The Silver Wheel: Chapters 5 - 7

By Verbum

Arianrhod hung back in the corner, not particularly wanting to be there, much less speak on her own behalf. Dumbledore was looking fixedly at her. She averted his gaze and wiped her ghostly eyes with her ghostly sleeve.

"Remus," she began abruptly. "There's a pensieve on my dresser."

"Why--" Remus began.

"Just... I refuse to relive these memories again." Surprised, Remus walked back through the door and into her room, returning a moment later with the shallow silver bowl. Hermione looked at Arianrhod with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Just look into it," Arianrhod said, a steely note of finality in her voice. She was staring right at Remus. He looked at her, then at Hermione, then finally Dumbledore.

"I'll stay back to fetch Poppy and see what I can do," Dumbledore said quietly. "Just touch the surface to get it to work. Hermione, you follow Remus." Remus eyed the swirling surface of the Pensieve, then lightly toughed it. With one more look at Arianrhod, Hermione lightly touched the obscuring mists too.

It was a feeling like nothing else he had ever experienced: he was being sucked into the Pensieve head first, and he crashed into Hermione, who was already standing up, brushing dust off her robes.

"Where are--" Hermione began. Remus put a finger to his lips to shush her and pointed in front of them. There stood a much younger Arianrhod, no older than 15, maybe 16. She was standing by a handsome blonde boy about the same age, in the snow outside of the Three Broomsticks. Their voices carried through the crisp winter air.

"Ari, please. You know how much this means to me." The young Arianrhod shook her head.

"You promised me that we would go to Dervish and Banges. I need to pick up some stuff for school."

"We can do that afterwards. Please?"

"What's he trying to get her to do?" Hermione whispered. Remus shrugged.

"Lyskus, we ALWAYS go there whenever we come here. I need a break from religion... Hell, I'm not even religious!"

"Have faith, Ari. God finds all of us eventually."

"He's taking his sweet time," she said, sotto voce, as she followed him through the town. The image faded away, only to be replaced with a new one. This time, A slightly older Arianrhod and Lyskus were dancing together, among many other couples in the great Hall. Lyskus looked the same as always, except that his robes were more lightweight and his hair was parted neatly. The dim lights of the Great Hall made the sequins on Arianrhod's white dress robes sparkle wildly, and her usually messy hair was bound to the back of her head, falling gracefully in loose curls. Remus suppressed a shudder; she was absolutely beautiful.

"Wow," Hermione whispered, expressing in words what Remus felt. "My 7^th Year Ball was nothing like this." The couple seemed to be enjoying themselves. Arianrhod had rested her forehead against Lyskus', and she was smiling. They moved in closer to hear their conversation.

"...that's right. Ludus Arcani, in Rome. Full scholarship." She was positively beaming.

"That's wonderful, Ari. I..I...." he faltered.

"What's wrong?" She asked, concern forming on her face.

"Rome. I've been thinking." Her smile disappeared.

"What?"

"I'm going to Rome." The smile reappeared.

"That's wonderful, Lyskus! When were you accepted?" Lyskus bit his lip.

"It's not... what you think. Come. Outside." He took her hand and led her out onto the grounds, into one of the little grottos lit by flitting fairies.

"You know how I feel about you, Ari." He pulled her close and pressed his lips to her brow.

"Yes, I do. You've made it quite clear to me on many occasions." He cracked a smile.

"But there's someone I love more than you, or even myself."

"Lyskus... please. Not at the Ball."

"Please hear me out. There's someone I'm living for right now, and I'd die for him."

"God," they both said together.

"So what are you going to do? Become a priest and build leper colonies for the rest of your life?" Arianrhod asked. Lyskus shrugged.

"If that's my calling."

"I don't believe this." Arianrhod's face had turned that characteristic shade of bright crimson, and her voice was forced out. "I honestly don't believe this. I... cannot accept that you would leave everyone that loves you behind just for the sake of this-this--"

"You're doing it, too," Lyskus said quietly. A couple of tears fell from Arianrhod's eyes and she quickly wiped them away. Lyskus flinched a little, then pulled her closer.

"Ari, please don't cry." Her head was buried in the shoulder of his dress robes.

"I'm not crying." Remus looked over at Hermione, who was dabbing at her eyes.

"Yes, you are. I'm really sorry to have sprung that on you... I meant to do it at Graduation."

"Oh, that would've been great," her muffled voice said sarcastically.

"Besides," Lyskus continued, softly, "you're the only person I'm NOT leaving behind." She looked up from his shoulder.

"Oh?" Her eyes were red rimmed.

"We'll both be in Rome, won't we?"

"Well, you'll be God's servant and I'll be living off the goodwill of Severus... damn you, Lyskus MacKenzie." He looked taken aback.

"What did I do?" She was giving him an exasperated look.

"I would've married you in a heartbeat." Lyskus relaxed, then smiled.

"I know, but I'm already a married man, Arianrhod."

The image faded away, and Hermione sighed.

"No wonder she's so touchy over that name." Remus quietly thought for a moment.

"She's a very troubled woman," he said, slowly, "but let's keep this quiet. I think there's more."

As if on cue, another image formed itself, and they were standing in the middle of a bright and sunny apartment, with all sorts of knickknacks and trinkets around. A shimmering image of a cityscape glimmered off one wall, and multiple windows fed into the giant planters near them. It was a veritable jungle. In front of them, but with her back turned, sat a woman with long and very curly brown hair, writing something at a desk. Hermione stepped closer to her.

"Hmm..." she began. "She's a teacher. This memory's quite recent." An owl fluttered through one of her open windows. She turned around, smiled, and handed the bird a couple of knuts, freeing the letter from it's leg. She unrolled the parchment.

Arianrhod rose up and smiled, then reached into her closet and pulled out a set of splendid dark gold robes, the teacher's uniform at the Ludus Arcani. She put them on, grabbed her glasses, looked in the mirror at her hair (which was quite well-behaved), then rushed out the door. Remus looked at Hermione, then followed her, closely pursued by his companion.

The shrine was only a couple of blocks away from where Arianrhod lived, and no one seemed to think that a woman in fluttering dark gold robes was out of place. She came to a halt in a modest and well kept but very small courtyard. Priests were tending the garden, and walking to and fro, sometimes listening to the parishioners, and others quietly going about their duties. A familiar blonde-haired man was leaning against the wall.

"Father MacKenzie!" He jumped, and smiled widely when he saw her, barreling towards him in her teaching robes. She hugged him tightly.

"Arianrhod, honestly!" he said, laughing and hugging her back. He surveyed her; she had gotten a slight tan, which showed off the dark gold robes well. Her hair was even longer, too, if that was possible, and twisted back into a french braid. Lyskus, on the other hand, was clad in plain black, save for the small square of white at his throat, and a cross hung around his neck. All of these priests also wore black robes, with a cross emblazoned on the right chest, symbolizing their magical abilities, God-sent. Remus reached he scene first, with Hermione still closely following him.

"Lyskus, your letter," she panted.

"I'll talk to you about that in a second or two. I promised the others I'd introduce you."

"Oh, you," she said, but she took his hand and walked to where the toher priests were gardening. One of them, a short man in his early 40s, looked up at her and smiled.

"Father MacKenzie, this is Areeanrod, yes?" he asked, through a thick Italian accent. He held out a grubby hand, then, realizing how dirty it was, retrieved his wand from a pocket in his robes and magicked the grime away. She shook his hand, and smiled at the rest of the assorted clergy.

"Father MacKenzie talks of almost nothing else," a soft woman's voice said, from behind them. A very young nun stood there, smiling widely at the scene. "Welcome to our humble home."

"Pleased to be here, " Arianrhod said, smiling back. Lyskus led her away from the crowd, while Hermione and Lupin followed.

Arianrhod and Lyskus stopped a short distance away, a frown now creasing Lyskus' face. He clutched Arianrhod's hand a bit tightly, making Remus wince, but she didn't seem to notice.

"What can be so important that it can't be discussed with the others?" Arianrhod whispered. Lyskus put a finger to his lips.

"I'm going on a mission." Arianrhod laughed.

'That's it? And you couldn't tell them that?" Lyskus shook his head.

"It's not exactly what you'd call normal, per se. I take it you've heard of Straussenburg?" Arianrhod wrinkled her brow.

"Little all-wizard area in Southern Germany?" Lyskus nodded.

"In desperate need of a priest. There have been some strange happenings over there and theirs has all of a sudden gone missing."

"Don't tell me you're taking his place."

"Only until he's found, or until they get a permanent replacement. My German stinks, anyway." The corners of Arianrhod's mouth turned up a little, and Lyskus smiled.

"So why are you telling me this?" Lyskus' face became pensive, as he stopped to think. Arianrhod was looking up at him, studying his eyes and trying to read his thoughts.

"I want you with me," he began, "because I need someone I can trust to talk to while there; None of the priests are going. I also need a very formidable witch to back me up, just in case we meet whatever it is that's plaguing that town." He stopped, and looked at her.

"Lyskus MacKenzie, if I didn't know any better, I'd think this was another of your harebrained plots to get me "closer to God", as you so eloquently put it." He raised an eyebrow at her, and fingered the cross around his neck.

"It would probably do you some good."

"If that's the case, I'm not going." Remus snorted at the look on her face, a mix of humor and slight anger, and got an odd look from Hermione.

"Then don't think of it that way. Think of it as... I want to fulfill my holy duties with my best friend at my side."

"I thought God was your best friend." He shook his head, exasperated.

"All right, second best friend. I doubt you'll WANT to crucify yourself to absolve mankind's sins." He grinned, and Arianrhod made a face. This time, Hermione joined in the laughter.

"I'll pass, thank you very much. When do we leave?"

"In a month, enough time for you to settle your accounts and for me to transfer. Keep in touch." Arianrhod nodded.

"A month, then." They looked at one another, in an awkward manner, as Lyskus extended his hand. She slowly took it, and they shook, but Lyskus didn't relinquish it.

"Lyskus..." she started. He nodded. and dropped her hand.

"I know." Lyskus took her into his arms and gently hugged her, as she placed her head on his shoulder. They remained that way for a few minutes, until he let go first.

"I have to be getting back."

"I understand. I'll be... seeing you, okay?" She was looking down at her feet, blinking.

"All right. Until then." He turned his back and began to walk slowly away in the direction of the gardening priests. Arianrhod stood alone for a little while, a few tears running down her face, and the image faded.

"My God, how memories does she have stored in here?" Hermione asked incredulously, as the next image began to reform. It was slightly weaker, as if half formed, and the colors bled together a little. Hermione screamed: the image of Severus Snape had formed behind her..

"Going to Germany?" he said. "With who?" Arianrhod sighed.

"Lyskus." Severus shook his head.

"Him? Why the hell would you do that?"

"He needs me, and I'm there. Why not?"

"Needs you for what, may I ask? You're my sister, and God only knows what that boy--"

"He's 23, Severus, and so am I. AND he's a Priest. God does know what he wants.."

"Oh, bull."

"I'm going Severus." Severus' face had slowly taken on the color of a ripe cherry, but he spoke very calmly.

"What will people think if they find out?" Arianrhod shrugged.

"Why do I care?"

"The family name, something you've never cared about."

"And why should I? This isn't exactly Leave it to Beaver, Severus. Dad is a cold and calculating Son of a--"

"Do NOT insult our father that way."

"See it as you will, Severus. I'll be going now." She made for the door of his dungeon, but Severus stopped her on the way out.

"One day you'll have to choose," he said. "The family or your little friends, and I hope you make the right decision." She narrowed her eyes.

"Let's hope the family shapes up enough for me to consider it a choice," she said venomously, turning on her heel and exiting. Remus and Hermione followed her up the stairs, where Lyskus was waiting in the Main Hallway.

"So you told him," he said. Arianrhod nodded.

"Let's go."

The visions stopped, and Remus felt the sickening feeling of being pushed back into his won body. Shakily, he stood up and clutched the desk for support, Hermione doing the same.

Arianrhod's body seemed to have once again become her spirit's place of residency, though she appeared a little blurred around the edges. Her face was tearstained and blotchy, and it appeared that Dumbledore had just spent a considerable amount of time attempting to calm her down. Madam Pomfrey was standing off to the distance, sipping a conjured glass of water and wiping her forehead.

"I'm 'n chwith.... I'm fel 'n chwith," she said to Dumbledore, who smiled kindly at her.

"We all make our mistakes. But look, they're back!". Dumbledore straightened up, and Arianrhod silently buried her head into her hands. Madame Pomfrey conjured another glass of water and walked over to Arianrhod, handing her the glass, which she took reluctantly.

"There's something missing," Hermione said suddenly.

"A few things, really," Dumbledore said, looking down at Arianrhod. "Go on, they should know." She removed her hands and took a deep breath.

"Father Lyskus MacKenzie was killed on that mission." Hermione gasped, and Remus paled a little; No wonder she was so sympathetic to me that night by Penelope's tree.

"That must've been terrible to watch. Were they caught?" Hermione asked quickly. Arianrhod shook her head.

"Never."

"But surely something happened. Some... punishment from God, even." Arianrhod visibly flinched at the mention of God. A thought was beginning to form in Remus' mind, a horrible one. What could be so painful that the Pensieve couldn't hold it?

"They were punished... a thousandfold. They'll never forget it." Dumbledore whispered something in Arianrhod's ear. Hermione was apparently starting to grasp the same thing Remus did earlier.

"So you know the killer, then."

"Personally," she said, a bitter smile coming to her face. "Like the back of my hand."

"Oh God," Hermione said. "You didn't... I trusted you!"

"Hermione!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Give her a chance to explain herself."

"Your wand, Remus," Arianrhod said, a bit coldly. He cautiously held it out to her. "I'm not a madman, Professor Granger. Watch and learn." She waved the wand around, and a forest took the place of her office, with two central figures.

"There's no sound," Hermione said shortly.

"It's Illusion, not a miracle," she said, in that same stiff voice. Another wave of the wand, and the smell of the forest became apparent. Remus sniffed; There was an odd scent in the air, something his werewolf senses couldn't quite pick up on.

"Lyskus is recounting the day to me, because I had been sick. Another disappearance from the town, it turns out, and there were some suspicious bloodstains at the edge of town. That's what we're following." The trial stopped, and the smell got even stronger in Remus' nostrils. The full moon was shining between the trees, and Remus felt an involuntary lurch. Now he knew. The silent figure of the illusionary Arianrhod screamed, and pointed to a body.

"That's the missing child. Lyskus is bending down to figure out what could have caused this." The pain was slowly burning in the pit of remus' stomach, as he stood under the fake moon and gazed upon the mauled child.

"Werewolves," he croaked out, painfully.

"Exactly. I think the rest is self-explanatory." Lyskus was so busy with the child that he never noticed what hit him. A dark figure bounded out of the woods and pounced on the prostrate Lyskus, giving Arianrhod just enough time to light her wand and scream.

She fired a spell at it, but it was too late; Lyskus was bent doubly over, clutching his left arm. A jet of orange light shot out of the tip of Arianrhod's wand, hitting the wolf squarely in the side and knocking it over, dead. She ran over to the injured priest. A few words came out, and Arianrhod shook her head and said a few words herself. He handed her his wand, which she refused. Lyskus pressed, and she took it in her hands dejectedly, shaking her head the entire time. A few tears slipped down the real Arianrhod's face, as the priest gently cupped her counterpart's chin with a bloodstained hand and gently kissed her lips. The ghostly figure raised Lyskus' wand above her head, and a flash of green light shot from the tip, and hit the priest fell back, a smile on his face. The scene disappeared with the final image of Arianrhod bent over the body.

"Why?" Hermione asked, after a long pause..

"He asked. He'd never live as a mad priest." Her voice was strangely flat.

"Oh." The door opened, and Severus walked in.

"You... forgot something," he said softly, seeing his sister's expression. Arianrhod choked back a sob.

"Severus..." she said, as he walked over to her and gently hugged his sister.

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"Needless to say," a more subdued Severus said later, "this left her rather... unhinged." They were sitting in Dumbledore's office, leaving Arianrhod to her rest, in the hands of Madame Pomfrey.

"I can see why," Remus said.

"At the time she was desperate, so she turned to my old master, and worked with him for about a year. As despicable as I thought Lyskus was, he was the only thing that brought her back."

"How so?" Hermione asked.

"Something about a church, I don't know. We were never really too close afterwards. Or beforehand, for that matter." Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, the amulet is still in question, anyway," Remus said.

"How did she get hold of it from your office?" Hermione asked.

"What, the amulet? It should still be there," Severus answered.

"How? It was in her hand when she collapsed!" Severus sighed and reached into his shirt, bringing forth an amulet exactly like the ones Arianrhod and Dumbledore possessed.

"Hermione, don't you know anything? This is another mark of the Death Eater, like the Dark Mark. Left over from Voldemort's earliest days."

"Oh... well, then what about the original? The one in Dumbledore's office?" Dumbledore pulled the amulet out of his locked desk drawer and held it up for Severus to see.

"Voth neeather ohm... Arianrhod translated it, so now we know the message." He held it against his own, and compared the two.

"Funny, this can't be the amulet of Kor. These are exactly alike."

"Oh, you actually believe in the original?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"It's not at Hogwarts," Severus replied coolly, as he handed the amulet back to Dumbledore.

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Franklin Longbottom had a very bad habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like his brother. As he walked past a pair of stone gargoyles, trying to locate Professor Arianrhod, his necklace began to throb on his chest. Miranda Weasley looked at him with concern.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah," Franklin said, ignoring the pulse of the amulet. "I don't think she's here, though. Let's try somewhere nearer to her classroom."

"Okay," Miranda agreed, taking a few steps forward. Franklin, however, was frozen to the spot, a look of horror on his face.

"C'mon, Franklin," Miranda said over her shoulder, but she stopped when no footsteps followed, she turned around. "Franklin?"

"I can't move." The amulet was beginning to burn a little, and he tried to pull it off, but it only succeeded in singing his hands.

"Damn!"

"Franklin, what are you trying to do?"

"The amulet! It won't come off!" Miranda's blue eyes opened wide.

"Franklin, turn around."

"Why...?" he asked, but he turned around anyway. No one heard his scream.

A piercing scream wrenched the silence of Dumbledore's office, sending chills down Remus' spine.

"What," he asked softly, when it had died down, "was that?"

"I have no idea," Dumbledore said, shaking a little as he stood up to see if the door was locked. A series of hard knocks sounded on the door. The teachers in the room froze.

"Who's there?" Dumbledore asked, firmly. Sobbing issued from the other end of the door. Severus got up and unlocked it, and, upon opening the door, the figure of Miranda Weasley ran inside and buried her head in Hermione's shoulder. Professor Granger looked up, surprised.

"Great Wizards, Miranda, what happened?" she asked. Miranda hiccupped.

"F-Franklin. They got Franklin down the hall. He's gone..." She started shaking uncontrollably, and Hermione held on to her tightly as she fainted.

"I'll get Poppy. She should be with Arianrhod..." She got up and carried Miranda to the infirmary. The remaining occupants of Dumbledore's office suppressed a shiver.

"So it's begun," Dumbledore said quietly.

"What's begun?" Remus asked. There was a few minutes of silence.

"Voldemort," Severus said. "he's back."

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"I want to get up," Arianrhod said. Madame Pomfrey shook her head.

"Absolutely not. You are the survivor of a very complex and possibly dangerous curse, and your brother would have my head if anything happened to you."

"Forget him. Lemme out. I have a job to do."

"No, Arianrhod. For once, relax." Arianrhod attempted to sit up and Poppy sighed. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the struggling woman.

"Sit. Don't make me have to bind you down." Arianrhod opened her mouth to protest when a slamming door was heard.

"Poppy, we have an emergency," Hermione said, rushing in and carrying Miranda.

"Heavens! What happened?" She dropped her wand with a clatter and went to collect the unconscious girl from Hermione.

"Franklin Longbottom was attacked outside of Dumbledore's office, and Miranda here saw it. She was hysterical when we found her. Or, rather, when she found us.". Poppy had already laid Miranda down in one of the nearby beds and given her a pepperup potion. She looked over at Arianrhod, who was still struggling in her bed.

"Can I trust you to stay here?" she asked.

"No."

Poppy sighed.

"Well, maybe Miranda will make you. I need to see Albus." She and Hermione hurried out of the room, leaving Arianrhod alone. A weak cough issued from Miranda's bed.

"Hey," Arianrhod said softly, "are you okay?"

"No." Her pale face stood out under her freckles.

"Well, will you tell me what happened?"

'I don't want to talk about it." Damn, Arianrhod thought. I need to find out what happened.

"Well, will you show me?" Miranda quirked an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Wand projection, from a few weeks ago. Remember?" Maybe if I can get her to show me...

"Use my wand to replay a memory, like a video tape."

"Exactly. Can you do it?" Miranda shook her head.

"I dropped my wand back in the hallway."

"Damn!" She didn't have her wand, either; it was left in her room. Suddenly, she remembered Madame Pomfrey's wand lying on the floor. "Miranda!"

"What?" she asked, tiredly.

"Madame Pomfrey dropped her wand on the floor! Do you think you could do it with that?"

"But she's a teacher!"

"And? So am I. You have my permission. Accio!" The wand flew into her outstretched hand, and she tossed it to Miranda. Miranda closed her eyes, and waved the wand around, when a picture began to materialize.

Miranda mouthed something to Franklin, as they walked along the passage leading to Dumbledore's office. As the image had no sound, and Arianrhod couldn't read lips, she was lost. She looked to Miranda, but she was exerting so much energy on keeping the image going that she needn't have bothered. Franklin had a funny look on his face as he mouthed something back to Miranda and proceeded to turn around. Miranda walked a little ways forward, but Franklin didn't move. Great Wizards, Arianrhod thought. Something's really wrong. The look on Franklin's face proved it, a mix of frustration and horror.

Miranda was mouthing something else over her shoulder to him, paying no attention to the fact that he seemed frozen to the spot. Franklin clutched something around his neck, and Arianrhod watched as he took his hands away from whatever it was, covered in burn marks.

"Full marks, Miranda," Arianrhod said to her, finally managing to sit up.

"Thanks," she responded, smiling weakly.

"I need to know something, though. What was that thing around his neck?" Miranda yawned.

"An amulet." Something clicked in Arianrhod's mind.

"Bloody Hell," she whispered. "Thank you. You just saved Franklin's life." She stood up, took the wand from Miranda, and shot off from the Infirmary.

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The door to Dumbledore's office flew open, and Arianrhod ran in, breathless and wearing her bathrobe. The teachers stared at her, except for Madame Pomfrey.

"Arianrhod! What did I tell you about getting up? There's some madman running around the school attacking children, and you left Miranda Weasley alone--"

"Can it, Poppy," she said. Madame Pomfrey clucked her tongue in a disapproving way.

"What is the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall asked, standing up. Arianrhod held up Madame Pomfrey's wand. All the teachers backed away immediately except Dumbledore, Remus, and Severus.

"My wand!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed.

"Oh, don't look at me like I'm a ticking time-bomb. I know what happened to that poor boy."

"What! How?" Remus asked.

"Miranda Weasley is a very clever girl," she said, raising the wand above her head. "Priori incantatem!" The wand emitted a silver light and the image came back into view as Arianrhod explained it., scene by scene.

"I see," Dumbledore said, after it was over. "Minerva, alert the school. All houses are to remain in their dormitories and Common Rooms until this matter is resolved." She nodded and ran out of the room. "Poppy, I need you to be on alert in case of emergency." She followed McGonagall, this time making sure she had her wand. Dumbledore then turned to the last occupants of the room, Remus, Arianrhod, Hermione, and Severus.

"The amulets you wore. Would they have summoned something like that forth?"

"No," Severus said.

"They were... a means of teleportation for us and for those whom he summoned," Arianrhod slowly responded. Dumbledore nodded.

"And all of Voldemort's Death Eaters possessed one?"

"No, only his most faithful." Remus and Hermione looked at one another; Severus and his sister looked truly like family at this moment.

"And did Voldemort posses an amulet?"

"No," Severus said, quietly. "he had complete control over them, but I never saw one in his possession."

"Well," Arianrhod began, "that's not entirely true. Severus, do you remember the initiation?" Severus shuddered.

"Unfortunately."

"He did possess one, originally, but it was lost, and no one ever knew what became of it. When I became a... Death Eater, he was attempting to locate it." Hermione's eyes lit up.

"Is there any connection between how your amulets were made as compared to his?" A slow smile was spreading on Severus' face.

"Actually, yes. They say that they were made the same way except for the inscription. There's supposedly one more word on his." He took off his amulet, which looked strangely like a rosary with it's lustrous black pearls and it's pendant hanging off the end. Arianrhod's face furrowed into a frown while Remus seemed to grasp the same thing Severus and Hermione had. He snatched a quill from Dumbledore's desk and a piece of parchment and made a few rough scratches.

"Franklin wore a pendant which looked rather like this, right?" he asked, holding up the parchment. Dumbledore had taken out his own amulet and compared it to the picture.

"Yes," Hermione answered. Dumbledore slapped his forehead.

"Great Wizards," he said. "I can't believe we've been this blind." Severus, Arianrhod, and Remus looked at him oddly, and Hermione laughed.

"I knew it! I just knew it!"

"Knew what?" Arianrhod asked. Hermione jumped up and ran out of the room, calling over her shoulder:

"I'll be right back!" She returned about 20 minutes later with Arianrhod's wand and the book Remus had taken over there.

"Remember that passage I found?" She said excitedly, flipping through the pages. "Well, it all makes sense now. An undeciphered script," she pointed to Arianrhod, "lost for over a millenia, and right under our noses!"

"You must be joking," Severus said. "Why on earth would you think that the Amulet of Kor was at Hogwarts? Much less given to that Longbottom boy?"

"She has a point, Severus," Dumbledore said mildly. "I think it's time we brought Franklin's grandmother into this. We need answers."

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Mrs. Felicity Longbottom was not pleased.

"My grandson missing?!" She shrieked through the fire. "Where?" Remus shrunk back from her fury.

"We don't know, Mrs. Longbottom," Arianrhod said patiently, next to him, as the elderly woman yelled the news to Great Uncle Algie, who also poked his head in the fire.

"Whas' the meanin' o' this?" he asked in a thick Scottish brogue. Arianrhod sighed deeply and told the situation to them once again.

"Ach, if only Annie and Frank Senior coulda heard about this!" He left the fire, and Mrs. Longbottom sighed.

"So what now?" she asked. Arianrhod looked at Remus.

"We need you to come down to Hogwarts to answer a few questions as soon as possible." She sighed again.

"I suppose," she said. The flames turned Emerald green, and the old witch jumped out of the fireplace, brushing soot off her flowered skirt.

'Whar's Dumbledore?' she asked, in the same brogue her brother possessed. Remus put an arm around Arianrhod's shoulder, and they led the way back to Dumbledore's office. Arianrhod looked tired and worn, especially around the eyes. Much older than 33.

"It'll all be all right," he said quietly, as they entered Dumbledore's office. She nodded wearily.

"Felicity, it's wonderful to see you," Dumbledore greeted her, offering her a lemon drop which she refused. "I don't suppose you'll let us ask you a few questions?"

"Fire away," she said.

"The amulet Franklin always wore, then. Where did you get it?"

"My brother Algie was at a Flea Market one day a few years ago, and picked it up at one of the booths."

"Where was this Flea Market?"

"In Edinburgh." Dumbledore wrote a few things with his quill.

"And when was it given?"

"To Neville, about 5 years ago, but he didnae want it, so he gave it to Franklin." Arianrhod quietly slipped out of the room, and Remus followed her outside. She leaned against a wall and closed her eyes, letting a few tears slip out.

"Hey," Remus said, seeing her expression. "What's the matter?" She was silent for a few moments.

"I'm tired, Remus. It's not even Christmas, and we already have a student dead and Voldemort on the loose."

"Franklin's not dead... not as far as we know." She opened her eyes, .

"You're right. He'd be better off if he were." She inched closer to Remus. "Have you ever met Voldemort?"

"In Harry Potter's seventh year, when Ron Weasley was captured and we had to free him."

"So you know what it feels to come face to face with the Devil incarnate." She was only inches away from his face now, and Remus could smell her soap and perfume.

"I've met your brother, remember that." She opened her mouth to speak, then changed her mind, burying her head into Remus shoulder. Surprised, he tentatively put and arm around her.

"I don't know what to do.'' her muffled voice said. "I don't know where to turn, and why all of this is happening. Why? Why does everybody think I'm mad? Why did Voldemort have to go and take an innocent boy's life?" He stroked her hair as she cried into his shoulder. No one spoke, and the hall was silent, save for the distant cackling of Peeves, and the occasional outburst of mrs. Longbottom in Dumbledore's study.

"Thanks," she said, wiping her eyes after a couple of minutes. Remus bit his lip.

"Sure."

"I-I needed that. High anxiety, you know." She let out a high, false laugh. Remus nodded. His heart was in his throat, but he didn't dare move.

I should be going, he thought. Now.

"I should get going," Arianrhod said, her eyes bright, even though they were red-rimmed with crying. No one moved.

"Oh, Great Wizards," Arianrhod said, abruptly, breaking the silence. "I feel 15 again." And, standing up on her tiptoes, she kissed him.

********************

Remus was lost in the moment, breathing in the scent of Arianrhod's vanilla perfume and enjoying the kiss when something smashed into the wall next to them. Arianrhod abruptly pulled away, as Remus drew his wand, instinctively grabbing Arianrhod's hand with his. Instead of the enraged Severus that they expected, though, was the visage of Peeves, innocently bobbing on thin air with something behind his back. The door to Dumbledore's room flew open, and Dumbledore frowned into the hallway.

"What's the meaning of all this commotion?" Peeves disappeared into the hallway, leaving Remus and Arianrhod alone in the hallway. Remus looked at Arianrhod, who tightened her grip.

"It was Peeves, Albus," she said, awkwardly. Dumbledore glared at them for a moment more, then his expression softened, to that of all the other overworked and worried teachers'.

"I see," he said mildly, shaking his head. "If you please, though, no more interruptions. Mrs. Longbottom and i are nearly at the end of our conversation."

"Sure thing," Remus said. Dumbledore closed the door, and the mutterings of a Silencing charm could be heard, then nothing. Arianrhod was scarlet.

"What was that for?" he asked her, still retaining her hand. She looked straight into his eyes, and was silent for a few minutes, in the soundless hallway.

"Achos bopeth*," she responded. "You don't think I'm the next inmate at St. Mungo's, you've stuck by me. My brother is an idiot." Remus chuckled.

"I won't dispute that," he began, but his voice dropped. Using his free hand, he lightly touched her cheek. "You need some rest." At once, Arianrhod's bright eyes turned dim, and she wore the expression of a weary Illusions professor once more.

"I do, don't I?" she asked. Remus nodded. "I suppose I will, then. It's been a long day." Remus lowered his hand from her cheek, and relinquished her hand, and she smiled tiredly at him.

"Sweet Dreams," Remus said softly.

"A atat hefyd*," Arianrhod said, as she walked down the hall.

------------------------------

Arianrhod awoke in the dead of night, as if a lightning bolt had hit her square on her head. She sat up in bed.

"The wand!" she said aloud, remembering the wand she had taken from Franklin only a few days (if even that) before. Removing the covers, she reached for her wand, which was peacefully sitting on her nightstand.

"Lumos," she muttered, and the tip of the wand sprang into light, like a torch. She got out of bed (stepping on the hem of her nightdress), opened her office door, and went to her desk, opening the middle compartment and taking out Franklin's wand. Battered with age (it had been his great uncle Algie's old wand), some of the oak was dented, but it was of superior quality, far better than an Ollivander's. She turned it around and around again in the dim light of her wand, but nothing unusual occurred.

"Alternus Terra," she said, placing her own wand on the desk using Franklin's. The desk sprouted healthy green coat of grass. "Well, that's odd. Why couldn't he do it?"

"Finite Incantatem," she muttered, and the desk went back to normal. This was perplexing. Why hadn't the wand worked for Franklin when it was perfectly fine for her? And, when it did work, what made it stop? Arianrhod was tired, and exasperated, and wanted nothing more than to just crawl into a convenient hole and sleep out the rest of her life.

"Damn it," she said, and placing the wand back into the middle drawer of her desk, she magically locked it, and left the room, wand in tow. "Why is this so hard? Why can't I have help with it?" She shivered. The room was cold, and she could see her breath. Arianrhod made a mental note to have Filch tinker with the heating/cooling systems of the school. A sudden noise from above made her jump.

"Maybe I should see Madame Pomfrey..." she said, looking around, wand readied. "I'm going insane."

"No, not yet," a soft voice replied, from above her. She pushed her way into the back wall, and attempted breathing exercises.

"Oh dear, Lord Almighty, what is wrong here...? I'm hearing voices..."

"Arianrhod--" She screamed, interrupting the voice.

"It knows my name!" The voice snorted, and appeared into view. It was a ghost. A very familiar one to Arianrhod, as a matter of fact. The ghost pushed it's fair hair back from his face, and looked placidly at her.

"Oh my God," she squeaked. "It's you. You're dead." Lyskus shook his head.

"Of course it's me. Who else would have the gall to bother you at this hour of the morning?" His lilting Irish accent was just as she remembered it.

"But you're dead. You died years ago."

"Yes, I did."

"There are bloodstains on your robes."

"Yup." He checked his watch, and, not satisfied, he shook his wrist vigorously. "Blasted thing stopped on me again." Arianrhod shook her head.

"I'm talking to the... ghost of a dead Priest. Dybia dwi yn cerdded 'n orffwyllog*. Poppy was right. I should have stayed in the Infirmary." Lyskus grinned at her.

"Aye, that you are. You're as crazy as I am. Now would you like to hear me out or cower in the corner?" Arianrhod had, by this time, backed herself into the wall, and noticing this, she stepped boldly forward, though she was still pale.

"Are you asking what I will do or what I would like to do?" Lyskus shook his head.

"You know why I'm here, Ari." Arianrhod sighed.

"I didn't even know you were a ghost. And no, why are you here, now that you mention it?"

"The missing boy."

"Franklin."

"Whatever. It seems that you all need all the help you can get for this little situation. The Amulet of Kor is a very powerful object." A sudden noise from outside hushed both of them. Footsteps echoed down the hallway.

"I'll be right back," Arianrhod whispered. She went to the door, opened it a crack, and cautiously peered outside.

Minerva and Severus were returning from an evening spent alone, as it was rather obvious that Severus had endeavored to take another bath lately. Minerva appeared tired, but still had a smile on her face.

"That was a wonderful dinner, Severus," she said, then stifled a yawn. Lyskus softly laughed behind her. "However did you cook all that?" Arianrhod snorted, and turned to Lyskus, who was floating behind her.

"I'll bet the house-elves did it. He just took all the credit for it."

"Oh, Minerva's just playing dumb," Lyskus replied. They walked past Arianrhod's room silently, unaware of her face in the crack of the door. Arianrhod firmly shut the door, and sat down at her desk.

"So," she said. "How's the Great Beyond?" Lyskus raised an eyebrow.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you. But I can't because I'm a priest."

"Ah." A couple more minutes of awkward silence followed, interrupted only by the passage of the Bloody Baron. And Peeves, who poked his head into the room to look at the newcomer.

"Who're you?" he asked. The ghosts had been holding some sort of party downstairs in the dungeons, and Peeves was wearing a party hat and carrying a kazoo. Lyskus turned to Arianrhod, who shrugged.

"Father Lyskus MacKenzie." He extended his hand to Peeves, who wrinkled his nose.

"You went to Hogwarts. You're fresh blood." A puzzled look came onto Lyskus' face.

"I've been dead for 10 years. Hoe fresh can I be?" Peeves stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry.

"In the castle, stupid. You need to see the other ghosts if you wanna stay." He tooted a loud, abrasive note on the kazoo, then flew through the door, knocking a few of Arianrhod's trinkets off the wall in the process. Lyskus slowly turned to Arianrhod.

"Peeves, right?"

"Of course."

"Hmmm... I suppose I should introduce myself to the rest of the party."

"Beth bob amser dybi ydy dde*." Lyskus thought about this for a few more minutes.

"I suppose that's the best idea." He straightened himself up, and made to walk through the door. "You get some sleep, okay?" Arianrhod yawned.

"What do you think I've been trying to do?"

"You know what I mean." She yawned again.

"I'll try. Night, Lyskus."

"Goodnight, Arianrhod."

********************

Luckily for Arianrhod, the remainder of her night of rest was uninterrupted. The next morning at breakfast, thought, proved to be rather a surprise for the rest of the student body and staff as the bloodied ghost of a priest made its way up to the staff table and whispered something into Professor Dumbledore's ear. Severus nearly choked on his eggs.

"What is he doing here?" he spat. Lyskus calmly turned around and nodded to him.

"Good morning, Severus. I trust you slept well?" Snape's evey widened, and he uttered something unintelligible as he hastily finished his breakfast and ran downstairs to the dungeons. Lyskus turned back to Dumbledore, and they resumed ther hushed conversation.

"Isn't that..." Hermione began to Remus.

"Yep," Arianrhod said, with a smug smile pn her face, from Remus' other side. Hermione was slightly taken aback.

"But... how?"

"He stopped by on a holiday," she said, calmly taking a bite out of her toast. Remus, free from the eyes of prying brothers, took her free hand in his. Dumbledore stood up from the table, and waved his wand in the air, sending forth sparks of bright yellow. Lyskus floated by him, embarrased.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Dumbledore called out, and the remaining students who were more interested in their toast and eggs immediately perked up. Muriel Black looked up from her place among the 1^st Year Gryffindors and called out to Dumbledore.

"Who's the new ghost?" Dumbledore smiled.

"Observant, as usual, Ms. Black. Students, I'd like to introduce a new member to the Hogwarts family of ghosts, a former student, may I add. Let's welcome Father Lyskus MacKenzie!" Lyskus turned around to the teachers. Arianrhod, still holding the hand of Remus, smiled broadly at him, and Remus gave him a thumbs up. He smiled at Arianrhod and her newfound happiness. The other teachers (except for the absent Snape) were clapping for him.

"What house were you in?" another student, this one a 6^th year Ravenclaw, called out.

"Hufflepuff!" he yelled back, and the entire yellow-clad table erupted in loud cheers. Minerva leaned over to Dumbledore, and whispered something else into his ear.

"Oh!" Dumbledore said, standing up again. Lyskus turned around, and the students hushed back up again. "And lets not forget about something else just as major! The Christmas Ball, set for Christmas Eve, will still be going on despite recent events! That is all." The hall was silent a moment more, then erupted back into loud bursts of cheering and clapping.

********************

The teachers were gathered in Dumbledore's office yet again that night, to figure out the mystery of the amulet, which was slowly becoming clearer and clearer. There was another person there tonight, though, a ghostly shape by the name of Lyskus MacKenzie.

"Okay, so we've narrowed this down significantly," Snape said, sitting as far away as he could from Arianrhod, Lyskus, and Remus. "There are three amulets currently running around Hogwarts, and one missing one, that happens to be on the body of a missing boy."

"Check," Lyskus said.

"And we've deduced that the infamous Amulet of Kor is on Franklin right now," Minerva said. Hermione hoisted up the heavy book she had borrowed from the library.

"We need to act soon," Dumbledore said. "From what's going on, it looks like Voldemort is trying to recover his amulet."

"How very Lord of the Rings," Vector quipped. Arianrhod frowned.

"That's what we're afraid of. Because once he gets it back, Franklin has practically no hope left."

"Except for us," Dumbledore said. "It's time to act."

"What are we supposed to do?" Vector asked, alarmed. Severus shrugged.

"Try to infiltrate wherever he's hiding, and recover the amulet and Franklin, I would assume." Dumbledore shook his head.

"The amulet doesn't matter. Right now, the life of a student means more to us than any item. We'll act as soon as we can."

"And when is that?" Remus asked. The room was silent. Dumbledore closed his eyes for a moment.

"Christmas Eve," he said. The teachers began speaking at once.

"That's three days away!"

"What about the ball?" Lyskus remained silent.

"Who's going?" he asked quietly, when the tumult had subsided. A tense silence filled the room. Arianrhod looked up, after a few minutes, and nodded her head resolutely.

"I am. I'm one of the reasons Voldemort is still around." Snape watched his sister, and also raised his hand.

"And so am I," he said, and then sat back into his chair and brooded slightly. Lyskus looked up grimly.

"It's what I'm here for, isn't it?" and he raised his hand, too. Lupin looked around the room, and at the teachers who were averting their eyes from Dumbledore's piercing stare.

"I will," he said, quietly. Arianrhod jumped.

"Why?" He bit his lip.

"If you're going to put yourself in danger, then so am I." He grinned. "We are a team, aren't we?" She smiled sadly at him, and took his hand. Severus' eyes widened at this, but he held his tongue, though he made sure to shoot daggers in Remus' general direction.

"Is that all?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione appeared to be having a battle waged inside her head. Finally, it was over.

"No," she said. "I'm going. I owe it to Neville to see his brother safe." Dumbledore nodded.

"Thank you all. Christmas Eve it is, then. You all may go." The assembly of teacher filed out of hid office, walking to their rooms and talking amongst themselves. Arianrhod hung back a little, and Remus and Lyskus caught up with her. She was white, nearly dead white, and she clutched the amulet around her neck tightly.

"I hope this isn't all in vain," she said, quietly. Remus put his arm around her shoulder, and she leaned against him.

"It isn't, Ari," Lyskus said, softly.

"We'll get him back," Remus said, and a thought dawned in his mind. What if they didn't? What if they failed?

"We won't," Lyskus said, looking directly at him. Lyskus held up his ghostly cross.. "Just have faith."