight of this small girl talking up to the enormous crimsonhulk.

“Trog… could I get you to helpme with this stone?” Anna asked him, hopefully.

Finally, the great figureslowly dipped his head to look down at her. His beautiful green eyes shown likeemeralds in the late afternoon sun through the two holes cut into his mask. Fora moment, Trog looked like he wouldn’t be able to speak. He then looked up atthe spot where the foundation stone sat, and where the Professor Thordarsonstood waiting. He could see the Chancellor motioning him forward with hisstaff.

“Please, Trog…” Anna pleaded.“It would mean so much to have you help us set this stone in place.”

He looked down again and Annacould see what would be a smile under his mask wrinkle the corners of his greeneyes.

“I would be… most honored, Iwould,” he said in a deep and flattered voice, and Anna smiled.

“Come…” she said, taking him byhis gloved hand. She led them back through the other guards, all of which hadto move aside to allow for the giant to pass between them. When they reachedthe podium again, Professor Thordarson reached out and shook Trog’s enormoushand and Anna couldn’t help noticing Eric’s stunned expression, the crowd’sastonishment, and Captain Dunning rolling his eyes in utter disgust.

“On three, then?” Thordarsonsaid happily. “One…” Anna pointed her wand at the stone as Trog bent down totake a firm grip. “Two…” Professor Thordarson tilted his staff toward thestone. But before he could count more, Trog gave a mighty heave and pulled thegiant stone up to his waist. The crowd gasped in amazement.

“Wingardium Leviosa!”chanted Anna and Thordarson together, and immediately the heavy block lightenedin Trog’s enormous hands as he lead it to the place where Mayor Ulric directedthem. They finally set the stone down with a muffled thump, and the crowderupted into another wave of spontaneous applause. Anna smiled brightly andthen turned to give Trog a hug.

“Thank you, Trog,” she saidgratefully, squeezing him tight across his large middle.

The creature wrinkled his eyesat her again. “Trog can be most useful sometimes, he can.”

TWO

After the ceremony, Anna took adetour back to the stables to say her last goodbyes to Doctor Pearl andJeremiah Kingston, who were quietly working to avoid the heartache of seeingthe students leaving the plateau. Anna hugged and thanked them both beforemaking her way back to Swooper’s stall.

“Now I don’t want to hear aboutyou going invisible again while I’m away,” Anna warned, wrapping her armsaround the mighty steed’s neck. “I’ll be back in two months, and we’ll go flyingthe very same day, okay?” The thorse stared at her and Anna dipped her head.

“I’m sorry you had to fly backto Castlewood alone the night you took me to Drogo,” she said, painfully. Thecreature licked her forehead and then flapped his marvelous, ebony wings. As itwas with all good friends, any part of her personal failure was immediatelyforgiven. Anna gave Swooper one final brushing and then kissed him on the nose.

“Have a good holiday, big boy.You’ve earned it,” she said, patting him on the neck and offering him a lastcarrot.

An hour later, the Graysonswere walking together with Gabby through the cobbled streets of Spellsburgtoward the city gates. They stopped to talk with several shop owners along theway, who lamented the long summer holiday without the students of Castlewoodamong them. Eric seemed to be gathering most of the attention as theyapproached the tram station. Several residents came out to shake his hand andwish him good luck, and some of the shopkeepers hugged him like a member oftheir own family taking his final leave.

Soon they were piling into oneof the trams and rumbling over the union walls and wooded plateau. Anna lookeddown and watched as dozens of construction wizards moved massive stone blocksand wooden beams into the newly created gap between the city’s walls. Soon, thenew Guardian Hall would rise up to enclose the city again. She tried to imagineit; a massive Hall with purple flags flying between its notched merlons.

As the city of Spellsburg fell out of sight, Anna realizedjust how much Castlewood had become her second home. She rose up on her toes towatch the last flags on the castle’s turret dip below the plateau’s rim beforesadly turning away. She was going to miss this enchanted place, where the soundof magic’s voice first reached out to touch her.

Anna found Gwen and Sarah onthe docks still admiring the new Academy emblem on their robes. The Guardiancrest had magically weaved itself together with the other five Unionssurrounding the embroidery of Castlewood in its center.

Two hours later the AlleghenyPride emerged from Neptune’s Veil, splashingdown in full view of the crescent harbor. There, a flotilla of little whiteboats was waiting to take them home. Along the way, Anna sat with Gwen andSarah to relive her flight to Drogo and the obstacles she had to face on herway to its lowest dungeons. But when she reached the part where it came time totell them about Voldemort’s curse on her mother, Anna hesitated. Her friendscould see the pain it was causing her to talk about it, and especially thehorrifying part about her mother falling victim to a vampire’s curse. Throughit all, Anna sobbed and broke off several times, but she finally told herfriends everything.

Gwen was especiallysympathetic, but she couldn’t bring herself to imagine what it must have beenlike for Anna to see her mother and witness the full horror of what shedescribed in that awful dungeon room. She hugged Anna, and the three friendssobbed together until the sailors on the docks outside could be heard holleringto those aboard the Pride.

“Hey… I forgot to ask,” Annasaid, pulling away from her friends to wipe her runny nose. “Whatever happenedat the Triwizard Tournament?”

Gwen frowned. “You would haveto ask.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Potter kid won, ofcourse,” Gwen said, in a tone that insinuated Anna might have known all alongthis would be the final result.

“Really?” Anna was surprised.“He won the final task, then?” she assumed.

“I don’t know… none of usreally do.”

This time Anna frowned. “I…don’t understand.”

Gwen sighed. “We don’t knowwhat happened because we never got a chance to see the final task.”

“What? But… I thought yousaid…?”

“We were all watching thebeginning of the tournament as the champions entered this huge maze filled withcreatures and spells to block their race to the center.”

“We saw this terriblescorpion-like creature attacking Fleur Delacour, the champion from France,” Sarahchimed in. “Oh… it was very scary.”

“Yeah…”Gwen agreed, excitedly, “and we saw Krum escape an enchanted shrub that triedto eat him.” Anna listened eagerly as Gwen continued. “But then somethinghappened to the projectors sending us the pictures, and everything just… wentblack.” She shrugged. “We waited for a while for the projections to return, butthey never did.”

Sarahwas nodding. “Oh… the crowd in the stadium got very angry when ProfessorThordarson decided to go ahead and start the Vollucross race afterward, butafter waiting for nearly thirty minutes, it was obvious we weren’t going to seethe end of the tournament anyway.”

“Wedidn’t even know Potter won the thing until the next day when the SpellsburgSeer reported the results,” Gwen explained. “Apparently, the other threechampions did sustain some minor injuries in the maze, but it also said theinspector wizards at the scene confirmed somebody had sabotaged all theprojectors. Can you believe that? Strange, isn’t it? There were even a coupleof editorials suggesting somebody at Hogwarts might have disabled the projectorsto make sure nobody saw them helping the Potter boy win, but I don’t thinkanybody really believes that.”

Anna was suspicious, and thenshe remembered something Dumbledore told Professor Thordarson while she wasstill in the hospital. Dumbledore had said Potter was a witness to Voldemort’sreturn, and Anna knew exactly when that happened. The evil one had screamed injubilation when the dark mark on her arm burned black within Drogo. But howcould Potter have been in two places at the same time? How could he have beenat Hogwarts participating in the tournament and then somewhere else watchingVoldemort rise again? And now there was this news of sabotagedprojectors. Anna wondered: Who at Hogwarts would have purposelyinterfered with the tournament… and was that somehow connected to Voldemort’sreturn?

After the ship landed and thestudents had disembarked, Anna kissed and waved goodbye to her friends. “Have agood holiday,” she said happily, and then laughed when Gwen noticed aparticularly handsome young sailor securing the ship’s ropes to one of thepiers. Gwen looked back at Anna, bounced her eyebrows twice, and then turned tostrike up a conversation with the boy.

“Anna?”

Anna turned to replace Sarah stillstanding beside her, looking shyly troubled.

“I just wanted to say… well…thank you.”

“For what?”

Sarah looked at her and smiled.“For everything, Anna; for being kind to me on our first day; for wanting to bemy roommate even after you found out about my talking in my sleep; for allowingme to hang around you and Gwen, and helping me to become a Guardian. I…” herwords stumbled slightly, “if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would have madeit through my first year at Castlewood.”

Anna smiled and put her armaround Sarah’s shoulder. “Hey… no problem. But you should know… my servicescome at a price.” Sarah looked up at her questioningly. “It’ll cost you oneletter a week until we’re together again in September. What-da-ya-say, roomie…deal?” Anna stuck out her hand and Sarah grinned.

“Deal!” she returned,enthusiastically.

Anna walked with Sarah untilthey located the boat to take her home, and then she found Captain Reye andGabby loading their trunks aboard the BB5. Soon, they were leaving Loon’sLagoon once again and setting course for the open sea.

“Miss Anna?” Reye bellowed,“The Captain’s mate should stand aport in these waters. The sunsets are betterover there,” he added, with a wink.

Anna smiled. “Yes, sir,” sheyelped, delivering a snapped salute before moving to the left side of the boat whereshe stopped to coil a large pile of tangled rope. Eric and Mister Grayson werealone at the stern and laughing as Anna dashed about the deck to Captain Reye’shollered orders.

“Have you heard anything fromDumbledore about what the Order of the Phoenixwill be asking of you, father?”

Mister Grayson looked at hisson and then turned to watch the churning, white water falling away behindthem. “Yes. I received an owl from Hogwarts this morning before we gotunderway. They want me to begin informing those we can trust in the Ministryabout Voldemort’s return. That’s going to be very difficult, because both theMinisters of England and America aredenying Dumbledore’s statements about what’s happened.”

Eric looked scandalized.“You’re kidding?”

His father glanced over at himand smirked. “Don’t be so surprised, son. Their response to all of this wasn’texactly unexpected. You were too young to remember how bad things were beforethe days of Voldemort’s fall. It isn’t going to be easy to convince people he’scome back again.”

“Is Dumbledore sure about this,father? I mean, after all these years… how is it really possible?”

Mister Grayson considered hisson’s question. “I trust Dumbledore completely… and you should as well.” Thenhe looked over at Anna who was still running about the boat. “But there’sanother reason I believe he’s returned.”

Eric looked at his fatherwatching his sister work. “Anna…?”

His father nodded. “All yearlong I’ve labored to understand why all of this has happened to your sister. Whydid her powers suddenly emerge? Why was Anna selected to start a new GuardianUnion? Why are her gifts so strangely different? What would explain thisamazing ability to communicate with magic?” He looked at his son. “Just imaginethat for a moment, Eric. If anybody in the Wizarding world would have saidmagic had the ability to summon some form of consciousness, they would havesaid you were crazy, but now we know Anna can somehow connect with thatconsciousness. The concept is explosive.”

“I’m not sure I reallyunderstand any of this, father,” Eric replied, shaking his head in puzzledbewilderment.

His father sighed. “I’m notsure any of us really do… not yet anyway, but it only makes sense to believeVoldemort is back. His return this year coincides with everything Anna told usabout magic’s move to protect itself.” He looked down worriedly and then upinto his son’s troubled face once more. He reached out and braced Eric’sshoulder. “I believe Voldemort is back because Thordarson and Dumbledore believeit; because Victoria believed it before sheescaped; but most importantly… I believe it because Anna is convinced of it.”

Eric looked at his sister andthen back to his father again. He nodded. “I wish you would let me help you,father. I really don’t know what to do now that I’m a Guardian.”

His father’s face turnedsomber. “I wanted to talk to you about something important when we got home,but I suppose now is as good a time as any.” He reached out to Eric again andthen turned his son away from the others to the back of the boat.

“Eric… I need to ask animportant favor of you.”

“Anything, father. What is it?”

“I want you to go back toCastlewood in September.”

Eric was surprised. “What? Butfather… now that Voldemort has retuned, my place is by your side.”

“No, son. You’ve always plannedto study advanced Beast and Creature Healing, and I have reason to believe itwould be best if you did that in Pennsylvania.”

“But why, father? You know Ican do my studies just as well at home or in Los Angeles. The great healer Madam Slayerhas agreed to take me on as her apprentice; it would allow me to be closer toyou in case…”

“Your place…” Mister Graysoninterrupted him, “would be better served wherever Anna is.” He stared at Ericin a way that told the young man his father’s every word to send him away wascausing him the greatest pain. “I need you to watch over your sister. She willneed you next year more than I, and you’re the only man other than Thordarson Ican trust to protect her.”

“Protect her? Protect her fromwhat?” His father remained silent. “From whom, father?” Eric pressed him, butstill, Mister Grayson would not speak. Comprehension suddenly dawned on Ericand he understood the unbelievable fear his father was holding close to hisheart. “From… Voldemort?”

“Shhh…” his father motionedbefore drawing his son close. “We must assume… that Victoriahas returned to him.”

Eric looked at him in stunnedsilence and then slowly started to shake his head, but his father reached upand grabbed his son by the back of the neck to stop him.

“All of his Death Eaters wouldhave known how to replace him if ever he returned,” his father explained. “Victoria is with him now, which means we have to assumehe knows about Anna. He knows she somehow entered Drogo unseen. He knows fromreading the newspapers that Anna was the first of a new Guardian sect atCastlewood. Voldemort is going to want to understand this power, because heunderstands the possible repercussions of ignoring it. Anna could be seen as adanger to him.”

Eric quickly glanced over athis sister again. The panic in his voice was clear as his frightened gazereturned. “What are we going to do, father? What are we going to do?”

“You will return to Castlewoodwith Anna in the fall. I can protect your sister while she’s at the estate, andVoldemort would never enter Castlewood so long as Thordarson is still itsChancellor. But Spellsburg is a big city; Anna would be most vulnerable there.”

Eric thought for a moment andthen looked up again. An angry determination was steadily building in his face.“I will go where you and Anna need me, father.”

Mister Grayson smiled and thenreached out to hug his eldest boy. “Thank you, son. I knew I could count onyou.”

Suddenly, there was a loudscreech above their heads and they both looked up. Shielding their eyes fromthe late afternoon sun, they could see a small owl circling over the openwater; his tiny body was buffeted by the wind as he looked for a place to putdown. Hobbsfinally dipped his wings and landed upon the boat’s railing, clicking his beakmadly. Mister Grayson looked back at Eric and then walked over to the bird whowas clutching a small scroll in one of his fisted talons. The owl snatched thescroll up with his beak and then gently handed it to Eric’s father. MisterGrayson unrolled the parchment and turned his back to the remaining sun to readthe message as Hobbstook off to look for Anna.

“What is it, father? What doesit say?”

Mister Grayson finished readingthe message and then tucked the scroll into one of the pockets of his robes;his expression was a mix of both surprise and anger. “Well… it would seem Annamight have one less problem to worry about when she returns to Castlewood inSeptember.”

“What do you mean?”

“That was a message fromChancellor Thordarson. It would seem Dunning has stepped down from his post asCastlewood’s Captain of the Guard; he’s been replaced by a Lieutenant Hayman.”

“John Hayman?” Eric yelped, insurprise.

“Do you know him?”

“Yes… yes I do. This iswonderful news, father. John is a very good man; he’ll make an excellentCaptain.”

Mister Grayson quickly moved tocool his son’s obvious glee. “Don’t get too excited yet,” his father replied,somberly. “It would seem Lieutenant Dunning is still going to be arounda while longer.”

“Lieutenant Dunning?”

Mister Grayson heaved a heavysigh. “While the Chancellor agreed to accept Dunning’s resignation, he didn’tbelieve it fair to go as far as sacking him outright. So… he’s demoted Dunningto the grade of Lieutenant and placed him in Hayman’s old post.”

Eric’s eyes widened insurprise, “But… that would make him the Commander of Castlewood. He’ll be incharge of all the Crimson Guards inside the moat. Father… this is not good.Dunning will still be in a very powerful position and he’s sure to make troublefor Anna. He’s going to make things very difficult for our entire family nextyear.”

“Perhaps not,” said MisterGrayson, pulling out the parchment from his robes to read it again. “Themessage also says Dunning’s memory has been modified. Now that he’s no longerin charge of Drogo prison, there’s no further reason for him to know itslocation. A memory altering charm is standard practice for any guard on duty atthe prison once they’ve completed their tour of duty there. He won’t remember anythingAnna did to break into the prison while on his watch, because he won’t beallowed to know of Drogo’s existence near the plateau. Apparently, Dunning’syounger sister has had her memory modified as well.”

“Still… that man shouldn’t beanywhere near Spellsburg, father. He’s going to be trouble. Mark my words…Gregory Dunning is going to be a problem for us.”

Mister Grayson twisted theparchment into a ball and dropped it over the side of the boat, his growingfrustration becoming more vocal. “I can’t believe Thordarson kept the man on.It doesn’t make any sense. Why would he do that after everything Dunning’sdone?” He looked at Eric. “Well… all the more reason I’m glad you’re going backto Pennsylvania.Maybe you can keep a close eye on Lieutenant Dunning while you’re there.”

“You can count on that,father,” Eric replied, hotly.

“Hey… put me down!”

Eric and Mister Grayson lookedup and to their amazement they found Dowla hanging upside down in midair overthe side of the boat.

“Put me down, Anna!”

Anna, donning a fright of verybright-green hair, had her wand out and was using it to bounce her older sisterup and down over the boat’s railing while Damon and Tencha stood to the sidehowling with laughter.

“Say you’re sorry… and you’llnever do it again, Dowla,” Anna demanded.

“It was just a joke. Come on…put me down.”

“Say it,” Anna warned, as shelowered her sister closer to the water.

“All right — all right!” Dowlascreamed in a panic. “I’m sorry! Okay?”

“And?”

“And I’ll never hex you behindyour back again!” she yelled back.

Anna looked skeptical. “We’llsee…” she said, moving her flailing sister back over the deck of the boat whereshe started bouncing her up and down in the air again.

“Daddy! Make her stop. TellAnna to stop it!” Dowla roared angrily, trying to keep her robe and dress fromtumbling over her head in front of an amused Captain Reye.

Mister Grayson was trying notto laugh. “Anna Grayson…” he said sternly, adopting a straight face. Annalooked over, still holding her wand high. “No magic allowed… and stop pickingon your sister.” Anna grinned coyly at him, and then glared back up at Dowlaonce again.

“Fine…” she said with an angrysneer, before dropping her sister on the wood of the deck with an unforgivingthud. Anna quickly spun on her heals to point her wand at Damon and Tencha whowere still laughing. They immediately froze and then pointed an accusatoryfinger at one another. Anna huffed irritably and then tapped her hair twicewith the tip of her wand, which quickly changed back into its original color.She then slipped her wand back into her robes and marched off.

Damon could be heard leaningover to Tencha, “How’d she do that without the counter spell?”

Eric turned to his father andsmiled. “I never thought I’d hear you say something like that to Anna.”

His father smiled back. “Thisis going to be a very interesting summer.”

“There she is folks…home-sweet-home,” yelled Captain Reye, and everybody on the boat looked up.Sure enough, they could see the sandy white beaches of the southwest coastcoming into view on the horizon. “And it looks like we’ve got ourselves awelcoming party.”

The Graysons looked out overthe bow of the boat and could see two giant whales swimming directly at them.

“They sure look like they’rehappy to see us,” Reye added, as the whales passed like enormous hills on bothsides of the boat going the other way. They quickly turned to circle back,matching the speed of the BB5 easily.

“Well I’ll be…” said Reye,amazed by the sight. “In all my years… I’ve never seen anything like thatbefore.” The family looked out and saw one of the whales gliding effortlesslythrough the water as it rolled over and raised a large pectoral fin, like agiant sail along the side of the boat. The whale on the other side matched themaneuver, and Anna reached out and let her hand slid over its smooth,rubber-like body. She smiled as she listened to the giant’s enormous heart,beating like a drum between her ears. As the giant fin began to slowly sinkdown, Anna ran to the opposite side and stretched out an open hand to the otherwhale.

Eric stepped in next to her.“Remarkable…” he said, in amazed wonder. He then reached out as the whalestarted to slide down and stroked the enormous fin before it fell out of sightand into the murky depths below them. He looked at Anna and could see tearsrunning down her face.

“What’s the matter, Anna?” heasked her, putting an arm around his sister. She buried her face in herbrother’s robes and then turned to look out over the water toward the dippingsun.

“They really were,” she said,smiling.

“They really were — what?”

She looked up at him. “Thewhales… they really were happy to see us.”

Eric looked at Anna and smiledas they turned together to watch the remaining sun fading away and the darkeningsky change to purple near the end of the green sea. Eric held his sister close.

“Welcome home, Anna.”

THREE

Two weeks later, Anna and herfather were walking through the rubble of the old Jennings estate.

“Mind your step, sweetheart,”he said warningly, pointing to a flattened panel lying on the ground next toher feet. “That area is very weak; you could fall into the basement if you’renot careful.” He was looking at an old scroll held open in his hands.

“And that area over there…” hesaid, with a sharp nod toward one of the broken chimneys.

“— the parlor,” Anna finishedfor him as she stepped over another fallen beam. Her father frowned and thenturned the scroll around, tilting his head to study the old parchment again.

“Yes… that’s right.” He lookedup at her. “How did you know that?”

Anna shrugged as her fatherlowered the scroll and looked up into a memory full of high-vaulted ceilings.

“Ah… I wish you could have seenit, Anna. Your mother’s family estate was truly magnificent. But I see these drawingsare missing quite a few details; I only hope I can remember most them for you.”

“The details aren’t thatimportant, daddy. Oh… except for the round window in the front.”

“Window?” he said, reaching outto help her over an open hole in the floor.

“Yeah… the round, stained glasswindow at the top of the front porch. It had an angel battling a dragon. I’dlike to have that window restored if possible.”

Her father thought for a momentand then smiled. “Ohhh… of course. I had forgotten about that; it was a verybeautiful piece. It had…” he stopped, and then quickly looked down at thescrolls again. He jerked up in surprise. “Wait… that detail wasn’t in theplans, you couldn’t have possibly known about that,” he added, skeptically.

Anna bent down and picked upsomething from under a fallen piece of slate. She looked at it pryingly, andthen held it up for him to see. It was a piece of colored glass with part of anangel’s wing. Her father grinned.

“Listen… I have to get back tothe house. I have a meeting with the Director of The Office of Wizard/MuggleCommunications. I’ve been given permission from the Minister of Magic to tellSidney Heidelbach about the Wizarding World. His boss John Landers of WestfrontInternational will be there to help us.”

“Oh daddy… that’s wonderful. Ihope this will help the poor man put his ordeal behind him.”

“I really think it will, and Ibelieve Sidneywill be a great asset to what we’re trying to do with our investments.”

“Please… could you pass my goodwishes to him?”

“I will.” He looked up at thesky. “It’ll be dark soon; don’t stay out here too long. And please… do becareful around all this debris. It’s still very dangerous out here.”

Anna looked around at him. “Iwill, daddy. Don’t worry.”

Her father nodded and then walkedover to the waiting horses, which were grazing on the soft grass under theirhooves. He mounted his black stallion and reined around. “I’ll see you atdinner,” he said, with a wave.

Anna watched her father dropout of sight below the trees and then immediately turned and headed directlytoward the back of the house. A pile of mixed wood and stone blocked her pathto the forest behind the estate, and she struggled to climb to the other side.After finally sliding down again, she stopped to look into the woods andsmiled.

“I never had a chance to thankyou for helping me at Drogo,” Anna said, peering around the remaining mounds offallen brick and rock. A faded, white image suddenly came forward from out ofthe woods toward her.

“Hello, Leola. How long haveyou been watching us?”

The ghost of Leola Graysongrinned. “My apologies, Sithmaith. I thought I felt an intrusion on theproperty some time ago; it awoke me from my sleep. Your ally will endeavor toremain more diligent next time,” the specter replied, turning the summer airaround them icy cold.

“I can’t possibly thank youenough… for coming to my rescue that night,” Anna said, suddenly struck by theirony of a murdered ghost attacking its own killer.

Leola smiled again. “But Ishould be thanking you, child.”

“Me? Why?”

“You did not tell Boris thedetails of my death. I never want my husband to know of Victoria’scrime. He’s been through so much already; it would shatter him to know thetruth. He always loved Victoria. Even when wewere children, I could see it … even if Boris could not. And Victorialoved Boris more than anyone in the world.”

Anna was surprised. “Victoria told you she loved my father? She told you thatbefore you married him?”

“Yes… she did. At the time, Victoria believed Boris would always consider her more ofa sister than ever his wife, and when he asked me to marry him, it was Victoriawho told me I should accept.”

Anna thought. “You know… it wasall Voldemort’s fault… what my mother did to you, I mean.” And Anna told Leolawhat she had learned about her mother’s kidnapping and subsequent torture atthe hands of the Dark Lord. She told her ally everything, and at the end, Annacould clearly see how the story hurt Leola deeply even through the soft andpale glow of her spectral state.

“Oh Victoria… my poor, dearfriend,” said the ghost, turning back toward the forest. “I have waited so longfor a reason to forgive you… and now… I finally have it.” She was almost out ofsight again when Anna called to her.

“Will I ever see you again?”

The ghost turned. “I do notknow, Sithmaith. I grow weary now as never before. I will guard the groundsfrom Victoria’s intrusion for as long as Ipossibly can. In the meantime, I await magic’s call.” She turned again and,within a few steps, the shadows of the forest absorbed the light of her bodyentirely.

“Goodbye, Leola… and… thankyou.”

Anna turned and made her wayback through the rumble of her future home, the air around her quickly warmingafter the ally’s departure. She stepped carefully, more out of reverence thanworry, and noticed something strange catching the light from one of thecrumbled mantles. She worked her way toward the object, surprised by thesparkling glimmer it was giving off amidst the dust and dirt surrounding it.She reached out and lifted a delicate chain off the mantle, and then marveledat the familiar, soft whispers it sent into her mind.

A cross of gold with a centeredemerald hung from the chain. It was her mother’s necklace; the very one Victoria had taken from Anna’s neck while still in Drogo.The whispers from the necklace were louder as Anna squeezed her mother’s mostprecious heirloom tight in her closed fist. She could hear the whispers clearernow.

“A mother’s love is alwaystrue. A mother’s love is always true.”

Anna turned quickly to lookaround. “You were here,” she whispered, looking around the fallen housewith hopeful anticipation. “That’s what awoke the ally again; she could senseyour intrusion.” She stroked the cross again, sobbing as she spoke.

“Thank you, mother. I knew youwere still alive. I knew it.”

Anna opened the tiny latch andreturned the necklace to her neck, stroking the cross as it fell against herbreast. She made her way back to Apollo, and they walked together to the edgeof the cliff overlooking the beautiful ocean below. She stroked Apollo’s noseand watched the sun set as the voices from the necklace whispered its messageto her again and again.

“A mother’s love… is alwaystrue.”

TheEnd

Hallelujah, hallelujah, God bless the child who suffers

Hallelujah, hallelujah, God bless the young without mothers

Hallelujah, hallelujah, let every man help his brother

Hallelujah, hallelujah, Let us all love one another

Hallelujah, hallelujah, Make all our hearts blind to color

Hallelujah, hallelujah, God bless the child who suffers

Shania Twain/1995