Khaat got up before Brian. She felt restless, and she didn't know why. She showered and dressed and found no one was really up yet. She saw the glowing ring on the desk, but something felt mroe pressing. She reached for her wand, and to her surprise, Remus's wand shot to her hand. She went out into the hallway and saw Andrew padding around in his pajamas.
"Go back to your room, Andrew," she whispered. "Its too early to be up yet. Shut your bedroom door very quietly and don't make any noise. Wait for me. I'll be back." She heard the clock chime. It was three in the morning. Not time for anyone to be up yet. The house was pitch dark. "Lumos," she said in a whisper, pointing the way for Andrew to go back to his room. Once he was in his room, she slipped silently through the house. When she got out to the living room, she heard a familiar voice.
"Oh well done," the voice said. She spun with almost a lightning swiftness to see someone had brought Remus's portrait from her bedroom at home and had hung it over the fireplace mantel. It was his portrait talking to her now.
"Remus," she said. "Something's wrong."
"Indeed," he said. "You might want to wake your father. He's coming back. He ripped out a lock of your hair yesterday and he's used it to fix solely on you. Don't ask me how I know. We dont' have that much time. It was through the portrait network. He's got a book of ancient magic. He's using it to try to bond to you. Warn your father. He'll know how to interrupt him. But wake him now. They're almost here." The image turned to leave the portrait and then looked back at her. "Oh," the image said. "Take your own wand with you. It will have more power for you than mine, Child."
She woke Brian first and then her parents. Brian went pounding on Jack and Jess's door, Steven's, and Angus's. Khaat grabbed her own wand. Brian transfigured his clothes to fighting clothes, and her parents came out of their room, geared to fight. Angus met them wide awake and dressed in black leather form head to toe, wand in hand.
"I say lets get him this time," Angus said.
"Khaat," Robert said firmly. "You're what he wants. Don't let go of one of us. No matter what. Hold tight. Literally. I mean it."
"We have to protect the kids," she said.
"Believe me, we will," her mother said.