"Well... The books are VERY old. And, and written by the Founders of each House! It says something about 'when needed they will come' But I'm not sure what that means. There are some really powerful spells in here. Far to powerful for us"

He quickly glances at Yvette and Egreen at this point. "But I can't see anything to help..."

Marvo eyes suddenly widen "Oh NO! It's another riddle! I HATE Riddles!"

He takes out some parchment and a quill and begins to scribble.

After a few moment he shows you all the Parchment.

"This was written, one line per book, right at the end.... Anyone have any idea what it's about?"

<Would he enter north to help everyone to insert many entries in seven rivers? If going

Half to call inside, reverse compass left. Enter alone none do pretend outside is nowhere.

Towards ten others to have every fortune open. Entertain all not dithering. Come along

Laughing long. Over use really not always made easy, sometimes. >

"Well," Niki says after a moment, "I don't know what seven rivers are, but Rome was built on seven hills, and there are the seven cities of Cibola in Mexico, which were rumoured to have lots of gold... Reverse compass left is east... Other than that, I'm stumped. This is not my forte."

"Join the club" replied Nimue. "We spent AGES yesterday trying to solve the riddle that Joss gave us."

"You've got to be kidding, Marvo. We're talking about real danger here, and as much as you think you're able to fight of the likes of young Tom Riddle with your hand tied on your back - you're not, Marvo. You're a gifted wizard, no doubt, but you're also an incredibly annoying bossy person at times. If you know so well how to handle things with Egreen and Yvette, fine then! You won't need the help of the sister of the boy who tried to hurt your precious Kat, right? Excuse me. I'm going for a walk to enjoy the peace!" Morticia headed for the door.

Marvo turns and shouts at Morticia as she heads for the door. "If by being 'bossy' you mean trying to sort things out rather than just walking off in a huff... the I guess I am bossy!" He instantly regrets his outburst.

"Morticia, Please! Come back. We... I need your help here. I'm not being bossy, really, and if I seem that way I'm sorry. Ask Kat and Elizabeth, They'll tell you I don't want to be 'in charge' or anything. I just want to do my.... To help in any way I can... Please, Come and help."

Morticia looks at him coldly. "You don't seem to need my help - or anyone else's, as it is. I'll be in the Quidditch field if you need me. Everybody's welcome to join me!"

Marvo watches Morticia leave.

He mutters a word. No one hears what it is, but it seemed to start with 'B'.

"Don't you think that if you told her she wouldn't keep being like this. It's all very well me and Nimue knowing, but..."

Kat stopped. "I'll go after her." There was no room for argument here. Kat walked out of the room and caught Morticia in the corridor.

"Morticia, wait. Please don't be cross now. Marvo needs us. All of us or we may all end up dead. I guess we may all end up dead anyway, but he needs our help. I know you don't understand why he always takes control, but please I think it is the only way we can get out of this. After all there are no teachers that can help us. We have to try."

"Well, I certainly didn't see me ending up dead, so I guess everything will turn out fine. And I seriously doubt Malcolm needs my help. You two seem to be working together very nicely, it pays off to hang around with a teacher's pet, I guess. See you, Kat. If you get bored, you're welcome to join me for some Quidditch." Morticia said.

Kat didn't know quite what to say to that. It was obviously a push off remark. She was a little offended. She thought to herself 'working together very nicely indeed. Maybe if you stopped sticking your head in the clouds and happened to be nice to Marvo for a while he might tell you who he is. Or should I say what he is and why he is here. Maybe then you'd understand!'

Outwardly she said "Well if you want to go putting yourself into danger and take that attitude then that is your choice, but don't expect us to save you!"

With that she stormed away to look at the riddle and see if she could work it out.

Niki darts out into the hall after Morticia. "Please..." she whispers, "I'm scared, and you're the only person who..." she gestures with her hands. "Who... knows. Please, stay here?"

She looks up at Morticia, pleadingly.

Morticia looks at Niki and sighs. "Well, guess we have to stick together against those Gryffindors in there." She glances through the door at Marvo. "Alright then. I'll stay." She smiles at Niki. "You know what? You're alright."

Niki grins. "Thanks."

"So..." Morticia strolls into the room again with Niki. "What do we do now, shall we try to help them with this stuff? I honestly don't know how I could help; I'm not good at riddles anyway. Fact is that everybody's asleep."

She looks at the others and asks loudly: "Marvo probably knows everything better already, but don't you think it'd be wise to check the library? Maybe we'll find some hint there."

Andy walked over to Kat. He hunched over the book so he could talk to Kat without someone seeing his lips move.

"Don't let her get to you," he whispered to Kat. "Just ignore her. And if she steps out of line again...well, we'll think of something."

Andy stood up straight again. He truly felt bad for Morticia. He knew he wouldn't want to have to go through those terrible 'premonitions', but he still thought she had no right to talk to Kat or Marvo like that.

Kat was relieved that Andy thought as she did that Morticia was over reacting. She smiled at him and whispered "thanks".

"Marvo?" Niki asks. "Do you have any ideas? Anyway," she adds, "what exactly is this riddle going to answer?"

Andy couldn't believe Marvo lashed out at him like that let alone called him 'Andrew'. He knew the reason for the outburst, but a little tug on the shoulder could have sent Andy the 'message'. After hearing Marvo read the oddly written riddle, Andy decided to jump in on the conversation.

"What are we going to do?" asked Andy. "I mean we're not going to go off on some wild goose chase?"

Andy started to break into a laugh, but no one joined him. Everyone was very serious.

"Tough crowd..." he added as he walked over to the book to examine the writing more carefully.

Marvo cannot help but smile at Andy's comment on 'Tough Crowd'. He looks to Andy and mouths 'sorry'

' I haven't a clue' says Marvo in response to Niki’s question. 'It seems like gibberish to me' He shrugs "As for what it will answer, I guess we will know that after we have cracked it. It looks something like a set of instructions. Like this going north bit, and going left. Maybe it's sort of instructions that need to be broken down by clues..." commented Kat

"Well, how about a counter-spell or a wakeup-spell then? If we can't solve the riddle, we'll have to find another way." Said Morticia.

"Maybe we should check the library," Niki responds. "I've never been there. Shouldn't we make sure everyone else knows we're going, though? I mean, just in case?" she asks, nervously.

"Let mw see that paper... Look! How about this? You take the first letter of each word... <When the time is right circle and point to the foe and call our names> "But the question is whose names? Is this a bit like the marauders map, or just the names of the people there? No! It has to be Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin! What do you think?" asked Kat

"I got it!" Niki yelled at the same time as Kat. "It means... Let's see... When... the time is right... circle and point to the foe and call our names..." She stares at them. "Does that sound right to you?" She grins at Morticia. "Now, all we need to do is figure out who the foe is."

Niki laughs. "That sounds right to me. I guess the guy who has the Dementors," her smile disappears, "is the foe, but when is the time right? Do we wait for him to come and get us?"

Yvette tilted her head. "But it says 'our' names. The...book's names?"

'Or whoever wrote the books maybe?' Marvo feels slightly embarrassed that he didn't work out the puzzle first.

"Marvo said that they were written by the four founders," Niki replied.

"Who were of course Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin..." prompted Kat.

Niki nodded, looking over to Morticia to see if she had heard what was going on.

"Right!" replied Andy to Kat's suggestion. "So that means...I have no idea."

"Do we all have the right ones, or are they mixed up?" Yvette smiled curiously, unconsciously wrinkling her freckled nose.

"Well let's see..." Marvo summarises.

Kat has 'Embracing the Truth' and Ravenclaw writes that.

Yvette has 'Embracing the Illusion', by Gryffindor

Egreen has 'Embracing the Dark', by Slytherin

Achel has 'Embracing the Light' by Hufflepuff.

It does seem like one for each House, so I'd say that all of them."

"And the four animals: the Gryffindor Lion, the Hufflepuff badger, is it? the Ravenclaw eagle; and of course the Slytherin serpent." Added Niki.

"I'm not English, only half of me, so I don't know... do English animals have names as well? I mean, like in mythologies. My grandpa told me that in Germany the fox is often called Reinike and the bear Master Petz. Are there any such names for lions, badgers and the like in English?" asked Morticia.

Niki shrugs. "I don't know much about that stuff in England either, but in French, the animals are lion, blaireau, aigle, and serpent. In Greek, they're liontari, kounabi, aetos, and fidi... At least," she adds with a grin, "I think so! My French and Arabic are better than my Greek and English."

"Moi aussi." Yvette giggles. "My English is almost as good as my French."

"I know pretty good English mostly," Niki says, "but, much to my chagrin, I don't know any rude words in English. Papa most conveniently forgot to teach them to me."

"That's the good thing about having an English mother. It means you get tons of English cousins who teach you the really important things."

She grins at Yvette. "I just wonder why we aren't all in Beauxbatons, then..."

Morticia suddenly becomes serious. "I hope this isn't a world-wide spell. I hope Nat and Ginny are allright over there in France...

Madison thought for a moment. "When the time is right? Maybe that's supposed to mean when we actually figure out who our foe is...?"

"That would require waiting for someone to come and try to kill us... or worse," Niki says with a shudder, "or actually going out and looking for trouble..."

Madison shrugged. "Either way, we're gonna have to face this thing. Better we find it before it finds us..."

"Not if it has Dementors..." Niki says with conviction.

Yvette looked thoughtful. "Live bait..." She grinned. "Too many movies, I guess. But it'd work!"

Niki shook her head vehemently. "Not me, at least," she said with a wry smile. "I'd faint at the sight of those Dementors... I'm not brave enough."

"It's not bravery, it's common sense." Yvette laughed. "We have to find someone without any!"

"Would you rather wait around here until they attack us?" Madison paused, and thought for a moment. "I'm scared of them too, but we might stand a better chance if we made the first move...Besides, I could be completely wrong. 'The right time' could mean something else..." She shrugged and smiled. "Open to ideas..."

Nimue smiled as well, "I guess that depends on the movie. But I agree the best thing to do is to find it. As far as we know he or they won't expect that we would have managed to stay awake. But if we stay here long enough someone's going to be coming to check on things.

So I expect we have to follow the only clue we have from the Headmaster - go into the Forest"

"I have to say that we need to move before we get discovered. I agree with Nimue in that. And I don't want to wait here when we can surprise people... Anyway why don't we ask Morticia? You are keeping very quiet over there, but you have a lot of the clues as you remember it from your dream. Do you think we should go to the clearing in the forest?" asked Kat expectantly.

"We'd better make sure we take lots of chocolate then," quipped Nimue. Her own experiences in the Forbidden Forest reminded her that as terrifying as the Dementors were they had not prevailed and she tried to remember Dumbledore's words to her.

"Well", piped up Nimue, "I know everyone hates the History of Magic classes but...maybe we should consider the four Founders. Godfric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and, of course, Salazar Slytherin - like on the school crest."

The children were wearing their casual clothes being a holiday but they lived everyday with that crest.

'Have any of you been taught the 'Patronus' Spell yet? Marvo asks.

Marvo is starting to think and goes a little pale. Marvo sits down looking very pale now. "... Into.... The Forest....I.. I hadn't thought about it... I'm sure there must be another way... something to avoid.... We can't go into the Forest."

His voice has lost all the confidence it had a moment ago, and he sounds more like a child than ever before.

Niki nods. "Papa had to teach it to me... Dementors really scare me, and we encounter them a lot going through customs and stuff... Particularly after we went to Azkaban-" she breaks off suddenly, aware that she has said too much. "Anyway, I'm not much good at it, but I can try."

Niki looks concerned. "Why? I mean, I'd be scared to death, but you really look..."

Marvo's eyes dart over to Niki He seems to be looking at her very closely and a 'trick of the light' seems to make his right eye 'seem' slightly red. Then his eyes widen and he says to himself 'mmmn... Pheidippides... of course! but that's for later...'

Niki glances at Marvo, then away, biting her lip.

As she talks, Yvette seems to be gaining confidence. "I learned it from my brother." She smiles slightly. "I don't think we're supposed to know it yet."

"Patronus? It's not that difficult, I think. Some other spells are... far more tricky." Said Morticia.

Yvette smiles nervously. "You concentrate on a really happy memory, and say 'Expecto Patronum!' You hold your wand out, and this sort of silvery stuff comes, then it takes shape."

"So..." said Andy.

Andy hadn't been paying attention too much of the conversation in fear of the dementors and what they might do to not only him, but the others too. He figured his best way to look as if he was really paying attention was to repeat everything he heard in the form of a question.

"So we are going to go into the forbidden forest?" he asked.

'Oh my goodness' was his first thought after those words poured from his mouth. That question certainly made him look like a dork. Andy didn't know what to do. He was overcome with fear, anger, and hate. He shut his mouth and sat down in the nearest chair.

"It doesn't seem like we have much of a choice..." Niki muses. "How do we know Dumbledore didn't start to write 'Forest is dangerous, don't go there,' or something?"

'Thanks Niki. I'm sure we all feel a lot better knowing that'

Marvo dose have a half smile saying this. He is well aware that is what might have been, but can't think of another suggestion. Marvo seems to come to a decision. "Okay... if everyone agrees then.... Then... we must go to the Forbidden Forest..."

He actually looks very frightened when he says this. 'I suggest those who know the Patronus spell try and teach the others. Just in case.' Then he says to himself "I won't let them down."

Niki bites her lip, and nods. "I guess, if we have to do it, we might as well go and do it now... God, I'm scared." She looks down the hall. "I have no idea how to get out of here. I'll just follow along, shall I?" She smiles nervously.

"Let me go and get my chocolate, then," Niki says. Glancing at Morticia, who hasn't said much recently she adds, "do you want to come with me?"

"Yes Niki, I'll come with you to get chocolate," replied Morticia.

Lee looked around at the others. "Um...well, Madison and I know the Patronus Spell...we'd be happy to teach anyone else who doesn't know it..."

"So that's it then? If everyone's ready, I mean..." Madison trailed off, falling back into silence.

Kat was still concerned over the time they were taking. "Ok some of us know the patronus spell. Those who don't know can stick to someone that does. OK? Right. Let's go get this over with then! Come on everyone."

With that she picked up her wand and her book and tucked them in her robes and led the way out of the common room. She looked determined and resolute. She was scared but she wasn't going to let that show!

"Are you sure we should go into the forest?" Peesey said looking a little worried. "I've tried doing a patronus, Marvo, but of course you know all the magic spells!" Peesey said in a kind of horrible way trying to hide his emotions.

Josslin was exhilarated by all the dancing, and THAT dance, and the whole plots, and that fear for Kat for a while, and then her triumph, ...(all I don't know)...And now the smell of revenge. Oh but that sweet smell! She may not be a part of the hunting or any of it truthfully, but she was going to be there, she was going to see that they found her murderer, and escaped to tell the tale! "Ah but sweet turns to bitter" she thought miserably as she knew that she could not her self be the hands that took his life... but to dream. So she waits, and watches...and hopes.

Niki and Morticia reappear out of a corridor, and Niki carries several large bars of chocolate. She offers them to the assembled students, and they notice that she looks very frightened. "If we have to go, we have to go," she says quietly, but she is holding her wand very tightly; so tightly that her knuckles are turning white. She looks towards the others, not sure if she should follow Kat.

Marvo gratefully accepts the chocolate, not able to resist a quick nibble before putting it into his robe.

He turns to Peesey at his remark, "Yes I do Peesey... and don't you forget it... Squib!"

Marvo sighs. "Come on then, your right of course, we need to go to them before they come to us. Everyone stick together. I don't want anyone wandering off on their own or they'll have me to answer to!"

Marvo has always tried his best not to 'take charge' like this. His voice has an authority to it, as if he knows what he is doing, or has done something like this before.