It was already late into the night.
Holmes Manor was quiet.
The wall clock on the first floor ticked slowly.
Every movement of its hands.
Seemed to keep a secret for the entire house.
The third basement level was quieter still.
There were no windows there.
Nor was there a fireplace.
Only layer upon layer of runes pressing down.
They were embedded in the walls.
In the floor.
And in the metal framework of the ceiling.
Silver lines stretched out from between the stones.
Like roots growing in reverse.
In the center of the room.
Stood a black cylindrical chamber.
Its walls were translucent.
Dark red mist churned inside.
The red was filthy.
Like blood squeezed from an old wound.
Outside the cylindrical chamber.
A ring of brass instruments hummed softly.
Pale blue liquid filled the glass tubes.
They lit up section by section.
Then went dark section by section.
The row along the wall.
Consisted of Muggle machines.
The monitors had bulging backs.
The computer cases radiated heat.
A small green light flickered erratically.
The keyboards had been taken apart.
The cables had been rewired.
Every one was inscribed with a Stabilizing Charm and a Conduit Charm.
Douglas stood beside the table.
Wearing a dark gray shirt.
Its sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.
He held a slender silver pen between his fingers.
Like a doctor.
And like an executioner.
He looked up at the chamber.
"How are you doing tonight?"
Red Mist churned for a moment.
Then squeezed out a blurry face.
Its eye sockets were terrifyingly deep.
Yet its lips were stretched thin.
"I memorized twenty-seven pages today."
The voice was hoarse and chilling.
"Memory, cache, buses, chipsets."
"I can even spell those stupid words of yours now."
Douglas nodded.
"Good."
"As a reward, you get