Where Your Dreams End

Chapter Nine Fear and Strange Voices

They all set out the next morning to have another wonderful day before classes started again. Eric was having a hard time dealing with his secrets; there was no one he could talk to about it except for the Professor. He kept thinking about the mystery woman. Who could she be and why hadn't Professor Killainka introduced her? It wasn't like Killainka to deliberately be deceptive. Normally he would explain why he couldn't revile something. Eric spent most of the day staring at the fire in the common room. After lunch, when he was again in front of the fire, Zoe sat down next to him. "Hey bro, what's up?"

Eric turned to her and said, "Huh."

"Boy you're really out of it. Do you feel all right?" she asked feeling his forehead.

Eric smiled. "I'm so glad that my little sis is concerned about my health," he said taking her hand.

"Don't get any ideas that I like you or anything," joked Zoe squeezing his hand. "I just noticed that you haven't been yourself lately."

"Well none of us have, have we?" he asked looking around the room. Zoe nodded. Eric let go of her hand and then put his arm around her. "Hey I'm sure that everything's going to be fine after all I'm here and I'm perfect and Professor Killainka is here and he's perfect."

Zoe cut him short by hitting him on the back. " Oh shut up," she said walking away.

"What's the matter Zoe, don't you love me anymore?" Eric said laughing as Zoe walked away complaining about her crazy brother.

The rest of the day, Eric tried to put things out of his mind. He didn't want anyone else suspecting something was wrong especially Dillon or Sarah. By the time, they all retired that evening they were all complaining about classes starting again and everything seemed pretty much back to normal.

The next couple of weeks were business as usual. Zoe decided that the teachers must think that the second semester meant double the homework. One weekend after spending most of their time in the library Sarah and Dillon found themselves sitting alone in the common room staring at the fire. Sarah was freezing, she'd been fighting a cold for about a week and she was afraid she was loosing the battle "Do you think that spring is ever going to get here?" she asked moving closer to the fire.

Dillon smiled. "Every year I think its never going to come and then one day all of the sudden the sun shines and then spring comes to Dragon's Wood."

"Must be cool staying here all the time," said Sarah after awhile.

"I suppose. Sometimes I wish I could see a little more of the world."

"Haven't you ever been anywhere?" asked Sarah.

"Yeah, dad and I sometimes visit relatives in the summer. There's not a lot to do when the students aren't here. Most of the teachers leave for the break too so it's very quiet" Dillon got quiet for a minute then he asked. "What does your family do in the summer time?"

"Actually in the past my mom and dad worked too much and fought all the time so I spent most of my time hanging out with Zoe."

"I bet that was cool," said Dillon enviously.

"I guess. I mean after all it is Zoe," said Sarah chuckling.

Dillon snickered. "I see what you mean." He sat quietly again. "I'm going to miss you guys this summer," he said after thinking awhile.

"Maybe you can come and visit. I don't exactly know what things are going to be like at my house this summer." She thought for a second. "It seems that my mother is coming around and her and dad are getting along, at least for the moment." Dillon lowered his eyes and Sarah felt bad. "I'm sorry Dillon, I guess you miss your mom."

Dillon didn't want to say anything, he wasn't sure that he wanted anyone else to know about the dreams that he was having, especially Sarah. No sense in getting anyone else upset about him. Eric was already overly concerned, which he supposed hadn't been a totally bad thing since the dreams had stopped every since their conversations. "Maybe talking about them had made them go away," he thought. Dillon nodded at Sarah. "I miss her, but like I said before I was really young. It was almost half my life ago that she died. Do you remember a lot about when you were six?" he asked curiously.

"Too much," moaned Sarah. "That's when my parents split up. Sometimes I wish I would forget all of that."

"But you said they're getting along now."

"Yeah I guess, but I'm not there so I don't know for sure," she confessed. They sat talking about parents and summer activities for a few minutes until Zoe and the rest of their friends discovered them. The next thing they knew they were playing cards and listening to a new CD that Megan had gotten for Christmas. When they were finished a couple of hours later, Sarah pulled Zoe over to the side before they headed up to their room and reminded her how they had wanted to look up Dillon's mom.

"Yeah," said Zoe. "He's been acting kind of sad lately every since him and Eric spent a lot of time talking together. Come to think of it, so has my brother. Maybe they've been reminiscing about his mom and school and it's made both of them sad."

"That's even more reason that we should try to find out something without them knowing," decided Sarah.

Zoe agreed and then they decided that they would go to the library after classes the next day telling Dillon they were doing extra reading for Chalipuns class. Zoe also decided to ask Wetherspoon a few discreet questions before class since he was Dillon's mom's replacement. Zoe and Sarah contemplated letting Megan in on their concerns and then decided they would wait until they had some more information. When they had finished making their plans for the following day, they went to say goodnight to everyone. After some complaining about unfinished homework and short weekends, everyone retired for the evening.

Sarah woke up the next morning sneezing, coughing, and gagging. Zoe decided after feeling her forehead that Mrs. Hutton should see her. "I've spent so much time in the infirmary all ready," whined Sarah.

"Yeah, but you're burning up," said Zoe concerned.

"I'll take some Tylenol and I'm sure that I'll be all right," she said dragging her self out of bed.

"You're crazy," chimed Zoe. "If I could be sick and stay in bed instead of going to Abydos class I'd jump on it."

"I've all ready spent one half of the last semester playing catch up in his class, I don't want to spend this one doing it also." Sarah rummaged through her desk until she found a bottle of Tylenol; she poured several into her hand and took them with a swallow of water from the bathroom sink. When she had returned to the dorm bedroom Zoe was still shaking her head. "Leave me alone," grouched Sarah as she gathered her clothes to go to the shower.

"All right, I'll leave you alone, but if you barf on me I'm going to be really pissed," she said, and then she gathered her clothes and followed her.

By the time they got to Abydos class, the Tylenol had kicked in and Sarah was able to endure the terrible smell from the various caged creatures in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class. They were supposed to be working on a spell to repel Pixies and Sarah, Zoe and Dillon had been paired up with Griffin and his bunch. After a few moments of fighting with Griffin over the way you should swish your wand Zoe turned to Sarah and whispered. "You can barf on him anytime now." Sarah forced a smile and then sneezed into her robe several times before trying the spell again.

"If I wake up sick tomorrow, I'm going to turn you into a toad," Griffin whispered scowling.

"This is coming from the boy who got a D in transfiguration," Sarah grouched back at him in between sneezes. Zoe chuckled under her breath as Griffin's head crony Vincent Massey raised his fist and shook it at her.

"Nice to see that you're beginning to understand English, Vincent, I know those big words like trans-figure-ation used to be so hard for you," mocked Zoe.

Griffin and Massey rose out of their seats in a threatening manner. "I don't feel well enough to deal with this crap," thought Sarah. Fortunately, she did not have to.

"Mr. Massey, I suppose that you think that you should be talking instead of working?" asked Abydos coming up behind him.

"No sir," said Vincent cowering. "It's just that Nettleton and Turner--"

Abydos raised his hand and Massey stopped short. "I suggest that you concentrate on your repelling spell or I shall lock you in the closet alone with one of our darling friends here," he said gesturing to the Pixies in the cage, "to see how well you can perform it. And I'm sure that you all know that Pixies are not a timid as they may look." Sarah and Zoe resisted the urge to burst into laughter but it was very difficult, they both thought that their faces would explode trying. Unfortunately, this did not go unnoticed.

"Miss Nettleton and Miss Turner I wouldn't be laughing if I were you, after what that they are helping you with is half of your grade too," he said now turning to glare at them.

After class Zoe couldn't help thinking, that getting in trouble was worth it to see the look on Massey's face when Abydos threatened him. Sarah however was no longer smiling; she just didn't feel good no matter how much she tried to pretend she did. "Sarah," said Megan as they were walking down the hall after class, "you really should go see the nurse. You look like crap."

"I love you too," spat Sarah.

"She's right," agreed William and Dillon at the same time.

"It's a conspiracy," said Sarah wiping the water from her eyes after a rather large sneeze.

"Come on we're taking you to the nurse," decided Zoe, "and you have nothing to say about it." Everyone chimed in agreement, then took her arms, and guided her down the hallway and toward the nurse's office. Jimmy and Mitsey passed through a wall about halfway there and after hearing about Sarah's health, decided that they go ahead and inform Mrs. Hutton that they were coming.

Sarah rolled her eyes and gave in. "I suppose that it doesn't matter that I'll be a freshman when you all are seniors?" she asked in a complaining manor as they all rounded the corner to the Infirmary. Everyone ignored her rolling his or her eyes. She felt like a death row prisoner being taken on the last walk and reaching the door of the Infirmary meant the midnight hour was approaching. "Clemency," yelled Sarah, "I know the governor will call."

Zoe looked at her, laughed, and then turned to the others. "She's finally lost her mind, the stress of Dark Arts Class has finally caught up to her." Everyone laughed including Sarah who wasn't really fighting going to the Infirmary anymore. She had decided that she wasn't going to get any schoolwork done anyway while her face was leaking from orifice.

Mrs. Hutton was waiting at the door when they got there after ushering Sarah into the room she shooed the rest of the students back to class. Sarah sat down in the bench that was in the front office of the Infirmary and waited for Mrs. Hutton to come in. After the moment it took her to shoo away the other kids, Mrs. Hutton entered and looked at Sarah. "Nasty cold hey, Miss Nettleton?" she said feeling her forehead.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, but just think, I actually walked in to the Infirmary on my own this time," Sarah said joking.

Mrs. Hutton smiled, "I suppose that's a good thing," she said as she went to her cupboard. "Even in our world we haven't come up with a complete cure for the common cold," she said pulling out a vile of fluid. "However I believe if you drink this you'll feel a lot better." She handed the vile to Sarah and watched her drink it. "That's good. Now I expect you to go to your room and rest. After a good night's sleep I'm sure that you'll be feeling better."

"Yuck," she said sticking her tongue out and handing the empty vile to Mrs. Hutton while smoke poured out of her ears. "But I have more classes Mrs. Hutton," Sarah complained.

"Not today you don't. I'll inform your teachers that you've been restricted to bed for the rest of the day and you'll make up the work tomorrow." Sarah suddenly didn't feel like arguing. She was getting sleepy fast and had a feeling that she wouldn't make back to her room. Mrs. Hutton noticed Sarah faltering. "That took effect quickly," she commented taking Sarah's hand to steady her. "I suggest that you make it to the dorm as quick as you can. I'll be up to check on you in a little while." Sarah regained her balance, nodded, and headed out the door. She has just about made it to the dorm corridor when she literally ran into Dillon's father and was knocked flat on her bottom. Mr. Ratcliff began apologizing before she even hit the floor.

"It's all right, Mr. Ratcliff," said Sarah making her way back to her feet with his help. "I'm not very balanced right now. I took some medicine and I'm on my way to bed."

"I'm sorry that you're ill. Is there anything I can do?" asked Ratcliff.

"No, I'm be fine as soon as I get to bed," answered Sarah. "I better go now," she said as she turned to head down the corridor.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" he asked again, after her.

"No, I'm fine," called out Sarah just as she disappeared.

The common room was empty except for one of the Bellarmine boys' cat Salem. He was a rather large black cat with a terrible attitude. Sarah had often noticed Max expressing his contempt for him as they passed in the hallway or met up in the common room. Sarah was now zoning out so badly that she decided to crash on the couch at least until everyone starting returning from class. The fire was warm, the couch comfortable, and the common room dark and quiet, Sarah was asleep before her head completely hit the couch. "Hey slacker, time to get up." Sarah opened her eyes slowly and after a couple of blinks, recognized both the voice and the face.

"Bite me Eric," said Sarah turning over to sit up. Sarah now sneezed three times in Eric's face. "Ooops, Sorry," she said smiling slightly and rising to her feet.

Eric shook his head. "That's all right. Now I can slack off tomorrow."

"Just in case you didn't hear me the first time," started Sarah moving slowly toward the hallway, "bite me!!"

Sarah turned to focus toward the end of the hallway "I wish Zoe or Megan would come along right about now so I wouldn't be worried about falling on my butt," she whispered to herself. Then even though she didn't remember how she got there she was on her bed.

Sarah lay for a moment or two stroking Max and looking out the small opening in the window curtains on the other side of the room. She wasn't as sleepy as she had been but she didn't quite have enough energy to change out of her clothes. She could hear the voices of other students returning to the dorm out side the door, but no one entered the room. She wondered if Mrs. Hutton had placed a Quarantine sign on the outside of the door. Sarah began to stare at the clock on the wall. Ten minutes felt like two hours and finally Sarah decided to give in and force herself to go to the common room. Surely, Mrs. Hutton wouldn't be mad at her for not being in bed if she wasn't sleepy. When Sarah opened the door and entered the hallway several of the older girls went by quickly almost knocking Sarah down as they passed. "Hey!" yelled Sarah after them. "Watch where you're going, I'm sick here." None of the girls stopped or looked back, which really didn't surprise Sarah. "Brat Sophomores!" mumbled Sarah. After collecting her thoughts, she again proceeded on.

If seemed like it took another two hours to reach the common room. Only the roaring fire in the fireplace that Dillon and Eric were now sitting in front of lit the room. Sarah approached them, noticing that they were the only persons in the room, Sarah assumed they had decided not to go to dinner. "Hey slacker," she repeated to Eric. "Why aren't ya'll in the Great Hall stuffing your faces?" Sarah asked chuckling to herself but neither Eric nor Dillon turned to great her. "Fine sit there being bumps on a log," complained Sarah. "I'll come sit on you and sneeze again so you'll be deathly ill tomorrow." Eric and Dillon still didn't move or speak to her. Sarah was getting irritated with them and marched around to stand in front of them. "Hey why are you ignoring me?" she said slapping Eric on the arm.

Eric sat staring at the fire; he did not speak or respond in any way to Sarah's attacks. Sarah backed up confused; she now noticed that Dillon was equally as engrossed in the fire and not speaking or responding. She was beginning to think that she wanted to return to her room, however her feet were now seemingly planted in the floor. "Crap!" she said out loud. "Eric and Dillon, this is not funny! Pay attention to me Eric Turner or I'll tell Annabelle your flirting with someone else." Sarah was starting to get frightened by what was going on. The common room darkened more. Sarah looked at the clock, it seemed that day was slipping into night in a matter of seconds. A large shadow now fell over the room and Sarah began to panic. "Go away!! I'm not going to be bothered by you anymore and I'm not going to let you bother my friends. So go away!!" she repeated. Sarah wasn't sure who or what she was talking to but she was tired of being scared.

"Sarah there is no reason to be afraid, I am not going to hurt you," came a soft but powerful voice. "On the contrary I'm here to protect you from the things that have been bothering you." Sarah was suddenly mesmerized but the sound of the voice. She turned and looked into the eyes of Dillon and Eric. They were smiling as they stared into the flames. Sarah turned to see what they were staring at and found that she was being pulled into the fire.

"What things?" Sarah mouthed softly.

"I can protect you from the laughter and ridicule. I can help you to become a great witch. All you have do is trust in how you feel," said the voice. It was softer yet sounded closer; Sarah actually thought she could feel someone's warm breath on her neck. She turned but there was no one there.

"I don't know how I feel so how can I trust how I feel?" she asked the thin air.

"Sarah, Dillon and Eric are all ready with me. All you have to do is let go and give in to the inevitable."

Sarah could now see the hooded figure standing on the other side of the common room. It was pitch dark in the room now but the figure seemed to glow with an eerie aurora. Sarah was frozen in her spot; she tried to move her feet with no avail. "No thank you."

"Sarah what's the problem?" Eric was now to his feet and standing next to Sarah.

"Eric! You scared the bleep out of me," screamed Sarah.

"Don't resist anymore Sarah, we need your help." This time it was Dillon.

Sarah was not comforted by their words in fact it disturbed her more. These we're not their voices or their words. Sarah was now more scared than she had ever been in her life. The only thing that she could think of to do was ask for help. She looked at the fireplace and the roaring fire, pulling as hard as she could on her feet she managed to pry them from the floor. Heading toward the fireplace now, Sarah pushed Dillon and Eric out of her way. Sarah reached the mantel, grabbed the odd shaped vase that sat atop it and pulled out a hand full of Floo-powder. Taking one last look at the Shadowy figure, Sarah through it in the fire and called out "Madam Delphi."

"I suppose that we should have done something a long time ago, maybe none of this would have happened if we had." John Nettleton was pacing up and done in front of the hospital beds shaking his head as he talked.

"John there is no sense in blaming anyone including yourself. They were in the safest place that they could be and we've done every thing that we could. We need to concentrate on the present and not the past, or we cannot fix the problem." Bill Turners eyes were swollen and red, he was sitting in the dark infirmary corner and rocking back and forth to stay awake. Dillon's father now entered the room quietly, he seemed afraid to talk and even more afraid to come closer to the other fathers.

Professor Killainka appeared next to John and placed a comforting hand on his and Bills shoulder. "Now, now gentlemen, there is no sense and second-guessing what we should or shouldn't have done. When you are dealing with evil there is no way to know for sure that you are doing the right thing."

Killainka then moved forward to Dillon s father. "Everything is going to be just fine," he said with great confidence. "Now I would like for the three of you to go to my office. I have arranged for some hot chocolate for you there." He paused and looked at there objecting expressions. "I will be there soon with more answers than you think. So go now and feel confidant."

Bill and Dillon's father had trusted Killainka from their first days at Dragons Wood all those many years ago. John had come to trust him of the last few years. They all decided that they were too tired to argue with him and left after checking one last time on their slumbering children they did as he said. Killainka now turned to Mrs. Hutton. The lights of the Infirmary were dim, but he had no trouble making out the profiles of the three unconscious children lying only a few feet apart from each other. "Are they all right?" he asked. Mrs. Hutton nodded but did not look very convincing. " I would like for you to leave us," he said next.

Mrs. Hutton began to object. Professor Killainka. "I don't think that it would be a good time for me to leave. We don't know exactly what happened and they haven't been conscious since we found them."

"Melissa, I know that you will not be far and I have every confidence that if I need you will be there," he said trying to assure her. She was convinced enough to leave slowly reminding him not to do anything stupid as she left.

When she was gone, Killainka sat down next to Eric's head. "I know you can hear me," he started, "you hold the key to solving the riddle, Eric. There is something in your head that none of us remember. It is up to you to tell us what that is." Eric stirred, after a moment or two he opened his eyes. It seemed at first that he was not there. Killainka placed a hand on Eric's and squeezed. "It's all right I promise, and you cannot be hurt anymore."

It was as though Eric's body was there responding to his questions, but his soul was not. There was no sparkle in his eyes or color in his face. "I don't know sir," he said flatly, with no feeling or diction in his words. "I don't remember anything from those days." Then he added, "you told me to forget."

"Eric," Killainka said forcefully, "there are two lives and your own at risk. You must concentrate and remember what you were convinced to forget." Eric gave no response. Killainka was determined that he could not let this go. He rose from his chair and spoke into the air. "Christine." After a pause, the tall blond woman from his office appeared in the corner of the room. "It is time to straighten this out," he said to the shadow. "These children will not perish due to our ignorance, Christine." The shadowy figure did not move forward, she seemed paralyzed by her own fear. "You have had five years to come to terms with your past. It is now time for you to take responsibility for it. And I add that if you cannot I will deal with it for you."

"Javier, I'm not strong enough," whispered Christine.

"You'll never be strong enough if you won't allow yourself to be. You can't stand around while history repeats itself," he insisted.

The woman came forward and joined Killainka at Eric's side. "Eric," she whispered, "you have to listen to the Professor. It is very important that we tell the truth now."

Eric opened his eyes again. "Professor Ratcliff?" he said sleepily. "Am I late for class?"

Killainka took a deep breath and nudged Christine. She also took a deep breath so she could answer him. "No Eric, you're not in my class this year. I 'm not a teacher here any longer."

Eric's eyes grew wider. "Professor Ratcliff, you're, you're dead," he said stumbling on his words.

"No Eric I'm obviously not dead." She paused and looked at Killainka who was urging her on with his eyes. "Eric, I--" She paused and looked around the room again. "We need you to remember and to help me remember what happened five years ago."

Killainka interrupted. "Eric you can remember now, I give you permission. You need not fear anything because there are strong Wizards here to protect you."

Eric was silent again. Killainka feared that he had shut down again when a second voice joined the conversation. "Mother?"

Christine turned pale and lost her courage. She started to back herself into the corner again. Killainka grasped her arm and pulled her back. "Be strong, I am here," he whispered.

Dillon again called for her. Christine took a deep breath and moved to be closer to him. "Yes, Dillon, I am here."

Dillon's eyes opened, his face was sunken, and his eyes swollen and red, but he managed a bright and loving smile for his mother. "I can hear you," he said and then after a short pause he added, "this is a good dream."

"No Dillon," Christine said quickly raising her voice in panic. "This is not a dream. Bad things happen in dreams."

Killainka was again at her side hand on her shoulder. "Christine, you will scare him, relax and calm down," he whispered.

Christine took a deep breath and nodded to Killainka. "Dillon, I'm here, I should have been here all this time, but I was sick and I was scared. But now I am here and we will fix all of this I promise."

Dillon was crying with no sound. Tears were rolling down his cheeks one after another. "I don't understand I needed you. If you were alive why weren't you there for me?"

The woman did not want to answer this question. She looked at Killainka and shook her head. "I can't."

"Dillon, you have to believe that your mother has always loved you but circumstances made it impossible for her to be with you," explained Killainka.

"What ever has happened, Dillon, I am here for you now and you have to believe that." Dillon lay quiet for a while, neither adult was sure that they were going to get any answers that night.

"Perhaps we should give up," observed Christine. Killainka looked at Dillon and nodded his head.

"It may not be the right time," he agreed.

"I don't understand something Professor," came Eric's voice from behind them. Christine continued to look at Dillon for a response while Killainka returned to Eric's side.

"What don't you understand?" asked Killainka.

Eric seemed to not hear Killainka's voice. "How she can return now when knowing how she has betrayed everyone?"

Killainka leaned closer to Eric. "Eric, who are you talking about?"

"Professor Ratcliff, she just left me there, lying on the ground. And Sarah's Dad, he was almost killed," Eric continued.

"Eric, I am glad that you feel confident enough to speak now, can you tell us everything that you remember?" asked Killainka.

Eric's domineer now changed slightly and his voice became stronger. "Professor I would hate to have to relate everything that has happened to me while I have been at Dragon's Wood. Although the things that might get me expelled would be wonderful to recall if I wasn't talking to the Dean of the school," Eric said playfully.

Killainka smiled, he might have laughed if he hadn't been confused by Eric's words. "Well I suppose relating most of the last five years of your life would be good fireside chat, but I also think that you know what we would like to hear."

Eric smiled for a moment and then acquired a solemn and serious face. "Yes sir, I know what you want to know. I'm just not sure I want to recount it," confessed Eric.

"Eric I need to know," came Dillon's voice again awake and aware.

"I'm sorry Son." Eric tried to sit up so that he could go comfort Dillon, however the only part of his body that was working was his mouth. "I would have told you if I had been able to." Dillon once more slipped away, however Eric seemed to have a sudden burst of energy and continued on even stronger. "The worst part is that it's all been replaying exactly as before and no one has even figured that out yet."

"Eric what do you mean by that?" asked Christine concerned.

"I mean, Sarah's dreaming, Dillon's dreaming, you're here, and then of course there's me," he said and then he chuckled devilishly, "Perhaps I've been here all along."

Killainka now noticed that Eric had a strange trance-like look on his face. He turned toward the door to the infirmary and motioned with his hand. Almost immediately, the door opened and Mrs. Hutton entered. Killainka raised his hand to silence her and then motioned her forward. She nodded that she understood and then quietly made her way to their side. Killainka continued to talk to Eric as she moved. "Eric I know that you feel guilty about things that are happening and have happened, however you are not responsible for any of these things."

"Are you sure of that?" he asked. "Do you know that I was not?" Mrs. Hutton drew closer and first looked at Eric and then at the Professor, she shook her head with concern.

"What's the matter Mrs. Hutton?" asked Eric, turning in her direction. "Cat got your tongue?" again, he chuckled rudely.

"Eric you feeling all right?" she asked, putting her hand to his forehead.

Eric pulled back. "I've been better. But we're not here to find out how I am, we were talking about Professor Ratcliff and her son."

"Yes, Eric I believe that is where we were," said Killainka.

"You can stop calling me that since we both know that I am not Eric," said the voice.

Killainka didn't flinch. "And if I shouldn't call you Eric what should I call you?"

He ignored the question and moved on. "I believe you know that answer to that question as well, Javier." Eric grew suddenly quiet again, his eyes closed and his face went pale. Mrs. Hutton lunged forward and felt his pulse, having found one she looked up at the Professors and nodded. Killainka and Ratcliff stepped away from the beds.

"What do you think just happened?" Professor Ratcliff asked when they were out of earshot.

"I think for just a moment we were not talking to Eric at all," he said thoughtfully. Professor Ratcliff went as pale as Eric and started to back off. Killainka reached out and grasped her arm. "Christine, I'm not going to loose you again. Be strong!"

She took a deep breath and planted her feet again nodding acceptance.

Mrs. Hutton had now checked on all three children and was now approaching. "They seem to all be asleep again, simply sleeping, she said puzzled. Then she looked at Christine. "I'm happy to see you again Professor. Are you feeling well these days?"

"At times," replied the Professor.

"Mrs. Hutton, I would like to keep Professor Ratcliff our secret for the time being," explained Professor Killainka.

She nodded. "Business as usually then sir." And then she went back to checking the on their patients.

Killainka looked at Professor Ratcliff. "I think that you should return to your room. I will come there as soon as I can." He turned and looked at the slumbering children once more. "I'm not sure that we should try to find out any thing else until we can be sure that they are safe, especially Eric," he said looking at the boy.

"Javier, he can't be alive. I watched him die, you watched him die." Then she repeated again, "he can't be alive."

Killainka nodded, but was no longer sure that this could be true. He decided that he should go to his office and speak to the fathers. After a few words to Christine and Mrs. Hutton, he returned to his office. He stood outside his office door for a few moments thinking about what he was going to say and then entered. John and Bill were sitting quietly close to the fireplace; Dillon's father was in a corner by himself. It had always concerned him that Dillon and his father did not mix well with others. He had been happy to see Dillon coming out of his shell these last few months, but he felt that Dillon's father seemed more distant of late. When Bill and John realized he had entered the room they all rose to their feet, Mr. Ratcliff turned but did not come any closer to the group. "Professor," asked Bill quietly, "the children, are they all right?" The other fathers listened carefully in anticipation.

"When I left Mrs. Hutton said that they were simply sleeping peacefully," he explained tactfully. The three men seemed a little more relaxed; John and Bill sat back down when Killainka joined them in another chair close by. Killainka looked toward Mr. Ratcliff. "I would like for you to join us please, Charlie." Ratcliff hesitated and then joined them, however he picked the furthest chair from the group. When they had all settled in front of the fireplace, Killainka began. "A few hours ago Professor Quigley was awoke by a great commotion in the common room of her dorm. By the time she arrived most of the students were gathered around your children unconscious and lying on the floor in front of the fireplace." He paused to let this knowledge set in. "Before I had been informed as to what was going on here, Grace Delphi sent me a message stating that she had also been awoke in the middle of the night by a strange commotion. When she arrived in the parlor of her house she observed, for only a brief moment, your daughter John, lying on the floor. Shortly after she entered the room, she disappeared." John eyes grew wide and he was now on the edge of his seat. "Since I'm quit sure that Sarah does not know how to apparate, Grace and I are convinced now that your daughter does have your special touch John." He now sat back in his chair; he was extremely tired and looked it.

The three fathers were speechless; no one knew what to say. John looked terribly worried it was obvious that he wasn't pleased with this statement. They sat waiting for Killainka to speak again, for a while it seemed that he might not. "So gentleman," he started again after what seemed like an eternity, "I look to you for some answers."

"Professor, I don't know what I could possibly tell you, I don't know anything about these other children, and Dillon seemed just fine until tonight," said Ratcliff.

"Dillon has not said anything to you lately about things that might be disturbing him?" he asked concerned.

"No," he said and then he asked, "Is there something that you know that I should have?"

" Like I said Charlie right now, I'm just trying get some answers so that I can determine the best road to go down to help your children," repeated Killainka. The room fell silent again and Killainka decided that he wasn't going to get anywhere tonight. It was a great task to push his tired body out of the chair, but he managed to do it, then having done so he spoke again. "I think that all of us are too tired to think right now so I suggest that we get a good night's sleep and talk in the morning."

Everyone nodded and Charlie bid his leave stating that he still had to secure the grounds. When Ratcliff had left, Killainka explained to John and Bill that he had arranged for them to sleep in the faculty wing and that he would summon Cedric to take them there. John sat quietly in his chair staring into the fireplace. Bill and the Professor now noticed that he was not talking or moving toward the door. "John what's the matter?" asked Bill.

"I'm not sure," Nettleton started after a moment of thought. Killainka was now interested.

"If you have something to say John you should say it no matter how ridiculous it sounds," observed Killainka

John thought again for a moment or two. "Something strange happened in here tonight, or at least I thought so." He looked at Bill. "I don't think you noticed it because you were so worried Bill."

"What didn't I notice?" asked Bill.

Bill and the Professor drew closer concerned and perplexed. "I'm not sure, we were all here, you, I and Dillon's father and we where kind of sitting around sort of feeling sorry for ourselves. Mr. Ratcliff had separated himself from us and wasn't saying much, and then he lost his balance and looked as though he was waking from a dream. He looked around like he was looking for someone to talk to that he knew but no one was there." John paused and looked at Killainka as though he didn't know whether to go on or not. "I thought about saying something to him but I didn't, as I said we were all feeling sorry for ourselves." John stopped again and took a deep breath.

"John what are you trying to say?" asked Killainka.

"I don't know exactly. I just know that for a moment or two he didn't seem so distant or quiet. I felt that maybe if he had known us he would have told us something," answered John. "And then he was back in the corner and sullen again, with no explanation." John looked at their faces, and then felt foolish. "I know it's not relevant, I'm just reading thing that aren't there."

Killainka stood quietly for a moment with a look of enlightenment on his face, "Don't be so sure of that," he said looking into the fire. "But we'll look into these things in the morning. In the mean time, Cedric is now waiting outside the door to take you to your room. We'll talk again in the morning."

John and Bill nodded, sleepily and headed toward the door. After they had gone, Killainka penned a note to Professor Chalipun asking her to meet him in the morning and after sending it retired knowing that very few at Dragons Wood would sleep well tonight.