James had awoken early the next morning and sat in bed thinking on what his father had discovered and it only whet his wish to go to the lost forest and meet his father's enigmatic master.
A sudden pain spiked into his head as he felt a voice or someone trying to invade his mind. James sat crossed legged on his bed resting his hands on his knees and called up the image of his father as he was bathed in a glow of light and power.
He focused on that image of Angus even as he felt the invader beating at the walls of his mind. James felt the other mind enter his mind but he was already bathed in the golden light.
"What do we have here. This is interesting." A male voice called to James inner ear.
James ignored him as he focused on the light drawing it inside himself. The image of Angus was blasted away with dark flame before a man made up of black smoke jacket stood over him smiling.
"I've been watching you from a distance my young friend. Your an ambitious young man. Thirsty for power."
James stared saying nothing. The flames inside him started to change flicker into something else. The thief crunched down to his knees in front of James.
"Your father has been giving quite a bit of trouble for just a little sneaking into your mind. I was just a little interested in who he was. From what I've gathered from your mind I have to admit a little more then a passing interest in him now. I couldn't see all of the memories you stole from your father's secret past time with the far eastern wizards. What little I did gather I plan to sell to great many wizards."
"My father is a great man. You test his patience by talking to me without his permission. I have betrayed my father by giving his enemy his secrets. Take your secret to devil with you." James said.
The thief snickered softly shaking his head. "I am not your enemy nor do I wish to be the enemy of a the dragon of the West and future supreme wizard of the West. No young one. No. I came to talk with you. Perhaps we can reach a bargain."
"My father is the Dragon of the West. You have nothing I want. Speak your peace but do not touch me." James said calmly.
The thief sighed. "Young man. I am a middle man. I was hired to get a stupid staff back to my client. That girl was not supposed to-"
"My Dad must be really getting you afraid. You want him off your back real bad huh? I don't get why I should care about the situation you put yourself into, bro." James said pointedly.
The thief stared at him and the chuckled quietly. "Well damn. I'm really beginning to like you. Any how about this issue between and your father and I is miss guided. You are right not to give a damn about me but what about your father. If he keeps going down this course he's on then he will be excommunicated from the magi and in danger of a duel with the President of the American Wizard Congress. My former employer will do his best to hide me away or keep me from being seen by him."
"Because he intends on killing you." James guessed.
The thief nodded. "Yes. But I intend on doing whatever it takes to save my own skin and tell every secret I have to him and whoever else and don't be mistaken your father is the protector of the magi as I am magi as well. He has never turned against his oath once but killing me would mean a far greater danger to him then you can imagine."
James waved him away. "Leave me alone bro. You already made me betray my father already by giving you his secrets. Your wasting your time with me."
"Your listening to me, good. Your a smart and logical man. Your also loyal to your own. Your a true Slytherin."
James glared at him. "Are you done?"
The thief nodded. "I am. You will do what is best for your house and your patriarch. I should have come to you sooner. My apologies. I will leave you be. When you come to your position please know I can be at your service at any point as I was to the Walker family."
James said nothing just held up his hand and pushed surrounded his body with an energy field. The thief whistled a high note.
"That is interesting. Trick."
James pushed the energy field from around his body out. The thief jumped back before the field touched his body.
"Well I'll be-" The thief disappeared and was pushed out of James' mind.
James opened his eyes to see Neville studying him. "Where is my father?"
Neville stared at him. "You shouldn't believe any of his-"
"Where is my father?" James demanded.
Neville sighed. "Think of him and the last time you were at the capital of the American Wizards."
James got up from his bed and grabbed up his wand from the nightstand. "I have to go. Thank you for training me in me development. I'll keep practicing everything you've taught me."
Neville sighed and held out his arm. "Alright let's go. I'm coming with you. I promised your parents I wouldn't leave you aside until you returned to Angus and his apprenticeship."
"Wait for me. Do not leave without Tan Tan." Tan said coming into the room to stand beside them.
James took hold of Neville's forearm. They blinked out of existence and appeared in a battle in the middle of board room. Angus push kicked an enemy in the chest against a wall while he blasted another wizard against a wall. Tan Tan attacked wizards that came up behind them and with her swords.
Neville raised his wand. "Airexplosiono!"
A gust a wind expanded out of his wand blasting everyone in the room and sending bodies to fall to the floor. There were groans snarls from the wizards on the floor.
A male wizard came up to his feet aiming his wand at Neville. "Avada-"
"Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus! Freeze Zeo!" Neville said and he blasted the wizard away and then several others coming to their feet drawing their wands up and freezing the last man in place.
They all fell to the floor. Neville aimed his wand around the room his eyes focused everywhere around him.
"Anyone else!" He asked.
No one got up but Angus and Ava came over toward him quickly. Ava hugged him. But Angus frowned at him.
"Why are you here? Your not supposed to be here. Your supposed to be training." Angus said.
James stared at him. "Dad this isn't the way and the thief isn't the problem. We got a bigger issue."
Angus shook his head. "He talked to you. I'm going to-"
"Dad. The girl. It's the girl. We have to find the girl. Dad. She's the key to all of this. Do you trust me."
Angus stared at him. "Let's go."