Standing behind Crinklow and Queezink in a small upstairs office at the bank, Bill stifled a yawn. I guess I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night, he thought with a grin. Though given the chance I'd do it again. Ron had challenged him to a game of Wizard's Chess after dinner, and it turned into a minor tournament. Even Percy was convinced to participate, and, though he lost brilliantly every time, he took it all in good humour. The only thing missing, really, was the presence of Charlie, who had not managed to get away from Romania yet.

He brought his attention back to what was going on in front of him. The Goblins appeared to be waiting for something. Finally, Crinklow turned around.

"Very good, Mr. Weasley. If you are ready, we shall open the portal."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, sir," Bill replied, shifting his bag to a more comfortable spot. "Oh wait, I just thought of something. When will I meet the owl you spoke of?"

"He should be waiting on the other side."

"Right then. Let's do this." Paying close attention, Bill watched as the Goblins opened the portal. He felt, slightly, what happened, but if asked to duplicate it he did not think he could have managed it. All he saw was a window being opened. And beyond that...

Outside, instead of seeing the sky or the roofs of shops in Diagon Alley, he saw a strange land. Immediately on the other side of the window was a stretch of hills, looking rather arid and sparse. The few trees, rocks, and bushes looked to be dusted with something sparkly. As his eyes moved past the hills and further into the distance, they widened in surprise and awe. An intricate maze stretched out almost as far as he could see. On another hill, far away, looked to be a large castle.

He stepped toward the window and rested his hand on the frame. The whole place had a strangely ominous feeling. He could tell he was being watched and weighed, and that if he made one wrong move, no one would save him. Great, he thought sarcastically. What was I thinking, agreeing to this? But as he took a deep breath and looked around again, he sighed and shook his head. "Wow," he said under his breath. He turned back to the Goblins. They were watching him expectantly. "So I just walk through?"

Crinklow nodded. "That is correct, Mr. Weasley. Just take one step, and you will enter the Labyrinth."

"The Labyrinth? In one step I'll arrive at that maze?"

Queezink chuckled. "It is much more than a simple maze, Mr. Weasley. Whilst the Labyrinth is only a part of the Kingdom of Goblins, because of its, er, reputation and purpose most outsiders refer to the entire Kingdom as the Labyrinth. Indeed, many of those who live there speak of it thus as well."

"Oh."

A brown and white object swooping into the vicinity and landing on a pillar interrupted their conversation. "Your owl has arrived, Mr. Weasley," said Crinklow. "It is time for us all to go our separate ways."

Bill stalled them with one more question. "What is his name?"

"His name?"

"The owl. I can't very well go on all day calling him 'hey owl'."

The Goblins exchanged looks then stared at the owl for a minute who blinked a few times in return. "Er... Christoph," said Queezink.

Christoph... where have I heard that name before? "Ok then." He straightened himself and turned to the Goblins. "I suppose I will see you when I get back."

"Yes," nodded Queezink. "Safe journey, Mr. Weasley."

"And the best of luck as well," added Crinklow.

With a wave, Bill stepped through the window. He glanced over his shoulder, but the entrance was gone. He blinked. "Huh." Turning, he walked over to the pillar with the owl. Leaning on it, he looked up. "Hi there. I'm Bill."

He is introducing himself to an owl, thought Christoph, tilting his head. Strange. I've heard of talking to one's pets, but to a 'wild' animal? As the Wizard regarded his surroundings, Christoph in turn regarded the Wizard. He had long, red hair tied back in a ponytail and wore a billowing garment so dark blue it was almost black. It looked to be a robe of some sort, open at the front and worn as a long jacket. Again, strange. I wonder if all Wizards wear these things. Underneath, he had on jeans and a buttoned shirt. His boots were made of an unidentifiable material. Christoph couldn't quite place it, but it looked to be the skin of some unknown reptile. Across his shoulders, and also under the robe, was a sturdy, leather satchel with a stick poking out of one corner and under one arm was a tome resembling the one Katrin had been poring over.

If he'd lose the robe, I'd say he looked like... an adventuresome explorer out of some popular Mortal film. He gave a mental chuckle. Then again, lose the robe, replace the satchel with a guitar slung across his back, he could pass for a dressed down rock musician. That thought suddenly put him in mind of a conversation he had one night a couple of months back with his parents, Katrin, and Justin...

"I think it is partially to do with the glamour," his mother had said. "Thinking back, I remember clearly what Jareth wore when I first met him. Indeed, what he wears whenever we go extremely formal. All that glitter and sparkles, the hair, the clothes, the walk... I can picture a horde of screaming women, thinking he's someone famous, stampeding him to rip off his clothes just to get a piece of him to keep."

Jareth gave her his classic incredulous look. "Ripping off my clothes because of what I look like?"

"It's happened before to musicians," she replied with a shrug.

"Oh, geez," Christoph said with a groan. "That's not an image I wanted. Just because he has cool hair doesn't make him an object of lust."

"Don't you listen? She said the hair in conjunction with other things. Besides, Surfer Boy," Katrin laughed, "you are one to talk, what with your fluffy hair looking like a mild version of... oh, what's his name? The guy who did the remake of 'California Girls' and was in Van Halen? Oh yeah, David Lee Roth! Anyway, cool hair is a major factor. How many times have you had women walk up to you and, after only a few minutes, start playing with your hair, huh?"

"I say it's the artist factor," put in Justin quietly, returning to the topic at hand.

"The artist factor?" asked Katrin.

"Sure. Everyone knows girls like men who are artists. They're supposed to be more sensitive and insightful, right? Add to that the rugged masculinity of rock stars and there you go. Instant recipe for sex appeal."

"Well," his mother speculated, "I don't know how much of that is entirely correct, but it does have potential for reaching the answer. Though I don't particularly care you making observations about sex appeal considering you're only twelve."

"Where do you come up with it, Justin," he had said, ruffling his younger brother's hair. Justin shoved him away with a laugh.

"Whatever the reason," said Katrin, poking him in the arm, "the fact remains that whenever you and Dad walk into a room dressed for Court or other formal occasions, female eyes automatically wander with extreme interest to you more than toward most other male Fae. It isn't just looking the part, but you somehow adopt this aura of a performer, that charisma that draws people to you regardless of their gender. Even when you're wearing less... outrageous clothes it still happens. That you both are attractive anyway is where the sex appeal thing starts. The rock star look adds a whole other angle that intensifies it all."

"Are you saying, Katrin," their father asked her, "that you find the 'rock star look' attractive?"

She shrugged. "Sure." Then she grinned mischievously. "And Mom obviously does as well."

They all laughed. Then Christoph spoke up, "I wonder if we should be keeping a closer eye on you, Kati, considering."

She gave him a suspicious look. "Why?"

"Conceivably, if it works for men, it works for women. And while we simply look like rock stars, you actually are one."

"No I'm not," she said indignantly. "I've never performed rock music, and I don't even have a band."

"Perhaps Christoph has a point," agreed Jareth. "It might not be rock, but from what I understand you do have a fairly large following. And if someone comes along with this 'look', who knows could happen. Especially being as easily influenced as you are."

Katrin rolled her eyes, threw up her hands, and said, "I give up." They all laughed again and she went on her way with her brothers close behind. As he left, he heard his mother whisper to his father, "You do realise that, should the right person come along, it won't matter what 'look' he has. And, if he has the look in question, it is possible there will be no hope for her." He caught his father's sharp look out of the corner of his eye, as well as his mother's grin in return. "After all," she continued, "look what happened to me."

Snapping back to the present, Christoph once more looked at the Wizard. He was now flipping back and forth between a few pages of the tome containing what looked like maps of some sort.

"Well, I don't know how much help this will be, but we had better get going," Bill said.

Christoph thought at first that the Wizard was talking to himself, then he realised that he was actually talking to him again. Who makes conversations with owls? Could he know? Nah... That isn't possible. He must be just a bit odd. Wondering what other oddities the Wizard had, he shifted his weight. He recalled his mother's comment and looked the Wizard over once more. Christoph resolved to discover what it was about the Wizard that attracted his sister, as well as to refer to him as 'Bill' rather than 'the Wizard' all the time.

"You know," Bill continued as he closed the tome and slipped it in his bag, "This place kind of gives me the creeps."

Hmph, thought Christoph. Judgemental, are we?

"But in a freaky, thrilling sort of way, if that makes sense."

No, not really.

"At the same time, I would have liked to visit under less dire circumstances. It sure is fascinating."

You want to come visit the Labyrinth? For pleasure?? Are you nuts?

"I mean it's obviously full of dangers that I could never be told of completely in advance."

Well, that's the truth.

"But it's so... awe inspiring. Oddly unique, filled with magic, power, and undeniably beauty."

Hm. Maybe you aren't all bad. But I still say you're a bit odd for talking to what is supposed to be a simple owl.

Bill sighed and looked up at Christoph. "Right then, let's go. It should be this way. Well, hopefully." With that, he started walking briskly down the hill in the direction of the Labyrinth and slightly to the left. Christoph launched into the air and followed.