JAMES POTTER AND THE VAULT OF DESTINIES

       'Why not?' James demanded, barely stopping himself from reaching for the thread-twined brooch again.

       'Because that is not the crimson thread!' Judith exclaimed, delightedly. 'And because the real crimson thread does not wish to go back!'

       As Judith spoke, James perceived movement inside the beam of the light. He turned toward it and saw that there was someone else in the castle with them, someone who'd been there the entire time, seated on the high- backed chair, turned away from them. A pale hand moved on the arm of the chair, gripping it as the figure stood, arose to her full height, and turned around.

       'You wonderful fools,' Judith breathed triumphantly, gazing at the young woman who now stood in the beam of light. 'You failed to understand the true meaning of the Loom. That length of thread you see wrapped around the brooch is only a symbol. She is the true Crimson Thread, drawn through the Vault of Destinies from her own dimension, just as the symbolic thread itself was plucked from the Loom. As long as the symbolic thread stays here with us, so… does… SHE.'

       James was speechless. He stared into the beam of light, unable to take his eyes from the young woman standing there, smiling weakly. Her hair was long and dark, framing a face he knew very well except for the eyes. There, he saw only a hollow deadness, lurking just under a pall of misery. Except for the eyes, the young woman standing inside the light, at home in that odd bedroom assembly, was Petra herself.

       'Izzy,' the other Petra said, her voice cracking into tears. 'I'm so sorry I killed you.'

       'It was you I dreamed of,' Petra said, staring at her sudden twin. 'Not me. In your world, you were too late. You killed her.'

       The other Petra nodded slowly, not taking her eyes from the Izzy that stood just outside the light.

       'So that's your brooch,' James said, nodding toward the jewelry box. 'You never went on the ocean journey with us, so you never lost it.'

       'This is not the Petra you know, James,' Judith replied, finally moving into the light. 'In her world, she never came to your home seeking refuge. Instead, she gave herself over to the destiny that claimed her on the night she killed her sister. She has abandoned good and forsaken love. She has nothing left, which is why she was so willing to join me. And after all, why wouldn't she? I am her mother. She paid for me. She paid very dearly.'

       The other Petra responded to this by leaning her cheek onto Judith's shoulder.

'Petra,' James called out sharply, speaking to the young woman in the light. 'That isn't really your mother! Haven't you been listening? She's some evil beast from the netherworld, bent on creating chaos! Petra, she's not even really human!'

       'Don't call me that name anymore, James,' the young woman in the light said sadly. 'Petra is no more. Now there's just me, Morgan.'

       Judith nodded slowly and smiled. 'My 'daughter' and I have been very busy ever since I drew her into your world. You see, the rules of the Nexus Curtain do not apply to either of us. She is not of your dimension and I am not human. We may pass through as we wish, although doing so does have its consequences. Dimensions don't respond well to two of one person occupying them at the same time. Whenever my Morgan passed into your world, your Petra fell asleep. In truth, I suspect she even faded from your world, and slept here, on this very bed, trading places with Morgan. I suppose they could exist at the same time in the same world—for a time, at least—but it would not be without its own strange consequences. The fabric of existence would reject such a duality, and would strive to annihilate one of the dimensional twins, all in the name of balance. But this is neither here nor there. The fact is, we have passed through into your reality, on several, important occasions. We have, in fact, had quite the busy little lives in your world.'

       James suddenly thought he understood. He narrowed his eyes angrily. 'You!' he exclaimed, pointing. 'You killed the leader of the W.U.L.F. and took over! You're their new leader!'

       'Oh my, no,' Judith laughed again, delightedly. 'No, no, no, you silly boy. I'm not the leader of the W.U.L.F.' She gestured affectionately toward Morgan. 'She is. She killed Edgar Tarrantus. Frankly, she was doing the man a favor. He'd grown so very political in his old age that he was very nearly a joke. More importantly, she killed the Muggle politician. They'd had other plans for him, of course, but Morgan here can be quite persuasive. In death, Senator Filmore will serve a much greater purpose. And besides, American politicians are, as they say, a dime a dozen.' She laughed as if she'd made a small joke at a party.

       'Why couldn't you just stay in your own dimension?' Lucy called out suddenly to Morgan, her face pale but stern. 'I'm sorry that you bollixed it all up and killed your own version of Izzy, but why do you want to go spreading your misery around to somebody else's dimension?'

       'Why, that's simple,' Morgan said, raising her cheek from Judith's shoulder. She shook her head, as if amazed that the answer wasn't completely obvious. 'Because in your world, Izzy is still alive. Mother told me so. Here, I can get her back.'

       And then, with horrible suddenness, Morgan made a beckoning motion with her right hand. Izzy jerked away from Petra and flew into the light. Morgan caught her and instantly drew a hand down over the younger girl's face, putting her into a deep sleep. Izzy slumped.

       'I'm sorry, Iz,' Morgan said, nearly sobbing with relief. 'I won't ever let you go this time. This time, I'll keep you safe.'

       Petra was rushing forward into the light, but she was completely unprepared for the bolt that struck her, emanating from Morgan's outstretched hand. Petra flew backwards, bowling into James, Zane, and Ralph, who toppled behind her.

       'Stop this!' Lucy cried, running forward with her wand in her hand, pointing wildly ahead of her. She had nearly made it to Izzy, was reaching for the younger girl's limp hand, when Judith acted.

       James saw it, but was helpless to stop it. He opened his mouth to cry out, but it happened even before he'd drawn the breath to scream.

       'Die, little one,' Judith laughed, and flicked a finger at Lucy, as if she was merely a fly. A bolt of green exploded against Lucy's side. Her head jolted sideways as her body flew into the air, turning almost gracefully. Lucy flew out of the light, dead in midair. Her wand fell from her hand and clattered to the rug, making no noise. There was a rolling thump as the girl herself dropped onto the shadowy stone floor fifteen feet away.

       There was a pause of completely shocked horror. For one long, terrible moment, James refused to believe what he had just seen. Then, with perfect finality, the reality of it fell upon him and he cried out, using the very breath that he had drawn to warn his now dead cousin.

       'NOOO!' he shrieked, screaming the word so long and loud that sweat sprang out on his brow and his vision doubled. He saw Judith laughing at his horror, saw Morgan clutch Izzy even closer to her, ignoring the dead girl on the floor nearby. Zane and Ralph were clambering to their feet, moving as if in a daze. Between them, Petra seemed too stunned to speak. Her eyes were so round, her expression so utterly transfixed with shock and rage, that she looked as if she couldn't even move.

       And then, as Morgan and Judith carried Izzy toward one of the waiting curtains, Petra did move. She pushed her way through the makeshift bedroom, shoving furniture aside almost without touching it, chasing after the departing women.

       'Wait!' James cried out desperately, grabbing at Petra's arm. 'What about Lucy? We can't just leave her here!'

       Petra seemed not to hear. Across the vast room, Morgan and Judith passed through one of the billowing portal curtains and vanished. Petra began to run. Her dress streamed out behind her and coldness beat from her in waves.

       'Petra!' James shouted, turning his plea into a hoarse demand. 'We