The Academy Of Time - Complete

Meeting The Andersons

Author's Note: This Chapter, the whole story actually, was written BEFORE the release of TOSOE. If you have read TOSOE, you will notice that the names of The Andersons are incorrect. I used the names given in AnnaIsali story "All for One".  If you haven't read that you need too! I have no intention of changing of the names now.

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Sang

I could feel myself waking up. Not really wanting to I snuggled deeper into my Gabeybear's chest, not that I would call him that to his face. He'd probably be horrified but when it came to me he really was a big bear. I felt his hand rub my back and cracked open my eyes a bit. Gabe looked at me with eyes also heavy with sleep. The room around us was pitch dark but I knew we weren't at home. Beyond that detail I couldn't really think. My head was fuzzy and confused, I couldn't really nail down any specific thought. Suddenly I felt a sense of reassurance and I knew it was Gabe. He was always there, a comforting presence in the back of my head.

"I know, it's the same for me. I sent a text to my father telling him we were staying with a friend. We'll figure it out in the morning. "He kissed me softly and closed his eyes. Never really having come fully awake my eyes drifted close and I could feel myself drifting back to sleep. There was something though, a nudge at the farthest corners of my mind, soft but persistent. It was like something was trying to break through a barrier, or like maybe I was forgetting something.

Kota

We decided not to wait. We left the others with instructions to contact us if Gabe and Sang woke up. We blinked back into our home on the other side of the barrier and made our way to the Andersons. The trip was quiet, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I looked around me wondering what Sang would think of this place. It sprawled, none of the buildings to close to each

other. Wide expanses of lawn surrounded houses from every time period, the occasional playground breaking it up. There were children in some of the houses, as was evidence by the various toys or bikes near the front door. At the center of it all rose a castle looking like something out of an Arthurian legend. Banners flapped in the breeze from the tips of the towers, deep blue with a gold watch face but instead of hands the symbol for eternity in the center. Curled around the watch face in gold script was the Latin Et Servient Omnes Tueri Tempus which I knew roughly translated to to protect and serve all of time. Leaded glass windows with an hourglass at the center dotted the castle and flanking either side of the ornately carved rosewood doors was stained glass matching the banners. Above the doors a piece of marble carved to resemble a small scroll of paper reminded any who entered that Nostrum Est Officium Omni Tempore (the whole of time is our responsibility). A large, crystal clear lake in front of the castle had a few residents splashing around in it while others lounged around on groupings of marble benches and tables. To the rear of the castle was a large forest that often held training excersises.

We appraoched a large, two story, Georgian style house surrounded by a waist high, wrought iron fence and paused. I wasn't sure what we would find on the other side of these doors but I really hoped it was answers.

Owen

I looked up at the Andersons home. I still wasn't convinced that this would help but it was hard to argue with Kota's logic. Still I felt the need to make sure they understood that I still felt my choice to go to the council was the right one.

" If I don't hear what I want to I am going straight to the Council. " I kept my voice firm and looked at them. They nodded and we knocked. The door opened revealing a rather haggard looking Harry.