Amulet of Time 2: Two Worlds, Two Wars

Chapter 24: Dumbledore Finds The Wands

" Headmaster, it's been two months. Are you sure you haven't heard anything?"

Minh and Eustace were sitting in Dumbledore's office at the end of May, trying to find out anything they could about their missing friends. So far they had heard nothing, and were very worried. Through Gaerwyn and Lolide they had gained inside information on the battle itself, but the elves weren't allowed to tell them anything discussed in Order meetings. After two months with no results, they decided to go to the source.

" I'm sorry you two, but I can't tell you anything because I don't know anything."

" Surely you have a lead, Professor."

" As far as I know, they could be dead. The Order have been going on missions, searching in places they are likely to be, and our spies have been making enquiries, but it doesn't look hopeful. On the first of June I'm calling off the search. I know they are your friends, and they are valuable members of the Order, but we can't spend all of our time on the search and neglect other areas. Grindelwald is still strong, and the Order needs to dedicate it's time to fighting him and his allies."

" But, Professor…"

" I'm sorry, but that's my final word on the matter."

The two students reluctantly stood and left the office, leaving the headmaster to his thoughts. It had been a trying two months for the Order. They knew that the people they lost were the most powerful in the group, and if they wanted to defeat the Dark Lord they needed them back. However, Dumbledore was realising that finding them was like finding a needle in a haystack. Despite the Order's efforts, they had found no clues as to where they had been taken. The elves had even tried the location spell again, only to find that Harry and Ginny were still in Czechoslovakia, but Hermione and Ron had been moved to Poland. Putting his head in his hands, Dumbledore let out a long sigh of defeat.

" Well, what did he say?" Gallatea asked as soon as the two students went into Harry's room.

" He wouldn't tell us anything except that they're calling off the search in two days time."

" But Eustace, they can't do that! We have two Marauders missing; we'll lose our pranking power!"

" Peeves! Is that all you can think about?" Minh scorned.

" Sorry, Minh," the ghost said sheepishly, " It's just my way of dealing, okay?"

" S'k Peeves, we miss them too. Dumbledore said that the Order hadn't heard anything, and their spies hadn't turned anything up. It's looking hopeless."

At this point Gallatea burst into tears, Minh following soon after. They were both given hugs, the elf by Eustace and Gallatea by Peeves. As they were starting to calm down, Peeves suddenly had a brainwave. He had been thinking about the fun they had all had in the founders' age, when a little known fact about 'Tea sprang to mind.

" 'Tea, can you still use your telepathy?"

" Yes, I can. Why?"

" Can you use it to speak to any of the time travellers?"

" I can try, but I'm not sure if I can do it. Since I died, my power isn't as strong. If the places they are being kept are heavily warded, I won't be able to get through. If I'd been alive I would have been able to get through any wards, but I'll work with what I've got."

The determined ghost motioned for silence and closed her eyes, concentrating hard.

Far away in rural Czechoslovakia, Harry was sitting in his cell, thinking over recent events when a sudden pain hit him in the back of his mind. He grabbed his head and held it tight in his hands, waiting for it to stop. After a few minutes, the pain receded and he tried to figure out what had happened. It felt worse that his scar pains, but seemed as if it was someone trying hard to get into his mind, but wasn't successful.