The Wee Folk

And so, it Begins

Several weeks passed, in which the Labyrinth was strengthed, the inhabitants warned and armed (not always a good idea, very rarely so), and the two rulers found themselves in a terrible state of waiting. They did not know, even with Jareth's scrying abilities, when the attack would come, but they did know from where. 

Though, with Jareth's abilities, they were, at least, made aware that the inflitration into Gringott's was successful in retrieving the cup, but goblin kingdom mourned for the lives lost. The goblin's of Gringott's were nasty creatures, mostly hated, but they were still goblins. 

Though it was successful in making the goblins want for nothing more than to kill those who would dare to enter their home. Sarah almost felt sorry for the Death Eaters, but then she would remember the bodies of those they had killed. 

Court had been postponed until after the attack came or was dealt with and it left all in the High Court with nothing to do. While the royal family did not move back into the Goblin Castle, for none would risk Ori like that, Jareth spent most of his time in the old castle. 

Sometimes Sarah would join him to check in on how the extra wards were coming and to speak with her old friends, all of whom were concerned for her just as she was for them.  

It was on one morning, another filled with the terrible tension of waiting, that Sarah heard her summons. It had been weeks after the Gringott's incident and she was almost relieved that the terrible waiting, at least for her, was done. 

"I wish the High Queen of the Fae would appear, right now!" Sarah felt the ancient magic that commanded her King, that bound all Fae to the mortal world. Elder than the wind and the trees, elder than flame or stream, it was the true magics of the earth. Kissing Ori quickly upon the brow, she passed him to Jareth, and then embraced her beloved.

"Do not take any unnecessary risks." Jareth commanded as even Ori was silent in the solemn moment. 

"When do I ever?" Sarah questioned with a forced smile as she kissed them both once more. 

"If the Above is in turmoil, I do not doubt that the Underground soon will be as well, I will not be able to come to your aid." Her heart broke at the helplessness in his gaze, even though they both knew that this was how it would be. 

"I know." Sarah whispered before she felt the summons grow impatient, for the old magic did not like to wait, and then she felt herself fade from the Underground. 

No matter how old she would grow to be, no matter how many times she answered a summons, Sarah would never get used to being in one time, the Underground had been early morning, and ending up in another, night was about to fall in the Above. Nor would she ever, in all her years, be used to her clothes changing in an instant. When she felt the summons, the power had immediatly changed her into her black leathers, those she had worn when she served In Oberan's private guard. 

"Sarah, there you are." Hermione called to her as Sarah appeared a few feet from where the group had been. 

"Is this it? I will not send out the call unless it is." Sarah questioned but at the solemn look of the young Witch, Sarah knew it was not a false alarm. 

"We have a little bit of a rickety plan, but we do have a plan." Hermione quickly explained as Sarah watched the castle being fortified. When the young Witch had spoken, the Queen pulled at the threads that went from her to those who promised her aid, she felt them tense, thrum with the answering call, and then break as the beings appeared. 

Sarah directed them to where they belonged, then turned to face the old Witch whom watched her with curiosity and respect. 

"McGonagall." Sarah said with a bowed head as the Professor approached her. 

"Queen." McGonagall tried, and failed, not to appear shocked at her presence. Sarah could not blame the woman, for the Professor had known Sarah as a young student, but now Sarah stood before her as a powerful Queen, one who had, and would, kill for those she loved. 

"What is it?" Sarah questioned as she saw some unspoken worry cross the Professors face. 

"We will be vastly outnumbered." McGonagall replied as she looked at the students who would soon become fighters. 

"Yes, we will be, but Hogwarts is not entirely without defenses of her own." Sarah stated as she looked over the carved entryway. 

"What do you have planned?" McGonagall questioned after it became apparent that the Queen would say no more. 

"The castle holds many whom have died, those who lived in her halls, and those who love mischief." At that thought, the corner's of Sarah's lips twitched as she sent out a call to those who were already dead. 

The ghosts came, quickly, at her summons, for Sarah had made the castle, and she knew all of its secrets. 

"Milady, you summoned?" The Bloody Barren questioned as he stepped closer to her, yet did not completely leave the castle. Each of them were bound there, the castle called to each, and each could not leave. 

"If I could grant you the freedom to move on, to leave these halls, would you help to cause chaos in the battle?" Sarah knew that there would be those whom did not wish to leave Hogwarts, those who would not wish to interfere with the lives of the mortals, who felt it was not their place, but there were also those who would. 

"To help the students, I would, milady." The Bloody Barren swore and Sarah could not help but feel pity for the poor soul who had killed his beloved. 

"Then wish it and, once you have helped these mortals, I will grant you permission to leave." The Bloody Barren did not question her, did not thing on the matter, he simply wished, with all his heart, and she heard it with hers. 

Sarah granted the wish and severed the tie that bound his soul to the halls of Hogwarts, yet she did not completely sever it, and she would not until after the battle had been won. 

With a look of complete faith, the Bloody Barren moved over the threshold of the castle and stood by the Queen side. 

Sarah, instantly, felt the wishes of the other ghosts, and she answered them just as easily. 

"Most of you cannot interfere with the world of the living, but you can distract those that would wish the students harm. Peves, I fully expect you to cause as much mayhem as you can, but only to the enemies. If I hear that you have distracted one of the students, then I will force you out of my school." Sarah threatened with a glare up at the poltergeist, he who did not want to move on, but simply agreed to leave the castle. After all,  no self respecting poltergeist would pass up an opportunity to annoy beings.