Thank you so much for the reviews, SeaBreeze2Ga, notwritten, SassyFrassKerr, Diamond, darkbangle, ladyofthedragons1, artseblis, starxchanny, TammaraG, Dragons redemption, Melinda7, loretta537, Morange, arynwy, kitsunekuruoshii, and Kk!

darkbangle- I see what you mean by the info-dump. I have a little difficulty wading through it, and i wrote it! :-P I think I'll shorten that to just a couple lines, real soon. Thank you so much for the suggestion!

starxchanny- Not sure, actually, but he does show up again in this chapter. ^_^

Goodness, it's been . . . about a year since I've last touched this. It won't be any time soon that this is updated again, as I'm in college and my muse is as fickle, it seems, as the Roman deities in the Iliad and the Odyssey. Yeah . . . I'm taking Western Lit this semester. But! I have begun the eleventh chapter, which is finally getting into the world of Hogwarts. And I must say, it is so fun writing Jareth. XD Don't forget to read the Author's Commentary at the bottom! And a picture of what I imagine Skeeter to look like is linked to in my profile. So, assuring you that in no way am I giving up on this story, here's the next installment! And if you were reading this story last night and this morning and noticed a mix-up in the chapters, that's because I was fixing the section breaks. They had disappeared. Consequently, I lost track of which one I was updating and ended up deleting a chapter or two, leaving a chapter twice in a row - twice. Yeah, that was fun to figure out . . . Not. _

By the way, I'm probably going to be moving this to the Crossovers section really soon. Just a warning. :-P

Chapter Ten – Of Parents and Stories and Some Goblin King

Sarah was completely disoriented when she made the second sudden transition of the day. The weather was very different in America, and going from an office in a castle to a fenced-in green lawn in a New England suburb was more than a little disconcerting. Thankfully, some aspect of the magic they had used prevented the sudden change in pressure from affecting her, and her ears didn't pop. When she finally got her wits about her, supported carefully by Dumbledore, she smiled and nodded her thanks to him. "We should go to the front door. Be glad there's no one around right now, Professor. Your style of dress is a little . . . odd to Muggles, you know."

He chuckled appreciatively. "Yes, it is odd to be wearing robes, from their perspective. And I suppose the pattern is a little strange."

"Only odd?" she teased, before leading him around front. Squint followed, checking carefully for a sign of anyone else around. Just as she and Dumbledore made it to the front porch, a mailman passed by them, walking up the steps and whistling a jaunty tune to himself. He delivered the mail, turned around, and set out for the next house, all without having shown a sign that he'd noticed them at all. Initially, Sarah had to hold in a gasp, but breathed easily again when the mailman just walked away. "Squint, are you doing this?"

Squint nodded, motioning them onward. "Undetected. Parents see. Go talk."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Squint. Come on, Professor. And . . . let me do the talking at first?"

"Of course, my dear. After you, then."

Sarah stepped up to the door, hoping desperately that her parents would be home, and that this trip wasn't wasted. Her father had told her that he usually came home for lunch, and he always stayed until two, before he had to return to work. But what time was it here?

Squint made a noise, and she looked down to see him frowning at her. "Stalling," he muttered, and she grinned sheepishly. "Do you have any idea how my parents are going to react to this? Not to mention, I left Toby in London, and they're not going to believe an ounce about this magic stuff."

He just glared at her, and she shook her head, finally ringing the doorbell. She heard footsteps after a moment, and the door opened to reveal Irene.

"Hey," Sarah greeted awkwardly. "Is Dad home still?"

She blinked. "Sarah! Why didn't you call and tell us you were coming?"

"It was . . . kind of a last minute thing. Is he?"

Her stepmother opened the door wider, granting access to the house. "We just finished lunch. Don't you know what time it is?"

Embarrassed, Sarah blushed. "Not really. The trip was real quick – practically instantaneous – and I haven't had a chance to check the time."

Irene looked confused. "Didn't you think to look for it in the airport? And who's your friend, and where's Toby?"

"Ah, right." Sarah led the headmaster inside, Squint following soon after, and gestured to the elderly man. "This is Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school Toby has just been accepted into, and my new boss. Toby's still in England, with some friends watching him."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor."

Dumbledore shook her hand, smiling at the way the woman was eyeing his clothes. "It is an honor to meet the parents of my new assistant librarian."

Irene smiled back, then turned to Sarah. "Well, go on, your father's in the living room. After you say hello, maybe then you can explain why you left my son in England while you came to see me?"

Sarah nodded, waiting to turn out of her stepmother's line of sight before she grimaced. How was she going to explain this?

Robert Williams rose from the love seat by the fireplace as they came in, a bright smile on his lips. "Sarah!"

"Hey, Dad." Sarah wrapped her arms around her father in a warm embrace, glad to be able to see him again. "How's work?"

"Oh, you know, same old, same old." He held his hand out to Dumbledore, and the wizard shook it. "I'm Sarah's father, Robert. And you are . . .?"

"Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and your daughter's employer."

"Hogwarts?" Irene joined her husband on the couch as they all sat, Squint standing unseen by Sarah, who placed herself in an arm chair facing the love seat, to the right of the fireplace. Dumbledore took the lefthand chair, his eyes on the older of the women. "What's that?"

Sarah fidgeted, twiddling her fingers. "Well, you see . . . I didn't actually come in a plane . . ."

Irene frowned. "Then how did you come? It couldn't have been by ship."

Sarah took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "Truthfully? Magic."

Robert scoffed, while Irene's expression twisted in what seemed to be bemusement. "Really, Sarah. I know you have an active imagination; you always have. But magic?"

She willed herself to remain calm, and sent a glance her employer's way. "Professor Dumbledore is a wizard. Professor, if you would give a demonstration?"

Robert watched warily and in disbelief as Dumbledore took his wand from his left sleeve. "What shall I demonstrate?" the old man asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Hmm. Transfiguration, maybe? It's hard to deny that a lamp has been turned into a flower vase."

"Indeed." The wizard flicked his wand, and the coffee table transformed into a chicken. As it clucked and strutted, Sarah turned her eyes to see her father staring in shock, and Irene in wonderment. After a moment, Dumbledore restored the table, and Irene found her voice. "In all my years, I'd never thought I'd actually meet one . . ."

Sarah frowned, unsure of how to take that. "What do you mean?"

Irene flushed. "Well . . . My great grandmother married a member of the prestigious Black family. She herself was a Pureblood, but of a lesser known name. Their first child was a Squib, and they kept her secret and gave her up for adoption, loving her too much to subject her to the rest of her family's ridicule. Each child has been told of their heritage when they were deemed old enough. I never would have thought that Toby would renew the line . . ."

Sarah blinked. "Wait. You knew?"

"About witches and wizards? Yes."

Robert held up his hands in interruption, recovered from his stunned state and wanting answers. "Wait, wait. Irene, why didn't you tell me?"

"We are sworn to secrecy. I'm sorry, Robert. I wanted to, but I wasn't ever sure how. Without magic myself, there was no way I could show you and prove that I wasn't crazy."

He blinked, then turned to Sarah, trying to wrap his mind around something or anything. "And where is Toby?"

"He's in England, being taken care of by some friends of mine. We already went to Diagon Alley – the place where we get supplies – so it is a sure thing that he's going. I just wanted you two to know, as you are his parents, and you wouldn't be able to visit if you didn't know. Plus, you would wonder about the strange changes that have taken place."

"And what about finances?"

"A benefactor has taken it upon himself to pay Toby's way through school, and had recommended me as assistant librarian so that I could remain close."

"A benefactor?" Irene frowned. "Surely not anyone I know."

"No, you don't. Ah, Professor . . . If you could step outside and wait, I'd like to speak to Dad and Irene alone. Please."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding and rose to go. "I will content myself with waiting in the backyard until you are ready."

"Thank you," she said gratefully, sighing. She waited until he was gone, then turned to Squint. "Please make sure he can't hear the conversation we're about to have."

He nodded, and Sarah's father and stepmother gasped as he appeared out of thin air, snapping his fingers twice. "Done," he reported. "No hear. Proceed."

Irene cut her off before Sarah could speak. "Sarah, what – who is this?"

"Oh! Irene, Dad, this is Squint, one of my friends. He's a goblin, and my self-assigned bodyguard."

"A . . . goblin."

"He's a bit different than the Gringotts goblins, which you might have heard of. Anyway, there's something else I need to tell you two about Toby and I."

Robert nodded encouragingly, ready now to accept most anything, now that the idea of magic had been proved to him. "Go on."

"Do you remember how, ten years ago, I used to dress up and act out a book, and how I used to hate babysitting Toby?"

"Like it was yesterday," Robert quipped. "But then, one day you suddenly changed. We went out to eat, and when we came back, you were like a new girl. Mature, responsible. Why, what happened?"

"Well, that night you spoke of, I got really fed up with Toby's crying, and I started telling him the story of Labyrinth, that book I was always reading."

Irene frowned. "And?"

"Well, I didn't believe it would really happen, and I didn't really mean it, but . . . I wished him away to the goblins."

"What?"

"You did what, now?"

Sarah looked from Irene to Robert, realizing her stepmother knew a little more about this than her father did. "I wished him away. Then . . . the Goblin King came."

"The . . ." Her parents were dumbstruck. "The what?" Robert asked.

"The Goblin King." Sarah sighed, then proceeded to tell them everything that had gone on. How she had found out what a terrible mistake she had made, how she set out to fix it, how she was so sure of herself . . .

She left nothing she could remember out of the tale, not skimping at all on how idiotic she had been at times, and not neglecting to mention how he had flirted with her. She caught Squint snickering at times, but she glared at him, and he shut up.

It took her parents a couple minutes to let it sink in when she was done. When it did, Irene was again the one to speak. "Do you know what his name is?"

"Yes, but I dare not speak it. Words, I've found, have power, and I don't want him to come because I've summoned him. I want him to come because he wants to. I can tell you what he is, though."

"And what is he?"'

"Fae."

For a long moment, there was total silence. Even unaware of the wizarding world as he was, Robert knew a bit about mythology, and knew that Fae were among the most powerful beings of all time. For one to be connected with his daughter . . .

"And he's your benefactor?" Irene sputtered, voicing her husband's thoughts. "A Fae? Why?"

"Well . . . Part of it, I suppose, is that Toby and I both ate fairy food."

Robert frowned. "I don't get it."

"Some call it the Persephone Canon." Though they knew something of Persephone and Hades, Sarah could tell they still didn't understand, and that she had to lay it flat out for them.

"Toby and I are Fae Changelings."

If nothing else had been able to shock them into silence, this alone would have done the trick. Words could not give credit to the mix of emotions they felt, and they were speechless for a full two minutes. At last, Sarah decided it was best to just continue. "The King named Toby his heir, the Prince of the Goblins. I only just found out a few days ago, and my friend Skeeter tells me that Toby has to learn to control his mortal magic before he can learn to harness his Fae magic. When he turns eighteen, supposedly he'll have to make the Underground his home. Really, that's all I know right now. No, that's wrong. I have magic of my own, but it's the power of wishes, and the ability to call on my friends in the Labyrinth through mirrors. That's why I've had to learn to be careful with what I say."

"Does Toby know about all this?"

She nodded. "Everything. He forgave me long ago, and it's why we're so close now. For some reason, it's actually his favorite story; probably because it's how I first encountered the goblins from the Underground."

"And these stories you write?"

"True tales all. Though, I'm not so sure about the flaming trousers incident. I asked Bluey to tell me a funny story about their king, and that was what she told me."

At the mention of that particular story, Robert cracked a grin. "Somehow, I doubt this Bluey would have lied."

"So you're . . . okay with this?"

Husband and wife shared a long look, joining hands and squeezing gently. Then they turned back to Sarah, visibly trying to reassure her. "Honestly, Sarah," Robert told her, "it's going to take a little bit of time for this to really sink in. I accept and understand the wizard part, and I suppose I accept the Fae Changeling bit, but I can't say that I really understand that yet."

Sarah nodded, giving them a warm smile. "Honestly, I thought you two would go into hysterics about all this."

"There's still time yet," Irene joked. "Now, you two make sure you visit, whether you're Underground or Above. And we have some years yet, right?"

Sarah smiled thinly. "I hope. There's a war starting soon in the wizarding world. With our goblin bodyguards, we should be safe, but one never knows."

Robert blinked. "A war?"

And so, Sarah gave them the rundown on the situation with Voldemort. When she was done, Irene was a little paler than when she started. "But you're going to be okay?" she prompted, obviously seeking comfort.

Sarah nodded, then went over and gave each a hug and a kiss on the cheek goodbye. "I have to go now. I'll keep in touch, though, and we'll visit over Christmas. I promise you, we'll be just fine."

Robert and Irene walked Sarah to the backdoor. "So if an owl comes . . ." Robert prompted.

"It will most likely be from Toby or I. Electronics don't work in the wizarding world, so e-mail's out of the question. Just tell the owl to stick around until you send the reply, and you'll be fine in contacting me. I'll ask Professor Dumbledore if it will be possible to get you both a contact in the American wizarding community, and I can ask one of my goblin friends to check in on you every week and pick up or deliver letters."

Irene smiled. "Thank you. And for what it's worth, Sarah . . . thank you for taking such good care of Toby. My greatest heartbreak is that I failed as a mother."

Sarah paused. "At least you tried, Irene. I'll ask Toby what he thinks about his moving back here to the States for the summers. I'm his big sister. We're both Changelings, and will both someday have to live in the Underground. He should spend as much time as he can with his true parents. I never wanted to replace you."

Her demeanor having turned dejected as she confessed her pain, Irene brightened considerably at her stepdaughter's words. "I . . . I would like that," she whispered, hope for redemption in her voice.

Robert's smile matched his wife's. "Thank you so much for everything, Sarah. We'll see you at Christmas?"

Sarah nodded. "If we are able. Goodbye, both of you."

...

Robert and Irene watched in dizzied amazement as Sarah, the goblin, and Dumbledore disappeared with a light wisp of smoke, murmured words noticed only by the husband and wife as the young woman wished her party away. After a full minute of staring at the empty space on the grass, though, Robert shook himself out of his daze and led his spouse back inside, closing the door securely behind himself. They had a lot to think about, he and Irene. He had forgiven her for not telling him about this other world on Earth, or "Aboveground" as Sarah had called it. From the very moment she had been told, she had been sworn to secrecy. She hadn't been able to tell him.

Robert led his wife back to the living room, and there they stopped in shock.

There was a man in the room.

He seemed ethereal, almost, an otherworldly aura to his being. He sat in the chair Sarah had, running a hand slowly over the armrest where she had laid her hand, an unidentifiable look in his mismatched eyes. They were like Toby's eyes, Robert realized. And Toby's hair, somehow, was a bit similar to this person's ragged locks, though these reminded the couple of an eighties' rocker, a scraggly nest on top and longer hair in the bottom layers reaching just past his shoulders.

The man was dressed very strangely, not even like that outrageous outfit Dumbledore had worn, dark blue robes with twinkling stars and a moon. His legs were clad in what Robert could only refer to as gray "breeches," in no way constricting or a violation of decency. Boots, black leather and sturdy but stylish, went up to just below his knees, their soles flat and toes rounded, no high heels at all. His shirt was light and loose and white, the wide, open collar exposing the bare skin of his chest and a strange golden pendant. A black cape topped this, the collar of it reaching high but not blocking any view of his face. His hands were clad in black leather gloves, and his features were sharp. The strangest feature of all, however, was the eyebrows, swept upwards quite strangely, with the skin below sparkling in a paler color as if he had applied eyeshadow.

A description of him had come not long ago, too soon for the husband and wife to forget, although Sarah had mentioned his pants had been, in fact, something like tights when she had run his Labyrinth. It was clear to them, however, that this was one and the same.

Robert edged Irene behind himself, not willing to take any chances at all, no matter how ill-founded those fears might be. "Goblin King," he whispered hoarsely.

The Fae finally turned his gaze to them, pointed teeth shown in a disquieting smile. "Mr. and Mrs. Williams," he greeted them, his tone not at all hostile. "I apologize for the intrusion, but it seems there are things that must be discussed between the three of us."

Robert watched him for a moment, his gaze flickering to the love seat as the Goblin King gestured to it. After a brief time, he acquiesced, leading Irene to sit back down, though rather stiffly.

Irene was the next one to speak. "Why did you not come when Sarah was here?" she asked, her voice a tad weak. The Goblin King studied her, then sighed.

"I cannot," he confessed, his tone weary and heavy. "I am under a geas, specifically a banishment, where she is concerned. I can watch her, due to an unconscious loosening of the unconscious barrier on her part, but I can never be in her presence. It is simply not possible, and I fear consequences toward myself would be grave if I ever attempted to do so."

"And . . . does she know about this?"

The Fae gave her a dry look. "What do you think?"

He had a point, Robert decided. Sarah would have released the geas had she known about it. "And I assume there is no way for anyone to let her know."

The Goblin King gave a bitter little smile. "Only one. The rules dictate that one must be asked the right question. These rules, unfortunately, now apply to the two of you, in regards to her. Call it a geas of your own, if you will. Meanwhile, the goblins and I are frustrated by her otherwise charming stubbornness. She won't even speak my name, or allow it in her presence, silly girl . . . No, silly woman." His gaze looked far away, then, and he whispered, something Robert knew probably wasn't meant for them to hear. "No longer too young to keep . . ."

Irene cleared her throat. "May we ask of it, Sire?"

The Goblin King blinked, brought back to the present. "Oh, yes. She wouldn't even write my name down, now would she? It is Jareth, and you may call me that if you'd like, since I aspire to be your future son-in-law."

The look of glee that crossed Irene's face reminded Robert of past failed matchmaking attempts, and seriously hoped his wife would know to stay on the sidelines. "Dear, I don't think he's going to need the help when Sarah finally does lift the banishment." Robert turned a steady gaze on the king that oozed of self-confidence and smugness at the comment. "Will you swear to never harm her, in any way, if you can help it?"

Jareth sat up straight and placed his right fist over his heart in a salute. "I, Jareth, King of the Goblins, do so swear to never let my love Sarah Anne Williams come to harm if it is within my power, be it physical or emotional. I will never raise my hand, magic, nor voice against her, nor will I hold her against her will unless it is for her benefit. If she should ever come into pain, I will do all I can to comfort and help her, and will not be content unless I can see a smile in her eyes. I will treat her and her brother Tobias Hezekiah Jarethkin Williams with the utmost care and respect, making sure the latter is well disciplined and grooming him to be an even more capable ruler. I will never strike him, and I will protect him from harm. This, I so swear." His stiffened stance relaxed, and he flicked a black-clad hand. "The two of you can visit as often as you'd like, just simply let your guards know. If there is anything else you'd like me to swear, just let me know."

Robert nodded in acceptance. "We have guards?"

"Ah, yes, to protect the two of you. You are the parents of my heir and hopeful bride-to-be, after all." Jareth grinned and stood with a flourish. "Tweek! Introduce yourself to the fine humans. And for crying out loud, you little cretin, remove that thing from your head at once, before you mortify your king any further." At the last bit, his voice took on a sneering tone, disgust clear. A thin, spindly goblin blinked into existence in that moment, clad in clunky armor and holding a pink lunchbox. Robert eyed it warily, unsure of why in Underground or Above a goblin would wear a lunchbox on his head.

Jareth gave a silent groan, pinching the bridge of his long nose. "Imbecile. Why I assigned you such an important task, I'll never know."

Tweek grinned happily. "Because I'm smart!"

"Then why were you wearing that, hmm?"

The goblin peered down at the object in his hands, utterly adorable and yet not. "Because . . . someone stole my helmet?"

"Why didn't you get another helmet, instead of that horrid thing?"

Tweek positively beamed at his king. "It was the Lady's!"

Jareth faltered, and Robert forced himself not to laugh. "What was that?" the Fae asked, curiosity winning some internal debate.

"It was the Lady's before she became Champion. See? 'Sar-ah Will-i-ams, age . . . twelve.'"

The King blinked in shock. "Good heavens, a goblin who can actually read. Well, aside from Squint, Bluey, and Skeeter. Very well, its attraction has now increased. But it still does not look good on your head."

Now Robert really did laugh, accompanied by a giggle from his wife. "Don't worry about calling it hideous. Pink never really was my daughter's favorite color."

Jareth smirked. "No, I believe that would be blue, two specific shades of it to be exact."

"Peacock blue?" Irene offered meaningfully. If anything, Jareth only became more smug.

"Well, I meant my eyes, but I do have a coat in that color . . ."

"And pants," Tweek said, obviously wanting to be helpful. "And a cloak, and cape, and two shirts, and five other coats, and-"

Jareth clapped a hand over his subject's mouth. "And that's enough of that. Now, aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

The goblin nodded quickly. "Hi!" he cheered as soon as he was freed. "I'm Tweek!"

Bemused, Robert smiled back. "I'm Robert Williams, and this is my wife Irene. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tweek."

Tweek's eyes shone. "A pleasure . . . to meet me~?" The last syllable was drawn out in excitement.

Jareth gave him a little shove. "Run along, now, Tweek. And make sure Skeegle and Scrunt don't torment Biddle about that one incident."

"That one incident where he did that one thing?"

"Yes, that one. Disappear, now, bye-bye."

The goblin vanished. Seeing their expressions, Jareth shrugged. "They can make themselves seen or unseen to any they wish, though I am, of course, exempt. I am cursed to always see them . . . Now, then. I have sworn an oath, and we have spoken briefly of your guards and why I cannot visit Sarah, and why you cannot tell her anything of this visit. You've also met one of the banes of your existences from this point on, though they should stay largely out of your way, especially if you – pardon the terminology – wish it of them. Is there anything else?"

"What happens until Sarah finally does release the banishment?"

Jareth focused again on Robert. "She is, admittedly, well protected. Although I am forbidden to be in her presence, my subjects are not. You already met Squint. Otherwise, there are the wizards and witches she is about to live among, and they will keep her quite safe as well. My goblins will keep any prejudiced students from harassing her or Toby. Of that, you need not worry."

Robert nodded again in acknowledgment. In answer, the Goblin King prompted again, "Anything more?"

It was Irene who spoke this time, and her lips quirked into a humorous smile. "A word of advice, milord."

Wariness set into Jareth's eyes. "I'm listening."

"Good. You may want to rephrase your proposal a bit when it comes to it, my hopefully future son-in-law."

The look that replaced the wariness could only be that of relief. "Fear not. My own mother filled me in on my blunders. You and she would get along well, I think. Now, if there is nothing else, there are matters of my kingdom I must attend to." He tilted his head grandly. "Until we meet again, Robert and Irene."

Then, with a flash of glitter that quickly vanished, Jareth the Goblin King was gone, and Robert and Irene were left alone to ponder a suddenly much larger world.

Author's Commentary #10

On Irene's initial denial of knowing about magic . . . The magical world is supposed to be a secret. Naturally, until she knows for sure that Sarah is indeed talking about it, Irene can't reveal anything.

On the flaming trousers incident . . . Wrote it all out, actually. XD Check my profile for it! It's titled The Troublesome Triplets and The Flaming Pants. Of course. :-P

On Sarah's offer to Irene . . . My resolution to the fact that Toby lives with Sarah, not his parents. Irene is not an evil mother/stepmother. She's just a woman who let her son go when she shouldn't have. Now that's going to be fixed.

On the geas . . . This is pronounced "gesh." Dictionary definition: "noun ( pl. geasa) (in Irish folklore) an obligation or prohibition magically imposed on a person." I got the idea of this from PaisleyRose's Beware of Goblin Gifts or one of her other stories, Fooled Heart. I can't remember which.

On Sarah's middle name . . . Like Toby's, I just made one up. :-P