Toriel's phone was ringing.

"Could you see who that is, Frisk?" Toriel asked, as her hands were currently covered in gloves and sticky dough.

It was Friday, not quite a week after Frisk and her siblings had come home from Hogwarts, and Frisk was helping her mother make some pastries for the weekend. "Okay," Frisk said. She walked over to the counter, fished out her mother's phone. "It's Ms. Oxtoby," Frisk reported.

"Go ahead and answer it, Frisk, I need to wash my hands," Toriel told her, pulling her gloves off, and heading to her sink.

Frisk tapped the button, and held it up to her ear. "Hello, Ms. Oxtoby. Sorry, we've been baking." She paused, listening for a moment. "She's right here," Frisk said, holding up the phone for her mother to take.

"Hello, Sarah," Toriel said. "Frisk. Go ahead and measure up a pretty good spoonful and put them on the cookie sheets." She turned back to the phone. "Sorry, Sarah, how are you doing?" They talked for a while as Frisk dolloped the cookie dough into small heaps on the sheets. When that was done, she put the sheet in the oven.

"I do not know Sarah," Toriel said as Frisk prepared the second sheet. After another minute or so, she replied to some question with, "I do not object, myself. I will ask... what? Oh, of course. Certainly." She removed the phone from her ear. "Frisk? Opal would like to ask you a question."

Frisk washed the dough off her hands before taking her mother's phone. "Hi, Opal! How are you?" she said. Opal, a member of Hufflepuff house at Hogwarts, was one of Frisk's best friends. They'd had a short spat they'd had last year, when Opal had become upset with Gryffindor about the Triwizard Cup, and Harry Potter's mysterious (at the time) entrance. But Opal had come with her to save Asriel and Chara, something Frisk would never forget, or believe herself able to repay.

"I'm going to take a martial arts class, Taekwando, over the summer holiday," Opal told her. "Would you like to join me?" she asked eagerly.

The third year witch blinked in surprise, staring at the phone. Frisk knew she'd taken the death of Cedric Diggory at the end of the last year hard, but she hadn't expected this.

"Frisk? Are you there?"

Frisk wasn't sure what to make of the question. "Why do you want to do that, Opal?" she asked. "Isn't learning magic enough of a self defense?"

"But I can't do that now," Opal protested. "We're not even allowed to use magic away from the school. What if something happens over the summer? We have to be ready for it!" That was the other half of the bombshell that landed at the end of term. The idea that Voldemort, the dark lord, had risen from the Grave once more. Opal clearly was taking the threat seriously.

But exactly what martial arts was supposed to do to protect against dark wizards with wands, Frisk wasn't sure. It kind of sounded like a good way to get hurt, or worse, hurt someone else. Frisk looked up. Toriel was tapping her hands together in a makeshift 'T'. The monster was also giving Frisk a look that she didn't understand. "Opal?" Frisk said, finally. "Can I have some time to think about it? I don't want to do something Asriel would be able to join in on."

"Oh," Opal said. She sounded slightly disappointed, though she was trying to hide it. "I understand that. The first class is next week, so you have some time," she said, sounding more cheerful.

They talked a little longer, until it became time to take the cookies back out of the oven. "I need to help Mom," Frisk said. "I'll call you with an answer soon, okay, Opal?"

"Alright Frisk, talk to you soon," Opal said, and hung up.

That night at dinner, Frisk brought up Opal's offer to the rest of her family.

"There is more to this," Toriel said. "Ms. Oxtoby is worried for her daughter. She took the death of young Cedric Diggory especially badly, and has apparently become very easy to upset."

"That's not the Opal I know," Frisk said. "She used be so patient. Isn't there someone she could talk to? To help her with this?"

"There is a department of Saint Mungo's that handles psychology and therapy," Asgore confirmed.

"I think this is to be the reward for going to see one," Toriel agreed. "Mr. Oxtoby also thought that Opal would be able to manage her anger better if she had something to channel it into. He said he had training in boxing when he was in school," Toriel continued. "Sarah was not having that, so he suggested a martial art instead. Apparently, it requires a great amount of discipline."

When it was put that way, it didn't sound so bad. "I don't know if it's for me, though," Frisk said. "Opal is a lot more into that kind of athletic thing than I am. And I don't want to do something if Asriel can't do it."

"She's your friend," Asriel told her. "Go ahead! I'd do it!"

"Would you want to try, Chara?" Asgore rumbled. "It's supposed to also be good for one's self confidence. Something like that might be good for you." He paused, noticing Frisk's shocked expression. "Don't look at me like that, Frisk. I don't pretend I know everything about the non-magical humans, so I consider it my responsibility to learn as much as I can."

"I guess so?" Chara said, though she didn't particularly convinced.

Frisk considered it, while she looked between Chara and Asriel. Self confidence was something Chara could use more of, in Frisk's opinion. So, if it was good for Opal, and good for Chara, and, if Asriel didn't mind? Maybe it really was a good idea. "Well. Okay, I guess. I can try it at least once. If you're really okay with it, Asriel."

"You could always ask Undyne to train you instead," Asriel said, grinning. Frisk's eyes went wide at the thought.

"Sarah told me Opal wanted to train with her, too," Toriel said. "But I do not believe that she will help with the control that Opal needs."

Frisk shuddered.

The plan was pretty straightforward. They were going to take Floo Powder to the Oxtoby's house, from there, Ms. Oxtoby was going to drive them to the facility. Apparently, there was a light disillusionment charm on the car, to prevent people from figuring out that children were coming out of the Oxtoby residence who hadn't gone into it.

It went smoothly. Frisk didn't really like Floo Powder, but she was able to use it well enough. Frisk had never been in Opal's house before. It looked, at surface glance, exactly like any non magical house. If it wasn't for the self moving mop in the kitchen, Frisk wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

"Hey Frisk!" Opal said, smiling widely as Frisk emerged from their fireplace.

Frisk responded by sneezing twice, then rubbed her face. "Sorry, Opal," Frisk said. "I think I might be allergic to Floo Powder. "It's good to see you, though!" Frisk badly wanted to ask if she as feeling better, but she stopped herself. At the moment, her friend wasn't thinking of Cedric, and it was probably better to keep it that way.

Chara emerged behind her, dealing with the Floo Powder better than Frisk had.

"We have a few minutes before we have to go. Want to see my room?" Opal asked, eagerly.

"Why not?" Chara said. Frisk nodded in agreement.

Opal led them around a corner into what appeared to be the main hall, then up a stairwell, then into a room off an upstairs corridors. When Opal opened the door, they saw into a room slightly smaller than Frisk's, but what immediately caught Frisk's eyes were all of the posters on the walls. Most of them featured moving subjects, most prominently a poster for the Hollyoak Harpies, and a few other quidditch teams that Frisk didn't recognize. There was also a poster of the "Watford Hornets F.C.", and to Frisk's immense surprise, a picture of an American Football game being played at Wembley Stadium.

Other than the sports posters, there was a Hufflepuff banner over the bed. There was a picture of two older people, probably her wizardly grandparents, given how the picture was waving back at her. On her dressers were a number of trophies, probably from summer sports leagues. "Do you have a favorite?" Frisk asked, nodding over to them.

"Probably the first place in the rugby league last summer holiday," Opal said, looking over at them. "But I'm proud of them all."

"How did you not end up in Gryffindor?" Chara asked, though Frisk was ready to echo the question. "You're so competitive."

"I'm not sure," Opal admitted. "Dad thinks its because I'm so much of a team player. I'm not usually the person in the lead, but the person she always counts on. I just hate seeing my team not do well."

"Are you going to play Rugby again this summer?" Frisk asked. As she asked, she could hear Opal's mother downstairs, telling them it was almost time to leave. "Maybe we could come watch a game."

"I am," Opal confirmed, as they headed back the way they had come. "It's almost going to be busier in summer than it is at Hogwarts. Almost. But I like it. And it'd be great if you could come, Frisk."

Before they left, they had to change into a white uniform that Opal called a "Gi". It was almost like a Hogwarts robe, only without the convenient pockets. They also had to leave their wands behind, which really made Frisk uncomfortable, but there was no place in the uniform to carry it. They piled into the Oxtoby's car, a silver sedan, and made small talk on the way "Thank you for taking us," Frisk said as they arrived.

"You're welcome, Frisk," Ms. Oxtoby said, smiling back at her. Once inside the small building, Behind a small lobby area, there was a wall that blocked off view of the practice area from the street. Frisk could see seven or eight other students in similar uniforms, and one adult, the teacher, Frisk was sure. Ms. Oxtoby approached him, handing over a few sheets of paper.

He ruffled through them, and raised an eyebrow at them. He looked up at Ms. Oxtoby, "Is Ms. Dreemurr not here?" he asked.

Ms. Oxtoby shook her head. "I'm afraid not. They work second shift, so I offered to bring their children with Opal. That's alright, isn't it?"

The man shrugged and nodded, then moved to collect his students for class.

If Frisk were to admit it, non magical martial arts seemed a lot like Not-Moody's Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. After being shown how to strike, an overly aggressive term for a punch, they all practiced in an attempt at synchronization. Unlike in Defense, at least they weren't directly practicing on each other.

Then they moved on to practicing kicks. Frisk was embarrassed to discover that she was almost as good at kicking as people who had one of those fancy colored belts. "Flexible," the instructor had called Frisk. Opal had called him 'Sensei' once, and she had been corrected gently, but firmly. "Sensei is Japanese, and Taekwando is Korean. Instructor, or Master, as I am a Black Belt, but not Sensei."

Then they practiced "ukemi" or "breakfalling", the art of falling in such a way that it didn't hurt. There were a couple of cushions set up that they dove (not... really, but Frisk couldn't come up with a better term) over, and practiced falling on their side. Frisk was initially nervous. Her falls in the underground had bubbled up in her mind, like some sort of boggart. But it went better than that, and it could actually be useful. One didn't just fall in martial arts practice, after all.

But to Frisk's horror, the last thing they would be practicing was throws. Even Opal's quick volunteering to thrown first didn't make it any easier for Frisk to do. "It's alright, Frisk," Opal told her patiently. "It's like our instructor said, I need to learn to fall. To do that, I need you to throw me."

"I don't like hurting people," Frisk said quietly.

"But that's the point," Opal continued gently. "For us to practice this in a dojo, so we don't get hurt. You can help me learn, right?"

"Okay," Frisk said. It was hard, her hearts wasn't in it. As Opal stepped forward, she was supposed to use Opal's momentum to jerk her off balance, where Opal was supposed to put the breakfall they had practiced to use. But Opal was bigger than her, and Frisk didn't quite have the drive to pull her the right way, and instead they both collapsed into a heap on the floor.

It took Frisk a few times before she could manage a competent throw. Opal, was able to catch herself reasonably well. Interestingly, when it was time to reverse the practice, Frisk found it much easier to allow Opal to throw her. Partially because she was much better at it then Frisk was.

When they were done, and Ms. Oxtoby was talking to the sensei again, the only other girl in the class walked up to them. She was dark skinned, with stringy black hair, and dark eyes. "Hello, I'm Denise," she said brightly. "I'm glad I'm not the only girl in the class any more. Are you coming back next week?"

Frisk was ready to say no, but Opal had already said yes. "That's cool! I've never met you before, do you live around here?" she asked.

"Not far from here, in Watford," Opal told her.

"I live in Watford!" Denise responded excitedly. "But... I've never seen you at school there..."

Frisk and Chara froze. Exactly what were going to say to that? But Opal had it under control. "I go to a boarding school in Scotland. St. George's School for Girls. I'm home for the Summer Holiday."

"Oh! Like Anne and George! That's neat!"

"Like who?" asked Chara. Frisk was confused as well.

"The Famous Five! Hasn't everyone read the Famous Five?" Denise asked. "I love Enid Blyton," she continued.

Frisk hadn't. But maybe it would make for interesting reading over the summer. They were interrupted by Ms. Oxtoby telling them it was time to head for home. Denise waved at them, as they left. "She seems nice enough," Frisk said.

"Was that something you practiced?" Chara asked, as they shut the doors and buckled their safety belts. "Saying you went to a muggle boarding school?"

"That's where we say she goes," Ms. Oxtoby confirmed. "It's close enough to the truth, and we don't have to worry about people about wondering why she's locally 'missing'." It must have come up before, like in her summer Rugby league. They drove until they were almost back at the Oxtoby's house before the elephant in the car was addressed. "Will you want to attend another session next week?"

"Oh, please say yes!" Opal said, turning to Frisk to plead her case. "This is doing something. For Cedric."

"I would like to," Chara said. Frisk looked at her sister in surprise. She wasn't sure what to make of that.

Frisk didn't want to. She really didn't want to. But... Opal was her friend. And Frisk could tell this wasn't something she wanted, it was something she needed. And if Chara wanted to come? "I guess I can," Frisk said.

"That's excellent!" Opal said, her eyes shining. "Thanks, Frisk!"

"But you owe me. I'm not what you owe me, but I'll figure it out," Frisk said, smiling despite herself.

Frisk would see a lot of her friends, both monster and human over the first month of summer. Toriel had said Opal had wanted Undyne to train her as well, it turned out she hadn't been kidding. She had the opportunity to meet Doctor Gaster, Sans and Papyrus's father, and heard finally heard the entire story of what Sans had been up to the last term. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you," Dr. Gaster told her in his slightly ethereal voice. "I watched the whole time, as you managed to break the barrier. You even offered your soul to young Asriel. The honor of the acquaintance is mine. And yes, I remember meeting you, in that room between space and time that once," he finished, winking. There was Napstablook new stage drama routine, performed off Diagon Alley.

The calendar had just turned to August, and it had been a rare day that the Dreemurrs hadn't had anything else going on. They'd been cooped up all day, playing board games, and watching an anime Alphys had recommended to them the last time they'd visited her and Undyne. But with the sun fully set, they could risk going out through the country.

"Do you have phones, wands, and torches?" Toriel asked as Asriel opened the front door.

Frisk checked her pockets, confirming her phone and wand was present. She also had a small pocket flashlight. "Not that you should use your wand, but in case of an emergency.

"It's not that dark, Mom," Asriel complained. "Not with the street lights. We'll be fine."

"You can not blame me for being worried, Asriel. I did lose you once."

"I'm sorry," Asriel apologized. "But I don't think we'll need torches."

"Perhaps not," Toriel said. "Just be aware of the locals. I do not want you to be discovered."

"We'll be careful," Chara promised. "There won't be many people out, other than a few dog walkers." They left, Asriel in the lead, and Chara closing the door behind them. There wasn't any particular goal in mind other than not be in the house any more. They wandered past the closed shops of the high street, and gave the still open Burger King a wide birth.

It was a beautiful, clear night. The stars glittered down from overhead, when they weren't being obscured by local lights. In the distance, if one listened, one could hear the distant roar of cars down the motorway.

It was about twenty minutes into their meander when Asriel spoke up. "Is anyone cold? I mean, all of a sudden, I'm cold."

Frisk couldn't feel anything. It felt like a warm summer day to her. But there was a shivering note in Asriel's voice that she couldn't shake. And then, there it was, like a blast of icy air from Mom's freezer. And it had gotten dark. Really dark, like someone had turned off all the streetlights.

Frisk and Chara pulled out their flashlights, but they weren't as bright as they should have been. They turned the lights this way and that, trying to figure out what was going on. And Frisk heard it. She hadn't really heard that sound since the night she had kept Professor Snape from murdering Sirius Black. The place she had heard it was her nightmares. It was a group of rattling breaths. She swallowed a scream.

"Frisk, what is it? What's going on?" Asriel demanded.

"Dementors. Run!"

Once again, I'm writing by the seat of my pants. I know a lot of the subplots, one in particular, I can't wait to share... but I'm not completely sure how it comes together. But, you know, time turns, the fire burns. Time out is gone. The game is on.