That morning, Jack came in to replace the light bulb, so we could see again and know that it was a new day, since the room had no windows to see the sun from. But he wasn't quick enough to replace it before Lexy woke in the blackness and started crying.

"It's okay, Lex," I said, hugging her. "Nothing's going to hurt you."

But she continued to sob until Jack replaced the bulb and only then did she stop a little. She hugged me and the ratty old blanket to her like she would never let go.

Jack glared at her, but he said nothing, and left. But then Dan arrived, and he did not look happy. Lexy shrank away and tried to hide behind me, but her father spotted her and snapped, "What's the matter with you today, Alexis? Why in hell are you crying?"

Lexy didn't answer for a moment.

"Well? Answer me, damn it!"

"I-It was d-dark in here, and I-I got scared."

"Dark? You're still afraid of the dark, Goddammit all?" he shouted, stalking over to her and glaring down at her. "What the hell's wrong with you? Still afraid of the dark like a little coward! This is all your mama's fault-she treats you like a big baby and you've never grown up!"

I tried to shield her from Dan's glare, but he pushed me out of the way and continued to yell at Lexy. "Well, it's time you grew up and started acting your age, missy! Your mom might've let you get away with that kind of crap, but not me! All those psycho-analysts today say the only way to conquer what you fear is to face it." There was a cold gleam in his eyes that I didn't like at all. "I think I'll take that advice and let you spend some time in the closet. See if that won't cure you of this stupid fear of the dark."

Lexy's eyes grew so big and filled with fear I thought they'd come right out of her head. She began to shiver. "N-o- o-o! Daddy, please! Not the closet! I'll do anything, just don't shut me in there!"

She tried to scramble away, but there was nowhere for her to go.

"Yes, the closet. A few hours in there will learn you not to be a damn scaredy-cat, Alexis Marie Chase. Get over here!"

"No! No! Please, sir! Please, I won't cry anymore! Please!"

But he ignored her frantic pleading and dragged her off of the mattress and tucked her under his arm. Then he started to walk out of the room.

Hermione was sitting frozen on the other side of the mattress, horrified.

But I couldn't stand to hear Lexy begging, she was scared to death, and I ran after them, shouting, "Put her down, you greasy, creepy, bugger! Who cares if she's scared of the dark?"

He spun on me so fast I hardly had time to notice he was moving. "Mind your own business, you mouthy little bastard!"

SMACK!

He cracked me one so hard across the face it knocked me down. I hadn't seen that coming either.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed.

"Don't hurt Harry, Daddy, please!" Lexy was sobbing.

I put a hand to my cheek, it hurt as bad as the one time Grandpa had hit me by accident last year, when I'd woken him up when he was sick.

"Learn some manners, kid," was all Dan said before he left, Lexy still whimpering and crying under his arm.

We heard the key turning in the lock, then a sharp crack and Dan's voice again. "Quit that blubbering, y'hear me?"

I picked myself up from the floor, my face hurt an awful lot, and I was sure there was going to be a bruise on it.

"Oh, Harry! Your lip, it's bleeding!" Hermione gasped, bringing me the blanket so I could hold it to my lip.

We could hear muffled screaming coming from down the hallway, whatever closet Dan had locked Lexy in must have been nearby. "Ple-e-ase! I'll be go-o-d! Pro-o-mise! Let me o-o-u-u-t!"

Hermione and I looked at each other, we both felt terrible. But there was nothing we could do. Even if we could get Lexy out of the closet, we couldn't escape Dan and the rest of them.

"Poor Lexy!" Hermione sniffled, tears streaking her face. "She's got a phobia of the dark and her stupid father doesn't care! What an awful wicked man! I-I hate him, Harry! What kind of dad treats his own daughter like that?"

Now we could hear Lexy pounding on the door, howling like a wild animal.

"One who's evil and going to hell," I answered hotly, then I went and sat down next to Hermione, cradling my bruised cheek.

She huddled next to me, whispering prayers, I think. Since there wasn't anything else to do, I fell asleep out of sheer boredom.

When we woke up two hours later, both of us had a desperate need to use the loo. Plus we were hungry and thirsty and Lexy was still locked in the closet. We couldn't hear her anymore though, she must have fallen asleep or passed out from fear, I figured.

"Harry, what do we do if nobody comes and takes us to the bathroom?" Hermione whimpered, squirming and crossing her legs. It would've been kind of funny, except I was doing almost the same thing.

"Uh . . .then I guess we can pee in the corner, over there." I indicated the corner furthest from the mattress.

"Eeew! Like a dog or a wild animal? Gross! That's, like, so disgusting, Harry! Not to mention unsanitary!" She wrinkled her nose at me.

I sighed. Girls! "I'd rather pee on the floor than wet myself," I said, trying desperately to think of something else . . .anything else. The floor was looking better and better by the minute. I was on the verge of exploding. Caffeine always has that effect on me, and I'd drank a can and a half of soda last night before going to sleep. Oh, how I regretted that now!

Just then we heard the key turning in the lock, and both of us gasped in relief. Finally, someone had come to check on us.

Magnus entered, and when he caught sight of my face, he just shook his head and said softly, "Damn, kid! Don't you have an ounce of self-preservation? You never cross a viper less you've got a good rifle. Dan do that to you?"

"Yeah." I answered shortly.

"He's horrid!" muttered Hermione. "At first I thought he was kind of nice, but not after what he did to Lexy and Harry."

"Nice?" Magnus chuckled. "Honey, Dan was never nice. He's a defense attorney and his nickname in the courtroom was Sidewinder. You know what a sidewinder is?"

"A viper. Lives in the desert."

"Right. And Dan's the meanest sidewinder you ever want to meet, I think he took lessons from Satan himself."

Before he could say anything else, Hermione whined, "Please, sir, can you let us use the bathroom? We really need to, else Harry's gonna pee on the floor."

He raised an eyebrow. "Nobody took you before?"

"No. We haven't been out since last night."

Magnus scowled then said, "C'mon, sweetie. You first." He eyed me sharply. "Can you hang on a few minutes more?"

I nodded.

"All right then. Let's go." He departed with Hermione.

Two minutes later they were back and then it was my turn.

"You better put a cold cloth on that face, boy." Magnus said as he led me down the hall. "It's starting to swell."

I nodded, I'd already planned on doing that. I bolted into the bathroom and Magnus shut the door, saying, "Take all the time you need, boy. I don't have anything better to do."

I wondered again why he was being sort of nice to us, when all the other men were mean, or at least could care less. Then I supposed it didn't matter, and I quickly used the facilities.

I ran a cloth under the leaky faucet and put it against my cheek, it felt wonderful against my sore skin. Dad was going to freak when he saw my face, same as he did last time. I felt hot tears come to my eyes and I wished he were here now, to put some magic salve on my cheek and hold me and make everything better.

I leaned against the door and held the cloth to my cheek, wondering if Magnus were outside, standing watch. Then I heard footsteps and two voices, talking very close by, and loud enough that I could catch every word.

One was Dan, the other was someone I didn't recognize.

"So I call the damn bitch up and she gives me an earful, if you can believe that?" Dan was saying irritably. "They ought've gotten the letters by now, and hopefully they can persuade the dumb chick that I'm serious, and she better obey me this time. She mentioned some friends of hers that could give me trouble, ha! Unless she's got a magician like you, they'll never find us, even if they turn out all the cops in this country. You told me you could keep anybody from finding us with magic, right, Sanguinius?"

"Yes, Daniel." The other man's voice was soft, like ice. "I'm a Cabal wizard, and concealment spells are my talent, no Muggle police can find what I hide. I smuggle kilos of drugs everyday under the noses of the cops for the Council of Threttan and they never know it."

"The Council of what?"

"Threttan. It means thirteen in Old Norse." Sanguinius said, sounding faintly superior. "That's the name of the ruling body of the Cabal. They make all the decisions about how much smuggling we do, what, where, and how. Same with the ritual murders and such. If you don't ransom those other two back, Chase, I want them."

"What for, Sanguinius? They'll fetch top bucks on the black market, specially that little girl. I know a guy who'll pay big ones for a kid like her, likes ‘em young."

"I'll double whatever he's willing to pay, Chase. I need those two for a ritual coming up at the dark of the moon. They're wizard kids, ones with latent talent, just what I need to increase my standing in the ranks. I sacrifice them on Halloween and I'll become a Cabal Master at last. Then I can get a vote on the Council and the respect I deserve."

"Yeah, yeah. You'll get them, so long as my wife won't cooperate, those two are fair game. But once she sends me the papers, I have to give them back to their parents. Or at least agree to do that."

Sanguinius chuckled. "I like your style, Chase. You'd doublecross the devil himself."

"If he gave me reason to. You're positive no wizard can get through those spells you put up?"

"I'm the best, Daniel. I've felt a few of theirs come tapping on my door, but I've added new layers to the web, and it'll take them days to unravel it. If they ever do. My Cabal name might mean "Blood", but they might as well have called me Ghost, because I can make anything or anyone I want disappear. I'll keep making you and those other thugs you hired disappear, Daniel, so long as you pay my price."

"My money's good, magician." Dan said stiffly.

"Indeed. That's why we agreed to work with you, Chase. So long as you uphold your contract, counselor, we won't have any problems. But try and weasel out of it, and I'll make certain you regret it, because nobody doublescrosses me, Daniel."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Sanguinius old pal," Dan said quickly, and he sounded scared.

"Good for you. Just so we understand one another."

I shivered, terrified all the way down to my toes. This wizard sounded as bad as the masked men my dad and uncles had fought. And now I knew the reason Dad and the others hadn't found us yet, because this Sanguinius had put up wards that couldn't be broken. And he was talking about killing me and Hermione, like the way you'd talk about killing bugs.

I shut my eyes and prayed hard. God, if you can hear me, send us an angel to watch over us, till my dad finds us and kicks this dark wizard's arse back to hell where he belongs. Sorry for swearing, Lord, but he really does deserve it.

"Magnus, what are you doing lurking there?" I heard Dan say suddenly.

"I'm waiting for the damn kid to take a leak or whatever," Magnus answered, sounding bored out of his mind.

"Oh. Carry on then. One more thing. Let my daughter out of the cleaning supply closet. She should have learned her lesson by now."

"Sure, Dan. Whatever you say."

He tapped on the door. "Kid? You're done, get out here."

I heard the footsteps moving away, then Magnus whispered, "F-ing smug bastard."

I think he was talking about Dan, unless it was the wizard he meant.

"Move it, kid. Your free time's up." He brought me back to the room and locked me inside.

Five minutes later he returned with Lexy, who was sleeping. He set her on the mattress. "She's exhausted. I'll see what I can do about getting you some real food, since the Sidewinder obviously doesn't know how to care for his own kid, much less hostages."

"Why are you working for him, Magnus?" Hermione asked then. "You're a lot nicer than they are."

He didn't answer her, simply turned and walked out.

I debated whether or not to tell Hermione about the wizard that was working with Dan, then decided that honesty was the best policy, as Dad always said.

"Oh no, Harry! I really hope they find us before . . .before something bad happens."

"They will." I said, sounding more confident than I felt. But I had to believe that I'd be rescued, otherwise I'd go crazy. I had to remember that there was always a light in the darkness and hope in the darkest of places.

I looked at my watch, it was now noon and I hadn't had anything to eat or drink all day.

The door was thrown open, and Brent came in, he was my least favorite of the hired kidnappers, besides Dastardly Dan, that is. I learned the word dastardly in a book of my dad's about knights and stuff. It meant evil and wicked.

He was carrying three Happy Meals from McDonalds, which he tossed us and three small drinks as well. "Here, brats. Your last supper!" he began to laugh as if that was the funniest joke on earth.

Hermione stared at him, puzzled. "The last supper? What's that mean?"

"Nothin', girlie. Eat up now." Then he was gone, still snickering.

I had a sick feeling I knew what he meant. I hadn't told Hermione about Sanguinius wanting to sacrifice us, she was scared enough already. "Should we wake up Lexy?"

"Yes. She needs to eat."

Hermione shook her awake.

She opened her eyes, then shut them tightly. "Oww! It's so bright."

"Just open them slowly, and the light won't bother you," I told her.

She did as I said, and soon she could open both eyes normally. "He let me out. Finally. I though he was gonna keep me in there all day," she sniffled.

"How many times has he locked you in a closet, Lexy?" asked Hermione.

Lexy shivered. "Lots of times. That's why I'm scared of the dark." Tears pooled in her eyes. "I don't wanna stay here with him, Harry. I want my mom! I thought I'd never have to see him again, and now here he is, like a bad penny."

I patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll be rescued soon. Why don't you eat something? I think they got us chicken nuggets and French fries."

"McDonalds?" Lexy sounded happy, and she opened her meal and started to eat it.

I had already begun to eat mine and soon I was done, having eaten every scrap. I wondered who had bought it for us? Magnus? Probably, since I couldn't see Dan buying us any good food.

When we were done, I told Lexy about Sanguinius, and she didn't even act all that surprised. "Dad would sell his soul to Lucifer if it paid well. Least that's what Mom always said. We gotta get out of here, Harry."

"Got any bright ideas, Lexy? Like maybe a dragon to the rescue?" I asked sarcastically.

"I wish I was a grown-up. Then I could hex my father into next week." Lexy said angrily.

No sooner had she said that, then the door opened and Dan entered.

We all froze. Had he heard what Lexy had said?

Apparently not, because all he did was glare at her and ask, "Have you learned your lesson, girl?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. I have someone I'd like you to meet." He was being all phony friendly again. "And, since you're my daughter, I think you ought to have your own room, what do you say?"

Lexy looked alarmed. "But Dad! I want to stay with my friends."

He snorted. "I wasn't asking what you wanted, Alexis. Now quit pouting and come with me."

Reluctantly, Lexy stood up and followed him.

I knew immediately that it would be a terrible thing if they separated us. We needed to stay together, so Dad and whoever else came with him could find us easily. Also, together we could help each other when one of us got scared or sad, it was better than being on your own. However, I also knew that Lexy was too terrified of her dad to put up any kind of a fight, and Hermione wasn't the type to throw fits.

Which left me.

I hadn't thrown a good tantrum in years, but I used to throw some good ones back when I was two and three, according to Dad. I earned myself my first spanking over one, as a matter of fact, the time when I threw a toy Hogwarts Express at Dad's head.

I wished I had a toy train to chuck at Dan, or maybe a grenade. That'd teach the rotten apple a thing or two!

But since I didn't have any of that, I had to make do with what I did have, my voice and my hands.

I waited till Lexy had gotten halfway across the room to Dan before I started crying and screeching, "No! I don't want Lexy to leave us! She can't go! No-o-o-o!"

I jumped up and grabbed Lexy by the hand, holding her so she couldn't go anywhere. She stared at me in astonishment. I turned my head a bit and winked at her, then continued screaming, using the most annoying and whiney tone I could come up with.

"I won't let you take her!" I stamped my foot hard. "I WON'T!" Then I glared tearfully at Dan, daring him to do something about it.

"Who asked you, brat?" he snarled, grabbing Lexy by the other hand. "My daughter goes where I tell her, now quit that screeching, you hear?"

"No!" I yelled, practically in his face. "You're not the boss of me!" Then I threw myself at him, grabbing him about the leg and hanging on for dear life.

"Let go, you stupid jackass!" Dan cried, trying to pry me loose. I clung, refusing to let go. He swore and cuffed me about the head, but I didn't let go.

"I won't stop, I won't! Let Lexy stay here!" I was bellowing, loud enough to be heard in China probably.

"Get OFF of me, you little beast!" Dan was shouting, dancing around with me on his leg, trying to get me off. "Swear to God, boy, if you don't let go this instant, you're gonna be sorry!"

"No- o-o!"

Then I bit him. Hard.

He shrieked and I nearly got knocked off.

The door opened and a strange man stood there, dressed in flowing red robes with no sleeves, he had a tattoo of a red skull on his right arm and his hair was dark and pulled into a tail. His long angular face was tanned and had several piercings in it, on the eyebrow, the right cheek, and the lip.

"Need some help, Dan?" he snickered. "Looks like you've got a tempest to deal with."

"Don't just stand there, Sanguinius!" snarled Dan. "Do something!"

"I am," laughed the wizard. "I'm taking notes for the next Council meeting, so I can tell them how a magical child bested a Muggle lawyer. It should get a good laugh."

Furious, Dan grabbed me by the back of the collar and yanked me off his leg. Now I was dangling some three feet in the air, and I was in big trouble. But at least Dan wasn't going on about taking Lexy away anymore.

"You miserable little bastard! I'll teach you what it means to bite me." He turned to Sanguinious. "Summon me a slipper, if you will."

The wizard eyed me then said, "Be careful not to damage him permanently, Chase. I need him whole in body and mind for the ritual."

Then he snapped his fingers and a slipper appeared in his hand.

I swallowed, though I'd known from the beginning that I wouldn't come away from this caper without some kind of punishment.

Dan reached out and took it, but before he could use it, Brent stuck his head in and said, "Dan, you'd better come take this phone call. I think it's your ex-wife."

Dan looked like he wanted to spit. He handed the slipper and me to Sanguinious. "Punish him for me, magician. Make him howl for embarrassing me or whatever."

Then Dan left and Sanguinious sneered at me.

My yells had brought Magnus and Brent over to see what was the matter, and they nearly died laughing.

That made the slinky wizard really mad, he reminded me sort of a ferret, and he growled, "Very well, you need a good lesson in manners and it's best if you learn your place from me, spitfire."

I struggled, but he was too strong. And his pale blue eyes were glittering strangely.

Then he jerked upright as if someone had punched him and snarled, "Devil take it, but they're trying to breach my wards again!" He turned to the other two. "Here. Daniel wants him punished and I've more important things to worry about, so decide who's going to do it quickly. And don't spare him anything, just don't leave marks."

Brent was reaching out eagerly to grab me, but Magnus got there first. He looked mad as hell and he growled, "C'mere, brat. I warned you about disobeying, didn't I?" He tossed me over his shoulder, snatched up the slipper, and strode down the hall.

Now I was beginning to be afraid, so I said the only thing I could think of. "If you hurt me, my dad will kill you."

Magnus just laughed mockingly.

He kicked open a door and quickly shut it behind us. In the room was a rusty folding table with five chairs about it. Magnus walked over to the chair, sat down, and lifted me off his shoulder and set me on my feet.

I tensed, sure I was going to get it now. But suddenly his face lost the angry expression and he said softly, "Kid, how well can you act?"

"Huh?" What was going on?

"How well can you act?" he repeated. "Well enough to fool those idiots into thinking I'm giving you the beating of your life? Because I'm not going to punish you like they think. Now, can you act or not?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'm going to pretend to be whaling the living daylights out of you, boy, and I want you to scream and cry so they all think it's true. I'm only going to give you two real smacks with the slipper at the most, because it has to look like I walloped you, Dan will check once he finishes with his wife. All right?"

"Who are you? You're not one of them," I said, staring right into his eyes, which were a deep brown.

"A friend. The only one you've got in here." he answered, then he bared my bottom and pulled me over his knee. "Okay, kid. Showtime."

He brought the slipper down hard.

On the table.

It made an almighty smacking noise and I began screeching and crying for all I was worth.

"Ooww! Stop! Ye-ooww! Please! I'll be good!"

Magnus brought the slipper down several more times on the table, and after each smack I screamed and wept. The tears were real enough, I really missed my family and I wanted to go home, so it wasn't hard to make myself cry.

"Good job, kid. I'm going to do six more and then give you the last two for real."

"Okay." I agreed, not looking forward to it, but knowing it had to be done, so the others would be fooled.

Magnus whacked the table again, and I yelped.

"Magnus, don't you think the kid's had enough?" called Jack from somewhere beyond the door. "Dan said punish him, not kill him."

"That's what I'm doing. Kid's only getting what he deserves." Magnus growled back and slammed the slipper down on the table.

"Oww!"

I was really glad this wasn't for real, otherwise I wouldn't be able to sit down for a week.

Magnus placed a hand on my back. Then he put his mouth to my ear and hissed, "Now for the real thing. It's gonna sting pretty bad, I'm sorry, but Dan will be coming in here any minute to inspect my handiwork."

I nodded and gritted my teeth.

The slipper struck my bare bottom and then I really yelled.

Oh Merlin! It really hurt, more than any spanking I'd ever gotten.

"One more, kid. Sorry."

I started to sob, for my bottom was stinging horridly. Magnus smacked the slipper down again and I howled, kicking and sobbing.

"Owww! That really hurts!"

"I know, believe me. My father used to punish me like this when I was your age, only difference was I deserved it." He patted my back, then tapped my smarting bum lightly with the slipper.

It didn't really hurt, but I bawled anyhow.

"Magnus, that's enough!" Dan said, coming into the room. "We need him unmarked, in case Sanguinius wants to take him." He walked over to inspect my bottom, which was stinging and red, and seemed satisfied by what he saw. "That'll teach you to bite me, you little cannibal." Then he swatted me one.

I sobbed loudly and squirmed. Magnus held me firmly though, then said to Dan, "Shall I take him back with the others?"

"Yes, go ahead. My wife's decided to cooperate after all. So they can stay together for now." He turned and left.

As soon as he was gone, Magnus rubbed my back soothingly. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting him to do that. You all right?"

I sniffled and nodded.

He helped me put my trousers and underwear back on before I asked, "If you aren't one of them, then why are you here?"

"I would have thought it'd be obvious. I'm an undercover cop. I've been gathering evidence against Chase for months now, and this is the last straw. Now we can get him for a bunch of high count things, kidnapping, cruelty, yes I've got it all on film. Plus I think he broke his custody ruling. It makes no nevermind, there are a dozen or so trained cops waiting to kick his ass once I arrest him and transport him back. That is, if your dad doesn't kill him first," he added and smirked.

I smiled back. Then I whispered, "Why can't you help us escape?"

"I will, when it's time. But first I have to get past damn Sanguinius's wards, he's keyed them so we can't leave unless Dan says so."

"Oh." I said, wincing and rubbing my bottom.

Magnus patted my shoulder. "You're a real trooper."

For some reason I got the odd feeling that he was familiar, but I knew I'd never seen him before.

"Okay, c'mon, we're going to go back and take a nap or whatever. Cry a little harder, since if I had really hit you with that slipper, you be bawling hysterically."

Too right I would.

I commenced crying, then followed Magnus out of the room. I hoped the disturbance in the concealment wards meant that my father, grandfather, and some friends were on their way to rescue us. But until then I had the angel God had sent in answer to my prayer.