"An de anilidar, Darsor?" asked Maerad softly as she gripped the back of Cadvan's cloak so he wouldn't slip off the bulky, tall, black stallion that was Darsor.
'I am well, Maerad. I am the same as I was five minutes ago. I do believe what was once the School of Carfedis is a mile to the west of us. Do you wish for me to go there?' asked Darsor in the Speech. Maerad looked down at Cadvan's head which bobbed rhythmatically with Darsor's slow gait. Much had happened over the years. The practice of the Bards had long since been forgotten, traded in by Wizards and Witches who had yet to vanquish the Darkness of Edil-Amarandh, now known as Earth. Maerad and Cadvan were, by far, the last of the Bards, as well as the last of the Immortals. But that was thanks to the Immortal: Ardina.
'Is it safe there, Darsor?' asked Maerad cautiously. 'I think they, and that Wight, injured Cadvan worse than the Wight of the Abyss did so long ago…' she murmured quietly as she fingered Cadvan's rough, dark hair. She felt Darsor's gait quicken and tightened her calves to his stomach, gripping Cadvan's cloak tighter.
'As is every where nowadays, there is a raging battle of Dark and Light. We are only half-a-mile away now. Carfedis was never a School strong in the Dark's ways, but they were not extremely strong in the Way of the Light either.' Explained Darsor plantently. Maerad carefully pushed herself closer to Cadvan and wrapped his cloak around him tighter.
'As soon as they lie to me, I will leave and take Cadvan elsewhere. Let's hope he can last a little longer.' Mumbled Maerad. Darsor snorted.
'Keep him as still as possible, Maerad. I will try to smooth my gait. We are all most there.' As Darsor said this castle came into view. Its highest towers went past the clouds. Maerad pulled Cadvan up, into her arms and slid off Darsor as the stallion came to an abrupt halt at the large, wooden, double-doors. 'They haven't changed anything since it was Carfedis.' Stated Darsor as he kicked the wooden doors.
'Thank you.' said Maerad quietly to Darsor. Darsor lay down and allowed Maerad to sit down, using his stomach for warmth. She pulled Cadvan closer to Darsor and took his sword, Arnost, from his own waist, next to her own sword, Ingan. Twenty minutes past before a stern-looking, female version of Indik opened one of the doors and looked out. Maerad slowly stood up, Cadvan in her arms.
"Can you help him?" asked Maerad to the woman who stood in the doorway.
"Who are you?" she asked sharply.
"I am Maerad of Pellinor and he is Cadvan of Lirigon. We are Bards; uh…you'd could call us a wizard and witch now…" The woman sighed.
"Come in. I'll take you to the Infirmary." Maerad nodded.
'Will you be okay by yourself, Darsor?' asked Maerad in the Speech.
'If something happens, even something small, say 'Noroch.' Use as much power as you did to kill the Wight earlier, you understand?' said Darsor warningly. Maerad nodded and gave the stallion a small bow, then scurried after the woman.
"My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am the deputy headmistress of this school…" She stopped as the sound of Maerad's feet ceased. "Is something wrong?" A small smile was on Maerad's face. Cadvan's eyes were open.
'Thank the Light, you're awake.' Said Maerad softly in the Speech.
'I feel…like we're back…when Nelac lived.' Said Cadvan hoarsely. Maerad shifted the man to a more comfortable position.
'Of course you do. The last of the Wights of the Abyss have been vanquished.' "We are in what used to be the School of Carfedis." Explained Maerad. McGonagall coughed.
"I don't know what Carfedis is, but this is Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft of Wizardry." Explained McGonagall. Maerad nodded.
"We should hurry. Knowing Cadvan, he's forcing himself to stay awake." Cadvan scoffed childishly. McGonagall nodded and began walking again. 'Go to sleep, Cadvan. You're beginning to look as you did when the Nameless One had power over you.' Cadvan's eyes closed as Maerad spoke but he did not fall asleep. Maerad looked down at him helplessly, but with a renewed determination in her eyes.
"Here it is." Stated McGonagall. "I'm afraid that the headmaster will have to give you some questions to answer. You can lay the young man on any cot. Madame Pomfrey will take care of him." Maerad gave a small bow and nodded. She gently laid Cadvan on a cot near the largest, clear window, the half-moon shining brightly through.
"I don't mind being questioned as long as I am not told lies." Stated Maerad as she brushed a few strands of hair out of Cadvan's sweaty face. McGonagall nodded to an aging woman before leaving. The woman walked over to Maerad and Cadvan. Maerad shrugged off her pack and set it next to the cot.
"So, what seems to be the problem young lady?" asked the woman. Maerad laughed softly.
"Forgive me. That was funny…A group of Hul-I mean wizards attacked us and a man yelled Avada-something and a red light hit Cadvan. I managed to kill them, and the Wight they had attained, but I didn't know what to do with Cadvan." The woman gaped.
"Did the man say, 'Avada Kedavra'?" asked the woman worriedly. Maerad snapped her fingers.
"That's what he said! Darsor said that Cadvan would live if we could find someone who had this concoction." Maerad a piece of parchment paper from her bag and handed it to the woman. She read it and then looked at Maerad in confusion.
"Chocolate?" she asked dumbfounded. Maerad nodded.
"Yes. I think that's what Darsor said. I guess you wouldn't have any. I've never heard of it." Muttered Maerad. The woman looked at her in shock. A small groan was heard from the other side of the room. A man slowly sat up, rubbing his head.
"Go back to sleep, Remus." Ordered Pomfrey. Maerad looked at the man curiously, but with a small glint of horror in her eyes. Her eyes slowly softened with sadness and she began rummaging in the small pack. She finally took two antique canteen-like things. She laid one on Cadvan's chest and took the other one to the man.
"Here. Take a sip of this. It's called Woundwort. You'll feel better. I just made it a few days ago, so it's very fresh. It won't kill you. You may be what a wer were once, but that was not your choice so I won't kill you. I promise. Besides, I couldn't lie to save my life." Shrugged Maerad. Remus stared at the girl who couldn't have been any older than twenty. Maerad smiled calmly. "Please drink it." She uncapped the extremely old-looking canteen. Remus looked at her quizzically before finally consenting to the young girl's pleas. Maerad smiled broadly and tilted the canteen to the man's lips. She took it away after he had had a large sip. Immediately, Remus' face gained color and the dark rings under his eyes vanished.
"Thanks." He stated, confused.
"You should stay in bed for at least twelve more hours. That's what Fenir Greyback does and he 'never' looks tired. By the Light, I despise that wolfwer. We should have killed him before attacking the Wight…" muttered Maerad, scolding herself. "By any chance, might you have something called chocolate?" Remus nodded and took a lump that was covered in tin foil out of his pocket, handing it to the Bard of Pellinor. "I thank you." Maerad gave a small bow as she accepted the parcel before dashing to Cadvan's side. "Cadvan, are you conscious?"
"Of course…Maerad." Mumbled the Bard of Lirigon all most incoherently.
"I guess I should have expected that." Said Maerad sweetly as she unwrapped the parcel to reveal the dark brown, solid substance. "Your horse said that this will make you feel better." Cadvan nodded and winced as he propped himself onto his elbows, grimacing even more as the whipstings on his arms rubbed against the pillow. "Just stay still and eat this." Maerad took the chunk of chocolate from the foil and offered it to Cadvan. He had to gag the fowl tasting substance down, muttering about how good a buttered mushroom would taste right about now. Maerad chuckled and smiled as she noticed the small amount of color that was beginning to color her friend's cheeks.
"Whatever that was, it was absolutely fowl-tasting." Stated Cadvan agitatedly. Maerad immediately dropped the tin foil and hugged Cadvan tightly.
"Like old time, right?" she mumbled.
"Like old times," he replied. "Only this time, it wasn't the Nameless One to cause the problems. Maerad, what's the count of how many times you've saved my life now?" Maerad smirked and began counting off her fingers.
"Well…"
"I wasn't serious!" exclaimed Cadvan.
"Sixty-seven times to date." Cadvan gaped.
"Why must you all ways do that?"
"Do what?"
"Be annoying! You still act like you did when you were sixteen! At least then, you were annoying to your tutors more than me!" exclaimed Cadvan. Maerad smirked.
"Too bad, Cadvan. Although, I think the woman that led me here is Indik of Innail's reincarnation."
"Did I say that Indik was from Innail?" asked Cadvan.
"Yeah. About…uh…a thousand and a half years ago."
"Oh. Oops. Indik was from Carfedis."
"So, this was his school?" asked Maerad curiously, looking around.
"Depends, are we in Carfedis?" asked Cadvan.
"That's what Darsor said."
"I hated their library."
"Why?"
"I do not know."
"Ooookaaayyy…"
"Off track. Why are we in Carfedis? We were heading towards Norloch." Stated Cadvan. "Darsor didn't get lost again, did he?" Maerad gaped and cuffed him over the head.
"We were attacked by Hul-Dark wizards and a Wight! You were nearly killed! Darsor may be a horse but he still cares about you just as much as the original Darsor did."
"So, you went back the way we came instead of toward Norloch? The last time I checked Edil-Amarandh, Carfedis is the opposite of Norloch!" Maerad cuffed him over the head again.
"Once again! I repeat! You. Were. HALF DEAD! We weren't trying to go to the Nameless One's hide-out to have drinks! We were going there to find Enkir of Norloch's ashes and burn them, not go gallivantingoff to some silly, dark wizard's seance, or what ever they're called!" Cadvan chuckled. "Oh, do tell. What do you find so utterly hilarious?"
"You, my friend, are starting to sound like Silvia!" Maerad laughed at the comment.
"Then, I do believe that I am allowed to scold you for not halving the food rations equally!" Cadvan guffawed the statement.
"Excuse me for interrupting, but, I would like to know your names." The two Bards turned their attention to an elderly man with long, white hair, who was wearing midnight-blue, wizard robes that were decorated with sparkling stars. Cadvan yawned and tiredly leaned against the backboard of the bed he was on. Maerad nodded in consent.
"I am called Maerad of Pellinor1. My companion is called Cadvan of Lirigon. I am sorry if we caused any problems by coming here." Said Maerad. The man nodded.
"You haven't caused any problems, Milady. I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Maerad's eyes widened.
"Cadvan! Did you know that Percival had a son?" asked the girl curiously. Cadvan, whose eyes were closed, shrugged.
"I think I remember something along those lines appearing in the newspaper a few years ago. I do not care as long as he is not like his father. I do not feel like having to help Ardina clean up the Gate again."
"But Perci was so cute when he was little! It was a shame he turned out the way he did…"
"You can't save them all, Maerad. Percival knew that what he was doing was wrong and knew what the punishment would be." Stated Cadvan. Dumbledore stared at the two 'seemingly' young Bards curiously.
"I have another question." He began. "How old are the two of you?" Both Bards shrugged their shoulders.
"I lost track after one thousand two-hundred. What about you Cadvan?"
"Sad to say it, but, I lost track a few years before I found you, Maerad, in Gilman's Cot." Maerad gaped.
"You couldn't have been any older than one hundred at that point in time, Cadvan! I am very disappointed in you!" Cadvan nodded sleepily.
"You were a child, you would not have understood Barding then, cut me some slack, Silvia." The two Bards seemed to have forgotten Dumbledore completely. Maerad sighed.
"An de anilidar, Cadvan?" she asked softly in the Speech.
"Just tired and achy." Replied Cadvan in the Speech. Maerad nodded.
"Ahem." Maerad straightened and looked at the elderly man.
"Oh! Sorry. We were attacked by a Wight and a few Dark Wizards. Cadvan got hit by a curse of some kind and both Darsor and I were afraid for his life."
"Forgive me. Do you serve Lord Voldemort?" questioned Dumbledore. Maerad looked at him in confusion.
"Who?" Pomfrey, Dumbledore, and Remus stared at the two Bards in confusion.
"My dear, what do you mean 'Who'?" questioned Pomfrey, shocked. Maerad looked at the three, in her opinion, very young wizards, a nonplused expression on her face.
"I have never heard of anyone named Voldemort." Stated the female Bard nonchalantly.
"He-who-must-not-be-named?" asked Remus, wondering if the 'young' Bard perhaps only knew him by that term.
"Do you mean the Nameless One?" Pomfrey breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Child, I thought for a minute there that you had amnesia! His real name is Voldemort." Explained the nurse calmly. Cadvan's eyes flicked open immediately.
"The Nameless One cast off his name. He has none." Said the Bard sharply. "Maerad, they are not speaking of the Nameless One. It must be someone different."
"Oh…" murmured Maerad. "That would explain it. We destroyed the Nameless One a millennium ago! I'm glad they do not know of that Evil Being." Dumbledore, Pomfrey, and Remus stared at the Bards in confusion.
"You do not know who Voldemort is? Tom Marvolo Riddle?" Maerad seemed to finally recognize the name.
"That was the child that stole the Immortals' Shell!" he exclaimed. Well, that certainly gained some staring.
"Maerad, wasn't the Man that attacked us calling himself the Dark Lord?" asked Cadvan curiously. Maerad nodded.
"He certainly wasn't all that evil though, and he definitely wasn't dark. He was all most albino!" Cadvan chuckled before coughing violently into his fist. Maerad gently rubbed her hands over his, warming them, afraid of aggravating any of Cadvan's raw wounds. "Its okay, Cadvan, breathe in and out. Breathe. It's okay. I'll explain to them, you sleep. I do not care how stubborn you may be. Rest, Cadvan." Cadvan was almost immediately asleep on the bed. Maerad wrapped her cloak around him before turning her attention back to Albus. "Forgive us. He always seems more energetic than he actually is."
"I understand. You are comfortable answering any questions given to you?" asked the 'old' man curiously. Maerad smiled and nodded.
"I do not lie. Ask away."
"Where are you from?"
"The School of Pellinor, now called Switzerland."
"Where is he from?"
"The School of Lirigon, now called Spain."
"Why are you here?"
"This was our closest hope of a helping ally."
"Do you harbor any dark intent on the wizarding and muggle worlds?"
"No."
"Are you wizards?"
"No."
"What are you?"
"Bards."
"Albus, there have been no bards since the Founders." Minerva said with a hint of suspicion in her voice. A mischievous smile alighted Maerad's face.
"Might I see a picture of these 'Founders?'" she asked. Albus shrugged and waved a stick through the air. Immediately, a picture appeared in Maerad's hands of four people, moving around. The first, a man with olive skin and black hair, held up in a long, scruffy ponytail, scowling as a woman with pure white skin and long, silky, jet-black hair tackled him to the ground, laughing brightly. Another man with shoulder-length, orange-red hair and lightly tanned, white skin was studying a gorgeous sword with red and gold etchings in it. Another woman with dark skin and long, braided, brown hair watched the redheaded man from behind a book, entitled, The History of Edil-Amarandh.
"By the Light! My mother, Saliman, and Nelac are in this picture! I didn't know that my mother knew Nelac! Or Saliman for that matter! How exciting! Might I keep this image?" Albus nodded silently, not wanting to appear ignorant in front of the 'young' bard. "You don't have to do that, you know."
"Do what, my dear?" he asked kindly.
"Act like you know everything I am currently talking about. I first met Cadvan when he was around your age, and he definitely did not know everything. This is very forward of me, but, might we stay here for a while? Just until Cadvan and I are back at our full strength! No longer, I promise!" Minerva chuckled, her muscles relaxing as the stress of the room lowered. When Albus did nothing to respond, she slightly nudged him.
"Oh! Sorry! Of course you may stay." Maerad gave a slight bow.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Maerad cast her hand in the air saying loudly, "Munire!" She blushed at the confused looks of Albus, Minerva, and the nurse. "It's a spell. Cadvan does not like it when people touch him while he is vulnerable. A while back I promised him that I would Speak in his defense if he were hurt. I left Darsor outside without telling him anything. He does not mind the wait, but he does like to be updated when possible."
"Darsor?" asked Poppy curiously.
"Cadvan's horse. Technically, he's Darsor the thousandth and forth."
1 Maerad's actual name is Elednor of Edil-Amarandh, Lily of the Briar, Briar of the Foam.