Chapter 42: Gatecrashing

The gifted walked through the door expecting to find freedom, expecting to find the Ministry of magic or perhaps any kind of escape...but there was none.

Instead there was just a dark room, it was pitch black just like the room with all the boxes was dark. The only light source avaliable was the orb. Lucy held it up but it was really no use against the darkness. But the main thing was that they had the orb back and it was OK with being back with it owners. 

"Oh for goodness sakes I don't think I can take another damn room," Snape groaned. 

"Keep your mouth shut, whatever is inside here knows your weakness now," Shona barked. "Way to go, Snapey. I wish I'd have kept the other one, at least that one was semi-nice." 

"Why don't you keep quiet!" Snape yelled back. 

"Both of you shut up!" Lucy shouted, the two of them falling quiet and mumbling 'sorry.' "If we're going to find a way out of here you can't argue."

"Don't ask for miracles," Shona called as a low source of light was switched on. "Oh there we go, at least there's some light on the subject!" 

"I guess so," Snape shrugged. 

"But I still have a bad feeling about this place..." Shona whispered under her breath. She was just as sick of the Department of Mysteries as Lucy and Snape. They had thought this was the way out but it was not...how many more doors would they have to walk through? Or perhaps they would lose their sanity before they made it out of there...

"I do too," Snape agreed. He turned back towards the dppr they had just come through and shoved against it but it didn't budge. There was no way they would be able to get out of this room...

The room suddenly went dark again as if someone was messing with the lights and then they heard shuffling...but it definitely wasn't them making that noise. They knew that for a fact. Snape held up his wand and it was apparent that their wand light could be seen in the darkness now. 

"There is definitely something in here with us now..." Lucy muttered. Snape approached her from behind after checking the door. 

"We have to stay close." 

Lucy dropped her wand in surprise, Snape had startled her. She watched the small beam of light travel across the floor before coming to a sharp halt, as though something had stopped it. Lucy held her breath but tried not to think much of it. 

"What the — ?" Shona began. 

"I don't think we want to know what stopped it," Snape murmured, stepping away from Lucy. He was a little terrified himself. "And for goodness sakes do not scream, it'll get us no-where. Knowing our luck the no faces will come back..."

"Knowing my luck," Shona rolled her eyes. "It's always my luck..." 

Just then, the light emitting from the wand ceased. It was then revealed moments later up in the air. The gifted held their breaths and looked at each other in the darkness (or as to where they thought their companions were in the darkness) in a confused manner. Lucy blinked a couple of times and felt something was very wrong. What would they be facing in this room?

"I think you dropped something," a voice whispered through the darkness and reaching the gifted's ears. They all stopped moving and stared straight ahead. The voice made Lucy shiver and also made her wonder if they were facing a talking no face or something like a no face...surely not. 

"Who goes there?" Snape barked, trying to seem bigger than he actually was. He would do anything to protect his daughter, even if it meant taking out a whole army with his bare hands. 

Just as Lucy was going to use her confidence and walk forward to find out what was talking to the gifted, a hand was over her mouth. The other holding her tight from behind. She could do nothing but struggle, and Snape and Shona would never know. 

"Me," the voice replied as all the lights switched on again. Lucy's eyes wandered in shock towards the person who had picked up her wand. 

Zuc. 

And Kingston had hold of her. 

"Ah, Kingston, just as planned," Zuc laughed. "Capture the leader and the others can do naught." 

"Lucy!" Snape screamed and went to free his daughter, Shona followed him. But with one flick of Lucy's wand, Zuc had glued Shona and Snape's feet to the floor. They could not move at all, only struggle like Lucy.

"That was easy," Kingston laughed. "Surely it can't be this easy." 

"Surely it can!" Zuc grinned menacingly and then looked at Snape and Shona. "And these must be the other two members of the gifted! Shona McGuire and Severus Snape! So nice to finally meet them in person!" Zuc mused, Kingston seemed to be trying to hold back his laughter. "Oh! How much Lucy looks like her father! How heroic he is too!" 

"You wish..." Kingston huffed although Zuc did not here. 

Zuc then turned to Lucy. "Lucy Snape! We do indeed meet again! I think last time we met you left too early! Maybe now we can take care of some unfinished business?" Zuc gestured to the orb, he looked so bold and business like in his suit. As though he was the boss and he ordered his clients to give him the orb. 

Lucy suddenly managed to get Kingston to remove his hand from her mouth."How are you even here?" She wondered, she knew Zuc hadn't broken the portal to England yet, otherwise she would have known. She would have seen it. "It's impossible!" 

"Impossible it may seem but it's apparent I have made it here," Zuc sighed. "But you see, we're not exactly in England, are we?" 

"Are we not?" 

"Of course not! We're so deep in the Department of Mysteries we could be anywhere! We could be underneath France for all you know, we are not necessarily in England but it's very easy to get back...except, I can't get back unlike you." 

"We can't get back," Lucy spat. "We're going forward to get back." 

"Interesting theory you have there, my dear." 

"It's not a theory, it's the truth!" Shona yelled. 

"McGuire!" Snape barked.

"Please, let the girl speak," Zuc commanded, Snape fell silent despite the fact he didn't want to. He just couldn't find any insults. "Do tell us, Miss McGuire, why is it not a theory?" 

"I wouldn't tell you, I wouldn't even give you the drippings off my nose!" Shona growled. "If you didn't realise we're supposed to be enemies not best friends who eat Honeydukes sweets together!" 

"SHUT UP!" Zuc boomed and silenced her with a wave of Lucy's wand. "I always knew Sebastian's descendant would be the worst...well, one of them anyway..." 

Zuc stepped aside, revealing Martyn McGuire who looked very pleased with himself. He had managed to steal the sword that his ancestor made and had given it to Zuc on strict orders. It was such an honour that he had gained Zuc's trust. 

"Martyn!" Shona screamed and tried to desperately to move. "You bloody idiot!" 

"Still trying to save the world?" Martyn asked. "Because it's certainly not working..." 

Shona ground her teeth in anger as Martyn went to stand out the way, watching his master in awe. Zuc turned back to Lucy and saw she was still holding the orb. Lucy tried desperately to break free from Kingston's grip but he held her tight. 

"Get off of me!" Lucy screamed but Kingston didn't budge. 

"Let her go, Kingston," Zuc commanded but Kingston was doubting his leader. He feared if he let her go she would run off and they'd never get the orb. 

"But, my mighty — " 

"Do as I say," Zuc waved the comment away and Kingston slowly released Lucy. "Is that better, Miss Snape?" 

"I'm in for no sweet talk, Zuc, just get straight to the point," Lucy snapped. She was fed up of Zuc trying to be nice, there no need to sugar coat anything. 

"Very well, if that is what you wish," Zuc shrugged. His face then turned dark. "Give me the orb." 

"In your dreams, I'm not going to give the orb to you," Lucy growled as Kingston's hands suddenly became claws in anger. "You just want it to open that damn portal so you can send your troops in and out of England as you please, I'm never going to let you do that, not ever. Because it's the gifted's job to look after the orb. To make sure you don't get hold of it." 

"Valid point you have there, but I'm afraid you are not fit to look after the orb. Why are you here in the first place? Because you can't look after the orb! It now seeks a new master." 

"I volunteer!" Shona waved. 

"This is no time for fun and games, McGuire," Snape hissed under his breath. 

"It seeks a new master and that master is me. I have more power than all of you put together and more. You cannot control the orb whereas I can because of who I am. I am King Zuc and I need the orb to fulfil my people's needs back on the islands." 

"Don't spoon feed me rubbish, I know what you're up to. We all do, so never try and tell me things like that." 

 "How about I do a deal with you?" Zuc pointed out suddenly. 

 "I refuse to — " Lucy began but Zuc stopped her. 

"You haven't even heard the deal yet." 

"Nothing on this Earth would make me give you the orb, absolutely nothing." 

"You're right, nothing on Earth could make you give me the orb. But, what if I brought back something that was once on the earth but no longer is?" 

"What are you talking about — ?" Lucy whispered, her voice strained. 

Zuc snapped his fingers and in the next moment Anastasia was stood in front of him. She was dressed in a fine outfit, just like the one she had been murdered in. 

"Anastasia..." Lucy whispered. 

"I killed her, I can bring her back...what do you say? I give you Anastasia, she lives for as long as you live and I have the orb." 

Lucy could feel herself wanting to say yes, it was as though she wanted to throw the orb in Zuc's face and take back Anastasia. Anastasia would stay with her and look after her just like she used to. Lucy missed her friend so much and so desperately wanted her back. 

"Lucy! Don't you dare!" Snape screamed. "She's dead! You can't have her back!" 

"But she's right in front of me! I can see her! Dad! I want Anastasia back!" 

Snape went mental at this. "SHE'S DEAD LUCY! I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH YOU MOAN AND WHINE SHE'S DEAD! ONCE SOMEONE'S DEAD YOU'RE NEVER GETTING THEM BACK!" 

"There, there, Snape, we can't make decisions for the girl," Zuc shook his head. "What do you say, Lucy? Miss Garcia for the orb?"

"SHE'S AN ILLUSION!" Snape yelled. He had to get it into his daughters thick skull that Anastasia was an illusion and she was never going to come back. He had suffered Lily's death so he knew what it was like, he knew what it was like to lose someone.

Lucy stared at Zuc. She really wanted Anastasia back...but was she an illusion? Was it worth risking the orb just for an illusion? It was obvious Zuc was tricking her...

Lucy held out the orb to Zuc. 

"LUCY, NO!" Snape yelled. 

"I want Anastasia," Lucy smiled and Zuc stepped forward, hunger in his eyes. He was finally going to get the orb, Anastasia walked forward with him. Anastasia held out her hand towards Lucy, she took it and then looked at Zuc. 

Zuc went to swipe the orb from Lucy, when she ducked. Anastasia did not feel real to her, she knew that now that Anastasia was next to her. She could simply put a hand straight through Anastasia...

"The orb for Anastasia, Lucy," Zuc ordered. 

"Anastasia isn't real," Lucy snapped and turned just as Zuc went to get the orb again. "I want the real Anastasia." 

Zuc wasn't paying attention as he tried desperately to get the orb, in the process he dropped Lucy's wand and Snape and Shona were free. And Anastasia was gone for good. 

Snape ran in front of Lucy. "Don't touch my daughter," Snape spat, venom in his voice. "If you want her you'll have to get through me first." 

Zuc rolled his eyes, he couldn't believe this was happening. He shoved Snape out of the way and grabbed hold of Lucy. He then grabbed hold of Lucy's wand again. He made sure she was holding the orb before continuing. 

"I guess if you won't open the portal I will..." Zuc growled. "And I'll use magic against you too — Imperio." 

Kingston was almost jumping up and down in excitement while Martyn watched in excitement. He couldn't believe they were getting this far. 

"Repeat after me, Lucy: tibi aperiemus uago...te erit aperies eam concedentes universaliter prohibita in terras tuas quia nos numquam deficiet...uno die advenero...omnes habere fabula..."

Lucy repeated the strange language that Zuc had uttered under the imperius curse, she had no idea what she was doing. 

All of a sudden, there was a chill in the air. The light source flickered and in front of Zuc some kind of bright light appeared, it grew larger and larger until it was a circle. You could walk through it without hesitation, it looked so good on the other side. 

Zuc dropped Lucy on the floor and her wand, he then grinned. 

"Thank you, Lucy, thank you so much for granting us access to your country. It was only Merlin's descendant that could open it...I really can't thank you enough for being this kind..." Zuc laughed before walking through the portal Kingston and Martyn following behind him. 

The portal disappeared as soon as Martyn was inside which left Shona and Snape to stare at Lucy. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, she had been released from the curse but still look dazed. 

"What happened?" Lucy groaned. "Somebody tell me what happened..." 

"It doesn't matter," Snape's voice was so low. It was dangerously low, like he could kill someone there and then. "I can see the exit now, lets go home." 

Snape and Shona walked ahead while Lucy was left to lift herself up. She picked up the orb and then her wand. 

"What did I do?" Lucy wondered. 

"Come along, Lucy," Snape ordered from the door. She followed Snape out of the door.

Little did she know, she had granted Zuc access to the portal he wanted most...