Author's Note, 18 June, 2013: Home for the summer! While this is no guarantee for the frequency of chapter updates, a girl can dream.

Chapter Sixty-Six: Questions

Katrin sat across from her father in his study. They occupied the low armchairs in the middle of the room. Jareth held both of Katrin's bare hands in one of his, the other resting lightly on her forehead. Titania was sitting at Jareth's desk, watching the two closely. No one had moved for several hours.

Finally, Jareth dropped both hands and leaned back in his chair, opening his eyes slowly. When he did so, Katrin's flew open and she gasped as though she had not taken a breath in all the time they sat there. She rubbed her hands over her eyes.

"Well?" asked Titania. Katrin looked at her father expectantly, hoping for answers.

He placed an elbow on the armrest, resting his chin on his fingertips. "You were only partially correct in your assumptions. Her magical development has indeed sped up. I would wager she advanced twenty years overnight."

"Oh, that's just peachy," Katrin moaned. New abilities meant more training and more lessons, something she dreaded as a general rule.

Titania stifled a chuckle at that response. How alike she is to someone else we know in her resistance to taking ownership of the power that is rightfully hers, yes?

Jareth smirked at her comment, though he said nothing aloud.

"But?" Titania prompted as the silence lingered.

"Her development appears to have gone dormant once more. The potential is there, if you are willing to look for it. But it sleeps." He stopped, watching his daughter, gauging her reactions.

That made her nervous and Katrin fidgeted under his stare. "There's more, isn't there?" His nod was nearly imperceptible. "Is it bad?" She didn't wait for an answer, throwing herself back in the chair and covering her eyes with the heels of her hands. "Oh, man. It is, isn't it? Gah..."

Titania did chuckle at that. "Katrin," she said, "do you truly believe your father would be sitting there so calmly if any of the dire situations you are coming up with were likely to come to fruition?"

"He is undeniably stoic."

An eyebrow twitched, accompanying Titania's half-shrug. "This is true. Now tell us, Goblin King. What else did you see?"

"The Labyrinth is claiming her."

Katrin started at Titania's sharp intake of breath. She looked back and forth at the two, her father seemingly unperturbed by the news, the High Queen visibly shocked. "I don't understand. I thought, since I am your daughter, I am already bound to this land and its magic."

Jareth waived his free hand casually. "In a sense. Each Fae is connected to the magic of the land of his birthright, it is true. Lesser Fae feel it less than the High Fae, in great part depending on the strength of one's magical potential and lineage. In your case, The Labyrinth has always recognized you as one of its own, protected you, sheltered you, instilled in you the instinct that this is your home. As a child of its monarch, you are able to touch its magic, feel its pulses, and it allows you to pull on its power in times of great need. As it did for me before I took the throne.

"However, and this happens to every monarch in every kingdom, once I was crowned, my relationship with the magic of my kingdom changed. My connection with the Labyrinth changed."

She filled in the pieces, not particularly liking where it was going. "It claimed you," she said, using his words. At his nod, she chewed her lip for a moment. "And it claimed Mother."

He nodded again. "A somewhat curious occurrence, but yes. Few spouses are claimed so strongly, though bonded Fae are generally elevated in their sensitivity to the magic of their relative kingdoms. The fact that your mother was born a Mortal made her situation all the more singular."

"So this should not be happening."

"Not unless you took the throne of the Kingdom of the Goblins, of the Labyrinth," Titania put in.

Katrin looked back and forth between the two once more. "But I didn't. And I don't want to. And I don't plan to. I mean, what about Chris? Isn't he -"

"Recognized by the Labyrinth as the heir to the throne upon birth," Jareth interrupted. "That marking has not changed, I assure you."

"How can you be -"

"If it had," Titania said, softly, "he would be dead, or nearly so. It is the way of things."

"Oh, well that's reassuring." She shook her head as full on panic began to set in. She launched out of her chair to pace wildly. "So what the hell does all this mean then?"

"Change." Titania's expression grew distant. "It lingers."

Katrin stared at her, dumbfounded, before turning to her father. "What does it want with me?"

He knew she needed something more concrete, something less dire. "Perhaps Her Majesty is correct, and all this signifies something greater on the horizon," he said. "If so, the Labyrinth has sensed it. Whatever the case, whether great or small, you," he pointed at his daughter, "have a part to play in something to come. You need to be prepared, you need to be pushed. And the Labyrinth is protecting and assisting you in the only way it can."

She flung herself back in the chair. There was a long silence. Finally, she asked, quietly, "How much of all this is because of Bill? Because of us?"

"All. Some. Nothing at all. Who can say at this point? Perhaps the bonding ceremony so quickly followed by the his news of potential tragedy, combined with your heightened response to his emotional state indicative of the strength of your bond, triggered something." He shrugged again. "Perhaps the timing is all coincidence."

"Coincidence? In the Underground?" Katrin snorted. "Not bloody likely."

Bill sat in the office of the Headmaster at Hogwarts under the pretense of his mother asking him to find out if there were any last-minute assignments required of her children after their unexpected early departure from the school. While he hoped he never found out he had used her as an excuse without letting her know in advance, he knew once she knew it was for business pertaining to the Order, she would forgive him readily.

Professor McGonagall had joined them briefly at the beginning of the visit to keep up the ruse before excusing herself in favor of other, more pressing duties. This was a conversation Bill needed to have with Dumbledore and Dumbledore alone. When it was time to inform the rest of the Order, it would be done.

They sat across from each other, enjoying tea and brightly decorated biscuits, speaking pleasantries about the holidays and family for a little while. Finally, Bill brought up the subject at hand.

"I met with the King of the Goblins." Several of the portraits in the room stirred at that, and Bill eyed them dubiously.

"Ah." Dumbledore blinked several times behind his glasses. They stared at each other for several minutes before Dumbledore finally nodded. Pulling out his wand, he cast a quick spell, encasing the two of them in a foggy bubble, free from prying eyes and curious ears.

"Thank you," said Bill, with no small amount of relief. While portraits could not really be counted as 'people', he was not sure if the High King of the Fae would appreciate that technicality. Oberon had been extremely clear that this conversation was to be had with one other, and only one other. "The Goblin King," he continued with more ease, "is... not what one would expect."

"I take it a simple yes or no in regards to the question of support against Voldemort is not what you have brought back from this meeting?"

Bill laughed. "If you only knew the half of it. I have been given the impression that if the situation affected no others outside the Goblin population, there would be no issue with coming out in favor of the Order's position."

"I find it difficult to belive that even Goblins feel they will remain unaffected by the coming war."

"Oh, I agree. And most Goblins I have spoken to would agree as well. However, the Goblin court is," he paused, searching for the right words. "It is subject to far more rules than I would ever have guessed. Its king has those he must answer to as well."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, pressing his fingers together as he pondered that statement. "What manner of person could command a Goblin?"

"Well, that's just it." Bill took a deep breath. Here was the tricky part of the conversation. He hoped Dumbledore trusted him as much as he trusted Dumbledore, as much as he had implied to Jareth and the High King. "You see, the Goblin King is not a Goblin himself."

Dumbledore blinked several times once again. "That is unexpected information."

Bill nodded. "But it is true."

"What is he, then?"

"I am not permitted to say."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Dumbledore leaned in, concerned. "Bill, by taking advantage of your connections to the Goblins, has the Order, have I subjected you to dangers unknown?"

Bill laughed again. "No, I managed that all on my own. In regards to this particular issue at hand, I have simply been sworn to secrecy. Well," he corrected himself, "spelled to secrecy is more like it, akin to a Secret Keeper but, well, not really." He shrugged.

Dumbledore sighed in relief as he thought over this information. "There is something more."

"Indeed. I am not entirely convinced our reaching out is an entirely lost cause. The real challenge in all this has been the measure of secrecy on both our side and that of the Goblin King. I explained as much of the Order and what we stand for as I was able, and I also spoke to him about you. That if there was one person to be trusted with secrets and mystery, it would be you."

"That is high praise, indeed." His eyes twinkled at that.

Bill shrugged with a grin. "All true. In any case, after some discussion it was decided that he would like to send a representative of his Court to meet with you in hopes that, perhaps, in a fair exchange of information and concerns, some sort of formal understanding can be reached."

"I take it there is a catch?"

"You would need to be willing to be bound by the same secrecy that I have been."

"Hm."

"I know this is a great deal to ask, sight unseen and with nothing to go on, but you have my word that this would be well worth the time and energy expelled."

"I will have to give this some consideration."

Bill nodded. "There is no hurry on their part; the Goblin King has all the time in the world to wait for your reply. I have also been told that if this needs to be put to discussion for the Order to decide, they can all hear what I have told you. However, at this time it is required that you be the only one to know further details."

Dumbledore grinned. "Outside of yourself, of course."

Bill grinned back. "Of course."

Another wave of his wand, and Dumbledore's bubble dissipated. There was some grumbling from several portraits about being kept out of the loop. The pair rose and went to the door. As he opened it, Dumbledore winked conspiratorilly at Bill. "I hope," he said loudly, "that I have answered all of your mother's questions. She is free to send me an owl if she has anything further discuss."

"Thank you for your time," Bill replied. "You know how my mother can get. I think she is just concerned that Fred and George will not 'find their calling' before they finish their time here, and that that will set a bad example for Ron and Ginny."

"It was no trouble. I am always happy to reassure concerned parents. Besides, it is also nice to catch up with a former Head Boy, to see what he has made of himself. You always showed great potential, Mr. Weasley."

Bill's ears reddened slightly at the unexpected compliment from someone he still admired highly. "Thank you, sir. And merry Christmas."

Turning, he began to make his way down the many staircases to the entrance. As he did so, he noticed a pair of eyes in an alcove, glaring at him with dissatisfaction that no interesting information had been overheard. He ignored the eavesdropper, whistling his favorite Christmas carol with gusto.

But not so loudly that he did not hear the quiet, derisive, "Hem hem," as he walked by. It was all he could do to not laugh outright.