Anna Grayson and The Order of Merlin
The Return of Voldemort

Anna did notdream. Although her perception of time had been completely obliterated by anenchanted-induced sleep, she somehow knew when she finally opened her eyes thatmore than a single day had passed. Unwilling to move for fear of the impendingpain, she lay in her bed quietly staring up at the ceiling, cataloging anytwinge she could sense without stirring. To her surprise, she found it was herwrist that hurt more than anything. She squinted at the stabbing pain as sheraised her injured limb in front of her face to have a look. She found thickbandages encircling her hand up to her elbow. Staring at the wraps around herwrist, she tried to move her fingers.

“Ouch…” shewhispered with a wince, and then gingerly let her arm fall back to her chest.She felt an immediate urge to cry that had nothing to do with her injury.

From the sideof her bed, a man’s face appeared to offer a friendly smile. His eyes were abeautiful blue, and peered down at her over half-moon spectacles seated atop avery crooked nose. He had a lengthy gray beard that matched his long hair,which flowed down around his shoulders and out of sight into her blankets.Although she had never met this man before, Anna knew immediately whom it was nowsitting by her side.

“Goodmorning, my dear,” the man said, gently. “And how are you feeling this fineday?”

Anna didn’tknow how to respond. Only one thought kept racing through her mind upon seeingthis man. I must be in very serious trouble. Mustering her courage, Annatried to speak.

“HelloProfessor…” She swallowed hard. Her throat felt raw and sore. “Professor…Dumbledore…”

The old man’seyes twinkled behind his spectacles. “Ahhh… for a moment, I thought I shouldhave you at a disadvantage, but I see this is not the case.”

“Newspaper…”Anna croaked, “saw your picture in the newspaper,” she explained, thinking ofthe many articles she had read about the Triwizard Tournament.

“Oh… I see. Ido hope they got my good side,” he said, flippantly. “Old men like me arerarely photogenic. Oh well… so be it.Albus Dumbledore… at your service,” he said in a formal British accent, whichwas followed by another inviting smile. “From what I’ve heard, you’ve had avery traumatic week, Anna Grayson.”

Anna wasstunned. It was one thing to replace the Headmaster of Hogwarts School ofWitchcraft and Wizardry looking in at her bedside, but this was too much tobelieve.

Swallowinghard again, she asked, “How do you know my name, sir?”

“Oh, I feelas though I’ve known you for quite a while, my dear. A few of us in a verysmall circle have been keeping an eye on you for some time now.” His headteetered slightly to the side. “But, I will admit… I’ve had what you Americansso fondly like to call… the inside track on your progress this year. Ourown transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall,has been keeping me apprised of your…uh,” he peered over his glasses at her,“growing skills? She’s been extremely impressed with your new-found abilities.”

“For all thegood they did me,” Anna replied warily. “I’m afraid Professor McGonagall isgoing to be very upset when she replaces out what I’ve done.” She looked away, tooembarrassed to look Dumbledore in the eye.

The old manlooked sympathetic and spoke very softly. “You know… I’ve always been a managreeable to giving people a second chance when I replace they are truly repentantof their actions and of a gentle heart. Are you such a person, Anna?” Her shamekept her from replying. “I’m not sure what you’ve done, but you have the allthe makings of a very forgiving family… and so many understanding friends.After all, your mother was not the first victim of Lord Voldemort.”

Anna lookedat him in surprise. “You know? You know about my mother?” The man looked ather, his gentleness changing to that of understanding.

“Yes… Iknow,” he replied. “I know all about your mother, and… where’s she’s been theselast thirteen years.” He looked sorrowful, but continued quickly. “In fact,that is why I’ve come to you… to warn you, and your father, and several otherfriends who I now feel are in very great danger.”

“Danger? But…do you know my father?”

“Oh — yes. Heand a number of others living abroad were once part of an order, asecret society of individuals fighting against Voldemort’s growing power beforeyou were born. You, of course, know the story of Voldemort’s fall?” Anna noddedand Dumbledore leaned in, his friendly expression changing to that of carefuldeliberation.

“It is myunfortunate duty to deliver the most regrettable news to you, my dear. I amsure you will hear several rumors in the days to come, but I felt it necessaryto personally warn as many old friends as quickly as possible.” He stopped totake in a deep breath. “Lord Voldemort… has returned.”

Anna lookedappalled, disbelief moving immediately across her face. Her first reaction wasto question the man’s logic, but she could see it in the wizard’s eyes; he wassomber, concerned, and very serious. Anna looked away and then rememberedsomething important.

“She said… hehad returned…” Anna whispered, thinking of her mother and what she had saidwhile still in the prison’s dungeon.

“What wasthat?” Dumbledore said, sharply.

Anna lookedat him again. “My mother told me… she was so sure… he had risen. How could shehave possibly known?”

Dumbledoresighed again. “Our intelligence has informed us that Voldemort’s Death Eatersinstantly knew of his rebirth the moment after it happened and have sincereturned to his side.”

“DeathEaters?”

“Yes… thosebranded with the Dark Mark were, at one time, called Death Eaters. They wereVoldemort’s most trusted followers.” Anna remembered the horrible mark on hermother’s arm and how it turned black when she said the Dark Lord had risen.

“My motherwanted to go to him,” she moaned flatly, considering for the moment theunbelievable.

Dumbledorestudied her. He could see Anna struggling with the reality of the truth justrevealed to her. “If you don’t mind my asking you, how does the news ofVoldemort’s return make you feel?”

Anna lookedup, startled by the question. “How does it make me feel? He kidnapped andtortured my mother, and then he tried to use her to destroy my family. It wasbecause of him that my mother was turned into…into…” her voice broke off.

Dumbledorewas supportive. “Anna, your mother was a victim… whose only crime wasunknowingly crossing Voldemort’s path. He destroyed what we knew of VictoriaJennings to suit his purposes, like so many others who fell against hisdreadful ambitions.”

“Did you knowmy mother?”

He smiled. “Yes…I knew Victoria… both as a child and then as an adult. She was a beautifulwoman with a very kind heart.”

“How did youknow her?”

“We’ll leavethat for another time. What matters now is the understanding that your lifeneed not be ruined by the knowledge of these things. You now have a noblecause, far above those of us looking to choose sides in the battle to come.”Anna looked at him apprehensively. “Yes Anna… I know what you are to become,and I must say… I am grateful for it. The falcon will fly again, as in the daysof old.”

Anna’s eyeswidened. “How…?”

Dumbledoresmiled once more; he then stood and walked over to look out the window behindher.

“This is amagnificent school of wizard learning, and very much like my own Hogwarts. ItsChancellor and I have been friends for many, many years.” He looked down hiscrooked nose at her once more. “Professor Thordarson sent me an owl telling meof your arrival soon after the joining ceremony last September. He understoodwhat the coming of the Guardians meant as clear as I. Although there wereseveral ominous signs before you came to this school, I knew then thatVoldemort would soon return. The presence of another Sithmaith in the world…was surely the herald of Lord Voldemort’s rebirth.”

Anna lookedaway in disgust. “I hate him,” she said, angrily. “I hate what he’s done to myfamily.”

“But… youmustn’t.”

Anna lookedat Dumbledore with shocked surprise. “What did you say?”

“My dear… ashard as it may seem to you now, you must try to remain to the side in all ofthis. My arrival today was meant only to bring you the truth of Voldemort’sreturn, and to put you and your family on guard. But you must not becomeentangled in this conflict. Your role, and that of your fellow Guardians, mustfollow the strictest code of neutrality.”

“How can yousay that? You can’t expect me to stand by and just let Voldemort do it all overagain; kill people, destroy families, take over the world.”

“You must notimpose yourself in this struggle, Anna. You have a larger role in the things tocome, and choosing sides on the morning of battle will only set you against whatbrought you into existence. You are the protector of the gifts we treasure mostin this world, and must work to keep the rest of us from destroying the thingssome of us, with a clear mind, would cherish more than our own lives.”

“But I neverasked for this, and I won’t stand by and wait for Voldemort to destroy myfamily again. I won’t let that happen!”

There was apause, and when Dumbledore spoke again it was with deliberate gentleness. “Haveyou ever asked yourself… why you were chosen to be Sithmaith? Why you werecalled to be this… bringer of peace?”

Anna lookedup at the man now looming by her bedside, his long white beard and hairreaching down below his waist. She nodded. “I’ve asked myself that questionevery day since my arrival, but I’m no closer to understanding the answer thanwhen I first came to Castlewood. I really don’t understand why this had to fallto me.”

“I have… anidea,” Dumbledore replied, stepping closer. “The role of Sithmaith has alwaystaken a tremendous personal toll on those who came before you, Anna. EvenMerlin, one of the greatest living sorcerers our world has ever known,struggled with his duties to magic and those due his family and friends.”

Annaremembered the poem her father had read to them while at dinner with the restof the Guardians. And there I, their repentant leader stood, praying mercy’spardon for our inaction in the greatest times of need.

Dumbledorecontinued. “I believe… magic chose you because you, more than any other, hadsomething that would give you the best chance to remain neutral in the conflictto come.”

Anna lookedskeptical. “I… don’t understand. What is it?”

The greatwizard paused, and then sat down next to her on the bed. He leaned in andwhispered, “Infractus Viscus.” He then fell back, as if Anna shouldunderstand his meaning. She frowned as he came forward once again, “Your heart…is already broken, Guardian. Your father is on one side — and your mother is onthe other. Knowing this… which side would you choose?” Anna was suddenlyhorrified by the sobering logic of his words.

“Well… MissGrayson, I’m afraid I must leave you now. I have many others I need to visitand to whom I must deliver my warning. I pray you replace the rest you need, and Ihope you stay in touch with us through your correspondence with ProfessorMcGonagall. She sees great things in you… many great things indeed.” He leanedin again. “And I’ve been told Professor McGonagall is a bit fussy with whom shedelivers her praise.” He smiled, then rose and turned to leave.

Dumbledorewas halfway across the ward before Anna spoke again. “I’m not saying I won’tfight him,” she suddenly blurted out, and Dumbledore turned again to face her.“Voldemort, I mean. Someday, he’s going to pay for what he’s done.”

The old manstudied her and then smiled. “You know… you remind me of somebody at my ownschool. He too has suffered much at the hands of Voldemort. I see his fire andstrength in you.”

“You’respeaking of the Potter boy,” Anna replied knowingly, and Dumbledore grinned.

“Perhaps thetwo of you will some day meet.” He chuckled and then turned away. “Now thatwould be something to see.”

The door tothe hospital floor suddenly opened and Chancellor Thordarson entered the room.

“Albus! Youshould have told me of your arrival.” The Chancellor walked quickly to theHeadmaster and they embraced. “It is good to see you… so very good to see youagain.”

“Elimar… mydear, old friend… it is good to see you too, after all of these years.” Theypulled apart, smiled, and then embraced again. When they finally separated,Thordarson spoke first.

“Albus… arethe rumors true? Tell me… what have you heard?”

Dumbledorelooked somber. “I’m afraid… it is true, my friend. He has indeed… returned.”

“Are yousure, after all these years?”

“Quite sure:We have an eye witness to his rising again. Harry Potter was there.”

“HarryPotter?” Thordarson looked stunned. “Of all the wizards to see him return, itcould not have been a coincidence. You must tell me everything, Albus. I willnotify our allies immediately. You, of course, will recall the order?”

“We aremaking contact with our friends as we speak.”

“Good! AndFudge? How is he taking the news?”

“In themanner we had expected, I’m afraid,” said Dumbledore, with a sigh. TheChancellor shook his head.

“I’m afraidHelen will fall in line with Fudge when the time comes. We won’t replace a lot ofsupport in the things we do moving forward.”

Dumbledoreput a hand on Thordarson’s shoulder and gripped his friend tight. “But we shalldo our best with what we have, as always.”

TheChancellor nodded. He smiled at Anna and then turned to guide Dumbledore to thedoor.

“Albus, couldI ask you to wait for me in my office while I have a word with our patient. Iwon’t be long; I promise.” Dumbledore looked back at Anna and grinned.

“Of course.She is a remarkable young lady,” he said, giving Anna a little wink beforeturning to leave. The Headmaster quietly opened the door and without lookingback he said, “I’ll have the tea and checkerboard waiting, Elimar.”

TWO

Thordarsonseemed to approach Anna cautiously before sitting down next to her on her bed.His dark, square spectacles were hiding his eyes, but Anna knew what was comingnext; she didn’t bother examining his intent.

“I guessyou’re here to kick me out, right?” she said, gloomily.

“Now why, mydear, would we do that?” Thordarson replied, amusedly.

“But… youknow what I’ve done?”

“Well… itwould seem… that you went to see your mother.”

Anna loweredher head. “I… I had to see her. I know you won’t understand, but…”

“Oh, but Ido. Indeed… I do understand all too well.” Anna stared at the Chancellor,astonished by his sympathetic attitude to her crime. She found him shaking hishead. “I’ve been telling your father for years you should have been told thetruth.”

“You…knew? Imean… you’ve known… about my mother all these years?”

“Indeed… Idid.”

“And… youknew about Drogo prison being on this mountain? You mean to say… you kneweverything?”

Thordarsonsmiled. “Ahh… youth. It never does cease to amuse me… when our students aresurprised that we old fogies do have some knowledge of things. Yes… of course,I know about Drogo. I am, after all, its Secret Keeper.”

“You? But Ithought Captain Dunning… I thought he…”

“The Captain?Oh… well I suppose that does make sense. But perhaps… a little dangerousconsidering our Crimson Guards must have their memories modified upon their endof duty there.” He chuckled. “One would have to make sure things are done inthe proper order when we switch the Captain’s post, otherwise the prison mightbe placed out of hiding.”

“But why you?The Chancellor of Castlewood Academy is Saint Drogo’s Secret Keeper? I don’tunderstand the connection. Why would you…?” Anna suddenly stopped. Sheremembered the letter she had received from Thordarson before her arrival atthe school. He had signed it:

Yoursin Highest Regards, Elimar Thordarson

Professorof Wizard Law, History, and Psychological Studies

Chancellor of Castlewood Academyfor the Magical Arts

“PsychologicalStudies?”

TheChancellor nodded. “I’ve been Victoria Grayson’s healer for thirteen years.”

Anna wasstunned. “So you were the one my father said he trusted to help her. It was youwho kept her in that place?”

“Yes… I’mafraid that is true.”

“But… howcould you do that?”

The old manlooked at her sympathetically. “Because I was her physician, and because Iunderstand the healing difference between giving my patients what they want…and providing them what they need.”

“Are yousaying she needed to be in that place?”

“Yes.”

“My motherdidn’t deserve to be in Drogo!”

ProfessorThordarson paused briefly and then shook his head. “Nobody ever said VictoriaGrayson deserved to be in a prison. But… it was, however unfortunate, necessaryto keep her from being continually abused by those who were still looking toVoldemort’s return. That… and freeing a vampire knowingly with murderousintentions would be a crime on our part. Although it pained me greatly to keepher isolated and out of harm’s way, Voldemort’s curse left us with very fewoptions.”

“I can’tbelieve my father let you do that.”

“Your fathercame to understand what had to be done, but it wasn’t easy for him to come tothat conclusion. He truly loved your mother.”

Anna lookedaway, seething. “I wish you wouldn’t do that.”

“What do youmean, my dear?”

She glared athim, trying to remain calm. “I wish you wouldn’t talk… like my mother no longerexisted. There’s been too much of that in my life already.”

The old wizard thought for a moment and then nodded introspectively.“Forgive me. You are right, of course. Your mother deserves better than ourinane assumptions of her passing. Her condition is much more complicated thanthat.”

At thesewords, Anna felt a brief moment of understanding on the Chancellor’s part.Although Victoria was sick, and would probablybe considered a murderer by most, she was also a victim, somebody who deservedsome form of respect for the person she once was, before the time of Voldemort’sintervention in her life. She studied Thordarson’s pained expression and couldsee the sympathy was real, his apology genuine. Setting aside her anger for thesake of her curiosity, Anna straightened.

“I have toask you something about the way my mother was acting.”

Thordarsonlooked surprised. “Of course. In fact, your interpretation of Victoria’sbehavior would be of great interest to me. For your mother’s sake… please… Iask you to share your observations.”

Anna took amoment to think. “Well, first… it was the way she described some of herfeelings; her dreams of hunting in the woods, her hunger and cravings.Sometimes it felt like… I almost understood her too well. It was like… it allseemed too…” she hesitated.

“Familiar?”Thordarson suggested, and Anna looked up in surprise.

“Exactly.Yes… that’s exactly right.”

The lines inThordarson’s forehead seemed to deepen, as though his mind had retreated to amore private place in which to think. He then nodded. “Vampires are verypowerful magical creatures, whose nature is that of a hunter. They consumeblood, not entirely to exist, mind you, but they do need it in some limitedform to survive. There are many vampires that live normal, productive lives inwizard society, because they have learned to control the nature of theirbloodlust. With time and self control, they can become very skilled at takingadvantage of the limited magic available to help them control these cravings.”

“But I stilldon’t understand: Why would my mother affect me the way she did?”

Thordarsonleaned in. “I believe it begins with your being what the Mirror ofEnlightenment called, the Sithmaith. Although very little is known about thisentity, we do know it has a strong and unusual connection with magic. Thisconnection also exists with many animals, but especially with magicalcreatures. When you come into contact with these creatures, you createsomething of a bond with them. They want to be near you and you to them. Youhave knowledge of the things that make them unique; you share their feelingsand even some of their thoughts. In time, you may even join in something of asymbioticrelationship with them.”

Anna thoughtfor a moment. “I think I do share a connection with some things,” and she toldThordarson the stories Eric had shared with her, of her playing with the wildanimals around the Grayson estate when she was a child, and of her ownexperiences with the fish and the birds long before receiving her letter fromCastlewood.

“Yes…”Thordarson said, agreeably. “I am convinced you have come into contact withmany creatures you have unknowingly adopted in your heart. You have a strongunderstanding of their nature, which allows you touch them in a very specialway and in some cases… even take on their physical form.”

Anna staredat him. “You’re talking about the Lethifold… aren’t you?”

“Indeed… Iam. I believe you have a strong link with this creature because you came intocontact with it at a very young age… and because it is highly magical.”

“TheLethifold didn’t try to kill me when I was a child because…” she stopped tothink.

“Because itrecognized you for who and what you were even as a child. Even at a very youngage… you were Sithmaith. You… were its protector.”

“And that’swhy you think I can change into this creature, because I’m supposed to be thisGuardian?”

“I believeso… but I also believe there’s much more to it than that. You see… the more youunderstand the nature of a creature, grasp the essence of its spirit, itsfeelings and the things that drive it… the more you’re able to emote its innercharacteristics and then project them outward. It would seem this is especiallytrue when your emotions align subconsciously with the creature at any givenmoment. In the case of the Lethifold… I suppose this would include a high degreeof anger, which drives you to take on its physical form.”

“No… it’s notanger…” Anna replied, correcting him, “its coldness.” Thordarson lookedenthralled by this statement, so Anna continued. “The Lethifold doesn’t reallythink,” she said, gazing down into her blankets, “it’s much more basic thanthat. It moves on pure instinct, a stalker of living things… and its insidesare horribly cold.” She stopped to check her thoughts, and she could feel aspark of icy blackness in her chest as she spoke of it. “I think… when my angerreaches the point… when I’m looking for revenge… that’s the kind of deepcoldness that brings it on.”

Thordarsonlooked at her with absorbed wonder. “Amazing,” he whispered. “I think we havejust learned more about the Lethifold’s nature in the last few seconds than inall the centuries we’ve known of its existence.” He chuckled lightly. “It givesa whole new meaning to having one’s blood run cold, don’t you think?”

Anna lookeduneasy, but nodded. “It isn’t that way anymore, though,” she added quickly,trying to sound upbeat. “I don’t have to feel enraged to change now; I canpretty much transform into the Lethifold whenever I wish.” She settled back tothink.

“But, there’ssomething I don’t understand, Professor. You told me once that I was the firstwitch or wizard ever known to have changed into a magical creature. If Merlinwas the last Sithmaith, why couldn’t he do it? And why haven’t I changed intoother creatures that I’ve come into contract with?”

“Are you sureyou haven’t?”

Anna gaped athim. “Of course I’m sure. I think I would have known if I’d changed intosomething else.”

ProfessorThordarson surveyed her. He then tilted his head back as if to bring forth intohis mind a distant memory. “I seem to recall your first day in the dueling pit,when our good captain put you against his sister.”

“You sawthat?” Anna said, looking surprised.

“Yes… I wasthere.” He smiled coyly, and then again looked apologetic. “I must confess, I’mnot in the habit of announcing my arrival at every event in which Iparticipate.” He sighed heavily. “I don’t like them making a fuss over me allthe time. It gets to be all so… formal.” He leaned forward and grinned. “Not tomention… a little bit embarrassing.” He gave her a wink, and Anna smiled. He tippedback and continued.

“Yes… thatwas quite a day for you, wasn’t it? I was especially impressed with yourmovements over the sand, and your almost super-human ability to evade severalincoming spells at near pointblank range. If I may, you almost seemed… cat-liketo me.”

Anna staredat him as her mind raced back to that day in the pit. She remembered how slowDebbie Dunning seemed to her at the time, the excitement at seeing Debbie’sblood in the sand, and the thrill of raising the killing blow. She rememberedher dream of attacking Damon with massive, clawed paws when he was torturingWidwick, and raising the same lethal weapons against the Muggle whom she hadfound in the Shadowed Forest. She recalledseeing the horrible black claws embedded in her own hand that night, and triedto image what her face must have looked like when Thordarson interrupted her.

“Do you stillbelieve there are no other creatures with whom you share a strong connection?”he said, peering over his glasses at her.

Anna looked upand shrugged. “Perhaps… but that still doesn’t explain why I felt the way I didwhen I was with my mother.”

“Isn’t itobvious?” Thordarson replied, seemingly surprised at Anna’s inability to makethe connection. “You were in contact with a vampire once before… and at a veryearly age.”

His statementastounded Anna. “What? When? Are… are you sure?”

“Quite sure.In fact, I believe it was this contact that… what was it you said the Mirror ofEnlightenment told you? Oh yes… it was that contact that altered youfrom what was intended at your birth.”

“I don’tunderstand. How could I have come in contact with another vampire?”

“Actually… Ibelieve you came into contact with two vampires before you were born. The firstwas the vampire that attacked your mother while you were still in her womb, andthe second… was your own mother just before you were born.”

Anna wasstunned, too stunned to immediately reply. After a long moment, she could onlymutter, “I don’t understand…”

Thordarsonreached out and touched her hand. “I know your father already told you that youwere saved from prenatal death in the minutes following your mother’s passing.I believe it was then you came into contact with the second vampire. Ithappened during your mother’s own rebirth as the creature she would become.”Anna looked horrified as Thordarson leaned back.

“Twooccurrences of direct contact with vampires before you took your first breath.How that changed you from what magic had intended will only be answered in theyears to come, when you begin to take more seriously your duties as the leaderof the new Guardians.”

Anna had aterrifying thought. “Hold on. The mirror told me the evil one hadsomehow altered my birth from what was expected. But I now know the evil oneand my mother… are the same person. So was it the vampire that altered me orVoldemort’s curse on my mother?”

Once againThordarson looked sympathetic. “Your mother’s dissociative identity andvampirism are not unconnected or incompatible, and they certainly were notseparate when you were born. They are coexistent parts of the same person. Assuch, your question is indeed a valid one. I can only offer you my opinion thatit was your physical contact with the vampire that altered you, and made yousomething different from what we saw in Merlin and the other Sithmaiths thatcame before him.

“Yourfamiliarity with the vampire Victoria inside Drogo prison came from your pastcontact with her. The process magic uses to create the Sithmaith might havebeen tainted slightly by the terrible events of your birth, but it also madeyou quite unique in wizard history, giving you the ability to do things, beforenow, we would never have believed possible.”

Anna thought.“She kept calling me, my kind,” she said somberly, looking up at him.

Thordarsonnodded. “Victoria undoubtedly must have sensedyou were another vampire when you entered her room. I’m afraid the power ofthese creatures is not as well documented as many of us would like, but it’sprobably what kept her from immediately attacking you when you first enteredher cell.”

The greatwizard finally fell back satisfied he had given his views to the best of hisability. “I’m afraid we are headed for very difficult times now that LordVoldemort has returned. You and the rest of the Guardians will have your workcut out for you.”

“I suppose…”Anna replied numbly. “If, that is, we can sustain the Unionat all.”

TheChancellor smiled at her. “Faith,” he said, patting her hand. “We still havetwo more days. You never know what a new day will bring. He peeked down at heragain over his dark glasses. “I should think you would be more concerned aboutyour relationship with your father.”

Anna frowned,and Thordarson smiled again. “Boris told me about your unscheduled trip backhome. Apparition for one so young is quite an accomplishment, but to Apparatefrom the dungeons of Drogo and then travel three thousand miles through all thebarriers your father uses to protect the Grayson estate… is utterlyastounding.” He paused to think. “Although I doubt I could stop you fromApparating on the plateau entirely, I would ask that you not do it again inpublic. We do so enjoy the facade of security here.” He grinned at her again.

“I haveexplained what happened when you arrived outside the stadium with you injuriesby saying I myself found you in the forest and then sent you back to theplateau.” His head teetered side to side. “The story won’t satisfy everybodywho saw you suddenly appear, but… if you’ll agree to keep silent about what youremember… I believe my embroidery of the facts should do nicely.”

“Ah… okay. Imean… yes, sir,” Anna agreed, remembering her father’s reaction at seeing herat the Grayson house.

“Your fatherwas quite distressed when I informed him of your return to Castlewood, andabout the seriousness of your injuries. He’s been by your side day and nightsince his arrival.”

Anna smirked.“I still can’t believe he didn’t tell me the truth,” she said, folding her armsangrily.

Thordarsonnodded. “Your father wanted to shield you from the painful details concerningyour mother’s condition. I should think any father would do the same.”

“But you toldhim to be honest with me.”

“Yes… I did.But I’ve never had the privilege of a wife or the blessings of children. Whatdoes a simple old man like me truly know of such things?”

“I don’t knoweither,” Anna replied furiously. “I thought I did, but now… I don’t know…” Shelay back down in her bed, her emotions a knot of anger and doubt.

“I will saythis,” Thordarson continued, “I have lived a very long time, and in all myyears I have rarely witnessed a truer love than that of your parents. Youshould never doubt this, Anna. Through all the trials and the things of evilworking against them, their love was indeed a wonderful thing to witness.

Anna startedto sob and then covered her face with her injured hand. “I don’t know,” shemoaned, and Thordarson smiled.

“In time,” hesaid softly, “I believe… you will.” He looked quickly to the side as if hearingsomething behind him. He then turned to face Anna again.

“In themeantime… I must ask you what you know… of Leola Grayson’s death.”

Once again,Anna was taken completely by surprise. “Leola?” The Chancellor stared at herwith a strange, prying gaze, and Anna could see the truth in the old wizard’seyes. “You… you know what happened to her, don’t you?”

The oldwizard settled back. “It is important that we understand each other implicitlybefore I ramble on and break my oath of healer-patient privilege.”

Annaunderstood. She too felt an obligation not to say anything about the death ofher father’s first wife. She promised the ally she wouldn’t tell anyone. Shedecided to take a chance.

“Some havesuggested…” Anna whispered, smoothing the bandages mindlessly on her arm, “thatLeola’s death wasn’t an accident.” Her eyes immediately met his, looking for aresponse. The Chancellor dipped his head.

“Your mothertold you, then,” he said, mournfully. He looked up at her again. “Anna… I canonly offer you my medical opinion that it would serve no good purpose to revealwhat your mother did while under Voldemort’s curse… especially to your father.He already blames himself far too much for many things not of his doing. Borisdoesn’t know Victoria was the cause of Leola’sdeath and the details of that crime would only add to his pain. If ever she’sgiven the opportunity, Victoria should explainher actions to Boris herself.”

Anna wasstruck by an uneasy twinge of irony. She was now keeping a secret from herfather in much the same way he had done when it came to the truth about hermother. Thinking only of her promise to the ally, Anna agreed.

“Good,”Thordarson said, smiling. “Very good: It is not our place to reveal such thingswithout permission, or the proper means for healing.” He suddenly glanced againat the door behind him.

“Right now…our time together is running short, and we need to discuss what we’re going totell Captain Dunning.”

“Dunning?”Anna said, jerking up.

“Yes… thecaptain is on his way presently, and he intends to question you about an escapeat Drogo prison last night.” Anna scrunched down into her blankets lookingterrified.

“I’m dead,”she mumbled through her covers.

“Yes… I’mafraid our Captain is quite convinced of your culpability,” Thordarson said,raising his eyebrows.

“He’s beentrying to kick me out of Castlewood since the day I arrived. I guess he’ll havehis way this time.”

Thordarsongrinned knowingly and then straightened. “Now that we know about Voldemort’sreturn, it is most important the Guardians be given the chance to finish what theystarted here last September, and I doubt that can happen without you.” Hestared at Anna looking for her agreement.

“But… whatshould I do? The captain will surely expel me when he…” Thordarson held up ahand to stop her.

“Your fatherand I think it best that you disavow any knowledge of what might have happenedat Drogo two nights ago.”

Anna staredat the man, disbelieving what she was hearing. Was the Chancellor of Castlewoodasking her to lie to his own Captain of the Guard?

“Don’t be sosurprised, my dear. It would not be in the Guardians’ best interest if you,their leader, were arrested.”

“But mymother escaped; she’ll return to Voldemort, and…”

“If I hadreleased her to your father’s care, she would have returned to Voldemortanyway.”

“But she’s amurderer, it’s my fault she’s free.”

“Did you knowthis before you went to Drogo?” Anna fell silent. “Did you understand hercondition before you flew that marvelous steed over the mountains to replace her?No, Anna, you did not. Your only crime was in wanting to see your mother. Ifthere was a crime here, it is shared by your father and myself. We should haveknown you would eventually learn the truth once you arrived at Castlewood. Withthose extraordinary abilities of yours… it was only a matter of time. We shouldhave taken extra precautions to insure you would never replace Drogo.”

“I thinkyou’re making excuses for me, Professor, and I can’t let you takeresponsibility for what I’ve done.”

“My dear, youhave your whole life to make up for an understandable mistake. I say again… thefault must be shared by us all.” Anna tried to argue.

“It… is…settled, Anna.” She fell silent as the man looked behind him again.

“There islittle time, the captain is almost here. So, as accomplices to these misdeeds,we must… as the criminal element commonly like to say…get-our-stories-straight. You will admit to nothing. You were attacked whilepreparing your mount for the last Vollucross race by a creature unknown anddragged into the forest. You awoke later on the plateau — you remember nothingmore.”

“But…”

“Nothing…more!” Anna pulled her covers over her nose… and then nodded.

“Good. Yourfather and I are working on a plan to recapture Victoria Grayson. You willleave her to us.” He stood, looked at the door to the hospital floor again, andthen turned sharply to her once more.

“Oh… and onemore thing. You should know there was a death at the prison the night you werethere; one of the prisoners was murdered.” Anna bolted up straight.

“What? Oh —no. Did my mother…”

Thordarsonraised a hand again to stop her. “No — no. This was not Victoria’s doing. She wasalready gone when it happened. We are not exactly sure what happened yet, butin the confusion and panic of things at the prison, one of the prisoners wasmurdered by a second who then later also escaped. We are certain the escapeewill be apprehended in the forests surrounding Drogo shortly. I just didn’twant you surprised by this news if the captain were to mention it.”

Suddenly, thedoor to the hospital floor flew open and Captain Dunning swept into the room,his pace slowing somewhat at seeing the Chancellor standing next to Anna’s bed.

“ProfessorThordarson… I didn’t realize you were here, sir. I saw the Headmaster ofHogwarts entering your office and he told me the prisoner was awake.” Annacringed at Dunning’s words. Thankfully, they did not go unnoticed by theChancellor.

“Theprisoner, Captain? Surely, we should at least give our student a chance toexplain herself before we put her in chains.”

The captainlooked bemused, but recovered quickly. “Yes… of course, sir. I didn’t mean tosuggest…”

“You willreplace our patient ready to answer all of your questions now, Captain.”

Dunning wassurprised. “I… hope that doesn’t mean you’ve already been questioning her, sir.Protocol demands the presence of a Crimson Guard whenever a prisoner… I mean… awitness to a crime makes any statement to the facts.”

“Are myinquiries as to the health of one of my students also forbidden?”

Dunninghesitated. “Of course not, sir. My apologies… forgive me.”

“Oh please,Captain. No offense was taken. I will leave Miss Grayson in your gentle care.Ah, Doctor… good… I’m glad you’re here.”

Doctor Pearlentered the floor, bustling forward with a tray of food at her waist. She satthe tray on the table next to Anna’s bed and then looked down at her.

“There sheis…” Pearl sanghappily. “I see our little patient is finally awake. How do you feel, my dear,”she said grandmotherly, and Anna could see Captain Dunning rolling his eyesbehind her.

“I think… I’mokay,” Anna said, weakly.

“Doctor,” thecaptain interrupted, and Anna could see the muscles in Pearl’s jaw tighten as she raised a hand tofeel her forehead, “I need to question this student on a very importantsecurity matter.”

“In goodtime, Captain,” Pearlreplied with a sneer, not bothering to look back.

Thordarsonstepped forward. “I’m afraid this cannot wait, Margaret,” he said directly, andto the captain’s immense satisfaction. “But would you stay with Anna after thecaptain has finished asking his questions and until her father returns to herbedside?”

“Of course.” Pearl replied. She lookedat Dunning. “You will call me when you’ve finished, then?” The captain noddedas he turned to draw himself nearer to Anna’s bed. “Oh… and Captain Dunning,”said Pearl,calling his attention back again. “I would ask that you not upset my patient.There are still some risks to her condition that concern me.”

“I’ll do whatI can… given her… uhh… delicate state,” Dunning replied, not bothering to hidehis cynical tone.

“Very good,”said Thordarson. “Well… I have a guest waiting for me in my office, so I willtake my leave of you all. Miss Grayson, I will notify your family that you haveawakened. Doctor, I would like a report on her status at the end of the day.”

“Of course,sir.”

“And Captain…I would like to see your report on the matters we discussed by tomorrowmorning.”

“You willhave it, Chancellor,” Dunning said, turning to face Anna. “And I assure you… itwill be a full report of the facts.”

“Excellent.Then I won’t keep Albus waiting any longer. Good day to you all.” TheChancellor then turned and left the hospital floor.

Doctor Pearlgave Anna another potion that stank of rotting earth and garlic. It turned theveins under her skin black before fading. She then raised the head of Anna’sbed and shoved the tray of food under her chin with a single order to itspurpose.

“Eat!” shebarked threateningly, before turning to face Dunning. “Call me when you’vefinished, Captain.”

Aftergathering his nod, Doctor Pearl left the ward, leaving Anna swirling her soupand the captain staring out the window behind her.

The tensionin the air was heavy as Dunning listened for the doctor’s door to close. Annawanted to scream out to her, Don’t leave me with him; there’s notelling what he’ll do if you… the doctor’s office door opened and thenclosed, rattling the pane of glass in its center.

THREE

There was amoment of stillness, and then, “So… what are we to do with you now?” Dunningsaid, gazing out the window behind her. Anna didn’t reply. The captain turned.“Nothing to say for yourself?” She remained silent as Dunning walked to thefoot of her bed. “Look at me,” he growled, and Anna slowly raised her eyes tomeet his.

“You… are outof here; out of this bed, out of this school… and off this mountain. The onlything left to decide is whether or not you will be arrested for your crimes.”Anna returned to her soup as Dunning began to pace back and forth across thefoot of her bed, his hands gripped tightly behind his back.

“You onlyhave one chance to avoid being arrested when I leave his ward.” He suddenlyturned, grabbed the foot posts on the metal bed, and yanked her attentionstraight. “Are you listening to me?” The soup slopped over its rim and spilledout onto the tray.

“I hear you…”Anna replied. Still, unwilling to look at him.

“I want toknow how you did it. How did you get into the dungeons of Drogo? How did youbreak into my prison?”

Anna pickedup the napkin next to her plate and began mopping the spilled soup. “I wasn’tthere,” she replied calmly.

“DON’T YOUDARE… LIE TO ME!” he yelled, and Anna flinched. “Tell me how you did it. Tellme now… or your arrest will come before your expulsion!”

“I don’t knowwhat you’re talking about,” Anna said, her own voice rising.

“You… wereseen!”

At this, Annacouldn’t contain her surprise. Was it possible someone had seen her, perhaps aguard? Her stomach began to twist. Was he lying, trying to get her to admit thetruth? She tried to hide her emotions, keeping her face as void of tension aspossible.

“We have thetestimony from one of the prisoners, a woman who said a young girl with redhair stopped to talk with her in the sanatorium ward,” the captain sneered.“That evidence has been corroborated by the testimony of another prisoner whosaw you walking by his cell three floors down — later the same night. So don’tcontinue to lie and say you were not there. That would only put you in veryserious…”

“I wasn’tthere,” Anna growled.

It occurredto Anna that if Dunning had any real proof she had been to Drogo, he wouldn’tbe talking to her now; he would have already arrested her. The testimony of twoprisoners, especially one in a sanatorium and one that believed himself to be adragon, would be worth nothing. Anna looked straight into Dunning eyes; shecould feel his intentions oozing out of his soul like an infection from an openwound. He was trying to bait her into admitting the truth.

“You’re notgoing to force me to admit I broke into your prison,” she said, determinedly.

“You mean youwon’t tell me the truth! I’ll give you one more chance to tell me how you didit, and you have my word you won’t be arrested. You’ll be sent home with yourfamily, and ordered not to return.”

“Then I guessyou’ll have to arrest me, Captain, because you’ll never hear me say I was atDrogo. I was attacked while preparing my mount outside Vollucross stadium.Whatever attacked me dragged me into the forest. That’s all I can tell you…because that’s all I remember.” With that, Anna went back to sipping her soup.

CaptainDunning moved quickly. Taking the tray from her lap, he slammed it onto thebedside table. “You will tell me what I want to know or I swear I’ll have youin irons. No student, least of all a Grayson, is going to make a fool out ofme. How did you do it?”

“I don’t knowwhat you’re talking about.”

“HOW?”

“I wasn’tthere!”

“Liar! Therewere two prisoners held in separate rooms near your mother; one of them was aman named Reginald Carter. The spell that took the door off Victoria Grayson’scell also started the fires that lead to the murder of a second prisoner byCarter, who later escaped.”

Anna wasstunned. Although Professor Thordarson had warned her of the prisoner’s death,Dunning was making it sound like she had ultimately caused it to happen. Whatif he was right? She tried to remain calm.

“I wasn’tthere,” she lied, remembering what must have been the murdered prisoner’sgentle voice speaking to the other man in the cell next to him; the murderer hecalled Reggie.

Dunningstraightened. “So… this is what you call honor, lying about the loss ofanother man’s life? Taking no responsibility for your actions? You were there,and your actions were responsible for a man’s death and two escapes. Who knowshow many other lives will now be lost due to your interference?”

“Interference?”Anna seethed. “My mother shouldn’t have been locked in that place to beginwith,”

Dunningsmiled shrewdly. “I thought you said you weren’t there?” His face then turnedcold. “She was exactly where creatures like that should be… locked in a cage.”

Anna fumed.“You’re disgusting! My mother is not a creature. She’s a living-breathing,human being!”

“Onlysomebody as naive as you would call a vampire… human. She’s a vicious,” he tooka step toward her, “murdering,” he took another step and leaned down into herface, “blood-sucking… monster.” Anna glared angrily at him; it was taking allher strength to remain calm.

“And when mymen locate her in the forest surrounding Drogo, I hope she puts up a fight,because that will the last moment of her miserable life.”

“You won’treplace her in these mountains… so your threats are pointless,” Anna snarled backat him.

Dunning’seyebrows raised. “And how would you know that? For somebody who doesn’t knowwhat I’m talking about, you certainly seem confident in your opinion that yourmother is no longer around here. Perhaps I should send an owl to the Ministryand get the Gamot to give me permission to search the Grayson estate?Maybe I’ll catch your father harboring an escaped fugitive when I arrive.”

Anna gloweredat him, shaking her head derisively. “Do you really believe my father wouldallow that to happen?” She stared at Dunning and purposely tried to sound smug,knowing what would entice his anger further. “Even if it was true, and myfather did decide to keep by mother hidden, you would never get the Ministry’spermission to search our house.” Anna glowered evilly at him. “As important asyou think you are, you don’t have that kind of power, Dunning.”

At thesewords, Captain Dunning had reached the limit of his control. He swept quicklyaround the foot of the bed and approached Anna from the side. He grabbed her bythe shoulders and lifted her straight up, knocking the tray of food to thefloor with a clatter.

“Tell me howyou entered Drogo!” he yelled, shaking her. Anna’s head snapped back, andsuddenly the terrible pain in her neck was back. Painted colors exploded in herbrain as a bleached fog almost pushed her into unconsciousness.

“Tell me youwere there, or I swear you will regret it!”

Anna’s necksnapped back again and another series of pops and sparks exploded behind herclosed eyelids. And then, from a deepest part of Anna’s core, an incredibleanger suddenly rushed forth. Her body went rigid and her head shot forward ather attacker, the outer shell that once was Anna Grayson reshaping itself intoblazing rage. Anna roared into Dunning’s face, and the heat of her madness flewinto him like a blow to the skull.

The captainwas now holding her away in shocked surprise. He could see the snarling teeth,the eyes glaring at him changing from green to deadly amber, her pupilsstretching and elongating vertically like that of a deadly cat.

“What thehell… are you?” he stammered, his arms stretching out like a man anticipatingsomething dreadful about to explode in his hands. She didn’t answer him, but hecould feel the rumble of her growls reverberating through every bone of hisbody.

“Put herdown!”

Dunning andAnna looked to the entrance of the hospital floor and saw Mister Graysonfilling the open doorway; the rest of the Grayson family was looking over hisshoulder behind him. Tencha was covering her mouth in apparent shock at whatthey were seeing. Mister Grayson stepped into the room.

“Get yourfilthy hands off of my daughter!”

Dunning wasimmediately taken aback at being caught so easily. He recovered quickly,however, and turned to look at Anna again. Her eyes had returned to normal.

“NOW!”screamed Mister Grayson, who stepped forward again and pulled out his wand.Eric and Damon immediately moved to their father’s side and drew their wands aswell.

Dunningsmirked, and then slowly lowered Anna onto the bed where she quickly pulled herblankets over her shoulders and rolled away from him.

“Get out of here,Dunning!” Mister Grayson demanded, now taking aim with his wand as the captainturned to face him.

“You are notthe master of this castle, Grayson. I have the ultimate authority here.”

“And doesthat authority extend itself to grabbing and physically abusing the children ofthis school?”

Dunningglared at him. “In fact — it does. For the crimes your daughter has committed,I could put her in dungeon chains.”

“What are youtalking about?” Dowla blistered. “Anna’s done nothing wrong.”

MisterGrayson and Eric looked at each other and then lowered their wands together.

“Eric — takethe children outside. I wish to speak to the captain in private.”

“Yes, sir,”Eric replied quickly, motioning the other children toward the door.

“Father… weshould stay here with you,” Damon said, still pointing his wand at Dunning.“You can’t trust him.”

MisterGrayson reached out and pushed Damon’s wand down. “Go with your brother, son.I’ll handle this.” Damon and the girls reluctantly headed out the door beforetheir father grabbed Eric by the arm.

“Make surethey’re far enough away so they can’t hear us,” he whispered, nodding towardhis brother and sisters.

“Iunderstand, father,” Eric replied knowingly, and Mister Grayson watched themwalk down the corridor before turning to close the door. He then walked toAnna’s bed.

“Dunning… ifthere was ever a man more derelict in his duty than you, I swear I’ve never methim,” Mister Grayson said, staring at his daughter lying in the bed. She wasn’tlooking at him.

“You, sir,have a lot of gall accusing me of…” Dunning started to say, but Mister Graysoncut him off.

“You have alot of failings, Captain. Most of which could be set aside by the discovery ofcompassion on your part. I like to think of myself as a fair and compassionateman as well, but if you ever put your hands on a member of my family again… youwon’t live long enough to regret it. Do you understand?” Mister Grayson wasstill staring at Anna’s back.

Dunningturned on him, seething with rage. “I don’t believe you have the…”

“Do YOU…UNDERSTAND ME?” Mister Grayson yelled, now turning to face Dunning fully. Annarecoiled under her blankets before curling tighter into a ball away from them.

Dunning fellsilent as the two stared at each other, each sizing up the man within theother. It was Dunning who first broke their locked gaze with a coy smile.

“Anytime youfeel you have the ambition and skill to duel with me, Grayson, I welcome yourchallenge. In fact, you can’t imagine how many times I’ve longed for a chanceto knock you down a few pegs. You have no idea what you’re dealing with in me,sir.”

“Oh… that’swhere you would be wrong, Captain Dunning. I know exactly what you are and howyou came to be. Your career has been most impressive, but it has come at the expense of severalothers who made the mistake of getting in ambition’s way.

“In a lot ofways, you and I are very similar. You have some talent; some skill andintelligence that many believe make you formidable. But what you lack is anunderstanding of the things moving covertly around you. You see… I know why youhate my family, Dunning. You believe that with riches comes a level ofuncontrollable power. You see that power manipulated to the personal needs ofmany of the well-known wizarding families whose children come into this school.I’ve seen your kind many times before, Captain. Your insipid resentment andjealousies are without cause… and offensive to me. You are unrestricted in youractions and unreserved. You have no moral code rooted to any defined path. Inshort: you, sir, have no honor.”

The veins inDunning’s neck were thick with rage. “How dare you presume to lecture me of aman’s honor? You, of all people, would define for me a man’s deepestprinciples? I question this honor you clam as your own, Grayson: You who wouldtry to hide your wife in a prison.”

“You knowonly what you saw of my wife in that dungeon you kept her in, and nothing more.Had I known you had taken it upon yourself to work out your envious hate on myfamily… by placing Victoria in the dungeonhall without my permission, I would have had you removed from Drogo long beforenow.”

“VictoriaGrayson is a dangerous lunatic… a soulless animal. She… is a vampire,” Dunningspat.

“My wife… wasa victim,” Mister Grayson growled back under his breath. “She did not choose tobe what she has become. But you, and so many like you, would punish her justbecause life’s cruelest shadows darkened her door. Victoriawas sent to Drogo for help, not to be abused by the likes of somebody likeyou.”

“She will becaptured again and returned to the dungeon where she and those like herbelong,” Dunning snarled back, derisively.

“That’s…where you would be wrong, Captain. My wife will never again fall under yourabsent care. You have proven your ineptitude to keep her safe, and you havelost sight as to the reason she was put in your control. You have failed atyour post, sir; and if I have my way… you are soon to be relieved.”

“It was yourdaughter that set her free!”

MisterGrayson stared at him. He then turned to walk to the foot of Anna’s bed,thinking as he went. He finally looked up. “And how did she accomplish thiswondrous feat? I didn’t realize visiting hours extended themselves into theevenings at Drogo… or to the dungeons.”

“They don’t!”Dunning spat.

“Then howcould Anna have been there? Tell me, Captain… how could a thirteen-year-oldstudent break into Saint Drogo’s prison under your watchful guard, make her waydown to the lowest levels unseen, enter a locked and enchanted door, and thenrelease my wife? How did she get out without being seen while you weresearching for two escaped prisoners?”

Dunning’sface changed to an ugly shade of puce. He struggled to remain composed as hegritted his reply through tightly clinched teeth. “I don’t know how she did it.I only know she was there. You’ve seen the injuries to her neck. We both knowwhat caused those wounds.”

“That has yetto be determined,” Mister Grayson said, coolly.

“She helpedthat creature to escape! And she’s going to pay for her crimes,” Dunningshouted, angrily.

“Do not thinkyou can blame your failures on my daughter,” Mister Grayson fired back. “Youhave no proof Anna was there, no explanation as to how she might have gotteninside the prison, or how she would have helped my wife to escape. How wouldshe have gotten away from Drogo and back to the plateau with injuries such asthese? You have only yourself to blame for your failings, Dunning, and I’mgoing to see to it that you pay dearly for your cruelty and ineptitude.”

Dunningangrily stepped forward. “I don’t know how she did these things, but she did;make no mistake, I know that she did. She’s a freak, an abomination that shouldbe locked in a cage with her mother! I only hope that I’m the one who cansomeday show the world what she is, what all you Graysons really are!” MisterGrayson moved so quickly it took Dunning completely by surprise.

WHAM!

The fistedblow laid into Dunning’s jaw sent him sprawling to the floor. Anna boltedupright in her bed in time to see Dunning reaching into his robes.

“On yourfeet, Dunning. I’m not finished with you!” Mister Grayson growled down at him.

Dunning wasrubbing his jaw with one hand and pointing his wand with the other. “You’reunder arrest, Grayson.”

“I said getup!”

“Turnaround!” said the captain threateningly, pushing himself up to stand again.

“Get out ofhere, Dunning. And if I ever hear you mock my family again, or see you putanother hand on one of my children, it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

“I saidyou’re under arrest. Now turn around!”

“Go to hell…”

“Stop it!”Anna screamed. “Both of you… please… just go! Leave me alone…”

Anna couldsee Captain Dunning’s fury blooming on his face like a boil ready to explode,but she didn’t care. She fell back into her bed and turned away from themagain.

Her fatherstepped forward. “I’ll make you a deal, Dunning. You will resign your post,effective immediately. If you do this, I promise not to seek personalreparations for your failings and brutality on my wife at that prison ofyours,” he said, furiously.

CaptainDunning sneered at him. “Seeking your unwarranted vengeance on me would onlybring to light the truth about your wife. I doubt you would do that,” he said,still pointing his wand.

MisterGrayson thought. For too long a time he had been keeping the secret about hiswife to himself, trying to hide something terrible about his family from therest of the Wizarding world. He stared at Dunning with disgust in his eyes. Heknew the captain was right about one thing; keeping this kind of secret doesput a man’s honor into question.

“So be it,”Mister Grayson seethed. “Mind you… I still believe I was working to keep myfamily safe while giving my wife the best chance at a full recovery. If itmeans telling my story in public to see you properly punished… I can live withthat.”

For the firsttime since he had entered the hospital floor, Dunning looked uncertain of hisposition, and he suddenly realized he had misjudged the man standing beforehim. He knew Boris Grayson was a very powerful individual; as much as Dunningtried ignoring this fact, there was no denying it. Anna’s father had manypowerful friends inside the Ministry, all over the world. If such a man as hewere to throw his privacy and honor on the coals of public ridicule just to havehis revenge, Dunning knew he would have no place to go. He would be ruined.

The captainslowly lowered his wand. He had no proof of Anna’s involvement in the escapesat the prison under his care. In fact, Dunning always knew he would never beallowed to speak of it in public anyway, even if he could prove Anna was thereand responsible for the escape of her mother. Doing so would reveal Drogo’slocation to the world and the Ministry would never allow that to happen. Hestared at Boris Grayson with a sinister loathing that carried with it severalunspoken curses.

“So… I resignmy post and you keep all your little secrets intact. That hardly seemsequitable,” Dunning complained.

MisterGrayson glared at the man. “My wife is a very sick person, Captain. I know youcan’t understand that, because you only know what you saw in that cell you kepther in. You were never told Victoria’s story,of the attack on her person, the torture she had to endure, and then themadness that finally sent her to prison. Those facts were kept from you andrevealed only to her healer.” He stepped closer to Dunning, his anger risinghigher. “You have no idea of the danger you’ve now put my family in. You talkof equity? Trust me… giving me your neck under a sword wouldn’t be equitable tome now.”

Dunninglooked skeptical at Mister Grayson’s words, but decided. “I will inform theChancellor of my decision regarding my station before you leave Spellsburg,” hesaid, coldly. He then glared down at Anna lying in the bed facing away from himand then turned and headed for the door. He grabbed the latch and yanked thedoor open before looking back.

“Either way,sir… my honor remains intact. Can you honestly say the same?” He left,slamming the door behind him with a bang.

MisterGrayson stood gazing at the closed door across the ward, realizing with sometrepidation that the captain was probably right. He turned to look at hisdaughter hiding under her blankets.

“Anna?” hesaid, tenderly. She wouldn’t look at him, she didn’t move. “Please, Anna, weneed to talk about this.”

FOUR

Of all thepeople Anna had seen this day, it was her father she was dreading the most. Herunexpected trip home had exposed the huge gap - open like an infected sorebetween them. Her father was now here to face her, to explain his part in thelie that was her mother’s death.

“Go… away,”she said, still hiding herself. “I don’t want to see you,” she hollered throughher bedding.

“Anna… youdon’t understand. You can’t imagine what it was like to watch the one you lovedie and then come back as that creature.”

“Go away! Idon’t want to talk about it.”

“We have totalk about it, Anna. We can’t ignore this.”

“Why not?You’ve been ignoring it for years. You lied to me!” Anna replied, still hidingunder her blankets.

“I didn’t lieto you.”

She suddenlythrew the blankets back to glare up at him. “You did! You told me my motherdied. She’s not dead.”

“But she diddie, Anna. Or at least that’s how the Wizarding world describes what happenedto her. Becoming a vampire is a highly magical process that wizards and witchesgo through when fed upon by another vampire to the point of death. It’s not adeath in the traditional sense, no, but the change is so drastic that manywizards who go through it are barely recognizable after they cross over. Andthe bloodlust can be overwhelming for them, to the point where most can’t evenfunction as the person they once were.”

“Why didn’tyou tell me?” Anna hollered. “Was it because the family squib was too fragileto handle the truth? Was that it?”

“No…”

“Then… why?”

MisterGrayson looked away, and for the first time in Anna’s life she thought she sawdoubt forming in her father’s eyes. After a time he appeared to be gatheringhimself; he looked humble, and seemed on the verge of sharing something he hadbeen practicing his entire life to deliver.

“Your motherand I loved each other so much, Anna. It was the kind of love that was trulyrare in this world. It starts out as a perfect friendship where children growup together, play together; her parents were like my own. We worked together,studied together — shared our personal relationships with each other, butthrough it all we were the best kind of friends; those that stay side by sidethrough thick and thin, sharing our deepest feelings and passions with oneanother.

“And then,one day, I came to realize that Victoria meantmore to me than my own life.” He turned to look at Anna. “And when thathappens, the love realized is heaven sent.” He walked over and sat down next toher on the bed and she cringed at his wanting to be close.

“I was a foolnot to have seen my love for Victoria earlierin my life. I wish I had, especially after your mother told me she had loved mefor so long.” He smiled. “I was shocked by that. There I was, trying to replace away to tell her the way I felt, that something in our relationship had changed…that I loved her, and she responded so lovingly… so understandingly. How couldI have been so blind to her feelings for me? I held her in my arms so manytimes before that day … but never as close as the night she told me how shereally felt.

“I didn’tknow at that time what Voldemort had done to her, and I’ll always hate him forwhat he did to your mother and our family. He took Victoria,tortured her — shattered her mind, and then set her against those she lovedmost in the world. What kind of evil is capable of such atrocities?” He reachedout to take Anna’s hand, but she pulled away.

“How could Itell you these things, Anna? How does a father tell his daughter of the greatestevil once brought to their door?”

He stoodagain. “After your mother was placed in Drogo, I asked Professor Thordarson todo what he could to help her, but what was left of Victoriawas so fragile and her mind too badly damaged to recover from Voldemort’slimitless cruelty. After her transformation into the vampire, her guilt andbloodlust were too much to allow for any kind of a healing process to occur. Wetried everything, but her psyche was badly shattered, and the spells Voldemortplaced on her afterward to reinforce her condition made that damage permanent.

“For yearsProfessor Thordarson worked with your mother and never gave up his hope Victoria could some day be returned to us. That’s why Inever looked for another relationship in my life after you were born. Victoria’s mind was gone… but she was still here, foreverin my heart.”

Finally, hewas quiet, and Mister Grayson stood at the window looking outside at thegrounds and the students communing in the courtyard below. He looked at Anna stillsitting in her bed.

“We have tolet her go, Anna. Victoria… my wife, your mother, really did die… thirteenyears ago.”

Anna glaredat him. “You’re wrong.”

“Anna,please… you must understand…”

“You’rewrong!” Anna screamed at him. “I saw her. I touched her. She’s alive!”

Her fatherturned and walked back to her bed. “What you saw was not your mother.”

“You’relying! She’s not dead, she’s not!”

“Please,Anna.” He reached down and took her hands in his, but she wrenched them away.

“Stay awayfrom me! You should have told me the truth!” He reached for her again, but Annaleapt out of the bed to the other side, the grief she had been holding in foryears overwhelming the pain in her body.

“You don’tknow what it was like not to have a mother,” she screamed. “All those yearsliving in that house as a squib, believing I was weak and helpless, wonderingwhy I was so different.” She thrust an angry finger at him. “I wanted somebodywho understood me. I wanted someone who could tell me why I was born this way.But my mother wasn’t there… because you kept her from me.”

“Anna, Inever loved you any less than my other children. You know that.”

“Oh sure… youcared for me, but I could see it in your eyes, the disappointment I wasn’t whatyou expected me to be.”

“I never…”

“You did! Youand Eric both; you tried so hard to make up for my weaknesses. But I didn’twant your pity. All I wanted was an explanation. Why? Why did this happen tome? Could you explain it? No! And now I replace you took away the only person inmy life that might have helped me… who would have loved me for who I was.”

“Anna, youhave to stop this.”

“Why? It’sthe truth, isn’t it? At least Damon treated me honestly. He never tried to hidehis feelings about having a squib in the family. It disgusted him, just like itdisgusted me! I was nothing! I was worthless!”

At thesewords, Mister Grayson’s anger erupted forth. “You will never again saysomething like that in my presence. Do you understand me? NEVER! You are notworthless. You are my daughter; you — are a Grayson! You will always be amember of this family. It didn’t matter to me that you were a squib. Whatmattered was helping you replace your place in the world, where you could replacehappiness.”

He raised hisarms toward her. “Anna… your mother could not have explained any of thisanymore than I. Nobody knows why these things happen… but look at you now. Youalways had a future, but now that future is unlike anything we could haveimagined. You’re a Guardian now. You have a purpose more important in theWizarding world than many of us have yet to completely understand. Your lifemight have started out other than expected, but you had the necessarybeginnings to what you’ve now become.” He stepped around the bed to approachher, but she fell back again.

“Anna…please… your family needs you. I need you. You have to understand… I loved yourmother with all my heart. I still do. But it’s a love based on a memory… not ofthe thing you saw in Drogo.”

“She’s not athing!” Anna screamed. “You may have convinced yourself that she’s not yourwife anymore, but I’ll never stop believing she’s still my mother.”

“Anna, itisn’t going to help to believe you can ignore what’s happened to her. What yousaw, the creature that attacked you, was not Victoria Grayson. Your mother, thewoman I loved, would never do something like that to somebody she hated, nevermind a member of her family, to her own daughter! Victoriadied in that Albanian forest, just like I said she did. You can still love her…but you have to accept you love the memory of your mother… and not what you sawin that dreadful place. Everything we knew of Victoriais lost.”

“YOU’REWRONG!” Anna fumed. “And if you would have taken the time to truly understandher, you would have seen the truth.”

Her fatherfrowned. “What do you mean?”

“I touchedher; I made a connection with her… I know with everything I am that a part ofmy mother is still alive.”

“I… I don’tunderstand,” Mister Grayson said sharply. “What are you saying?”

“I’m tellingyou she’s not dead.” Mister Grayson sighed, and Anna could see he didn’tbelieve what she was saying.

“There’s apart of her that’s still there,” Anna said, sobbing. “I saw it in her eyes. Shecould have killed me in the end, but she’s still fighting the evil one withinher. Victoria is not dead — and she’s strongerthan you think. You should have never left her in that place… how could you dothat to her?” Her father tried to reach out to her again, but Anna wasn’tfinished. “You never loved her. You could never have loved my mother… and thenput her in that place.”

“Anna…”

“I’ll neverforgive you for that. You lied about her death, about her life, you lied abouteverything. You even lied when you told me you loved her.”

Anna lookedat her father with an expression that made the man’s heart sink. After all shehad said to put reason to her feelings, his daughter had finally brought forththe words that explained everything. In all her questions of lies and deceit,after the truth of everything was finally revealed, Anna hit on the one thingMister Grayson had asked himself every day following the loss of his beloved Victoria. How could a man who truly loved his wife evergive up the hope she would someday be returned to him? How could his love be solimited that he would finally lose faith? He looked at his daughter and couldsee the rage burning there through her tears.

“How couldyou?” she whispered.

There was abang at the door at the end of the hallway, and Doctor Pearl was bustling upthe aisle.

“AnnaGrayson! What are you doing out of your bed?”

Anna glancedover at the doctor and then at her father again. She then jerked the blanketsback and crawled into bed. Doctor Pearl noticed the tray of food lying upsidedown on the floor.

“What’sthis?” She looked up at Mister Grayson and then at Anna lying on her sidefacing away from him.

“MisterGrayson… I would have thought you would have insisted she stay in her bed. Annais still in a very delicate…”

“It’s allright, doctor,” he told her, still looking at Anna.

“It mostcertainly is not…”

“Anna, weneed to finish this,” Mister Grayson said forcefully, and Pearl froze to look at the two of them insurprise.

“Go away!”she bellowed, covering her head. “I never want to see you again!”

“Anna!” Pearl blurted out insurprise. “You shouldn’t speak to your father…” but Mister Grayson raised ahand to stop her. He sat on the bed behind his daughter and put a loving handon her shoulder. He could feel her struggling to pull away from him.

“Anna… I didlove your mother… and I love her memory still. What happened to her in deathwill never change the way I feel about her. I did what I could to give her thebest chance to recover; but it didn’t work.

“But I alsohad a responsibility to keep you and the rest of the children safe from harm.After seeing what’s happened to you now… I know my decision was correct.” Heleaned back. “We won’t talk about this again until you’re ready. I can onlypray someday you will understand.”

He stood andlooked at Doctor Pearl. “Please… take care of her, Margaret. If you need me,you’ll replace me in the Rotunda with my family.”

“Of course.Will you be looking in on her tonight?”

MisterGrayson looked down at his daughter. Her shuddering sobs told him it was goingto take more than a few hours to rebuild what was lost between them.

“No…” hesighed, “let her sleep. I’ll see her again tomorrow.”

MisterGrayson left Anna alone with her weighted thoughts. Although she had been awakefor less than an hour, she was already exhausted. Anna fell asleep quickly, andimmediately found her mind moving through a dark dungeon corridor and wonderingwith terrible apprehension what her mother might now be doing in the night.