JAMES POTTER AND THE VAULT OF DESTINIES

Grandma and Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione and everybody?'

       'We'll probably talk to them by Floo,' Ginny answered, using her wand to stop a huge wooden spoon from stirring a bowl of dough. 'But not until tomorrow after breakfast. It's always so difficult to remember the time change and all. We're lucky we're connected to the international Floo Network at all. If it wasn't necessary for your father's work…' Her voice trailed away, distracted. She pulled the refrigerator door open so quickly that the milk bottles rattled, and then stood staring into it, as if she'd forgotten what she was looking for.

       'Where is Dad anyway?' James asked, frowning. 'And Petra too?'

       Ginny let the refrigerator door swing closed again and looked at James, her face tense. 'He's working,' she said, and then drew a brisk sigh. 'I haven't told your brother or sister this, James, so if you breathe a word about it to them, I swear I'll blend cockroaches into your eggnog. If I don't tell someone, though, I think I'll burst. The fact is: your father's on a raid.'

       'Ah,' James said, nodding. 'And you're worried about him.'

       'Nonsense,' she lied unconvincingly. 'Your father can take care of himself. With any luck, he'll be home within the hour. It's a big night for him. If all goes well…'

       'Who's he raiding?' James asked in a low, eager voice. 'Did he track down those W.U.L.F. nutters?'

'Shh!' Ginny rasped sharply, and then visibly calmed herself. 'Sorry. Yes.' She came over to meet James at the little breakfast bar. 'I'm so nervous lately. Those Magical Integration Bureau men were bad enough, lurking in their black cars on the corner, watching our windows, following your father around when he so much as goes to the store for milk and bread. Now, there're people from the American legal administration as well, hovering about like bats in their black cloaks and hats. They're worse, since you never know where they are. If tonight goes well for your father, though…'

       'What'd he find?' James prodded, eyes wide. 'Did he track down the people who attacked us on the train?'

       Ginny shook her head, more in wonderment than negation. 'It's huge,' she whispered, 'this Wizard's United Liberation movement. It wasn't just the attack on the Zephyr. They were the ones who hired those pirates to waylay us during our voyage. They've been dead set against us being here at all, and for good reason. Titus Hardcastle and your father have been tracking them for months, even calling in some favors with Draco Malfoy at Gringotts. I'm amazed that Draco helped at all, considering how much trouble he could get into if his goblin bosses found out. There's financial support going into the W.U.L.F. from all over the world, but the base is right here in the United States. Titus and your father followed the money and finally found the organization's underground headquarters. A group of American wizarding police are helping your father right now. With any luck, they've already descended on the place and rounded up the ringleaders.'

       'Wow,' James breathed, impressed. 'I wish I could see it!'

       Ginny shuddered. 'Ugh, not me. I can barely stand to think of it. All of those awful people, and your father right in the middle of them.'

       'Dad can take care of himself,' James grinned, mimicking his mother's words. 'Remember? Nobody out- Aurors him. Those W.U.L.F. gits will be spending Christmas in Azkaban.'

       Ginny nodded. 'I'm sure you're right. But I doubt they'd send them back home for that. They'll do their time here in the States. I can only hope that they find that poor Muggle senator and rescue him. Who knows what they've filled his head with by now, assuming he's, er…'

       'Still alive?' James suggested.

       'Don't talk that way,' his mum shuddered again. 'Go and say hello to Petra, why don't you? She's up in her room. First door on the right.'

       James nodded and dropped lightly from his stool. Tramping up the stairs, he heard Albus and Lucy talking nearby, their voices echoing into the hall. The second door on the right was cracked open, but the room beyond was dark. James knocked lightly on the door.

       'Hey Petra,' he called softly, not wishing to wake her if she was napping. 'Happy Christmas. Come downstairs and help me eat some of these desserts, eh?'

       The door creaked open a little at James' knock. He peered inside with one eye. In the dimness, he could see two narrow beds and a dresser. One of the beds was rumpled, the pillows humped together haphazardly.

'Petra?' James called again, pushing the door further open. The room was empty, although the bed certainly appeared to have been recently occupied. He frowned into the room, and then turned and retreated back into the hall. He followed Albus and Lucy's voices until he found them in a bedroom near the end, kneeling on the floor next to a pile of wrapped presents.

       'Oh,' Albus said, glancing up at James and lowering his brow. 'It's just you. We thought Mum was onto us.'

       James frowned, watching as his brother trained his wand on one of the larger presents. 'What are you doing?'

       'What's it look like,' Albus replied. 'Getting a peeksie. Hang back if you don't want to know whether you're getting a new skrim or a box of underpants.'

       James shook his head. 'Have either of you seen Petra yet?'

       Lucy glanced up. 'No,' she said, tilting her head. 'Why?'

       'Just wondering. I thought I'd say hello. That's all.'

       Lucy shrugged and shook her head, her eyes still on James.

       'All right,' he replied. 'Whatever. Carry on, then.'

       'Don't tell Mum,' Albus warned as James turned away. 'I'll hex you good if you do.'

       On the way down the hall, James peered into Petra and Izzy's bedroom again. It was still dark and empty, although the rumpled bed gave the strangest impression that someone had been lying on it only moments before. James shook his head again and tromped back down the stairs.

       Dinner came and went and James' dad still had not arrived home.

       The rest of the adults tried to maintain a festive atmosphere, but James sensed that there was a lot of tension in the air. Audrey and Percy sat near the fireplace and roasted chestnuts while Ginny and Denniston Dolohov cleaned up the kitchen, talking idly in low voices. Petra had not shown up for dinner at all, which James thought was a little odd.

       'She's begun keeping rather strange hours ever since the debacle with that Mr. Henredon,' Ginny had admitted to James. 'I think she's worried and afraid, poor thing. I can't blame her. A new country, and all of a sudden, she's in legal trouble, all over a case of mistaken identity. I mean, I feel bad for the poor man who was attacked, but to accuse a teenaged girl of such a thing…'

'But,' James said, furrowing his brow, 'she wasn't upstairs when I went up to say hi to her. Her room was empty.'

       Ginny shrugged. 'She was probably in the loo, silly.'

       James frowned. He was almost certain that the bathroom had been empty as well when he'd passed it, but he didn't press the issue. Shortly thereafter, Petra had, in fact, come down the stairs, smiling sleepily and greeting everyone.

       'Hi James,' she said, coming to join him on the couch. 'Sorry. I was napping. I've been doing that a lot lately. I think it's for lack of anything better to do.'