"Again."
Daphne took a deep breath and advanced, twisting the sword to block.
"Good." Blaise smiled and reset his stance. "Again."
"Do we have to?" She pouted, shoulders slumped. "We've been working on this same attack for three hours."
"You're the one who wanted to work on it. I agree, you can't do archery, and this is the only alternative. Mahari wants everyone trained on one or another."
"I can claim exempt." Daphne groused as she rotated her shoulder.
"Just until they get back."
"If they get back."
"What are you saying?" He lowered his sword and frowned. "You don't think they'll make it back?"
"I don't know Blaise. I mean, they're expected to pull miracles from out of thin air. Who can do that? Why can we depend on them more so than our parents?"
"Most of me still won't trust Harry Potter. A lot of that distrust came from Malfoy and I am separating that from fact… yet I still know the other shoe will drop somehow. At any rate I don't want to see the world under Voldermort. You know the view of Slytherin House. We're all evil, we're all either openly or secretly hoping for a victory for Voldermort."
"I know, I know. That's why I work so hard. It's nice; to be known for your work instead of the House you were sorted into." Daphne shrugged and glanced at the ornate clock against the wall. "We're going to have to pick this up later on today. I have to meet with the Tribunal, and it's going to take awhile."
"We'll have to make it tomorrow. I have to go to Diagon Alley with my mum, ran out of some potion ingredients and she told me that they will still have Potions when we get back. We're in for a new teacher is all."
"I wish they would close the class, even for the rest of the year. It's like Snape wasn't… I don't know." She sighed and shook her head. "Hold on, I thought you were stocked up on potion ingredients. What happened?" Daphne pushed her sword into the scabbard and put it against the wall.
"I was meeting with Neville at my house since his Gran is always trying to eavesdrop on our meetings. Susan Bones stopped by to talk with us and when she mentioned she had to get to Diagon Alley before the Apothecary closed so she could pick up some ingredients for wound cleaning potion. We finished too late, and I gave her what I had."
"Well, just write a receipt and let Susan sign and give it to Parvati. She handles the accounts and she'll reimburse you. Actually, she's heading to Diagon Alley herself, to pick up some parchment and…something else. I forget."
"Alright, I'll head off then, until tomorrow." Daphne nodded and watched him walk out of the ballroom before running after him, just barely catching him on the stairs.
"Blaise!"
"Yes?" He turned and saw her distressed. "What's wrong Daphne?"
"He came by a few days ago." Blaise's jaw dropped and he jogged back up the steps and pulled her back into the ballroom.
"He, you mean Draco?" He whispered as she nodded sadly. "What did he want?" Daphne gave a brief recount of the meeting, resting her forehead on his chest. "Did he hurt you?" He asked lowly.
"Physically? No."
"Good. If he had I would have-"
"You would have what? There's nothing we can do about him. I told Draco he was no longer welcome here."
"And since when has he respected any boundaries placed upon him? You know he still thinks he cares for you."
"He's with Parkinson now."
"He doesn't like her as much as he liked you. Did you tell anyone?"
"Of course not."
"Why not? That's not very smart."
"Who am I going to tell?"
"You should have told me, and you should tell the Tribunal so they can set up a rotation to make sure that he doesn't drop by anymore."
"Blaise, please. Aren't you taking this a little too far? It's just Draco."
"You didn't think that when you told me." He looked down at her and sighed."Fine. I still think you should tell someone."
"I can't. They already have a problem trusting us. I don't want to do anything to put what we've built into jeopardy."
"Fine." Blaise said again. "I have to go. Neville will have his status report to you by tonight. It's going to be a long day for everyone."
"I'm surprised that Mum allowed us out alone." Parvati commented as she browsed through the Apothecary. Padma looked over her shoulder at her twin and raised an eyebrow.
"You're kidding right? A galleon she shows up pretending to realize she forgot she needed something too."
"You're so cynical."
"And you landed Intel." Parvati laughed and looked around the shop.
"I'm not fighting with you because you're bored." Padma stuck out her tongue and stopped poking the box of dragon eggs.
"Fine, don't be a good sister."
"Do you actually need anything out of here? I want to go to Fortescue before we leave."
"No, not really. Just trying to get some ideas."
"Merlin this bodice is snug." Padma adjusted hers, and Parvati had to agree. Two days earlier it was decided that every member of the DA would wear his or her uniform while out in public.
"See, you are getting heavier."
"Ha ha. Let's go." They walked past the counter when the attendant stopped them.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but are you in some sort of club at Hogwarts?" The pretty witch asked as she came around.
"You could say that." Padma replied carefully. "Why?"
"This isn't the first time I've seen that uniform, and I was curious. My little brother is a fourth year, and our mother told me about some interesting behavior he's had since coming home after the incident at Hogwarts."
"Did you hear that? They call it an incident." Parvati turned to her twin with a sarcastic smile.
"I heard."
"What's your brother's name?"
"Graham Pritchard."
Padma looked at her sister briefly. "Pritchard… Pritchard… isn't he with Lovegood?"
"I'd have to look at my files." Parvati shrugged. "What's your name?"
"Wisteria Pritchard."
"Ms. Pritchard, you should be very proud of your brother." The door's bell rang and Blaise swept into the store, his usual fierce expression relieved briefly by a smile.
"Commanders Patil, there you are. I was hoping to catch you before you left the Alley. Here, I need to pick up these things." He handed Parvati a piece of parchment.
"Daphne already signed off on it?" She asked, checking the list and the names.
"Yes, sent me to you. I didn't think I had time to find Ginny before I flooed over, so could you get her to sign it after?" He asked worriedly.
"No problem. I already have the list of potions they're making, so I'm not pressed for it. How much will you need?"
"Ten galleons."
"Fine, here you go." Parvati pulled the coins out of a pouch by her hip and handed them over to Blaise. "Give the receipt to Longbottom."
"Will do. Are you two leaving now?"
"No, we're heading to the stationary store for some more parchment. You know how much we use up in a day. Make sure you tell Neville to check his stores, we can't run out while we're out of Hogwarts."
"Alright. See you."
"See you." Padma held her tongue until they passed a few stores.
"Parvati?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think it was smart to tell Ms. Braddock about her brother?" Parvati walked silently for a few minutes before responding.
"I do. I'm going to talk to Daphne about raising the secrecy rule."
"What for?" Padma asked incredulously.
"Dumbledore knows what we do. Maybe not to the extent that we do it, but it's no secret in Hogwarts. We don't have to tell our parents exactly what we do, but we can tell them what to expect. Besides, everyone's wearing their DA uniform when they leave the house. I don't think it's a secret any longer..."
"I guess your right. It's a good strategy honestly. It boosts morale."
"Good. I am worried." Parvati confided in her twin .
"About what?"
"The DA, us… not being as prepared as we can. Morale." Parvati shrugged. "I'm not sure we're on the right course."
"We still don't want to bring too much attention to what we're doing."
"We won't let people know what goes inside meetings, but they'll know of us sooner or later."
"I don't know. I wish Harry were here." Padma lamented. Her sister raised her eyebrow and sighed. "What was that for?"
"You never liked making decisions."
"I have no qualms making decisions Parvati. I just know our decisions, these same discussions we have at random, become DA law. That makes me uncomfortable."
"Because you don't like making decisions for other people." Parvati reiterated.
"Maybe that's why I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor." Her twin retorted sarcastically.
"Perhaps." Parvati shrugged and held open a door. "Come on, we've got to speak to Fred and George." Padma finally looked at the storefront and frowned.
"Why?"
"Because Daphne said they wanted to help, and I'm here to figure out what they can contribute, and you're here to find something for them to do."
The forest was thicker away from the strangely quiet town. Harry didn't like walking through the empty streets, no signs of life. Xantha and Anderson looked at each other and hurried everyone to the trees. Out of the direct sight of the sun the early spring air was chilly and he was very glad that the DA uniform produced a cloak. Hermione and Ron were slightly ahead of him, holding hands and silent as well.
Suddenly the weight of depression fell on him, and Harry felt like curling up under a tree and crying. What made him think that he was strong enough, talented enough to rescue Mahari? If she hadn't been pregnant with his children she wouldn't have looked twice at him. He knew that now, and the knowledge made him stagger.
He looked up as Ayambe strode past; a stricken look on her own face as she tried to catch up to her mother. Something was wrong, but he couldn't open his mouth. The depression was making him want to go back and curl up and wish for death. Tears were coming to his eyes, and he looked up to see Hermione crying into Ron's cloak. He had stopped, repeatedly wiping his face and trying to comfort her at the same time.
He caught up with Ron and Hermione, all three openly crying and practically stumbling over each other. "Harry, what's going on?" Ron asked, sniffling and sounding as if he had just received the worst news in the world.
"I don't know. I feel like I want to go back."
"I want to turn back too." Hermione sniffled and shivered. "What's wrong with us?" Almost at the same time the trio stepped over a log and they broke apart and fled in different directions.
"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Tedros caught Ron, who practically wrestled him to the ground in effort to run. Hermione was grabbed by Xantha, and was trying to minimize her fighting by comforting her. Harry stumbled straight into the arms of Anderson, a concerned look on her face. She stared into his eyes, and suddenly a feeling of peace came over him. The fear was still there but the urgency was gone.
"Harry, why are you so scared?"
"I don't know." He admitted, finally feeling composed enough to stop struggling. "It just came over me."
"Everyone, don't move. Your Majesty, Princess, are you two feeling anything of the sort?" Anderson searched the trees.
"I'm going to have to admit it's getting worse and worse as we go towards our destination. I've been trying to ignore it but I can't anymore." Ayambe's voice cracked a little. "What's going on?"
"I'm not quite sure. Check for talismans on the trees… We should have figured on this…" Xantha turned around, scanning the forest, everyone fanning out as much as they were comfortable.
"I smell Discord." Anderson shook her head, angry. "More than likely runic in nature."
"Runes? They don't affect people this strongly." Hermione managed to get out between sniffles. She was refusing to let go of Ron, who didn't seem too inclined to let her go either.
"Sometimes they do. There's nothing in the trees." Ayambe paced frustrated and angry. "What's going on? The rune could be anywhere."
The Sidhe who looked as if made of rock came to rest next to Anderson, who looked up at him and nodded. "Athenaeum said the earth feels wrong. It's been imposed upon."
"That means the runes are on the ground. Athenaeum, please find them and destroy them. I don't want to step over another rune on the way to the castle." Xantha patted her daughter's hand. "Are you alright?"
"I will be, as soon as we get Mahari back." Ayambe turned as the ground a few feet away jerked and exploded. Athenaeum raised his hands and various spots of innocuous looking ground blew up, and the tightness in everyone's chest lessened. "That's much better."
"They're crafty bastards." Xantha commented.
"If Voldermort has this waiting for us before we even make it to the castle, what can we expect inside?" Hermione took a deep breath and stood, still holding on to Ron's hand.
"I don't know, but I'm sensing we're being watched." The female sidhe turned around slowly. "They were watching our reaction to the runes."
"I guess we've ruined the element of surprise." Xantha sighed and started pacing. "Perhaps we're not too far away to rush?"
"It has its good points." The sidhe whose hair looked like olive fire shook his head. "I believe we've run out of options."
"You never run out of options. You just run out of obvious ones Halo." The watery woman smiled and stepped forward. "I can sense an underground cavern with water in it. If we could find a good river I could transport everyone that way. Perhaps the direct approach wouldn't be wise, due to our numbers and the inexperienced amongst us." It was as if her words came from underwater.
"Maxim is right. Athenaeum could blast an entrance from inside the cavern. They cannot stop us that way."
Xantha nodded. "Tedros, take to the air. I want you to find an appropriate body of water, if there is one nearby." He nodded once and leaped into the air, the trees rustling in the displaced wind. The queen looked around at the group and sighed. "Children, I want you to stick next to one of us at all times. I cannot risk having you taken."
Anderson touched the bark of the tree closest her. "I see the mark of magic here; the wood is heavy with it."
"They've never dispelled the excess energy. It's sloppy." Hermione looked around in distaste.
"That's why you use runes in certain situations. Most pull in energy, but put out magical waste. Not to be used in nature if you can avoid it." Anderson looked up as Tedros landed with a smile.
"There is a small lake a few hundred feet away. I can't see the bottom."
"Great." Xantha looked around again. "Let's get moving."
Neville placed Trevor on the windowsill and pulled the letter from the owl's leg. It bore the Hogwarts seal, and he tore through it as he turned around. "What's that?" Gran asked, reaching for the parchment in his hands. Out of reflex Neville pulled back slightly, continuing to read.
"We're due back at Hogwarts in three days." He handed the letter to her and scooped Trevor into his pocket. "I'll be in my room."
"Do your guests require anything?" She asked, disappointed as he shook his head. Her Neville had started to become very popular.
"We're fine, thanks Gran." Neville walked down the hall to his room, and Padma looked up as he closed the door. "She's practically salivating at the thought of what we could be doing in here." He shook his head and plopped down on the other side of the bed. She frowned at the phrasing. "Oh, no. She doesn't think we're doing that. She wonders why so many people are coming through my room."
"Oh. Well, take a glance at this list. Is this everyone for the flight set?" Padma handed him a parchment and started gathering her paperwork together. She, Neville and Blaise had been going over battle scenarios all morning, and everyone was tired. At the moment Blaise was checking on a muggle born within their squad that hadn't reported in for two days.
"This isn't going to be enough people. Could Seamus afford to spare some members?" He asked hopefully. "I'm not a good enough flier to lead them, and fifty people aren't enough by half for the scenarios we've got to be prepared to run." Padma nodded her head absently as she flipped through her own stack of parchment..
"Well, I can tell you this already, the Tribunal won't give you anyone from Seamus' squad, but they still have about a hundred requests and invitations to process. They're working overtime to pull through, and I still have my squad sorting through the names. Practically everyone will get new members." She sighed heavily and rubbed her neck. "This is a lot of work."
"Would you have said no if you knew how much work it would be?" Neville asked curiously.
"I wouldn't have had a choice. Parvati would have bullied me anyway." Padma smiled briefly. "Besides, I'm doing this because it's better than sitting around and wondering if I'm going to lose someone I love because of ... " She trailed off sheepishly.
"I'm fighting for my parents, and for Gran." The mood in the room went from busy to contemplative as the two teens retreated to their respective thoughts. The brooding would have gone on for a few more minutes if Blaise hadn't flounced into the room, smelling of sea air.
"I'm back. Here Neville, a written status report from Daniel. His excuse is in there somewhere." He put the parchment on top of the stack and sat down heavily in the only other chair in the room. "I thought we weren't going to meet here anymore?"
"I talked to my Gran. She agreed not to eavesdrop any longer."
"And you trust her?" Padma joked, hiding her laugh behind her hand. Blaise started to grin but it faltered as he caught Neville's hard look.
"She's my Gran. I'm all she has really." The mood sank back to pensive before Neville roused himself and walked to the window. "We're basically done here Padma. I need at least thirty new people before we can move forward. Tell Daphne she's going to have to get me those names before we move back to Hogwarts."
"Are you giving her orders?" Came the Ravenclaw's surprised response.
"He's telling her what he needs to get the job done." Padma glared at Blaise as she stood and threw her parchment in a pile.
"You blokes don't know how hard it is to filter through that stack of people!"
"Then we can dedicate ten people to help the Tribunal get through the enrollment list. Would that help?" Neville said calmly, still gazing out of the window.
"I'll talk to Daphne. Parvati will hear about this." She mumbled, gathering her things.
"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Neville turned back from the window and smiled. "I can't cut corners, and with my squad, I don't think you want me to."
"You're right, I don't. I'll see what we can do." Blaise watched Padma walk out the door to the parlor and turned back to his Commander.
"You were a little harsh, don't you think?"
"No. We need those extra people."
"Before we get to Hogwarts?"
"If we get them before then the flight training can begin as soon as we get back. I want to be prepared before something else happens."
What are we supposed to do?" Hermione screeched. "They're just getting up again!"
"I don't want to hurt them, but they're going to have to get out of the way." Xantha rematerialized next to Harry and shook her head. "This is why the village was empty. They're being used as puppets. This is the worst type of magic."
"But how can we stop them without hurting them?" Ron stunned another two people; one looked about the age of his great aunt, one Ginny's age. They twitched on the floor as more stepped over, ever reaching for them.
"Nehol Rehmnan." Xantha spat and turned to the three. "Cover your ears now!" Harry clapped his hands over his ears and Ron and Hermione followed suit. Tedros came barreling through the air, knocking the villagers to the ground as his grandmother opened her mouth to emit this horribly low pitched sound that felt like a punch to the stomach. Harry, Ron and Hermione dropped to the ground and tried not to scream as the wave of villagers fell behind them. Tedros was slammed to the floor, choking in the thick air. As suddenly as it came, it passed, and everyone staggered to his or her feet.
Tedros was still rolling on the floor, holding his ears with tears streaming down his face. Blood was seeping through his fingers, and Xantha helped him to his feet. "Are you alright?"
"What?" He yelled, wiping the blood on his shirt. She put her hands over his ears and closed her eyes. For a moment nothing happened, and then Tedros jerked back and bellowed, pushing away from Xantha. "Why is my head burning?"
"You ruptured a few things, I had to regrow them."
"What was that sound? It was like… It wasn't even a sound, more like a feeling." Tedros shivered slightly as he looked at his grandmother.
"We need to find your sister and she's not in this room, so I suggest we move."
"Yeah, before they wake up." Ron grimaced as he stepped over the villagers. Hermione was still looking at the sea of bodies when Harry grabbed her hand and tugged her forward, towards the door.
"Will they be okay?" She asked hesitantly, trying to catch Xantha's eye. The queen abruptly turned and walked down the narrow hall. "Queen Xantha, will they be alright?"
"Yes, they will be alright. Where is Ayambe?" She turned to see Tedros point down the hall.
"We split up to cover more ground. I was supposed to rejoin you and Aunt Ayambe was going for Anderson and Maxim upstairs."
Ayambe used the blade of her sword to glance around the corner. It was clear save the decapitated body lying halfway out of a room. Taking a deep breath she moved down the hall, stepping over the dead man and wondering what or who took his head. Literally out of the air a blonde woman stepped from the wall and jabbed a thin stick under her chin. "Don't move."
The accent was thick with hatred, and the wild look in her eye suggested that she would do anything she had to maintain the upper ground. "I'm not here to kill you; I'm here for someone else. You don't have to do this."
"I decide what I have to do or not. Who are you?"
"Ayambe Wheaton."
"Ayambe Wheaton, what are you doing here?"
"I've come to rescue my niece."
"Remove your helmet." Ayambe closed her eyes briefly before complying. "You're part sidhe, aren't you?"
"How did you know that?"
"I've made it a hobby studying your people. I've never had a living specimen until your niece was so kind to join us."
"So you have her?"
"I set her loose."
"How fortunate for you."
"She is soaked in blood." Ayambe hesitated, and turned to face the Russian.
"Is it her blood?"
"No. No, it is the blood of sacrifices and the blood of my men she killed. Blood lust has claimed her."
Ayambe turned and blurred, grabbing the woman's wand and throwing it over her shoulder, grabbing her around the neck and slamming her against the wall. "I suggest you tell me where she is."
Mariska gagged briefly until Ayambe let her breathe a little. "She has gone to kill. She will kill until she is killed. I know the stories of your people."
"Then why don't you meet my mother, the queen? I'm sure she'll love to ask you a few questions."
Piotr panted heavily as he ducked around a corner and slid against the metal door, frantically trying to keep his nerves together. Watching Vladimir and Mikhail be torn apart is something that would never leave his memory, and even now he was trying not to cry as he remembered how she looked up at him before he ran away.
The door behind him felt strangely soft and he turned around and screamed as two arms reached out and started pulling him in. Grabbing at the crack in between the flagstones, Piotr wedged his fingers in and tried to hold on, but whatever was pulling him backwards wouldn't stop, and his arms were beginning to shake. Footsteps echoed down the hall and he yelled out desperately, hoping that it was Gustav, or anyone who could help him.
Green pants led up to some sort of green armor, and a redheaded woman peered down at him briefly before frowning. "Princess, please let this man go."
"He is mine. You do not command me." Mahari's face emerged from the door, a metallic mask twisted in hatred. Piotr started screaming harder, reaching out towards the woman, but she didn't move to take hold of his grasping hands.
"You cannot forget who you are, Princess Mahari."
"I know who I am; do you know who you are? Why do you care about this worthless man, this blight on the earth?"
"I don't care about him, but you're going to regret this when you come to your right mind. When this bloodlust is over, you're going to remember what you did. I don't want that for you." Anderson knelt in front of the door and sighed. "Please Princess… Mahari I beg you."
"Begging is usually done on the knees, but I don't think you're humble enough." Mahari grinned and revealed silver teeth. "If I let him go he dies."
"Come out princess."
"No. They have to pay." Mahari abruptly let Piotr go, and his scream died as the light left his eyes. Anderson watched as the princess stepped out of the door, awash in blood and who knows what else. "Any more requests?"
"Don't make me fight you Mahari, I will if I have to." She rose to her feet and stepped backwards with her hand on her sword.
"Do you honestly think you could beat me?"
"We were both taught by the queen."
"True, but I am a natural. You had to work harder at it than I did."
"But I have had a few hundred years to get it right." Before the comment cleared her lips properly Mahari was on her, sword still in its scabbard, but teeth bared. The sidhe were legendary in battle, and her face was twisted in a mix of fury and glee. The princess would try and fight with her bare hands for the love of the combat. Anderson grabbed her arms and flipped her over her head, through the wall and into an empty room that reeked of rotting flesh.
Mahari skidded to a stop against some chains and ripped one from the wall, still grinning as the wounds on her cheek sealed themselves in silver, and when the metal faded her skin was whole and without blemish. "I've learned some things about my power; I'm not as weak as I was."
"To revel in blood is to give your soul to the darkness. The Princess I knew, the Mahari I loved knew that, and would never do this. How many have you killed?"
"Does it matter, they meant nothing to me." Mahari windmilled the chain and launched herself across the room, wrapping the thick links around the older woman's neck and heaving her into the wall. Anderson braced herself as she crashed to the floor, grabbing the chain and pulling, at the same time prying her sword from her hip and slamming the scabbard across Mahari's face.
The young woman screamed as her flesh seared, and she clawed at her face even as she yanked backwards on the chain. "What is that? Why can't I see?" She screamed.
"You forgot who I am." Anderson watched Mahari stumble around, dropping the chain and grabbing her head.
"It's in my skull, what have you done?!"
"What I should have done instead of reasoning with you." Anderson sighed and knocked the hilt of her sword against Mahari's temple, and the screaming girl was suddenly silent, dropping to the stones as if dead. She picked Mahari up and slung her over her shoulder and went to look for Xantha.
Mariska tried not to be afraid, but the woman standing before her occupied more space than the physical. Her sheer presence pushed against her skin and it felt like small bites, her anger manifesting tiny sparks against metal. The one who was her daughter kicked her legs and she fell to her knees, a sword at her neck. "You kneel before the queen."
"She's not my queen." Xantha laughed and stepped forward, appraising her.
"Do you know where my granddaughter is?"
"Do you mean the mongrel that killed almost all my men?" Mariska smiled, showing red teeth. "I don't know where she is. I hope she rots in hell."
"You made sure of that, huh? Ayambe, didn't you say blood?"
"She said the blood of sacrifices."
"You know your history, don't you human?" Xantha paced, trying to get her emotions in check.
"I do." Mariska's eyes widened as the black haired boy pushed his hair from his forehead and the lightning shaped scar came into view. "You're Harry Potter?" She couldn't keep the contempt out of her voice. "You're the one we've been preparing to fight?"
"What do you mean?" Harry stepped forward, eyes wide. "Is there going to be another attack on Hogwarts?"
"I'm not telling you anything." She hocked and spat into his face, the mucous hitting his glasses and shirt. She grinned as the red head child grimaced and looked away.
"That's just gross." Ron shuddered as Harry took off his glasses and wiped them on her shirt, looking outwardly calm. Mariska gasped when he put the glasses back on and stared into her eyes.
"What are you supposed to gain from this? Attack Hogwarts, kidnap my wife and you have a specimen to study? That's how he got you to do this?" He asked quietly, his eyes never leaving hers.
"He has more power than you could ever imagine. You are no match for him on your best day and him on his worse. He will wipe you from this earth as if you never existed, and then he will do the same for your family, your friends and anyone you've ever met. Your name will be just a vague memory. If they speak of you again it will be in hushed tones and with hopelessness born of constant regret. The Dark Lord will prove once and for all that he is the greatest wizard to ever live.
"Those who were loyal will reside in the lap of luxury as the unbelievers are either killed or made to be our slaves. The sun itself will be blotted from the sky, as the wrath he holds is unleashed upon the world. It will be beautiful, and you won't live to see it."
"But you're here, in front of me. I guess Voldemort likes a sediment he really latches on..." His voice was different, colder and full of something unspeakable at the same time. "You talk of this beautiful world, and you have no idea that he will turn on you when he's done using you. You're dead when you cease to have a purpose."
"That's not true. The Dark Lord loves his subjects." Her voice came out shakily, and she tried to look away and found she couldn't. The emerald eyes flickered, causing her chest to seize briefly.
"Why hasn't he sent anyone for you? Bellatrix was here, wasn't she? Where is she now?"
"She… she went to report to Voldermort."
"Right before we got here, isn't that right? Don't you find that interesting?" Mariska shook her head as a tear slipped down her cheek. "You were a set up. A pawn that was placed to take the full brunt of our anger. A very well placed distraction that unfortunately worked. What does Voldermort want at Hogwarts?"
"I… don't know." Harry could see she was telling the truth, but the anger did not leave him. "I didn't know. I was supposed to study Mrs. Potter and find out the secret to the sidhe so they could be swayed to come to our side. That is all I know."
"So you put my family in danger, my friends in danger for a plan you obviously wasn't clued in on. You have this so-called beautiful world in mind, a world that's torn apart by your evil, so let me tell you what I see for you. Everyone who thinks like you, who follows your Dark Lord, they will die. There are no reprieves; there are no second chances. It will be swift, fast and merciful. Far better than what you would have given us."
"We have people who will…" Mariska faltered as he leaned in close.
"You have people who will what?" She didn't respond, but couldn't stop her body from quaking. "Idle threats can be hazardous for your health. If you tell me what you were going to say, I will make sure that when you die it will be relatively painless."
"The Killing Curse? You don't have the гениталии to do it."
"No, I don't. What were you going to say?" Harry pressed again, wiping away the tears that were now falling freely from her eyes. He didn't know why he did that, but he was moving on autopilot, practically a passenger in his own head.
"An attack on Hogsmeade, we were to burn it to the ground." She whispered after a few seconds.
"When?"
"In a week." Harry nodded briefly and smiled. Mariska drew back and sniffed. "You remind me of the Dark Lord. Perhaps he has more than a trivial reason to kill you." He frowned and rose to his knees.
"I'm done." He motioned to Ayambe, who still had her sword pressed at the Russian's neck.
"Wait! I could give you more information! Attacks we have planned! Think of the lives you could save!" She cried out imploringly. "I have much information!" He hesitated and turned around.
"Harry, let's hear her out." Hermione said hesitantly. "She could help us save countless lives."
"If she's not lying." Ron looked at the Russian shrewdly. "This could be a ploy to gain sympathy or time, or even to convince us to spare her life. I say we kill her and be done with it."
"Ronald, she's a human being!" Hermione turned to him, indignation written across her open face. "How could you say something like that?"
"About as easily as she would have if roles were reversed. Besides, she's not a human being, she's a Death Eater." Mariska laughed as her skin glimmered with green scales as if drawn by some unseen hand.
"Stupid little children, arrogant sidhe. I am Dragon inside, and you cannot hurt me anymore." As her tail extended her voice became unintelligible, but the fangs she bared were perfectly clear. Mariska was growing quickly, and would soon fill the room with two tons of pure evil.
Xantha pushed Harry out of the way and dodged the lengthening head to place her hands on the swelling scales over the chest cavity. Mariska roared, but stopped growing. Neither sidhe nor beast moved for a couple of moments, and no one knew what was happening, but a very human like wail came from the dragon's mouth, and she began shrinking.
The dragon blinked and her eyes became human, the tail disappearing and in short order the death eater came into view, blond hair blowing in a wind that no one else could feel. "How could you do that? It is impossible." Mariska gasped out.
"You were right. Magic wouldn't have been able to stop you, but only when the transformation was complete. Only when you were completely dragon. But you were almost human, and I could still stop you. Could still kill you." Xantha raised her fist and it pulsed oddly, and Mariska realized it beat in time to her heart. "You don't know everything about my people. You think your Dark Lord is terrible? You haven't seen anything you stupid, silly girl."
Harry's eyes opened wide as the Queen opened her fist, and Mariska screamed briefly, before blood poured from her mouth as her body convulsed. She hit the ground dead, in a pool of her own fluids.
"A bit showy, don't you think?" Ayambe asked, her face slightly bored as she sheathed her sword. The snap of the hilt caused Hermione to jump, her eyes frozen on the dead woman's body. "Now you've scared the children."
"I'm not scared…. Not… not really." Ron stammered, blinking rapidly. Harry didn't know how he felt really, the threat before them was gone, and he gained some information that he would pass on to the DA… but he still hadn't found Mahari.
"We're wasting time. We have to find Mahari." He said, his scar aching. Where did what was said come from? It wasn't from his thoughts; they came to his lips without consulting his brain. But he knew it to be truth as soon as they were spoken.
"Tedros is coming this way, and Maxim is with Athenaeum in the cavern where we came up. Halo is keeping watch on the skies, and I don't know where Anderson is. I never know where Anderson is." Ayambe stepped over the body in the middle of the room and didn't spare a glance. As she reached the door Tedros walked in and shook his head.
"It's empty." He said, scratching his head. "No movement. Only dead bodies and the sleeping people on the first floor."
"Sleeping? I thought they were d-?"
"That's enough Ayambe." Xantha said quickly, shaking her head minutely.
"Okay. So let's find Anderson and we can start searching from the ground up."
"No need, I found her. I suggest we get out of here very quickly." Anderson came from the opposite end of the hall and smiled apologetically at Harry. "I had to knock her out."
"I'm not surprised. If she was in full swing of battle lust then there was no reasoning with her. I suggest we gather the rest of our numbers and leave quickly." Xantha reached out slightly before pulling her hand back. "I cannot touch her until the blood has been washed off. That goes for you too Tedros and Ayambe. I don't want what happened here to happen again."
"I want to carry her." Harry stepped forward and held out his arms. Anderson looked at him briefly and turned to the queen.
"It's a lot of dead weight, and we need to move fast."
"I want to carry her." Harry said again, and without waiting for a response lifted Mahari from Anderson's shoulder. "She's my wife, and my responsibility." Everyone was silent as he walked out of the room and to the right.
"Well, seems I was wrong." Anderson said after a few seconds. Tedros opened his mouth to say something but Harry crossed the doorway again, muttering about going the wrong way.
"We'll have to complete the enrollment list when we get there."
"Got it. We're almost done already."
"Good. I'm not going to want a sweater, am I?"
"Probably not. The weather is pretty warm now."
"Right. Justin said that the training schedule hasn't been distributed yet, why?"
"I'm not sure… who did he give it to?"
"You'll have to check with him. This is an ugly shirt, isn't it?"
"Just slightly. Today or when we get to Hogwarts?"
"Today please. Do you have a master list of the Healer Squad's potions?"
"Yes. Lisa has a copy with her."
"Good, but I want a copy for myself, and give one to Padma, for her records."
"Will do. I heard the Tribunal meeting ran late last night; did you manage to make a list that I could give to Neville?"
"Yes." Daphne paused her packing and lifted her trunk, pulling a piece of parchment free and handing it to Parvati. "I hope he appreciates this. It took us a lot of work."
"I'm sure we'll all appreciate it." She put it in her files and went back to the list. "Seamus said that he'll need extra people for a recount and redistribution of the hex balls when we get back. I told him I'd check with you, but I have about ten people I can loan him from my squad, if that's okay."
"Actually that would fall under Hermione's squad, so have Terry strike up a plan, and if he needs help, then Seamus will supply the extra manpower."
"Today?"
"Within the next two hours, if you can. The first Commanders meeting will be the day we get to Hogwarts, after everyone settles in. The rounds lists are also finished-" She grunted as she yanked the paper from underneath the chest, "and make sure that the lieutenants know that they have a meeting the next day, but for the first night they need to tell their respective squads about the changes in the rounds. Effective immediately there are to be no transfers submitted until the Tribunal gets a handle on this recent wave of enrollment."
"Alright, noted. Anything else?"
"Tomorrow is going to be crazy, so I need to move the meeting with Ginny, Dean, Ernie and Padma to this afternoon."
"What about?"
"They're submitting some research on certain weapons that they want cleared for their squads. We have to be on the same page, and I don't think I could bear responsibility for Ginny brewing up everything that came to that redhead of hers. She's been talking to Longbottom about certain plants, so expect to get a request for some funds for new potions…" Daphne stopped and looked around, scratching her head at the mounds of clothes all over the room. " How are we doing on the inventory report?"
"Right here." Parvati handed Daphne a stack of parchment and made some more notes on her legal pad.
"We're going to forget something, aren't we?" She asked as she thumbed through it.
"No, we're not." Parvati said confidently.
"We are; I can feel it." Daphne closed the trunk and sat on it, latching it quickly and jumping off. She shoved the luggage over and picked up the rest of her files. "There will be a mandatory meeting of the entire DA three days after we get back. We'll introduce the training and meeting schedules then."
"Three whole days free? What will we do with ourselves?"
Daphne pointedly ignored the sarcasm and pushed on. "Not for us. We still have to finish up the new enrollees and set up orientation, synchronize our files, et cetera, et cetera."
"We have accumulated quite a bit of paperwork." Parvati agreed, sighing and looking over her long list of things to do. "I guess I'll get started then." Daphne smiled and waved as she stepped into the emerald fire. Waiting until the roar died away, the blonde tapped the star on her choker and sighed.
"Blaise?"
"Daphne, is everything okay?"
"I'm nervous for some reason." She admitted, sitting down in the window box that overlooked the Greengrass Gardens.
"We have a lot of work to do. I just got done talking to Padma. Apparently her twin was complaining that she feels like your secretary at times." He laughed.
"I can't help that. Intel reports to the Tribunal. Everyone reports to the Tribunal. She'll get past it eventually. Have you packed already?"
"I think I'm leaving it until the last day. The house elves are pretty quick, so it shouldn't be a problem."
"You're so lazy." Daphne sighed again. "What do you have planned with your free time?"
"I have to go and check on ten people in my squad, I have a Lieutenants meeting I'm hosting at my house, and then nothing after that, but who knows how long that will last..."
"Who is the presiding Commander?"
"Luna."
"You'll have to tell me how that goes. Smart girl, but she's a little strange at times." Blaise laughed again and she heard a faint voice in the background.
"Alright, I have to go. Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?"
"Unlike you, I'm booked up until we leave on the train. Tell your mother I said hello."
"Will do." She leaned her forehead against the glass and closed her eyes briefly before the bell chimed on the fireplace, and a moment later a brown head cleared the fire.
"Daphne, have I come at a bad time?" She turned to see Justin looking kind of confused with a stack of parchment in one hand and a few magical law books in the other. "Remember, you told me to come over about nine to finish?"
"Right. No, I didn't forget." Daphne mentally shook herself and reluctantly climbed down from the window. "So much to do."
"So little time." He agreed ruefully.
"What's taking so long?" Ayambe asked, looking over her mother's shoulder into the bowl of liquid she was mixing.
"It was a lot of blood. Pass me the jar of Swiss Green." Hermione looked on with interest as Xantha's daughter dutifully passed her a medium sized jar of dried leaves.
"What are you making?" She asked, watching the queen make fine dust out of five fragile looking leaves. The pestle against the stone bowl was the only sound for a few seconds, and when she poured it into the bowl, the room smelled of mountain snow.
"Even when we wash the blood off of Mahari, we're going to have to deal with the effects the blood had on her mind. The Lust is a state we have to wipe away." Xantha turned to Ayambe and pointed at the tall rack that held jars of herbs; liquid, dried, powdered and flowering with labels in a language Hermione couldn't read, and it didn't matter anyway because the symbols continuously shifted. "I need the Somniferous."
"Rosea or violacea?"
"Rosea. And three leaves of Bearded Prickly and the seeds of Red Hands." Ayambe nodded and brought everything over to the table her mother was working with and turned to Hermione.
"I have something to show you, we'll leave my mother to make her remedy." Xantha shook her head briefly and continued her work, and Hermione wondered what Tedros' aunt could possibly want to show her. "You have a rigid sense of morals, young lady."
"Why, because I don't believe in killing people?" She shot back, irritated at always accused of not seeing the big picture in life. Ayambe turned into a room and Hermione hesitated briefly because she couldn't see more than a foot into the room.
"Are you scared of me?" The voice in the dark room caused a shiver, but Hermione sighed and stepped forward.
"No."
"Good, because I mean you no ill will." The room brightened and Ayambe took her hand off of a green square on the far wall. The room was filed with rows and rows of books, some very old and others fairly new. You could almost smell the knowledge in the air and Hermione fell in love almost instantly. "This is our library. Tedros told me of the society you're building, and I thought this might be something you would want to peruse, help give you some ideas."
"Wow, thanks. This is very nice of you." She said, turning around in a dazed circle. She could spend the rest of her life in here and be happy.
"Yes, but this might not be." Ayambe handed her a piece of notebook paper.
"Scaber somnifera, procumbent viscosa, sinense stellata ? What is this?"
"It's a potion."
"Bella Donna? It calls for it to be used as a sedative."
"It's a poison."
"I don't want it." The brunette shook her head and attempted to give it back.
"That's why I'm giving it to you. Ron should not have this; because he would use it any chance he felt he had to. The same for my nephew, the ruthlessness that runs in our family sometimes causes us to make little short cuts. Harry… Harry might never use this, and that would be an equal mistake. You… I've been watching you."
"And?"
"And you aspire to be a greater person than you feel you are. You don't let the other side change you. Foolish at times, but very noble. It's your nobility that will save your friends."
"They don't feel that way. I can tell Ron is sometimes very annoyed with me." Hermione confessed, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"But not for the reason you think. You remind him that he has to be better, and the frustration that you feel is him understanding that the other side doesn't have that. Don't be so hard on yourself." Ayambe smiled as the young girl in front of her glanced down at the paper in confusion.
"I haven't heard of most of these plants."
"Climbing Sleep, China Star and Red River, you've never heard of those? Well, I have some reading for you then." Ayambe disappeared between two shelves, and after a few minutes came back with three large green books. "You have a lot to catch up on."
"I wish Ginny were here. This is her department." Hermione shrugged. "I'll just take good notes."
"I'll talk to my mother; see if we can't allow you to take a few volumes home at a time."
"That would be wonderful!" She grinned, taking the books and sighing with happiness.
"I'm sure it would. I'm going to leave you with your reading now." Hermione watched the enigmatic woman leave, not knowing what to think about her anymore.
Harry stared up at the ceiling and wondered if sleep was coming tonight. The full moon outside filtered silver light into the room, highlighting the form of the person lying next to him. Mahari sighed and turned over, opening her eyes briefly before he watched them flutter shut again. Xantha told him to expect that for the next few days, until the potion worked itself out of her system.
In the silence he heard the faint footsteps outside the door, and rolled over as the hesitant knock came. Harry opened the door and closed it behind him. "What's wrong Ron?" The red head shook his head quickly.
"No, it's not that something is wrong. I was just going to ask if it's okay if Hermione and I go ahead and go back. We've got to check on Daphne and see what the DA's been doing since we've been gone. I sincerely hope they haven't gone off on schedule while we've been away."
"Sure, yeah." Harry nodded; eyes unfocused as he thought of everything that he needed to do when he eventually came back to Hogwarts. "But first, can you get a status report from Daphne before you go? You, Hermione and I will have to sit down and go over it."
"Alright. When do you think you'll be joining us?"
"To go over the status report?"
"No, to come back to Hogwarts." Harry shrugged.
"I have to make sure that Mahari is okay, and check on Mera and Max. Hopefully only a week. I'll keep in touch of course. Tell Ginny to send Hedwig." Ron nodded and started to walk down the hall. "Hey Ron?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks. I wasn't even thinking about the DA." His best friend nodded and smiled.
"I know. That's what I'm here for."
Bellatrix nudged a hand with her boot and couldn't help but be impressed. "They're all dead." She said, turning around and staring at the bodies. Lucius raised the hem of his cloak and stepped into the room.
"The Russians that were hired… they're all dead, but upstairs. I didn't think Potter had it in him."
"Mariska?"
"I did say all of them." Lucius' reply came back dripping with disdain.
"Can't say I'm sad to see her die. Hope it was painful."
"I'm sure it was." He wrinkled his nose in distaste. "This was almost pointless. Did the Dark Lord get what he wanted?"
"Yes. He rather enjoyed the little display I put on for him. Gustav got himself noticed by reporting what Mariska was doing. She should have done only what she was paid for. She might still be alive."
"Doubtful. She was prettier than you, so I guess it's easier to be glad she's dead.." Bellatrix looked up just in time to glare at the back of his platinum head.
"What my sister ever saw in you is unfathomable." She took one more look around and smiled. " Lord Voldermort will be pleased."