Barnaby Lee x Reader - Year 5

Jacob?!

A/N: this is the longest chapter I've ever written! the story's so cool, seriously - a lot gets revealed, and plot twists await! enjoy! :)

Tonight was the night. Rakepick and the other would be heading into the next vault. Lana was scared, obviously, and she hadn't had a chance to talk to Barnaby before all of it, which made her even more on edge. He was her safe place, and without him, she felt vulnerable and frightened.

What if she never got to see him again? What if she was going to die? What if they couldn't get back? All these questions kept running through her head, making her more and more worried about what was to come...

Rakepick had gathered everyone on the Training Grounds, with the vault portrait behind her, and was getting them ready to travel.

"The time has come, apprentice Curse-Breakers, to enter the vault and break the portrait curse-"

"Please explain it again." Charlie said, interrupting her, "We jump through this portrait of a vault to get into a vault?" he asked.

"We don't jump through it, we hold onto it at the same time to be transported into the Cursed Vault together." Bill told his brother.

"It's not that difficult to understand, Charlie." Merula scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Excuse me? I haven't been training all year to break curses like the rest of you!" Charlie frowned.

"I think everyone's nerves are staring to get the better of them." Bill commented.

"Yes, and I'm out if patience, and time. We can't wait for Mr Copper any longer." Rakepick said, and Lana noticed that Ben wasn't there.

"Alright, let's go. Ben will be disappointed, but at least he'll be safe." she said, "I told Ben from the start that I didn't think it was a good idea that he join us."

"He probably chickened out." Merula laughed.

Just then, Ben came running across the grounds, looking worried and out of breath.

"I'm here! Sorry I'm late!" he panted.

"What took you so long, Ben?" Lana wondered.

"I was...umm...writing a letter." he stammered.

"Ugh, are we sure we wanna bring him with us?" Merula groaned.

"It was an important letter to an important wizard!" Ben defended.

"And we have an important mission. It begins now. Any questions before we enter the Cursed Vault?" Rakepick asked.

Nobody spoke for a while, until Charlie did.

"Well, I may be excited about finding a dragon and helping to save everyone from the curse, but I don't know as much about curse-breaking as all of you do." he worried.

"We'll be alright, Charl. I've got your back." Bill reassured his brother with a smile.

"Me too. We'll all have each other's backs." Lana smiled.

"If there was ever a time for me to put others first, it's now." Merula added.

"Also, I'll be there." Ben commented.

"And I'll be keeping watch over all of you." Rakepick told them, "No matter who or what we find inside the Cursed Vault. Everyone! Take hold of the vault portrait...NOW!"

They all did as Rakepick said, and they were instantly flown up into the air. Screams filled the air as the whole world was spinning around them. A few seconds later, they were dropped onto the floor in an unknown room...