The Curse of the GateKeeper (James Potter #2) (76 page)

"So none of the things we saw in the Pensieve were about Tabitha after all, right?" Ralph said. "All those memories were about Petra. Scorpius let us believe Tabitha was the Bloodline because that's what his grandfather told him to do, just to keep us distracted from the real thing; is that it?"

"I don't care what you all say," Albus said determinedly, "that little squid is ten kinds of trouble. He just better stay out of my way."

Rose closed the book on her lap and looked up. "I admit he started out pretty awful, what with stealing the Cloak, map, and doll, and then lying to us about the Bloodline, but all of that was on his grandfather's orders. You can't really blame him for wanting to live up to the legacy of his family; he didn't know any better. Besides, even by the time he was showing us the memories in the Pensieve, he was beginning to have doubts about his grandfather's plan. That's why he didn't actually say Tabitha's name. He was halfway hoping we'd figure out it was Petra after all."

"And he did do the right thing in the end," James added. "He never knew that hurting Lily was part of the plan. When Lily was kidnapped, he totally gave up his grandfather and Tabitha. We'd never have learned the truth about Petra if Scorpius hadn't been there with us in the bathroom."

"I think both of you have crushes on him," Albus said dourly. "I'm not falling for that 'I'm just a poor misguided bad boy' bit. Someday, he and I are going to finish what we started on the train ride here."

"I'd be careful, Albus," Zane commented, raising his eyebrows. "I saw Scorpius at the last Defence Club meeting and he's gotten pretty slick with that Artis Decerto stuff. He was waxin' on and waxin' off like a boy ninja."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Ralph stood up and peered out the compartment door. "Hey, that reminds me: which direction are Louis and Victoire in?" he asked, peering up and down the train corridor. "Louis has a book on Middle Eastern defensive magic he said I could borrow over the summer."

"Victoire stayed behind," Rose answered. "She's staying with George and Ted in Hogsmeade until George and Angelina's wedding. And I usually try my best not to know where Louis is."

Ralph stretched and said, "I'm going to go walk a bit and try to find him. Who's coming?"

"I'm in," James answered, standing. "I'm going to fall asleep if I stay here. We shouldn't have stayed up so late playing Winkles and Augers last night."

"I'm going to ask the cart lady about her working hours," Zane interjected, opening the compartment door.

"Louis has a book on magical martial arts?" Rose asked Ralph as the five of them filed out into the corridor.

"He's really gotten into it," Ralph nodded. "Posters all over his dormitory of the Harriers and famous wizard martial artists and stuff. He even asked his mum to order him one of those hoods with the eye slits in it so he can look all mysterious."

"Our Louis?" Albus exclaimed, stifling a grin. "I should have known there was a repressed fighter buried under all that stuffed shirt."

"Debellows said he's got some natural talent," Ralph said, shrugging. "Of course, he said the same thing about you, James."

"And I got top marks on my Wizlit essay," Rose said pointedly, steering the conversation away from Professor Debellows, for whom she still had little respect. "Professor Revalvier said my insight on the golden age of wizarding literature was—"

James suddenly stopped in the aisle, forcing everyone to pile up behind him.

"Ow! Ralph, get off my toe, you bloody dump truck!" Albus cried. "What gives?"

"Do you see it?" James whispered urgently, pointing. Everyone stopped and craned their heads, looking in the direction James was pointing.

"What are we looking for?" Zane asked after a moment.

Rose said, "I don't see anythi—"

"There!" Albus interrupted, pointing over Zane's shoulder.

Something moved inside the network of flickering shadows near the end of the corridor.

"It's like a living shadow," Ralph said.

"It's the last Borley!" Albus declared, pushing past James. "And he's mine!"

"No magic!" James commanded. "Remember? That's how it grew last time!"

The Borley capered in moving shadows as the train pushed through the forest. It teased and cartwheeled, as if begging to be hexed. Suddenly, the door at the end of the corridor slid open, letting in the noise of the rushing wind and clacking wheels. All five students cried out in warning, stumbling over each other, but the Borley took advantage of the opening and leapt through the door just as it was sliding shut again.

"How very curious," the newcomer said in a deep voice. James looked up and rolled his eyes. It was Merlin, wearing his travelling cloak, his staff at his side.

"Merli—er, Headmaster!" Rose exclaimed, pushing forward. "It just went that way!"

"The Borley!" James added hastily. "The last one! It must have been on the train this whole time!"

Merlin's face darkened slightly. "We mustn't take any chances this time, my friends. I will follow it and corral it. Mr. Potter, you know what the Darkbag looks like, do you not? It is in my compartment, two cars behind you, number six. It will allow you inside. The trunk beneath the seat will open with this key. Meet us as soon as you can." The big man produced a golden key on a long loop of chain and held it out to James. James took it, feeling rather important.

"Quickly, Mr. Potter," Merlin prodded. "We haven't a moment to spare."

James turned on his heel and ran back the way they'd come, fighting the disorienting sensation of running full out in a moving, swaying train. He passed through two connectors and came to the compartment marked number six. The windows were smoked, but the door was unlocked. James entered quickly and saw the Headmaster's trunk peeking out from beneath the left side bench. He dropped to his knees and heaved it into the light. The small golden key fit snugly in the lock and turned with a minute click. When James threw the trunk open, he was surprised to see that the Darkbag was the only thing inside it, folded neatly on the wooden floor of the trunk. Of course, he realized, this was one of those magical trunks which opened onto different contents depending on what key you unlocked it with. Considering the great importance and potential danger of the Darkbag, which imprisoned the rest of the starving Borleys inside its seamless dark, James felt particularly honored to have been asked to retrieve it. He touched it a little fearfully, remembering Merlin's warnings about it, but it felt perfectly normal. It was simply a large, heavy, black cloth bag, cinched shut with a golden cord and bearing a long shoulder strap on the top. Having assured himself that the Darkbag was relatively safe to hold, James slung it around his neck and over his shoulder, wearing it like a backpack. He slammed the trunk, hung the key around his neck on its fine chain, and ran back toward the front of the train.

He was rather out of breath by the time he found everyone again. They were gathered at the head of the first car, staring hard at the door. Merlin looked up as James entered. His face was grim, but James thought he could sense some enjoyment in the big man's expression; the Headmaster was pleasuring in the hunt.

"We chased it here," Zane said, grinning. "It slipped right through the crack in the door, but the next car is the coal car. End of the line!"

"Miss Weasley," Merlin said, turning to her, "you will open the door on my mark. Mr. Deedle, your wand has rather unique properties, as you know. If the Borley manages to get past me, then you, and only you, may attempt to Stun it. Your spell will not halt it but will distract and attract it, giving me the time I need. I will place the Borley in a trance. Then, Mr. Potter, I will require the Darkbag."

Ralph gulped audibly, producing his huge wand.

"Got it," Rose said, a little breathlessly. James nodded understanding.

Albus stood back. "Last time, it was standing on the metal bit that holds the cars together," he explained. "So aim low."

"Thank you," Merlin nodded, smiling slightly.

Rose gripped the door handle and everyone took a deep breath. Merlin nodded at her and she pulled, jerking the door all the way open and letting in a push of warm, noisy air. James squinted in the barreling wind and smoke, and then gasped, his stomach plummeting. Merlin slowly took a step back, spreading his arms to keep everyone behind him.

"I may not know what I'm talking about here," Zane said weakly, his eyes bulging, "but I'm pretty sure those aren't Borleys."

In fact, the Borley was exactly where they'd expected it to be. It danced on the huge iron knuckle that connected the train to the coal car, teasing them. Over it, however, darkening the air all around the coal car, swarming like a malignant living cloud, were dozens—perhaps hundreds—of Dementors.

"It's the entire hive!" James called over the sound of the clacking wheels and rushing wind. "All the way from London! Why are they here?"

Merlin didn't take his eyes from the horrible swarm. "I think," he said slowly, "the answer to that question is all too clear."

Rose looked from Merlin to the open, howling doorway. "The Gatekeeper is up there," she said, nodding toward the engine, which was just visible over the length of the coal car and the swarming Dementors.

Suddenly, the train's whistle blew, shrieking a long, deafening note. Rose clapped her hands to her ears and winced. Simultaneously, the engine seemed to lurch forward, picking up speed. James stumbled as the train rounded a turn, rushing through it at dangerously high speed.

"Look!" Zane called, gripping the open doorway and pointing. James peered aside, looking through the gap between the cars. Trees whipped past in a blur, and then something else flickered past: wooden signs and piles of gravel and railroad ties.

"It's the new extension!" Zane yelled, his face very pale.

"The new what?" Rose cried, shaking her head.

"Didn't you read the sign?" he called, exasperated. "It's the new track extension over the Sparrowhawk Gorge! We're off the main track! We've been switched onto the new extension!"

"Don't tell me," Ralph yelled, slumping. "The extension's not finished yet, is it?"

"No! The bridge over the gorge is hardly half-done yet! It's not supposed to be completed until next year!"

Albus nodded seriously. "This is bad. Very bad."

Merlin stepped forward, his face determined and his staff held before him. The wind whipped his robes and streamed through his hair and beard. Instantly, the cloud of Dementors condensed, collapsing onto the doorway and blocking it. The students stumbled backwards, terrified and falling over each other. The Dementors hissed and roared, and James felt his blood chill at the sound of it. He'd never known Dementors could speak.

The boyyy
…, they hissed in unison, and their voices were horrid, buzzing like hornet wings. James Sirius Potter… the boyyy mussst commme…

Merlin had not stepped back in the face of the angry swarm. Now, however, he turned slightly, looking back at James over his shoulder. His face was cold, his eyes like diamond chips.

"It would appear you are being summoned," he said, his voice carrying easily over the noise and wind.

"No!" James cried. "I don't want anything to do with that thing!"

"The Gatekeeper believes differently," Merlin replied. "And it is going to kill everyone on this train if you do not meet its summons."

James shook his head adamantly. "I can't face that thing alone!" he exclaimed, terrified.

"You will not be alone," Merlin answered, smiling humorlessly. "I will be accompanying you."

James looked into the sorcerer's face. What he saw there was complete confidence and determination. The Dementors may try to stop Merlin, but they would not succeed. James nodded slowly and stood up.

As he stepped tentatively toward the open doorway, the cloud of Dementors backed away, allowing him room. They swarmed feverishly, and the sight of them made James shiver.

"Don't!" Rose called, grabbing James' sleeve. "There's got to be another way! You don't have to do it, James!"

James shook his head. "I think I do, Rose. It'll be all right."

"No!" she cried. "You're daft! You can't defeat something like that!"

James shrugged. "I have to try at least."

Zane put his hand on Rose's shoulder and Albus reached for her hand.

"Don't do anything stupid, big brother!" Albus called.

"Here!" Ralph suddenly yelled, pushing forward. He held his wand out to James, handle-first.

James shook his head. "No, Ralph, that's yours! I couldn't!"

"Shut up, James!" Ralph said, and James was shocked to see the ferocity in the boy's eyes. "Merlin's right! My wand has unique powers! You might need the boost! You're not going to keep it anyway. I'm lending it to you. Understand?"

James nodded solemnly and accepted Ralph's huge wand. "I'll give it back to you when I return," he agreed.

Nowww…
, the Dementors hissed in their awful monotone. James Sirius Potter…

"Keep your cowls on," James muttered nervously, pushing into the wind and blasting cinders. The rear of the coal car bore an iron ladder. James began to climb it, fighting both the howling air and streaming smoke from the engine. Beneath him, the track blurred past, and the clack of the wheels was loud enough to hurt his ears. Before Merlin could move to follow him, however, James decided to try the bravest thing he could think of. He took out Ralph's wand and pointed it at the great iron knuckle that connected the coal car to the rest of the train.

"Convulsis!" he called, attempting the destroying spell he had last seen Rowena Ravenclaw use on the painting in Salazar Slytherin's quarters. The spell struck the knuckle and exploded brightly. When the sparks cleared, however, James could see that it had had no effect on the knuckle.

"A worthy attempt," Merlin called, glancing up at James. "But the Gatekeeper has foreseen such measures."

James nodded, disheartened, and continued to climb the ladder. The Dementors swirled around him but kept their distance. James scrambled over the lip of the coal car and dropped onto the irregular pile of coal inside.