Well, hello everyone. I know that it's been a while but I'd like to think the time away working on original works has done me and my writing skill some good. I took what I learned working on Athena and continued to learn. Also, I am proud to announce that I did turn in a manuscript to a publisher and they are considering it; I'm rather hopeful.

I hope that, even with such a long time between me working on Athena, that I have kept to her character. We'll see, I guess.

so once, more, I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the Easter Eggs within.

Chapter One: Azkaban, Long Time No See…

Dark and angry waves cashed with a thunderous roar upon the side of the prison. The air was cold and felt like a slap to the face when Nym and I came out of our magical means of transportation. Last time I'd been to this rock I'd been severally unprepared for the conditions but a lot had happened since then and I'd learned my lesson.

As strange as it seemed coming to Azkaban was my way of decompression. The past week had been demanding and nerve-wracking and every other way to say it was downright stressing. If coming back and being different had a half filled cup of mixed emotions than the World Cup made that cup overflow.

Hermione had fallen in love with Dorcha Clagh and I felt our time there was too little for the discussion we needed to have. Only the promise of returning had gotten us back to the Weasleys on time for dinner. I think she could have spent more than just a scant full of hours chatting up the portraits.

She hadn't been too happy to get my watered down version of being backwards in time. Hermione just seemed to know that I wasn't telling her everything even with my carefully crafted story. The bookworm had just kissed me gently and told me that she'd get it out of me eventually. Then she promised to love me forever and wanted to see the library.

Dinner with the host of the Weasley household plus guests had been…overwhelming. I've never been asked that many questions and those are one of Kaylee's secret loves. I'm not sure which of the older brothers it was that got the questions knocked off but I was grateful for them.

Then there was the World Quidditch Cup, the very thing that I was meeting Madam Bones for once my trip to see my mum was done. With a sigh, I cleared my mind of recent happenings and focused my gaze upon the dreaded door of Azkaban. This time round, thanks to Lancelot, I could now understand what I was feeling from my tingling palm.

The door was laced with charms like unplotables, muggle repellants, years of patronus residue, charms for restricting access and the newest one was against animagi. There was no guessing as to why that last one had been added. Speaking of that dog, Sirius had been keeping a wide berth of me since our little spat at Dorcha Clagh; even when we were at the World Quidditch Cup he refused to speak to me.

Nym tugged on my coat to get my attention before jerking her head towards the door. Her hair had taken on a subdued color today and she'd tightened the scarf that was wound around her neck and lower face. I followed closely behind her trying, once again, to get use to the 'normal' clothes that Hermione had dressed me in.

For some reason Hermione had chosen to dress me in kaki cargo pants (homemade by Jubilee), a graphic long sleeved shirt (an Auror shirt that I'm sure was Nym's) and combat boots. The pea coat I could live with but I still had to wonder about the rest of it and how fast she'd put the outfit together and had revamped my wardrobe.

Not sure that Jubilee had been pleased with Hermione's request that my wardrobe not look like I'd brought it back from the Uprising. In the few days after the World Cup, I'd seen Hermione and Jubilee with their heads together with sketch pads and clothing catalogues. Hope they remembered that I actually needed a uniform marking me as a Knight of Camelot.

Nym slipped her hand into mine as we passed through the door and she conjured her swan patronus. It'd changed since the last time she'd cast it, if Nym was to be believed. I couldn't remember if I'd ever seen Nym's before but she said that it'd been a Jack Russell Terrier. Made me chuckle to see it, though, and Nym gave me a shove when I asked if her pen pal in France knew about the change.

***A***

The jaunt down to Bellatrix's cell was a quick one that Nym didn't need directions for. I felt a little hesitant when I saw the door. For a moment all I could see was the memory of the way Bellatrix's eyes had changed. When she went from being my mum to crazed Death Eater.

"You okay, cousin?" Nym asked softly so that her voice didn't carry down the stone corridor. "You seem to be spacing out a lot since we got here."

I just nodded, nervously running a gloved finger over the scar on my cheek. "I'm fine, Nym just…I'm nervous," I answered back in the same soft tone. "My magic has been pulling me here. I just don't know what I'm going to find on the other side of that door."

Nym nodded in understanding, we'd talked about this. The pull towards my mother had gotten stronger over the last few days until I could no longer ignore it, earth magicks were demanding I be near her. It was about family and balancing… out something. I didn't really understand it even with all the voices in my head.

As I was considered an adult now, Madam Bones couldn't stop me from visiting without reason and neither could Aunt Andy. Nym had volunteered to keep me safe so that half a dozen Hogwarts students weren't following me to the forbidden isle of doom and gloom. She promised to return me in the same condition that she'd found me, Nym was the only one to find her joke funny.

"Well, Madam Bones did say that Bella was in better condition than last time and she'd got her wits about her," Nym reminded me. "Seems the constant meals and healing potions have been doing her good."

I just nodded and sighed deeply. It was now or never because I could hear Bellatrix moving around on the other side of the door. Nym gave me an encouraging pat on the arm before she tapped the door with her wand. As I passed through I realized that the door did more than keep the prisoner in, it kept the dementors out.

This time couldn't have been more different than my last visit. For one, Bellatrix was smiling with a healthy grin from a newer bed with actual blankets. She'd gained weight and her hair was brushed, done up in a quick braid. Had to smile when I noticed she was wearing my coat that'd been left behind last year.

Her eyes lit up when she caught sight of me, her greeting to Nym caught in her throat. I didn't even get to greet her before the woman was up and out of the bed, her arms wrapped around me. She had to go up on tippy toes to get her arms around my neck.

I wasted no time in hugging my mother back and inspecting her space over her shoulder. The bed sat on a small frame that had no legs, that was had warming charms, and was bookended by two stands. At the head of the bed was a small bookcase that was overflowing with books. There was a book on the floor that'd been in Bellatrix's lap when we'd came in.

The other shelf held clothes, familiar looking colored boxes and a full row of potions bottles and personal hygiene items. With my hawk eyes I could see that the clothes were of Jubilee's handy work, they looked warm and were in Gryffindor's colors. The boxes had Danny's company's logo etched into the handles; the red and blue boxes I could understand but I struggled to remember what the purple one was for.

My inspection ended when Bellatrix let me go and frowned at me. Gently she ran the tips of her fingers over the scar on my face, a tender touch vs. my nervous one earlier. She cooed over the scar before pulling me over to her bed, making me take my boots off before I could sit with her. Nym trudged to the corner, happy to be forgotten and overlooked.

"What in Merlin's name happened?!" my mother demanded touching the scar again. "The last my sister told me of you, my love, you were coming up on your final exams. You could have written me too, you know."

I tried not to grimace at the pained look she had. "I'm sorry, mum, I would have if I'd known I was allowed to," I admitted, trying to ignore that Scottish bur that clung stubbornly to my words. "Maybe I should've asked but I am sorry. As for this past summer, there's…there's a lot that happened."

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed a little and her grip on my hands tightened. "Andy is going to get a strongly worded letter about the sharing of important information regarding you, daughter."

I just nodded before admitting, "well, I think that it's better that I tell you what happened rather than Aunt Andy."

"And why's that?" I went wide eyed at the woman's tone, there was a dangerous lit to that Gran and Nana had when I was in trouble. Hearing it from Bellatrix was startling to say the least.

"Well, how much of this past year to were your told about?" I asked, curious to know what she'd been told.

Bellatrix nodded slowly before answering, "You're an animagus," she said proudly. "Beat your father by a bit, though he never spent much time as his animagus. He was a humming bird," she chuckled when she answered my questioning look. "After he transformed, Fergus cursed him so that any birds he produced for spells were humming birds, didn't matter the spell."

I grinned at that. "I think it was passed on, all I seemed to produce is humming birds too. However, I am a black sparrowhawk."

Bellatrix nodded before growling. "I know and you became it after getting knocked off your broom by bleeding dementors," she glared at the door and hissed like a cat would. "Remind me to strangle my cousin the next time I see him, you'll have to bring him to me but I digress."

"I think half of Wizengamot's wouldn't mind chucking him back in here," I told her ruefully. "He's quite the…well, he's a special bean, that's for sure. Moving on, though, umm…my friends and I caught Sirius at Hogwarts."

I was actually worried as I told her the story of Peter Pettigrew and Sirius, in a shack…with a wand. There was a murderous rage in her eyes that I feared would bring about that flash of blue, then she'd change again. Instead, she just held tightly onto my wrists and counted under breath after I'd stopped talking.

"So that bastard hurt you?" she asked, her eyes on my cheek. "Was it Sirius because I will bust out of here and make him rue the day he was conceived!"

I chuckled at the threat. "No, it wasn't Sirius. Though, I do like that threat," that got her to smile. "What do you know of the Knights of Camelot?"

Bellatrix's reaction was instant. She just blinked at me for a second before she leaned back. Her eyes took in me as if she were seeing me for the first time since I'd arrived. Carefully, her hand went back to my scar.

"You were taken by a Knight?" she asked and sighed heavily when I nodded. "I did research on them when I was still in Hogwarts. I assume that you learned family history the same as I, though I hope my sisters were kinder to you than our mother was to us." I nodded and she continued, "I found a letter about Rigel Black and it mentioned the Knights. I wanted to know why we no longer held Dorcha Clagh."

"Oh, we do," I countered quickly. "Well, I do. Nana put it trust for me…and I should have started from the beginning," I did grimace at her look of confusion. "Right, so, we brought sandwiches and drinks," I pointed to the bag that Nym had shucked and was sitting at her feet. "This is going to take a while."

***A***

I told her and, by extension, Nym (though she already knew) everything that had happened in eight months that I was gone. Well, eight months for me and two and half for everyone else. My mother listened intently and ate dutifully of the food that was placed before her.

She stopped me to ask questions from time to time but overall she just listened. It was hard to talk but cathartic at the same time. Hooch had told me it got easier with every retelling.

I hadn't wanted to tell this part because I when I did then the thing I feared would happened. We'd gotten to the part where I was flogged by Rhett when Bellatrix lost her control and her eyes flashed blue. However, before she could start ranting or Nym could react to pull me away, I reached out and put the heel of my hand to Bellatrix's forehead.

The force of magic that happened next had me wanting to toss the sandwich I'd shared with my mother. It was a massive dose of earth magick that'd been summoned by the voices and done before I could even understand what they were saying. I tried to collect myself as I leaned over the edge of my mother's bed, swallowing back that burning urge to throw up.

"What was that?" Nym demanded, she was on her feet with her wand drawn on my mother.

Bellatrix sounded dumbfounded when she answered for me, "she weakened the curse on me. Oh Morgan's socks!" she cried and pulled me to her, hold my face in her hands. "My sweet, sweet child, you are amazing. You weakened the curse to make me a Death Eater. I can feel the weight of it gone from my shoulders. Thinking is so much easier now, it's not gone because I can still feel him, the Dark Lord in the far back of my mind. What did you do and how do you have that power?"

I held onto her wrists and answered slowly, "earth magick, beyond that I don't know. It was the others, the Lancelots who've come before. Sometimes they just take over and do something, like I'm a puppet."

"I'm not sure I like that," My mother confessed.

I scowled as I said, "join the club, you can be vice-president. Gran's got dibs on being treasurer."

Bellatrix sighed. "I'm going to have to write Minerva about this. I do not like it no matter how helpful it is."

"No kidding," Nym huffed sitting back down before pointing at me, "don't think I'm going to keep this to me wee lonesome, cousin."

I ignored her because I didn't figure she was going to anyways. Instead I looked back towards my mother. A weight may have been gone off her shoulders but there was another one on mine. She'd been cursed to be a Death Eater, never had a choice in her actions and it'd earned her that one way trip here. Now she was free of that curse but still getting a lifetime of the same four, cold and dreary walls.

"It's alright, my love," Bellatrix's whispered, getting me to look her in the eyes. "What's done is done. As much as I'd loved to be out there, with you, this is where I belong."

I shook my head. "No, you don't, you never did. The Lestrange brothers belong here but never you!" those choking emotions were back. "You belong free and happy with Robert in Castletown in our home. Ya deserve ta be getting yer mastery in potions not rotting away in a cell! Riddle did this! He deserves this cell not ye!" I cried, my brogue thickening as my hurt and anger broke through. "Ya deserved ta be ma mother. Ta hear ma first words and see ma first steps. Ye deserved so much better than this."

Bellatrix held me to her while I sobbed out my emotions and just how unfair it was. The rest of our visit passed much the way. With me curled up in her arms.

She made me promise to not think of myself as a monster after I'd finished my story. Bellatrix had met monsters and what I'd done paled in comparison; not even when I willing hunted redcoats or tore Rhett apart. Sometimes the scariest thing to happen is when a good person goes to war; no one ever expects the killing to be done by them.

I did make Bellatrix giggle when I mentioned Hermione. Oh, my mother wanted to hear all about my girlfriend and didn't once care about her blood status. Only thing she commented on was that it was a good thing that neither Hermione nor I had been Slytherins, we would have ruled the school. Nym actually looked fearful at the concept because she knew as well as I that if I'd gone Slytherin then so would have Hermione.

"Soul mates and reincarnation is not out of the realm of being impossible, after all," Bellatrix hummed thoughtfully. "We do wield arcane forces and you did travel back in time. At this point I'm almost not surprised at what magic is capable of."

***A***

Nym held my hand tightly as we left Azkaban. I hadn't wanted to leave Bellatrix but between both women, they got me walking away. I promised to write now that I knew I could and I was going to try and find a way to free Bellatrix. Not that I mentioned that to Nym or Bellatrix because that wasn't an argument I wanted with them. I was in need of finding Uncle Ted and quite possibly before the day ended.

Having to be honest with myself, I felt much better for having talked to my mother. The balance had been struck but I couldn't pinpoint why. There was a lot about earth magick that I didn't understand and the voices weren't forth coming. That was irritating to no end.

Madame Bones was waiting for us upon our return the Ministry. She looked me over for injuries before nodding and dragged me away to her office; I knew better than to resist. The elder Bones woman wasn't happy for many reasons but I'm pretty sure that most of them extend from what happened at the Quidditch World Cup just a few days prior.

Bones's office looked the same as it had the last time I'd been in, that seemed like a lifetime ago but was, in fact, just a little more than a year ago. My kept my mouth shut as Bones conjured me a chair before her desk and told me to sit. There was this urge to point out that I was the wrong Black for that command but, again, I knew better.

"What in the name of Merlin's bleeding beard happened at the World Cup?" she demanded, hard eyes set.

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair and shoved the voices of the other knights away. "Well, there were Death Eaters, magicals showing off and a strange case of the snitch catching team not winning the game." I shrugged and tugged at the corner of one of my cargo pockets. "IF you want details that's another matter. I feel my actions were justified."

"Athena," Madam Bones gritted her teeth, using my name for effect, "I want to know exactly what happened from the time you arrived at the World Cup to the point that you threatened a high ranking ministry official with a sword."

"Excalibur," I corrected and then winced that the flash of anger that wash over the Head of the DMLE's face. "Right, so, what happened? Well, it started alright…just let me say that pants, today's pants are really tight and rough." I frowned down at my lap and picked at the material, "got used to the soft cloth britches or whatever but Myne wouldn't let me wear what I wanted to wear." I looked up then and pouted slightly, "Said I was not a child of the 1700's therefor I did not need to dress as such. Joke's on her because I have two men who were raised in the 1700's in my head."

Madam Bones merely raised an eyebrow to cut off my rant. I frowned at the woman, trying to adjust my long frame in the chair she'd provided. Well, if she killed me now, I can say that I'm not the shortest lived Lancelot.

**A**

Hermione and I had made it back to the Burrow with ten minutes to spare before dinner was to be served. Dinner was outside in the garden that was void of those pesky little beings that the Weasley children truly despise. Not that I had much of a chance to consider their fate as Hermione dragged me by the hand to the dinner table where everyone was sitting. Would have been quicker to name those not present.

The group cheered when the caught sight of us. I wanted to turn around and go the other way because there was way too much joy for me to be comfortable. Hermione just tightened her grip on my hand and pulled me over to the empty chairs that were waiting for us. I did as commanded and sat; I tried to ignore the fact it felt like I was the odd monkey out of the group.

"So, where'd ya go, Whiskers?" George asked with Fred adding in almost the same breath, "and how did you get there? My galleon's on a portkey."

I was slow to smile. "Then you'd lose your money, Gred. I can apperate these days, they even gifted me a license to do it too. Just call me Black, Athena Black, license to apperate." I held up my hands in a makeshift gun and blew over the tops of my fingers.

The twins frowned and said, "I don't get it."

Hermione and Harry were snickering and it was the bushy haired bookworm who took pity on the boys. "It's a muggle reference to the movies and books about a British spy named James Bond. I thought you disliked those movies, Hammy?"

I nodded quickly. "Aye, I do. The man's a whore. If it were a woman who went around shagging that many men and killing that many people, well…just think all the nasty little comments that could be made." I tried not to frown when my aunts blanched at my usage of the word 'whore', Draco snorted pumpkin juice out of his nose at the sight of his mother's expression. "However, that is such a catchy line. I could be a secret agent…ya know, if I know how to be subtle."

"You sound Scottish," Su Li scowled and leaned forward over her plate. "Did you catch some sickness while you were away?"

"Su Li!" Hermione hissed and I just chuckled.

I nodded quickly as I slipped my arm across Hermione's shoulders to placate her. "Aye, I did. It's called Knight-itis. So, tell me, who's playing again in the Quidditch Cup?"

**A**

Madam Bones scowled. "Let me rephrase myself, Athena." I winced, maybe I went too far back. "What happened to get half the ministry pointing their wands at my niece?"

"Well, do you want the whole story or just the flashy bits?" I asked putting up my hands for peace.

The older woman's scowl turned into a glare and I swear the room got colder. "The flashy bits, child."

"Alright then." I puffed out my cheeks and decided to power through.

**A**

After a long argument the night before with Hermione about my dressing habits, compromise had been made with Jubilee to change my 'outdated' clothes to something more modern. I was grumbling about the tight long sleeve shirt with the t-shirt over top and the cargo pants with short boots (or what I considered short boots) as we made our way up to the portkey that Mr. Weasley said was waiting. Good thing it was a long coil of ship's rigging rope or we wouldn't have all fit.

Of course, waiting at the rope were Mr. Diggory and Cedric. The younger Diggory cried happily to see me and rushed me. I almost punched him in the face before he got his arms around me and swung me about. It was weird when he put me down and I was now a shade taller than him.

"You, my friend, are a sight for sore eyes." Cedric mused as he took a step back. "And taller too. What happened there?" he asked curiously tapping his chin to indicate mine.

I shrugged and replied, "Mahjong tournament gone wrong. Wouldn't think it but those things are dangerous. I'd rather go skydiving without the parachute."

"That's because you can turn into a bird and coast your way to the ground," Harry rolled his eyes at me as Hermione smacked me. I just grinned and shrugged; well…he was right and Hermione must have remembered the last time I used dangerous mahjong play as an excuse.

Without actually answering Cedric's question, I slid my arm across the boy's shoulders and maneuvered us towards the portkey. I hadn't answered too many questions about what'd happened while I was away and I wasn't about to start on a hilltop with a limited amount of time for that conversation. My avoidance didn't go unnoticed and there were a lot of frowns amongst my friends.

Arriving at the camp grounds was hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing at what the magical world considered camping and the magic was obvious. There were tents that towered three stories tall with turrets and bird baths, little gardens and children flying around on toy brooms.

"Damn, I would have loved this type of camping a few months ago," I whispered to Hermione when she pulled me to the back of the group to help me get control of myself. "All we had was an enchanted tent that slept three and had room for a camp stove and for a while I didn't even have that! Just used a tartan with a warming charm as a sort of sleeping bag on the frozen Scottish ground next to a campfire that was burned down low with just a few hours' sleep. This…this is ridiculous. Please do not call this camping!" I shook my head as I wiped away tears. Even had to point out the poor, glassy eyed muggle who ran the camp ground, "this poor chap is likely to have brain cancer after this, think how many times they've had to oblivate him. Just better off knocking his arse out for the week and implanting false memories whilst having a muggleborn run the show. Why do they have to make it harder than it should be?"

Hermione slipped her arms around my waist and drew me into her side, her head resting against my shoulder. "You give them too much credit to plan ahead," she admonished, gently slapping at my stomach. "Also, I want to hear more about this camping in the dirt."

I shrugged as our group finally got admittance into the camp ground. "It was dirty and cold and dirty."

"That's a non-answer, Hammy," Hermione stated gruffly. "Want to try again?"

I looked down at her and frowned. "It was scary, uncomfortable and tiring, there wasn't to eat and we spent most of the day traveling. Didn't always have a horse to get around on. This was towards the end of the Uprising and a lot had been lost." I confessed lowly so just Hermione could hear me. "It wasn't like this at all," I gave a general wave to the chaos around us. "Not even when I first arrived. Rupert kept command and kept the Paladins under muggle radar."

Hermione listen, her grip around my waist was a tight one. I wasn't about to pull away because she was helping the building anxiety I was feeling. The crowd was starting to get to me because the last time I'd been in such a noisy crowd there was fighting involved.

I stuck close to Hermione when we arrived at the already pitched tents that had Sirius and Billy Weasley lounging out in front. My cousin's eyes narrowed when he caught sight of me but they lit up when they moved on to Harry. Pretty sure that Sirius wasn't expecting me as my being here wasn't accounted for when tickets were purchased; I was here as a guest of the Minister of Magic himself, wouldn't have looked like an insult otherwise.

After initial greetings and getting things into tents, Mr. Weasley sent us younger folk after water. Which led to various meetings of classmates who were not part of the Council at school, all of whom had no idea what my 'summer' had entailed. Apparently, I'd gone to France with Hermione and the rest; damn good thing I'd been there before.

**A**

"That's lovely, Athena," Madam Bones smirked, not sounding genuinely happy, "but we please get to the point."

I glared at the older woman. "You want the tale or not, ma'am?" I asked, no fire in my voice because I respected the woman too much and there was a nagging little voice that told me that was a no-no to snap her. "If I tell it out of order I might miss something. Like how when we got up to our seats near the Minister's Box there was a man with Winky. He was under an invisibility cloak."

Madam Bones frowned, for a different reason than my slow story telling skills. "Barty Crouch's elf, the one in you confiscated?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes, that elf! She told us that she was saving her master's seat and while I thought it strange that the man was under the cloak I didn't say anything. Magicals be weird, as Harry would say," I stated gruffly. "He looked glassy eyed and sickly; the bloke under the cloak, not Harry. I figured he had an aversion to crowds or anxiety or something about being seen. He was in the company of the elf and I'm sure whomever the hell he was, he's the one who cast the Dark Mark over the campgrounds."

Madam Bones quirked up an eyebrow questioningly. "Explain…and no sass, Lady Black, I'm not afraid to turn you over my knee. I do have your grandmother's permission."

Took every bit of self-control not to roll my eyes at the woman. I sighed and rolled my neck. "If he was with Winky in the Minister's Box then sense dictates that he was probably with her when she was found," I pointed out and then continued.

**A**

After Krum had caught the snitch and still lost the game, it was quite the effort to get everyone back to the set of tents at the Weasley campground. The boys, encouraged by Sirius but stopped by the other responsible adults, wanted to wonder off and join one of the Irish parties that was having their fun celebrating. I stayed quiet trying to soak of the happy energy my friends were putting out; maybe I could imagine myself like a dead battery and they were the charge that could bring me back from the darkness wherein I'd found myself.

I sat happily in the corner of the main tent where the boys were bunking, sort of smelled like cat piss, with Hermione and Susan and watched the rest with a butterbeer in my hand. Certainly wasn't the whisky that Claudia had gotten me into but it'd do for this environment. Susan nudged me when she noticed the small smile playing at my lips at my drunken memories.

"What are you smiling about, Whiskers?" she asked, getting Hermione's attention at the same time.

I shrugged and felt I should be honest with Susan. "I was thinking of my cousin, Claudia Black. She was sort of a bad role model I had while I was away but she still took care of me," I explained remember the brash woman. "After…after we'd lost someone important, we spent a month up north at the Black family village. There Claudia taught me out to out drink the tenants and that started bar fights. I was useless during them and would watch her kick butt from the corner because I'd couldn't remember how to walk. It sounds bad," both Susan and Hermione were nodding, "but Claudia was helping me to cope in her own way. The drinking had to be better than that dragon we chased out of the glen north of Loch Sgàthan."

Susan's eyebrows vanished up into her hair and Hermione slapped my shoulder and growled, "You took on a dragon?"

I pouted at my girlfriend as I rubbed my shoulder, "you do remember I is tender right?"

Hermione blushed and gave a soft smile. "You is a ham," she responded as Susan grinned boldly.

It was late when Mr. Weasley finally called an end to the replays that pitted Su Li, Draco and Harry against the force that was the Weasley brood. It was quite entertaining with Charlie's commentary that had Percy scowling at him for use of colorful language. Pretty sure that if Su Li wasn't so hung up on Neville (Hermione had whispered that they were together now) that she would have been drooling over Charlie; two words…being dragons and muscles.

I had to pick the punch drunk Ravenclaw up and toss her over my shoulder to get her to the girl's tent so she'd stop flirting with Neville. Then Su Li realized how far off the ground my shoulder was and started demanding her imminent release or there would be consequences.

"Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your family!" Su Li was screaming as she thumped her fists against my back, my scars didn't appreciate the attention but I didn't complain. "Dishonor on your COW! AHHH!" she cried when I tossed her on to her bed and smirked. "You think you're so tough, Black, but we'll see."

I just shrugged as the rest piled in behind us. Ginny was giggling like mad as Susan dragged her in the by wrist and Hermione looked amused. I settled down on my little cot and merely kicked my boots off while the other girls started to change for bed, kept my socks after second thought looking down at my wiggling toes. Some habits, I guess, stick.

"Aren't you going to change, Athena?" Ginny asked curious from her own cot.

I shook my head. "Nope, little red, I'm not. If we weren't camping out then sure but you never know what's going to happen in group of drunken idiots with wands."

"You think there's going to be trouble," Susan asked sounding a little worried.

A sigh escaped me as I shook my head. "More like I don't trust groups of idiots with the spirits in them. Bar fights, my friend, bar fights all start the same way…some unhappy nutter with too little brain cells."

**A**

Madam Bones nodded at that. "That's pretty much true," she said. "The stories I could tell on your Gran back in the day. Don't tell her I told you this but your grandfather and his mates demolished the Broomsticks back in the day in a dust up. Individually they were smart but get them together and cavemen had the advantage; least they knew how to point and grunt."

I found that funny, more so because of how serious the woman sounded. "Yes, well, needless to say, your niece put her wand holster back on her wrist after that bit of conversation. You in the ministry realize the danger in not letting your youth have a little leeway in that whole restriction of magic right?" I asked curiously. "They fear using magic because they don't want their wands snapped and in that instance they cripple themselves when it comes to protecting themselves. Had Harry and the rest been able to cast they could have thrown up shields against twenty some people casting stunners in rapid fire. That sort of thing could have killed a herd of elephants, a group of magic-less teens wouldn't had stood a chance, and they didn't stand a chance!"

Bones gritted her teeth. "I have had that talk with my people and those involved about looking before they cast."

"No kidding, toss up one of those anti-apperation nets and something to negate portkeys and then go as most civilians had already fled," I shook my head at the foolishness of adults. "The voices do know that spell but sometimes they get excited and just become white noise as they talk over themselves."

"I had a thought about that," Madam Bones perked up. "How's the Great Wall of China in your head?"

I frowned realizing where she was going with that thought. "On the list of things I need to check on, it seems." I shifted in my chair and trying not to think about all that was needed to be done. "Back to the story, though, I wasn't asleep when the screaming started and Arthur Weasley stuck his head through the door."

"Yes, there were orders that there was the other knight was there?" Madam Bones was fishing.

I nodded. "Yes," I drew the word out, "Dimitri was there, he apperated when he felt I was in danger. It's a knight thing, earth magick senses. Same way I knew dumb adults were making mistakes. Intuition, that ability to read minds that I can't remember the name of…"

"You mean legilimency?" Bones offered.

"Yes!" I snapped my fingers together happily and pointed to her, "yes, that's that thingy."

Madam Bones rolled her eyes at me. "Continue with the story, silly child, and tell me what happened with the Death Eaters."

**A**

My boots were already tied and I was shaking Hermione awake when Mr. Weasley stuck his head in through the tent's door. He didn't look surprise that I was awake and already moving. The man stayed long enough to say there was trouble in the campground, then he was gone. I frowned at this as Hermione finally opened her eyes and I moved to shake Susan's shoulder.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, her voice not laced with sleep as none of the girls had been asleep long enough.

I chuckled darkly as I moved on to Ginny. "Idiots causing trouble, what else is new?" I asked as I headed for the door, pausing to look back at the shocked group of girls. "Don't forget your wands."

My heart raced as I came out of the tent. The source of the problem was easy to find. Off towards the other side of the campsite was a group of shrouded people, casting spells and setting things on fire. Above them were human shapes floating in the air, dangling like puppets. The people feeling the group were in all out panic and not caring how they got away. My temper flared at the sight of faceless group reveling in the mayhem.

Without thought I called up my armor and felt it settle across my shoulders. My palm tingled as my shield came as well, strapped to my arm, the voices whispering that it could deflect even the worst spells. My attention was drawn away from the chaos as arguing broke out behind me.

"Hey," I glared at Su Li, who had her wand drawn and was ready for a fight. I got their attention "What do you think you're going to do with that, Su Li?"

Su Li squared her shoulders and held her head up high. "I'm going to go deal with those nutters."

"No, you're not," Mr. Weasley grabbed her arm as the girl started to move forward. "You and the others are going to go hide in the woods where it's safe," he growled and glared at his daughter when she started to protest. "Keep together and we'll find you later."

He then handed Su Li's arm over to Neville. Ginny was plastered to Draco's side, Susan was watching the chaos coming our way while Harry and Neville look steadfast. Hermione was frowning at me and I was torn. I wanted to go with them but the Paladin in me wanted to want towards the fighting.

"What about Athena?" Su Li demanded, tears welling up her eyes. Hermione wasn't the only one to realize something important. "She's coming with us, right?"

Hermione answered for the adults, "She's going with them." Her tone was one that made it clear that she didn't like what'd she'd just said. The words leaving a bitter taste in her mouth as she reached up and pulled me down to her. "You die, Hammy, and I will figure out how to bring you back just so I can kill you myself…do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," I whispered back knowing full well that, as the brightest witch of our age, she was more than capable of doing exactly what she'd just claimed.

Hermione glared at me. "Good, birdie," she said succinctly as she patted my cheek. For a second she waivered, her eyes on my lips before she turned and nodded to Mr. Weasley. "We got this, Mr. Weasley."

With a determined stride Hermione led our friends towards the woods. I didn't watch them go as I turned and then was surprised. My helmet decided to materialize right then and it was really frigging weird. I could feel the thing, there was a weight but I couldn't see the face plate thingy.

Instead it was like a heads up display that highlighted everything. It was easy to figure out, however, because it had a sort of IFF (Identify, Friend or Foe). Friends were in blue, non-combatants (those scared folks that ran past us) were in yellow and enemies were in red. I wasn't going to question how that worked or how people were designated cause that'd give me a headache.

"Cool," Bill grinned, "your eyes are Gryffindor red."

I groaned, really wish Bill would have called them something else because that hurt; I was no long a Gryffindor. "Freaking Gryffindor colors no matter what I do."

With a low rumbling grumble from my throat, I turned and started sprinting towards the fight. The crowd was thick and difficult to get through so I launched myself into the air with a wandless spell and shifted into my hawk form; that HUD stayed with me in my vision. As if my vision was magically tweaked already.

I had to smile, well mentally at least because I currently had a beak, at the whispered suggestion that came from the others in my head. As I came over top of the shrouded assholes, I found one and dove. Just before I got to that person I shifted back and used my own self as a battering ram; my shield up with my body behind and the person I hit didn't get back up, just whimpered in pain.

That was satisfying but I didn't linger long over the fallen, with a burst of earth magick I banished the Roberts family (the campground overseer guy) to St. Mungo's; looked like there'd been more done than using them as human puppets. With their main source entertainment gone, the shrouded figured zeroed in on me…well, crappy crayons with no sharpener.

There was a flash of light, almost brighter than the sun, lasted two seconds at the most but it was enough to ruin the night vision of most everyone but me. That was because my helmet helped and Dimitri had arrived. He was standing next to me with his wand drawn and his shield up; I didn't feel so bad now, the eyes on his helmet were glowing red as well.

Now, we Knights of Camelot, we went into the fray with those defenders of the public who'd arrived; apperating into the fight. Some of the hooded idiots didn't stick around, deciding that prey that fought back wasn't as entertaining. About a third had cleared out when the Weasleys and Sirius arrived.

One of the hood idiots raised a wand at Mr. Weasley and shot green light at him. I 'stepped' (that's what it was called in my head) towards the Weasley patriarch, zipping across the distance to get between him and the killing curse. The spell, which smelt like crushed stink bugs, hit my shield and sounded like a gong as it knocked me backwards. Sent me rolling and wiped out Mr. Weasley at the knees.

**A**

Madam Bones held up a hand to stop me there. "Wait, you stopped a killing curse?" she demanded in disbelief.

I nodded slowly. "Yea, as far as I know the spell doesn't go through physical barriers…right?" I frowned as I rubbed at my temple. "The voices vs. what we've learned in class is…difficult to tell apart."

Bones tired not to roll her eyes at me. "I mean, and not that I'm surprised because they were Death Eaters, but one actually tried to kill Arthur Weasley?"

"Tried and failed," I was quite happy that the Weasley patriarch had not died.

Bones sighed as she leaned over and opened the bottom drawer of her desk. There was a telltale clink of glass and liquor bottle. I watched as she pour herself a healthy draught and drank the dark colored spirit in one go; hey, that stuff is supposed to be sipped. Claudia would be having words right about now.

"Now," Madam Bones set the empty glass aside and looked back to me. "Tell me what is this 'stepping' that you mentioned."

I frowned as I tried to find the words to describe what had happened. "It is a bit like apperating but not. It's moving from one space to another within visual distance at a magically, superfast pace. Blink and you'll miss it happening." I didn't feel like I was explaining it correctly. "I can go farther than Dimitri can because I have hawk vision. To be honest," I looked up to the older woman, "I think 'stepping' was apperation before apperation was apperation. A precursor."

Madam Bones hummed thoughtfully and picked up her pen. I'm sure that she was making a note to look that up so that she could see if I was right. If I were the Department Head, I would make my aurors lean that little trick.

"Okay," Madam Bones looked up, her pen set aside, "where did your sword come into play?" she asked. "So far, all I'm hearing is that you were using your wand."

I shrugged. "After I took Mr. Weasley out like a bowling pin, same Death Eater numpty sent a plant monster with tentacles. Also, I'd dropped my wand when I took the hit. Had to chop my way out of the plant's grasp. I'd just summoned my wand to me, holstered it before a second plant attacked. Well, it was about to when I felt…or heard, my friends' fear. Dimitri apperated with me to protect them."

"And you holding Barty Crouch Sr., Head of Department of International Magical Cooperation at sword point?" Bones prompted, propping up her head on her fist with her elbow on the arm of her office chair.

I scowled at the mention of that douche-canoe. "How many sticks does that man have shoved up his ass? I doubt that man is capable of pooping." I asked incredulously and Bones snorted back her amusement. "How drool and boring do you have to be to be Sir Percival Weasley's role model? I almost stabbed that-that-that…"

"Constipated dick-swab?" Bones offered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Yes, that bastard. He would not believe that Harry freaking Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Trouble-Magnet did not cast the Dark Mark!" I growled that all out in one breath, even days later that frustrated the hell out of me. "Not to mention that he refused back down and think like a proper human being and not a wrecking ball."

**A**

Dimitri and I had apperated in just in time, not everyone being shielded behind us had hit the deck quick enough. Neville was still trying to drag Su Li to the ground, Su Li was trying to draw her wand to cast a shielding charm. A quick look back showed that the original group had gotten separated and only Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Susan and Su Li had managed to stick together.

I growled as the red stunners continued to ping off our shields. They only stopped when Mr. Weasley screamed out, "STOP! THOSE ARE MY CHILDREN!" nice to know he claimed the lot of us.

My helmet vanished as I peeked up and over the shield, at least Mr. Diggory had the decency to look ashamed. My hawk vision could see him clearly in the garish green light of the snake and skull floating overhead. Mr. Couch looked incensed at the redheaded man who'd shoved his wand arm down; he was the type of man who had a stick shoved up his ass. Sirius's description from when we encountered the man earlier in the day.

"Which one of you cast that?!" Mr. Crouch cried, pointing to the sky as Dimitri and I were helping the group of teens to their feet.

Susan Bones actually snarled as she demanded, marching towards the ministry official. "Excuse me?" she snapped and pointed to Harry. "That is Harry Potter, Mr. Crouch, the so named Boy-Who-Lived, the one responsible for the fall of Tom Riddle. I am Susan Bones, the niece of Madam Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!" she was practically screaming now. "HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT WE, TEENAGERS, WOULD CAST SUCH A FOUL SPELL THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH!"

I wrapped Susan up with an arm around her waist, picking her up and spun her around. "Whoa there, little badger. You want to let me handle this, yeah?"

"They could have killed us, Athena," Susan protest as Dimitri put himself between Mr. Crouch and us.

I whispered to her, promising to keep them safe as I handed Susan over to Hermione. Mr. Crouch grunted like a mad bull as he bumped into Dimitri.

"Move, or I will have you arrested!" the older man had growled.

Dimitri kept his calm, I watched his helmet vanish as I turned around. "No, because you do not have the…authority to have me arrested."

"I will have the one who cast that mark!" Crouch vowed.

Mr. Diggory stepped in then, eyeing me as I took my place beside Dimitri. "Barty," he pulled Crouch back a few steps. "They are children. I doubt they even know how to cast the mark, let alone his mark," he pointed out and added, "especially Harry Potter. Let's try to think rationally." Mr. Crouch growled but kept his peace as Mr. Diggory let him go. Once he was sure that Crouch wouldn't rush us again, Mr. Diggory looked to me. "Lady Black, may I ask them some questions?"

I nodded and stepped aside for the man. I trusted Mr. Weasley, who'd already slipped around to be with the jittery group, to look out for them as their guardian. The Weasley patriarch had accepted that roll when he got permission to take them to the World Cup.

"Is everyone okay?" Mr. Diggory asked, his own fatherly instinct showing. Besides Susan still hiding her face in Hermione's shoulder (I'm not sure if it was because she was beyond furious and needed the grounding touch or because she was scared), everyone was just shaky and pale faced. When Mr. Diggory got a few nodded, one from Mr. Weasley, he moved on to his questions. "Did any of you, by chance, hear where the spell came from?"

Su Li nodded and pointed off towards the wood a little ways away. "Yea, Mr. Cedric's Dad, there was some dodo over there speaking shite." Su Li change? Never…

Mr. Diggory smiled softly as he raised his wand towards where Su Li had pointed. With that the man headed off into the brush; I would have followed but Dimitri stopped me with a hand on his arm. It was better to let Mr. Diggory handle this. We heard Mr. Diggory swear rather colorfully (I was impressed), there was some rustling of the bush before the man returned, an elf under one arm (snoring quite loudly) and something else that looked familiar.

"Hey, that's my wand!" Harry cried pointing.

"Ah-HA!" Mr. Crouch cried, trying to shove past Hestia Jones who'd taken up trying to keep the man back.

Excalibur was up and level with the man's throat as he rushed to grab Harry; he damn near impaled himself. Wands went up behind Mr. Crouch and once again Mr. Weasley was calling for peace. My eyes felt like they were burning (later, Dimitri told me they were glowing) and Mr. Crouch nary dared to breath least he cut his own throat.

"You will stand down, Mr. Crouch," I stated as calm and cool as possible, Excalibur resting over the top of my shield, "or I will cut you down. Your impatience and accusations are not helping the matter. As your Regent, I command you to step back and calm down before you are charged with child endangerment and you lose your position. Blink if you understand."

**A**

Madam Bones smirked as she said, "Auror Jones did say that your eyes were glowing, the whites were brilliant white and your pupils were scary green."

I frowned at that, scary green…really? "Your auror has an interesting way of describing things."

"Was she wrong?" Bones wanted to know.

I frowned at the woman. "How would I know? I wasn't looking at myself from a third person view while I was keeping your ministry colleague from attacking your niece."

"Fair point," Bones concluded. "Please, continue."

**A**

It was as Crouch was thinking over his choice, if I was serious or not, that Ludo Bagmen appeared. The same man who was, not a few hours before, was taking bets and merrily strutting about in his old Quidditch Kit. Smarmy git was the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. He may have known how to announce a good game but after what came next, I think the man was pretty much useless for anything less.

Everyone flinched but me when there was a pop that filled the air. Good thing too or Mr. Couch would have sprung a leak. Bagmen had arrived, the man looked harried and confused. He gaped when he noticed the group of discontent teens, Dimitri and I still in our armor, and then he looked upon the group of adults watching him.

"What's going on here?" Bagmen asked dumbly, not even the registering the sword at Crouch's throat, and then pointed to the sky, "what's up with that?" he asked as Crouch blinked at me and I lowered my sword. "Barty where were you at the match? Your elf saved your spot…and now she's on the ground? What in the name of Merlin's dingy underpants is going on?!" the former Quidditch player was apparently better at reading the pitch than group moods.

It was Bagmen's demand using Merlin's under clothes in vain that finally snapped Mr. Crouch's attention away from Harry and the rest of my friends. He paled when he looked down at realized that it was his elf on the ground. Now all the attention was on the faint looking Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.

"This-this can't be!" Crouch exclaimed, this man seriously had a flair for the dramatic. He glared at Mr. Diggory and declared, "You must be mistaken!"

Mr. Diggory shook his head, kneeling beside the elf still and was still holding Harry's wand. "No, not really. There wasn't anyone else over there, Barty. I'm sorry." Harry tried to get the man's attention but was too late as Mr. Diggory, who worked for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, pointed his own wand at Winky's head and stated clearly, "ennervate!"

Winky moaned softly as the spell hit her. A little elfin hand went to her head, "oh's, Winky is not feeling well."

"Elf," Mr. Diggory's voice, being so close I would imagine, spooked Winky. She sat up and stared at the man with huge eyes before squeaking out a yelp for being the center of attention when she noticed the rest of us watching her. "Elf!" Mr. Diggory called again, snapping Winky's attention back to her. He held up Harry's wand and demanded, "Where did you get this wand?"

"I is finding it, sir." She stated pitifully, tugging at her large bat like ears.

Mr. Diggory narrowed his eyes at the elf before turning his wand on Harry's. Harry tried to move to stop this but Mr. Weasley held him back; Harry was probably thinking his wand about to be destroyed. Instead, Mr. Diggory performed a spell that caused the same image that was in the sky to come out of the tip of Harry's wand; smaller in size but still the snake and skull.

That only made things worse for Winky. Mr. Diggory glared at her and pointed towards the mark still in the sky. Personally, if I knew how, I would have gotten rid of that thing; it simply did not go with the outdoor/rustic décor. "This wand was used to cast that," he said almost harshly. "Can you explain that?"

Mr. Crouch started to sputter, "Amos, are-are you seriously suggesting that I teach my servants how to cast dark magic?"

"Maybe," I interjected and pointed out when a lethal glare was turned on me. "You did accuse a bunch of teenagers of the same thing. What makes you so special if the likes of them," I pointed to my friends by jerking my thumb over my shoulder, "is capable of dark magic according to you?"

Mr. Diggory cut off what I'm sure was to be a very nasty retort, his snapped at Winky; rather loudly, "did you cast that spell, elf?!"

"Winky is a proper elf," Winky cried, big tears forming in her eyes, "she is not touching wands or knowing how to use them. Winky found the wand on the ground and was going to give it to her master. He is a smart wizard and would be knowing what to do with it!" she sobbed in explanation; she was so very scared.

"Mr. Diggory," I called out when he started to grill her again. He stopped and looked up at me. "If Winky says she didn't use Harry's wand then I believe her. Please return Mr. Potter's wand before he does something regrettable."

Mr. Diggory looked offended. "Lady Black…" he started and that's as far as I let him go before I held up a hand to stop him.

"I would rather be asking rather than telling, Mr. Diggory. Harry didn't cast the mark and I seriously doubt that Winky even knows how to use a wand because she has her own sort of magic." I pointed out. "At this point, all you are doing is terrorizing both the Boy-Who-Lived and Mr. Crouch's elf."

"But-but she was caught red-handed with the guilty wand!" he cried exasperated. Oh, boy, toss out a little dark magic and everyone loses their freaking minds. It worries me that these people are in positions of power.

Mr. Crouch spoke up then, forgetting that he was supposed to remain calm. "Are you accusing me of the dark arts?" he snapped angrily. "I should certainly hope that all the evidence that I have given over a long career has proven my distaste for those foul arts," he basically cried and once again, Mr. Diggory had the decency to look ashamed. Mr. Crouch looked to a teary eyed Winky and asked in a much less harsh tone; it was almost kind, "Winky, where did you pick up the lost wand, did you see who used the wand?"

She shook her head as she pointed towards where she'd been found. "Winky saw no one, sir. Winky is not knowing anything about," the little elf gulped and shuddered, "Winky is sorry is she is not being more helpful."

Mr. Weasley tried to ease tensions. "See, Amos, the guilty person probably stole the wand from Mr. Potter and then ditched it after casting the mark."

Mr. Diggory snapped then, "It's still suspicious."

Mr. Crouch frowned. "I know that you will want to question her more but I ask that you allow me to deal with her."

I saw Mr. Diggory clench his jaw, like a horse chewing at his bit, as he nodded. A sour feeling welled up in my stomach as Mr. Crouch nodded and then unpinned his cloak so it came away in his hand. Winky watched and started shaking her head, rocking back and forth. Blubbering about how she was sorry.

"Winky, you have brought shame upon your master," Crouch stated in a cold tone, I heard those behind me who'd grown up magical gasp in horror from behind me; they knew what Crouch was going to do. "I free you."

He started to toss his cloak at the elf but I caught it before it could land on the elf. Mr. Couch looked, first shocked and then more enraged than he'd been a moment before. He was sputtering indignantly as I threw the cloak back to him.

"Keep your cloak, Master Wizard," I tried not to snarl. "By the power that I hold, in the name of the Pendragon Crown, I confiscate the elf known as Winky." I didn't like what I had to say next but it was what the voices were whispering, "she is no longer your property, Mr. Crouch, she belongs to the crown."

A bright light enveloped Winky, changing the tea towel she wore to a smart looking uniform sundress with a belt round her middle. The dress had the same colors as the surcoats that Dimitri and I wore; blue and crème with the three crowns on the shoulder. For a long moment the only noise to be heard was the nervous rattling of the breeze in the trees behind us.

I think a lot of people jumped when I spoke next. "Winky," I smiled down at the befuddled and crying elf, using the kindest tone I had to ask, "do you think you could take my friend," I pointed to the group of stunned teenagers, "to the Weasley Burrow? Can you do that for me?" Winky was slow to nod and hiccupped as I smiled at her and knelt down. "Then could you please find Fred and George Weasley and make sure the rest of the group get to the Burrow as well?"

Again she nodded as I took Harry's wand from a befuddled Mr. Diggory. I held a hand out to Winky to help her up and the little elf took it, more out of reflex than thought. Her teary eyes never left me as I led her over to Harry, giving him his wand and Winky's hand.

**A**

"I'm impressed," Madam Bones confessed, "but I have no idea what you did."

I shrugged. "I basically took stole Winky from Mr. Crouch before he could crush her soul with his stupid freedom cloak. Not all elves are Dobby," I pointed out and from the look of recognition that crossed Madam's Bones's face, she knew the elf I was talking about. "It was unfair and he was only getting rid of her to save face. You know, it took me three hours that next morning to assure Winky that her former master's secrets were safe because I had not taken her as evidence or whatever. Its ancient magic, protects scumbag wizards, guess who wrote that law?"

"Scumbag wizards?" Madam Bones offered with a chuckle. "You do know that Crouch got Fudge involved in this little scandal. Minister had no choice but to back you, Athena. Now it makes sense if we presume you are correct and that Winky was with that invisible man that was in Crouch's seat."

"And we can't ask Winky one way or another because she's protected by law from reveling secrets to me or Dimitri as we are currently the only officials of the Camelot government." I added trying not to find amusement in Fudge's endorsement which I'm sure left a very sour taste in his mouth. "You know, people should be impressed that the only people that got punched by me, mind you, were Death Eaters. It felt really weird to have authority and command."

"That will change over time, Athena." Bones promised. "You just have to keep demanding the respect while earning it at the same time. Thank you, by the way, for protecting Susan," Bones said softly. "I don't know what I would have done if she'd not have come home from that. Merlin knows how dangerous it is to be at Hogwarts these days but losing your life at something as silly as a sporting event?"

"Speaking of the Castle of Ill-Repute," Bones smirked at my description, "five galleons says that Harry, in some way, shape, manner or form, gets dragged into that stupid contest of Dumbledore's. The man is just begging for trouble."

Bones chuckled but didn't take the bet. Asking instead, "are you really going to force him out if something happens during the contest?"

I nodded quickly. "You bet I am. That man is playing loosely with the lives of his students and under the oaths that I have now, I can't let him continue. I'll throw him bodily out of the castle if I have too. If I were the school governs I'd be for finding his replacement because you and I both know that Potter and trouble are almost the same word these days." I wasn't lying to her, I really would do as I'd said.

"What now, Athena?" Bones asked sounding tired. "What's the plans for now?"

I shrugged. "Well, tomorrow everyone heads off to Hogwarts. I want to ride the train with them but Gran says I have to arrive early for last minute briefs and all that wonderful boredom." I frowned deeply. "She says I have to make a speech about the Knights and our dorm policies, sanctuary and all that. I already know that Draco is going to take sanctuary. There might even be Daphne Greengrass. I know that Harry wants Luna to claim sanctuary if he can convince her."

"Why do you sound worried about sanctuary?" Madam Bones asked

"I know that my friends are going to want to follow me to the new dorms but there is no reason to give them sanctuary," I pointed out. "They are not harassed by any means. They are not bullied nor do they not fit in within their houses. There is no reason for me to grant them something that is reserved for those who are in actual need. Divines help me when Hermione asks."

Madam Bones smiled softly. "I do not envy you there but stand your ground and explain your reasons. Miss Granger will understand eventually. Make sure to ask her to the Yule Ball and give her flowers. We are women, Athena, we like flowers, chocolates and stuffed animals. Those little things at random times are nice to get." The older woman winked at me.

I frowned at the woman. "I think I'm going to doing those random things a lot in the coming future. Know any good shops?" I asked, sinking low in my chair.

Amelia Bones just chuckled and nodded. Cheeky witch was she.