A/N: I own nothing. Enjoy! Oh ya, I borrowed a few things from other fanfiction authors. What the stuff was too funny to pass up? I'll return them someday, unless I forget, or I can't find you…

Chapter 2

Of Stones and the Penguins

They fled down the rapidly collapsing stairs, dodging holes and falling rubble. Abruptly a massive chasm opened beneath Harry's feet and he began to fall into the endless darkness.

"HARRY" Catherine screamed when he vanished.

Thinking quickly he opened his wings, carefully concealed beneath his robes. Ignoring the ripping of his cloak he sped back up towards Catherine, who was standing at the edge peering into the darkness.

He grinned as a wicked thought came to him. Hugging the wall he carefully made his way towards her, noting that the collapsing had stopped. When he reached the ledge he pulled himself up and leaped into her.

Grabbing her by the waist he shot across the chasm, ignore her scream. She opened her mouth to yell at him, but whatever sound she made was lost as they sped down the spiraling stairs.

A darkened room appeared in front him. Pulling back Harry landed gently and let her go. Smoothing her black robes, she whirled around hand raised.

SMACK!!

Harry reeled backwards, a red hand print on his pale face. Gingerly he touched his cheek and winced in pain.

"Don't ever do something like that again." she said

"Don't worry I don't intend to." he responded as the bruise began to fade.

Looking into the shadowed room he could just barely make out the shape of large stone. Stepping inside he griped his sword hilt, ready to draw in moment. Catherine followed him, embracing the Power. Taking a few more steps the troches flared to life with a roar, bathing the room in light.

Looking around Harry saw several old chests against the far wall. The torches were spaced in along the wall in regular intervals, 13 in all he noted. The Portal Stone stood in the center on a stone platform, covered in various symbols. The high, domed ceiling stretched for what seemed to be miles into earth above them.

"Find the symbol, I what to take a look at those chest" Harry said turning to Catherine.

She nodded and they split up to perform their tasks. Catherine climbed up to the portal stone and reached her pocket and pulled out a small book. Performing a wandless enlarging charm she soon held a rather large tome.

Bound in snake leather, covered in various runes of many different cultures, she placed her hand on the serpent of eternity, the symbol of the Aes Sdeai. Hers was different for it was set on a black lily. It was one of a trio, the other was held by Harry and another dimension traveler like themselves.

Whispering the password the snake hissed and the book opened. Flipping quickly through the pages she passed pages filled with notes, equations, ideas, and theories and every subject imaginable. As she tried to find the pages about Portal Stones she found herself thinking about the past. A small smile soon decorated her face. Those were the good days. Then again being over 700 years old does lead on to have a lot good times she thought.

"Ah" she exclaimed when she found the pages covered in pictures of each symbol and a short description on each world they had visited.

Walking around she began her search for the one symbol that would take them home.

Meanwhile

Harry knelt beside the chests. A large metal lock decorated by the serpent, Curious, as far I know no other Wielder ever came to this place, he thought to himself. Letting go of the power he drew his wand, for some reason wizard magic reacted very violently to the Power and the wand was better for detailed work. Like lockpicking, Harry grinned to himself.

Normally he could do this with out a wand, but some of the runes on the lock had him on edge. They were wards against the Power which confirmed to him that whoever had placed the chest here could control wizard magic.

Whispering an unlocking charm with a sharp zigzag, the lock clicked open. Carefully opening the lid he looked inside, several ancient looking tomes, a tattered cloak and small pouch bulging with what appeared to be coins or rings.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a bottomless bag, already filled with everything from the Potter Vaults as well as the Black Vaults. Grabbing the books and pouch he shoved them inside, then turned to other chest.

"Harry, I need some help here" Catherine called out "found anything interesting?"

"Just a few old books, some money and a couple of old potions" he said joining her at the Stone.

"Oh, well. Help me find the right symbol." She responded still searching.

Harry began to look around. They looked for a few minutes in silence broke only by the flipping of pages. Finally Harry broke the silence, "Say can't we stop by Krynn on the way home or maybe Spira?"

"No, I what to see my parents again and I know you do too." She coldly, a warning sign Harry had learned over the years.

Undaunted he went on, "So I here that Tokyo-3 is nice this time of year, with a slight chance of alien attacks. Or that other place, you know the one, with the dragon riders and that kid. What's his name again?"

"No, no, no and to your next question NO! His name is Eragon by the way." She snapped at him.

"Fine, I guess you don't what that massage tonight. But anyhow you're lost not mine." He trailed off; grinning at what would come next.

She fixed him with a death glare that would make any woman proud, but she didn't say anything. Instead she pointed towards a symbol.

"This is it." She said in a tone that promised words later.

Harry gulped and then embraced the Power. The taint bounced off his shields as he wrested for control in the battle that was life or destruction. Kill or be killed. He felt more alive than ever. Minor details became sharp he could hear the whisper of Catherine's silk robes against her body.

The hair along his arms tingled, a sure sign of a woman embracing the Power. Both placed a single finger on the symbol, a double headed dragon, and they began to channel pure Sprit into it. Then came Air, Fire, Earth, and lastly Water. Slowly the dragon heads began to glow. With a great popping the room around them vanished and they found themselves soaring down a long, glowing blueish, green tunnel. Looking around Harry saw many other similar tunnels stretching through the black void, sometimes intersecting.

In this void there was no Power, no magic, no nothing. Harry had theorized that blackness was dark matter and however created the Stones had figured out how to control it. Hence the tunnels he mused.

Suddenly he came to a halt. Glancing at his friend he saw shock. In theory nothing should be able to stop them unless his train of thought vanished as he saw another tunnel moving towards them.

Seamlessly it slid in and Harry could make out something or someone coming through.

The largest figure came into view and they gasp. Striding towards them was Pen-Pen, the warm-water, beer chugging penguin himself. Following behind him had to be thousands of penguins, carrying penguin size Bolters and chainswords.

"Wark" Pen-Pen cried out when he saw the humans, motioning his followers to go on he waddled over to Harry and Catherine.

"Pen-Pen what are you doing here?" Catherine asked.

"Wark wark wark wark, wark" the penguin said.

Harry fell over laughing when he heard this. Catherine gave him a strange look. Trying to catch his breath he said, "He was named the God-Emperor of the penguins"

"Wark" Pen-Pen barked looking indignant.

"And he is leading his fellows on a universal crusade against" Harry fell over laughing again, "The pokemen" he gasp out.

Smiling she said, "Well in that case they are so royally #!&"

"Wark" the penguin said and came very close to what could only be a grin.

"Well Pen-Pen it was nice to see you again, say wark to the pilots and Misato for us" Harry said, "We may drop by for a visit sometime."

Nodding the penguin walked after his soldiers to go kill little pokemon. Harry looked expectantly at Catherine and said, "Can we please?"

"No" she said firmly, a tone not even her father would go against.

"Spoilsport" Harry muttered to himself.

Soon they were once again hurling through the dark matter towards their home. Soon they passed a warning marker, a red color indicating an exit. Bracing themselves they hurtled onwards.

WHOOSH

They found themselves laying on their backs in a wasteland. Staring up at the sky Harry released the Power and the suppressed weariness and the heat forced him to slip into the blissful darkness. The last thing he saw was Catherine already out like light a light. His final thought was should have gone to see Revan and Bastila.

A/N: Sorry if I offended anybody with pokemon thing. I just really, really, really hate them. Anyway the next chapter will be more serious and darkerand the chapte after that will be darker and then darker and darker… Until I decide to stop writing dark chpters. PLEASE REVIEW!!